Universal Weekly (1920, 1923-27)

Francis X. Bushman tries to convince Walter Pidgeon that he has committed the murder in “The Thirteenth Juror.” Anna Q. Nilsson, Walter Pidgeon and Fred Kelsey give fine performances in Universal’s courtroom photodr ama. “Thirteenth Juror” Proves Exciting * At Colony Theatre World Premiere t.rpHE Thirteenth Juror,” Uni! versal’s thrilling adaptation of the stage play by Henry Dodge, won the Broadway honors last week, according to the critics, when it opened at the Colony Theatre, New York City. The photoplay is equipped with a well-knit plot, a fine cast including the old favorite, Francis X. Bushman, and the ever popular Anna Q. Nilsson, and intelligent directing by Edward Laemmle, who sustains the suspense to a surprising denouement. The courtroom climax is the sort of tense stuff that will pack houses and keep them hushed with excitement. If you think we are prejudiced in favor of our film child, just read what the hard-boiled critics have to say: George Gerhard in the Evening World: “With no surrounding fanfare, Dr. Hugo Riesenfeld puts on a feature picture at the Colony this week called ‘The Thirteenth Juror,’ which is one of the most creditable on Broadway. And, to make it all the more enjoyable, a movie fan may see it without being put to the necessity of wading through hours of extraneous entertainment. “The picture is an out-and-out melodrama, the kind which your inveterate movie-goer loves to watch. And it has one of those unexpected climaxes. In it Francis X. Bushman, erstwhile strutting hero, portrays the role of a criminal lawyer fighting before the bar for the life of a friend, and he reveals a brand of histrionics heretofore unsuspected of him. “Indeed, Mr. Bushman stands before the bar of justice pleading for his client for the greater part of the picture, and in this manner the story is unfolded. It is crammed with suspense, the kind which one finds usually in celebrated murder trials, but this one develops in a manner unlike any trials that have gone before. “Edward Laemmle directed this feature, and in it he has displayed an unerring intelligence. Indeed, there were times when one feared that he would slough off into maudlin sentimentality, but he always managed to keep his material in hand and bring his tale to a stirring denouement. What that donouement was we would rather not divulge, because it would mar your enjoyment of it when you see it for yourself. “Anna Q. Nilsson portrays the feminine lead and displays an unaccustomed repression for this sort of character. At all times she was convincing, and her husband, portrayed by Walter Pidgeon, was just as good as she is. George Seigmann plays the part of the politician, which is the villain role, and as usual he was excellent. Martha Mattox, too, as the lawyer’s housekeeper, kept up the good work. Probably the feature of this picture, though, is the work of Bushman, who seems to have come back with a bang.” Harriette Underhill in the Herald Tribune : “As we recall, the program notes in motion picture theatres regarding the merits of the feature pictures seldom have been convincing. So, when we read from the program at the Colony Theatre, ‘The Thirteenth Juror is a thrilling melodrama with a courtroom trial for a grand climax,’ we didn’t believe a word of it. It is like mother’s telling of the beauty and brains of her offspring. However, it took only a few moments to convince us that the author of the paragraph was a truthful man and, just as promised, the courtroom trial was a grand climax. “Francis X. Bushman is a much better actor than he was fifteen years ago, while his manly beauty has diminished not a whit. It is he who gives such a gorgeous performance as Henry Desmond, a successful criminal lawyer, who plays upon the heartstrings of the jurors and never loses a case. At the end Desmond voluntarily exclaims, ‘I am being punished for the many times I have released dangerous criminals on society. I have never lost a case; and now, with my first innocent man to defend, I am a failure.’ “Then follows a denouement which probably will be a surprise to all who see the picture, and we intend to let it remain one. But don’t miss it! “Anna Q. Nilsson is the leading lady. * * * We liked Walter Pidgeon very much as Richard and all the (Continued on page 40)