New-York tribune., 1919-01-21
On the Screen
The Way of a Man With a
Maid," at the Rialto This
Week, Good Picture


Bryant Washburn, who has not been
seen at the Rialto since the Skinner
series, is appearing at that theatre in
paramount picture called "The WAY
OF Man With Maid" 1t is pleas
ant little comedy, not unlike "Skinner's
Dress Suit" only we think it should
be called "The Way of Maid With a
Man" Wanda Hawley, that charming,
never kittenish, never cute ingenue, is
the girl.
Washburn is excellent in the leading
role. He is admirably suited to those
light, pathetic comedy parts, and we
cannot think Of any one who does that
sort Of thing any better.
Arthur McArney is an under book
keeper with $21 week. One night he
meets Elsa Owenson, and after that
his S21 is usually $2l minus at the end
OF the week. Elsa is frankly out for a
good time; SO, as giing her up is I'M
possible, he sets out to earn more
money. Instead of spending his even
lngs wooing Elsa he woos his boss via
the books and works cheerfully until
midnight. Thus he is raised to $50
But this is not enough, so ne buys
lot of new clothes, including a dress
suit, which must be paid for, and he
is finally made general manager at a
salary of $4,000 year, which we hap
pen to know is exactly $76.92 a week.
So Elsa married him
There is a man named Bick Olsen,
who is extremely we'll played by Fred
Goodwins. Clarence Gedart and Bes-
sic Eyton complete the cast.
The comedy is called ooh, What q
Knight" 1t is Sunshine brand.
There is q Post travel picture called
"Labrador," and the Rialto Magazine,
which now answers to the name of
The Window of the World"
Sascha Fidelman, violinist, played
"The Violin Maker of Cremona," and
Queen of Sheba."
The overture is Beethoven's Leonore
No. 3, with Hugo Riesenfeld and Nat
Finston conducting. The light opera
number is selections from "Robin
Hood"
1t grieves us to have to report that
"His Partisan Wife" at the Rivoli is
one of the worst pictures we ever saw.
Even the brilliant presence of Elsie
Ferguson could not leaven the mass,
and add to this that she had two
lovers impersonated by David Powell
and Courtney Foote, and you will read
lily understand that the handicap must
have been great indeed to swamp such
a triumvirate.
Yes, it was a Triangle picture, but
the angles were obtuse. They had no
points. The people stood and talked to
each other like this: "Your dear wife.
whom you so cruelty deserted, has
achieved success, while you have be-
come failure" Can you fancy Court
ney Foote saying this?
There was only one redeeming scene.
1t was when Miss Ferguson dons her
most fetching costume to receive her
husbands guests in their New England
home, to which she has been transport
ed after hasty courtship in Paris.
Then enters Courtney Foote and you
think he is going to be the villain,
but he is not allowed to be anything
so interesting as that. No. indeed! His
status is never quite determined
There are the misunderst TODD wife, the
stern parents, the bored husband who
takes to drink and finally, as we live,
the rcpentant drunkard who hurls the
bottle to the floor and cries "Down
with liquor." thus anticipating the new
bone dry law by six months. OF course.
we felt sorry for Fauvette being tied
to such husband, but we felt more
sorry for Miss Ferguson being weight
ed down with such play.
Adolph Bohn has created and staged
a Spanish episode called "The Monk
and the Woman" 1t is extremely artis-
tic and has beautiful Wengle setting.
There is color picture called "Everv-
where with Przma" and comedy
"Cupid's Day Off" The Rivoli pictorial
is now called "Vsual News of the
World" Vincente Balestcr sang
The overture is "Caprccio Espag-
MOLE" by Rimsky Korsakof. Erno
Rapee conducted. "Thc Chocolate Sol
dier" was played as a light opera num-
bcr.
We were rather disappointed in the
picture at the Strand until we remem-
bered that it was called "The Fighting
Roosevclts," so of course all we could
expect was the fighting episodes in the
life of Colonel Roosevelt But we
always felt we would like to know
something of the intimate life of the
Colonel, and We had hoped that the
picture would reveal something of him
that the newspapers and books failed
to show.
The scenes depicted showed Teddy
at the age Of five, then at fourteen, at
twenty-four, then as Police Commis-
sioner and later as all knew him. 1t
took five actors to make the pictures of
the Colonel, it is said
The story was authorized by Colonel
Roosevelt and was picturized by
Charles Hanson Townc and Porter
Emerson Browne. 1t was directed by
William Nigh.
The comedy is Pathe. with Harold
Lloyd, called Going, Going, Gone"
There is the Strand Topical Review
and another analysis of motion pict
ures, "Somersaut Diving"