Wid's Filmdom (1920)

Sunday, August 29, 1920 é DAILW oa 8} ag aT SI LE IWR IE TMI TET te Glittering, Dazzling Production Given Very Weak Story George Fitzmaurice Production “THE RIGHT TO LOVE” with Mae Murray and David Powell Paramount PPC GR DO Penida, oil sss ws +i» dias, « George Fitzmaurice AUTHORS ..... Pierre Frondaic and Claude Farrere SCS TWAT ES LOE 9 S48 6S ean a Ouida Bergere RPE LeVLRING Serta.cs ord ats 3 ale Oe Arthur Miller ASZA WHOLE ...... Lavish and sumptuous pro duction gives spectacular value to inconsequential and rather far-fetched story Be) RY en. Conventional and of small consequence; production values prove determining FACIE see DIRECTION: ...... «: Excellent from spectacular view point, but players are permitted to walk through parts with but few exceptions Bete IMLL PLY fre side wins 3c kos ow ere Excellent Dee ING TO Peet. Se wee ohh 6. so is ho ee Beautiful Reema eS CUS OTS KS Bo Frigate wie lg es a sep -honiae Very good FEATURED PLAYERS ...... Both of-them handle opportunities adequately Be PACP IR Deis, v0 <Bee a ite. suet ee ee Satisfactory PoGLERLIORS . 5... Beautiful; represent Bosporus river front BREIL) Pewee fee coats 528 so cin do Ee Extravagent BP AGA Era erin cre Bosca s we Generally good; some slips CHARACTER OF STORY terribly mistreated’ wife true lover Bena OF PRODUCTION... .:...... Has to do with and reappearance. of 6,661 feet Superfically “The Right to Love” is gorgeous, create mendous. Beneath its surface of beautiful exteriors, interiors that beggar description, superb photography and lighting and wonderful fantastic effects, is a story of very inconsequential and commonplace melodra matic value. The plot concerns the terribly mistreated wife, Lady Falkland. Her husband not only establishes his mistress in quarters adjoining those of his wife's, but gives her power over Lady Falkland in the household, mistreats his little son and cruelly maltreats his wile in every way. The action takes place near Constantinople along the Bosporus river front. One night in a terrific storm Lady Falkland is surprised by a Russian prince, a guest of her husband’s, who attacks her. Falkland discovers them together and forces his wife to sign paper confessing to an infidelity of which she is not guilty. As he is gloating over it Richard Loring, Lady Falkland’s true admirer, enters and engages him in a fight. Falkland falls dead and Richard escapes. Though the Turkish police chief realizes his guilt, Richard is his best friend, and, taking into consideration all circumstances he absolves him of the blame, fastening it on a murderer escaped from jail. Fitzmaurice appeals to the eye but hardly to the head or heart in this. He seldom permits his players to show their ability—the usual course of the action being the mere parading of characters through gorgeous settings. Miss Murray’s scene of frenzied despair, bordering of hysteria, subsequent to the signing of the false confession being the one big scene where -a character’s mental processes are revealed. The director has also taken-a number of rather forced opportunities to display Miss Murray’s figure. David Powell hasn’t a great lot to do as Richard. but does the little well enough. Holmes Herbert represents the villainous Falkland:. Alma Tell is the beautiful mistress in the: case. Macey Harlan is the Russian prince, while Frank Losee (giving the best performance), Marcia Harris and Lawrence Johnston complete the cast. Extravagances of This Appeal to the Eye: Small Appeal to the Mind Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor Ii George Fitzmaurice had secured a better story for the gorgeous production he has provided here, a much better balanced picture would be the result. Under present conditions “The Right to Love” resembles a lady who had laden herself with jewels and forgotten to don her evening gown. ‘Probably the extravagent prodtction values are going to influence many. In addition to the beautiful river front scenes, there is a pretty fantastical sequence showing the two principals as a princess and a knight, their romance interrupted by a prince (I*alkland), from a neighboring kingdom who buys the princess with money. This is very pretty and gorgeous. In fact so is the whole picture. And those audiences influenced by such glittering things will enjoy the picture throughly. The fact that plot and characterization is missing will only be sensed by the discriminating.