Screen Opinions (1923-24)

120 "BOOK THE NEW PERCENTAGE WAY" “NEAR LADY”— [Class A] 80% (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Romance of Manicurist and Adventures With Newly Acquired Wealth VALUE CAST Photography — Very good — Not credited. Nora Schultz Gladys Walton TYPE OF PICTURE — Humorous. Basil Van Bibber Jerry Gendron Moral Standard — Average. Standuppolus Kornpoppulus Harry Mann 1 "■ " Bridget Schultz Kate Price Story — Very good — Comedy. Herman Schultz Otis Harlan Star — Very good — Gladys Walton. Aunt Maggie Mahaffey Florence Drew Author — Very good — Frank R. Adams. Stuyvesant Van Bibber Emmett King Direction — Very good — Herbert Blache. Mrs. S. Van Bibber Henrietta Ford Adaptation — Very good — Hugh Hoffman. ■ ■ ■ 1 ■ ■ ■ Technique — Very good. December 15 to 31, 1923. Spiritual Influence — Neutral. Producer — Universal Footage — 4,812 ft. Distributor — Universal Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE— None Good Comedy — The Kind That Draws — Excellent Vehicle for Gladys Walton There can be no question regarding the box office value of the latest Gladys Walton production, “The Near Lady.” A glance at the cast, including Otis Harlan and Kate Price, both well known for their aptitude at comedy, is sufficient to assure major satisfaction. The picture is well edited and is subtitled in a way that will amuse the average audience through humorous relationship to the action of the play. The situation in which the inventor of a sausage machine becomes wealthy and tries to enter his brood in the social Blue Book is just as amusing as can be. Miss Walton is excellently cast, and in fact has not been seen to as good advantage in some time as in the role of the pretty manicurist who finally landed in society and married one of its sons. Scenes on the golf links with the Schultz family doing its best, and endeavors at entertainment in which the lack of social etiquette affords a number of funny situations, will draw plenty of laughter. Florence Drew, as an old eccentric relative who invariably brought disgrace on the family by smoking a pipe on swell occasions, gives a notable performance. The exhibitor can bank on this one and can afford to tell his patrons about it in advance. Jerry Gendron, a new leading man, makes good in the role of Basil Van Bibber. STORY OF THE PLAY Nora Schultz, manicurist, and daughter of Herman Schultz, whose dreams of wealth through an invention, in the shape of a sausage machine, finally came true, comes face to face with a handsome voung man, a former customer, at a moment when social ambition is about to be realized. The catastrophe which might have happened through his knowledge of her former vocation, is prevented when the young man’s father becomes bankrupt, and marriage with Nora is looked upon as a means of salvation for the Van Bibber family. After pretending to be in love to please their parents, they finally realize that they really are in love with one another; and after a series of interesting incidents they marry. PROGRAM COPY — “The Near Lady” — Featuring Gladys Walton You’ll laugh all the way home after seeing Gladys Walton in her latest feature, ‘‘The Near Lady.” Miss Walton is supported by a cast including Otis Harlan and Kate Price. “ANNA CHRISTIE”— [Class A] 80% (Adapted from play of same name) Story: — Adventures and Romance of Sea Captain’s Neglected Daughter VALUE CAST Photography — Very good — Henry Sharp. Anna Christie Blanche Sweet TYPE OF PICTURE— Sensational. “Chris” George Marion Moral Standard — Average. Matt Burke William Russell ^ — — — — — — — — — Martha Eugenie Besserer Story — Very good — Melodrama — Adults. . ■ 11 1 ■■■ * Cast — Very good — All-Star — With Blanche December 15 to 31, 1923. Sweet, William Russell, Eugenie Besserer and George Marion. Author — Very good — Eugene O’Neill. Direction — Very good — John Griffith Wray. Adaptation — Very good — Bradley King. Technique — Very good. Spiritual Influence — Average. Producer — Thomas H. Ince Footage — 7,631 ft. Distributor — First National (Continued on next page) No Advertising Support Accepted!