Variety (November 1922)

I % I. Friday, November 17, 1922 ^SS OF THE STORM COUNTBT Uary PIckford. sUr, produced by Mary pickford Company. Directed by John 8. nAbertMD. R<^lea«ed through United Art- 2u At Strand. New York, week Nov. 12. TMiiib4>l Skinner Mary PIckford ,YBderH k Oravee Lloyd 'H uahea Teola Grave* Gloria Hope KlUa CJravea David Torrence Daddy Skinner Forrest Robin»on «^ LettB Jean Ilcrgholt ■sra IxingnMin '. .Danny Hoy Dan Jordan... Robert Ruaaell /.The Mo»'y PIckford f'>ns will revel with'her In "Tess of the Storm Country." It's Mary PIckford all of the time, throughout the entire pic- ture that seemed to run bit over the u.sual length. Those of the pic- ture clan not so wild perhaps over Miss PIckford will l>an more in .her favor after seein* the "Tess" performance. Miss Pickford acts with her head, hands and feet In this film; she pantomimes and plays the part all of the while, with the titles often lending an addition but quiet though effective amusing touch. "TesaJ' is a Picl-'crd remake, -which explains why the program Bays, "By arrangement with Adolph Zukor." Miss Pickford first did "Tess of the Storm Country" for Famous Players ali-ut eight or Ine years ago. The Grace Miller White book story fitted her perfectly then; It does now. Which is likely the reason for the remake. Speaking of remaking the story in modern picture style sounds like the bunk. as there isn't anything modern to be made oyt of "Tess." It's prob- ably the cheapest picture ever made by Miss Pickford, eight years ago or now, and especially now. The scenario'doesn't call for lavish out- lay and It's all right just as it is, or was, with Pickford In It. - Before "Robin Hood" v/ith Fair- banks cpened In New York, the film bunch repeated they had heard. •*'Robin Hood' Is all right but Pick- fords 'Teas* is better." Piekford's "Tess" isn't better than "Robin Hood" as a picture, but fcr those who like Miss Pickford "Tess" will be preferred above "Robin Hood" by those -vho like Fairbanks, for in "Tess" you have Pickford all of the time and she Is Mary Pickford. whereas In "Robin Hood" you get Fairbanks as Fnirbanl:s for but a little while. Besides the difference \p the cost! : Merely as an off-side expression— 'it Mary Pickford spent on her pic- tures what her husband doe.? on his. who could surmise where Mary Pickford might go to as a picture star? NoVf she's the popular favor- ite of the screen, a mighty fine film actress In the lighter vein and a girl who thoroughly unders4,Tnds any art there is to picture playing or pic- ture making. Miss Piekford's a.sset in the trade, however, may be that a Pickfdl-d doesn't call for a valua- tion of a million or more. The "Tess" story doesn't nocw re- telling even if It did call for re- making. The title will inform the uninformed. It has everything in the sob line, offset by Tess' im- petuo.'^Uv that Is Just as natural with •I'ess as Mary Pickford Is natural in her playing. , Naupht to be said against the least item In 'the film. Everything has been done well, particularly the photography by Charles Rosher, and the direction overlooked nothing. Among the players and after Miss Pickford the fine performance was that of Ben Letts by Jean Her.sholt. Mr. Hersholt made his villainous cha:'acter real, of the seafaring sort, ■baggy andbfiaj?<kKl. uncouth and rough, tW'exact kind of a fellow Ben Letts must have been. In con- trast was the Teola Graves of <;ioria Hope, carrying a misery whining countenance that could not brmg hef .s\^pathv in a sympathetic role. Lloyd Hughes madff Frederick Graves, the father, an upstanding role, and David Torrence gave a likable perforbnance as the juvenile. "Tess" with Pickford .should be a box-office bear for the exhibitors in the Pickford precincts. Hime. V' ANNA ASCENDS Paramr-unt frature ntarrinif AUoe Brady prescntod by Adolph Zukor. A.l.iptod from the plav by Harry Chapman by MarRarot Turnbuil. Directed by Victor FleinliM?. Hhown at the Rlalto. New York, week of Nov. 12. ' .„«.», Anna ^ yyob Alice Brady Howard Fisk J^°V'^'^« n The BartSn I>«v d PowH Count Rontoff .^....Charles Uorrard FTlad C-ury Edwanl Durand BesHio Kl.sk Florence Dixon MIS.S FiBk Grace Grl«wnl.l Mr. Fi.