Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-11
MOVIES OF MERIT
ON LOCAL SCREENS
Women Predominate as the Stars
in Excellent Stories OH
Interesting Themes

stories are produced by Cecil IL. DeMllIe
there is but one result-artstic success.
That in word is the summary OF the play
at tho Stanley. Just what future audiences
will think of its problem concerning marital
life is difficult TO judge, but It's hrst presen-
tation was greeted with praise by an audience
composed mostly of women. 1t is compan-
ion play TO "Old Wives for New" and while
not entirely a sequel to that story, there Is
bond of sympathy between the productions,
which were both made by Mr.. DeMille
Divorce. always much discussed, will take
on new aspect among the people who nave
seen this picture, because II shows now Il
husband, who has been divorced, returns TO
his first wife after she has been mistreated
by husband number two. Miss MacPher-
sons last leader" tells the audience that
husbands are "pesky critters, anyway. and
some are not worth beng put into print
Gloria Swanson was Mack Sennett key
stone comedy girl until some one discovered
that she had acting ability as we'll as good
physique. and Cecil b. DeMille has given
the screen fans a new star whose work is ex-
cellent. She is the wife in the story. Her
husband, number one and the truo lover
Is Elliott Dexter while Lew Cody finely
impersonates the disspated husband. Others
in the cast are Julia Faye, James Nein and
Theodore Roberts
BsT Of New s YsT" stsssT fsssqns
Marion Davies has not had screen vehicle
in which she appeared to such advantage as
she does in Edna Mays part in THE Belle
of New York" Beautiful and with sense
OF the artistic in posing, she was the center
Of attention throughout the story IL given
proper stories and good directors. this new
conner to the movie world will win a host OF
admirers.
Rack on September 2S. 1897, George
L<derer produced the story in its musical
comedy form at the Casino Theatre. and
al, sVprn Htl to al
cess just as the film version will be through
out this city. julius Steger wrote the
scenario. His experience on the stage gave
him adequate capacity to direct this story
Of a stage-girl's life. The daughter of man
who has been cheated out of his rights to an
invention goes on the stage and gains the
name of "The Belle of New York" The son
of the man who stole the invention meets
the girl and they become known to each other
only by their first names Of Jack and jill
At a party the girl discovers the identity
of the man who has helped her, and she
leaves the STAGE to take up work in the Sal
walton Army She rescues the son from an
attack and restores the happiness of the
father, son and the home In the cast are
Raymond Bloomer the son, l.. Rogers
Lytton as the father and Etienne Girardot,
Christian Rub and many cabaret girls. as
well as other supporting players.
ARcAD1A--''His Pnrisian WIFE" with Elsie Fer;
guspn. ~ iH'o S'i"S' o''S N''SNNNN
by Emile Chautard.
The Arcadia Theatre is an IDEAL place to
house such an artistic play az this one. for
its title has no bearing upon the quality OF
the story as some may think by its refer
ence to the gay French metropolis. There
is a wealth of beauty unfolded with each
scene and this is easily accounted for when
it is known that Emile Chautard Is an ar
tistic director of the French school.
Elsie Ferguson represents all that Is good
In her ability n DOrtrly wives of rich
In this story she Is called upon to ;mper-
senate a reporter who marries into one of
the families of Boston's Back Bay set. They
are very narrow-minded people II is their
wish that the newcomer into the family be
made unwelcome, and for n few reels thus
is the motivation. until in the end the hus-
band asks forgiveness. and then comes the
happy ending.
David Powell appears as the husband.
while Courtney Foote is the friend of the
family whose efforts reunite husband and
wife. Others In the cast are Frank Losee.
Cora Williams, Captain Charles and Louis
Crizel.
vICToRTA-"Luck and Pluck" by George Scar
borough and featuring George Walsh.
Horatio Alger might have been the author
OF a story like this because 1t is essentially
the kind OF title he would have chosen, but
instead its writer was the former playwright.
George Scarborough Spies of the German
variety are in evidence, and they will con-
tinuc to be until the movie companies get
rid of the products made before the signing
of the armstice. This is no reflection upon
this story, though for 1t is Of the order which
gives George Walsh chance to do his regu-
lation feats before the camera.
Always ready to extricate his heroine
from place which seems to bring her nearer
her foes. George Walsh appears as the
croos-hero. He is told to get some letters
which turn out to be war plans. but he re-
turns them, and everything ends In good
style Virginia Lee. Joe Smiley, George
Fisher, Corinne Uzzella and George Halpin
are in the cast Edward Dillon directed the
story from the scenario by Adrian johnson.
Iison star. Directed by Webster Cuilison.
There is delightful comedy vein running
throughout this bright movie. and It's effect
is productive of hearty laughter This is
the kind of picture which the movie fans like
to see. While it shows the tanning of a
snob, II is not unlike many similar cases
which have been brought about by men and
women in their efforts to do patriotic war
work service. Lieutenant Luther A. Reed
wrote the story which may have had it's foun-
dalton in fact instead of fancy
Briefly the motivation concerns the arrest
of a moneyed girl for speeding and her IN
carceration for thirty days in county jail
The laws permit the employers to hire pris-
oners by the day and the hero selects the
girl to work for him. The fun begins when
he compels her to wash dishes, cook and do
other work about the house. She returns 10
the Jail each night and the mother tries to
have her abducted by count That her
scheme fails is shown by the happy embrace
at the films ending. May Allison is a breezy
comedienne and the wrter-hero Is delight
fully played by Robert Ellis. Bull Montana,
Mayme Kelso. Rex Clergyman and Jay Dwig-
gins have important roles,
srRANp-"Old Wives for New" by David
Graham Phillips Directed by Cecil b. De
Mile.
This movie was produced before the one
at the Stanley and shows the man as the
slovenly character, while this story depicts
the woman as careless. Jeanie Macpherson
also prepared this scenario and DeMille
was the director Life as it is lived in some
homes is shown throughout the play, and
the many incidents which establish the story
as a true one are rather daring in their eff
forts to be realistic
This story when it appeared in book form
was one OF the most discussed novels OF the
day There is n wide appeal for women in
this play 1t is the sort of story they will
like for it's realism. Virtually the same cast
appears In 1t as is present in the Aim at the
Stanley with the exception of Florence