Variety (March 1924)

Wednesday. March 12, 1924 PICTURES VARIETY 27 pictures In It a narr.e In the «hat not Infrequently in I$^e casfi the thing" ♦.miliar lineup of regulars, led by It" dependable James Kirkwood, lift » trite story ant not overly pre- tentious production above medi- ocrity. Uecause of It's draw it should do business average house and the patrons will nrobably be sufficiently impressed by the work of the players to coun- teract the effects of an insipid plot. All the credit does not KO to the cast however as Kdward J LeSaint has directed with skill and discre- tion. I'hotography and continuity also moa.'<ure up as acceptible. The film could not have entiiled muc!; expen.se. The entire action, with the exception of some speedinK auto ghots and a scene at a liuiiting lodge, t!il<es place at the homes of the two families arounj whom the niarriagp tan(,'le centeri?. The triangle here has been doubled anil we have the "etern.il gextette." Michael Kraner and Emily IJallard. married our not tc each other, have fallen in love, he because he feels his wife has re- fused to grow rich with him :'roin the day.s of their poverty, an l i-he. becau.se she is dissatilied with her hu.shnnd's vain efforts to become we.ilthy. Hilt Hall.ird conecive.s th<> ide.a of checking the guilty love by i)ian- ning.'ishani elopement with Kraser's adolescent dau.Khter. \Vlicn it stiikes home mtur.ill.v I''r;isor .sees thini^s 'in a different light and he is rn'v too willin.n: to give Kmily hack to her hiistiand. return himself to liis old-fa.shioned wife and hand hi youn.i,' (Laughter over to the faitlitn". and worried stripling who adores her. Kirkwood literally "makes" the role of the erring, iiouveau-riehe husband whose wife insists on call- ing him "Mike.' Cleo Madison is capable as hi.s wife, and (Jr.aee Dar- mond makes the "other woman" .a creature of charm and allure. (;.ir- melita Ceraghty. steadily coming to the fore. Is sweet .as the da\igiite" and the others add pralsewurthy bits. The film proves that a good cast Is often more than half the battle. and Lorimer Johnston, director, ap- pear in important roles. Johnston is particularly effective as a snuff- sniiring heavy with a petrlfiad heart. Tlie role of the old toymaker, played in the stage verHlon by Joseph Jef- ferson, Is handled sincerely if not brilliantly by Josef .Swickard. Three pretty women—Virgljiia Browne Faire, Frltzie ItidgiM«ay and M.ar- garet Litndis—proyldo an unusual assortment of ferjilnino pulchritude for one pi<?ture. Miss Uidgewdy (currently In vaudeville at _J>re I'alace, New York) plays the IrtTnd girl .around whom the story centers. Kortun.itcly, she Is not guilty of super-sentimentaliz- ing the role, ,as so often has hap- pened with others of the rather weepy Dickens ch.iracters. The settings ;ire restful and ex- pre-sive of mid-Victorian Kngland. with all its quiet beauty. All in all, the picture should i)r()ve 'gratifying to the majority of Dickens' disciples, but lilin fans seeking thrills may keep away. portraying the crook. Miss l#e the gang member who"feft)rma, and Miss liellamy as the daughter suffering from loss of memory as a result of the marine disaster. Robert Agnew drifts in and out, cast as the kid brother. Others Include Edward Maltland, Margaret Livingston, Clarence Gel- dert and Joe Mills. The appropriateness of the title Is open to question, as It seems as If a more definlte^deslgnatlon could have been selected—probably to ad- vantage. However, the combined efforts of the trio of featured jibiy- ers, the production and the story should meet the Involved require- ments in the houses for which the picture is evidently aimed. »S'A:ij7. CRICKET ON HEARTH r.iul (;orson rroduction. dirprtort i)y T.ori- mer J"hns(on. A.lap.'ifdl by «',.iro!ino i'.iokc from the PiOvi 1 l,y I'liarlrs Dirkr-ny. At th'' Tlvoli (one (lay), Man-h 8. Huns about C.'» minuti Jolin I't''^iThing!e.. Pot M.irlfv f'alob nummcr. .. BtTth.a I'lumnuT.. Ktbvartl t'lumiiwr. Josiah Tarl4li'ton.. May Fielitinp TiHy Slowboy Paul GTRon ..Virginia I^rowno Kairi' JnHof .Swi('l<.'xrl Frltzie Hi,l!T"w:iy I*au1 Mof-ro I.orinxT .Tobri.'