The New York herald., 1921-11-21
Music Intensifes
Dramatic Strength
of Film La Tosca'
Screen Grand Opera With Miss
Frederick, Prima Donna,
Thrills Spectators.

features, comprising
Miss Pauline Frederick In "I.a Tosca,,
with synchronlzed musici William Des-
mond In "Fightin' Mad" Metro re-
lease. and 'The Battle OF Jutland," an
educational picture showing the sea
fight with models and maps.
This is the loudest bill of the silent
drama the Rialto has ever known. The
triple feature programme might be
called the triphammer programme.
There is shooting in every offering, and
the general explosiveness might be con-
sldered a counterbalance to the peace
full Washington conference. The real
star on the bill is the trap drummer.
he comes to the fore with the firing
squad in la Tosca." the initial num-
Der, in which Hugo Riesenfeld, manag-
ing director, has tried the interesting
experiment of determining whether
celluloid and cellos will mix. He has
taken an early Famous Players screen
version of the famous opera with Miss
Pauline Frederick as Toscd, boiled it
down from six reels to two and then
mated it with suitable selections from
movie eugenics.
1t gives to the patron an opportunity
to decide that recurrent question, Is 1t
the picture or the accompanying music
that sets one wild? To one observer yes
terday 1t seemed that it was the tense
photoplay primarily that interfered with
ones heart beats. But there Is room
for upholding the pull of the music, and
certainly this attempt at screen grand
opera would seem to be more successful
than the classic effort to blend gum
powder and jam.
DR.. Riesenfeld has made very fine
choice of the attendant score, though it
is not the kind that you leave the the
atre whistling." Moreover, he has in
tenslfied the dramatic effectiveness OF
the movie In his operation on it, convert
ing 1t into a potent argument for the
two reel feature with the agony over
quickly. Miss Frederick. by her power
full emotional acting as the prima donna,
torn between saving her lover and be-
traying her trust, makes the ordinary
film look like soapsuds. 1t is a dis
tinctive feature, whether you like music
with your movies or prefer them in the
raw.
William Desmond's production, well
come with its contrast to the first, is an
old-fashioned instance of the devil may
care Western, in which things keep hap
pening till the author or the director
runs out OF ideas. 1t probably holds the
worlds sprint record for love at first
sight. The cowboy, played by Mr.. Des-
mond, is at railroad crossing as train
bearing the heroine on the observation
car flashes by and her hat blows Oft,
and he decides in the wink OF an eye;
u, - hAr a
seen that he wants her. He scoops up
her hat. chases after the train. over
takes 1t on horseback and instead OF
handing the hat UP to her over the rear
rail points a gun at the porter who won't
let him In the side door and is mistaken
for holdup nar-but then lovers have
little sense anyway.
RI. Fl. Van Loans tale of the Mexican
rangers Is a cowboy version of The
Three Musketeers," slightly more impos-
sible. It is the sort of story In which
the Colonel in command Immediately
shows a private the demand for ransom
made by Mexican bandits who have
captured two lovely American women
and takes the private's advice as to
what should be done. You can tell what's
going to happen. but it's all grand good
fun. with some humorous touches, and
enjoyable il you like 10 see the Ameri-
can cavalry sweep to the rescue at the
very last possible moment. Mr.. Des-
mond has little characterization to 90
except lick loIlypop and perform some
hard riding, but manages these well.
Though he's called only Bud McGrdic,
Judging by the fights he gets in his
first name must be John ]. Miss Vir-
ginia Brown Faire plays in a silly way
the silliest role to be seen for miles
around.
THE Battle of Jutland." produced
under the supervision Of Major General
Sir George Aston, x. c. B., from official
records. shows in clear cut and en-
crossing way the whole progress of the
fight. though it glosses over the finish
and leaves unexplained the still moot
question OF why Jellicoe didn't smear
the Germans more. 1t is an interesting
coincidence that this evidence Of tfe
value of the British fleet should be
shown Just when some English quarters
are suggesting n relaxation Of the naval
armamen. proposals.
Altogether the bill this week is eX-
ceptional among the ordinary wash or
films.