Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-04

NPICTURE HOUSES
Arcadia and Regent Offer New
Films From William AS
Prolific Studios
TALMADGE, FARRAR, TOO
BY the PhOtopIay Editor

hHHSADlA-"Ihc Marriage Market" World
EElyidse. story by Clay Mantiey. Directed By
Arthur Ashley. "
some wicked deeds are done in this fea-
ture. There is a sham murder. a real one.
general loose living on the part Of Arthur
<Ashiey' whose acting is above his direction,
anu DIT OF heroic perjury. II that be a
crime, orered by Mr. Blackwell There are
also no less than three villains. But we
Knew what the real crime and who the real
CRIMINALS ara story that begins to be
hestful only In the last couple of reels and
tne man who invented the footage system
since rate (and the General Fim) have
ruied That 5000 feet constituted a picture
story, the beginning Of THE Marriage Mar
ket Is spent In shots" at WalS street life
WIN much technical chat about stock and
MARGINS, and the usual situation where
heroine Sells Herself to Villain No. 1 TO
save her fathers Honor. This hoary cpl
sode later Is atoned for in part by a series
Oh Wildly moving incidents. done with much
dignity. but fairly exciting. The actors
nkewise are stifed artistically by crude
characters. Miss Elvidge takes on interest
only when welding n revolver, and Mr.
Blackwell is more wooden than usual The
high light of the playing is Mr. Ashley's
little portrait Of the no-good husband He
should stick to acting.
REGENTM"Soul. T;s Soul. Adrlft." World. BRADY, With
Harley Knoles. "
The tropical island motive involving cast
aways suitably youthful and comely for
purposes of romance continues to do good
service in the photSplay realm, as for many
years 1t has done on the speaking stage
and in fiction. Barrie used the situation
in THE Admirable Crichton" as a basis for
most delectable satire II. De We're Stack
pole struck deeper and more tragic note
In THE Blue Lagoon" and in Souls
Adrift" suggestions from both the comedy
and the tale are discernible. The isle
with Its exotic vegetation, its cleaning
white beaches and atmosphere of romano
isolation. Is presented with admirable pho
tographic effectiveness. The drama enacted
there Is not highly original nor an especial
Improvement on a familiar theme, but the
action Is simple and direct and the specta-
tors interest Is fully maintained by cana
BILE acting and sympa athletic direction. Ethel
Clayton. as the shipwrecked girl, thrown
into unexpected proximity with a former
lover. from whom she has been estranged
is featured in the film and from visual
standpoint-albeit the aureate quality of
her profuse tresses Is somewhat overempha-
sized in the photography--she Is convincing
in the lighter phases of the action The
melodramatic scenes. involving an exciting
combat between the young lover and two
IL
abilities in the art of facial byplay. No
such criticism Is warranted with regard
to that sincere and reliable actor, Milton
Sils, whose sterling performances In '"rhe
Governors Lady" and This Woman and
This Man contributed largely, II subtly
to the success some years ago of those
well-liked footight offerings. An impress
sion prevails in some quarters that good
players of the spoken stage are not always
suited to the cinema province. The dctum
lis inapplicable in the of Mr.. Sills.
His pantomime In Souls Adrlft" Is never
overdone. His makeup is effective. with
out the slightest trace Of exaggeratlon, and
altogether his portray OF the honorable.
clean-mirded young engineer suddenly con-
fronted with a delicate situation ranks as
fine bit Of photoplay art. His contribu-
ton to this film splendidy makes the
charge of its handling Of rather ancient
well tried material Of relatively slight
import.
sTRAND-"The Mysterious Miss Terry"
hi. Burke and Thq%ss MeIsh1n.s Writ,sn Sy
Photographed by Lyman Broening.
This is the third screen adventure for
Billie Burke. and one Of the first screen
stories by Gelett Burgess. Miss Burke Is not
a screen actress. At least she has not proven
herself one by her screenings. True, her
name has a large following that is good
LOT tHe DOH Offices anu Will DTlHB many
customers because of her popularity among
matinee girls, but she has yet to learn that
looking kttenish is not al! that is required
to be a cinema star. AS in her serial play
ing she is often before the camera In close-
ups. The story was carefully tailored to
fit Miss Burke and J. Searle Dawley, the
director. carried out the work along these
lines Opening as a mystery story, 1t soon
loses this strain and goes off into a comedy
with the audience rather disappointed at
being fooled. The fault could have been
easily remedied if Miss Burke's character
identity had not been disclosed so soon.
In the support and supplying the comedy
are Walter Hers, the popular robust come
dian. and Gerald Oliver Smith, whose work
as social-climbing clerk stood out quite
WELL Thomas Meighan was the usual lover.
Bessie Learn, formerly of the Edison COM
pany, had small part, as did George a.
Wright.
Raoul A. Walsh's moving and mastery
production, THE Honor System" remains
at the Stanley. The Palace submits Joan
the Woman as its feature. Norma Tall
madge in Poppy" is the Victorias princi-
pal attraction.