New-York tribune., 1920-03-16
On the Screen
Charles Ray in New Comedy
Heads Bill at Rivoli; ''Huck
Finn at the Rialto
BY Edwin II. Blanchard


very good bill at the Rivoli this
week has as its feature Charles Ray in
alarm Clock Andy" In this picture
Ray returns to the protrayal Of the
type Of young man by which this star
first won popularity-the awkward,
bashful, small town boy of latent pos
sibilities.
The story of alarm Clock Andy"
presents Ray as difident salesman Of
auto trucks, with perpetual apologies
to offer to life in general and to all his
associates. 1t requires the influence Of
Dorothy Wells (Millicent Fisher) to
bring out the true audacity Of Andrew
Gray. Under the speA of the young
woman's charms Gray comes out Of
his bashfulness, bit by bit, until he
finally makes bold to impersonate the
sales manager Of his company, one
William Blinker by name, and nearly
gets huge order for motor trucks
from Mr.. Dodge, president Of q fruit
company.
But all this show Of business skill
has been brought forward with a single
view Of capturing the affection Of
Dorothy Wells, and when the real
Blinker appears; irate and stormy, and
starts to expose the masquerade, the
whole house of cards sways for a mo-
ment. In that critical moment Gray
remembers his new motto, "He who
hcsitates is lost" and proceeds from
, minor boldncss to the audacity of in
spired genius BY the aid of a bath
robe and some trunk straps he ef-
fectively muffles Binker and proceeds
to TIE conquest of the girl Even when
Binker breaks loose, Gray does not
nounces the roaring sales manager as
mild lunatic with an obsession of i'm
personation.
Once Gray has won Dorothy, he re-
grets his two weeks masquerade and
goes back to his job in confusion with
apparent overwhelming defeat in sight.
Fortunately Dodge has mistaken the
motive behind Grays hesitation over
the motor truck sale, and accepts the
offer made at first. All meet in the
office of the motor truck company, of
president, and from the revelation of
all Gray retires with job as sales
manager and Dorothy.
in the picture. The work Of Charles
Ray is outstanding, if only from the
slight inadequacy of the rest of the
cast
The comedy feature on the bill
Harold Lloyd in Haunted Spooks, u
Sas was reviewed rev in this column yester,
day and needs no further comment
than that it is an exceptionally good
comedy. Musical numbers, one OF
which reflects the color of st. Pat
rick's Day, and topical numbers com
plete the bill.
At the Rialto this week the feature
picture, "Huckleberry Finn" was seen
at the Rivoli three weeks ago and was
reviewed favorably in this column at
the time On the occasion of this sec
ond Broadway showing, caused by the
demand from those who were not able
to see it on its first showing, no more
can be said that was said three weeks
ago-thls picture is an unusually good
screen version of a justly famous book
The mosphere Of the printed page
has been largely transferred to the
screen. Lewis Sargent makes a very
good Huck Finn and the balance
of the cast is we'll selected.
The wide popularity of the book is
ture regardless of merit, but the merit
of the picture is quite enough to insure
against disappointment.
The comedy at the Rialto this week
is -Four Times Foiled," Chester pro-
duction, which also was seen at the
Rivoli three weeks ago. Additional
features of the bill include Mascagni's
Hymn to the Sun" from the prologue
to Iris" Saint-Saen's "Rhapsody on
Breton Molodies," played as an organ
solo by John Priest, and topical fea-
lures.