New-York tribune., 1921-04-12
On the Screen
Queen of Sheba" at Lyric Cor
geous; "a Small Town IdoP'
at Rialto Funny
By Iarriette Underhill

William Fox's "Qucen of Sheba"
opened at the Lyric Theater Sunday
night. 1t is gorgeous, stunning and
thrilling production directed by j.
Gordon Edwards, but all the time we
were being stunned and thrilled we
could not help thinking what a blessing
it was that Mr.. Edwards had been able
to get Betty Blythe and Fritz Leiber
for Shcba and Solomon. What would
the picture have been with the con-
ventionnl vampire and the dimplc-in-
the-chin type of hero for the leading
roles! You know it takes a lady, pref
crably one of the +. F. VS., not to
look naked in couple of jewoled
cabachons fastened on by capillary
attraction, and a silver brocadcd train.
Sheba's numerous costumes were
merely variations of this trying style.
That is trying to most beauties, but
not to Betty Blythe. You never for
moment remember that she is anyone
but the Queen of Sheba. She is also
the queen of diamonds and the queen
of hearts.
The picture would be worth while
if it only had Miss Blythe to look at,
and then it has Fritz Lciber, who is
so sad and loyal and wise and unhappy
as King Solomon that you forget he
was blase old roue with hundreds of
wives and lady friends. However, it
was evident that when he told Sheba
that he was only interested in them
from business standpoint, that he
intended to star them in the movies,
etc, she believed him, for she took it
for granted that he would remain
faithful to her always and then she
went back to Persia and had son
and heir for her throne. She called
him David and when he was four years
old she sent him back to visit his
father, Solomon.
Solomon loved him at sight and set
out TO make him wise as he was One
day he showed him the Ten Command
ments carved on stone and said:
Never break one of these command
ments.' If David had been little
older he might have said, "But, Daddy,
didn't you?'
- The story was written by Virginia
Tracy and it is extremely interesting
because it tells you a lot you. never
knew about Sheba and Solomon. 1t
really almost sounds as though Elinor
Glyn had had a finger in it, the plot
BENG not unlike that of Three Weeks.
1T is better just to forget the Bible
story of Solomon and the Queen, for
what the Good Book says of him is
not compatible with this new portrait
of the wise King. If he had as many
wives as he is popularity supposed to
nav nave s haa; why couldn't he have had
ore more? But he says, "Your hair is
SO dark and in the lonely years to come
III try to think that the darkness is
only the darkness Of Shcba's hair"
Can't you imagine Fritz Le.ber saving
that With his splendid voice? Wa
should Ike to see him and Miss Blythe
IN stage version Of it. The chariot
race outraces all other races ever dore
on the screen. 1t is marvellous and
'he women are really the drivers in it!
VI course, the Princess Vaslite, who
challenged Sheba to dine, was plaved
to win, but she was lucky to get place.
oneba had her on every count. Even
II you have seen the big spectacle pic
lures and didn't like them you'll surely
Ike 'Ihe Queen of Sheha." 1t has
something it it of all of them and vet
1t is different We actually found our
self IN fever of excitement for fear
they wouldn't get to the tomb in time
to rescue the little prince, and we hoped
queen Amarath would get stabbed by
Vaslite and that Vaslite would then
get put in the electric chair so that
Sheba could marry Solomon.
In the cast are Claire de Lorez, a.
Amarath; Nell Craig, as VasHte. and
e. K. Nye, as the wicked brother.
Comedy week brings to the Rialto as
the chief comedy "A Small Town Idol" :"
This is six-recl Mack Sennett, which
means that it is six times as long and
SIX times as funny as the usual slap
stick comedy. The same people are
appearing in it, The cross-eyed man.
Ben Turpin, is the hero; Marie Pre-
vost and Phyllis Haver are the two
heroines. You would suppose that
there couldn't be plot enough for six
reels. but there is and it never falters.
If you like slap stick it is wonderful