^tini MargQivt Ij-aniiis Joan Standing Pleasantly mild, about sums up "The Cricket on the Hearth," the screen adaptation of the Dickens »iovel. A simple, old-fashioned story la told with none of the tricks of Of "modern screen advancement" that would in this case provf* detri- mental. Probably the pace is too leisurely to suit every(me, but for the m.ain the film has accomplisihed Its mission. Its chief merit lies In Its faithful absorption of much of the quiet chai m ch.aracterizing Dickens. Only In one respect docs it fall down in this. It's characteristic humor is not played up. Tilly Slowboy, the maid- of-all-work, is the only character Illustrating the droll types of Dick- ens to be introduced, and she is not ■o crafty as she might be. Both Paul Gerson, the producer. LOVE'S WHIRLPOOL RcFral Picturt'f*, Iiw, I)r<-S4.ntat ion rc- I'-asiriK throUKb Ho(ll<lnson. Fcalur*'« l.lla IjVi?, jHiitfH Kirl^woud and .Madgt' Itillaniy. Story by .Marth.i Lord and di- M-ctci by Uruco .Mitoht'U. .slt,»winj^ at Iho Corino. Nvw Yorli, wiili of -March 9. Itunniiit; time, t>7 minutes. Marking the lirst of a series of Hodkiiisoii iiictiues which are to be shown at this house under an eight weeks' rental by the releasing or- ganization, the getaway film pro- jected Sunday to more or less sat- isfaction. it s a cr(Mik story, delving into siuritualisin before it concludes to the iioiiit where it may ant.igonize believei-s .and amounts to something of an exi)oso on the inside and tech- nical workings of fake mediums. Kither way, the revealing of the manner in which the ilbisions. voice transmission .and advance informa- tion art^ "staged" about m.irks the most interesting passage of the pic- ture. Otherwise it is a crook story con- cerning a gang leader determined to retaliate .against .a b.ink presi- dent who has sent the kid brother away for 15 years. A fire at sea, the rescue of the financiers daugh- ter and the spiritii.al idea succeed e.ach other as a means of vengeance abruiitly h.alted by the underworld sweetheart t.'iking a turn to the right, giving back the daughter he- cause she loves }ic who would have his pound of flesh and would save him from himself. Along the way there comes the planned escape of the youngster from prison, shot during the at- tempt, and the sinking of the ship with tho Latter, the thrill insert, modcr.ately presented. Why direc- tors insist on making fugitives sil- houette them.selvcs ag.ainst a sky- line miglU constitute a particular point the boy.s wUh the megaphones shot'Id l.iok Into for a change. It's been going on for years and years. Bruce Mitchell, directing, h.as modeled nn even «iequence which couM os.^iinilate a ceitain amount of dektlor. for better effect. Other- wise it's a smooth present.atlon. Tho n.arrative about constitutes as weak an ingredient as the film pos- sesses, although tlie principal pl.ay- ers may offset that angle with their •fan" following. Kach performs to bal.ance the script, with Kirkwood pPnOougus ■4-^J^ M m DASHING - SCQ£AMINCi m '^Yankee Consur *%fj9»UcL 2y Jfe /<fiV«V W. SAVACe MUSICAL COMEDY SUCCESS Box-Office of Central Theatre Closed Five Times by N, Y. Fire Department While Crowds Stormed the Lobby, LISTKN TO 'EM RAVE "One «/ the funniest fihnt ever onr pleasure to tee." —N. T. TIMES. "Doori were itormeid. More $uch pioturet ikould he made." —TKLE<;itAM-MAlIi. "Mar.hean ably filling plocc Icjt vacant by Fairhankt." —TRIULNE. "yUm Vernon it worthy tuo- oetior to ttdge hit." —EVE. WOJiLD. "^I^liale Af ■ laash pr«dn<^r." VAULETy^ EXHIBITOR* ASSOCIATED ARTHUR a. KAWB, Prrmldrni.' PATnS ETXCUANGBi^^PnYSICAL DUrTRIBlTORB. JOSE COLLINS DRAMAS London. March 1. Two reasons only can possibly have been responsible for the mak- ing by the "Orltish and Colonial" comiiany of these two-reel dramas One, a philanthropic desire to give a few artists much needed work. The other, a malicious determina- tion to still further lower tho pres- tige of British production. They are bad. The stories are poor things of the penny novelette order, without grip or a semblance of tluill, while the production is of ■•I criiility only surpassed in the days of the l.iiiematograidi's very inf.mcy. The produi-er, Thomas licntley, if reports from the studio be true, was only .