Screen Opinions (1923-24)

“Book the New Percentage Way” S3 “LOVE’S WHIRLPOOL”— 65% (Especially prepared for the screen) Reviewed April, 1924 Theme: — Master Crook Strives for Vengeance Through Fake Clairvoyancy VALUE CAST Photography — Average — Steve Norton. Jim Regan James Kirkwood Type— Sensational. Molly — -Lila Lee Moral Standard — Fair. Nadine Milton Madge Bellamy — Larry Robert Agnew Story — Good — Crook Melo. — Family. "Pinkey” Sellers. Mathew Betz Star — Good — James Kirkwood. Richard Milton Ed. Martindel Author — Good — Elliott Clawson. — Direction — Good — Bruce Mitchell. Adaptation— Good — Not credited. Technique — Good. Producer — Regal Pictures, Inc. Spiritual Influence — Neutral. Footage — 6028 feet. Moral — None. Distributor — W. W. Hodkinson. The Opinion A Picture for the Cheaper Theatre “Love’s Whirlpool” as a production is not what the exhibitor is apt to expect from the names of the stars employed in the picture. It is ordinary crook melodrama which gives few opportunities to Lila Lee, a moderate allowance to James Kirkwood, and shoves Madge Bellamy’s colorful personality into the foreground. The story is ordinary, treating of a master crook’s attempt at vengeance following the death of his brother who is shot trying to escape from prison. The crook’s method of revenge is to extract money from Banker Milton, who sent the youth to prison. The repentance and confession of the wife, the final regeneration of the crook covers the remainder of the story. “ARIZONA EXPRESS”— 90% (Especially prepared for the screen) Reviewed April, 1924 Theme:— Girl’s Struggle to Save Brother Framed for Murder VALUE Photography — Excellent — Not credited. Type— Sensational. Moral Standard — Average. Story — Excellent — Melodrama — Family. Cast — Excellent — All-Star. Author — Excellent — Lincoln J. Carter. Direction — Excellent — T. Buckingham. Adaptation — Excellent — Not credited. Technique — Excellent. Spiritual Influence — Neutral. Moral — None. CAST Katherine Keith Pauline Starke Lola Nicols — Evelyn Brent Florence Brown Ann Cornwall David Keith Harold Goodwin Steve Butler .....David Butler Victor Johnson Francis MacDonald Henry MacFarlane...William Humphrey Producer — Fox. Footage — 6316 feet. Distributor — Fox. The Opinion A Peppy Picture from Start to Finish List “The Arizona Express” as peppy melodrama. It bristles with suspense and thrills. The opening scenes in the rooms of a woman of the underworld, where a murder quickly follows to serve as the thread on which the plot swings, clinch the spectator’s interest, and start the characters on a wild chase of life and death significance. A train wreck which seems to be the actual thing, shows a locomotive and accompanying cars hurtling over an embankment. The prison scenes, the carefully planned scheme for the escape of the prisoners by wrecking the train at a point where it is bound to demolish a section of the prison wall, presents a thrilling situation that depends to an extent on the romance interwoven for its appeal. Harold Goodwin is especially well-suited to the role of David Keith. David Butler puts up a good fight. Pauline Starke, Evelyn Brent and Ann Cornwall are attractive in the feminine characters, and Francia MacDonald and Henry Humphrey are both excellent Screen Opinions saves you a loss on poor pictures and helps you to make money by featuring the best ones. It gives you the gist of the story. No Advertising Support Accepted!