Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-25
REID DISAPPOINTING
IN HIS LATEST FILM
Hell Diggers' Is Typical Movie
Stuff--'Dr. caligari' Notable.
Other PhotopIays

Everybody knew the gentle.
man in the snaky mustache was the VII
lnin. and that started 1.-THE Hell Dig
gers" on It's way with promise Of many
thrllls-and much hokum.
And, on top Of that, there was much
talk Of mortgages which the before
mentioned villain threatened to fore
close and thereby get the heroine's
fnther in his power. Thrown in as the
final necessary ingredients nre Wallace
Reid. as n handsome young engineer,
and a number Of thrills which almost
spoil his romance, but don't quite.
All of which Is preliminary to saying
that THE He'll Diggcrs" is typically
movie stuff and reflects no particular
credit on any one. There is grent deal
of talk about re-soiing dredgcs which
may have been highly scientific. but was
! hardly Of the greatest order Of inter-
est.
Reid undoubtedly does the best he can
with the material at hand. but that
material Is far below its authors other
screen plays. Nobody would realize that
Byron Morgan, author Of the light but
! sparkling automobile series, wrote this
one. Even the final thrill Is tame COM
pared to those racing stories.
Lois Wilson has only few scenes
to display her talent. and the rest of
the cast is uninspired except for one who
was drwn on the screen as Alexander
Brown" but who it is whispered was
| Richard Bennett, stage manager nnd
producer He was splendid. The
scenes, almost all exteriors. were good.
Knrlton-Those interesting rascals. j.
Rufus Wallingford and Blackie Daw'
have found their way to the screen after
all this time. They do not make their
debut. MS n matter OF fact. in the orig.
inal Wallingford stories which formed
the basis of the stage play. but IN re-
Gently conceived sequel, The Son Oh
| Wallingford. A.,
swindler, who, however. does not fol-
low in his fathers footsteps, but goes
n straight and narrow path. In order
to maintain the original Wallingtord
atmosphere ]. Rufus himself and
Blackic Daw are painted IN thciS
familiar colors. Wilfrid North, noted
ne n director, makos splendid Wal.
iingford. fat, sleek and suave, and
George Webb Is a sufficiently lean and
be -mustached Daw.
The producers have wisely spread
melodrama with comedy-or vice versa
and the result is screen entertain .
ment. not of the highest order. but of
such n character as to please all classes
Of fans.
The plot concerns an oil gusher and
the plan Of Wallingford's s son to put
over a good thing only to nave MS
better instincts conquer.
Arcadia-Bebe Daniels, as piquant and
yiyacious as ever, manages TO put Inc
Snred Girl'' across purely on the per :.
sonality basis. It's very personal
. show. since it shows the star being ar
rested for speeding and spending term
in jail. Add to that the fact that thG
heroine is q moving picture actress ana
{ the analogy is complete.
It's ali pretty airy material, but
. thankfully il has been done in an airy
. wny. and that makes it hard to pick
: Jaws in it. The behind the scenes
views Of n studio add to the interest
= The fans seem to take to them on ever.
occasion.
Theodore Won Eltz, more or les
new name in the ranks OF leading men
takes his honors gracefully. waite
, Hers is, as usual rat ana Iummy my
I Frank Elliot. Norris Johnson and VII
liam Courtleigh are others in the cast
Victoria-Thcre is snow, snow an
more snow in "The Golden Snare an
II that's as it should be. since James OH
yer Curwood IS the author. 1t was
v long time ago that Curwood did '"Th
ChaliCe Of Courage and Gods Coun
# try and the Woman" for the scree1
q and it seems remarkable that he hs
been able to continue turning out stu
e that is so fresh and interesting, eve
g though it is palpable movie fare. full {
e Inconsistencies and impossibilit!es.
~ THE Golden Snare y is all about
" madman who lives up in the Arctic re
y gions and is pursued by a Royt
y Mounted man. Wolf dogs play bl
o rart in the film, and there Is one {
i those native flowers, untaught and care
free, for n heroine.
e Lewis Stone, Ruth Rennick, mimi
IS table Wallace Beery, Melbourne Mac
DoweI and Wellington Playter are Ii
e leading players and they do their part
= excellently in the face Of 50 much sno
% and wild nature.
,s Regent-Nildred Harris is improving
It each picture, as "Habit," her lates
: shows. AS a picture It Is not faultles
e and there is great deal of fuss abor
the showing Of the latest fashions in
n Fifth avenue shop scene. but the sta
Id does quite we'll in her part.
a 1t is society drama with a ratht
ID lurid climax of a struggle between II
t villain and the girl and the killing {
el the former by the hero. Originality
!r not n characteristic, but the action
fairly swift md quite coherent.
Of William Lawrence, Walter MCGra
Or and Ethel Grey Terry support the your
m star and do we'll, though not notably.
3 Ambassador 1t Is 80 seldom thu
8. Charles Dickens finds his way TO Il
I'd screen that when he does praise is
es order rather than criticism, no matt,
ut what the quality of the picture taken /
Sc other standards. "Our Mutual Friend
is not a technically great picture,
is lighting, direction and continuity it hi
10 serious faults. However, there is a sir
'rr cerc purpose there Is evidence Of a grei
10 love and admiration for Dickens al