Variety (May 1918)

36 MOVING PICTURES AMONG THE WOMEN BY PATSY SMITH Carmel Myers makes a good show- ing in "A Broadway Scandal," as Nenette, a coquettish, adventuresome French girl. Rchind the cigar counter in her father's table d'hote cafe in the Manhattan-French quarter she has ample opportunity to meet men in various walks of life, who are always ready to give a passing thought to a pretty, piquant face. An escapade with an auto thief gets her in bad with her family and fiance, but leads her to a career on the stage and to the right man. She starts on her "thrill" hunt in her bethrothal gown* of white mus- lin, flourishing narrow ruffles around upper skirt to panel front, all edged with lace and more lace edging trim- ming ruffles on bodice—a simple, pretty party frock for a middle-class girl. In fact, Miss Myers should be commended throughout for her appro- priate dressing. A cape scarf, worn later on, was apparently of ermine, with broad bands of black fox. on either side. With this she wore a fetching hat, half of the brim of mohair braid and half of lace. The crown was of the light braid, and sprigs of osprey curled lightly about the brim. A slumming party, given at the Cafe Bisson toward the end of the picture, gave the director an oppor- tunity to flash some women with good- looking gowns. The appeal in this pic- ture is purely Francais, and I should think would make a splendid film to send abroad. Outside the portrayal of "Simonson," by John Sainpolis, in "Resurrection" (film), the redemption theme of Leo Tolstoy's beautiful story is completely lost. Insted of Katusha Maslova be- ing a sweet, trusting country girl, Pauline Frederick made her a prude who pulled away haughtily from the first kiss of the boy sweetheart of her childhood. Prince Dimitri was the pet of his entire retinue and it is hardly likely a girl who had been brought up among them would doubt his sincerity. Robert Eliott, who essayed the "Prince," made it appear he was glad to leave the girl the next day, when acording to the story he went in sor- row, his heart filled with boyish love— even though it was soon forgotten. Nothing whatsoever was made of the great jury room scene, the big thing of the play, with honest humor inter- polated into the serious situation. All this may have been meant to benefit Miss Frederick, whose wholesome un- sophisticated moments in the film drama are few and far between. She has lost her youthful figure, carried too much dignity for the care-free buxom Russian girl and was a rather heavy joy dispenser in the carousing debauch, clad in a motherly-looking flowered kimona. In the scene before the Police Magistrate receiving her "yellow ticket" she had an oportunity to display a showy hat and furs and a brazen seductiveness. Miss Frederick was miscast for this production. She preferred to pose and swagger rather than sink her identity in the unfor- tunate impassioned creature whose life knew no medium. Jant and Katharine Lee (Jane in the smartest fittiiiK lieutenant uniform im- aginable) were splendid little workers for the Red Cross all last week. Fri- day they appeared at the New York singing reciting and smiling their pret- tiest to swell ili t* fund. Jane even threw a kiss for good measure to the generous buyer of her badge. Ruth Lockwood (Leavitt & Lock- wood) was tlie most conspicuous woman on the Alhambra bill Monday night. Not just because Ruth pos- sessed a rotund little figure that weighed in heavier than the others, but because she had a really girlish appeal in her pretty face and was game, not only to solicit contributions for the Red Cross fund, but to give the "kiss" that her partner put up for auction. Miss Lockwood knows something about dressing that plump little figure of hers. Opening in a tea rose cloth dress, with ocean green girdle, set off with the green, falling carelessly down with a short black satin cape, lined her back (bag and hat of black and green) she changed to a bride costume. The bodice and front and back panels of the skirt were of satin while the sides were of ruffled net over a tucked chiffon foundation. She displayed a blue satin, fur-trimmed wrap, for a few seconds. With the bride costume she wore oxford ties instead of slippers. Mrs. Yalto of the Dancing Yaltos and Nonette divided dress honors at the Fifth Avenue last week. An excep- tional frock worn by the lithesome blonde dancer was of soft peach taffeta, cream lace and amethyst satin. The silk overskirt which parted in front showing the dainty lace and amethyst trimmed petticoat had garlands of in- finitesimal flowers between its wide tucks. A narrow shawl collar of the satin and lace finished the top of the tight silk corslet body and a full short pcplum of the satin finished the bot- tom. A liberty blue spangled net worn at the finale, with an American beauty velvet girdle, revealed fleeting flashes of dainty underthings. Nonette's de- lightful gowns looked quite as fresh as when last reviewed. One of gold cloth seemed to be remodeled. It had pep- lums of black net and sequins. May Elinore don't seem to get set with a partner. Miss Klare is lately new and from all appearances (espe- cially make-up), new in the business. Miss Elinore's white jersey, marabout trimmed coat is too good to be funny and too funny to be good. If she would wear her hair some other fash- ion atop her head for instance, it might be better. The girl of Millard and Marlin was best in the tough bit she did. She opened as a bride and looked best in a skirt of blue, bro- caded in bronze and gold and scalloped at bottom. A gold lace bodice had one sleeve only of same material and she wore a gold bustle hat, topped with tall blue plumes. "Old Harwell's Cub," featuring Will- iam Desmond, expounds the theory nicely, that "hate begets hate and love begets love." It opens in a small town filled with narrow-minded hypo- critical human beings and a minister who