Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-23
TWO MUSICAL COMEDY
STARSN PHOTOPLAYS
Gardner and Fields Appear to
A dvant tage in "The Open
Places" and "The Barker"
BY the Photoplay Editor

FAMILY-'The Omen Places" Essanay. with
Jack Gardner. story and direction by W. 5.
Van Dyke.
Arc you afraid Of "The Open Placesp
Every schoolboy knows by now that the
simple story humanity done is worth two OF
the elaborately story falsely done Here is
an example of what sincerity of lingering
and acting that rings true can do for COW
ventional plot, so plain in its essentials that
il would be barren were II not for the con-
Vincing spirit that the director has breathed
into II. This tale of the Royal Mounted and
their activities on the Canadian border su8-
gests the success Essanay had with its old
"Broncho Billy" films, in which the now
obscured Gilbert NJ. Anderson used to strut.
That is: it is presented with no optical
glamor. sets and lighting being machine
made ard unalluring. But the handling has
done wonders with the script Detail work
is fine, as witness the illusion Of blurred
vision when the hero, shot. mistakes the
heroine for his assallant. A safoon fight.
primarily commonplace. has been lifted into
the exciting class And the wind-up of the
yarn. without any fade-out embrace, but
droll letter instead, makes "rhe Open
Places" good entertainment Jack Gardner
photographs we'll and plays in manly way.
Carl Stockdale does the villain nicely.
PRINCEss--"The Barker seg, with Lew
Fields Story by Charl X Harris. Name
OF director not screened
Is the "Big Top your temporary homc'
BY removing the sob stuff and inserting
few leaders written by the Keystone staff
or Anita Loos, Selig might turn ''The
Barker" into a first-class farce. All the
ingredients are there. Imagine dear, old
Lew, hero of countless musical comedy
absurdites, playing a professor or Ian
guages in foreign country; being inducted
into an anarchstic society which is pinched
by the police sent to America as a ban
ished subject, and leaving his rotter-
hr1t thAr at1 ha lat a m
treat Lewis little daughter. AS II this
weren't enough. Author Harris apparently
the same man who wrote that teary tune,
After the Ball" has turned Lew into
circus person. The Sagacious Reporter sug-
gests that samples OF the Language" Lew
taught in that mysterious kingdom might
we'll be screened, He also suggests that
Lew revive his old eyepoking, choking act,
substituting Mr.. Harris for Joe Weber.
Production and lights in the feature are
very "junky." The weird part is that Mr..
Fields acts rather well He ought to get
a new script writer and director.
The attention of many fans is centered
on the fight likely to ensue between the
Stanley forces and the State Board of Gen.
sors. 1t seems that the board had forbid
den the exhibition of certain parts of THE
Spy" a Fox subject, featuring one of the
Farnums, which il had been planned to
show at the Stanley. This little brush be-
tween exhibitor and authority may mark
the resumption of active hostllities, which
ceased when Frank r, Shattuck took the
place of Louis j. Breitinger as head of the
supervisors of State films The outcome
of this forthcoming offensive on the Market
street front will be interesting.
Any one who numbers himself among the
really truly veterans OF photoplaygoing
would hardly recognize the old Family
| 4, 60 ~
statuary girls whose dim torches used to
shine while such things as The Battle
Hymn of the Republic" "Enoch Arden"
| and "Justinian and Theodore" were being
| thrown on the insecure sheet. In the days
| of General Film glory. the Family showed
frst-runs Of that service. and was the Mecca
| Of all persons who liked pictures of the
better sort. 1t was there that all the Griffith
| Biographs and Sennets first stabs at farce
| and the finest Edison stories were shown.
| Now the family resembles such a pretenti-
Gus place as the Arcadia. The decorations
are simple, in capital taste, and there's a
| big organ, neatly clad maidens fer ushers,
| a slant floor good seating arrangements
| and all the other requisites OF modern
| taste.
George Loane Tucker, the Griffith of
| England" Is said to have Joined Goldwyn
as director Mr.. fuckers efforts, which
| have found SO much favor In New York,
haves yet to reach Philadelphia.
Recent worthy "educationals" include
| The Blackfoot Indiana tForrest). "In-
| cidents Here and There" (Princsss) and
some intsrsstirs .yar "s1etf = ~ re rexg
Y q. 1. - w = ~ - ~