Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-28

sIANLEY--"rhe Reason wh-" with Clara
ViFnoia frUr the pS@'q no%e ~ r,Tor RSEe ,y,
select play.
RMS is film about society as Elinor
GlNn, the author, is supposed to know it.
The "high-life" background affords
the players and director excellent op-
portunity for clever artistry. Director
Nignola has helped the story along by
mis- careful attention to detail The ar
tistic settings are especially tasteful and
attractive
Clara kimball Young gives we'll
conceived Interpretation Of the mother
who marries without telling her son OF
her former experience in marital life
Her performance is sincere and her
emotional scenes are handled with dis
creton. Miss Young wears many hand
some gowns designed by Lady Duff Cor
don 1.uCile) the sister of the author,
Jack W. Johnston is well cast as the first
husband. and Milton Sills, a capable
actor, makes the part of the second hus-
band an outstanding characterization
Florence X. Billings. Kate Lester. Frank
Losee. John Sunderland and Eldean
Stewart assist
The screen magazine shows the Rit-
tenhouse flower market. Germantown
May fete. parade Of women for the War
Chest and other interesting local events
This feature is also given at the Vic
toria
ARCADIA--" Prunela. with Margusrite
Clark Scenario BY Charles MaiEns from
Housmand Directed bv Maurice Tour.
neur Paramount pla%.
There is no hiatus between spring and
summer shows in the movies but there
are certain classes of films which come
TO the local screens with too much in
frequency Manager Boyd has selected
"Prunella" for this week and no wiser
choice could have been made than tc
play It in such artistic surroundings az
the Arcadia affords
"Prunella" is a triumph for the dreC'
tor. who also made The Blue Bird.
Another fact which makes for the sue
cess of this Aim is that the Marguerite
Clark was also in the spoken play wher
It was given in New York some years
ago. The story adapts itself well tc
the screen and because of its original
semi -pantomimic nature the action
has especial clarity. The charming
theme is a variant on the whimsical
Pierrot and Pierrette romance. Miss
Clark fits into the part of Prunella viii
the same winsome grace that made hei
initial appearance in the spoken part SC
pleasing Jules RauCourt Is the Pierrot
His performance is alternately gay anc
touching The spinster .aunts furnish
some gentle comedy They are repre-
sented by Isabel Berwin, Marcia Harris
and Nora Cecil william J. Gross, A
v Wood and Charles Hartley are tbs
gardeners while the gardeners boy |;
played by Arthur Kennedy.
The artistic settings are exceptionally
we'll conceived and the effects obtained
with careful lighting make the pro
duction a genus of film craft.
vICToRIA-,"The Life Mask" With Olga
sell Directed by Frank Hall Crane.
II is only the personality Of Olga
Petrova which saves this production
from being classed with the ordinary
movies of the day. She is able to keer
the interest going while she is in the
picture but even she Is unable to over
come some serious weaknesses The
photography is not up to the usua
standard found in the films made under
this actress general supervision, al
though the lighting In certain scenes is
well handled The star looks stunning In
her specially designed gowns and gives
an authoritative performance
The scenario concerns somnambulis
woman who is forced into a loveless
marriage She believes that she has
poisoned her husband until it is showr
that the crime was committed by a mac
because of the cruel treatment of tho
wife by the husband. The cast in
cludes Thomas Holding. Wynham stand
ing, f. J, Burnes. Matilda Brundage
Lucille La Verne. Christine Mayo, Edith
Hinckle and Gene Burnel
The Victoria Magazine shows the cur
rent events in this city and other places
REGENT-"Cyclore Higgins D. D." with
Bushman and Baync. Written and directed
by William Christy Cabanne Metro play
Francis y. Bushman Is here shown a!
an itinerant preacher, with large spec
tacles and a pigeon-toed walk. There |!
so much difference between this Charac
ter and those he has heretofore essayec
that his admirers will have to look sharI
to realize it is really Mr.. Bushman
Miss Bayne, however, Is still a dainty
girl who loves the handsome hero On,
of the best players in the cast is Charlie,
Fang, whose work is excellent as q
Chinese servant.
The story is farcical melodra ma
which contains many humorous situa
tions and enough heart interest to hole
the attention. It does not move yer,
smoothly. because it is told in an epi
sodic manner; but nevertheless it make!
an interesting film play. Much beauti
full scenery in the locale where the of
fering was filmed is disclosed. BABY
Ivy Ward, John Prescott, Helen Dun
bar. Eugene Borden are in the cast
which was capably directed by the au
thor.
Several popular films are paying re-
turn visits here this week. Miss.
with Mary Pickford. is the attraction
at the Stanley, Strand and Locust Thea
tres, while "Over the Top" with Ser
geant Arthur Guy Empey. is offering a
the Nixon. My Four Years in Germany
based on eX-Ambassador Gerard's diplo
matte experiences, began its third weel
at the Forrest Theatre last night
Hearts of the World the D. w. Grif
fith war photoplay continues to vii
favor at the Garrick.