Screen Opinions (1923-24)

126 SCREEN OPINIONS TELLS THE TRUTH “FOG”— [Class A] 80% (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Youth’s Struggle to Be Something in Face of Unfavorable Environment VALUE CAST Photography — Very good — John R. Arnold. Madelaine Theddon Mildred Harris TYPE OF PICTURE — Sentimental. Nathan Forge Cullen Landis Moral Standard — Good. Milly Richards Louise Fazenda ■' 1 Mrs. Theddon Louise Dresser Story — Very good — Drama — Family. Edith Forge Marjorie Prevost Cast — Very good — All-Star. Carol Gardner Ann May Author — Very good — William Dudley Pelley. Mrs. Forge Ethel Wale9 Direction — Very good — Paul Powell. Johanathan Forge Ralph Lewis Adaptation — Average — H. H. Van Loan and Si Plumb David Butler Winifred Dunn. Caleb Gridley Frank Currier Technique — Average. Gordon Ruggles Edward Phillips Spiritual Influence — Good. . — August 1 to 15, 1923. Producer — Max Graf Footage — 6,500 ft. Distributor — Metro t Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE! — The Parent Commits a Crime Who Seeks to Destroy Youthful Ambitions and Correct Ideals. Commendable Theme, But Production Loses Caste Through Careless Editing — Continuity and Plot Wabble After Fifth Reel “The Fog” gets a good start and is inspirational up to a certain point somewhere about the fifth reel, when the plot begins to be weak-kneed, and we wonder why the editors did not make closer connections. The material supplied by the director is worthy of more painstaking effort in assembling, and in any event the majority of audiences will find the production satisfying, although the scheme of the story fits the high-class audience rather than the cheaper sections. For instance, to fully appreciate the intention of author and director one must be able to feel with the youth whose struggle to exist on a higher plane is hampered by a discouraging home environment. It would seem that the adapters did not see clearly just what should be eliminated and what should be kept in the screen story. As an example we would quote the case of Edith Forge, which has little or nothing to do with the main theme. And as a purely technical error we would point to the sudden transportation of Madelaine Theddon from her home town to Red Cross service in Russia. It is also regrettable that the hero’s romantic bump leads him astray on the love path so many times before he finally reaches the goal of contentment with his twin soul Madelaine. The characterization is particularly interesting and well taken care of. Mildred Harris is beautiful and convincing in the role of Madelaine, and Cullen Landis is satisfactory as Nathan Forge, the misunderstood youth. Ralph Lewis plays the hard-hearted father in his usual good style, and David Butler gives a fine performance as Si Plumb, an employee of the tannery. Frank Currier, too, is excellent, and Ethel Wales gives one of the best portrayals of the picture as the wornout wife and mother. In the earlier scenes of the picture, where Ralph Lewis, Ethel Wales and Cullen Landis hold the center of the stage, an astonishing realism is arrived at by careful attention to the psychology of the story, and the details that go to make up every-day life. Louise Fazenda, Louise Dresser, Marjorie Prevost, Ann May and Edward Phillips are also worthy of individual praise. STORY OF THE PLAY Nathan Forge, son of Johnathan Forge, who reads his bible, but fails to put its teachings in practice, yearns for the finer things of life, and develops secretly a gift for writing poetry. Forced to work in Caleb Gridley’s tannery to pay off a mortgage on his father’s property, he wins Caleb’s admiration when he plays square in a fight with the bully, Si Plumb, and finds a friend in a man usually thought to be a grouch. As time goes on, Johnathan buys the box factory and later attempts to abscond with funds belonging to the stockholders. Caleb arrives in town just in time to prevent Nathan from being locked in jail with his father. When the war breaks out he enlists and is sent to Russia, where he finally meets again Madelaine Theddon, whose childish glance he has carried in his heart since childhood. The story also includes a couple of affairs, one of which leads him to marry in haste, after which he is granted a divorce. (Continued on next page) No Advertising Support Accepted!