^k Frediltk Uurlon In this picture Alice Brady Is at the head of practically an all-»tar picture cast. In support are David Powell. Nita Naldi and Itobert Ellis. The picture is a scroon version of the play "Anna Asctnds," In which Miss Brady first achieved stardom on the stago In New York Pcveral years ago. It i.s a combination slum and r.ocloty nielodraniii, certain to appeal to a flotlnitc set of the pic- ture fans. As a feature it ranKs about with the average Paramount prcxluet. .Miss Ilrady is the little Syrian lmniltt;rant girl who develop.s into tho author of a bef«t seller. Mr. —KlliH h.i.s Uie Itad oi'P -"" 1^«'>' ^^ th<' y \ii-,;: rei)Orter. yi>\\ <'f thf pub- li.sher of a Mk N«w York daily paper. Mr. Powell Is the semi- heavy as Ke-prr of the Fifty Club, a re.^ort wh^re he operates two wayM at one time, deals in food and onlrrtainn '. it on the surfare. while undciucalli l:o dl^i c:3es of jow l:s r* 'riijr»<,?.."«s?t:,>jj,'' •^-^'.'pfc-'iu.jj ■.:■• ^•^la^srfH'.T'- ,'•■ "■ '•■JPHI'i.W'' w^f^mx^^rvi-^ PICTURES 'm •\ -^ - 41 smuggled Into the country by Inter- national confldenco workers. Miss Naldl Is a Russian countess, the heavy, operator for the crooks and as.sociated with her as her brother Is Charles Gerrard. The two score heavily. From a pictorial standpoint th":* film Is very well done with some of the best and oddest shots of lower New York that have ever been screened. The picture has sufficient punch to get by most anywhere, although It must not be expected that It is going to draw record business. Fred. THE YOSEMITE TRAIL A Fo« flve-reeler. western, Btarrlnic Dua- tln Parnum. Btory by Rld^well Cullura, ■cenarlo by Jack fitrumwaaaer. directed by Berjiard Dumlnr. Khuwn at Loew'a New York. N. T., on double featnra bill. Jim Thorpe Duatln Farnum Kv* Maraham Irene Rich Ned Henderson Walter McOrall Jerry Hmallbonea Frank Campeau U^ V""* "^- ^ I-'crKuson Snerlff Charlaa French WHITE HELL A atate rlghter by Charlea B. Bartlett Productlona. starrin«r Richard C. Travers and a apecial cast. Released several months ago. but Just getting around In this territory. Distributed by the Aywon Co. Story by Leola Morgan. Director, B. C. Selbel. ^ A mediocre .Independent produc- tion characterized by crudities In story and playing. "WHite Hell" is the designation of a town in the dis- tant north. The titles make a great fuss about Its remoteness, but much of the action takes place In a house furnished with the appurtenances of clvillzatfon. Instead of an overpow- ering effect of snow, the ground generally Is barely covered, although one or two shots, taken In drifted hollows, have deep snowbanks. The characters act as they do merely to make a scenario and not under plausible compulsion. The heavy forces the honorable father to consent to his daughter's marriage on threat of disclosing a family scandal. The scandal apparently consists In the fact that the father's brother married a squaw. In a rude northern settlement such a circum- stance wouldn't constitute grounds for any kind of blackmail. The whole picture has similar unconvincing de- tails. Besides, the story Is confused by multiplicity of characters, none very clear cut or human. The best of the picture Is a thrill- ing fight or two between the hero and the heavy, but a few feet of physical roughness in a feature pic- ture Is pretty poor return for the footage. The acting is only fair, except for the Interesting perform- ance of a freckled boy and his fox terrier dog, who at least are natural. The heroine is a doll-faced blonde, who is merely a lay flgrure, and the whole thing classes merely as cheap fiction for the dally change houses, for which it probably was ai|ped. Dave Manley (Travers) and Con- ley, the heavy, clash over rivalry for Helen the beautiful daughter of Al- len, but Conley threatens to expose Airen's brother's disgrace unless he (Allen) promises Helen's hand. Con- ley and Manley fight it out on the barroom floor and Manley. ofi course, wins. Conley trails hinrt in the dark and shoots him down from behind. But Wauna, a beautiful Indian girl and the daughter of Allen's brother, rescues Manley from the snow and nurses his wound. Meanwhile Conley has shot his wife and thrown suspecion on Man- ley. Manley is about to be arrested by the Northwest Mounted consta- ble, when all is straightened out by the convenient death-bed confession of Conley and Manley resugics his courtship of the beautiful Helen. Thl^picture would have to be of- fered py»ctty cheap to be a bargain for any but the minor daily change houses. Ruah. TABLE TOP RANCH William Stclncr production. starrliiR .Veal Hart. Written nn<l directed by Paul Hur.rt. A flvc-roel western, shown at Loew'a New York. N. Y., on a double feature bill. John Marvin ) William Marvin ) Neal Hart I'aliiuo Powell .''