New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-01
Geraldine Farrar Gains
the Decision Over Theda
Bara on Points.
HIGH MARK SET
AT THE STRAND
Farce by Mack Sennett Is Best
Feature of a Good Triangle
Bill at KniCkerbocker.
BY HAYWOOD BROUN.

picture theatres rather than the few of
the opera house.
/ Undoubtedly Miss Farrar has never
acted so well as she does in the screen
version of Carmen" which opened yes
/ terday at the Strand Theatre. Moving
| pictures. OF course, offer histrionic OPP
! portunities unknown to the operate
stage. Nice touches which would be
lost in the Metropolitan Opera House
are visible to everybody in the theatre
when Geralinc Fsrrar plays close up
for the camera man.
The estate of Prosper Merimee also
owes much to moving pictures. The
film has given life to a spirited ro-
mantle novel which was carved in small
pieces coldly TO furnish forth an opera.
Carmen" is again story and not q
succession of noises.
Moving pictures are superb story
telling medium, and we don't think
they have ever been used to better ad-
vantage than in the Lasky production
Of Carmen" This is not only the
best of "Carmens," but the best of
I
/ Nobody, we think, will be puzzled for
any part of a moment to tell just what
Is going on. The story of the gypsy
who lived by love ana died by it is
told with pace. precision and eloquence.
The absence of frlls is delightful.
Producers of pictures, pleased with
the newfound possibilities of their
art, have lately been given to showing
off. The eye of the spectator eager
for story has been pelted with
extrancous scenery, unbidden beauty,
and tricks without purpose. Here is
picture in scenes of one syllable.
As Carmen smiled and died pet
theory of our own sickened. We have
often maintained that there were tricks
of the moving picture trade which
could not be mastered by newcomer
and that no novice could act with the
skill of the trained picture player Ger
aldiIe Farrar can. She was born, per
haps, with a camera man and director
within call Her best work is done in
the close-upS, which try the soul OF
the unframed, and never have we seen
an actress in moving pictures who so
roundly justified the advance of the
camera men.
Miss Farrar must have come before
the camera with some appreciation OF
the possibilities of the medium in
which her new work lay. She acts
throughout with admirable spirit. Prob
ably her heart was in her work. At
any rate, she gives the rest of her
body Her Carmen is passionate, cruel,
humorous and courageous. She loves
and she fights mechanically. For sew
eral moments we feared for the last
remaining garment of the rival
cigarette girl during her struggle with
Carmen. Nor is 1T one-sided bout.
Following the struggle Miss Farrar
plays a thousand feet of film with one
side Of her face married by mimic
scratches. But there is no marring the
beauty Of a Carmen who smiles as Miss
Farrar does. One is quite ready TO
condone the folly Of Don Jose.
Wallace Reid, who plays this part, IL
lust a bit saccharine, and nobody could
blame Carmen for preferring the Es-
camille of Pedro de Cordoba. The bull
fight scenes are thrilling in the ex-
IRENE. and Carmen dies with as much
spirit as she lived. The picture is we'll
worth the artistic endeavor which Miss
Geraldine Farrar seems TO have put
into it.
The Carmen" of the william Fox
company at the Academy Of Music is
not as good az the Lasky picture be
cause il is not nearly so coherent.
Theda Bara, a famous and exceedingly
able motion picture actress, fans, IN
this picture, TO equal the work OF Ger
aldine Farrar.
Miss Bara has been employed for
many months in playing that popular
theatrical type, the vampire woman. Ac.
cording to the press department OF
William Fox, she Is the Satanic sor-
ceress of the silent stage" and the
handmaiden Of hell" Carmen is some
thing else again. There may be much
Of witchery in Carmen, but there is
nothing of sorcery. Carmen is human
and quite fully under the sway of flesh
and blood.
Miss Bara, unfortunately, We think,
makes the character more or less mys-
. FERROUS. Sometimes she mistakes sui
lenness for passion, and she IS
often imperious when she should
merely be impudent. Her express
sion Of enticement is curl
Gus blinking of the eyes rather than
widening smile. Yet some things in the
film are done extremely well by Miss
Bara, and her supporting company.
First of all, the atmosphere of the
picture is excellent. The greatest pos
sible care has been exercised in choos
ing types and the scenes in Seville are
better than those of the Lasky play.
There are a number Of beautiful pict-
ures taken from the top of the Pali-
sades and an amazing fall of horse and
rider over a high cliff. The battle
between Carmen and the cigarette girl
is another thrilling bit Of photography.
In fact, the scenes throughout. consid-
cred solely as scenes. are handled with
much ski. but there is a great deal to
be desired in the presentation of the
story. Much OF the scenario is murky.
In support Of Miss Bara, Einar Lin
den il an excellent Jose and Elsie Mac
Ieod a fascinating Michaela. This
young star does some of the best work
~ her career in the present picture.
Carl Harbaugh is the Escsmillo.
The feature of the Triangle bill at
cha Knickerbocker Theatre this week
;s a Keystone farce Of Mack Sennetts,
called "Saved by Wireless" 1t is much
the funniest farce which the Triangle
company has shown In New fork' ana
!, ia amusing because il possesses that
80, ;mnortant element of farce an
nhso,b;ng story. The film is bur
ia.one ,n.lodrama of spies and secret
seryice. end the ramiiications OF the
siot nermit the most amazing stunts
- no revealed on the screen. Contrary
~ H. usral manner Of Mack Sennett
s 81 '"' most of the characters keep
.hnir feet There are not more than
half a dozen falls in the entire film,
h ma this lack is more than made up for
by Sy' any rn'I number of automobile accidents,
. ~ .trn;cgle on a rope dangling from an