Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-01-03
WHAT MINNEAPOLIS THINKS.
Verdict of Twin Cities on 1.-THE
Country Boy. Seen There
Last Week.

Here is what the Minneapolis
Journal has to say of our next the
Standardization 1.-THE Country Boy, ;"
as it played there as the Metropoli-
tan the past week:
In 1.-The Fortune Hunter" the city
boy goes to the country and makes
good. In THE Country Boy" Edgar
Selwyn's comedy drama now at the
Metropolitan, the country boy goes to
the city and doesn't make good, but
returns to the country and does.
Though the parallel between these
two plays does not seem very close at
first thought, the plots and incidents
differing widely, they agree absolute
ly in their psychology and in the
philosophy of lire they present to the
youngster emerging from boyhood to
manhood. This philosophy, in con-
densed form, is found in two SEN
fences spoken to the discouraged
country boy by the wise old newspa-
per man who saves him from death,
and worse thansdeath: mo man is
failure until he admits it himself"
and Opportunity is not geographic
al; it is found in the man himself"
while 1.-THE Country Boy" is not
so strong play as ''The Fortune
Hunter" it is good enough to find
place among the increasing con-
ltributions to genuine American dra-
ma. It's recurring fault of talkiness
might easily be eliminated by little
/ ittdirintrC tn n xx,hA hn tn
terest would be held taut instead of
sagging, and the final curtain fall at
10:45 instead of at IL. It's chief
blemish, however, lies in the uncon-
vincing nature of the relations be-
tween the country boy and the emp
| ty headed show girl who attracts his
attention when he goes to New York.
The play would be greatly strength
ened by making his feeling for her a
red blooded passion instead of the
inexplicable and unnatural brotherly
interest shown in the play. Then,
when his establishment comes, 1t
would be reasonable one. A broth
er's love for sister increases at a
revelation of her weakness; mans
love for a woman dies when he finds
that she is common property. Never
mind 1.-THE girl at home" let the boy
lose his head bit, as all boys do
who are worth picayune.
The cast of 'The Country Boy"
averages we'll, and few of the play
ers are exceptionally good The title
role is we'll entrusted to Alfred Will
son, sincere and appreciative actor,
upon whose capital characterization
of confident omiscient boy the in
fluence of life as it is acts naturally
and very humanity. He secures the
liking and sympathy of every mature
man in the audience in whose men,
DRY is stored the pain of similar ex-
periences. An original and very eff
fective piece of character acting is
done by Frank Mccormack as the old
newspaper man, sound and sweet as
nut at the core, but specifically
the world worn pessimist and board
| ing house Crouch" Doan Borup
has an exceedingly STAT" part as Joe
Weinstein, Broadway ticket specu-
lator, who is there with the up-to-
the minute slang, kiddo, and to
whom the great white way is not only
the center of the universe, but the
only spot in the solar system where
life is worth living. Nellie Fillmore
as the gum chewing, parsimonious
landlady of West Fifty-first street
boarding house, hardly could be i'm
proved, either physically or histrion-
ically. Edna Furry Is pleasing as the
calmly philosophical girl, whom one
suspects of having read too much
Emerson, and Olive Templeton does
the shallow show girl very well. Less
important parts are placed in the
more or less competent hands of
Frank e. Jamison, Ralph Ramsey,
Kate Carpenter, Mrs. William But
Ter. George Schaeffer, Paul Durand,
Bruce Gilmore. Kathleen Butler.
Charlotte and Jessie Graham. Arts
tic attention to detail is shown in the
mounting of the play"