New-York tribune., 1917-12-10
On the Screen
Lima Cavalier Enters World
of Films by Way of
the Rialto

in the title role.
!. can truthfully be said that Caya-
lieri, like another famous screen star,
who deserted the grand opera stage for
the silent drama, can express her
emotions best through the medium OF
song. Cavalieri is perfectly beautiful,
but one feels that he would like TO
become better acquainted with her, and
never does the real woman appear for
moment on the screen. She seems
scarcely more cold and distant when
she is left alone in the final scene
than she did in the throes of a mad
love affair with Elliott Dexter at the
beginning of the play.
But she has, indeed, rare beauty.
and it is beauty Of line as we'll as of
colorng, for she is wonderful screen
subject.
Elliott Dexter is cast for the part OF
traitor, and when does a traitor win
any sympathy, unless he happens to be
traitor to an alien country, and then
he is not traitor, but a hero.
But Harry Althrop is all sorts Of
things that he should not be. One could
forgive him. perhaps. for forging, but
could one forgive him for betraying
his country into the hands OF the Prus-
slams? The answer is. one did but the
others did not.
The beautiful star is Princess Cor
della Sanzio. an Italian lady who is
not homogeneous in her tastes. Harry
Althrop, an American in Rome, has,
unfortunately, German spy for a
valet. so that when he constantly over
draws his account to buy pearls for
the princess the valet knows all about
it before Harry does. In league with
this spy are Count Rudolph Frizl and
Prince Estezary. BY competing for the
hand of the princess the count forces
Althrop into such eXtravagances that
he cannot recuperate; and he finally
forges the name of the ambassador,
and then to cover that steals n paper
which the Austrians consider is worth
one million lire to them.
Staggering under the weight Of guilt,
Harry is apprehended and hailed before
q tribunal which speedily pronounces
his sentence.
Here the eternal temptress proves
that she is Eut the eternal feminine,
however, and she sacrifices herself to
save the man she loves.
II is tribute indeed TO the fine art
Of Elliott Dexter when one realizes
that he has risen above the handicap
Of o most disagreeable part. There
arc certain sins that one never can
cOndone in ones heroes.
Allen Hale is excellent as Count
Rudolph Frizl, and, indeed, the whole
cast is more than adequate.
The overture is from Aida" The
Rialto male quartet appeared, after a
long absence. and sang "The Musical
Trust and their old favorite, "Aunty
SINNERS Chicken Dinner"
What thorough little artist Billie
Burke is. This is the thing which one
involuntarily eXclaims as one watches
her work in "The Land of Promise"
which is the feature picture at the
Strand this week.
Miss Burke does all of the little
things which one does in real life, and
yet which nearly every one forgets to
do when he is portraying real life.
"The Land Of Promise" is a nicely
worked-out. logical, human little play,
with cast that is unusual in its eS-
ceilence.
Thomas Meighan could not be i'm
proved upon as choice for Frank
Taylor. He just was Frank Taylor.
And j. W. Johnson was so manly and
attractive as the brother that one al
most wished he were the hero. Gertie,
his well meaning but unlearned wife,
was well done indeed by Mary Alden.
John Raymond rather oyerdid the role
OF Reginald Hornby, but IL seemed to
please the people.
The story tells Of Norah Marsh. a
poor companion to Miss Wickham, who
has worked for years for almost moth
ing, always with the assurance that
she will have a fortune when her
mistress dies. Miss Wickham passes
away. however. without keeping her
promise. and poor little Norsh finds
that waiting FOL dead mems shoes D.
Improbable business.
Left penniless, she decides that
rather than spend the rest of her life
as a ladies' companion she will 20 10
her brother in Canada. Nora calls
this the land Of promise, but certain
it was that il proved not to be the
land of fulfilment. Her brother is
kind, but the life is rough, and Gertie
is anything but a congenial companion.
ANY one who enjoys good scrap
should 90 and see "The Land of Prom
ise," for they certainly heave plenty of
ginger in their family jars.
We knew right away that Nora
would marry Thomas Meighan, even II
he was covered with hayseed and axle
grease, because Meighan just has TO
marry the star in every picture. But
il did not look auspicious, for he was
a most uncouth individual,
There was a wonderful chance for
the author to be banal and have a new
will found and have Nora go back TO
England and have Taylor learn to
wear boiled shirts and city clothes
all of which did not happen.
Instead. Taylor proves himself a
beast by breaking down the locked door
of his wifc's room after six months IN
which he says plaintively she has not
even kissed him.
She cccmed TO like these atavistic
tendencies, however, for the next day
when her brother called TO take her
away she announced her decision 10
stay. and stay she did.
And Norah proved that you can make
a success of anything If you 80 about
il in a spirit of abnegation and use
plenty OF bright, lowered chintz-yes
even Of marriage.
Some truly remarkable pictures
taken b. Donald {. Thompson were
shown. The series is called blood
Stained Russia, German Intrigue and
Treason and Revolt This picture will
provc without q doubt that Russia was
So thoroughly undermined by German
intrigue that cavern was inevitable.
Rose Lind appeared in costume and
sang two Flemish folksongs, "Mei