Wid's Filmdom (1920)

~~ a@ _ a Whi DAILY Sunday, January 11, 1920 SOO SET ES Se Star Puts Over Initial First National Production in Good Style Norma Talmadge in “A DAUGHTER OF TWO WORLDS” First National DIRECTOR. £2: 3). 2.000 aes eee James Young AUTHOR 6 62.07). 3 eee eee Leroy Scott SCENARIO BY .... 52 James Young and Edmund Goulding. CAMERAMAN \ ..22.iie; sae sate David Abel AS A WHOLE...... Gives the star a chance to dis play considerable versatility and has been given satisfactory presentation. SLORY Ae Contains frequent conveniences and implausibilities that will get laughs; however, it does reach the high spots of emotion once or twice. DIREGHRION 3.020 Deserves credit for welding a none too impressive piece of fiction into a fairly attractive picture. PHOTOGRAPHY Very good LIGHTINGS sara ees. eee Usually clear Pet. Several attractive close-ups STAR. Vre..; Made a striking appeal during emotional moments, especially; made the most of circumstances. SUPPORT. 3 Jack Crosby not strong enough opposite for star’s personality; capable cast. ©. © 0'Te) 0) 0 © Cl lehe 0 6 8 © 6 6a) ee) 6 HasLERIORS So. cc ee eres es Didn’t figure much INTERIORS 2%... see See Conventional DITA A are eee Unnecessary repetition in titles CHARACTER OF STORY ....Poor girl breaks into society after jumping bail on a forgery charge LENGTH: OF PRODUCRION (223 20. ee In “A Daughter of Two Worlds” Miss Talmadge makes her initial appearance under the First National banner and while the spectator will not be disappointed with the production or the work of the star herself, the picture really does not make the impression that some of Miss Talmadge’s former vehicles have. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the main effort seems to have been given to the development of the plot. The action advances at a logical pace and although there are one or two convenient bits, it will be forgiven for this is preferable to a session of tiresome and draggy sequences that add nothing but footage. As a whole “A Daughter of Two Worlds” will satisfy the majority and especially admirers of the star. There are minor points in production and detail that may not be noticed by the casual observer except in one scene—that in the court room—the judge asks for the parents of the prisoner and forthwith two men make their way to the front. This got a laugh at the Strand. The titles were childish and a continual reference to “her other world” kind of jarred. Norma is mixed up in a forgery case at the opening of the story and in order that his daughter may grow up to live a life different from that in which she has been reared, her father, Black Jerry, the owner and proprietor of a notorious dance hall, affects her escape with the aid of Uncle George, a life-long friend who furnishes the bail. Shero is established in a fashionable boarding school where she is the room-mate of Sue Harrison. Norma and Sue become chums and during the holidays Norma is invited to Sue’s home and hero pops up in the form of Sue’s brother, Kenneth. As a result of the visit shero becomes engaged to Kenneth and on the eve of her wedding, her accomplice in the forgery case attempts to blackmail her but shero’s father comes to the rescue. Kenneth’s father is in the contracting business and Sam Conway, his silent partner, in order to save himself from an exposition of his unscrupulous deals, kills the man who has threatened him and throws the guilt upon Harry Edwards. Norma had known Edwards in the old days and at the time of the murder was in his company. To save him from the chair shero discloses her past life to her fiance but love triumphs with the customary fade-out. Should Please Admirers of the Star and Win Her Some New Friends Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor For admirers of Miss Talmadge “A Daughter of Two Worlds” will be sure to please, for the part played by the star permits of unlimited opportunity for a display of versatility, first as the daughter of a dance hall keeper, then as a meek little school girl and finally assuming a more mature demeanor when she is confronted with disaster. This is the star’s first production for First National and while it is not as pretentious as some of her for mer offerings, her work is quite satisfactory. It might be well, however, for First National to secure a better title writer than the one who wrote those in “A Daughter of Two Worlds.” You have plenty of opportunity and material for catchlines and they can be used to advantage for attracting new fans for the star and strengthening those she has already won. Make a special appeal to the women, for they like this kind of stuff,