Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-10

tViiiEspp9ee p py Alyin Wyckon. Art direction by
Melodrama In the grand manner; the
eagle screaming; flags fervor. fiery zeal
for country-'The Little American" has
them all. heaped up and brimming over the
hve-reel platter on which they are served.
But II has, too, even more exquisite aspects
that give to Miss MacPherson's stirring but
primitive tale that conclusive touch that
spells art with a capital This touch
comes through the direction. We are get
ting used to Cecil De Miles dulet magic.
his wizard sense of light, half-iight, delicate
color and darkness. But even his Romance
OF the Redwoods" fails to surpass the new
feature. The man has an uncanny way OF
eymbolixing his action in Photographic ef-
feets. He starts of quietly with straight
stun" good, but not unusual. Then, with
the progress of the story. he builds up mar
velously feeling of impending climax
through devices Of light and shade that are
INFINITELY beautiful In their grading and
meaning. So when Little Mary is Just phil
Andering around with her French and Ger
man suitors before the war, we have plain
sun and lamp-shine-the optimism of day
time. When the searching eye OF a SUBJ
marine fits restlessly over struggling sur
vivors Of the Veritana, the flckering demon
OF illumination grows cruelty whimsical
ana Prussian. Later the revels OF the
drunken German soldiers take on aspects OF
dark and beastly pollution through the thick.
heavy shadows that enfold the scene. And
IN the mystic dawn before the cross, tlnting
and toning (wonderful though they be) are
the emblems, rather than the essence of the
spiritual awakening that has come to the
apostate Teuton, renouncer Of Kaiser and
cruelty. Even in Its less momentous hap
penings this De Mile watches. appreciates
and creates. He turns n detail of stair
case into joyous bit Of composition; he
transhgures the Pickford curls and smile In
closeup into a living Madonna OF Botti-
CELL He transmutes what might have been
Just stirring piece of patriotism and vigo-
rous melodrama into "statuary in motion"
II you are a scoffer at Mary's talent. and
think Griffith the only battle-painter, don't
miss The Little American" with its fine
cast, which must have final word.
AEcADIA-"That Boy From Back YOnder,"
BY Monte NJ Kstterjohn. Directed By Victor
EaEier, Art direction - BY Robert Brunton.
Supervised by Thomas H. Ince.
When you've forgiven the Arcadia for
changing an expressive, racy title like THE
Clodhopper" into its current-inVolved,
tonguetwistlng one, there remains little but
praise for the picture itself. 1t is one of
those seemingly unimportant things that.
because II is real and human and sweet and
comic, is dear to the feeling brain and the
that one hasn't known rrom the money.
grubbing father TO the Nistful, wlllful SON.
Its little infections of plot charm us and
its general air of fidelity to life tlckles our
thinking machine, 1t is out of the ordinary
because It is content to be ordinary. Charles |
Ray contributes another of his delightful |
portraits Of aspiring boyhood. This youth |
despisng the machlne-cut hero school of |
acting is laying the basis for a new sort OF |
boy impersonation. Aided by direction that |
qyUi nnrin nprlN uytfh t,ar
Historically fast, he puts this film across |
His second chief aid. that hving daisy petal |
and Jet Of moondust, Marporie Wilson, is
but another reason for the plays success.
REGENT-"The Man who Was Afraid" |
Essanay-K, f. $. f., with BRYANT washburn. |
Story by Mrs. Mary Brecht Pulver. Directed |
%riaht " IL iiO'On s'eeN' Ph0'osraphed by Fred E.
While not as ambitious pictorIally as the
Stanley offering. THE Man Who Was
Afraid should do humping business in
these times. True, II deals not with the
European war, but with Mexican troubles,
but to these It imparts considerable reality
on. account Of the stars always excellent
acting; the employment of Illinois National
Guardsmen and some good old.fashioned
ved-in-the-nick-oftime" stun at the end,
when sort Of movie Villa is routed through
the bravery Of a lad who had been afraid
to go to the front. This is elementary stuff
saved from the pathetic by Mr.. Washburn's
hiSeiy seHSeu ana realistic picture or the
hero-villain and the intelligent leaders Es.
sanay, always a bit weak on production
ls here adequate except for one dreadful
drop. The rest OF the playing is much
overdrawn. Gritted teeth actually carry
the sound through the screen Did you
actors ever realize that?
Matchmaker" Metro comedy
with Mr.. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Written
from suggestion. and directed by Mr.. Drew
Not content with the patriotic displays in
he main feature, the Stanley offered an
'ther Mr. and Mrs, Drew comedy with a
.ubtitle reading in part, - and George
-ohan Likes You" II occurs during the
'cene where an English fop asks the fathers
consent to marry his daughter "The
is a marital. not a luclferous.
uhject dealing with the efforts of a mother
md father to marry their daughter to the
nan OF their individual choice, not know
ng, of course, 1t is the same man each had
elected. II ends in the usual Drewy fash
on of twisted countenance.
wild and Woolly," with Douglas Fair
anks, is the Victoria's all-week bill. The
'alace win be occupied for a similar period
" ION Trial.