Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-13
"AFFAIRS OF ANATOL"
HAS MANY STARS
MalIy Reid Surrounded. by Bril-
liant Constellation-Other
New photopIays

Stanley rule by coming for two
weeks run. With so many stars act
ing together, and several OF them In
comparatively unimportant parts, one
suspects that there might have been
some truth in the rumor that II was
done deliberately to show these stars
that their own opinion Of their indi-
vidual value Is exaggerated, and that
therefore, exorbitant salaries need no
longer be expected. That was only
rumor at the time "Anatol' was In the
making. 1t may or may not have been
true.
The story itself Is n somewhat scat
tcring and diffuscd account of very
human young man Iplayed very hu-
manly by Wally Reid. who, though
he loves his wife. IL by ~" means NINA
to the charms of other girls, though he
is blind enough to think that his AT
fairs' are prompted by high and nah'c
motives. It's simply that his affections
have had bad case of wandcrlust, and
they rove around until his wife threat
ems 10 leave him for another man. and
then hubby comes to his senses anu all
ends we'll.
Reid does some of the best work of
his career In this picture. The part
was seemingly made for him. 1t gives
him chance In every thousand rect
10 get into the close with Il different
girl in his arms, and yet 1t also brings
out the quiet little comedy touches
which he does so we'll when he has an
opportunity. g..
Gloria Swanson. as the young wife,
makes Il charmincly pretty young vie.
and drcsses--and undresses-thc part
most alluringly. She seems especially
good at changing her stockings, but,
after seeing her do IL twice in one film,
no one can hate her for that.
Bebe Daniels plays the most vampish
Of all vainps and she does II as only she
could. But. though her stage name is
Satnn Synne. she turns out TO BE- really
a perfectly admirable married lady and
no one can hate her, either.
Wanda Hawley. tho first tour on An-
atol amorous journeys. is as plquantly
pretty rs always. and shows In her art-
ing the possibilities that 1t takes DE
Mile TO discover in her. Other direc-
tors do not get her across so effectively.
Agnes Ayres has rather an ungrnteful.
small part as the wife of farmer
Monte Bluel, but even the drab ging-
hams of the rural housewife cunuOt hide
her enthralling beauty. Polly Moran
and Julia Faye play minor characters
effectively.
Elliott Dexter. one Of the most popu-
lar Of the screens leading men, Is en-
celent as the mutual friend of husband
and wife who keeps them both from
losing their heads and each other in the
big climax. Theodore toberts ana ms
Inevitable big black cigar cast smoke
and good amusement in number OF the
scenes. and Raymond Hatton and Theo-
dore Kosloff are extra added attrac-
tons.
There is an excellent bill Of surround
ing pictures. and the musical feature
Tschaikowsky 1872 Overture with
strikingly original and effective stage
setting--deserves word of specia!
praise.
Arcadia-The picture here this week
seems to be designed to make husbands
bhrivel up and admit their general
worthlessncss. THE Truth About
Husbands" is explained in one Of the
pictures sub titles 10 be that every hus-
band has some sin on his conscience
which his wife must forgive and forget.
Better have an answer ready, then. If
your wife, sitting next to YOU, turns
and asks. "Is that so. John?'
It was none other than Sir Arthur
Wing pinero who wrote The Truth
About Husbands s''-not under that title.
but as THE profligate.' one of mis- long
series of domestic dramas. Aside from
the change in name. Sir Arthur has been
kindly dealt with in regard to this
brain child. The production of Whit
man Bennett is careful and painStaking.
The trenchant wit and powerful meta
phor OF the English dramatiSt have been
kept, as much as possible, In the sub
titles.
The story of the erring husband who
had n sin on his conscience when he
married, and finally suffered the penalty
Of having that sin find him out. has
received gentle treatment from the CEN
sors. The picture has escaped the
wholesale cutting common in such cases,
and is coherent and logical. with few,
IL any, inserted sub titles. The ending
is decidedly out of the beaten track or
popularity. The film ends on note of
sadness eliminating in the death OF one
of the most appealing characters. But
the producers have made it strong and
consistent and thoroughly artistic.
May McAvoy proves conclusively that
her work in Sentimental Tommy was
not a fash in the pan. In her hard
role as HE wife who discovers her luH-
bands amour with her secretary, Miss
McAvoy rises to every requirement. She
dazz,es with her beauty, and right away
thrills with her poise and sureness Of
touch. Holmes r. Herbert is splendid
as the husband. and Anna Lehr is espe-
cially fine as the guilty woman in the
case. In several scenes the canernman
failed to do justice to Miss Ichr's
beauty. but she easily rose above all
obstacles.
Observation-Disclosures Of Tom Mix could
scarcely ask anything better Of him
than 1.-The Night Horseman. 1t Is Mix
at his best and it Is, too. an absorbing
and well constructed story that is some
what more convincing than most of the
Westerns with which we have all become
familiar.
As Whistling Dan Barry Mix appears
first as a homeless wRnderer on the
plains, of unknown parentHge. and with
no desire except to keep going and to
follow the wild geese north and south
with the changing seasons. He rebels
at ties of friends and restraints of CIV
ilization he fights when he has to and
whistles always whether his life il in
danger or not. In these early scenes
he is admirable in every way except that
he has no human affection in his make
up; friendships quickly turn to MUIR
derous hatreds, and gratitude for favors
Is something unknown to him. But the
story shows the developments Of these
finer instincts and the coming of genuine
love In the end.
The photography is unusually good
and some Of the earlier color effects are
quite notable. Mix rides and fights and
shoots and handles his beautiful horse
through enough exciting episodes to sat
isfy the most ardent lover of Western
stories. He Is ably supported by others
in the cast, the most notable OF them
being Harry Lonsdale. Mae Hopkins