New-York tribune., 1922-01-31
On the Screen
Nancy From Nowhere Girl
Cinderella, and School Days,
a Boy Cinderella Picture
BY Ha.riette Undcrhill

Nancy From Nowhere" is a typical
Mabel Normand story. the sort of thing
that Miss Normand did between the
time that she made slapstick comedies
and her present siN-rcelers. Bebe
Daniels is the star of this picture,
however. which is the feature this week
at the Ralto, and she looks prettier
than she ever has looked before, if
that is important, and no doubt it is.
They call her Nancy, but in reality
her name is Cinderella. All Of those
curly-haired young persons who start
life in boarding house or on farm,
as charity children are always bound
to be Cinderellas.
In this case Nancy is beaten by the
hardfaced "lady of the house " and
caressed by the hard-hsted hus-
band. Both arc distastetul, so she runs
away and jumps on the back Of Il
happens that the car is owned by the
very young and rich man who has
fallen in love with Nancy and her rags
at first sight. He takes her to his
beautiful home, dresses her, or rather
has her dressed, in his sisters best
clothes. etc.
Chester Franklin directed the pic
ture, and it seems that Grace Drew
and Katherine Pinkerton gave him
very little story to work with so he
deserves all the more credit for the
work which he has turned out
A young man named Edward Suther-
land is seen in the role Of the young
prince who marries bcggar maid.
Vera Lewis and James Gordon are the
hard hearted couple and Myrtle Sted-
man is the snippy sister, whose clothes
Nancy borrowed. You can't expect
these aristocratic sisters to receive
their brothers bcggar maids with any
great amount of enthusiast when they
are always far and away nandsomcr
and more fascinating than they. Some
day we are going to write society
comedy about a poor girl who was dis
who was beautiful and sweet. But if
we do we shall have to produce it our
self
On the picture program are also the
Rialto magazine. comedy and short
picture of Japan called "The Romance
of White Chrysanth emum." George
Richardson sang "Dannie Deever" as
we'll as ever we have heard it sung.
Victorina Krigher does dance from
The Fircbird," and the overture is
"Dic Meistersinger."
Wesley Barry is a delightful actor
and "School Days" is a delightful pic
ture up to a certain point. That point
is reached when Speck Brown begins to
roll around in his own motor car for
"School Days" is Cinderella picture
too, only this time it is male Gin
derella appearing at the Strand The
ater.
The trouble is, as We have said be
fore. that when a child is starred one
is almost bound to get too much of
hun, because author, producer and di-
rector conspire to keep him in front OF
the camera all the time, and the best
child story will begin to sag before it
gets to its sixth reel.
The first part Of the picture is quite
perfect. 1t shows Speck and his asso-
cates. to say nothing Of the dog, in
the country school, and all of their do
ings are simple and interesting. The
picture abounds in romance-the sort
of romance that is whispered by the
trees and the brooks and the wind to
the very young. 1t is powo rful enough
even to bring back the romance Of a
bysone day to the old--a day when
there was music for them in the trees
and the brooks and the wind
But when Speck inherits rich
uncle and goes TO New York the pic.
ture becomes as different as Speck
himself. and there is palpable strain
ing for comedy, as. for instance. the
trek suit, which, most assuredly, no
tailor would make for a millionairc's
heir and certainly no conservative
guardian would allow him to wear
and then, on top of this. the episode Of
the cheese, or is one to regard this
merely as symbolic? And then. again
tie invention and the robbery, Prob.
ABLY every one was as relieved as the
Old uncle appeared to be when Speck
+ decided to go back to the farm. One
up-stage little brat remarked to him