Screen Opinions (1923-24)

30 Screen Opinions Tells the Trntb “POISONED PARADISE”— 65% (Adapted from a story of the same name) Reviewed April, 1924 Story: — Monte Carlo Bank and Murder of Man Who Tries to Break It VALUE Photography— Very good — Karl Struss. Type — Sensational. Moral Standard — Average. Story — Good — Melodrama — Adults. Cast — Very good — All-Star. Author — Good — Robert W. Service. Direction — Good — L. J. Gasnier. Adaptation — Average — W. Young. Technique — Good Average. Spiritual Influence — Neutral. Moral — None outstanding. CAST Hugh Kildair Kenenth Harlan Margot Le Blanc Clara Bow Mrs. G. Kildair Barbara Tennant Krantz Andre de Beranger Mrs. Bemire...„ Carmel Myers Professor Durand Josef Swickard Madame Tranquille Evelyn Selbie Producer — B. P. Schulberg. Footage — 6800 feet. Ditsributor — Preferred Pictures. The Opinion Strong Picture — Just Missed Being Big “Poisoned Paradise” has just missed being a big picture. As it stands, however, it is often vague in outline, which is in part a fault in the editing. The story starts out with the intention of marking a moral, but never seems to quite arrive at the “sticking point.” Director Gasnier gets the correct angle on character portrayal, and displays flashes of the true directorial genius at times. The writer was impressed with the fact that although the picture gave big promise in the opening] scenes very little of real account happened. The boy who is the son of at Monte Carlo suicide, and the girl, a Paris waif, drift together by entertaining stages. The scenes near the climax, where the young man is lured to the villa of Mrs. Bermire, a beautiful adventuress, are farfetched. Raymond Griffith gives perhaps the outstanding portrayal of the picture in the role of Martel. This is a good production for the transient theatre and for some neighborhood sections, presumably the cheaper locations. “HILL BILLY”— 80% (Suggested by story of same name) Reviewed April, 1924 Theme: — Youth of Southern Mountains Saves Band Owners from Swindlers VALUE Photography — Very Good — D. Kesson. Type — Picturesque — Human interest. Moral Standard — Average. Story — Very good — Melo. — Family. Star — Very good — Jack Pickford. Author — Very good — John Fox, Jr. Direction — Very good — George Hill. Adaptation — Very good — M. Jackson. Technique — Very good. Spiritual Influence — Neutral. Moral — None outstanding. The CAST Jed McCoy Jack Pickford Emmy Lou Spence Lucille Rickson "Groundhog" Spence Frank Leigh Aaron Spence Ralph Yearsley Mother McCoy Jane Keckley Tabb Tafel Snitz Edwards “Big-Boy” Malcolm Waite Producer — Mary Pickford Production. Footage — About 5000 feet. Distributor — Allied Producers. Opinion The Star Is Pleasing in a Well Directed Picture Jack Pickford comes into his own again in “The Hill Billy,” his latest production. The role he plays suits him, he is well directed and incidentally well photographed. If the picture had been taken on the actual scene of the story, in the Kentucky Mountains, the result could not have been more convincing than it is. The mountain types and characteristics are exceptionally well portrayed. “The Hill Billy” is the story of a youth whose mother unwittingly married the murderer of her first husband who means to gain possession of her property on which there are indications of oil. The boy, Jed, discovers a plot to swindle the mountaineers out of their land, and brings a band of men to drive out the conspirators. At the same time he rescues Emmy Lou, the girl he loves, from a man she has been forced to marry. He is tried for the murder of the man, and is acquitted when others claim to have done the shooting. No Advertising Support Accepted!