Wid's Filmdom (1920)

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“e * N, . / ff WA tate “ Sunday, May 16, 1920 Wi f DAILY * Atmosphere Of Story Overwhelms Work Of The Star Sessue Hayakawa in “THE DEVIL’S CLAIM” Haworth Production-Robertson-Cole PR ECTOR. fo. 0cc.. .. ., ae Charles Swickard MUDHOR oceccyesocc.l.. ae J. Grubb Alexander SCENARIO BY ....5 0... ....i0m J. Grubb Alexander CAMERAMAN ......... .. ia Frank D. Williams AS A WHOLE....Maintains interest fairly well; theme isn’t one with universal appeal. STORY....Story within a story; confusing at times DIRECTION....Overdoes the atmosphere stuff, but it serves to get the story over in good style. Pe IGRAPTLY 9.1... 7. GPRM se be es Fair Pee PINGS; i. 35 Not up to Haworth standard CAMERA WORK... ... 1: Sele 22 Satisfactory STAR... .In opening reels disappoints, but works up much better toward close. SUPPORT....Coleen Moore and Rhea Mitchell well cast; others good. HED LORS +o ccrel cy 2. o. se Mostly night scenes DIVER LOUIRS or). 0c ui)... . ae ts Lavish sets Pep. Sid ore diane 0... « EE eas, aie -All right CHARACTER OF STORY....Hindu author who uses experiences of others for his story material. CLENGT HOF. PRODUCTION Wag... ... 5,100 feet For those with atmospheric tendencies, admirers of Hindu relics and queer smelling incense, this picture will have unlimited appeal for it’s just packed full of such atmosphere, running all the way from New York’s Greenwich Village to India. As a whole, the production has been carefully made and the element of Wid’s Daily Binders Invaluable for reference purposes. mystery maintained will hold the interest fairly well. The material is comprised of a story within a story. J. Grubb Alexander has his hero an author in search of material for a novel, and as he is inspired the plot is revealed with author and his friends playing the various parts. Alexander has provided the star with a sort of Jekyll and Hyde character in the inner story, which Hayakawa handles very capably. The opening reels, which are supposed to represent New York’s Latin Quarter, give a rather far-fetched idea of, Greenwich Village. Akbar Khan casts aside his little Hindu sweetheart and selects a young society girl as his next victim. But the girl is aware of the author’s trickery in securing victims upon which he bases the material of his novels. So Virginia Crosby leads Akbar on, and from, their talks, he is inspired to write “The Devil’s Trade Mark.” The various installments of the novel are unfolded with the author in the principal role, while the Hindu maid and Virginia play important parts. The plot has to do with a superstitious lot of Hindus called Devil Worshippers. The adventurous hero, called Hassan in the Novel, comes upon their temple in his wanderings and when his guide, who is really one of the worshippers, attacks him, Hassan kills him. The story goes that forever after, Hassan will, at regular intervals, be imbibed with the spirit of the dead worshipper, and during these periods he is lead to kill. Various complications follow, but in the last installment, the author sees himself in the character as Hassan, and through the inspiration of Virginia, the character of Hassan marries the Hindu maid while as the author, he married her in reality. *3.00