Life — June 8, 1922 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

24 “Watch Your Step” T is hard to see how the comedy, “Watch Your Step,” can be much of a box office attraction. It is not a fabulously expensive production, it has no star, it offers no Babylonian episodes and no sex appeal, its director is com- paratively unknown—in short, there is nothing about it to recommend except that it is an exceptionally good picture; and that consideration, of course, does not count in the box office. * “Watch Your Step” is a light comedy, directed, acted and constructed with much intelligence and genuine sim- plicity. Which means that it is thoroughly worth while. The plot does not amount to much. It is cast in the same mold with most of the rural stories that Charles Ray and Douglas Maclean have been doing —and doing well—for thé past few years. It is the familiar situation of a rich young man who is stranded in a country town, obtains employment in the general store, and falls in love with the village belle. But Cullen Landis, Patsy Ruth Miller and Bert Woodruff, in the leading réles, and William Beaudine, the director, have “Watch Your Step” to a plane that is several leagues above the average. “Lady Godiva” HAVE not been able to find out what European nation was respon- sible for the production of “Lady Godiva.” It may have been Germany, and it may have been one of the Scan- dinavian countries. But, somehow or other, I do not feel that my pleasant peace of mind will be seriously menaced if I never learn who is guilty of this celluloid atrocity. I believe that my indifferent attitude will be shared by everyone else who is forced to see g lifted . “Lady Godiva.” The picture’s sole bid for popularity is based on the fact that Lady Godiva once rode bareback through the streets of Coventry. But people who are lured into the theatres with the idea that they will get a thrill from this spectacle are due for a large dose of disappointment. If Lady Godiva actually looked anything like the actress who impersonates her, then Peeping Tom was the most colossal simp in history. “Missing Husbands” OTHER foreign production, with somewhat more legitimate claims to public attention, is “Missing Hus- bands’”—which was made by a French company in Africa. It is a weird affair—the story of a mysterious queen who rules over the lost continent of Atlantis. She has a great deal of admiration for the Allied forces, but this regard takes a rather embarrassing form: she wants to marry them all. Scouts in her employ scour the Sahara for French and British of- ficers, and lure them to her mysterious domain, where they are shown every hospitality. In fact, the Queen is cor- dial to a fault, and her attentions so completely overwhelm her various guests that they invariably commit sui- cide. She then turns them into gold and mounts them in her trophy: room. “Missing Husbands,” like “Lady Godiva,” would have been more con- vincing if its prdéducers had found a beautiful woman to play the Queen. “North of the Rio Grande” <g ORTH OF THE RIO GRANDE” is a confused jumble of cowboys, Bebe Daniels, old Spanish missions, horse thieves, Jack Holt, bad sub-titles and beautiful scenery. The relation of these various elements is never made quite clear, Perhaps there is a big ide: behind the picture. Possibly it is an allegorical drama, with a tremendous moral lesson, And then again, perhaps it is just a singularly stupid and inept movie. The readers of this page are at liberty to choose for themselves. A Word of Cheer CAUSTIC critic once referred to the motion picture editor of Lire as “a dyspeptic old crab.” This re- mark, though uttered, no doubt, in the friendliest spirit, has always rankled considerably, and has impelled me to lean over backwards in my efforts to [ be optimistic about the silent drama, fF I have persistently tried to color my reviews with pollyaniline dyes. However, the task is too much for me just at present. The general rm of films during the sultry season is always frankly bad—and this year it is worse than that. All the producers are saving their more ambitious offerin; for next fall, and are unloading their weak sisters now. So that, if | am to keep the record clear, I must go back a little and dig up some movies that are really worthy of praise. The follow- ing, all of which have been presente! Ff in 1922, answer that description: “Tol’'able David,” “Orphans of the J Storm,” “Red Hot Romance,” “One fj Glorious Day,” “For the Defense, “Polly of the Follies,” “The Sin Flood “Grandma’s Boy,” “The Loves o Pharaoh,” “The Prisoner of Zenda and “The Boat.” This list of citations ought to prove that I don’t belong in the dyspeptic old-crab class. At least, I am not old Robert E, Sherwood. (Recent Developments will be found on page 31) comicbooks.com