Judge, 1926-07-17 · page 22 of 36
Judge — July 17, 1926 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a film review column by William Morris Houghton critiquing contemporary movies, with satirical commentary on actress Bebe Daniels' comedic performance in what appears to be "The Palm Beach Girl." **The Main Satire:** Houghton argues that while slapstick works for male comedians like Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, it fails when applied to pretty actresses like Daniels. He finds her physical comedy "disillusioning and distressing" because it conflicts with romantic appeal—audiences can't reconcile her as both a sex symbol and a clown. **The Bottom Cartoon:** The illustration shows flappers in 1920s striped prison garb (a visual pun on "jailbirds"), captioned as the "situation" young women face if parental expectations about marriage and social behavior aren't met—suggesting anxieties about modern youth and changing gender roles. **Historical Context:** This reflects 1920s debates over women's evolving roles: career, comedy, independence versus traditional femininity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE “The Biy Parale”—The screen's best Ben-Hur” ow “Sea Beast”—Jack Barrymore, blubber “The Black Bird”—Good Lon Chi "Moana of the South Seas"—Genuine ne and bed photography Grand Du d the Waiter"— is Adolp! ostrum "—Greta Lil F THE gag movie is art, and I think Charlie Chaplin — has demonstrated that it can be possibly Harold Lloyd also—then “The Palm Beach Girl” is a chromo. shows how unpleasant she cam be », to fit “The New Klondike” —Florida boom farce. It is much harder, of cour: “The Crown of Lics*—Pola Negri in a sy Balkan romance gags to the female form div Deni TORN Go cuss Laid attentions of the negro porter. to the more naturally clownish male, Stand) melodramatized Isn't this, too, a little rougher than but it would seem that Erle Kenton | are ea Plow fore. it is funny, considering the victim? might have done better by Bebe Maybe ladies weren't meant to be Daniels. For instance, I don’t think clowns, or at least to mix romance ly amusing in with low comedy, but we can never anyone, though something might be fait Bent fer Hearen”—Melodrama with settle the question until some one said for the first few qualms under- the Greater Glory"—One long yawn, makes a much more intelligent effort | mining the rugged masculine front. “The Wiklernees Woman" —Chester Conklin lo prove the contrary. But in a pretty girl with sex appeal Koma of the South Seas" —Gilda Grog anel it becomes disillusioning and distress- inted melodrama, Wis the movies will do with one ing, and when carried to realistic b itt of the genteel classies on which ty fro Tbenes | a bridge. A tug alongside belches a | ‘and John Gil cloud of soft coal smoke into her face and she ducks back black. When | she alights at the Palm Beach station, therefore, she is bundled into the ig struts ystery di Glori Untamed anson Jim Crow bus and wins the amorous re than ed by a Yale seasickness is especi “Wet Paint | i | “Paris” amin c lengths embarrassing. I shall never | Zramp. Tram vn" Harry Langdon our mothers were nurtured is always \ feel quite the same toward Miss | “Say'ff Ayain"—Por Richard Dix fans worth observing. “Lovey Mary” is Daniels since watching her approach | ¢,,jPlla finders” —Cinderella in farce as one of the series of stories by Alice the rail. wore Folly” Melodsamatic waters: | Hegam Rice, of which “Mrs. Wiggs In another part of this violent does’ well by our Poli. “| of the Cabbage Patch” is the best picture Miss Daniels happens to lean sane} oles. seca’ a Neo known. The lowly people in it, pic- out of her Pullman window crossing (Continued on page 29) | Situation of any half-dozen members of the younger set fire years from now if their parents’ expectations are realized. 20 comicbooks.com