-illowed a few days for ca< h feature, and out of this paucity was only allowed his "star" for two days in each. The same cheeseparing is (loubtJi ss responsible for some of the settings, the snow scenes reaching a point of ludlcrousncss seldom ,1< hieved. The fiist picture, "The Shadow of Death." tells the story of a sing- ing gill in a tenth-rate Parisian cafe. She is "too relined for her suiroundings," therefore when her particular bullies order her to decoy .a rich I'lnglishman she shudders. However, she obeys, but when once she has him In her rooms her "re- finement ' gets the upper hand and she tells him of her love for a waiter in London. The chief bully .arrives and demands "Wh.at are you doing with my wife?" He is promjitly knocked out and goes for relnfoiCc- ments while the Knglishman leaves the girl to look after herself and seeks the police. They arrive In time to save the girl from the gang. and the pure and noble P^nglishman says he will take her back to Kng- land and the waiter. "The Velvet Woman" Is a "Story of American Society." Mercla <;r<aham is the wife of Henry H. Graham, whose reputation for hon- esty is a by-word throughout Amer- ica. She is a luxury-loving, jealous wom.in. Therefore, when business calls Henry to the side of the licau- tiful I'rine<^S3 too often there is trouble. Mercia has a companion, Flora; Henry B. a secretary, Jiick. They wish to marry, but h.ave not the money. To them comes the rival fin.ancier, Joshua Mills, who offers Jack $10,0U0 if he will allow him to look at the princess' papers. Al,as, J.ack does not know the combination of the safe, but Mercla docs. They therefore Inflame her jealousy bv saying Henry B. locks ui) his love letters In the safe. She agrees to open it before a Lawyer, who is none other than the infamous Mills. Ho grabs the documents immcdi.ate- l.v, but the arrival of Henry B. spoils the plot. Mills is ordered off the course and Jack Is fired after Henry I{. has eased him of the |I0,000. Then having discovered that "a woman Is only jcalou.'* when she loves deeply," Henry B. gathers the wretched Mercla to him. The third is easily the "star" turn In this rich and varied program. It is "The Battle of Love"—a story of the B,alkans. Nlta loves Franz, who has thrown In his lot with Otto Sergius, a desperate bandit. Brig- andage is, however, lucrative but not quite quick enough for Franz and Nita. They therefore conspire to hand over Otto to the authorities for a little matter of 6,000 crowns. Nita shall write a love letter bring- ing him to the hut, while Paul, "her uncle," runs for the local police. A storm crops up, euch a storm as never screen or stage has ever seen— dense clouds of feathers and what looks like the fragments of torn up scenarios. Through this bli/./.,ir(l I'aul goes for the police and Otto obeys the c.ill of love. Franz, how- ever, wants to do him ui> at oni e, but Nita s.iys no, the bli/.z.ird niif,'ht Last for days, weeks, and haviii.i.: a dead body about the house would be inconvenient. Th(n Franz is easily beaten by Otto, who sends him into the next room. Nita is prep.ired to carry on the fight, but love li.is d.iuned, so th.it when the police are lH.-il(;n by the hrig.aiKb'. the blizz.ird having given cut, Ot'ii is abb to announce .although he iut- lost !\ fn'in be has foiiii'l .'i iiu-iij. After tlie blizz.trd the best tli.ng In this (Ir.iin.a is the energy di- pl.iyed by polii (' in digring ,a',v.iy about six Inclica of KiKiw from a door whicj^ oiiens iiiw.d'ls. Su( h stulf .as this gives the jilayer no (li.