Wid's Filmdom (1919)

Sunday, May 4, 1919 ie ATLA 19 CL era NG eS A I YT I A! SR eT DeMille Puts Over A Winner in Offering New Angle on War Theme and Heroes Cecil B. DeMille presents “FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE” Artcraft PUA AD Re IIR 5c ale she oe os Cecil B. DeMille NAME ARAN aed GEREN a rg! co's ad iek— sta lcle ahs 3 Edgar Selwyn SCENARLOPBYER: 5.3 )y.keratolon aie ce. Jeanie Macpherson See PSOE A RAIN Pare io ci Sirev bates eiereiGs 6 04 Alvin Wykofi Seay LLOIE 3. sats cistee sie Remarkably fine production; forcefully acted and unusual in treatment of war theme. ODI MeEer chgic) cea. (5s Decidedly human in drawing of characters and presenting their reactions when America entered the world conflict. PRC LION he ucts one's 8 Marked all through by fine touches which drive home the story. PARP CIAL EL Yur. ou iale ch tthe ssiaesls 2.53.3 ahead Excellent IGT LINGS snc aoe. Many artistic effects on the sets and in showing up the players to advantage. CaMcRA WORK. 5.3.8 ck Scenes shot from a va= riety of angles; on a par with the photography and lightings. PEAS RS 2, ct, sce oece Gloria Swanson reveals more convincingly than ever before that she is an actress of exceptional appeal and talent; Elliott Dexter gives sympathetic interpretation of young physician; Tom Forman suits role of soldier. PME RIOR SURI. OF pets state ak tileke ole Satisfactory PNT ERIORS wists sees). Elaborately furnished and always in accord with the atmosphere of the story. IO EAA Loree ioe) oe 0 Figures largely in reaching the hearts of an audience; close-ups used with fine effect; titles kept in the mood of the characters, assist in bringing cut the author’s theme. CHARACTER OF STORY........ Aims to show that all the heroes did not go to war. LENGTH OF PRODUCTION............. 6,767 Feet URING the height of. the world conflict when every influence was being brought to bear to develop a fighting spirit among American men, Cecil B. DeMille’s ‘“‘For Better, For Worse’ might have been a questionable production for general consumption, for it boldly asserts that every hero was not in uniform. But now times have changed, people have had a chance to see events in a perspective not distorted by inflamed emotions, and truths which might not have been welcomed a year ago, may be received now in the Worth Using for a Special. This applies to all forms of art aiming and the photoplay is no proper spirit. to express human feelings, exception. In many respects, Director DeMille has supplied one of the most significient productions of recent months. Technically, it is very nearly flawless in the treatment of the plot so that points appealing to the sympathy of an audience in making clear the nature of the principal characters are driven home with irresistible force. Supplementing the directorial skill revealed all through, are screen impersonations that stand out by reason of their excellence. Every player in the cast appears natural and seems to actually feel the mood of the character presented. There are no efforts to arouse undue sympathy for any of the figures in the story which is without a villain. The case of each is presented in its true light from the time that the question of going to war, or remaining at home to perform a necessary service, is faced. Gloria Swanson is a patriotic young woman with two equally worthy admirers, Elliott Dexter, a specialist in children’s diseases, and Tom Forman, an architect who is among the first to enter the army. Personally, Elliott is anxious to accept a commission in the medical corps himself, but despite the criticism which he realizes he must suffer, he becomes convinced that his higher duty lies in remaining at his post in the hospital when there is no one else to fill his place. Scenes in the hospital, showing how the physician arrives at this conviction, are beautifully handled, as are those between the patriotically inspired Gloria and Tom, whom she marries immediately before he sails. because she is moved by his appeal, rather than on account of a deep love for him. The story is so filled with human interest details that in the course of a brief review it is not possible to do credit to all the fine points. Gloria comes to realize the heroism of the misjudged doctor who saves a little girl, whom she has run down in her automobile, from being a cripple for life. Tom, so seriously wounded that he wants to die rather than return with one side of his face practically torn away, sends word of his death by a returning soldier, and Elliott and Gloria are about to marry when the crippled man, made presentable by a remarkable surgical operation, reappears. Final sequences of the picture are adroitly arranged to make plausible a readjustment of relationships whereby Gloria may become the wife of the man she really loves and Tom may find recompense in the affections of Wanda Hawley, who has loved him in secret all -along. The excellent cast includes: Theodore Roberts, Sylvia Ashton, Raymond Hatton and others. Give Gloria Swanson a Chance to Make Friends Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor This certainly is good enough to run as a special, backed by all the boosting that you can give it. Ina number of ways it is a remarkably strong woman’s picture, because it brings out so forcefully the finer human sensibilities as they are most likely to find a reflection in the feminine nature. Few directors have used hospital scenes and children to better purpose than has Mr. DeMille in “For Better, For Worse,” and all through there are life-like touches that can’t fail to reach the emotions. Probably this is the first time that the hero of an important production has been made “the manwho stayed at home,’ so you do not need to fear that the picture, either in plot substance or in treatment, is merely another conventional war film. It is so distinetly different from anything that has been presented that you may justly promise your folks a genuine novelty and one that is going to cause comparisons with some of the best pictures they have seen, irrespective of length. Here, as in the case of Griffith and one or two other directors, the name of Cecil B. DeMille is the first one to play up. Make a lot of the fact that this is a Cecil B. DeMille. production going on to mention some others that he has made, such as “Old Wives for New,” “We Can’t Have Everything’”’ and ‘‘Don’t Change Your Husband.” Whether the Arteraft people are ready to call Gloria Swanson a star or not, doesn’t really matter a great deal, for by sheer merit she certainly is working her way to the top of the ladder, and after folks have seen her in this they will be more than ever interested in knowing who she is and all about her. Next to Miss Swanson, Elliott Dexter and Tom Forman are players that you should not fail to mention.