New-York tribune., 1919-04-15
On the Screen
Wallace Reid Shows Ability to
DO Comedy i'm Latest Auto
Thriller Film

"The Roaring Road is clever
little comedy, we'll directed and ex-
ceedingly we'll played. 1t is the feat
ure picture at the Strand this week.
and Wallace Reid is the star.
Has Reid always possessed this gift
Of portrayng humor, or has it been
suddenly acquired, or have we missed
it heretofore or has he a new di-
rector?
We always have regarded Wallace
Reid as rather good looking leading
man, who wore clothes such as one
never finds in real life on real people
But in the new picture we are bound
to admit he displays a facility which
is most interesting.
And Theodore Roberts, who never
has given an inartistic performance
in his life, is cast as the father of the
girl. This was another thing which
added to the enjoyment of the occa-
sion.
The stellar role is that of "Toodlcs"
Waldron, an automobile salesman, who
desires to be driver of racing cars.
So, when his boss's three cars are
smashed in a railroad wreck, Toodles
takes the remains and makes one per
fectly good racer out of them. He
enters the synthetic car, drives it
himself and wins the big mile race.
He also wins a promise from "thc
cub" to be his bride
Ann Little is the cub, SO called be-
cause her father is known as "the
bear
But. being a bear, he refuses to part
with his cub" and he kidnaps her and
starts on the train for San Francisco
"Ioodles jumps in motor car and
follows the tram, thereby hanging up a
new record for a stock car
That is all. But every one cooperatcs
in making it an entertaining film. and
Reid wears some real human clothes
and his hair so that it looks like hal
and not like a shiny skull cap.
Two artists from the Park Theatre
were heard yesterday at the Strand
They arc Herbert Waterous in "Thc
Armorer's Song from "Robin Hood
and Cora Tracy, who sang "An Irish
Love Song" and "My Little Sunfower'
Another "Analysis of the Motion Pict-
ure' was shown. 1t is called "Stunts
Of the series. 1t shows horses racing
and cowboys throwing the rope, all
slowed down to one-elghth the normal
speed
The comedy is Mack Sennett called
"The Foolish Age" and there are the
Strand "'Topics of the Day" and an Out
ing Chester called "Up in the Air Aftc,
Alllgators." The overture is from
Faust" with Carl Edouarde directing
Mae Murray is at the Broadway this
week in a picture which we regret tc
say is called "The Delicious Little
Devil" But the titular evidence is
only circumstantial and not sufficient
to condemn the film, which turns out
to be delicious little farce.
Miss Murray plays the title role with
a keen appreciation of all its posi-
bilities. She is Peggy O'Brien, who
applies for position as hostess al
the Peach Tree Inn and calls herself
Gloria dc Moincs, the paramour OF
the Duke de Sauterinc.
We are a little shaky on the names
because there were no programmes
and our mind cannot grasp so much
so quickly.
Peggy is asked by the manager To
show him what she can do. and when
she gets out on the floor she slips, and
to save herself from falling, does a
weird sort of spin, ending with flop
not unlike that used by cabaret dancers
as demonstration of appreciation OF
applause. AS such the manager accepts
1T. and when Peggy assures him that
9"N i'"9 ~ PhSl NIltli llSulCS ntT 1ul
urc he offers her 500 week to conc
to the Peach Tree Inn and bring he,
following of wine buyers with her
Peggy goes, and what follows is very
amusing, especially her meeting with
the Duke. The Juveniles name we dc
not remember, but in the film he is
Jimmie Calhoun, and Peggy preferred
him to the scion of the house de Sau-
tcrnc. SO did we.
One scene showed the reporters at.
tending Glorias performance in &
body, all with their notebooks, etc
1t reminded us of the night that Tom
Oliphant and s. j. Kaufman and we
all went up to sec Doraldina. The
picture was directed by Robert
Leonard.
There is also in the programme ar
old picture of Charlie Chaplin's. II
is Mack Scnnctt and Charities lead
ing lady is little Mabel Normand II
has been renamed "The Jazz Waiter
and seems quite up-to-datc otherwise