really lives the life he preaches. Desmond is the blacksmith son of the village drunkard and because of the persecution of his childish old weak- ling, he hates them all. In a mob scene organized to railroad the old man out of town the son threatens the entire village with his sledge hammer, but the kind face of the minister and his sincerity subdues him. Mary War- ren, who plays the minister's daugh- ter (with city aspirations) in a well- made gingham gown, was a good small- town girl. Following the trail of the smooth-tongued young man who prom- ised to invest and double some church money entrusted to her, she finds him married, of course. And also, of course, the blacksmith follows her, marries her and they both proceed to shake their feet clear of the dust and dangers of Arizona. Thank goodness Ihc fade away was not a loving em- brace, in this case that much at least was left to the imagination. her eyes, which had a tendency to age her, at times, as anyone who overdoes it. A smart, tight-waisted, full-skirted coat trimmed heavily with beaver was worn with a beaver turban. A couple of good-looking, long military capes were effective dressing for the role. Miss Ward's slight, youthful figure was a sympathetic appeal in itself. Anna Lehrs subdued, splendid handling of the role of Marya Varenka was most commendable. She made the small part of vital importance. Her thought- ful, quiet, determined face seemed to breathe a word of meaning that need- ed no title sheet to explain it. Helen Chadwick, who played Miss Seaton (the daughter of the U. S. Consul), wore pretty, fluffy, airy-fairy American gowns—and listened very prettily to Russian blarney. The jump and death of the pretty little sister left the same awful tenseness felt after the fatal leap of the little sister in "The Birth of a Nation." Madge Kennedy is not as pretty as usual in "The Fair Pretender" for some reason or other, but is just as "cutely" attractive. Ambitious to get her name in the society columns, she poses to the wealthy Townsends as the widow of Capt. .Milton Brown, only to have him, just when everything is running smoothly, show up in the flesh. Brown, a good sport, much amused at her dilemma, helps her out of the trying position without a scandal. A few entanglements follow, bringing event- ually her beloved Don Meredith, a playwright, to her feet again and all ends well. Grace Stevens as Mrs. Townsend makes a charming matron. In an evening gown of lace and net over satin, the net caught in places with big tassels of beads and the waist trimmed with pear-shaped trim- ming, she is quite au fait. A necklace of some sort of pear-shaped semi- precious stones is effective. Miss Kennedy was particularly youthful in spot togs and in a fairy- like dancing frock of point d'sprite. Ruffles of the net showed up prettily on the skirt, from hip line to knee, and the baby blouse, shirred in at neck, had the tiny puff sleeve caps, shirred in the same manner. The ballroom scenes of the Goldwyn pictures are always well done— frocks were all quite up to date with sufficient variety of styles to make a pleasing ensemble picture. A letter came this week from Mama and Papa Keaton. Buster has joined the submarine service at San Pedro, Cal., and Joe's "War Garden" at Long Beach is all shot to pieces. He can't even laugh at the practical joker who planted garlic among his sweet smell- ing vegetables and flowers. Back to Muskegon for Joe and Myra to join Jingles and Louise. Joe's mother died in Sacramento a few weeks ago and his heart is pretty full of sorrow just now. The Pathe production, "More Trouble," featuring Frank Keenan, at the Rivoli this week, is full of amusing complications and properly exploits the man with the most expressive face in filmland. Roberta Wilson is a far prettier girl than she registers in the picture. I saw some of the scenes be- ing enacted in the handsome library set at the Paralta-Pathe Studio. I can also vouch for the gowning to have been better in reality than in the picture. Helen Dunbar as a society snob was excellent and wore the most striking costumes of the cast, looking particularly well in her hats. It's a great picture for Keenan fans, and I'm one of them, but there is not any real "woman interest" in it. A remarkable thing, too, the young college hero goes through the story to the end without evincing any desire for smokes, drinks or skirts. The remarkable Fanny Ward made a non-attractive Anna Mirrel in "The Yellow Ticket." Making up for the* dark wig she used too much black on Eighth Annual Convention OF THE Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America AND Exposition of the Motion Picture Industry Boston, July 13-20, 1918 To all members of the National Executive Committee: The by-laws of the Motion Picture Exhibitors* League of America providing that the members of the National Executive Committee shall be called into executive session three days prior to the opening of the annual convention of the league, I hereby call upon said members of said com- mittee to meet at the Copley Plaza Hotel, in the city of Boston, on Tuesday, July 9, at 11 A. M. To all State and Local Organizations: And furthermore, as the said by-laws also provide that no state or local organization shall have representation in or shall be permitted to participate in the deliberations of the convention unless said state or local organiza- tions shall have paid their per capita tax to the national treasurer; And as it is a matter of supreme importance to have the attendance of full quotas of delegates and alternates at this, the most important con- vention in the history of the league; I do hereby call upon all state and local organizations to put the amount of their per capita tax into the hands of the national treasurer, Ernest II. Horslman, of Boston, Mass., as soon as possible. LEE A. OCHS, President Motion Picture Exhibitors* League of America.