Wid's Filmdom (1920)

OAR Se! pI POEL ALEC OLENA ALBEE AE Ao Sunday, August 29, 1920 Ya id’ DAILY Distinctive Characterizations Rarely Treated Before Beautiful Backgrounds D. W. Griffith’s “THE LOVE FLOWER” United Artists PAE AMI RE Nas. x Sout aes eset D. W. Griffith Be AEE LC) Dem ao 802 6. rae is a tare Ralph Stock BRN AUER E CESS Ve wre ay ti. fo ack Griffith Scenario Dep’t PES NL EC PENERUN egies inca es Coe G. W. Bitzer AStA WHOLE ;...... Beautiful, poetic production— entertaining story LOR Yer. «. Relies largely on characterization for interest and Griffith has built this up realistically Bie ee Oy NN mre of 2e tole ys RS ee Excellent Re te CLRCIN ELLY oi > ctf ca ee wt oo ope ' Splendid PEUSEM LUN Gomi co) SS ao. Al oi cx carne Excellent Re VV) RK ee cis. wo. 5 tee ewe ti Excellent LEADING PLAYERS ...... Richard Barthelmess good here; Carol Dempster makes Beerty and distinctively appealing heroine SUE O) Ie Late ae George MacQuarrie and Anders Randolf most prominent EXTERIORS ...... Beautiful and unusual shots procured in the Bahamas Rr ILO) Ise Wes sere veils 8 oe oie 6, foe Very few used DEE ATT Os. «3. One very obvious water back drop employed in closeups of hero CHARACTER OF STORY ...... Deals with girl’s great love for her fugitive father and her romance with first young man in her life LENGTH OF PRODUCTION .... About 6,500 feet D. W.. Griffith’s latest production, ‘The Love Flower” is a very beautiful, even poetic picture, containing a story entertaining largely because of its various distinctive characterizations the outstanding one of which is developed in the heroine. Beautiful the work is in scenic investiture, photographic and lighting effects and in its delightful shots of the clear southern ocean. The Bahamas provided the producer with a paradise of exteriors and he has brought them into play to the fullest advantage. At that they never overshadow the action save at the beginning, when a number of flashes are used to plant a distinctive atmosphere even before the plot is introduced. And poetic the production is too. The characterization of the girl rendered by Carol Dempster is responsible for much of this. She is a veritable delight. Too delicate perhaps to acquit herself convincingly of the harsh ventures to which her role allots her in the latter part but at all times pretty, sweet, fragrant. Her characterization is unpolished but perhaps Gritffith willed it so. It is spontaneous, effective in its unusualness and realistic to the core. And the poetry of the characterization is rendered more beautiful by a handfull of rare subtitles written, for instance in this key: “Girlish dreams sighed into the pink ear of a rose beneath azure southern skies.” Such a line accompanied by appropriate action is the next thing to transporting in effect. The girl’s father, a murderer, who would be exonerated on the grounds of the “unwritten law’ has flown to a secluded island on the other side of the globe where he lives in comparative peace with her. The action introduces Bruce, a wealthy globe trotter, who meets the girl. She treats him coldly believing him an officer in search of her father, but alone, she conceives him as her dream lover.: At length the real officer does come but the girl sinks Bruce‘s boat in which he made the trip to the island. ‘The girl then, in her overwhelming love for her father, attempts fearfully to take the life of the intruding officer. Bruce learns of her attempts and admiration of her courage increases his love for her. How the officer is finally fooled into believing the father dead and how the lovers find perfect happiness makes a pretty finish on a sequence in which a strong element of suspense is dominant. Fits in the Same Class As Griffith’s Last One Box Office Analysis For making a picture hold through the sheer beauty of characterization and scenic investiture and the coupling of the two together, D. W. Griffith certainly has no superiors. It is this course that he seems to have followed with the case of his latter pictures and “The Love Flower” proves no exception to the rule. There may be those whose idea of pictorial entertainment differs with the Griffith idea. These who for the Exhibitor hanker for action, action, action, will have to search elsewhere for their entertainment than in “The Love On the other hand there is a large ever ready and eager to appreciate the poetic beauty Flower.’ audience and realistic drama that Griffith imparts to his pic tures. Before such audiences “The Love Flower’ will register to the fullness of all its rare beauty and charm.