The Washington herald., 1920-12-26
Money and Realism Imperil
The Screen, Says Hamilton
Famous Author Believes Great Things in Store
For Films.

on this appeal to the eye as on Ora
matte logic.
TT must. be admitted, however.
that the literature for the screen az
present In sadly wanting. Stories
utilized for cinema production now
are usually OF about the Laura Jean
Libby standard Of literature-snd
necessarily the pictures are OF about
the same cslibre. ] foresee a great
Improvement along art lines also for.
pictures. The use OF mass and shsd-
ow on the screen will take the place
OF detail now so much utilized BY
directors. Fantasy and imagery
will be substituted for the realism,
that is now the goal OF every pro-
ducer.
You can educate the public TO
pictorial taste. and Il should also
be educated to better stories. The
great literature of the world is not
exhausted. You can get all of the
old Dumas plays for nothing. but
producers. both for the stage and
the screen. would much rather paw
$4,000 for a bedroom farce.
Despite all these charges which
bring against pictures as they are,
believe that great things are IN
store for the pictures that will be-"
"A Small Town Idol" Is Mack
Sennett's FIRST offering Of the new
year and will mark a distinct in
Eovstion In the creative energies
| OF the Comedy King.
There are three factors making
for the success OF "A Small Town
Idol" II is a melodrama carrying
the legitimate impulses Of a plot
OF authentic appeal; IL is a comedy
reminding the beholder OF Mack Sen
netts most hilarious efforts, but in
this case the hilarity is a part an,
parcel Of the plot and the humor
isn't dragged in as is SO often the
case in eKtravagant comedy and
rioting farce. To the elements OF
melodrsma and comedy is added ths
slluring quality of spectacle This
latter feature of "A Small Town
Idol promises a great sensation.
and IL is said that Mack Sennett
has exceeded any previous effort in
the lavishness and beauty OF the
spectacular elements Of "A Small
Town Idol" One thousand besutifuI
| girls participate in one scene and
/ are headed by the radiant Marie
! Provost who for a brief period sp-
! pears as an Oriental maid whose
fsvorite pet is a full sized, feroci-
Gus lioness.
Those gorgeous and artistic crca-
tions which characterize the COS
tunes OF all the fair ladies In the
fairy tales will have nothing on
the beautiful gowns in which Viola
Dana appears in ''Cinderclla's Twin.
the latest starring vehicle Of the
petite Metro fsvorite.
To carry out the spirit OF the fairy
story Miss Dana appears in some
I creations which will bring delight
to the feminine contingent Of her
audiences. Her costumes run the
full gamut from poor TO ultra rich.
As the little kitchen maid she wears
the regulation seedy type Of clothes
so well known TO the readers Of the
original fairy tale.
But when IL comes to the ball.
room scenes Miss Dana puts aside
every vestige OF her servant per-,
sonslity and dons a creation that
only a fairy godmother. with the
assistance OF Miss Dana herself.
could devise. The gown Is so
ethereal that one fears to touch il.
Made OF the sheerest OF fine silk net.
it is covered with spsnEles and opal
escent beads. over a foundation OF
white charmeuse. the net skirt -
made in bourfant style with more
beads than material. The bodice is
made Of a strip OF the solid beads.
without either sleeves or back, be
ing caught over either shoulder with
a band OF besds.
A nufy cape. made OF three wide
nounces Of the silkiest lace. and
topped with a wide ruff Of white ma
line. is worn over her gown. An
orchid colored ostrich fan and dainty
white satin slippers complete this
veritable fairy costume.
"Cinderella's Twin" which. to-
gether with Harold Lloyd in Mum
ber. Please" will be seen all this
week at Crandalrs Metropolitan
| Theater. was adapted for the screen
by Mr.. Reed and directed by Dallas
NJ. Fitzgerald. John Arnold was
csmeraman. A. Z. Mantz designed
the art interiors.