Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-25
MADGE KENNEDY IN
BRIGHT FILM FARCE
4
"The Fair Pretender'' at the
Stanley Is Diverting ''Sum.
I mer Picture"
NAZIMOVA SCORES AGAIN

Madge Kennedy Scenario by Florence
G., ,Bolles. Directed by Charles Miller.
Goldwyn production.
The action of this story is kept at
such rapid pace throughout that when
the end Is reached it comes with such
suddenness that it leaves a desire
Tor more. Clean. wholesome fun pre-
walls and with the exception of few
loose places in motivation, no doubt due
to an attempt to keep the story within
prescribed number of reels. this Is
an ideal summer show. The offering Is
farcical, with just touch of the spy
melodrama, but as this is not to be
taken very seriously. 1t does not matter
Madge Kennedy has never appeared to
better advantage in films than in this
new part of fair pretender. she
Possesses personality which makes itself
felt in all her scenes Tom Moore, VINO
: has just been placed among the stars
of the Goldwyn studios has the role
Of an author. which he acts delightfully.
None of the supporting players have inn
portant parts, but are used to supply
the background for the story's unfolding.
An author in this picture writes a
play in which he claims that any one
: can get by in society on a bluff and a
GIRL finds 1t easy to carry out his ideas.
There are several notably artistic scenes
throughout the story and the direction is
good.
( ARCADIA-"The Brayest Way, with Ses-
sue Hayakawa. Scenario by Edith KEN
Z nedy. Directed bv George Melford Para
mount production.
without the presence of Sessue Haya-
kawa this latest Paramount piece would
not amount to much because the story
has obviously been put together without
much care. The situations are not new
nor is the continuity up to the standard.
The story concerns the marriage to
woman whose husband has been mur-
defed. with the suspicion falling upon
the new husband. The girl whom he
really loves accepts the offer of bene-
factor. who educates her only to de-
mand the usual melodramatic toll Hap
!. piness reigns however. in the final feet
of film 1t is to be hoped that future
Hayakawa productions will be worthier
of this actors ability. J
A novel feature of The Bravest Way"
is that several members of the cast are
native japanese players. Florence
Vidor an American, however. enacts the
Japanese heroine. The Japanese actors
did fair work. with the chief honors
going to Mr.. Hayakawa. His wife,
Tsuri Aoki. has the role of Sat Su. the
widow, and Josephine Crowell, remem-
bered for her work in Hearts of the
World plays the part of janitoress.
Mr. Hayakawa is soon to be seen In
4 productions of his own make
vtCToRIA-"Toys Of Fate" with ALA Nazi:
move. Scenario by June Mat Directed
by George d. Baker. Metro production.
The screen is certainly richer for
: having Ala Nazimoya appearing on 1t.
Her recent work has been deserving OF
! much praise. In her last production of
THE Rosebush of a Thousand Years
: she did excellent work, but in Toys of
Fate" her newest offering, she gives
{, as fine an exhibit of acting as has yet
been seen on the local silver sheets.
Nine. Nazimova appears as gypsy,
( who marres the man who stole her
mother. She portrays both the mother
and daughter with telling effect. Frank
! Currier is the father and gypsy chief
while to Dodson Mitchell Is entrusted
3 the role of the villain. Irving Cum
mings, Charles Bryant, Edward j. Con-
s nelly and Mia Mac have important sup
Y porting parts.
sa The story is rather improbable. but
\ the Nartistic settings and clever direction
Of George Baker give the picture dis
3 tinction The picturesque staging OF
the gypsy csmp is especially striking.
REGENT = "The Only Road" with Viola
ssenorg by George re- p Baker and
Metro production.
~ This is tribute to the skill of Viola
4 Dana, because without her the play
would nots be anything. She dominates
every scene in which she appears and
her personality is felt as soon as she
comes into the story. 1t took two
writers to supply the plot but they
could not design one of sufficient merit
to entitle this production to a rating
above that of regular program film"
The plot concerns the daughter of a
. wealthy woman working on a farm as a
servant and the final happy ending,
y when the woman learns of her riches,
I. but not before a boy from the East
marries the heroine. .
Miss Dana Is vinsome girl of the
outdoors and looks charming in her
!, character makeup. Casson Ferguson
makes a pleasing appearance, and Edith
Chapman, Marie Van Tassel, Paul Wei
gel and Fred Huntley have supporting
3 roles.
"Pershing's Crusaders" the informa-
tive and stimulating Government film.
a began its final week at the Forrest
Theatre last evening. The current bill
at the Palace includes Her Final Reck-
oning," with Pauline Frederick, as ma
X jor attraction. The same feature film
( IL being shown at the Strand and Lo-
Gust Theatres.
Bobby Heath's Song Review-Clobe