Variety (November 1924)

Wednesday. November 19, Wti PICTURES ':4 VARIETY FILM REVlEWiS FORBIDDEN PARADISE A pIcturiaatloD of "TIm CiariD«," » Btav by LaiM Biro and Ucloblor L«ofy«l, With Tolik ii*tn •tamO. Dlrwthm of nmat l«bltaok. Mr««n phur Inr Afora ChrUtlnc •ad IbM Knlx. ProdiM«4 by ramous nayen-LMky. At the Itl«*ll. Naw Torn. »*v. M. Rmabic tint*, aboat M mlna. OoMii Catbertn* Pola Necrl iin»i T^od La IU>cqa« Cfeaiioallor s: i.,Adalpha Mrnjou Anna (...Pauline Starke French Amhaeeador rred UalateeU Wh«n "Th« Cmarhia" wa« pro- duced as a star* play by Gilbert Miller about Ave years ago. It was • success for both the producer and the star, Doris Kieane, and the pic- ture'version, "Forbidden Paradise" looks like the sain« thinir. If ever A .star did good work, Pola Negri 4oes it here; if ever a film company threw In the hot love s<!ene8. Fa-, nious has; If.ever a director used his head and artistic sense, Lu- bitsch did. "Forbidden Paradise" represents the union of a gogd story, •xpensive scenery, a perfect cast •nd direction of the highest order. 'And In addition to rating as an •rtlstfo ace. It Is a money bet, for tha love of interest is plenty and . heavy, yet always relieved by some cynical bit of comedy, for which Menjou Is usually responsible. In the play Itself, Catherine the Great ot RuasU was the central figure. The period was of her day. -In the flim Queen Catherine of an unnamed kingdom is the central ng- ure and the time lo of today. That change In period worked no wrong In this ease, as no mention was made of the "Little Mother of All the Busslas," and many bits of comedy were worked In which could never have been placed in a costume pic- ture of several hundred years back. Queen Catherine likes men. New ones are preferred, so when a dash- ing young army officer (Rod La Rocque) comes In one day to warn her of an Impending revolution, she waves th} French Ambassador aside without meeting him and sets out to win the young officer. But his arweetheart Is the quenn's lady-ln- waltlng and complications ensue. The officer falls from grace, and, l>ecomlng angry, starts a revolution of his own. For a few brief mo- ments he has the queen In his power. But the tide turns and he to aenteneed to die. The queen, however, . relents, allows him to unite with his sweetheart, while ■be, as full of anticipation as usual, gaily calls out that the French Am- bassador, who has been kept wait- ing all theae weeks, be shown In. "When he eaergea a few hours later, on his breast Is the crest of the rqjal order, a mark of especial favor. So be and the queen's chan- oellor, both, winking, ahake bands, and the picture is through. It Is a hippy combination of love, romance and comedy. Mare than that. It Is never maudlin, seldom too melodramatic to t>e plausible, and always funny. enough to get deep- rooted laughs and many a subtle ohuckle. The scenario Is almost -air-tight, each scene being fitted beautifully Into what has gone be- fore, and each benefitting from the whimsical touch of I.ubltach, who assuredly rates as among the Big Three of directors. The picture cost a great deal. Beveral palace scenes are massive, while the ^terlors are all In per- fect and expensive taste. The Vowns worn by Negri are kayos, while her new bobbed hair should C<et feminine attention. La Rocque, too. Is a good card for the women, and the hot love scenes of the 4ueen and the officer should satisfy audiences who want a dash of paprika with their chicken. Men- JoQ, neediest to say, carried off a •tiave role high on a silver plate,^ While the others of the east were Cood enough. "Forbidden Paradise" may need a little exploitation to convince the _ pubic It really Is a corker, for some " of the Negri product recently hasn't been so good. But once the wdrd gets around, It looks as though this one should do a mop. At the Rlvdl last Sunday the house was S. R. O. from 2 o'clock on, and that went for the supper show. "Forbidden Paradise" looks like one of the few famous members of the "famous 40," and there's not a picture house In America too good to play It, nor one with such a dumb audience that It couldn't be under- stood. In other words, this one Is a combination of popular appeal with Intelligence, and the result Is pretty fine. BUk. particularly aa abaorblpg loVe in- terest, that should make It likable as a general program release. In spinning the yam the authoress hai| provided a complex of puppy love and hospital Intrigue that car- ries along at an even pace to the usual happy culmination. She has set her characters In one of those mythical small towns where love smites the youth at an early age and It Is ever open season for gossips and scandalmongers. Into this placid center comes K. Le Moyne, a man of mystery to those unable to pry Into his af- fairs. His taking up lodgings at the home of Sidney Paige, village belle, also complicates matters, in- asmuch as two younger swains have previously been In hot pursuit. Sidney has long had a yen for nursing and when the appointment at the local hospital comes Is ex- >ftemely happy. Simultaneously Dr. Max Wilson, world-famous surgeon and "lady killer," has been ap- pointed head of the InsUtution. Although owing his rapid rise par- tially to his assistant, Carlotta Har- rison, he loses no time in making a play for the heart of Sidney, event- ually extracting a promise of mar- riage. The broadcasting of the coming marrlge causes Carlotta to rlre one ot Sidney's patients an overdose of medicine, thereby causing Sidney to I>e dismissed for negligence. Joe Drnmmond, a discarded suitor, vows that unless Wilson plays fair with Sidney he will make him answer for It A clandestine meeting between Max and