Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-11-16
"I'hc Painted nnlln

| The Painted Doll the big Russian
/ feature film showing on the Majestic
screen, is an unusual production from
several standpoints. 1t is of especial
| interest because it is the first of 36
big films recently imported into Amer
/ lea for the purpose of showing us
something Of Russian life as it really
is and as it is interpreted by leading
Russian stage artists. 1t brings us
Russia and its temperament as por-
| trayed by stars of the Russian speak
ing stage, chosen for the purpose be-
cause of their authoritative standing
in their professions in their own coun-
try. IT is the first Russian moving
picture made by Russian producers,
with Russian settings, Russian direc-
torship, Russian acting and a grip
ping, stirring-and very heavy-Rus-
sian drama written by a noted Russian
author. SO it is "all Russian" 100
per cent.
1t is of special interest also because
it gives an intimate glimpse from the
native soil of Russian life and char
acter and of the historionic art as
developed in the land of awe and
mystery. This is the most striking
feature of The Painted Doll" and
the acting is superb.
ANtAAi -hpHuhlif lltl dlufu dS nus
sia's foremost actor, is an artist from
his finger tips and moves thru his
scenes with a dignity power and as
surance peculiar TO one who feels
that he is master of his art. Mozukin,
however. evidently has not been long
before the camera. He was a bit
STACEY" but that he is an actor of
great ability was fully demonstrated.
Tanya Fetner, who carried the lead
ing female role, is remarkably beau
tiful young woman who screens adj
mirably. l think / should have "fal-
lem, too had l been in Mozukiu's
place. In the latter scenes, after she
had become the painted doli' of the
rich and powerful MoZukin, and ii
had bought her costly gowns in which
to display her charms, she was amaZ-
ingly delightful 10 look upon. And
she carried her part with finished ar
tistry, never OVERRIDING anything and
meeting every demand for strong
dramatic work. The heaviest dra-
matte scene, however, of the leading
female characters were those Of
Madame Lesienko, said TO be the stage
vampire of Russia, in the closing
scenes where her husband, Mozukin,
confesses his faithlessness and his
crime. She did this eXcellently. Les
ienko, like Fetner, is a strikingly
handsome woman, but a bit heavy
and void Fetner's youthful beauty
The story is a powerful drama, but
emphatically for grown-ups. 1t has
not happy ending, albeit a logical
one and the heavy villain" got his
proper fate-dying a maniac.
The lighting effects are decidedly
inferior to our best American COM
panies. Paramount or Goldwyn or
William Fox could teach the Russians
a good deal about lighting and pho
Biography. Some OF the interior shad-
ings, however. were not so bad.
The settings are good and in places
would call them elaborate, tho they
do not approach many features
countless ones-we have produced
here in the United. States.
The drama is decidedly too heavy
for every day or every week menu
but it's worth seeing. wouldn't
want to see a Painted DOLL how
ever, oftener than once a month
tho | could look at Fetner about three
times a day.
On the whole, you should see this
picture because it's something new
to Tulsa movie fans and because II
is a representative picture straight
from the soil of Russian and mag
nificently acted. This alone, is worth
ones time. And If you feel bit
depressed, who-Madge Kennedy is
coming soon, and Roscoe Arbuckle
will be back next Tuesday and
Wednesday.