New-York tribune., 1917-07-30
On the Screen
Florence Reed in To-day
Depicts Interesting Phase
of Modern Life

Florence Reed. in To-day" is the
feature picture at the Strand this
week Miss Reed does the best work
of her career in this picture, which is
vastly interesting, If not particularly
wholesome, drama of modern life.
OF course, it is not a surprise to find
Miss Reed giving an artistic perform
ance, for one feels sure after seeing
her recent Elisha" that she could not
do anything bad if she tried. Beauty
is not absolutely essential TO screeT
success, but il is such a great asset,
and Miss Reed is so pleasant to look
at. CARRIED in the simple frocks which
belonged to the four-roOm fiat of down
and-out days, or robed in the glitter
ing garb which was the badge of her
rise to prosperity and her fall from
morality, she was always a thing OF
beauty and a JOY forever. Miss Reed
is a very beautiful woman and she
screens remarkably well; also her face
betrays her every emotion and her
simple work is restful and delightful.
We believe that, although there are
plenty of persons who plead for the ar
tistic ending as opposed to the happy
ending, in their hearts most persons
wish to see happy ending. For them
there is devised happy ending to this
picture, and it occurs after all seems
chaos. II is much nicer for the author
to lift his characters out of the slough
of despond, when he can do it so easily,
than to abandon them in their hour of
need.
Frank Mills, as Fred Morton, the
adoring and deluded husband, Is re-
markably we'll cast. Gus Weinburg and
Alice Gale, as father and mother Nor
ton, are quite adequate, and the same
might be said of Lenore Harris, as
Marion Garland.
Kate Lester. with small chances as
Mrs. Farington, is altogether too re-
alistic. She is decidedly good in the
part and decidedly disagreeable.
To-day" is vastly interesting pict-
ure, with a climax that is one of the
best things that has been done on the
screen.
The overture Is Offenbach's "Or-
pheus" Merry Zentay, the violinist,
played "Scherzo- Tarentella" and "Le
Cancan." She also played an obbligato
for Henri de Caux's "Agnus Del" The
comedy was a Keystone called "The
Dangers of Bride"
One may take liberties with dress
suit that one may not take with baby;
threfore we believe that "Skinner's
Baby" which was shown at the Rialto
yesterday, is not so nice a picture as
"Skinnor's Dress Suit" although there
are plenty Of people who do not agree
with US. For instance, we should hest
tate to write this, only Harry Beau
mont did not hesitate TO put IL on the
screen. We shall go no further than
he went; therefore one may be in
formed that, although there were only
two episodes in the existence of "Skin-
ner's Baby" which were not shown on
the screen, those two episodes shall
now be nameless.
AS to the rest of il, Bryant Wash
burn and Hazel Daily, two delightful
persons, proved TO be much more frank
than one had hitherto suspected. They
formed the story, for. as matter of
fact, the baby did not come until the
end of the picture; it was only talked
about. And now for the plunge. As
soon as "Honey" found she had a "se-
cret" she whispered il to Skinner, and
then, to the horror Of the sensitive
souls in the front Of the theatre. Skin
ner went downtown the next day and
announced to the Office that he had a
| child.
In honor of the occasion he gave the
| whole Office force a vacation, and when
the senior partner patted him on the
back and asked him il II was a boy, he
| replied, Certainly" And when he
asked its name he said: "0h. you un-
derstand that he isn't born yet, and
won't be for long time" or words 10
that effect From that time on the play
Is all about "Skinner's baby" which is
vet in embryo and vet which forms the