The New York herald., 1921-05-09
Child Prodigies
Settle Problems in
THO New Pictures
Have Roles i'm First KnOblOck
Film and a GOuverneur
Morris Story.

The Criterion and the Rialto are much
concerned this week in trying to put the
business of getting married in order
once and for all. In each case II Is a
child who settles the problem, apparently
having been inspired by Scriptural verse
William De Miles 'The Lost Romance
which started an extended engagement
at the Criterion yesterday, embodies the
first original scenario written directly
for the screen by Edward knoblock, and
is called by Paramount the initial Ia
nous Authors-Famous Directors" pic
ture, which casts veil over the fact
that no one is starred In the company.
The theme follows a path that has
been trod before. leading to the conclu-
many socks that she finally can't knit
up the holes in her romance. When a
rejected lover returns from the Amazon,
where he had spent five years after she
is married to young doctor, this par
ticular wife, weary Of the humdrum,
turns to him In her reaction, and the
husband Is ready to arrange for d.
vorce instead of unlimbering q revolver.
when an aunt kidnaps their little son
to help out matterS-after which, of
course, no couple would dare stay apart
at the risk of being Kissed off the screen
Miss Lois Wilson weeps bit pro-
fusely, but Conrad Nagel manages to
stop the flow in the end. and Jack Holt
and Fontaine LaRue do their share
toward making the picture interesting,
while there is also Mickey Moore. one
Of those child prodigies without whom
the films seem unable TO exist nova
days. Even more attractive than the
feature Is the auxiliary programme, with
"Moongold," a charming story Of Pierrot
and Pierrette, offered by Dramafilms.
with a picturesque new device whereby
the lighting Is confined to characters
and sets and the background remains
dark, system which might very well
be applied to pictures where the back
ground dwarfs the actors.
Another OF the several novelties on
the bill is the first number of 'rony
Sars's Almanac" called "The First
Circus" and abourding in dinosaurs
and cave men shown in a unique slhou-
ette form. who indicate that the humor
of prehistoric times was snappy but
clean. The Benda Mask Dance. done by
Desha. Miss Vera Myers and Paul Os-
card, has at last found its way into the
movies, and as performed yesterday can
stay as long as 1t likes. Hugo Riesen-
field has surrounded the various offer
ings with a sterling musical programme
that it will take several weeks to wear
out.
The Wild Goose" Gouverneur Nor
ris's story produced by Albert Capellani.
takes up at the Rialto the side OF the
child in a divorce problem. solving it In
a more dramatic fashion with an acci-
dent prearranged by one of the charac-
ters, which naturally enough gives to one
goosefiesh. Centred about the legend that
the wild goose Is faithful to its mate
even in death. it deals with an architect
who is loved by young woman married
to an old man. and who in turn has a
wife loved by another man. which keeps
the audience guessing as to who viii love
whom next. An elopement Of wife and
her lover and an attempted killing OF
them both by the husband are all
straightened out by baby fingers. Miss
Mary MacLaren. Holmes T. Herbert and
Norman Kerry deport themselves ir
seemly fashion in the leading roles while
little Rita Rogan again capitalizes juve
nility.
A Vitagraph comedy. The Tourist
with Jimmy Aubrey; the overture from
F'lotow's Martha" and solo by
F,doardo Albano are additional food for
thought