The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-29
Douglas Fairbanks
a Spanish Hamlet
in His NeW Film
Give Beholders All They Elk
pect in Dual Role in Mark
of Zorro

Douglas Fairbanks plays a Spanish
Hamlet in THE Mark of Zorro" this
week at the Capitol. in picture where
in 4 corrupt Governor and his satellites
make a Spanish omelette OF Southern
California. In this tale Of century ago
Senior Douglas appears as lackadais-
zeal son Of one of the Spanish grandees
controlling the region, seemingly de-
voted only to anemia. who finds an insult
offered to his sweetheart by swash-
brckling captain only bore, to be
avenged by "rebuke."
But every one who knows his Fair
banks by heart-which is every one
suspects from the first that presently he
will break out with even more energy
than Hamlet did. So when mysterious
and high minded bandit named Zorro
flashes athwart the scene. sort of
masked "Cid Campeador," who slashes
his sword on all those depressing the
poor. all the spectators have the happi-
ness brought by this picture enhanced
by seeing the two characters turn out to
be one and the same. and by murmuring
II told you So"
Fairbanks has played two such dla-
metrically different roles before, and has
n noble good time accentuating deity
the contrast between the unambitious
youth and the whirlwind swordsman
Zorro, whom he plays up to the hilt.
There are all the attractive details of
the cloak and sword thriller here-much
hard riding by day and night, hurricane
sword play, popping in and out oil
secret doors. leaping over fences and
bounding lightly from roof to roof like
a gazelle.
Saves Beholders From Ennui.
Fairbanks not only saves his people
from tyranny. but protects the beholders
from ennui. While this story, adapted
from THE Curse of Capistrano," the
magazine story by. Johnston McCulley,
has less of humor than usual with this
star it has more romance, and Fred
Niblo. the director. seems to have shown
Fairbanks at last how to indulge in a
flowery wooing speech without spilling
the artistic beans with a grin
The "Espana" rhapsody OF Chabrier
a solo by Bertram Peacock, and novel
silhouette dance by Mile. Gambarelli.
Alexander Cumansky and Doris Niles
keep up the steam.
More up to date caveman methods are
exemplified at the Strand, where Con-
stance Talmadge, in Dangerous Bust
ness" plays her favorite role of
flighty society girl who has to be shaken
severely before taking by a man. To
avoid marriage she announces she is
already wed TO a characterless simple
ton, but when he returns from the war
a Captain and equipped with a new char
acter he shows he has adopted some of
"a 10 IN saftar ferla ~
Perhaps another young woman might
have wondered whether he had developed
such tactics from contact with French
women. But this girl decides to marry
In fact the man who nearly shakes her
teeth out The situation In which they
are placed in the same room In the belief
that they are really married has been
observed before with delighted squirm-
ings by audiences. But John Emerson
and Anita Loos, in adapting for First
National Madeline Sharp Buchanan's
story 1.-The Chessboard." manage to ex-
tract fresh spinal quivers from t. Miss
Talmadge looking prettier and more
robust than ever is unfailingly delight
full. and Kenneth Harlan plays the con-
quering hero so masterfully that Miss
Loos must have had qualms whether she
was doing the right thing by her sex
"HeltotrOpe' at the RivOIi.
In "Heliotrope," at the Rivoll. father
love, long pushed into the background
on the screen, gets a chance TO assert
itself and TO make some sacrifice be-
sides paying bills Cosmopolitan pro-
auctions. which filmed 'Humoresque. :"
the epic of mother love. laid on the
screen Richard Washburn Child's story
of the convent VS.. the convict to show
its impartiality.
father in Jail learns that his pretty
daughter, about to contract a fashion
able marriage while ignorant OF the
character of her parents. is liable TO be
blackmailed by her underworld mother.
so he obtains a pardon from one of
those Governors who are always 80 &C
commodat;ng to keep a celluloid nara
tive going.
The father. identified in the past with
heliotrope, plays upon the psychology OF
fear in the mother and scares her away
by thrusting sprigs of the flower into
her life again With some realistic act
ing by Fred Burton. Julia Swayne Cor
don, William ID. Mack and Diana Allen,
and with touching scenes at the finish,
"Heliotrope" will appeal TO all who like
fragrance on and off the screen.
Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle moves 20
the Rialto in THE Life of the Party"
buoyed up by musical and incidental
programme.