New-York tribune., 1919-12-15
On the Screen
''Everywoman," at the Rivoli, a
Gorgeous Spectacle, but
Lacks Sentimensality


The screening Of "Everywoman" may
safely fbe reckoned among the more
elaborate achievements in moving pic
lures. 1t was presented at the Rivoli
Theater yesterday with fine orchestra
ton and an effective setting There is
sumptuousness about the whole pro-
duction that is cloying in spots, and
there is much moralzing, which was
to be expected, as the screen version
adheres closely to Walter Browne 8
story. But the fact remains that the
moral of "Everywoman," however one
feels about it, is more ccnvincingly
forced home in the Lasky production
than it is on the stage.
Inc picture is cast in a large mold,
Every woman who sees it will revel in
the lovely gowns and the luxurious
pictorial effects. 1t is gilded to a
ault The story sometimes is lost be-
cause OF the emphasis on setting. The
riotous banquet scene where Every
woman is at the crest of her folly is
one of the most pretcntious things OF
the kind that has been attempted in pic
lures.
Other scenes that stand out are the
casting aside of "Modesty," the snow
swept street on New Years Eve and
the final reunion of Everywoman and
Truth.
All the laurels do not go to Violet
Heming, who plays the part Of Every
woman, although she does fine work
She has large supporting cast OF
stars, and the picture is the kind that
affords number of people an op-
portunity to be more than mere pup.
pets.
At first when Youth, Beauty anc
Modesty still remain with her, hel
performance is altogether too honeyed
But as her search for Love through
avenues of Wealth, Passion and Gam
maidens leave her, she gains in dra
matte force until in the final scene
she does distinctive and vigorous work
Monte Blue is Love, but he fails tt
give the right impression of nobility
In fact, he appears to be nothing more
than goodlooking, rather furtivt
young physician who clings to hi:
mothers apron strings. She happen!
to be Truth The part is taken BY
Edyth Chapman.
Theodore Roberts, chewing his cigal
as usual, is Wealth, and he makes
rather too entertaining villain. Irving
Cummings takes the role of Passion
and makes q good job Of it, Clar;
Horton. Wanda Hawley and Margare
Loomis are charming as Youth, Beauty
and Modesty, and Mildred Reardol
makes Conscience more attractive thar
dashing as Vice. James Neill make {
! colorless Nobody.
The picture is more of spectacle
than anything else. There is not
hint of laughter anywhere; nor i
there the kind of sentimental sad
ness that makes susceptible theater
goers weep. But it is tryingly insist
ent on the futility Of everything in lif
but Love allied to Truth.
Frank Crane has written a new pro
logue for the play. Henry Mortime
recites it impressively, ending u
with:
80 Woman Soul, look! In this pic
ture you will see yourself.
"And we'll for you if you shall ais
see that underneath the wonderfu
stars, and in all this wonderful earth
there is nothing so wonderful as Love
when Loves other name is Truth"
Will M. Richey prepared tho scerari
and George Melford directed tic pro
duction of "Everywoman."
Frederick Stahlberg and Joseph Lit
tau conduct the orchestra in tha pre-
iogue to Girls" Professor Firmi
Swimmer plays the "Chant Seraphique
on the organ.
1t probably would have been wort
the price of long railroad trip, eve
in these days of high prices, to hav
watched the efforts of the director 0
"Toby's Bow" to keep from adding
few real reel punches" when Tor
Moore was being filmed in the scree
play, which is at the Strand thi
week. That the director kept himsel
in leash fairly we'll and only permitte
one little rough-and- tumble fight t
mar the serenity of the comedy speak
much for his will power. But tn
mental battle, he went through
plainly in evidence all through tn
film.
"Toby's Bow" as a spoken play, de
pended more on it's clever lines tha
situations to attract, and it is the lac
of these situations that proves tn
greatest drawback in the screen We,
sion. True. there is chance for "at
mosphere" in the Greenwich Villag
SCENES anu CllduCcS lOl CNCSllcl
photography in the exteriors of an OF
Virginia estate, but it ends there. TIL
story is simple and gives neither sta
nor cast a chance to do anything bt
yond the conventional in the conver
tional way.
The story in brief is that of sue
cessful author who becomes mental
jaded by too close application to til
life in "The Village" He goes sout
to recuperate and falls in love with
Southern girl who is striving to recou
the family fortunes by her pen, {
rather her typewriter. Together the
write book which promises to becom
one of the "best seller" variety. Whe
the girl learns her co-author is alread
well-known writer and the success
of the book is due to his work, rathe
than her own efforts, Southern prid
comes to the fore and threatens t