Wid's Filmdom (1920)

2 idf DAILYW Sunday, August 29, 1920 Artistic and Splendidly Entertaining Spiritual Drama Maurice Tourneur Production “THE GREAT REDEEMER” Metro DIRECTOR Ge sonra eee ne Clarence Brown AUTHOR fee 2. vee eee ee ae H. H. Van Loan SCENARIO BY ... Jack Gilbert and Jules Furthman CAMERAMAN? 9.) us one Charles J. Van Enger ASA WHOLE fer. Artistically produced and splendidly entertaining spiritual drama of the west LOR Yau. Very well built and including original characters as well as different sort of a plot DIRECTION] 7. Generally highly commendable PHOTOGRAPH Yee ay ec eee er Excellent LIGHTINGS 323 6.0. eee Splendid CAMERA WORK s3yetitee@ 7.0) eee Very good LEADING PLAYERS. ...... House Peters and Marjorie Daw give of their best SUPPORT Ae ee Joseph Singleton and Jack MacDonald excellent in character parts EXTERIORSS (et fee Fine western stuff INTERIORS... 2.Include some realistic jail scenes DETAIL ieee eee aoe els a. eee eee Good CHARACTERLOE STORY. 2.2. Imprisoned bandit works his own reformation by painting the Christ on the cross LENGTH OF PRODUCTION .... About 5,700 feet Here is another spiritual drama and yet something different from the other big pictures of recent date. Spiritual reform is encompassed in this instance through pictorial beauty. The principal character, a bandit and a bad man to the core, languishing in jail, makes use of his artistic ability and paints a figure of the Christ on the cross on the wall of his cell. So beautiful and overwhelming is the result of his efforts that he himself becomes a different man as. does the hardened murderer in the opposite cell and the prison attendants. The above is the outline of the big situation in “The Great Redeemer.” It is a very beautiful thought in itself, and given an artistic finish typical of Maurice Tourneur in every respect, its beauty and spiritual quality registers in solemn and convincing fashion. The lighting of the scene is particularly fine and the acting of the principals involved does much to bring out the spiritual force of the idea. The whole plot of “The Great Redeemer,’ while dealing with familiar characters, has the stamp of unconventionality, the situations are a bit different. Dan Malloy, is a holdup man, unable to reform for the love of the girl he loves. The Sheriff, his rival for the girl’s affections, frames a holdup opportunity which Dan seizes with the result that he is sentenced to ten years in jail. Then comes the working of the miracle. The blasphemous murderer in the opposite cell is the first to be affected by Dan’s painting. Then he himself realizes what has happened and kneels before the lifelike figure. And even the brutal guards thenceforth treat the prisoners with kindness. For his deed Dan is released. The girl has set out for the station to meet him but as she passes the sheriff’s house he rushes out and makes her captive. A terrific storm rages. At length the girl makes her escape just as Dan alights from the train. In a moment of weakening belief Dan is ready to exact vengeance from the sheriff, but the heavens are rent with lightning that strikes the sheriff dead. A Big Attraction That Should Appeal Widely Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor There is, to be sure, some question as to how every spiritual picture will be received. The introduction of a religious angle complicates the otherwise simple box office value of a production. With the case of “The Great Redeemer,” however, it is altogether likely that all audiences will appreciate it—be thrilled by it. The reform worked in this instance is spiritual, not physical, and the means to the end are beautiful to the extreme. The picture is high class in every respect, story, direction, acting. You have a strong attraction in the name of Maurice Tourneur who supervised the work and the mention of House Peters and Marjorie Daw, who play the principal roles should serve as a big attraction. H.H. Van Loan, the author, has a variety of pictures to his credit, but this is by all odds the greatest thing he has done. Use his name too. it will help. If you attempt to play with the spiritual angle in your advertising use none but dignified words and phrases. The better course would be just to suggest a really “different” sort of a picture and let the spiritual part come as the surprise. cient rt aati a i i