Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-19
By the Photoplav Editor


They put one over on the censors yester-
dsyIand the success of the stunt is likely to
be initiated by other picture playhouse man
ayers Eventually, If the scheme is prose-
cuted with enough vigor, it seems as
though Doctor Oberholtzer and Mrs Niver
we're going to be shorn of lot Of their
mower, the same power that has reduced
40 many photoplays lately TO masses of un-
connected incident and cut the dramatic
strings that have held plots taut Mr.
Mastbaum, besides cirCumventing the State
Board, has positively turned his coup into
an interesting artistic bit of stage manage
ment. He has religiously taken out the
leaders to which the censors objected But
In their separate places he has inserted
large Interrogation points. Whenever one
Of these is visible on the screen. Henry Her
bert, a capable actor with an admirably
sonorous, carrying" voice, enters from the
wings on the darkened stage and speaks
the forbidden subtitle Yesterday morning
the ruse worked out even better than its
boosters had hoped. The continuity of the
story didn't suffer. There were none of
those lapses so frequent in censored films
when Mrs Dash turns TO her husband and
whispers: "Whazzat mean?" The perfectly
ordinary intrigue, to which the censors OBJ
jected, was understood by the spectators,
Just as audiences in thee and readers
Of novels have understood for years and
years. And It isn't on record that any
be borne from the auditorium.
All these happenings Cor the lack of
thern) made "On Trial" of moment But
Il has enough worth in itself to be inter-
esting without the fTills 1t is a corkng
melodrama. which has been produced and
cut so that the tempo is rapid. The shuttle
Of episode works so swiftly that one must
keep his eyes on the screen every moment.
The original play has been followed with
nne hdelity, visions and cut-backs being
cleverly utilized without any foolish footage.
The acting is crisp and sharp. Incidental
business" and types betoken intelligent
direction. Not many will mind since this
was built for speed and not beauty the
complete lack of modern lighting and the
harshness of the camera work Nor even
our old friend, the gun in the convenient
drawer. For "On Trial" is zippy.
l AlDIA4LI,,",.FreCklHG" d.. !" Lasky Paramount, with
raphed by Walter stradiIng.
/. Directorial virtue is not its own reward
N the movies Hand a director a feeble
%1pt on which he makes good, and his
iuture Is pretty well assured. Good
scenarios sometimes can be put across by
poor directors, so the clever men. are apt to
oe asked to doctor the weak plots Thus
with Mr.. Nelan, who has to his credit the
surprisingly beautiful Bottle Imp" Once
Freckes,' maugre its nonsensiCal story,
stands out thing of rare woodland vistas
oI shlmmerlng afternoons, of physical love-
nness, OF high and splendid pictorial values.
so Adroit has been the production that even
manfestly impossible situation. like the
nght between the cripple and a great hulk.
. lns pacKWoodsman, seems not unlikely. The
MN Is further saved by artistic continuity,
good leaders and appealing acting. Young
Flcktords close-ups show his nice feeling
ior emotional restraint. Miss Huff is an
honensive blond waX-dollie. If you de-
mand novelty and probability in your
stories don't go to "FreclIles,' If you have
an eye for landscape, magnificent shots"
ana exquisite facial lighting, with pellucid
camera-composition, you'd better.
WGToRA-"some Boy" Fox, with George
mnalsh and Doris Pawn. story by William
Farker, Directed by Otis Turner. Photo
graphed by r. f. Irish.
- Julian Eltinge, presumably, was hired by
paramount to do female impersonations.
put George Walsh has beaten him to 1t.
VI course, it's possible that Georges em-
ployer William Fox, never heard of the on
eomng Eltingerie. But when one reflects
On how Mr.. Fox leaped out with Gar
men IN rivalry to Lasky, and Romeo
ana Juliet in rivalry to Metro, it does
seem Just bit queer, "Sbme Boy" has all
ne earmarks of a hurry-up job. Photo
Haphed brightly and attractively, acted
WIN considerable force and impetus 1t
doesn't register, simply because the story
not there. What is there is series or
ola'tashioned female impersonator tricks
ne decided he just must have smoke
on you know the rest if you've been going
the theatre for while, Mr.. Walsh is
pleasing, vivacious chap, but he ought to
&sy away from such plotted formulas as
uiS one and from skirts.
ARCADIA, PALACE. VICTORIA AND RE
SENr@"The Immigrant" Lone-star Mutual.
Story and direction By Mr. Chaplin.
Film farces are always full of food. II
siey aren't eating it, they're hurling IT, II
Nes the skillful Chaplin to turn out two
teeier' minus plot in which the edibles
aren't thrown. Even the conventional bean
'ylslds up new delights Of laughter. And
llere is a scene in the dining salon" OF a
violently rocking ship that is quite little
ssH OF rough humor. Charles is an imml-
sS.aht from country where dingy derbies'
Ae S canes and comic moustaches are evil
sSsnuy the national insignia. The story
.It as ingenious as Easy Street" But
S'e picture is there" If there were moth
s else to it, the pantomime over the un-
palu supper would make The Immigrant
olh TO the box Office what it will be. Per-
haps TOO, the film "johns" win be glad to
"'Sr mat Edna is still a peach
RoaaSE5T STREET THEATRE--"A Dolls
bbRlllps and William stowell. Story adapted
a. ida May Park from Hendrix Ibsen,s
foSnnns directed by Joseph de Grasse. Pho-
raphed by King ID. Gray.
sre is a capital sample Of what the
n 1--WE magnates undoubtedly consider i'm
tsssiDIe highbrow stuff, done in such fash
~ ~ mat 1t registers sanely, dramatically
.sS consistently, Unlike the horrible
Flsuaa Gabler," with Nance o'Neil' that
t.snk Powell turned loose on us, this adap-
~t,Sh oh has been, sympathetically handled
r.,out any foolish changes in ending. The
,n ny ". Is real Ibsen play done practically
n slose-ups, ana getting over nicely.
ane Palace has for feature Even as
~ ana l." Lois Webers allegory. At the
i'.sent the bill includes an o. Henry Aim
story and Keystone's comical, Her
1<',t' Dance The Barrier" BY Rex