Wid's Filmdom (1920)

2 & upper tage: Sea MENTS pes. 28 AIRY Sunday, August 22, 1920 SDAILY 2 ee Author and Leading Man Assist Viola Dana to Great Comedy Success Viola Dana:‘in “THE CHORUS GIRL’S ROMANCE” Metro VDE E SGC AGB Re SO ee William C. Dowlan RR EDD ANON Ato ee Ss ss F. Scott Fitzgerald Ppeed Watt CDETS Vor ks... tg cae Percy Heath REPEALING ING Paes”. |... kee Secale John Arnold AS A WHOLE ...... Splendid comedy, full of originality and containing very clever twists CY aes as Was entitled “Head and Shoulders” in Saturday Evening Post which is better title SO tate LO Natecain ances... hg. omen nen, + Fine Pec Meet LL Veen ao... eR Oe Good Ber Mere SREUR IN Cayenege care ss ss 6 ai aR: Good Sanya bcm VV) be Kare fir... ee eee Very good wd yt So ae Has human role and gets lots of appeal into it et Te Dae oe Gareth Hughes great in opposite part; looks like potential star Pee RRL) Se eet ete ahs «o> OOo Right TMEV DDS 9 SR os OP Very good UEP ROAD ae 8 20. Loceny SRO pak oR tee Splendid GHARACTER.OF STORY ...... Romance and mar ried life of chorus girl and scholar Pel ORCPRODUCTION .2.0.7ec.. 5,850 feet New blood in the writing line is always welcome. F. Scott Fitzgerald is a new author but the magazines have recognized his worth and have taken him up with alacrity. And Metro recognized it too—evidently before all competitors. His Saturday Evening Post story, “Head and Shoulders” has been transferred to the screen and entitled “The Chorus Girl’s Romance.” The picture is a great comedy but before going any iurther this question must out; Why kill a good title and one that has been well advertised in such a medium as the Post and fasten on a cut-and-dried, commonplace one such as “The Chorus Girl’s Romance’? Is it because of some ancient illusion that the public quivers at the idea of a chorus girl? Fitzgerald certainly took conventionality by the horns and flung it far and wide when he penned this story. Marcia Meadows, is the prize shimmy shaker of a Broadway show. Horace Tarbox is something of an infant prodigy—eighteen and able to out-profess the professors at Yale. Marcia is the first chorus girl in his life—and the last, for he marries her. Then for the highly original, amusing and clever comedy situations. The world doesn’t take kindly to Horace’s philosophy and he has to seek mental work. And while he does not approve of Marcia’s shimmy shaking he realizes that her shoulders’ undulations help keep the wolf from the door. But a time comes when Marcia has to stop her violent dancing and then Horace is obliged to take up the cudgels in earnest. What does he do but become a because he has figured out some new aerial stunts vaudeville acrobat from the fourth proposition in Euclid! And while Horace is on the road Marcia becomes a mother. Their affairs progress happily, some great action being introduced registering the fact that Horace has become a physical hero as well as an intellectual one, and finally the happy pair is shown successful. stage whereas Marcia has earned a name for herself Horace has gained his success through the at writing. Besides this downright clever and rather novel idea the author has supplied a number of situations toward the end that both amuse and create a fine element of suspense. And throughout the development of the two characters there is plenty of very human comedy—comedy resulting from a contrast of -two entirely different characters. Viola Dana does well with the stellar role, Gareth Hughes is splendid as Horace. Hughes is something of a type due his lack of height and more or less aesthetic features, but the way he plays his role here seems to stamp him as a potential star. Others are Phil Ainsworth, William Quinn, Jerre Sundin, Sidney DeGrey, Lawrence Grant; Tom Gallery, Edward Jobson, Martyn Best, Anne Shaeler, Dorothy Gordon and William Mong. Write This Down On Your List Right Now Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor Be sure to write this down on your list! Its a picture that will “get” everyone, due to its downright human humor and the fine original twists to the story. Its so different from the usual comedy that its originality fairly stands out all over it. If you fail to take advantage of such an opportunity—well the other fellow will. Feature the fact that this is an adaptation of Fitz gerald’s “Head and Shoulders.” The advertising that Dwell on the fact that he is a new author with new ideas. this title carries is not to be regarded lightly. Besides giving the star her rightful prominence be sure to play up Gareth Hughes in the featured position on the billing. His work here is great and people will surely remember him.