The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-06

Clare Hummer has scored q delight.
full triumph in 1.-The Mountain Man."
which, for sheer cleverness Of presen.
tation by an unusually capable cast.
has not been eQualled this season In
Washington on the boards. 1t is well
conceived. finely wrought and well
executed.
Those who attended the diminutive
classic among Washington'e theaters.
which has lately assumed an air of
distinguished quality. were of the
opinion that the play. the actors and
the setting were Incompatible.
The captious critic finds nothing in
Miss RUNNERS effort to fail or
deride- other than to make faces at
himself in the mirror. Certain 1t il,
that THE Mountain Man." despite
rOne of its newness, will find a warm
welcome this week, IL those who in.
cline to love stories. seek 1t out.
THE Mountain Man." to begin with,
ID perfectly natural. There is less
sraginess about the piece than one
would expect. The procedure, with
little to leave to the Imagination, Is
s!ngularly done, IL pleasing, straight
forward, and holds the interest.
The man and the women concerned.
satisfy. Which, in a large measure
without the trickery Of words, is what
Is most desired in play-go. &.
There is a sureness in the depletion
of all characters which marks we'll
rounded cast. The thing moves evenly,
and logically. despite what
appears to be a first act climax.
Aaron Winterfield, THE Mountain
Man, lately come in for the vast Win
terrified fortune and estate. Is a Vir-
faf fro III
with a keen, manly, forward looking
eye and face.
The plot has to do with the marry
ing Of Winterfield to Delaney McLoud,
a distant relative, done especially for
the occasion, in Paris. "Del' in her
way is as straightforward as Aaron
despite the wide breach in environ
menu.
The first act finds "The Mountain
Man" swiftly succumbed to the wiles
Of DEL" who does what is expected
Of her. despite the memory Of q
Frenchman left In Paris.
After the wedding and the promise
Of Winterfield that he will polish HIM
self q bit, "Del' decides to return to
Paris. exacting a promise from her
new husband. Winterfield, finding
apparently tricked, goes off to
the war to forget Del"
After three years Winterfield re-
turns to find his wife will have none
Of him despite his polish and manners.
II appears that there is a question an
to Winterfield's parentage, and he ra-
turns to the mountain to finish out
his life as his father had done before
him. ... ..-
During winterfield's absence his
cousin. seeking his fortune, had gone
to the mountains to learn OF Winter
fields right to the fortune. Upon
of the questioning Winter
field finds out the story from Jess,
his fathers old friend.
OF course the piece ends happily
Sidney Blackmer as Aaron Winterfield
somehow invited comparison with Dus-
tin Farnum of the old days. To
everlasting credit be II
caid that Farnum suffers by the
thought.
Catherine Dale Owen. as Delaney
is natural. unusually attrac-
tive, and her presentation is admirable
In that 1t is never overdone.
The supporting cast, which includes
Lucia Moore, Mary Hummer. Grace
Reals, Fred Korr, Chester Morris,
George Fawcett, Marion Gibbott,
Leonard Rowe. and E. j. De Varney, Is
well and happily chosen.