Screen Opinions (1923-24)

4 SCREEN OPINIONS TELLS THE TRUTH of the United States secret service and in love with Barbara Hackett, appears to be in league with the crooks, but after Barbara has been shot down out of an aeroplane and imprisoned on a German submarine, she learns that Brick really is the man she believed him to be after all. The villains meet death in traps they set for others. PROGRAM COPY — “Eleventh Hour” — Featuring Shirley Mason and Charles Jones When you come to see “The Eleventh Hour” be prepared to spend the most exciting evening you have known since you saw Harold Lloyd in "Safety Last.” This melodrama fairly bristles with thrills. Pretty Shirley Mason and Charles Jones are the stars. “LOYAL LIVES” — [Class B] 61% (Especially prepared for screen) Story: — Incidents in the Life of a Postman VALUE CAST Photography — Good — Not credited. Dan O’Brien Brandon Tynan TYPE OF PICTURE — Sentimental. Mrs. Mary O’Brien Mary Carr Moral Standard — Good. Peggy Faire Binney Terrence O’Brien William Collier, Jr. Story — Good — Melodrama; — Family. Cast — Good — All-star — With Mary Carr, Bran September 1 to 15, 1923. don Tynan, Faire Binney and William Collier, Jr. Author — Good — Charles G. Rich. Direction — Good — Charles Giblyn. Adaptation — Good — Dorothy Farnum. Technique — Good. Spiritual Influence — Good. Producer — Whitman Bennett Footage — 6,000 ft. Distributor — Vitagraph MORAL O’THE PICTURE — Loyalty Usually Brings Its Own Reward Pleasing Melodramatic Romance Has Plenty of Heart Interest — Good Cast Assures Consistent Amount of Success The best thing about “Loyal Lives” is the large amount of human interest conveyed through the concentrated efforts of a good cast headed by Mary Carr and Brandon Tynan. The picture is a bit too long for the amount of plot material supplied by the story, and in the third reel this commences to be obvious. Some interesting scenes showing the postal clerks at work sorting letters and performing various duties in the postal department are presened in the opening reel, but the majority of the picture is consumed with events in the life of Dan O’Brien, a loyal, kindly postman. The home of Dan, presided over by his gentle wife Mary, is the center of interest throughout thei picture, and Mary Carr and Brandon Tynan, Faire Binney and William Collier, Jr., are successful in creating genuine home atmosphere. The adaptation of the story is not particularly good, or perhaps it is that the plot is not sufficiently reinforced. There is no solution to the problem of the retired postman faced with keeping a family on a meager pension and unable to get a job. The friendship between Michael O’Hara and Dan O’Brien is nicely outlined and is a pleasing feature of the picture. The closing reels are frankly melodramatic and quite what the masses like. This picture is hardly strong enough for a special, but should draw well if the names of the stars are emphasized in billing it. STORY OF THE PLAY Dan O’Brien, a loyal letter carrier, sticks to his job with the post office department in spite of the offer of Michael O’Hara, a pal of his, to take him as a partner in a mail order business which he contemplates, and which is the means of Michael becoming a rich man. In later years when the little girl whom Dan and his wife adopted when she was left in a basket at the door, has become the sweetheart of O’Hara Jr., and Terrence O’Brien has given up a college education to take a job with the government and help out his family, a villain stalks. The mails are robbed, the robber traced to the O’Briens, and Dan is about to be jailed when the real thief who took lodgings with the O’Briens, and left a marked bill with them through which the stolen money was traced, confesses. The story ends happily. PROGRAM COPY — “Loyal Lives” — Featuring Brandon Tynan and Mary Carr The ups and downs in the life of a letter carrier and the uncovering of a villain’s scheme to put him behind the bars is only a part of what “Loyal Lives” offers by way of entertainment. Don’t miss Mary Carr’s latest with Brandon Tynan, Faire Binney and William Collier Jr. in the case. to No Advertising Support Accepted!