The Washington times., 1920-09-16

THE CAST,
Robert Mayo. Son Of James h.yo
Andrew Mayo. Son of James Mayo
Charlie. white
Capt. Diek scott, Mr.. n.yos broth
0' 'n' 'A william W. crim.ss
Mrs Kate Mayo. wife Of James
Jane. nay asyo. farmer Erviiis Aiasrsss
Louise Closser Hale
Bsn. a farm hand ...,..,.. George H.dden
DIR. Fsweett t........".,,,,.Ge George hiddell
Raw, naked life is the Offering of
"Beyond the Horizon" life Of the en-
bittered Kind. life Of the imprisoned
soul. Richard Benefits Robert Mayo
takes its place with the great stage
portrayals Of all time and the intelli-
gent cannot well AFFORD to overlook
1t. 1t is unfortunate that the man
sgement did not see Mt to open Mr..
Benefits Washington engagement
with this remarkable exhibition OF
human frailty.
clined to be a dreaming idler, spin
ming cobwebby pictures OF the far
places over beyond the horizon" Is
about to go to sea with his uncle.
Capt. Dick Scott. when Ruth Atkins
begs him to stay because she loves
him. So Andrew goes, taking with
him his fathers curse.
Within a month OF her wedding,
Ruth awakens to the fact that it was
! Andy she loved. not Rob. and that she
10 upon life's treadmill. a poor, beat
en- victim of inexorable fate. The
sheer inexorableness Of the play car
ries one along with it. Never is there
false note, never a hurrying to achieve
a momentary effect. The pendulum,
having swung over. must swing back.
1t does, dragging with 1t those mis-
mated souls. Ruth and Rob.
Three years pass and Andy comes
back. Offering Ruth her first glimpse
OF escape, but even that is denied
her. Andy had recovered from his
own infatuation within six months OF
his going to sea. Futile was her de-
nunciation Of her weakling husband.
misguided was her hurting into his
teeth, Il don't love you. l loved Andy
all the time" For Andy, in bolster
Gus fashion, roars with laughter at
tho suggestion Of his loving Ruth.
So Ave years drag on. The elder
Nayos have died. Little Mary, the
one ray of sunlight in the otherwise
absolutely drab existence on that
farm buried in the hills. has gone.
Rob, failure as a farmer, has the
,Vitals. For eight years those two.
Ruth and Rob, have lived under the
same roof with never a bit Of love or
affection.
"Ruthie." says the delirious Rob,
sthat's the first kiss I've given you in
3ive years,-most."
And again Andy is coming back to
the farm this time a successful man
OF business albeit temporarily weak
ened financially through speculations.
lie is bringing with him a specialist
to diagnose Rob's case. If any more
truthful presentation of utter hope
]essness is possible than that third
act, it remains to be seen.
Ruth, clad in black, sits before the
dying fire. 1t is late fall. Daylight
is approaching. Mrs. Atkins sleeps in
her wheelchair, crying out in her
restless dreams now and then. Rob
comes in. forcing himself to his feet
in the rage of his fever. Truly
pathetic is his planning of bright
future for Ruthie and himself.
ITdS1C is MS DTedkdO"H. llfS p'oI
frame wracked with that dreadful
cough.
And Andy does come. The specialist
spells no hope for the q ick man and
departs to let Andy drag from the
monotonous Ruth the whole drab
story of eight years of hell on earth,
imprisoned on a farm buried beneath
the hills. Rob would have Andy
marry Ruth to care for her, but that
IS now impossible.
Tho ending of the action is grip
ping in it's intensity of passion. Andy
forces Ruth to go to Rob and say
she lied in denying her affection for
him all those awful years. A
scream, Hes gone" and then that
strong mans profane ejaculation. -
YOU, you didn't tell him ~ With the
curtain Ruth is saying, Il couldn't, he
looked so happy
1t is doubtful If Il more truthful
dramatic exposition has been seen in
years than that of Beyond the
Horizon" 1t is more than doubtful
If another than Richard Bennett
could 80 imbue Rob Mayo with life
ss to carry through the story told by
the author.
Mr.. Bennett is delightful as the
dreaming young farmer. Playing with
his little Mary, or sneaking his book
from his overails to snatch a mo-
ments bliss, or replying to his shreY-
ish wife, he is naturally restrained.
And at the end he reaches the climax
of skillful power in his presentation
of q man dying on his feet, most care
ful in his language toward his color
less wife, most affectionate toward
his beloved brother, denying ap-
preaching death, promising himself a
life of greater JOY than ever stark
reality had brought him in the past.
And the supporting cast is perfect.
Adrienne Morrison's Ruth can be
found by the thousand in certain
sections OF this land. A termagant
she Is seen at last thing utterly
without hope in this life, lacking even
the spirit OF tart reply. Not a little
OF Mr.. Benefits success is the result
OF Miss Morrison's performance as
Ruth.
Louise CLOSER Hale, as the invalid
Mrs. Atkins, is another crayon por-
trait from real life. Chained to wheel
chair. she mixes purely mundane
thoughts with heavenly benedictions.
Cross. scolding, fidgety, she belongs
In the picture SO perfectly does she