The sun., 1919-10-27
RIALTO PRODUCTION
is MIRTH GIVING
Animated Cartoon of DIR. Ries-
enfield Conducting Orches-
ira Is Best Feature.
GOOD ARMY LIFE SCENE
Geraldine Farrar Appears at
Strand and Norma Tai
madge at RivOli.

Director Hugo Riesenfeld has pro-
vided the Rialto this week with the best
comedy week" programme in Its career,
and audiences can laugh even IN the
face of the increased prices at this tne-
atre Best of the excellent BILL, though
the shortest feature. Is an animateo
cartoon Of DR.. Riesenfeld conducting the
orchestra and waving himself to glory;
This refreshing novelty Is very arts
tically drawn, but what tickled the au-
dience silly yesterday was that Con-
ductor Finston suddenly sat down ana
the orchestra without warning swung
into a waltz, obeying the waving figure
on the screen. While DR.. Riesenfeids
flicker face grimaced with earnest IN
tensity the musicians with deadly seri-
business followed his movements In per-
feet time, slowing up whenever ne oiu
and growing excited in sympathy Win
DIR. Riesenfeld's momentary spasms OIL
exaltation. At the end he took a cnar-
acteristic curtain call. persipiring all over
the screen, while the spectators croWeo
with delight.
The regular feature picture. Twenty
three and a Half Hours Leave" is also
far out Of the ordinary, being adapted
from Mary Roberts Rineharts story ana
revealing that a picture can De very
funny and remain sane. 1t starts with
the wager of a very boylsh sergeant
with his buddies that within week
he'll be eating mullins with the General
at breakfast, though Immediately AFTER
| ward his chances seem darkened when
| the sergeant's mascot--a very clever
| dog, by the way-causes the Generals
mount to run away. and to buck the
| General of plump on his dignity.
| Hits General with Tomato.
Later Ser0eant Gray further shakes
his standing with the General by mad
| vertently hitting him in the eye with q
| ripe tomato bit of comedy that Scent
ed to go big yesterday with an audience
| of young men who were within the dra1t
age. But the blithe young sergeant
makes the acquaintance of the Generals
daughter-unawar OF her relationship
ard keeps an engagement to so motoring
with her on his last leave before sailing
overseas, even though he is deprived of
all his uniform and there is a develop
| ment of the b. V. d. theme with which
screen romances are to-day so often en-
| riched.
| Outwardly clothed in only an overseas
| cap. wrapped puttees and slicker, ne
| rides in Peggy's automobile smack INTO
complications that are too hilarious 10
be given away gratis in print. In the
| end. after a battle with German spies.
| the Youthful soldier has breakfast with
the General, though he is CARRIED like
Charlie Chaplin in civilian clothes. The
picture is the most charming production
seen here in years, and presents a truth
full yet amusing picture OF cantonment
| life that no doughboy would be ashamed
| to recognize.
\ Douglas MacLean and Doris May, the
new costars whom Thomas II. lnce
placed in the chief roles. should be
mentioned In all dispatches, Miss May
for her very natural, unsophsticated
performance-with none of the usual
homemade kittenishness of the movies
and MacLean for his enforced comedy
sense, unspoiled by any realization that
he is 80 good looking he needn't act.
In addition to the Russian un Lud-
mila" overture by the orchestra and a
solo by Greek Evans, there is an enter
tanning adaptation OF an o. Henry story.
The Ghost OF a Chance" and Up in
Alrs Place." Mack Sennett imbroglio
that is settled by the customary bomb
explosion.
1t is a distinct letdown to view
| Geraldine Farrar at the Strand in
Flame OF the Desert" a title that gets
lost in the Sahara and never catches
UP with the story, slow though the tale
is in getting under way. Charles A.
Logue's fiction is a rather conventional
account of a titled Englishwoman who
goes with her brother to Egypt to get
him TO bury his bad habits in the sand
there. To save him from dishonor again
| the young cub is one of those per-
sistent cads about whom good women
always go crazy-she proceeds to the
| Af ha laad nf In
Egyptian rebellion, and has to stab the
dark skinned blackguard to preserve
the continuity. A friendly Arab Sheik
played by Lou Tellegen, comes to the
rescue at an opportune moment, shoots
most of the rebels one at a time and
later is made Sirdar. conveniently turn
ing out to be an English earl and thu:
paving the way for the heroine TO marry
him without an uproar from the spec
. tators.
1t is an elaborately staged spectacle
especially in its outdoor scenes. ant
whatever it's faults Miss Farrar ha!
opportunity for much posing in sump
tuous gowns, and moreover has the salts
; faction of having her own husband
make love to her. The rest of the pro
gramme, including the usual scenic anC
vocal numbers and a colorful dance anC
pantomime interpreting Randeggert
, Memories of a, AIinuet," provides
! superior ballast for the feature.
At the Rivor Norma Talmadge il
1.-THE Isle of Conquest" transcribed b,
John Emerson and Anita Loos from
; Arthur Hornblow's novel by Right o
Conquest" appears in another time worl
theme. that of girl whose marriage /
wrecked by her husband. only to hav
{ It righted by a shipwreck. The in
v evitable desert island romance take
place with another survivor of the catas
. trophe, who of course is a male-per
4 sons are forever being shipwrecked II
l the movies in pairs The husband re
S appears, but a heart stroke gets hin
s out of the way conveniently for III
= other hearts. THE Fireman" is revive
with Charley Chaplin squirting coined
promiscuously.
Douglas Fairbanks in His Majesty
Tho Americana the featnre of the laNis