New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-26
BY Virginia Tracy

During the latter days of the year
of our Lord 1918 something happened.
We saw something. We saw printed
likeness of Douglas Fairbanks, and it
wasn't smiling.
1t not only wasn't smiling, but it
was frowning. Not for the sake of
cutencss, either. but to look angry.
And our heart behaved like Hiawatha's,
"for the heart of Hiawatha throbbed
and shouted and exulted.' All because
we said to ourselves: Hes going to
play a real part again. For If he were
only going to jump he would jump
smiling"
Fast as the young movie makes an
ccnt history there must be other Rip
Van Wrinkles still alive who remember
Tho Lamb" produced three years ago
last fall, as Farbankss first picture
and smashing success These are
invited 20 consider with us of what this
success was composed
'Thc Lamb" starts out as comedy
OF character-the character of young
millionaire whose lady love is obliged
TO dismiss him as coward. Now,
tins lamb is no lion, because he has
never studied the lions part; he has
never in his life done anything but
lap cream. and facing danger is as
impracticable for him as raw meat. SO
the poor little lamb starts a regular
course in courage, and the scenario
goes sliding alorg very delicately
graduated incline from comedy to
farce, from farce to fantasy, so that
it may .hen turn from the fantastic
TO the heroic with no strain. We need
not say that when the heroic reenters
so does the heroine, who trembles to
find herself alone among Infatuated
savages with nobody for her defence
hut the lamb she left behind her.
There comes time when she knows
better; when he and she lie in a little
hollow of the plain with their last
shot gone and the savages creeping in
upon them in an frightening circle,
and she kisses his sleeve, pressing her
face close against his shoulder, so That
she may keep it there until she dies.
His face you can still see and if you
deny gu'p of sympathy then, just
lecarse melodrama and last shots and
savages are "old stuff" away with you
to Your little theatres. for you will
never know one picture from another.
in any case you will hardly be smitten
vita the lockiaw of establishment to
hear that all the while e regiment has
been riding to their rescue, but we
can't help hoping you feel at least all
amused indulgence for the heroine
when she is with some difficulty de-
&ached from her hero and driven to
fort little nervous about there
heing NOBODY but the army to protect
her. that you smile with the lamb
when, reviewing this result OF his busy
day in which he fought a war, he
says 70 himself, sherman was wrong"
Well, in "The Lamb" Fairbanks as
ennished us with some adorably divert
ing stunts; our glee roared out at
sight of them, and when they contin-
ued to grow more and more numerous
in each picture they continued also to
astonish and TO charm. They still
were used only as snap to the funs
eventual whp-up of smilingly thrill
ing romance, never interfering with
he hero's reactions to all the delights
and dilemmas which ung-Ameri-
csn-very-h human being is liable to on
tis way through the world No com
eGy amounts to much unless i has
wisdom, ana the friendly grin Of these
comedies most of them, as we re-
member by ANITA Loos-was very
wise; they and Fairbanks played to-
eether so perfectly tha., like the gen
7leman In the poem, I'VE laughed with
Joy as we looked at them" and to
know We were on our way to see them
was Ike knowing, last winter, that
there was sugar in the pantry and the
coal had come. Indeed, there Tell q
quiet moment, at q table on the bal
rony Of pictured country club, when
We thought: eyes, Fairbanks is So
knowing comedian that he can act
Yeriectiy without a scrap of action to
"''- @NfN from lHdi time 10 TINS
We have never seen him do-oh, speak
ing IN exceedingly round numbers! -
any acting at all. For that last quiet
moment occurred in "Manhattan Mad
ness Just before its tricks began;
tricks madly delectable not to Manhat-
Tan only but the whole continent-oh.
the Wild hit they made, All the world
wondered 50 since then Fairbanks
Has become prestidigitateur, pure and
simple, and MS tricks leave him no
time to act.
FOR while in Manhattan Madness"
'ney were essential to the ideas happy
nonsense now there has to be so many Of
them that there isn't room for any ;des.
~ first ornaments in the design. thew
became its centre; then thew ale nm