Wid's Films and Film Folk (1916)

Thursday, May 25, 1916. " WID’S SLOW HUMAN STORY SAVED BY STAR AND ATMOSPHERE. Mollie King in FATE’S BOOMERANG Paragon-World. DIRBOTOR (foc c ae eee: eee Krank H, Crane GAMERA’ MAN... «.. 10.3 =< sso) sae Sol. Palito SAS WW EL Os Bicvosane chee wenea aie Slow but interesting SPOR Gy. oF stents: ott a cee OE os Se Simple, but holds DIRECTION oo. gis) cxeue ect 0s) > nine eee Good PHOTOGRAPHY |. 3.6. ca: «eee Just good LIGHTINGS © o..i< 25,00 ae oo see Ordinary CAMERAS WORK”. ..2....... >... cae Fairly good SIVA ie eee sie vase cucltie sees 2. 3 Appealing SUPPORT 3, 65 $4). cha.0)) scdteas si. <9.0 Good types PORE HIRIORS (. 6. aie c oo. aie Good atmosphere ENTERIORS ©. 2%... .% 3 c.s0c 6 @ 15 + oe Very good DA ae eis pore nce od 0 ois.c, » + >. es Good LENGTH Five parts 3] HIS is a simple, human little story of the Blue Ridge Mountains with the action cutting back and forth from the mountain atmosphere to scenes in New York society. The contrast was nicely presented and will register forcefully. The action of the plot is rather slow and except for the very good atmosphere of the mountain country and the fact that Miss King is a pathetic little figure as the mountain girl, surrounded by true types of the mountains, the story would certainly drag badly. A good part of the offering is filled with little bits which registers the gradual change of heart on the part of the hero, who leaves a society-loving wife in the city to take up a position in charge of some construction work in the mountains, where he meets and learns to love the little orphan who is left alone in the world when her grandfather dies. Témpted by another, the hero’s wife seeks a divorce and when she learns that her husband has been friendly with the little orphan who came to the city to beg her to join her husband and make him happy, the wife follows the orphan back to the mountains and is there killed in an accident, which leaves the hero free to marry Miss King. The chief merit of this production is the atmosphere of the mountains and the contrast between the open-air life and the life of the city smart set. Charles Gotthold, as the superintendent of the construction work, is a foreeful dignified figure, and he handled his part very nicely. Miss King was quite pleasing in all of her scenes, although in the dramatic moment when she faces the wife of the man she loves, her emotion was a little short of conviction. June Elvidge, as the wife, gave a splendid characterization and Frank Goldsmith did the society man very acceptably. While there is nothing out of the ordinary about this offering it has enough good exteriors and enough human moments to make it register as ‘“wworth-while.” It is slow but it is kept human and there are not many real flaws. Following the accident in which Miss Elvidge was killed we find her breathing rather heavily after she has been acknowledged dead, and this should have been trimmed up a little closer. It was a mistake to have her shown through all of this final scene, since naturally she cannot be expected to hold her breath for so long. In advertising this I would emphasize the Blue Ridge Mountain idea, playing up Miss King as a star of delightful personality, giving a very appealing characterization of a lonesome mountain waif. It would also be well to refer to this as a human story contrasting the wonderful life in the open with the narrowness of the social set of the city. POORLY DONE, CRUDE STORY WITH HOPPER AS BAD AS EVER. DeWolf Hopper in MR. GOODE, THE SAMARITAN Triangle-Fine Arts. DIRECTOR ick etude cuore teste ak Cee Edward Dillon SGHNARIO“WBYS: oo. Sones s oe Chester Withey ASVA WHODLE: fo000%. 60. < eit eee Quite painful SPOR Y:56e Seas wok a os ob Dens eee Very poor DIRECTION in.00). 6k oily es ee Poor PHOTOGRAPHY) *-.). .&.\. bcc. >: ae Good LIGHTINGS? 00 oa. ss. ee Ordinary GAMERA” WORK >... > J ~ oc... teen Acceptable STAR easies: sicko cieieterninds. ale oc. Panfully poor SUPPORT: 505....00e SEONR OS... eee Very good EX THRIORS: .. 2 sities stots. ae Some fairly good INTERIORS \.)..28 celyetetel ss). : Seen Fair DR TATE 60. se. ee kee es . . ae Poor LENGTH 3] O fax Hopper has made several bad films. | This one is as bad as any of those preceding, if not worse. The idea of the story is decidedly elementary, and at times, painfully weak. The action is neither good comedy nor good drama, nor is it burlesque comedy or burlesque drama. It is just poor comedy when the ave. auatte fel cachet of vhisl's ys: ner Five parts 602 comedy is attempted, and poor drama when the drama is attempted. : The story has to do with a wealthy man who is rather of the boob type and his good Samaritan actions in befriending a pair of crooks that he meets when he is put in jail for having stolen an automobile which was sold to him by a thief. The jail situation is not good, since we find ridiculous situations here which are not played broadly enough to be accepted as real burlesque. In one place in this part of the film Hopper’s watch is stolen and he does not miss it for several days, or at least, until there has been time to refurnish the jail, and then, a moment after it is replaced in his pocket, he goes through the business of having missed it. After the two crooks are brought into Hopper’s home, we, of course, have a real thief confiscating various jewels, and the crooks are suspected. Eventually, the real thief is uncovered. Edward Dillon was the crook and seemed perfectly fitted for the type, although not uproariously funny. Margaret Marsh, as Hopper’s daughter, was rather pleasing, although there was not a great deal for her to do. Fay Tincher, as the crook partner of Dillon, appeared to disadvantage in this, since her opportunities were not real ones and her actions at times