New-York tribune., 1921-06-30
On the Screen
Mary Alden as Mother in S'The
Old Nesi'' at Astor Wins
Tribute Of Tears
BY EIarrictte UnderhiIl

Husbands who lose their screen wives
arouse no sympathy in us. They
should have held on to them, say we.
Girls with broken hearts whose lovers
have taken their love elsewhere do not
interest us In the least An migrate
full mother or sister leaves us cold.
This much advertised mother-love
theme never seemed to get us at alh
And we never considered "how sharper
than that serpent's tooth it is to have
thankless child" Why should the
child be thankful? as the recalcitrant
son says in ENTER Madame" "Did |
ask to be born?"
But we have been converted Sam
Goldwyn and Reginald Barker and
Rupert Hughes have put mother story
on the screen that we feel quite sure
nobody is going to be able to resist.
1t is called "The Old Nest" and is
playing at the Astor. When the final
reel was unreeled and the lights went
up we put our hat on hufriedly so that
no one would see that we had been
crying, and then we looked around and
every one was crying, so it didn't mat
ter. The man next to us said that he
didn't like the picture, because it was
so sad, but none of the women had any
fault to find with it on that score. And
it isn't really sad, for all of the birds
| finally come back to the old nest for
| Christmas when mother least expects
| them, and that is the happy ending.
"The Old Nest is beautifully done
Rupert Hughes has used all of his
splendid humor, which makes his come
dies the most delightful on the screen
to keep the story ever from becoming
maudlin. Never once through the long
picture do you feel like saying "Bosh!
Mother is such dear mother, just the
sort we all have at home, but never fine
| on the screen. Always ready with ar
excuse for the shortcomings of hel
children, always ready to defend them
against father and against each other
encouraging their faults because shs
loves them and yet never becoming
pale martyr When the picture starts
still in the cradle. "We do not rocl
children any more" says father Anthon
owe may not" retorts mother An
thon. "but do' And all through
the picture mother crooks" her children
usually against the better judgment o.
father.
Mr.. Barker has done just as excel
lent things with the direction as Mr
Hughes has done with the story, pu'
they have both been fortunate in Sc
curing such cast. Mary Alden gives
one Of the most perfect performances
we ever have seen on the screen o.
the mother. And it is a most diff
cult role How easy it would have
been to make it just another screer
mother, abused, neglected and spirit
less! Dwight Crittenden as the father
also strikes exactly the right note
And there are Cullen Landis IS the
prodigal son, the best beloved of his
mother; Louise Lovely as the selhsf
daughter, Helene Chadwick as "the
baby" and Richard Tucker as the
clever son who grew up to be district
attorney.
The only time we thoroughly dis
liked him was when he telegraphee
his mother that he was coming home
and then, after she had prepared {
turkey and two kinds of pie, he
changed his mind and sent another
wire, 1t will take him long time
to live that down with US. Rupert
| Hughes has done the titles in his owl
| inimitable way. Do not leave before
the final one. It is the best of all.