.., .William Quinn An out-and-out western based on' the hatred of the cattle men for the sheep raisers. A good-enough fea- ture of Its type for the smaller houses, wjiere they like the western type of stuff. Neal Hart plays a double role, his first character being shjt in the first couple of reels. He next appears on the scene as the avenging brother and gets his man. There is the tisual wild riding chase stuff, and the picture is fairly In- teresting. Table Top Ranch In Texas and vi- cinity is the scene and the cause of the trouble. The cattlemen of the locality who have an association have agreed to let a girl raise sheep on the table top, because the flock would not wander down Into the valley and graxc on the cattle lands Palquc Powell, a suitor for the girl's hand, is refused, and he takes a stand before the association that the shecj) should be driven out of the country. Hart as John Marvin de- fends the girl, 'and the assocl.ation votes to let the sheep remain. Pow- ell hires an assass'n to knock off Marvin, and has his wish fulfilled. Then the brother of the murdered man ap))ear8 apd takes up the trail and finally pins the crime on Powell, but not before he has had various narrow escapes. Naturally he wins the girl In the end and the sheep with her. There are a couple of corking flghts In the feature, and Hart as the hero walks off victorious in all of them. It is a fair small feature that will do on the double bills in the larger houses and serve alone in tho smaller thratreifc Fred- Dustln Farnum is here the hero of a real western that has a story of logical quality behind It as the ground work for a number of real fights, some wild riding and the usual western atmosphere. Parnum has with him In this picture as one of the heai^ies Prank Campeau, his Trampas of "The Virginian." That is enough of a combination to get any story over. Walter McGrall as the other heavy also plays an im- portant role in the proceedings. The heroine is Irene Rich, who looks pretty and is the third angle of the triangle of the tale. Dustin Farnum plays the role of Jim Thorpe, who takes his nephew. Ned Henderson. Into his home and shares his all with him. Both are In love with the same girl and Jim beats Ned In a trial of skill with re- volvers, which rft the beginning looks as though It was going to be a duel, but which develops into a target shooting contest, and thus earns the right to propose first. Ned double crosses the winner, asks the girl and is accepted. The loser takes himself off on a trip to South America and on his return finds that Ned Is abusing his wife and has be- come mixed up with Jerry In sev- eral stage hold-ups. On his arrival Jim Is made the victim of the accu- sations of Jerry, who states that he was the stick-up man, and Jim, In order to prevent Ned being accused and thus bringing greater sorrow to Eve, keeps his peace and is about to be lynched when the* truth be- comes known through the confes- sion of Ned, who has been shot on the road by an aged sage who has had the happiness of Jim and Eve at heart. -^ It Is a good western of its type and with names enough to stand alone on the programs of the reg- ular daily change houses. Fred. COWBOY AND LADY Paramount production directed by Chas. Malgne featuring Mary Miles Mlnter and Tom MoM-e. Adapted by Jullen Joaephson from Clyde Fltch'a play. At the State Nov. «-g. The pfoduction cost Is probably one of the lowest ever expended on a Paramount picture. It is all out- doors, Aflth a few crude Interiors thlit look ver^jr easy on the F. P. ex- chequer. Nothing skimpy about It necessarily, only complying with scenic