New-York tribune., 1921-12-12
On the Screen
Charles Ray in ''R. s. V. r."
Is Pleasing Picture Showing
at the Strand
BY Harriette Underhill


BY Harriette Underhill
! Stars who aren't popular always say
that it is because they have been cursed
with bad stories. Now, this Is not
true, and to prove our point we nomi-
nate Charles Ray. His stories seldom
amount to anything, but his pictures
range from pretty good to gorgeous.
His present one, "R. S. V. p" is half
way between.
Of course, no matter how good a
star may be, it is possible to ruin a
picture. but it isn't because of the story
or lack of it. 1t is prooap1y because the
director he's no sense of humor. No
one could accuse Rays director now,
because Mr. Ray is directing himself
and in this new picture, which is at the
| Strand, he seems to have been quite
successful. Too many cooks can spoil
the broth, but they are not so apt to
spoil it as one cook is if he is trying
to do dozen things at the same time,
and up to date we have not seen pic
entirely that would not have been better
if the star had been content only to act
The present picture, however, is the
most amusing thing Mr. Ray has done
in long time, and part of the honors
must go to Harry Myers, who plays o
fellow artist in distress. AS we init
mated at the beginning, the story is
slight and most Of the picture shows
the plight of two young men who went
to a reception with only one dress coat
| between them. They were supposed to
alternate in the wearing of it, but each
one became so absorbed in his party
that he forgot the other and left him
coatless in the dressing room. Unlike
Mr.. Rays recent pictures, this one has
! plenty of the star in it, and he remains
every bit as delightful as he always has
been. His humor is inimitable, and if
it had been any other star cast in his
role he would have had the laurels
snatched from his brow by Mr.. Myers.
1t seems to us that he was much fun
nier than he was in "a Connecticut
Yankee"
William Coultright gives a splendid
performance as butler, and the rest
Of the cast doesn't matter; they have
little to do.
The only thing we did not care much
for was the titles--some of them. In
the very beginning a man says to his
daughter, "How is my little grille 2"
and almost Immediately she says, eve
used to play together when we were
kiddies." Perhaps if we had not been
thus prejudiced we should not have
asked why the other artist used such
execrable English and why he, and in
fact others in the cast, made such lib
eral use of the word bunk "He's the
bunk" "she's the bunk" "your friends
are the bunk" etc. Dialogue on the
screen is quite as important as it is
on the stage. But anyhow, do accept
Mr.. Rays invitation and r. S. V. P. in
person. 1t is one of the most amusing
things he ever has done. The story is
by Rob Wagner.
The overture is "Carmea," with Carlo
Ferretti singing. the tcfeador song.
"Washington Irving" the second of the
great American authors series, is pre-
sented, by Kineto Company. There is g
prologue to the feature picture sung by
Ethel Best and Richard Bold. The
comedy is "The Vagrant," with Lloyd
Hamilton.
Another picture which manages to
entertain with only the slightest of
stories is at the Rivoli. 1t is called
Don't Tell Everything" and has Gloria
Dexter as the stellar triumvirate. The
story tells Of q girl and man who are
in love. He proposes, and as they have
plenty of money and nothing else to do
they run away next day and have a
secret wedding. After that another
girl tries to get husband away from
young wife and the wife wins him
back. This story has nothing in the
way OF novelty to recommend it, but
} it is so beautifully acted and SC
subtly directed by Sam Wood that it
| truth be told, there is no one who can
play handsome, careless lovers like
Wallace Reid. He never quite makes
woman believe it when he tells he1
that he loves her.
And few young women Of the screen
have the magnetism and the eyes OF
j, Gloria Swanson. Her most trivial act
becomes OF param onnt Importance (nc
pun intended) when she is in the pic
ture. Elliott Dexter can look better
and dole out his cynical philosophy
better than any one we know IN dinney
clothes. So what more could one ask
IN the way of entertainment?
Having three stars in one picture
may be expensive for Mr.. Lasky but
it's mighty nice for the people who
go to see his pictures. "Don't Tell
Everything" is an educational picture
IN way, for we learned that you car
go trout fishing in June. Besides the
stars, Dorothy Cumming gives a gooc
performance as Jcssca, the oths,
aspirant. Lorna Moon wrote the story
} and we hope she did the titles, for they
are excellent.
The comedy is a Chester called
"Snookey's Fresh Heir" The program
opens with Dutch dance by Myrtle
lmmel and Felicie Sorel. 1riart i.
, presenting another one of their charm.
Ing pictures based on famous paintings
This one is "The Bashful Suitor," BY
, Josef lsraels. Tschaikowsky' Concerto
is rendered by reproducing piano anc
the Rivoli Orchestra with Henr,
Sourvaine as the invisible soloist
Peter 1bbetson" has moved from tn.
Criterion to the Rialto. At the Capito
.. the attraction is "Footfalls," with
Tyrone Power. There is also tabloit
> version of Sidney Jones' "San Toy"
ssWallingford', mt ReruhI;c