New-York tribune., 1920-11-09
On the Screen
"The Riddle: Woman" With
Geraldine Farrar, Makes
Film Debut at the Strand
By Harriette Underhill

"The Riddle Woman" has been made
over into screen vehicle for Geral-
dine Farrar and is being shown at the
Strand this week, but the answer is
hardly what one would call satisfac-
tory. The picture is decidedly messy,
and, viewed in retrospection. it seems
to hold the record for display of
large, fat legs clad IN white stockings;
but maybe that's all right in Copper
hagen-and what was it Hamlet said
about Denmark?
Whoever selected the cast seemed to
have only one thing in view-avoir-
dupois-and the characters bounded
about on the screen with all the grace
of baby elephants with housemaid's 8
knee We never have considered Miss
Farrar suitable for the screen. One
must possess more than voice and a
charming personality to photograph
we'll, and when we learn from the titles
that girl is beautiful and young and
much sought after we wish to have
some other evidence of it than the writ
ten word.
In the play one could find no real
reason why Lila was a riddle. In the
screen version they have attended to
that by having Lila find in her intro
spectve moments the answer to rid
dies, as, for instance, Lila decides
whom she will marry-another riddle
solved!
The picture bears no resemblance
whatsoever to the play as we remem-
ber it, and the thing which has re-
mained in our memory is picture Of
Bertha Kalich, slender, graceful and
beautiful, as the Riddle Woman We
also remember that there was villain
who ruined every woman in the play.
His stock phrase was, Only soul has
found yours at last. | have waited for
you all my life"
We consider it positively immoral
for any one to make the villain so
attractive and all the worthy people
But truth compels us to say that the
only bright spot in the picture is Will
lam p. Carleton, who plays Eric Hell
Singer. He is so wicked that finally
Adele Blood shoots him and then
kills herself. For shooting him we can
never forgive her. When she does
this he is just getting into his stride
and you are getting ready to settle
down and say, "Now bring on your
next victim"
Mr.. Carleton is more than adequate
in the villainous part. Louis Stern,
who plays a minor role Of Issac Meyer,
IS always we'll in the picture, too, and
he didn't look to us like such bad
match in spite Of his daughter, Marie,
a mink who hung around her lovers
neck and kicked her heels in the
air. Montague Love was the husband,
Larz Orlik. Frank Losee, an actor
who can always be depended upon to
give a good performance, was the
'ather But he died early in the
picture. Perhaps it was his wish.
ALWAYS Audacious,' which is the
feature picture at the Rivoli this week,
starts with request for Indulgence
by saying that Nature seldom dupli-
Gates her handiwork, but that some
times she does, and offers samples of
trees and rocks which have been cast
IN the same mold by Mother Nature.
Ihen, when you get used to the idea,
Ferry, Danton, millionaire, and Slim
Attucks, crook, are offered for your
approval. OF course, if you can be-
ieve that two persons can look so
exactly alike that it is possible for
one to take the others place and fool
everybody but the dog, you will enjoy
ALWAYS Ambiguous" You'll probably
enjoy it anyhow. though it really
should have been labeled "Just Sup
pose. AS for us, we enjoyed the pic
ture immensely, even though we know
that the only two people who ever
looked exactly alike are the Fairbanks
twins.
The title comes from "Toujours de
L'Audace," which was the motto Perry
Danton had engraved on his ring lust
under the lion rampant. The original
story was by Ben Ames Williams and
the scenario was made by Tom Ger
agility. James Cruze directed it, and
he has made a charming and humorous
picture.
OF course. as soon as the crook finds
out that he looks so much like the
millionaire that the tancee invites him
to luncheon he resolves to spirit his
double away and take his place. He
does this, and fools every one but
the dog; and, of course, after it's ali
over the fancee comes forward and
says that She, too, knew him all the
time, but we don't believe her.
The fadeaway is decidedly novel and
we had come to believe that such a
thing didn't exist The star is at
tractive in spite of the fact that he
overacts in some of the scenes which
bring the two men together. In one
of these scenes he smashes himself on
the nose and fells himself. 1t is most
int