Life, 1922-04-20 · page 24 of 34
Life — April 20, 1922 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a film review column from Life magazine covering four silent movies. The page includes a large illustration labeled "The World To-morrow" depicting the Taj Mahal converted into a motion picture palace on a Main Street in Agra, India—a satirical commentary on American cinema's global reach and the Americanization of iconic non-Western landmarks. The reviews themselves critique contemporary silent films: "The Green Temptation" (weak despite good performances), "Cold Feet" (praised as self-aware satire of adventure tropes), and "The Sin Flood" (dramatically effective, starring Richard Dix and Helene Chadwick). The satire's main point: movies are learning "to kid themselves"—Hollywood is becoming self-aware about its own formulaic narratives and clichés, which the critic presents as cultural progress. The Taj Mahal illustration extends this joke globally, suggesting American entertainment culture exports homogenizing influence worldwide.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE .- THESILENT DRAMA “The Green Temptation” HE title role in “The Green Temp- tation” is played by a huge emerald. It is continually being sought after by a gang of desperate crooks; who are lured on and on by its enticing sparkle. During the course cf “*‘>. chase, Betty Compson, who is the heroine of the piece, appears first as an Apache pickpocket, then as an idol of the Folies Bergére, then as an angelic Red Cr nurse at the battle front, and finally as an instructress in a New York dancing school. During the war scenes, Miss Compson displays that amazing fac- ulty,, common to all Red Cross nurses in the movies, of being able to find any of her wounded sol- dier friends at any given time. She has three lovers, one in the British, one in the French and one in the American army, and she stumbles upon them all, just when they need her most. “‘The Green Temptation” has its good moments —particularly those provided by the expressive Theo- dore Kosloff—but its story is decided- ly weak, and the picture, as a whole, must be listed as a miss. “Cold Feet” HE little Christie Com- edy, “Cold Feet,” is offered as an an- tidote to those who are just a bit fed up with those rug- ged, red - blooded tales of the Great Canadian North- west that James Oliver Curwood rer turns out on schedule time every year. It is an extremely amusing burlesque, with Indian guides, villains, Mounted Policemen and wolves ranting around in the snow. The fact that the movies are learn- ing how to kid themselves, provides definite indication that the great ref- ormation is at hand. “The Sin Flood” F I had seen Henning Berger's play, “The Deluge,” as it was produced on the stage, I should probably be able The World To-morrow The Taj Maha] Motion Picture Palace—Main Street—Agra, India to write a nicely caustic criticism of its screen version, “The Sin Flood.” But I did not, and so I must judge the film on its merits as a motion picture, and not as an adaptation of a play. Viewed in this light, its merits are many. It is a remarkably fine produc. tion, well directed, exceptionally well acted, and based on a story that offers great dramatic po: ties. scene is a saloon in a Mississippi River town, A dam bursts, and the waters sweep through the streets, imprisoning in this saloon a varied assortment of people, They realize that they have but a few hours to live, and so they cast off their petty hypoc- risies and unite in a beautiful brother. hood of death ready, for the first time in their lives, to meet the inevit- able cleanly But then the waters recede. It has been a false alarm, and the ter- rific tension of the night is So they promptly forget their noble resolves, cast aside the hastily sumed mantles off purity, and retu to the character-f istic meanness of their — everyday existence. Frank Lloyd di rected “The Si Flood” with unex- ill, an! relieved, TEE | mee e ried out intelligent: by a_ splend cast. Richard Dix and Helene Chat- wick are both good and James Kirk wood brings tre mendous force to the réle of a fallen preacher who soli his honor and his faith for a_ pit bottle of Old Tay, lor Rye. R. E. Sherwood comicbooks.com