requisites. The "coy^boy" end of the title gives away the Western atmosphere, although the title itself sounds very much to the Buffalo Bill. It may prove a hindrance at the box office accordingly, akhough the story Itself and its presentation are rather Interesting If not ele- vating. The Clyde Fitch opus wh^h Nat Goodwin undertook In legit for a short i:un has been faithfully, Ad- hered to. -it concerns Mrs. Jessica Weston (Mary Miles Minter) and her scapegrace husband (Robert Schable). She decides to give him another chance to prove himself and starts for her Wyoming ranch. Ted North (Tom^Moore), a dude rancher, enters the action as the Westons' neighbor. He pulls a couple of hero stunts (disproving his foppish han- dicap) which Weston does not mak# much of. being wrapped up In an amour with the village soda fountain siren. This is Weston's weakness, •resulting in his death at the hands of Ross, the girl's former steady. Ross Is Mrs. Weston's ranch fore- man. Circumstantial evidence points to the Weston-North-WestOn tri- angle with the heroine accused. The obvious happy conclusion develops. It Is an Interesting Western ro- mance minus the rip-snorting rough riding and more of the staid society atmosphere with "roughing It" trim- mings. Th^ picture missed a week's run at the Rlalto, New York, through Ijionel Barrymore's "Face in the Fog" being held over. Abel. IF I WERE QUEEN Romantic comedy starring Ethel Clayton. .Scenario by Carol Warren from the novel, "The Three-Comered KlnRdom." by Du Vernet Rabell. Directed by Wesley Rug- gles. At the Circle. Now York, Nov. 11. ^Story deals with one of those mythical Balkan principalities where the royalty may wear modern tweeds and behave in the manners of 1922 society or get Itself Into operetta uniforms and coronation robes and conduct Itself after the colorful manner of the romantic era. Handy situation for the scenario writer and desirable state of affairs for a producer who puts out a film on the heels of "Prisoner of Zends.'J Obviously the picture Is designed to capitalize the "Zenda" vogut-, and it does that nicely. It In handsomely produced and well acted. The out- door settings are magnificent and some of the interiors are fine samples of digiMfied backgrounds. But the story is a pale affair com- pared with "Zenda." There Ifl little of the dramatic cla.sh th.^t gives the Anthony Hope novel its thrill. This is rather an insipid society play. Miss Clayton m.akes a jaunty heroine, nnd Warner Baxter is a liandsome hero, albeit stagey lit times. The rest of the cast is made up of satisfactory players of minor note, chief among them Victory Bateman In a character comedy part, done in her .Iwaya amusing style. Ruth, an American girl, and Oluf, princess of a little Balkan trick kingdom, become friends in a French school. The princess must go home to wed a neighboring prince for |)olitIcal reasons to save her people from inva.'^ion or some- thing like that; but she loves an- other whom she may not marry for reasons of state. This romantic tangle is presentet'. to Ruth in a letter. Ruth starts to Join the princess In her troubles. On the way the train is wrecked and by a series of misadventures she finds herself a virtual pril^oner in the house of the hostile prince, ma- rooned there by a flood. The prince mistakes her for Princess Oluf because of a Jewelled order presented to her by Oluf. He falls in love and the affair creates a delicate situation in the court for political reasons which are rather foggy, but serve well enough. Ruth tries to escape by an underground pas.sage dl.sguised in one of the iprince's uniforms, but is captured and returned. The prince there- upon arranges a royal marriage without Rutli's knowledge, and she is led to the altar, knowing nothing of what it means. This passage had a lot of picturesque trimmings of military pomp and display and a touch of dramatic force. In the end there Is a general clearing up of the misunderstand- ing, with the American girl in the prince's arms. Picture may win the women by its romantic appeal and pictorial beauty.* ' • Rttsh. ONE WEEK OF LOVE Dnimutlc feature starring Elaine Hanw mepHtein and Tonway Tearle. I>roduce<] by I.eWls J. .Selnnick, directed by Qeorg* Archlnbaud. Myron Selznick aL-Mi !