Wid's Filmdom (1921)

THE Sunday, January 1, 1922 Irvin S. Cobb’s Titles Help Put Over Farce Comedy Vivian Martin in “PARDON MY FRENCH” Goldwyn BD Ee AC) eee iis lala 'cy>xs | Ge Sidney Olcott PC AMET GC) teeter tos, gt Edward Childs Carpenter DiC NOLO Yoru. cata... :. cae Harry O. Hoyt SOUL CHEERS Sine Van waat aie 4) «<<: . 0 ee Irvin S. Cobb CAMERAMAN 20200... .'-.. + Ae John Stumar AS A WHOLE...... Fairly entertaining farce com edy that succeeds in being funny at times, but mostly in Cobb’s titles SLORY 2.2 38 Continuity is poor, making development a little uneven; situations not altogether new, but some thoroughly amusing DIRECTION 3.2... Makes the most of what comic situations there are; fine selection of players PHOROGRARHY eae ae: 2.’ Mee SO e neh. Fair MC LGA ELIN GS item ris cote co tae Sometimes poor SLAM. Jae a ee ee wea ae 8, roc Te ee Pleasing SUBRORT 2. 8 Thomas Meegan, Nadine Beresford and Ralph Yearsly fine comedy trio HAGUE RIO RS ia gee: tics ss ook o> tre MR eas Few IN ESE) To ord de eae! weg ee All right MPEG IGA Lawton weirs <origh co feo. sv o's 2 COC eee Suffices CHARACTER OF STORY....... Stranded actress becomes maid in home of newly rich westerners where she accidentally traps international criminals DENGDHSZOF PRODUCTION. -siiee... 5,620 feet “Pardon My French” is a farce comedy of average calibre that might have risen just above the average line if its comic situations were more numerous. What _the story does contain in the way of farce is first rate, and then Irvin Cobb’s titles do the rest to put them over and bring out the laughs. Vivian Martin is starred in the piece, but, strange to say, she isn’t responsible for the picture’s most important comic bits. Miss Martin is pleasing and provides the necessary romantic touch, but the comedy roles are in other but none the less capable hands. The idea of the “hicks” who suddenly acquire mil lions and decide to “break” into society has been used before in various ways, but Director Olcott has man aged to present it in entertaining fashion and together with the captions written by Cobb a good many laughs are created by Mr. and Mrs. Hawker and their son, Zeke, from Kansas. Mrs. Hawker tackling a cigarette will bring a laugh. The cyclone is not sufficiently realistic to have been included, but serves to contrast the Hawkers’ “before and after’ prosperity. The title does not pertain to the picture as a whole, but reveals the secret of the little actress when her company is stranded and she finally takes a position as a French maid and at one time neglects to use her accent. Polly wanted to play on Broadway, but the best she could do was road companies and they always stranded, so finally Polly decided she’d take a position as maid with a family of westerners who were trying to enter Tar Harbor society. Polly’s job was to fit the “hicks” for the ordeal. While working as maid Polly meets her ideal man. The Hawkers are much elated over the suddenly acquired friendship of the Countess Carstairs and Marquis de Void. The Countess aims to marry the rich Hawker’s son, Zeke. Meanwhile de Void manages to help himself to Mrs. Hawker’s jewelry. Polly is accused and in the police station recognizes the pictures of the Countess and Marquis. This leads to the crooks’ discovery. Polly is reinstated in the Hawker home, but declines in order to marry the man she loves. Enough Laughs to Satisfy Most of Your Folks ‘ Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor There are sufficient laughs and the farce comedy is probably good enough to get by with an average audience. Irvin S. Cobb’s titles will bring laughs and it might be well to mention the fact that he wrote them when advertising the picture. Vivian Martin hasn’t appeared regularly in pictures lately, but if you feel that she is known by your patrons, use her name and say she is assisted by a capable company of comedians. Catchlines with the titles will attract. Say: “You’ve heard of the rube who suddenly came in for a lot of money, but have you ever seen a whole family of farmers become millionaires over night and then try to ‘break’ into fashionable society? It happens in ‘Pardon My French.’ Vivian Martin is the star in this latest Goldwyn farce comedy.”