Life — February 9, 1922 — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

22 Tie SILENT DRAMA pe Ht. Red-Hot Romance HE attempt to introduce satire into the screen is ordinarily about as profitable as the attempt to start a pine- apple plantation at the North Pole, and any hardy adventurer who would try to slide over a bit of subtle humor in a photoplay, must cloak it with an exten- sive garment of hokum if he wants his idea to receive any notice at all. John Emerson and Anita Loos have done this in “Red-Hot Romance,” the most glorious satire that has ever found its way into the films. They have written it as sizzling melodrama, and it is my guess that ninety-nine per cent. of the people who see it will accept it as such, and will not find anything funny in it. They will applaud vigorously when the American Consul points to Old Glory and says, “For nigh on a hundred and fifty years has that old flag waved—and never a stain on its fair surface.” And they will jump from their chairs and cheer hysterically when, in the proverbial nick of time, the U. S. marines (all of whom are colored boys) come charging over the hill and save the entire cast of principals from a firing squad. I know I cheered. The scenes gf the piece are laid in a small and spicy kingdom, whither comes the hero, a 120-proof American life-insurance salesman. He sells _pol- icies to the King and the Cabinet, and then learns that a revolution is im- minent and that his clients are very likely to cash in. So he takes upon his own broad shoulders the responsibility of thwarting the rebels. In “Red-Hot Romane Mr. Emer- son and Miss Loos have given us some- thing that is absolutely new in the movies—and decidedly welcome. In the absence of Mr. Twist, I shall take it upon myself to arise and politely ask for more. The Wall Flower I Rupert Hughes had been able to secure a competent actress to play the difficult title réle in his new picture, “The Wall made an of it. Li Flower,” he would have <ceptionally good photoplay s Wilson could have handled the part admirably. But little Colleen Moore is way off the mark. She at- tempts-to extract broad comedy from a role that is essentially tragic, and acts as if she were giving us an imper- sonation of Louise Fazenda inthe Sennett comedy, “Home Brew.” The fault may not be hers; it m be due to bad direction by E. Mason Hopper. Or possibly it is chargeable to Mr. Hughes himself. But the fault is certainly there. There are many good things in “The Wall Flower,” including some fairly authentic reproductions of social life in a small college town. The dances are staged with great skill, and the types of flappers—both male and fe- male—are well selected and well played. The Man From Lost River EARLY all the red-blooded melo- dramas are based on a struggle between a big, rough, true-hearted, two-fisted he-man and a_ weak, lily- livered, aristocratic tenderfoot from the East, for the possession of a girl. Although I should be. strictly impar- tial and open-minded in such conflicts, I must confess that I always root lustily for the tenderfoot, and offer ardent prayers that he will knock the he-man for a loop before the sixth reel is finished. Of course, he never does. He is always shown up in his truce craven colors, and kicked out bodily. But still, I can't help hoping. “The Man From Lost River,” played by House Peters, is a he-man if I ever saw one—the boss of a lumber gang, to be exact. He bowls over giant red- woods simply by looking at them, and God help the effete Easterner who crosses his path! Having struck every- thing else in sight, he finally strikes oil—and wins the girl. There are many magnificent forest scenes in “The Man From Lost River,” and some good exhibitions of axe-wield- ing. Personally, I’d rather watch a — a3 6 i Vin, falling fir tree in the movies then a falling glycerine tear. Turn to the Right HERE will doubtless be as large and as enthusiastic an audience for urn to the Right” in its film form as there was for the play when it ap- peared on the stage. The picture lost some of the genuine humor of the original piece, but it has lost none of the hokum; indeed, it has added more banality and more artificial sentimen- tality than even Winchell Smith dreamed was possible. Rex Ingram directed “Turn to the Right,” and while he has done some characteristically excellent work in it, he is certainly not the same Rex In- gram who directed “The Four Hors men” and “The Conquering Power The only evidences of these two pro- ductions to be found in “Turn to the Right” are Mr. Ingram’s soft photog- raphy and his wife, the wistfully beau- tiful Alice Terry. The picture is aided considerably hy the work of an excellent cast, incl ing Jack Mulhall, Harry Myers, George Cooper and Edward Connelly. practice of setting aside spe- weeks” is more prevalent in the film industry than anywhere el-c. Scarcely a day passes that I do not re- ceive some imposing announcement, stating that “This Is Adolph Zukor Week” or “March roth to March 17th Will Be Bruce Scenic Weck.” I have in mind a similar period to be known as “Old Hokum Week,” when the theatres throughout the coun- try will be urged to book nothing but Hokum films. “Way Down East” will be shown Sunday, “Over the Hili” Monday and “The Old Nest” Tuesda’. The rest of the week is uncertain, but I am trying hard to reserve a date for “Turn to the Right.” Robert E. Sherwood. (Recent Developments will be found on page 31). comicbooks.com