• nen- tloneil an producer. Story by Kdward J. Montagne and Oeorgs Archlnbaud. Kdlted by Harold J. Mcc.'ord. Tmde showing in the Rltz-Carlton ballroom Nov. 3. Retli Wynn Blaine Hummeretein liuck Feiirnley Tonway Tearle F>anrl»i Fraeer Hallam Cooley •Mrs. Wyjin, Both'a aunt Kate I>eater THE CROW'S NEST Sunset production having to do with the went, ntarrlng Jack lloxie and directed by Haul Hurt. At a Lioew house, Now York. Nov. 14. Very much of a wild, wooly and hectic western with not so much gun-play but predominating in situ- ations where Hoxie overcomes from four to a dozen men like they roll off your (or my) knife. It's prac- tically all outdoor "shooting." with the camera having plenty of the roll- ing hills for a background and tons of horseflesh up front, Hoxie gets out of more predicaments than Houdinl ever thought /ot, besides showing glaring deficlonclca in his greased facial make-up when approaching too near the camera. And he wears his teir long. Whatever honors the cast may take irftto itself should be centered upon an Indian squaw, the\ foster mother of the supposed half breed. Evelyn Nelson played opposite the featured member as the daughter of the ranch owner, returned from an eastern finishing school. Beyond that tip off as to the proverbial se- quence of the early westerns there is "the paper" proving Just how White the hero'Is, the villainy cow- ard with lyegal possession tif his cousin'^ inheritance, the outlaw and cohorts after the gal and the final cleaning up. Some of the methods of "turning the tables" were so grotesque that they drew laughs from the wit- nesses, also revealing members of the bandit crew stalling to gWe Hoxie time to complete his evolu- tions and make bums out of 'em. There's many a remembrance in- corporated into this one, and while all the "Convention Halls" in the country, with a minor aged patron- age, will probably dote on It, for the somewhat more particular custom- ers it Just won't do. In addition the photography Is somewhat off. and splitting a double bill it came far from holding its own. Hkig. THE LOVE CHILD London, Oct. 23. Artistically Swedish films are probably the finest in the world, but scarcely a trace of humor or lighter material appears to tone down their footage of morbid gloom. It t^eems a"» though Swcd«'n is a land of trag- edy, where happiness and laughter come as accidental. Strong simplic- ity, sincerity, and brutal frankness mark most of the country's produc- tions, and this latest Palladium film is no exception. The story tells how a young mid- dle-class girl is seduced. A child Is born and is put out to nurse. Pres- ently a genuine love comes into her life and she is married. But the memory of that previous lapse from virtue kills her happiness. Her se- cret is well kept, however, but her mother, thinking to make doubly sure, writes to tell her the child Is dead. She is broken-hearted at thf news and seekv to drown her sorrow in drink. Then the mother, think- ing that she is going mad, confesses she lied; that the child is alive nn<I well. The girl brings it homo and tells her huv)>nnd the story tof her past. He casts her off. but his own mother tells him she herself siiuied in her youth. This causes a revul- sion of f<'eling on ihc husbands part and all Is well. Seduction, drink, deceit, jire the keynotes of tho »<tory. wliich bos been carefully prodnrtd with exc» I lent settings. Ti»e photography i.s excellent. The acting is not gen fat- ally up to the Kwedisli standiird, liut the work of Astrl Torssell an the giil-wife is excellent, i}o\t:. Interesting and well-done ro- mantic picture with dramatic appeal well sustained, splendidly acted and skilfully handled as to backgoijnds and locale. In apQortloning < the \ credits for this story It is well to keep in mind that It comes pretty close to an absolute parallel to "The Great Divide," which by many has been held as one of the best dramas of American production. The pattern and spirit of the stage play are reproduced practically with- out disguiKe. The film differs only in detail and Incidentals; much of >the essence Is there, although per- haps the melodramatic details