The New York herald., 1921-08-22


serves as a representative study of the
period when crinolines and stocks were
worn and when archery was daring
exercise for ladies.
The views OF the outdoor episodes were
most attractive, especially when en-
livened by the presence OF Miss Louise
Huff. who returned to the screen In th!s
picture much improved since marriage
as to profile, but not so enhancing IN
full face, but on the whole very decora
for the Victorian era. Reginald Dem.
made a very estimable, well meaning ard
block-headed lover. but one fears
young man Of that period would never
have spoken of raising model children"
TO a young woman to whom he was not
even engaged.
RIALTO-Thomas Meighan, IN "Cappy
Ricks." Paramount picture adapted from
the novel by Peter d. Kyne and the play
by Edward E. Rose and directed by Tom
Forman.. Scenario by Albert Shelby
lie Vino.
"Cappy Kicks" Is rattling good sea
yarn. as such yarns ought to be, even
though a skipper early in the story
wears whiskers more befltting Sunday
sschool teacher that obviously appear to
have been planted on his face. The
photoplay. teeming with incident. is far
superior to the cmasculated stage ver-
sion of Kyne's stories. which some one
once dubbed Captain Rickety."
1t overfiows with as many fights as
the good old barroom il pictures. Start
Ing with the saloon fight. in which First
Mate PeGsieys comrade, Second Mate
Murphy, loses all his money, It warns
up with the pursuit and struggle atop a
fire escape. in which Peasley gets back
the purse stolen from Cdppy Ricks's
daughter. and gets its full strength in
the long distance battle between Cdppy
and Pedsley.. OF course. there Is bat
tie between the mate and the Swedish
scourge sent to take tho ship away from
him by the ship owner. spurred on by
his manager. who loves figures almost as
devotedly as he loves Cappys daughter
Through all this stirring action runs
thread of genuine humor. with such
amusing incidents as the way prohibi-
tion is observed In the waterfront sa-
loon and the swapping or punches be-
tween Cdppv and the mate by cable.
One impossible feat is registered at the
end, when the mate tows a steamer off
the rocks with a tug In tremendous
storm. an undertaking that would seem
hopeless even to movie magic. 1t seems
hard to believe also that Thomas
Meighan could whip In a standup fight
any such towering physical specimen as
Ivan Linow, unless Linow were paid for
IL. But 1t Is very good fun, and Meighan
in virile fashion once more proves that
n modern movie star must act largely
with his fists. One can get a whisper
Of Hugh Cameron's brogue in the role
OF Murphy. and Charles Able in the titu
lar role and Miss Agnes Ayres ar his
daughter are quite effective-particu-
Ia vi ha Ia for yxrha hat
timental half dollar and a bunch OF
shrivelled rose petals.
RIyOLI-waIlace Reid. In "The Hell
Diggers," Paramount picture adapted
from n story and scenario by Byron Nor
gan and directed by Frank Urson.
The art OF properly wearing whiskers
on the screen is exposed here by Richard
Bennett He is almost as deeply hidden
under the beard as under the name OF
Alexander Broun. In order 70 appear In
a subsidiary role while taking a post
graduate course in the movies this star
OF the speaking stage appears to have
adopted the first and lasts names OF
two New York dramatic critics. At any
rate he makes his part as the rugged
leader OF Western farmers who object
70 the desecrating gold dredges as stub
bornly Calvinistic and real as his whs-
kers appear
But the important part OF the Aim
isn't BENEFITS facial hedge. but the gold
dredges that tear down the countryside
TO the great Indignation OF the farmers
and that threaten to dump the young
hero's romance In tho mud. lie Is an
engineer of the gold dredging company.
nd because OF the compelling power Of
the eyes belonging to the daughter OF
the farmers leader he throws in hts lot
with the agriculturists. designs n dredge
that will resoil the land. and then has
a ieht on his hands to get the company
to accept and use IL before Cherry
Valley looks like No Mans Land III
France.
The weak point In the story is the
utter lack Of motive impelling the chief
CO lstruction engineer 70 develop such an
obstinate hostility toward the new re-
soiling dredges. The comedy episodes
are grated on by main force, but the
story tells through some striking pho
Biography and without undue complexity
OF an unusual phase OF the gold develop
ment OF the West that Fasteners might
like to remember TO take their mind or
eyery gold filing they get
Wallace Reid contributes very mate
rally 20 putting over the story with his
engaging manner. which in this case
distills itself over pipe. Moreover he
is assisted by perfect gem Of \ charac-
terizntion by Lucien Littleheld as a
bookkeeper whose soul Is all but locked
up IN the safo with his ledger Miss
Lois Wilson plays the farmers daughter
llko r school teacher trying TO iirt on n
picnic