Wid's Filmdom (1921)

Sunday, July 17, 1921 ti DAILY 7 Very Implausible But Offers Rather Fast Moving Picture Eileen Percy in “MAID OF THE WEST” Fox POE LC EGCs Glee eet Se aoe es Sie + Philo McCullough PA PANT Me sc ee eee ee W. E. Spencer so GIN AIDS Yen ss see ..,. John Montague GAMERAMA Neem... eee Otto Brautigam AS@A: WHOLER2. Offers good lively piece that keeps moving at satisfactory pace; will please if you don’t mind great implausibility STORY......Amusing but not to be taken at all seriously; will put professional burglars to shame DIRECTION a: ..: Inclined to let things “run wild” frequently but has provided an energetic production ; ET OO ete ig hee coe one oles oso arenes All right ROUGE LING ert cs ce ce ee os eae Suffice ONY BS Rare 1G 0 a So Average STAR... . oe Works harder than she has in any picture of late SUPRPO hie a William Scott adequate hero; others suitable ED CEE GM Sa HOY SOS) ES All that’s required PN DH RLO Ramee. ch. ee ee Satisfactory DETAIL a2 Titles get snickers instead of laughs GHARACTA RE OF STORY...... Girl manages to marry hero aviator despite the objections of her relatives LENGTH OF PRODUCTION...... About 5,000 feet Eileen Percy has a story this time that is’ better than anything she has had recently, and the produc tion is lively enough to satisfy the majority. It is evident that Philo McCullough has given up acting to handle the megaphone and if this is his first attempt he has done rather well, all things considered. He allows the action to get a litte beyond him at times, but it all helps to make things more exciting, sO per haps it isn’t a fault after all. W. E. Spencer’s story 1s a most unbelievable bit of implausibility that will entertain only if you accept it for what amusement it affords and are willing to foreet to be serious. It is good nonsense, nevertheless, and keeps moving at a good pace. The burglar “profession” is shamefully disgraced in the film by three” crooks who nearly get the pearls they are after. They certainly make an awful bungle of the job. Imagine a real burglar letting go of the gems once he got his hands on them. But it furnishes a few thrills of a mild nature that may get laughs as well. The airplane stunt stuff is good except that the close-ups have no semblance of reality. The star has a good part and makes the most of it but the titlewriter makes an extremely tough young lady of her. Whoever wrote the captions tried too hard to be funny, and the majority of his “wise cracks” aren't likely to cause hysterics in any audience. William Seott is the aviator hero who becomes a chauffeur to be near the girl he loves. It is written in Betty’s father’s will that on her twenty-first birthday she will leave Uncle Amos’ Texas ranch and go to live with Aunt Catherine in New York. Betty is shipped off in a train earlier than scheduled because Uncle Amos objects to her aviatorsuitor. By the time Betty reaches her Aunt’s the aviator is already installed as chauffeur. Aunt Catherine is to present Betty with a string of pearls. Burglars are aiter them, and when they disappear, the chauffeur is suspected. Betty then defends her lover and admits he is her fiance. A new butler and maid are the accomplices of the real burglar and when Betty and her hero locate the thieves and bring the pearls back safely the Aunt consents to the marriage. Likely To Please A Fair Majority Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor You can undoubtedly satisfy the majority with Eileen Percy’s latest. Especially if they are willing to accept it for the amusement it affords and will not take it seriously, then you should have no trouble in putting it over. On the other hand they won't be amused if they refuse to accept the nonsense for what it is worth. A number of unnecessary sub-titles might be removed. They try so hard to’ be funny that they never are. In neighborhoods where the star is popular, her name will bring them in and catchlines can be used. Say : West.” Or, “There’s more ways than one of outwit “See an airplane romance in ‘Maid of the ting objecting relatives. See how Eileen Percy does it in ‘Maid of the West.” tice of stunt exploitation, suggestions readily present If you make a regular prac themselves in the airplane business.