Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-11
FOUR STAGE PLAYS
AS FILM OFFERINGS
Norma Talmadge Successfully
Starred as "De Luxe
Annie" at Stanley
GEORGE M. CONAN HIT

Taimadse. Scenario by Paul west from
the play BY Edward Clark. Directed by
Roland West. Select play.
This Is the screen version Of the play
of the same name, which created some
talk early in the theatrical season in
New York. although It did not reach
here in its spoken version. The story
also appeared in the Saturday Evening
Post, and proved interesting because of
Its novelty. While of the crook type.
1t Is differently handled from the aver
age run of plays of this sort and holds
the interest through a new psychological
twist.
\ Norma Talmadge is appearing in the
best role of her screen career. Her work
in this characterization is notably ef-
fective and sincere. The star has been
rapidly ascending to the top. and her
works warrants her present promotion.
Eugene O'Brien is capital in a crook
type very unlike his handsome heroes.
Frank Stanton, Frank Mills, Edward
Davis, David Burns, Joseph Burke,
Edna Hunter and Harriet Jenkins COM
plete the cast.
The plot concerns the actions Of a
loving wife, who is a victim Of aphasia.
She aids a crook in the operation of a
"de luxe variation of the old badger
game, OF course, her memory is restored
and happiness comes to the husband
ana wife. The photography by Edward
Wynard and Albert Moses is well ex-
ecuted.
Scenes at the Devon Horse Show n
ri kA> rf-u..-- cl--. 80
cial attractions of the Animated Maya
zine" which always forms a pleasing
part Of the stanley's programs,
eALAGE-"The Yellow Ticket" with Fan
the the M Ulsy by s Miesael s Mor tom cq pIrsaie fFG sS
William Parke. Pathe play.
The Yellow Ticket" given on the
4 stage of the Garrick some seasons ago
Y with Florence Reed. is now in the
movies. The celluloid seems assured of
further success, since it depicts the
events not possible to show in a stage
version. ,
Y The action of the story is rapid,
but it's demands on Fannie Wards
ability as a character actress are not
too exacting. Her work as a whole is
excellent. The stars present use of a
Il black, wig Is "a decided novelty in her
screen portraits. The emotional work
IL Of Anna Lehr is one of the outstanding
II bits of the piece. Milton Stills, Helene
n Chadwick and Warner GLAND give eff
fective portrayals.
The Yellow Ticket is the means of
d Identification with which the former
Russian Government was o to give
its demi monde. Director Parke has
carried out the story in full and Percy
SHilburn's photography is another factor
in the artistic success of the thrilling
offering.
neutrality-suspicious. Holiday, witt
George NJ. Cohen, Directed by Marshal
Neilan. Aircraft play.
Guy. Bolton. prolific Of books for init.
mate musical comedies, and George Mid.
dleton are responsible for the idea un.
folded in this play. but it took George
NJ. Cohan to whip it into shape for the
spoken stage. Another equal team
composed Of job Emerson and Anita
Loos, made the adaptation for The screen
and the work is Of the pairs high stand
ard. In the direction. Marshall Neilar
has kept all the important points Of the
play and brought out many incidenta
bits of business which are only possible
with a o camera.
The combination Of having a goot
story and an actor who can give to thu
part Of the energetic reformed bartender
M 81 NhS d ettoS % S4eiiS" 10 G
quite sufficient guarantee that audience!
will like this piece. This is the best film
production in which the American come
dian has yet appeared, and he seem!
greatly to enjoy the part, which wal
done on the spoken stage by Fred Niblt
at the Garrick a few years ago. Mar
guerite Clayton, who has the role O
the small-town i~nnkeeper's daughter
gives a good performance, as does Rus
sell Bsssett as the father. Rober
Broderick is the brewer, Pat O'Malley
formerly Of the Edison company, is hi
son, and William Walcott has the role o
the minister. Richard Bathelmess Il
the hotel proprietor's son. The Billy
Sunday campaign is said to have beef
the original inspiration for this livel.
and entertaining piece.
vIcToRIA-"The Blindness Of Divorce.
Written and directed by Frank Lloyd
Fox play and players.
Propaganda films are often effective |
we'll made, as this mi is. The pic
ture considers the divorce problem
p~reachment rather than an entertain
ment, but the thought of the author upol
this subject is clearly brought out in hi
well-written titles.
The story. said to have been take
from an actual case. discloses the rat
upon a gambling establishment con
AZ Quoted by a mother and daughter, tn
III former a divorce and the latter apply
e1Aing for separation. The problem !
solved with the reunion of the mothe
and father and daughter and husband
But before this takes place there is
long pictorial discussion about divorce
The time covered in the story is abou
fifteen years.
The director, made a fair ~productio
and the cast of players was picked fror
the Fox company, but their work wa
somewhat overbalanced by the attemr
to tell the story with heavy titles.
REoENT-"Pay pa with Mr.. and Mr.,
Sidney Drew. From the play by l.. \
Meaney and Della Bailey. Directed b
Maxwell Karser. Metro play.
Yere are the Drews in a ive-reel pre-
auction, a film novelty. since heretofor
they rave only appeared in two-par
stories. Moreover. the basic material q
this Aim has a curious history. When pre-
duced upon the spoken stage three year
aro PAY Day was described as
stage movie. The chief mission {
"Pay Day. said one play reviewer. 81
to have fun with the Aims. If you are
aim ~frequenter who vibrates in diret
proportion to the sufferings of tn
harassed heroine. then you will have
fattling good time at Pay Day. If 20
are of those who regard the camera q
merely another manifestation of the Ev
Eye, then you will be overjoyed at Pa
Day But IL you are a passive indivit
whose feelings toward the MINIS al