New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-31
By HAYWOOD BROUN.


Martha HardcGstle ..................M Marie Haynes
By HAYWOOD BROUN.
"The Road 20 Happiness" is oiled
with treacle. william Hodge returned
to New York last night by way of the
Shubert Theatre in a play which IS
sweet, but ever so sticky. Kin to Way
Down East" and "The Old Homestead"
Lawrence Whtman's comedy is a trlfe,
considered b. any standard OF technical
criticism. From the fact that 1t has
been successfully used on the road by
Hodge during the last three years, 1t
must be conceded tha. the play pos
sesses merit OF one kind oY another.
First OF all. the play takes full ad-
vantage of the abilities of Hodge. lie
is on the stage during the greater part
Of the time, and almost all the effective
lines fall to him.
The actor showed in "The Man from
Home" that he could make a line tell
by playing it down rather than playing
it up. Hodge lowers his voice instead
of raising il when he wishes to score
point. This ability of successful re-
preston is still rs, but unfortunately
il has been pressed beyond reasonable
bounds in "The Road to Happiness"
wisdom and various tags of homely
philosophy hoped out of Hodges
mouth last night as increasingly as
toads might leap from the lips of p
wicked princess. Unfortunately, one
could feel a moral, a proverb or an
aphorism coming just about two lines
before it arrived. Somebody or other
would be conveniently induced to cry
so that the star might say, Tears help
trouble just as oil helps fire" Then
the play would go on, but ere long it
would be ambushed by another moral.
The plot was hardly capable Of de-
Tending itself from these attacks on
account of Its advanced age and other
inherent weaknesses. No introduction
is necessary when it is stated that the
play concerns a hard-hearted father
who turns his daughter out of doors
because he believes she is an erring
woman. There have been lots of hard
hearted fathers seen on the New York
stage, but Benjamin Hardcastle, Of
'The Road to Happiness" is the fiercest
who ever shook cane in the face of
hero.
Although it was not definitely stated
in the plot, anybody could see with
half an eye that Mr.. Hardcastle's anger
arose from the fact that he had been
denied the privilege Of turning his
daughter out into a snowstorm, which
is the time honored prerogative Of all
parental hard hearts.
Jim Whitman, played by Hodge, is
close at hand when Mr.. Hardcastle
banishes his daughter stepdaughter,
we believe and he offers her the shell
ter of his home. That cottage OF Jim's
is small but elastic As the play wears
on other members of the Hardcastle
family come and live with jim. Mrs.
Hardcastle follows close upon the heels
of her daughter, and, in spite of the
old mans threats, Whitman refuses to
turn out the daughter or return the
wife.
In the third act Hardcastle and two
accomplices trap Whitman in barn.
A choice is offered to Jim. He may
quit town before the next morning or
90 out on a rail with a coat of tar and
feathers. Jim chooses the rail and the
villains come after him. To dodge is
easy. and the subterfuge which follows
is easier still.
Crying STAND back" the hero
thrusts has hand into his hip pocket
and threatens to shoot anybody who
approaches. The unsophisticated viii
lains stand back and jim, after opening
the door to safety, waves farewell with
the handkerchief, which was the only
weapon in his pistol pocket. The viii
lains retired crestfallen, and well
might they be ashamed OF themselves.
The last act reveals the fact that
the founding, who had caused suspl-
cion to light on Hardcastle's daughter,
was. as a matter of fact child of
Hardcastle's son Asa. Cleared of sus-
picion. Viola gets her man and Hodge
gets his girl. She, also, is member
of the Hardcastle family and her name
is Eva. Miriam Collins played this
part winsomely. Scott Cooper was the
impossible old man. and Marguerite
Patterson was acceptable IN the role OF
the suspected young woman.
Crude in its essentials. there is no
DENYING the fact that "The Road To
Happiness" has sentimental appeal
which will charm many people. There
is little that is true in the play either
in action or speech. bu, truth IS the
last thing in the world which any lover
of the sentimental demands Your
Truly sentimental playgoer has no con-
Germ with life as il il. He much pre-
fers the accepted Interpretation of the
theatre. Situations which Rave stood
the test again and again NAV once
more come through with Aging colors.
William Hodge has his delightful
moments His repression is altogether
charming in moments Of emotional
stress. and yet we feel that he has
lost since his success in The Man
from Home" Mannerisms have grown
on him. Particularly the trick OF de-
livering lines with half-closed eyes
seems 20 obsess the actor.
Some small bits in the play were
excellent. A. l.. Evans was engaging
as Phil Hunt, an old farmer, and Louis
Mountjoy did wonders in the briefest
sort Of scene, in which he played
the part of Judge Stevenson. Marie
HAYNES was amusing as Martha Hard
castle and Howard Morgan scored as
william Alderman. There was de-
lightful gray horse named Senator.
lie. at least, was real, and so was a
collie and a hen which gave Hodge the
staunchest sort of support in a curtain
speech.
THE Road to Happiness is good
natured. It shows much Of Hodge and
il Is clean. We have no hesitation IN
recommending il to the three little
girls Of Alice in Wonderland" who
lived al the bottom Of treacle well.
TprpTrTr To SHTNGC