New-York tribune., 1921-09-19
On the Screen
''Moonlight Follies," at Central
Is Only First-Run Picture
ON Broadway
BY Harriette Underhill


Moonlight Follies" opened at the
Central Theater last night, and that
was the only one Of the Broadway mo-
ton picture houses that could boast
first-run picture this week. At the
Rivoli and the Rialto "Anatol" and his
affairs" are still forcing Hugo Riesen-
field to hang out the S. r. o. sign. At
the Capitol Mr.. Rothapfel has chosen as
his feature William Fox's "Queen of
Sheba," which has run for months at a
theater further down town; and at the
Strand Joseph Plunkett told US that the
vote to hold Mr.. Gritith's "Way Down
East" over for another week was unani-
nous. This means, of course, that the
bills at all of the theaters are out of
the ordinary.
AT the Rialto Kirillors Russian or
chestra offers "Song of the Volga
Boatman" and Bright Shines the
Moon" Mary Fabian, accompanied by
Willy Stahl, violinist, sings "Love's
Garden of Roses" Marcel Salesco sings
the Drinking Song from Hamlet"
Tony Sarg's Almanac, Fireman Save
Ny Child" is held over from last week
1t is the best of the series to our way
OF thinking.
| At the Rivoli the extravaganza which
preceded "Anatol" last week is also
held for this week.
AT the, Strand there is only the fea-
ture and prologue sung by Donald
Chambers. John Young, George Rear
don and Frank Mellor.
At the Capitol the prologue has a
potpourri from "Queen of Sheba," with
the grand chorus and the ballet corps
headed by Gambarelli and Oumansky.
The soloists are Alexander Rose and
has the beautiful Betty Blythe and the
distinguished Fritz Lieber as the
Queen and King Solomon. In choosing
his cast Mr.. Fox was as wise as Solo
mon himself. The picture was directed
| by Gordon Edwards.
| And now to the case Of Marie Pre-
vost, who is the star in Carl Laemmle's
picture moonlight Follies." The man
who watched these particular Fohies
unreel with US hadn't been to very
many pictures and he was bewildered
us that good picture ?" he whispered
as we prepared to leave.
Hushi" we answered. "Not vcry."
Did they think it was a good pic
ture 2" he persisted.
! don't know we answered. "But
probably not"
Then why did they make it?" he
said stubbornly. Sor answer we
pointed to the thcater with every seat
filled, to the back of he theater with
every foot of standing room filed and
then to the line at the box Office.
Miss Prevost's picture is one in
which the Follics and the moonshine
are about evenly distributed. 1t isn't
bad when it gets started, but it had
many false starts before the director
finally shouted Go" All of the early
part of the picture is devoted to show
ing you how fascinating the heroine
was at six months, at ten years and at
sixteen. Then the story really begins.
There are some bathing scenes which
threaten to be worth at least the price
OF admission, but here we see the hand
of the censor. The pictures show moth
ing but a back view of Miss Provost
wrapped in her bathing cape and q front
view of her face framed in becoming
bathing cap. That is all!
The plot is really not unlike the one
found in "Honors Are Even" for the ,,
man loves the girl all the time. but de-
termines to win her by show of in
difference, and when his plot is in |
advertently revealed she Furnishes him
by running away with another man,
In the end she is won by regular |
cave man methods. The handsome |
Clyde Fogel is the hero. The rest Of 4
the cast we did not recognize. and there
are no programs. Percival Wilde wrote |
the story which was presented by King
Baggott. The feature is surrounded !
by musical program. There is also !
century comedy.