Life, 1923-04-26 · page 32 of 36
Life — April 26, 1923 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine (circa 1923) combines film criticism with period advertisements. **Main Content:** Critic Robert E. Sherwood reviews current silent films, including "Enemies of Women" (starring Lionel Barrymore), which he finds visually impressive but narratively tedious due to its source material by Spanish author Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. The page lists other recently-reviewed films available to readers. **Advertisements:** The Lucky Strike cigarette ad promotes "sky writing"—an aerial advertising stunt where planes wrote the brand name across the sky in letters a mile high. This was considered a cutting-edge marketing sensation in 1923. Other ads promote "Hair-Groom" pomade and "Bell-Ans" indigestion remedy. **Historical Context:** This reflects 1920s consumer culture where cigarettes were openly advertised without health warnings, and silent film criticism was serious cultural commentary. The "sky writing" represents early aviation's novelty appeal for commercial purposes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
It’s toasted. This one extra process gives a delightful flavor that cannot be duplicated. To know how good a cigarette can be, you must try a Lucky Strike. SKY WRITING! Have you seen it? An airplane writing Lucky Strike on the sky—two words 6% miles long—each letter a mile high. The advertising sensation of 1923. * LIFE The Silent Drama (Continued from page 24) “While the Pot Boils” is obviously an experiment—and not altogether a successful one. Nevertheless, it proves that Robert Bruce has the right instincts. He is trying to get away from the set formula of photo- play construction—a difficult task, in view of our national adherence to tradition in all things, but one which is well worthy of accomplishment. “Enemies of Women” IVEN a cast which includes Lionel Barrymore and Alma Rubens, a number of exotic settings by Joseph Urban, several legitimate backgrounds in the principality of Monaco, a bevy of young ladies from the Ziegfeld Follies, several hundred feet of news reels from the late war, and the bank-roll of William Ran- dolph Hearst, and you will have a motion picture which is at least en- . gaging to the eye. Then add a preachy story by Vi- cente Blasco Ibafiez, and you in- troduce the element of boredom. Such is the case with “Enemies of Women.” It is beautifully and in- telligently done, by everybody ex- cept Ibafiez. He is the real villain of the piece. His novel, on which the picture is based, is long-winded, pompous and utterly pointless; and the only real drama in the resultant photoplay is achieved on those oc- casions when the scenario gets away from the original plot. Robert E. Sherwood. Recent Developments NOTE The following list includes current pictures which have been reviewed in LIFE and recommended to our readers. Robin Hood. United Artists. When Knighthood Was in Flower. Paramount, Shadows. Preferred. Peg o’ My Heart. Metro. Java Head. Paramount. Oliver Twist. First National. Down to the Sea in Ships. Hodkin- son, The Hero. Preferred. Fury. Mirst National. Dr. Jack. Pathé. Salomé. United Artists. Second Fiddle. Hodkinson. Driven. Universal. The Pilgrim. First National. Back Home and Broke. Paramount. The Covered Wagon. Paramount. Grumpy. Paramount. Brass. Warner. Where the Pavement Ends. Metro. Safety Last. Pathé. For Review Next Week.—‘Souls for Sale” and “The Nth Commandment.” Hair Stays Combed, Glossy “Hair-Groom” Keeps Hair Combed—Well-Groomed Millions Use It—Fine for Hairl —Not Sticky, Greasy or Smelly Get a jar of “Hair-Groom” from any druggist for a few cents and make eve stubborn, unruly or shampooed hair stay combed all day in any style you like “Hair-Groom” a dignified combing cream which gives that natural gloss ani well-groomed effect to your _hair—tha} final touch to good dress both in busines and on social occasions. Greaseless, stainless “Hair-Groom” do not show on the hair because it is absorbed by the scalp, therefore your hair remais oft and pliable and so natural that 04 i tell you used it. Sure Relief FOR INDIGESTION Hot water Sure Relief 25¢ ano 75¢ PACKAGES EVERYWHER $1,000.00 in Prizes See Page 10 for conditions of we Picture Title Contest. comicbooks.com