Screen Opinions (1923-24)

“BOOK THE NEW PERCENTAGE WAY” 13 always beautiful. The story is outlined clearly, the settings are both artistic and romantic, and the sensational features are presented effectively. The scenes in the early part of the picture where St. Elmo discovers the faithlessness of his fiancee, and emerges from the wood the victor in a death grapple with the man who stole her from him, are well done. The cast is satisfactory throughout, and we believe that with proper exploitation the production will prove valuable to the exhibitor. STORY OF THE PLAY St. Elmo Thornton, owner of a southern plantation, loves Agnes Hunt, and on the evening in which they have plighted their troth he returns a little/ later to/ find her in the arms of Murray Hammond. Waiting for Hammond in the woods, Thornton takes out of his pistol all but one cartridge, and Hammond, having first chance at firing, fails to discharge the pistol. They grapple and Hammond is killed in the struggle. St. Elmo loses faith in humanity and becomes embittered and cruel. Returning from a trip abroad he is| displeased 'to jfind his mother with a girl companion, Edna Earle, the blacksmith’s daughter. But Edna is destined to teach him the way back to the light. And as the story ends we find St. Elmo embracing religion and in love with Edna. PROGRAM COPY— “St. Elmo”— Featuring John Gilbert You’ll like the picturization of “St. Elmo,” an old-fashioned story with an old-fashioned hero and a real punch. John Gilbert and a good cast, including Bessie Love and Barbara La Marr, play the picture. “REFUSE”— [Class B] 65% (Especially prepared for the screen) ft Story: — Noblewoman Marries Stranger to Escape Tyrant and Discovers She Has Married Heir to Throne CAST VALUE Photography — Good — Joseph Brotherton. TYPE OF PICTURE— InterestingRomantic. Moral Standard — Average. Story — Good — Drama — Family. Star— Good — Katherine MacDonald. Author — Good — Lois Zellner. Direction — Good — Victor Schertzinger. Adaptation — Good— Florence Hein. Technique — Good. Spiritual Influence — Neutral. Producer — B. P. Schulberg Nadia Katherine MacDonald Gene Hugh Thompson Dick Gunnis Davis Louis J. Gordon Russell Prince Ferdinand Arthur Edmund Carewe General DeRannier Eric Mayne Mme. DeRannier Mathilde Brundage Gustave Kenski Fred Malatesta Marie Grace Morse Alphonse Victor Potel The Princess Olita Otis September 1 to IS, 1923. Distributor — First National Footage — 6,000 ft. Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE— None Interesting Picture, Richly Set and Well Acted — Spoiled by Ineffective Subtitles The average audience will like “Refuge” for its romantic and adventurous qualities. The star, Katherine MacDonald, is beautiful and gives a pleasing portrayal of the role of Nadia, a noblewoman who married a stranger to escape marriage with a tyrant prince, fell in love with her husband then discovered she had married a prince and heir to the Moravian throne. The pictue is well directed and beautifully set. Scenes in the palace are quite elaborate, and there is a good deal of punch to 'the action of the picture. Unfortunately, the subtitles are conventional and ineffective, detracting considerably from the enjoyment of the production. The cast is excellent. Arthur Edmund Carewe gives a good performance as Prince Ferdinand, and Hugh Thompson is eminently satisfactory in the role of Gene, Nadia’s strangely gotten husband. STORY OF THE PLAY Three young men on their way from a prison camp see a young woman hurrying from the palace of Prince Ferdinand in an automobile; they stop at her destination and discover that her companion in the rear seat has been struck on the head and is apparently dead. Nadia, the woman, must have a legal husband to avert the distasteful marriage with Ferdinand, and, picking Gene from the three soldiers, she proposes to him and he accepts. After many adventures Kenski, the man in the rear seat of the auto, comes to life again, and claims his prior right to Nadia. In one of the scenes following he is killed by Ferdinand. The close of the story discloses the fact that she has married the heir to the throne of Moravia instead of just a plain soldier. PROGRAM COPY — “Refuge” — Featuring Katherine MacDonald What could a woman do, faced by marriage to a tyrant? See what Nadia of the story “Refuge” did. She solved her problem in a peppy modern fashion. Katherine MacDonald is the star. No Advertising Support Accepted!