Wid's Filmdom (1921)

Bo 2 ST NT A OT, ; | ener sacar en TENTS : : whit DAILY pe Sunday, July 24, 1921 PE RL TT TT aR. ae SSO es SUS a EE Eugene O’Brien in “IS LIFE WORTH LIVING?” Selznick-Select DIRECTOR .. ..:c59ss oe eee Alan Crosland AUITHGR......). se oe oe ae George Weston SCENARIO BY (5. i oeeh th cer omer. Not credited CAMERAMAN ‘4: ape. Scene Jules Cronjager AS'A WHOLE...... Conventional theme that takes a while to get started, but latter reels are good oat Yet se Doesn’t establish a proper interest in the hero nor gather any sympathy for him DAkEeCTLION: | ae Of average merit; has used more footage than the story required PHOTOGRAPH Vien. pei as nn All right TIGHTINGS See ee ene Usual CAMERA: W ORK aes eee oe Average SDA et oe ia See Part just calls for straight playing SUPPORT... eee Winifred Westover adequate as heroine; Arthur Housman has a small part EXTERIORS V2ae eee oe eee Satisfactory INTERIORS’ [ee cee ot ts ee ote Suffice DETA]L'. ... S72 eee Not important CHARACTER OB STORY 2.72. Discouraged young man gives up idea of committing suicide to take care of discouraged young woman LENGTH OF PRODUCTION..... About 5,000 feet George Weston’s Saturday Evening Post story doesn’t offer very bright entertainment as a photoplay. It is just a bit too lifeless and lacking in color, also the scenario writer hasn’t woven the underworld sequence into the story in a very comprehensive fashion. It has a tendency to stand apart, and when the single scenes of a cheap bar room are shown, the spectator is momentarily lost. No attempt has been made to pro Satevepost Story Makes Quite Colorless Picture duce any dramatic action and there were opportunities that could have been taken advantage of. Director Crosland has given his attention to developing the character of Melville Marley rather than_to developing the story. Perhaps that is why it seems so long in getting started. At least it appears a long time before the hero finally reaches a definite post ponement of his suicide. He is a “down-and-outer” and misery likes company, so he becomes interested in Winifred Westover. as Lois Wiley, also down-andout, but you're not told the cause. The latter reels are much better and a more substantial interest is gathered by the hero’s accidentally going into a business which thrives in a miraculous way. Of course the love story is progressing meantime, and reaches the “proposal” point at the close. Eugene O’Brien didn’t find it difficult to play the part of Melville Marley and gives his usual satisfactory performance. J Even after Marley is acquitted of a theft, he has an idea that the charge will always be held against him, so he decides to kill himself. He makes numerous attempts with the $25 revolver which he purchases, but finally postpones his death to aid Lois Wiley, a young girl whom he befriends. She believes Marley to be a prosperous business man, whereas he is having a hard time making a living selling typewriter supplies. Lois is a stenographer and in order to allow her to believe him a business man Marley hires an office and pretends to own the Marley Supply Co. Lois sends out form letters that bring great response. Gradually Marley has fallen in love with Lois, but doesn’t feel {free to tell her until his actual innocence is established, as, of course, it is. Will Go With O’Brien Fans. Maybe Not With Others Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor Iugene O’Brien will please his admirers with “Is Life Worth Living?” They will certainly have enough of him in this, for the star appears in almost every scene and shares honors with Miss Westover only. The picture is not nearly as interesting as “The Last and may not satisfy those other than admirers. [t will probably go all right for a one-time showing, supported by some good short reels on your program, or for a double feature day. | on TT, Mention that the story is an adaptation of George Weston’s Saturday Evening Post story, “The Open — Door.” Catchlines can read: “Even though he had been acquitted of a theft of which he was innocent, he wondered ‘Is Life Worth Living?” Or, “In his latest production Eugene O’Brien tries to commit sui cide, but can’t find an opportunity. ‘Is Life Worth Living? He thought so after all.”