The New York herald., 1921-09-26
Charlie Chaplin
Plays Dual Role
in The IdleCIass'
Double Exposure Is Worked to
Great Advantage in Come
dams New Film.
STRAND-Char!es Chaplin in "The
Idle Glass" q First National Attrac.
tion, Written and Directed by Chap

STRAND-Charles Chaplin in "The
Idle Glass" First National Attrac.
tion. Written md Directed by Chap
lin.
This is the week Of the double ex-
posure and the dual role in the various
movie houses among the various stars.
Foremost in this realm OF trick paotog
raphy Is Charlie Chaplin In The Idle
Glass;" in which for the first time in
his screen history he plays leading man
to himself as star. It was only natural
that Chaplin should undergo double ex-
posurc. since Mary Pickford has done
it in Little Lord F'auntleroy." and very
likely Douglas Fairbanks will soon be
observed leaping gayly over himself.
Chaplin is not only tramp with his
familiar baggy trousers and his cane.
but he Is also n wealthy swell, likewise
with a cane, but without any trousers.
For dual roles and trouseriess episode
are two scrce en- experiences that no male
star can escape nowadays. As an abb
cent minced husband Chaplin struts
down iatn hctni lobby correctly ac-
coutred above the waistline, but not
s..orl!nc below the wast!ine what the
man should wear according to Hoyle
and the theatre programmes. But that
leads to some amusing situations in
which & newsnaper serves him much
as the flgleaf did Adam.
Wears a Top Hat Well.
1t must be said that Chaplin wears a
top hat exceedingly we'll, bchtting one
who has achieved millions by selling
chuckles to the world. Likewise In keep
ing with his elevated status he has a
G!ng ut golf In his tramp guiscs. using
h's cfuhS with such abandon that the
word fling" is justified. His golf
"cty am sing. and so are
the incidents at a pretentious masque-
litee os.n when the tramp is mistaken
by lonely wife for the swell whom he
resembles and is heartily mauled for the
resemblance.
None of the social satire which had
been heralded for the story was OBJ
servable. unless it lay In the fact that
father in this picture shakes hands
with his son-in-law. The etory possi-
bslities have. on the whole, been put
aside to develop the travesty angles.
but thought 1t Is little more than a
series of scarcely related happenings, un-
like THE Kid" the Aim is held together
double exposures are not painfully
tricky. but are adroitly managed by
thrusting Chaplin into suit of armor.
with the inevitable happy results when
he becomes frantic over his visor.
This two reel vehicle Is no so sustained
in it's hilarity as the longer product OF
THE Kid" but 1t keeps the spectators
entertained with many original touches
from the moment that Chaplin enters
until he Is fnally--of course--chased out
Of the picture. And then II Is a Chaplin
which Is enough to bring the crowds
painting. Edna Purviance and Macl;
Swain support him with pluchritude and
poundage respectively.
The serious feature, The Ne'er to
Return Road" adapted from Lambs
Gambol story by Mrs. Otis Skinner,
wife of the actor. and presented by
Selig-Rork. is all that a movie should
be and generally manages not to be.
Into its short three reel length this
story of n mother who succors an escap-
ing convict and learns something to her
disadvantage packs mcre feeling and a
more unusual denouement than many a
six reel "superfcature," telling It's story
in terms OF notion and not of hand made
titles. The Fanny Hursts of the screen
should study II. Wallace Beery and
Margaret Mcwade are the principals to
be kept under surveillance.
Tschaikovsky's "Capriccio Italien." by
the orchestra; Caprice Basque" by
Marta de la Torrc. vioinist Some
time" by Estelle Carey. soprano: an
other interesting Adventure OF Bill and
Bob" and n sport pictorial on exercise
are other excellent numbers. while Win
sor McCay's animated cartoon. Dream
Of Rarebit Fiend." Is something mar
vellously imaginative and artistic that
M ra rnhit addict could really cnuai