New-York tribune., 1919-07-21
On the Screen
AatIyn Williams Leaves 's1he
Better Wife" Flat by Getting
Killed in an Early Scene

me Better Wife, at the Rivo!i, Is
Just like she sounds-a good woman
misunderstood; H but oh, how we wished
1ney would hurry and understand her.
: a- story was so simple it might have
0een told IN dozen sentences, and it
wandered on interninably, getting
more and more stupid, until one
wanted to rise Up and say, All right,
Jet Us have it-'and so they were
And before we forget it we wish to
say word III regard to the titles
Never have we believed in capital
pun1snment, but we are beginning to
enlhA that there is much 20 be said in
favor Of it. Here are some OF the
titles; Chairman, meet Lady Bev-
eriy"; Though I value your friend
s,hlp, you may not hope" and when
lne husband in name only returns from
ms honeymoon and his young wife
says, coyly: You have not kissed me
SINCE the night you proposed" he says:
Is It necessary ?"
Ihe picture has a novelty. It is the
man who marries for money and then
wraps his draperies about him and
locAs the door against his bride. OF
course 1t served her right, because
young wives have Just had their own
way with hated husbands in the
moves too long, and Sir Richard was
merely getting back at the whole sex.
Inc people stalked through the pict-
ure like automatons, and dear. beau
0llul hathlyn Williams, who can make
any character real, no matter how ab-
surd, was killed in the early part Of
the picture.
Lillian Walker, whose charming.
dimpled vivacity will assert itself in
'he most dlscouraging atmosphere, did
much to brighten the scenes in which
she appeared. Clara Kimball Young
was the better wife, and Nigel Barrie
Slr hlchard Beverly, who sells his fair
young self for gold.
Ben Alexander, the sweet child who
appeared in Hearts of the World" is
developing mannerisms. Te is BEGIN
nlng to act, which is such pity.
Irving Cummings is Comte de
Cheveral, whose friendship she valued
but who could not hope. The man we
snould have chosen was the one T.adv
Beverly was on her way to meet when
she turned her car over and killed her
SER. tie appeared only for a fash, but
we are sure that we ngreec perfectly
with Lady Beerly. Perhaps the pict-
ure would be better if all the people
VINO disappeared in the first reef we're
NePc IN the story and all of the others
aodlcated in their stead. Anyway.
it is worth trying. Lenore Gotfee
wrote the story and called it The Love
quest" William Earle directed the
picture. We almost forget to mention
some marvellously beautiful exterjor
also IN the early part of the picture
me Anplco reproducing piano is a
novelty to which we never shall he
come Injured. It is fascinating to see
a great grand piano stand there and
play the hrst movement Of Eubinstein,s
concer rto in D minor all by itself. Peo-
pie an around US couldn't believe it
and they stood up looked over the
piano and under it and behind it for
the invisible player.
Inc orchestra played the wonderful
DeHlah' as an overture The light
opera number is from that ever popu-
lar Dollar Princess"
There 5 Prizma picture Of Hawaii
the Rivoil Pictorial and a Mack Sem
nett comedy, Among Those Present -
Edouardo Albano sang "Torno a Sur
riento' in costume
"Louisiana,' with Vivian Martin in
the stellar role, is the feature picture
at the Rlalto 1t is trifing but pleas
ant ana half the pleasure is derived
from looking q Miss Martin. Loui-
eiana isn't the name of locality. Il
IS the name Of the heroine, who lives
up in the mountains with dear dad
who wears founced calico shirt and
has toil-worn hands and an obviously
false beard
He wants the little girl to have a
glimpse. of life before she settles down
IN the mountains with "Cass" So he
allows her to spend few weeks at the
hotel at the Springs.
She gets all dressed up with Lillian
Glsh effect in small hats and fat
heeled shoes Of the early General Grant
period, and then Olivia Ferol sees her
and lends her some clothes, and takes
her to the hotel and introduces her TO
her brother, who is q playwright, and
brother falls IN love with Louisiana,