-itKi', and Jose Collins, Ailhiir Wonitiir, Liipiul D'Ara^ron, I.,oncl How.ird and other jieople who fougl;t well In a lost cause could have had nothing but the sinccr.' syinr-ithy of the audience, C'ort. I WILL REPAY London, March T. The most recent Ideal pbrture can scarcely be called an all-ltritlsh feature. It has an American pro- ducer, Heiuy Kidker, an Knglisb leading man long since made into an American star. Holmes ilerbeit Pedro de Corboda, an American. I>laying the second male part, a few l''rench actresses and an assortment of other players. Though the chief supjxirting parts are i)layed by liritish artists. liaroness Orczy's stor.v Is emi- nently fitted for the scieen. It has romance, i)assinn, ,ind above all. swift mov«in(nt. Kroin the pro- ducer's angle It offers unlimited oi)- portiinilies for sp<ctacle and beauti- ful settings, while the pl.iyers have parts which, if a little highly C(d- ored. are exc<pti(nial roles for the display of their art. I'lverybodv connected with this i)roducti(Ui has seized upon .all the .avail.ible opixir- tunity and the result is a fe.iture pregnant with excitement and sus- pense. The six reels form caidtal entertainment. The story opens with the killing In ,a duel of the \'icontc de Marnc\ by Deroulede. the lawyer. The Lit- ter had spoken slightingly of a wom.m's name and the result was the death of the man who ui>hi Id her honor Desper.ate in his grief the old Duo de .Maiiiey compels his daughter, Juliette, to swear to avenge her brother's death. Years jiass, bringing tho charac- ters to the dark days of the revolii- lion, with Deroulede as the idol of the Jieople. (Jne d.iy Juliette is at- tacked by the crowd but rescued and taken to safety by Deroulede himself. I'resently she learns with horror who her protector Is but time has dinmied the power of her oath and hatred turns to love. Into the terror comes Sir I'eny Blakeney, 'the ."Scarlet Pimpernel," whose mis- sion It is to rescue arlstocr,tt8 doomed to the guillotine. There is a luice on his luad. D< roulede is his friend ,aiul so Sir Periy seeks his aid in rescuing .Marie Antoinette. Deroulede consents but their con- versation Is overlieard by Juliette. ImuKiUately a struggle between what she ciuisiders her duty and her love begins and the former wins. An anoiiMiious note inits Derou- 'ede in the power of his enemies. The Soldiery arrive to arrest him and Juliette Immedi.itely realizes that her love Is strongest. She inan- iges to destroy iiu'rimin.iting docu- ments but the authorship of the note is det( cted. In the end she Is arrested herself. At her trial Deroulede takes his stand by the wom.in he loves and openly decl.ares his guilt although Juliette adheres 'o her story—that the burned p.ajiers wei'c love letters. The judge's de- "islon hangs In the balance but the mob suddenly finds an unexpected le.ider and the lovers are both con- dctnned to de.ith. An escort arrives to take them to prisiui. Its leader Is tho Pini|)irnel and while tho '■rowd lights among themselves he leads the lovers to freedom. Scenicaliy the production Is very ','ood. Tlii> Interiors, made at the nonh.im Wood stiidios, are as good MS any we have seen from a British studio and the exteriors, made in I''rance. are most picturesque. Throughout the production a great deal of attention h.is been imid to detail and the crowds have been ex- ceptionally well managed. In tho leading role of tho "Scarlet Pimper- (Conllnucd on page 32) Read This "Gloria Swanson in 'A Society Scandal' blazes forth In all her sartorial glory. Splendidly directed. Intense relief from usual movie hokum. An entert.ainment well worthy of better class pictures."—Times. And This "Designed to tickle the ladies. The Swanson fans will draw long breaths on seeing it."—News. "A vehicle which .any exhibitor may ride with profit."—Telegraph. And This "An unusually large crowd w,as lured to the Hlvoll by the star'n name and the title. It seems siife to say none of them wa« disappointed."—Herald. And This! •'Bewildering collection of slinky, shiny, expensive clothes. Deserves hand from standpoint of direction, acting and pro- I should like to have the revinue It will bring In! f;iiiH are going to eat it up."—American. duotion. Glorl.a's And you'll know why all New York is flocking to the Rivoli this week to see GLORIA SWANSON IN "A Society Scandal" ' An Allan Dwan Production Prom Alfred Sutro's "The J.,.iiigljitig I.4idy." Screen play by Forrest Halsey, Presented by Adolidi Zukor and Jesse I.. Lasky. d Q>arainouiit Q>icture Produced by >U^^•lAl»Pi lA-^HX-fjUJ^WAfV^h