Variety (May 1918)

MOVING .PICTURES AMONG THE WOMEN BY PATSY SMITH Elsie Ferguson shared honors with the Douglas color pictures and Fatty Arbuckle at the Kinema last week. "The Lie" by Henry Arthur Jones, primar- ily intended as a starring vehicle for Margaret IUington, but really featur- ing the splendid acting of Violet Hem- ming, slightly altered for wider photo- graphic scope is well suited to the ver- satile Miss Ferguson. She makes a lovely sacrificing sister and daughter and was, as is usual with her- both in plays and screen work, well gowned throughout. A tailored eton suit had a wide shirred sash and bow at back to relieve it. A baronet satin morning dress had a single band of beaver run- ning around the nec\ and under the arms at the waist line and two large fur buttons or pompoms on the bodice. Two white evening gowns were con- spicuous for their delightful simplicity and every hair of her perfect marceled head behaved so nicely you could pic- ture her coiffeur standing right outside of the range of the camera with a hot iron. Betty Howe was the cheating sister who lied—dark and petite, a decided contrast. She wore a good looking er- mine cape, her first appearance on the celluloid and a smart semi-norfolk suit in the "Egypt" scene. The story will not strengthen home ties, a* it does not leave a sweet sisterly taste in the mouth. Noll Dibdin is too thin and frail for a popular leading man, but his acting was strong and manly. When I saw Quinn's Rialto billing for the new picture there, "One Hour," as Elinor Glyn's story, I knew some- thing was wrong, and when I saw they claimed it was a sequel to "Three Weeks," I was sure of it. I read Miss Glyn's naughty stories, so I thought I'd take a chance on witnessing a screen play that might have something to do with naughty Paul or his descend- ants. I pinned the young press agent of the theatre down to a box of cigars against a bottle of perfume that Miss Glyn had never written a story entitled "One Hour," and won, of course. The ambitious young publicity man had not heard of "One Day," the real sequel to "Three Weeks," and acknowledged if he had not used Miss Glyn's name the picture would not draw. He may be right, for while the blond young man of the "drammer" bears a striking resemblance to the handsome Paul, Zena Keefe is way out of the class of his "Queenie." The pho- tography is not bad. particularly the winter scenes, taken presumably in the ^difondacks. Despite the royal blood of "Opal," plavcd by Miss Keefe, who is. living with her royal aunt and uncle in the mountains, she is allowed to wear the same shirt waist for days and days, which ought surely to have been noticed by the immaculate royal neighbor, also living incognito. The promise thrown out that there would be a big love scene on a par with Miss Glyn's stories, was an illusion. It's a very tame improbable tale. Los Angeles, April 26. I experienced my first "shock" when the wall in front of my typewriter commenced to wobble, and as I looked out of the window the house next door appeared to be doing the same thing —that was enough for me. and I rushed out to find neighbors calmly saying. "Yes, it was a bad one." After all. New York is beginning to look pretty good to me. Local gossips are agog as to the drawing power and reception of the Douglas Fairbanks film at the Kinema this week. When his name and pic- ture were flashed on the screen the past week, as a "coming attraction," they were greeted with hisses from certain sections of the theatre. The general opinion is* that this came from the big element of the public, who fancy because of their familiarity with film stars out here, they have a right to nose into their private affairs and, that outside of Los Angeles, wherever a good Fairbanks film is shown, he will continue to be the One Best Bet of Pictures. Joe and Myra Keaton ran into town last week from their rural life at Long Beach. Long Beach is dry and Joe's bar is running low. They were the guests of J. W. Furniss of the Conti- nental Hotel, who is somewhat of a joker and among other things he wish- ed on Joe was an Elk's Red Cross Benefit performance. Joe is a good Elk and has a proper patriotic spirit, but when it comes to watching- actors worse than himself, it's pretty tough and at nine-thirty he left the party flat. He had to hang around until after the show and plead with his host to take him out to some place where he could at least get his feet wet. Joe played the Banker (a straight part) in the "Bell Boy," in which Fatty Arbuckle and Buster appeared. Asked if he liked it he said, "Oh it's all right if Arbuckle wouldn't try and tell me how to kick my boy. Shucks (or its equiv- alent), ain't I been kicking him all his life?" Mildred Harris is a mighty attrac- tive nurse in "The Doctor and the Woman," and Lois Weber, the astute director of the Jewel Company, de- serves much credit for having discov- ered and developed the ability of this young woman. The hospital scenes were well done, Christmas celebration showing some good character deline- ators. The two doctors were splendid, as was the vamp nurse. The missing "sponges" ^presumably left inside pa- tients) furnished a good laugh to the fans here, instead of the seriousness originally intended. ^oldwyn pctures 'STAND FAST, AMERICA! * H El is a picture that streriJM^ns the Faith and Courage of oQ^eople; a picture of Inspiration tna^is not a war or battle productioi Here is a story that answ< nation-wide outcry of lo^ Americans: "What can I do help my country?" • Goldwyn announces with con- fidence and assurance that MABEL NORMAND foan oP °PtaMsburg iy POKTEtt EMERSON BfiOWNl ** Will put the brakes on poison- ous German propaganda in America and leave a lotting impression jn the hearts of all patriotic people. Released everywhere May 5. 'ft **\ :?fc 4fe^ * N fcjSffs*^ B^B^BJ GOLDWYN PICTURES CORPORATION flsansj WtiSE £MHW* Samui I. liOl.DKIHM, PrvsiiUnt 16 East VLnd Street t 1jh.au SiiavVn. v'nv PrVAtdorti N«'\v York. City