Life, 1924-06-26 · page 28 of 37
Life — June 26, 1924 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page reviews three silent films. The main caricature shows **Milton Sills** in "The Sea Hawk"—a swashbuckling adventure picture. The reviewer praises the Spanish galleon sets but criticizes the film's sluggish pacing and the performances of most actors, excepting Wallace Beery. The "Miami" review mocks a melodrama about a wealthy libertine vacationing in Florida while neglecting his wife. The satire targets the absurd plot logic: despite owning yachts and cars, the villain inexplicably wears a decrepit straw hat throughout. The reviewer also ridicules actress Betty Compson's scene where she undresses before diving into a tank—noting the censors' inconsistent standards for what they'll permit. The page concludes with a brief announcement about an upcoming film production seeking input from readers. The overall tone is witty, contemporary film criticism poking fun at both filmmakers and emerging censorship standards of the silent era.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Attention! LTHOUGH concerned with completed pictures, there are this department is and not with proposed ones cecasional cases which loudly demand adva Fe It is to be © interest Pan.” movie by instance, there is “Peter made into a Famous Players, and as this issue of Line skis to press, there is much talk of 1 possible candidate the title réle Almost every. well-known has been mentioned in this connection from Mary Pickford to G girlish star wan son, The former has definitely refused part 1 have selec- already nominated my for Peter Pan, and 1 understand t Messrs. Zukor and Lasky n seriously ce his name. He is Jackie Coogan, the perfect embodiment of Peter as Barrie described him The Little White B resented in the Kensington Of course, the part has always Ww Gin rd”) and as rep- Gardens statue been played on the stage by a mature woman; but the broad screen is not so trammeled. 1 earnestly urge all those who hi pen to read these remarks to write at once to their Congressmen and demand an that the engagement of Jackie Coo; Peter I be made for compalsory “The Sea Hawk A GREAT array of talent has been recruited for the production of The Sea Hawk.” but, with two excep various contributors. fail to The excep- tions, the justify their reputations. t Wallace the only one of all the players to realize the true slap-dash, swashbuckling na ture of Sal re (a) Seery, who is atini’s novel; and (b) Fred is mentioned on the pro- r of ships Gabouri, wh gram as the official desig These ships, stately Spanish galleons ravels, are beautiful, in themselves to make and graceful ca and are sufficien The Sea Hawk” worthy of view As for the rest of the picture, it is slow-moving, stodgy and generally un- 1. Frank Lloyd, the has failed to retain the carefree pace inspir director, which is essential to all these rom stories of ye gooc olde ¢ ed lamen ng: Mil does his best in a but Furthermore, he has displ tably bad judgment in his ton Sills, hero, thoroughly he is totally devoid of fire the conscientious manner Enid Ben- nett, the heroine, is sublimely blaah. The effective Sea Hawk” is On those Beery ar For this reason, only occasionally occasions, for which Messrs. Gabouri are responsible, it touches the heights. GR 808 lami “THE villain in “Miami” is: supposed to be a rich licentiate who goes to Florida for the express purpose of neglecting his wife, the while he Preys upon innocent: maidens. He represented as the owner of a yacht, small speed-boat, several motor cars and an unlimited supply of loose change. In spite of this he persists in all through the pict wearing, year’s straw hat which has been ally rained upon and which is crously warped in the brim MILTON SILLS IN “THE SEA HAWK. It just goes to show that a man can't have everythin, “Miami” i awful picture, poi dull. Miss on, the star, merely proves { is an spineless, less and Betty Comp good actress can recede when She how ad company imper- of those flaming youth Will frankly discuss nyth The girls wh and won't discuss anything else. me character has been seen bef. and to better adv In one episode, Miss dupont Compson is display her daring by climbing to a springboard in a costly evening dress, disrobing before the startled her fellow reveler eyes of and diving in a near-nude condition into a tank. All of this bold scene that the cen left i bubbles on s have a few the troubled surface of the pool So far as I am concerned, the cen sors can stop at nothing in “Miami.” “My Movie HEN I announced, some time ago, that I intended to produce a mov- ing picture by process of elimination, I asked for suggestions from all arces. The response has been gratifying, and s that will not be included in the finished film Next week, I plan to publish some of I now have a long list of clem this correspondence, in the hope that it will invite In the meantime, I attraction for the big production more have one ac young, flighty but inherently vir tuous wife and mother will quarrel with her u Ifish husband over nse some trivial matter and will leave home in a ke with an immoral high dudgeon (four-wheel br model) to fill a date the midst of the will ‘om home ii clubman. In sub sequent orgy, she not receive a hurry call her orming that her kiddie is desperately ill and that the doctor has said (in a sub title), “All that can save this tiny life from the brink of Eternity is a Moth- er’s Love.” On the contrary, she will stay out till all hours and will have a perfectly swell time Robert E. Sherwood. comicbooks.com