New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-25
Much Stirring Incident in
Film History of Joan
the Woman"
STAR NOT ALWAYS
SPIRITUAL ENOUGH
Nora Bayes Pleases in
Performance of Songs
at EItinge
Ry HEYWOOD BROIN

VI hl's pu1 MOI rplTlNgdl ONO. 0N'
plays in the seeming belief that tho
Maid saved France by bringing iii
pep" to the cause. IF she heard voices
at any time during the making OF the
icturo they were those Of Jesse l..
Lasky and Cecil b. De Mile
We wonder II Miss Farrar ever saw
Bastien lie Pages picture in the Met
ropolitan, and If so why she did not 90
again and again. It is true that ~
her peasant costume the actress bears
a striking general resemblance to the
figure conceived b. the artist. but she
fails utterly to catch any suggestion
from the eyes. Somebody should tell
Miss Farrar that there is no surety Of
seeing heaven or any of its folk merely
b. rolling the eyes upward. That ia
not the trick At all Strange. is it not,
that a mere still should be 50 much
moro eloquent than a movie?
Possibly IL is unfair TO assume that
any actress could give adequate sue-
gestion OF that light which must have
shonc from the eyes OF Joan. II the
assumption is unfair. Joan the Wom-
an is a wonderful picture play. In any
case. il is a remarkable film. though. in
our opinion. not so good as the Car
men" which first introduced Geraldine
Farrar 10 the silent drama. Here, We
think. the ensembles overshadow the
work of any OF the individual players.
Particularly fine is the scene where
Joan recognizes the king. This is
handled with rare skill. beauty and
discretion. The last quality was not al
ways present in the making Of the pict
ure. The effect Of glorious battle
scene was weakened little by the
fact that twas unduly prolonged. But,
after all. there never was a picture
maker who knew when 20 stop fighting.
once his forces we're in the field. To
our mind the unpleasant torture scene
might we'll have been shortened. while
the director seemed 10 take almost as
much pleasure in burning Joan as
Csuchon himself. By virtue OF a color
process they were red flames.
The pictures chief virtue Is one rare
among the big scenic films. Joan the
Woman" has an engrossing story. We
are OF the opinion that II would be
still more interesting narrative II the
scenario had confined itself wholly 10
the Joan OF history and legend. Surely
that story should be romantic enough
70 suit even the psmpered taste Of
movie fan. but Jeanne Macpherson. who
devised the film. has added a prologue
and sequel concerning the Great War
and has encountered Joan with the love
Of one Of the English captains.
Thus, first of all, we see a young
man i'm the trenches who discovers an
ancient sword on the eve Of the call for
volunteers to perform a desperate mis-
SION. Back so the centuries then. and
we find Joan. the peasant maid. in
Domremy. The photography here is
excellent. but there is some little delay
in starting Joan on her career. II is
necessary 10 point out. first OF all. how
she saves the life Of Eric Trent. the
English captain. Not till then does she
see her vision. which is not placed be
meath the great beech tree. as 10 should
be.
With Joan of for court the pace of
the picture auickenS Beautiful is the
meeting with the king. and IL IS here
that the best effect OF all is introduced
when we see host marching high
above the heads Of the crowd. Then
comes the raising Of the siege Of Or
leans. This, as we have said. is picture
bit drawn out One part shows
charge OF mailed horsemen upon
group of footmen arrsyed behind a
stocksde. On and on come the horse
men. nor is there pause before the
crash of host against host. A horse -
hurled head over heels in the most
thrilling sort Of trick fall.
Later we see the capture OF Joan. her
trial and death. After this We are back
into our own day and watch the Eng
lishman creep toward the German
trenches and die after the perform
ance Of his mission. To him there ap-
pears the spirit Of Joan. who now how
ers above reunited army of French
and English.
Miss farrsr is at home on horseback
and in battle. In fact, her best work IA
done as the warrior maid. Effective
support is given BY Raymond Hatton
As the King, Hobart Bosworth as Cen
eral La Hire, Wallace Reid as Eric
Trent. Theodore Roberts as Cauchon
and Tully Marshall as wicked monk.
The picture is at the Forty-fourth
street Theatre.
When we received tickets for two
hours OF song by Nora Bayes at the FL
tnge Theatre our first thought was
that we ought TO take them around to
Mr.. Krehbiel as soon As possible.
This" we muttsred 10 ourself, "ls
music. and he'll be worried il he
doesn't get them"
The sacrifice was too much. We said
not word 20 the music department.
but kept the tickets ourself. II turned
out all right The two hours Of Nora
Bayes in songs is not music ct all On
the contrary. it's a most enjoyable
show.
Miss Bayes ranges through the
South. California, New England. the
Far East, Europe and Hawaii and sings
various medleys Of the songs which
/ Broadway has been good enough 20
dedicate TO these regions. There's
Cheyenne" and the one about Kate
who was left at the Golden Gate and
California in September, and "Bonbor
! Buddy" and ever so many others all
the way back 60 the neolithic age in
popular songs.
All seemed fresh enough when rem
dered by Nora Bayes, who Is so buoy
ant and vital a performer that some
times one almost suspects she may be
an artist despite her entire lack Of any
subtlety.
Miss Irms Campbell designed the
, costumes, which are very good indeed.
Henry Ives Cobb. jr., has done nicely
with some simple scenery. All in all.
we are glad We didn't give the tickets
10 Mr.. Krehbiel or Mr.. Vernon. They
might be hardened TO Miss Bayss. They
hear 80 many recitsls.