Carlotta, Intended to be the finale of their affair, is climaxed by Joe figuring that It Is Sidney the physician has taken to an Ill- famed roadhouse and shooting him. Back at the hospital the other doc- tors refuse to operate, claiming that the only operation that might pull him through would be the Edwardes method, and that Max was the only one who could perform such an operation aside from its originator. Dr. Edwardes, now dead. The surprise punch Is planted when Carlotta hunts i.p Le Xfoyne, In reality Dr. Edwardes, and cajoles him into performing the operation, which Is successful. While In the operating room a detective appears with a warrant for Edwardes^ ar- rest on a charge of manslaughter based upon supposed negligence in a previous operation. Carlotta, grateful to Edwardes for having saved the man she loves, confesses It was she who resorted to intrigue to disqualify Edwardes so that Wilson, his assistant, would enjoy the fame and voalth instead. Sid- ney has been awakened to Wilson's inconstancy, breaks their engage- ment and marries Edwardes. Virginia Valli gives one of her best performances aa Sidney, regis- tering remarkably well In her emo- tional scenes and contrasting others with a delightful piquancy. Percy Marmont also is superb as Ed- wardes, the man of mystery. Mar- garita Fisher and John Roche con- tributed commendable portrayals. iilclba. LOVERS LANE Warner Bros, production, the author of whiuh was th« lale Clyde Ftteh. adapted by Dorothy Famum. Directed by Phil Roaen. At L.o«w'e New York. New York. Nov. 14, on double feature bill with "That Wild Weat." Runnins time, i> mlnutea. Dr. Tom Slnsleton Robert Kill* Mary Larkln Gertrude Olmatead Simplicity .UaxiJie Elliott Hicks Aunt Mettle * Kale Tumcray Rev. Dr. Slnrleton Norvat MacOresor Herbert Wlulame Crauford Kent Unc'.e Billy Charlee Sellon Mllleaeia Ethel Walea Dr. Stone Qeorse Periolai Mra. Stoce Dorothy Vernon Mra. Willtama Prances Dae Jimmy Bruce Geurin Mlae Mealy ..Alleea Manney This looks like it was a secondary line production as far aa tbo War- ner Bros.' product Is concerned. At that it Is a picture that la atronc enough to stand up on Ua own on the ordinary bill run In the average neighborhood house. It will Iw liked in the small towns. Teaches a moral there Is always a happy ending tor those that have faith enough to be- lieve that there is happiness for all in the world. It is a small-town story, with tlM hero a youthful doctor who turns down the wealthy local belle beeanao he wants to remain in the home town and do his bit for the people there. She has money and wants him to step out. When he refuses she breaks off their engagement In tho end she turned back to him. Robert Ellis and Gertrude Ohn- stead carry the principal roles, and do very well. The balance of tho cast has been picked for types, and they are that, together with quite seme acting ability. The direction has some very ba- man touches in It, and the story 4ooa get over to the audience. It Isn't a picture that tbe Wamori' could carry along with their flrat-. line productions, but one that tko average small-town exhibitor with a daily change can slip over on hia audiences without tear that they are going to pan him tor It K—THE UNKNOWN Unlveraal-Jewell atarrlns Vlrslnla Valll and featnrlns Percy Marmont. Adapted from the atory of aaroe title l>y Mary Rob- erte Rinehart. Dh«ctad by Harry Pollard. At the Cameo, New Tork, week of Not. U. Bunninc time, W mine. Sidney Pa»e Vlrslnla Valll "K" Le Moyne Percy Marmont Carlotta Harrlaon MarsariU flahdr Oeorce "Slim" Benson Piancla Feeney Dr. Max WUaon Jolm Beohe Joe Drummond Maarioe Shran Aunt Harriet Kennedy Myrtle Vane Dr. lOd Wllaon WUllam A. pwroll Nothing extraordinary about this latest Mary Roberts Rinehart «9a» yet It disDlavs eertaln aoeUtlaa- P ' t'. i \. -f'-Hv ■v.y. -> Now Playing to Record Business, Capitol (N*Ye) 'n!)efies one to write about it without indulging in super* latives ..... Beautifully told, flawlessly directed Will be held as model by all pro* ducers .... Not a second one wants to lose .... Held specta* ton spell'bound .... CeUuloid masterpiece... Wonder^l sus' pens^ .... Never has Lon Chaney delivered such a mar- velous performance ... Victor Seastrom has directed with all the genius of a Chaplin or a Lubitsch and accomplished more The finest produc' tioil we have ever seen." "New York Times. ''Don't miss it! Tie the baby in a crib, borrow money for tickets firom the landlord, stand in line an hour, but Don't Miss hi One of the best films ever turned out... Has everything which makes a movie intei^est' ing .... A glorious thing from start to finish .. • Lon Chaney gives finest performance of his career •. . Truly masterful ... Here is the almost perfect pic- ture whose like comes all too seldom."' New York Evening Post, "Sidewalks crowded in vicinity of Capitol Theatre* attracted by'He Who GeU Slapped'... Best of the last twelve months .. e. Imaginative and tremen* dously dramatic film play. •. Expertly photograpke^mid directed .... Nothing of the kind in the theatre has touched me as did this ... By all means make this one of your early visits ... 1 recommend it whole heartedly.** New York WorM. V- "Movie better than the play... Victor Seastrom has done an inspired job .. • Lon Chaney's performance one of the most moving and interesting that the films can brag about.... One of the main achievements of the season .... If you wish to keep up with the best accom* lishments of the movies, by no means miss this picture." New York Sun. You oiVt seennoihin* yetl Just ^}ait! .i^SF^^ K'i" ■ ■■■.■. fU-'- " '- : ^^.^^ra' with LON CHANET NORMA SHEARER JOHN GILBERT TULLY MARSHALL Produced by Louis Be Kfayer