in- troduced to heighten the popular effect of the picture somewhat cheapen the tale. Put another way, the picture puts a soft pedal on the spiritual problem discussed in the play and emphasises Its piirely the- atrical aspect. Disregarding the picture's appar- ent source, it should make a popular release, for It strikes an effective romantic chord and holds several distinctly absorbing passages. Chief among them is a wonderfully repro- duced railroad wreck and flood. The wreck is a convincing bit of camera trickery the technique of which Is so true to life one Is convinced It really happened. A real train Is shown rushing toward a lofty trestle. A terrific storm and cloudburst is re- produced for the camera, and the trestle (It looks 150 feeJL high and 300 yards across) is seen to crumple as a train sweeps upon It. The train • Is seen (from a considerable dis- tance) to plunge from the gaplngr breach In the trestle Into the raging waters. Even If you presume the eiTect is a studio model as you watch the epfsode, the effect grips you in spite of yourself. There are some capital bits of melodrama dealing with the struggle of the wreck victims In the whirling rapids, ending with the rescue of the heroine on the brink of the plunge. These highly colored details are shrewdly pieced Into a direct and clearly unfolded story and the dra- matic punch Is capitally worked up. Miss Hammerstein does a capital bit of quiet acting that has telling fitrce. 8h9 is ranidly erystnilivfng a . position as one of the roost engaging of fllni stdrs by her Intelligent play- ing, earnest and without pose or Ofeten.'ce. Tearle is a happy choice for (ho opposite part. He coijjes as near as po8sH)le to an Ideal screen hero for much the same reason as Miss ITammersteIn is notable, his direct naturalness nnd freedom from staglness. The title is a better com- mercial label than a*>name for the ^ story. The tole Isn't about a week of love at all, but deals with a •woman's surrender to a dominating ., man even in spite of herself—Just as it did In "The Oreat l>ivide," Beth Wvnn is a spoiled darling «♦■ wealth. "The story opens with her birthday party—a characteristic bit of hectic film display, with elat>orate production and spectacular Inci- dentals such as one-pieee-ault bath- In^ girls and cabaret dances In Beth's swimming pool. Beth wagefs with her flatice. Frank, she will beat him in an airplane race, and they start off. Beth is lost In the fog and come« down across the Mexican bor- der, where she alights in the hut occupied by two Mexican despera- does and Buck Freamley, renegade American engineer. The "greasers" claim her as their property .and win her at cards from Buck, but fne American buys them off and takes the girl his prisoner to his isolated shack in the mountains. The Mexi- cans follow, on robbery bent, and In a revolver battle Buck kills them, both but Is wounded severely and has to be nursed back to life by Beth, But the girl declares her hate for her cantor and lives In reb<»llion" for eight days, A dove is blown into the shack . during a storm and is tended by the girl* She gives It Its freedom, but • it returns, the Inference being that, this abio i.s her state of mind in rela- ' tion to Buck, Btick at length rides to the nearest town and communi- cates with Beth's people. Frank comes to get her. and Frank and Beth start home. Here in where the screen story departs from the play, to the detriment of the film. The railroad train Is wrecked, and this brings Beth and Buck together again. Tlje meeting thus Is acci- dental rather than the deliberate act of the woman returning to the man she loves, which Is the whole point. However. it makes a thrilling "movie" ollmny, which, of course, wa«» the desired end. The photo»<raphy Is splendid nnd the scenic feattires are ewpeelally fine. liusK "HH.'irts Aflame." the big all-stflT T»r('diie(ion recf-ntly comin'-ted by TlrulnaM rnrker, will go out as a ff.n-ff.r-l <^Pf'fi(l, areordinn: to an- f!"ini<f^m<'i.f from I..ouIh "R. Mayer, ^ lnclti<lir\/,' liie preparations aYid the cuttinrr and titling, six months were consiimfd In thr making of "Hearts Aflame." over twelve weeks of which t.me wint Into fhe n'^tno^ ^booting.