The New York herald., 1922-03-27
Late Nine. Rejane's
Art ShOWn in Her
Only Screen Role
As Old Crone She Dominates
Adaptation of Jean Richie
pins 'Miarka.'


Mercanton production. based on Jean
Richepin's story and opera. "Miarka,
the Daughter of Bear" Distributed
by yitagraph.
Following the attention attracted by
Passion and Gypsy Blood" which
some film wiseacres in large part must
have attributed TO the hectic titles, the
world was fated to have picture called
Gypsy Passion" Possibly the next for
eign importation will be entitled THE
Gypsy Sheik." No Aim producer should
overlook title like that.
The original name or Maria, the
Daughter OF Bear" under which Jean
RIchepin's work became famous in
France, sounded, ii is true, too much
like a Laura Jean Libbey story. So for
once the bright person that suggested
disearding the first appellation was right,
though he might have prayed FOR some
better inspiration in choosing Il subst-
tlte. While the gypsy part of it fitted
the Ronany lass. whose grandmother
was wrongfully accused of incendiarism
ey a game warden that wanted to get
the girl in his power. the passion
wasn't appropriate unless you consider
lemonade exciting.
The romance of the girl with an aris-
tocratic young Frenchman was decorous
enough to satisfy DIR. Straton, perhaps
because grandmamma was always lurk-
ing in the background. The love scenes
with Desdemond Md=Sa could hardly
have stimulated Ivor Novello to conf
pose another song like his Keep the
Home Fires Burning" Novello revolved
his handsome profile through the role
-F
such q character is his natural habitat.
1t is difficult to make it seem plausi-
BILE in a photoplay that a sensitive young
man, nurtured in luxury, would fall In
love with gypsy maiden. for the movies
have a Inerciless realism at times, and
in this case, as in actually, the heroine
seemed rather addicted to her native
squalor. She might have been an aspir-
ant TO Greenwich Village. glorying In
living in a stable. Moreover, there was
in this case the deterrent of grand
mamma, presenting a prime example of
what granddaughter would develop into
forty years hence. Suppose the hero
had thought-but then, they never do. I'm
the movies. Besides, it turned out in
the end that he was just a founding
adopted by a wealthy couple, so it Is
perfectly permissible for him to set up
housekeeping with her in a dove cot or
a hen coop.
The forbidding aspect Of the old crone
was in itself a tribute to the art of
the late Nine. Gabrielle Rejane, making
her first--and last-appearance on the
screen and playing In character so art
fully that her subsidiary character DOM
mated the scene, even when that en-
gaging woely bear was around. Though
many another star of her age might
have attempted TO play the grand dow
ager, IL not the young heroine, this con-
scientious artist was satisfied to be an
unattractive hag, and did all her in
corrigible thievery with the faithfulness
OF one who thrived on 1t.
That bear likewise deserves honora-
BILE mention for not trying to be any,
thing but himself He defended the
girl from the attack OF the rascally
warden with all the rugged nobility of
william s. Hart, and the same kind Of
beady eyes. Though he was a French
bear. he knocked out the warden with
the brusque technique of Dempsey
rather than Carpenter. or course the
dying warden confesses that he himself
started the home fires burning in the
young composers chateau. That clears
the girls grandmother in time for the
final fadeout.
Richepin with his silvery hair makes
a splendid figure of a French aristocrat.
but his adaptation of his own work can
not be called q binding miracle. The
scenes of the castle on fire are well
done. but, like so many foreign films. its
continuity needs to he patted into place
smoothly by loving American hands.
The French kept the German soldiers
from passing. but judging by the sam
pies submitted. they are not likely to
keep the German films from passing
info this country