New-York tribune., 1920-02-17
On the Screen
Son With the Dance" at the
Rivoli Proves Feast
for the Eye
BY Ishbel M. Ross

On WIN tue lance, aC Vno NlVOll
Theater this week, is feast for the
eye, even IL it does not put much of
strain on the intelligence. 1t is the
kind of picture that is bound to be
popular, for it has heart interest, Is
we'll acted and has satin finish.
Ouida Bergere is to be congratulated on
her cleverly developed scenario and
some conspicuously good sub-titles.
George Fitzmaurice, who directed the
picture, saw to it that nothing was
lacking in the way Of setting. The To-
cation of some of tho scenes is a mag
niticent old residence in Florida, ia
nous throughout the country as show
of the restless lights of New York by
night.
But the honors go chiefly to Mae
Murray, who shows an intensity that
has not been apparent III her screen
work in the past. She is less Of the
ingenue and more of the emotional
actress in this picture. She is Sonia,
wild little Russian sprte, who comes
to America with her soul filled with a
passion for the dance. Throughout the
picture runs this undercurrent, which
supp les the motive for tho title and
which occasionally bubbles up III ire
prcssible waves that sweep Sonia along
in whirl of carefree grace.
When left an orphan she is suddenly
launched into New Yorks smart set,
but her soul refuses to be convention-
allied and she lavishes love in royal
fashion on Peter Derwynt (David
PowelD, who loves another woman.
There are glittering cabaret scenes in
which Sonia is seen dancing her nights
away in order to keep up with her eX
travagant expenditure. She conccals
her identity behind a mask until the
villain in the picture tears it from her
face and she is publicly revealed to
her husband and the crowds in the
cabaret as half-nule dancer.
The butterfly gets her iridescent
wings sadly scorchcd, breaks up two
homes, causes her husbands arrest for
murder and finally has him freed by
deliberately cheapening herself. The
ending is the most disappointing part
of the picture. Sonia finally is pre-
sumed to find happiness with man
who appears to be nothing more than
a phantom wrath up to the eleventh
hour.
He is a very good man, who seems to
have detached and philosophic view
of life, but it is a matter of speculation
whether he and Sonia could ever hit
the pace together. He is Schuyler Van
Vechtau (John Miltcrn), the kind of
corner in the heart of woman who has
already been prodigal with her affec-
tlOns.
David Powell is starred along with
Mae Murray, but he is such a moping,
ttisagreeable sort of husband as Peter
Derwynt that sympathy does not 60
out to him readily.
Alma Tell is a great success as Lady
Joanc, the English woman loved by
Derwynt, but married to Jimmie Suth-
crland (Robert Schablc), the villain.
She is q comparative newcomer in pic
lures, but she has an important role
IN "On With the Dance Others in
the cast arc Ida Waterman and Zola
Talma.
BETTY Anderson and Subwarth Fra
aier sing "Whcn You and | We're
Young, Maggie" with an old-fashioncd
setting. "ln the Clock Store" is a de-
scriptive fantasy played by the Rivoli
orchestra. There is a Sunshine Com
edy. "Her Naughty Wink" The over
ture is the Bacchanale" from San
son and Delilah" and the organ solo
is Lemmens's "Warche Pontihcale, .
played by Professor Firmin sSwi iunen.
The fever for robberies de luxe
spreads to the air in the Jewel pro
duction, "The Great Air Robbie ry,"
shown at Mosss Broadway Theater
this week
1t is picture of thrills, violent and
sustained. Thc thin thread Of romance
running through is merely made made
the foundation for aerial stunts. Air
planes are dashed to the earth and 90
up in smoke: There is an exhibition Of
stunt flying in all ats phases from the
loop to the tail spin. A really novel
feat is offered when Lieutenant Lock
lear jumps from one acroplane to an
other. He is seen balancing giddily on
the top Of his own aeroplane one mo-
ment; the next he leaps to the rope
ladder suspended from another plane
Twice he repeats this dive in mid
air.
Aside from the expert flying, the
story of "Thc Great Air Robbery" is
an interesting one. Francelia Billing
ton plays the part of Beryl Caruthers,