Life, 1917-12-27 · page 25 of 41
Life — December 27, 1917 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1917 Life magazine page satirizes American attitudes toward Prohibition through a series of cartoon vignettes. The cartoons depict three scenarios showing different responses to impending Prohibition laws: **"Some Are Born Prohibitionists"** shows a man naturally avoiding alcohol. **"Some Acquire Prohibition"** depicts someone reluctantly accepting it. **"While Others Have Prohibition Thrust Upon Them"** shows a man being forced into compliance by the law itself—personified as a stern figure labeled "LAW" and "PROHIBITION." The satire suggests that Prohibition enforcement affects people unequally: some abstain willingly, others adapt gradually, while still others resist and must be compelled. The cartoonist (Metcalfe) implies that forcing prohibition on an unwilling population creates conflict rather than genuine moral reform. This reflects pre-ratification debate (the 18th Amendment passed in 1919) about whether Prohibition could succeed against popular resistance.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
aan etait “LIFE: 1093 Lire wouldn’t presume to say that theatregoers now are tak- ing the advice it gave so long ago. Just the same, they are acting as though they had it in mind. Metcalfe. Conr: DENTIAL Guive Astor—" Why Marry?" Notice later. Belasco.—" Polly with a Past.” Pleasant light comedy, well staged and with Ina Claire effective as the heroine. Bijou.— Odds and Ends of 1917.” Music, dancing, girls and fun in informal but agrecable presentation, Booth.— The Masquerader” with Mr. Guy Bates Post. The star playing the two principal characters in an interesting drama of ondon life. Broadhurst-—Revival of “ Lord and Lady Algy” wi ham and Maxine Elliott in the title réles. Notice later. fof 288g" Ob, Boy!” Diverting musical farce with fun and tune- fal musi Eltinge.—" Business Before Pleasure.” Messrs, Potash and Perl- mutter continue their laugh-producing business ventures, this time romoters of moving picture Empire.—Ethel Barrymore in later. Forty-fourth Street—Moving pictures. Century.—" Miss. 1917." Large-scale demonstration of the fact that a gitland:musie show can be big and gorgeous without being clever. Cocoanut Grove—The Spanish dancers as a delightful accompani- ment to the after-the-theatre supper. Cohan and Harris—" A Tailor-Made Man,” Amusing and well acted comedy showing that sometimes a man's fortunes may be de- termined by the clothes he wears. Cohan’s.—“ The King" with Mr. Leo Ditrichstein. Comedy from the French, risky, but well acted and very laughable. Comedy.—The Washington, Square Players in four new playlets. Little dramas, sairly interesting, and gaining by the contrasts they Present. ort Mr, Favers- The Lady of the Camellias.’ Notice Flo Flo.” Notice later. Criterion.—Mrs, Fiske in“ Madame Sand,” by Mr. Philip Moeller. Parisian Bohemia’ of the last century interéstingly shown in almost photographic reproductions of its cefebrated characters. Forty fourth Strect Roof —* Over the Top.” Girl-and-music show of the usual type, its novelty being that it is presented up among the chimney tops. 7 Forty-eighth Street.—" Yes or No,” by Mr. Arthur Goodrich. Notice later, Fulton.—* Words and Music." Notice later. Globe.—" Jack o’ Lantern" with Mr. Fred Stone. The comedian delivering fan with an elaborate background of girls and music. Harr The Naughty Wife.” Farcical comedy of matrimonial complications, extremely Yaughable and well played. Hippodrome. —" Cheer Up.” The usual big show of spectacle, ballet and vaudeville, this time with a patriotic tinge. Hudson.—" The Pipes of Pan,” by Mr. Edward Chills Carpenter. Delightfully acted sentimental comedy showing that there is one pre- ion which in middle age will revive the dying embers of passion, Knickerbocker —" Her Regiment” with Mr, Donald Brian, Comic opera well done and with agreeable music by Mr. Victor Herbert. Longacre.—" Leave It to Jane,” Tuneful and fairly amusing musical version of “ The’ College Widow.” Lyceum.—" Tiger Rose.” Drama of the Canadian Northwest. Well cast, well staged and interesting. Lyric.—Moving pictures. Manhattan Opera House—" Chu Chin Chow." Spectacle based on “The Forty Thieves” with good musical accompaniment and forgeously colored Oriental scenes. . Marine Eliiott’s—Marjorie Rambeau in “The Eyes of Yout! Drama with novel development of its story and well presented. Morosco.—" Lombardi, Ltd.,” by Mr. and Mrs. Hatton. Flashily told story of romance in New York's fashionable dressmaking in- ustry. Park.—" The Land of Joy." Excellent dancing by Spanish girls with an American musical-comedy setting. Playhouse. Margaret Anglia in Billeted,” by Messrs. Jesse and Harwood. Notice ‘ater. i Neste, J ter. Plymouth —" The Gipsy. Trail,” by Mr. Robert Housum. Well worked up light comedy with an original story and very good acting. Princess.—Closed. Republic—" Parlor, Bedroom and Bath.” Notice later. Shubert —" Maytime.” Charming musical play with a well de- veloped plot and artistically presented. Theatre du Vieux Colombier.—Mixed bills of repertory in French by, stock company of reasonabl French artists, Thirty-ninth Street" Blind Youth” with Mr., Lou. Tellegen. Drama of artist life and its love affairs transplanted to New York. High flavored. but agreeably acted, Vinter Garden.—" Doing Our Bit.” Girl.and-music show of the usual Winter Garden kind and on the usual lines of Winter Garden magnificence, AUN | Cnn comicbooks.com