The New York herald., 1922-11-05
The New Movies
ROBERT E. SHERWOOD.
IT TOPE for the best" has al
ways seemed TO US par
L i ticularly useless slogan

Not that 1t is any crime TO hope.
Every one Is entitled to few expec-
tations now and then. But the per-
son who hopes for the best commits
himself to a policy which allows OF
no compromise. He admits in ad-
vance that he will not be satisfied
with anything less, which means that
nine times out Of ten he will not be
satisfied with anything at all.
There is something tremendously
final in the word best" as in all
superlatives. 1t allows no room for
possible qualification.
Although 1t Is against our princi-
pies, we continually find ourself hop
ing for the best when we enter movie
theaters. We convince ourself that.
we are about to view a film which is
worthy of its advertisements; we kid
ourselves into believing that 1t is to
be "A Masterpiece of the Cinema
tographic Art" or "a Soul Stirring
Epic of the Silver Screen"
That, undoubtedly, is why we arc
disappointed SO frequently. II we as
sured ourself IN advance that "this is
going to be punk picture or Here's
another good evening wasted" we
might be pleasantly surprised when
lle offering turns out to be moder-
ately entertaining.
Hope is all right while It lasts. But
it certainly is poor loser.
In the case of robin Hood" we
permitted our expectations TO run
Wild. No picture has ever inspired
such glow of optimism in US. It
was therefore highly satisfactory to
record that Messrs. Fairbanks. Dwan
& Co. justified our faith.
We watched Robin Hood in the
early stages of its production, on the
Fairbanks premises in Hollywood, and
we gained a faint conception of the
vast labor which had to be expended
on this film before it could be ready
for the eyes of the public.
When Douglas Fairbanks started
work on 1.-THE Three Musketeers" he
resolved to devote himself to the pro-
duction of big pictures. He woulc
make one year, and each one would
represent the best that he could pos
sibly offer.
This meant. of course, tremendous
outlay of money, and a proportion
ately great risk. 1t is a well known
fact that the biggest movies are
usually the biggest flops. (Mr. Crit
fifth can testify to this.) If Mr.. Fair
banks had wanted to play safe. he.
could have made ten pictures for the
cost of "The Three Musketeers" and
Robin Hood" and possibly ten times
as much money.
He could easily have turned out
program pictures on schedule time,
with q safe and sane margin of profit
on each one. But he wanted to make
a big splasl--or none at all. He want
cd to produce photoplays that would
live. He wanted to set up standards
which would be a little higher than
any that had been set up before.
So he gave his best to "Rooin
Hood" He went into the thing body
and soul. He assembled the best tai
ent available to cooperate with him
in every department, and he did not
permit personal vanity to hamper his
collaborators in their work.
The results are on view at the
Lyric Theater, where ALL may see
them.
1t is up to the public to draw It's
own conclusions as to the success or
failure of Mr.. Fairbankss efforts.
But credit must be given for the ef
forts themselves. Douglas Fairbanks
tried hard. which is more than can
be said for many of his less ambitious
fellows in the film business. He
worked intelligently and conscien-
tiously over every detail OF robin
Hood" and made a heroic attempt TO
do the thing right.
.n
Our observation OF the movie stars
in Hollywood convinced US that thew
are the most listless set of workers
i'm the world. They never seem to
care whether school keeps or not.
They go through their daily toll in q
mechanical manner and take little
pride in the efforts that they attain.
Douglas Fairbanks Is. therefore,
particularly notable exception. And
we can name another--Harold Lloyd.
While palms are being passed out
gratis, this earnest young man should
not be overlooked.
Mr. Lloyd slaves over his comedies
with all the ardor of a religious
fanatic carving the Lords Prayer on
the head of a pin. He prunes them,
he revises them. he polishes them,
until he is satisfied that they are as
good as II is possible for him to make
them.
The fruits Of honest toll are large
and luscious in Harold Lloyd's case.
His last two pictures, az Sailor Made
Man" and "Grandmas Boy are prob
ably the two most successful films that
have. ever been released by one com
.-Eny. Their popularity has been phe-
nomenal--although readily under
standable when one knows MIR. Lloyd
and appreciates the sincerity of his
~-stent.
speaking. as we we're not so long
ago, OF Robin Hood" there Is one
flaw IN its presentation at the Lyric
which is particularly noticeable 10
those who occupy central seats In the
first few rows. They see a great deal
more of the orchestra leader than OF
Mr. Fairbanks's shcdow on the screen.
That is all very well to q certain
extent. Orchestra leaders are talented
fellows and their autiss are 'ascinat-
ing to behold. But only 70. a little
while. After about fifteen minutes C
.~-m.t...fottn~u thafe act t,rax.,- ,~.os,n