Wid's Filmdom (1920)

A @ 2 prc mmo nn 24 é DAILWY Sunday, August 29, 1920 SSS STMT SE OL NI SR TT TT Episodic Western Average Program Offering Edgar Lewis Production “LAHOMA” Pathe DIRECTOR) ccm oe ot es Edgar Lewis AUTHOR 55 teeere ane es John Breckinridge Ellis SCENARIOsBY Gie ere et teen Not credited CAMERAMAN? 42.45 .34-5.on cn aes Edward C. Earle AS AUWHODE Ee. Western in which action takes place over great space of time. SLORYVean stank .e eee Rather ovbious at times DIRECTION]. o. Injected healthy outdoor atmo sphere but had to crowd too much into produc tion. PHOTOGRAPH Yor. a Always clear and distinct LIGH TIN GSieeree >. ce ine eee Satisfactory CAME RAW ORK aie en eae eee Excellent PEAY ERS Sess Louise Burnham handles title role sincerely; Wade Boteler and Russel Simpson good; Peaches Jackson cute. EXTERIORS..... Consist of splendid outdoor scenes that should prove of real value. INTERIORS eee Not many, but up to the standard DE DAL Oicieger ee eae tts, More than enough CHARACTER OF STORY...... Child taken west on wagon train deserted by father and brought up there, finally finds lover, but is unable to save her benefactor from vengeance of his outlaw enemy. LENGTH OF PRODUCTION .... About 6,000 feet In his newest western, Edgar Lewis has taken great pains with his exteriors and has spent a considerable amount of time apparently in securing the proper at mosphere. He has taken a story that is entirely too episodic—spread over a number of years that is too great to make it very easy to hold attention in any one section long enough to sustain continuous interest. A considerable quantity of material was given the director to work with and much of it is rather conventional western stuff. As a result, in several sequences, the ensuing action is somewhat obvious. To his credit, it must be said that Lewis has inserted some fine western scenes, but with a great deal of attention paid to minor matters a really powerful climax has not been secured. Some comedy relief of quality is of value to the picture, which starts off with much action, shooting and some touches of pathos. Henry Gledware and Lahoma, his five-year-old daughter, are the only survivors af a wagon train attacked by outlaws. He wanders into an outlaw’s cabin. Brick Willock, an adventure seeker and not criminal, revolts at the thought of killing the two as decreed by the leader, and saves them by killing one of the band. The dead man’s brother, Kimball, vows vengeance. Gledware ultimately weds the daughter of an Indian chief. Wiaillock, who has escaped from the outlaws, takes care of the child. Will Compton, an East erner, sees Lahoma and loves her. Later Lahoma is thrown together with Kimball, pardoned, and Gledware, who had betrayed his Indian wile. The latter is slain by the chief of the tribe while Kimball seeks out Willock after being unable to secure his arrest. The two shoot simultaneously and both are fatally wounded. Lahoma, however, has the love of Compton as well as the companionship of the ancient and quaint Bill Atkins, pal of Willock, to console her. Direct Your Attention to Followers of This Type of Story Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor It is hardly advisable to attempt to exploit on a large scale this offering. Should you decide to book it, the best course to pursue is to avoid any lengthy preliminary announcements, Just making it plain that this is a western with a goodly quantity of action being it’s main characteristic. When offering this to your patrons let them know that it is an Edgar Lewis production. It is not un likely that a number of them will regard that fact as one that warrants their coming, for he has done much commendable work in the past. You will probably find that there are numerous fo!lowers of the western type of drama, and if your audiences are made up very largely of that variety you can probably please them with “Lahoma.” Get after those who are wild about the west if you arrange to present this and follow out the usual method of the exploitation of such a work.