Wid's Filmdom (1920)

, a oT f Le ee Sunday, January 18, 1920 Ke DAILY : ee en SS EB TTT Taare Soe ceri Average Program Offering Aided by Star’s Personality Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor Enid Bennett in “THE WOMAN IN THE SUITCASE” Thos. H. Ince Prod.—Paramount Artcraft (PEELS lf Oe WO) CY oe A Fred Niblo Fa RL, ed) Re ac og es a's « C. Gardner Sullivan UDCA TROIS S ae ola) yaks «5s C. Gardner Sullivan RAMHRAMAN De. cng ees essa George Barnes AS A WHOLE...... Old time situation lacks conviction and seldom reaches the entertainment point. DIRECTION. .Registered a few laughs and handled players very well in most instances but couldn’t make up for the impossible story. DCI pe cents ai Been done hundreds of times and isn’t different enough to get by on that score. PPA Oe Ae. des bo sss oy o's 5 Fairly good LIGHTINGS ..,..:. Mi ehoy ass. A bit hazy at times CAMERA WORK....Interior shots frequently too deep. STARS A. 5 Satisfactory for the most part but regis tered some strange emotions in close-ups. PS UP POR Ta ei. 3 Roland Lee very pleasing as the proxy sweetheart; William Conklin fails to impress. Fe G Ie LO) Init enews. . +. Seldom necessary INTERIORS...... Lavish and looked like the real thing. DETAIL ooo. Some titles that got snickers instead of laughs. CHARACTER OF STORY....Daughter sets out to save father who is straying from the straight and narrow. LENGTH OF -PRODUCTION......... ...5,410 feet With the exception of a very few moments at long intervals which contain slight entertainment value, “The Woman in the Suitcase” falls slightly below the border line of the average program offering. The story has been given adequate production and the players for the most part are well adapted to their parts, but the idea is so ancient and actually so implausible that the better efforts hardly hold it up. Just for the sake of argument, if nothing more, what young girl would think up such an extraordinary way of “saving” her father and wondering further, how would such a scheme meet with such splendid and “just as planned” success. There are numerous incidents that just happen without the slightest foundation and even some explaining by way of titles doesn’t seem to convince. Roland Lee does a lot of unusual things and humbles himself greatly for the sake of adventure while Dorcas Matthews is a “wery wicked wamp” who must have cost the producer quite a bit for her supply of cigarettes. Enid Bennett is the young girl just graduated from college who comes across Dolly’s (Miss Matthews’) photo in her daddy’s grip while looking for a present which he has bought for her. Realizing that “The Woman in the Suitcase” must be the cause of her father’s recent “business at the office’ evenings, Enid plans to save him from disgrace without letting her mother know anything about the adventure. Shero advertises for a gentleman to act as escort and it happens that Roland Lee, a wealthy young man, answers the ad in the spirit of adventure. Enid gives him strictly to understand that he is being employed by her and insists that he allow her to pay the bills at the various cafes they visit in shero’s search for “The Woman in the Suitcase.” When finally they come upon the “wamp,” Enid is agreeably surprised to see that her escort knows the famous woman and immediately asks for an introduction which he reluctantly assents to give her. According to her plan, shero becomes very friendly with Dolly. The climax comes when the father comes to Dolly’s apartment and finds his daughter evidently much intoxicated but this is only a part of her scheme and in the end hero Lee gives Dolly some hush money, father goes back to his wife and shero falls in love with Lee. Will Satisfy But Won’t Stand Any Extraordinary Boosting There is no great reason why you shouldn’t play “The Woman in the Suitcase” and get away with it. Even though the story is implausible and at times a trifle ridiculous, director Niblo has worked in a few good bits. Miss Bennett plays her part with sincerity and except for once or twice when she was poorly lighted, photographed very well. Dorcas Matthews is very well cast as the home-wrecker and Roland Lee is a patient and pleasing hero. Taken all in all Miss Bennett is supported by a capable company. The title is a good one and suggests numerous exploitation and advertising ideas. Catchlines might read: “Who is ‘The Woman in the Suitcase’? Come to the blank theater and see how Enid Bennett solves the mystery.” Or, “What would you do if you found a woman’s photograph in your father’s suitcase? See what Enid Bennett does in her latest production at the blank theater.”