Wid's Filmdom (1920)

————— — =<. -— —es -— Sunday, June 13, 1920 eee es A Comedy Riot Achieving Its End Through Original Means Rupert Hughes’ “SCRATCH MY BACK” Goldwyn-Eminent Authors HEUTE 64 6 0 SR re Sydney Olcott PU EL ie... a eee. Rupert Hughes OT FA ORS RAS So rs Rupert Hughes BU CEONLAN 2 teers: css od haces Os Steve Rounds ee MN ENDS Hy ete. ois: 6 sy us. olin'e 4s A comedy riot RE ON tei os. Packed with original comedy sequences rte LOIN: . sasaki =~ Shows great comedy sense el MLS A EL Verse ig core Sain Ft yy bye cones Very good DORCAS EORTC AS-i (ha: anna Fine Revie VC) Ie Kren ee eek oe eae Most capable FEATURED PLAYER........ T. Roy Barnes puts over great comedy business. eee) See as. ete ees oss 3 0 ks, hove ait Exceptional POORLY Se a oc Well selected LS EOR LEER OS ¢S 2 2 Realistic and handsome BO BeL AL Legg shea <-Subtitles stand out as comedy gems GHAKACLER.OF STORY ..... ~. Young man of im pulse helps married woman out of predicament after peculiar meeting. ' LENGTH OF PRODUCTION..... About 5,833 feet “Scratch My Back” is nothing short of a comedy sensation. Not only does it keep an audience in a veritable gale of merriment and laughter throughout its length, but the means by which it achieves this effect are entirely original. There is a funny little plot with an uproarious sequence from which it gains its title, there are superb comedy ttles which deliciously vio. late all tradition of picture titling, and there is a thoroughly capable cast, fully appreciative of comedy ‘values, headed by T. Roy Barnes. The story is one of Rupert Hughes and the author. himself made the adaptation, or at least exercised supervision over it. It doesn’t say whether he prepared the subtitles or not, but the chances are a hundred to one he did. These are bound to create more of a sensation than the first Anita Loos captions did some time since. Mr. Hughes really “kids” the life out of the action, many of the subtitles being in the way of explanatory “asides.” The one wherein he comments on the heroine revolting from the usual course pursued by her type and refusing to visit her gentleman friend’s rooms is the peak of the printed comedy. The action first introduces Val Romney (T. Roy Barnes). There are a couple of splendid comedy sequences which plant him as a man oi impulse no matter what the situation. They show him refusing to permit a mannish woman to intrude ahead of him in a line waiting at a bank window. For this a soldier decorates him with his sharp shooter’s cross. The other gives glimpses of him battling for a seat in a trolley car with a husky who takes up more room than is his share. Another great sequence comes when Romney is forced to lsten to his hostess’ recount of her social activities. There is clever stuff here when very short and rapid flashes of the races, Pershing, flying and whatnot are cut in to denote the lady’s line of chatter. It’s a sure fire laugh. The plot tells of the manner in which Romney meets Mrs. Loton (Helene Chadwick). He is sitting behind her in the theater and notices her writhing in mute agony because she can't gratify her desire to scratch her back. After moments of indecision Romney performs the charitable deed for her. Then Mrs. Loton calls upon Romney as a man of honor to secure certain pictures of her, in the possession of an erstwhile professional dancer, that she is afraid to tell her husband about. This is accomplished to the tune of continual comedy. Sydney Olcott certainly has shown a wonderful comedy sense in handling Mr. Hughes’ material. The action never lags, it is spirited and as refreshing as the wonderful subtitles themselves. T. Roy Barnes is great as Romney and Helene Chadwick and Lloyd T. Whitlock as the Lotons are very good. Cesare Gravina as the dancer gives a splendid comedy performance, while Andrew Robson completes the cast of principals. Nothing To Stop You Doing Capacity On This Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor With such a wonderful comedy you ought to do record business, providing that you go in for ust a little more advertising than ordinarily. Certainly this picture is worth a lot more. You can afford to spread on it and exploit it to the skies and, better yet, you ll find it its own best advertisement. Once the crowds get wind of the sort of picture it is you won't be able to keep them away. . Metropolitan audiences in particular will appreciate the fine comedy of the subtitles. At the Capitol they got applause on their own! Remember that. Of course less sophisticated audiences may not realize their tremendous humor, but for such audiences there is the story and all the wonderful comedy sequences it contains. So there is no one class to which this picture will appeal. It will get ’em all, all the ‘brows in existence, the high-brows and the low-brows, the highlow and low-high, coming and going.