Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-03
NORMA TALMADGE
IN SPIRITED FILM
Wonderful Thing" Gives Star
Chance for Her Delightful
! Comedy Talent


FANS who are admirers Of Norma Tai
madgc-and they are legion. For the
hrst time in long while this captivat-
Ing star has deserted the heavy emo
tional parts which she has essayed lately
and now appears in comedy drama
which brings out strongly the fascinat. 4.
ins lighter side of her personality and
psrmits her to use the famous smile
with which she first captured the hearts
Of the public.
There is nothing particularly unusual
n the story, but IL is so well put to-
gether and bound by so many good
comedy sub titles that its wcll-worn
themes are lost sight Of in the general
impression Of delight and satisfaction
wAich It gives.
Norma plays the part Of the daughter
Of an American 'hog king" and mil
ncnaire. She has spent her whole life
in a French convent school and her
dialogue is entirely in comedy dialect,
which. while scarcely convincing in an
American girl even with q French edu
cation, Is sufficiently bright and anus
ing to keep the element of fun upper
ncst.
She falls in love with a young Eng
lishman, a member Of snobbsh old
family which has fallen into poverty.
Sho boldly proposes to him. and he,
being In dire need Of money to protect
his younger brother from arrest for
forgery and his family from the poor
she discovers bs took nov only for bcr
wealth be has really faIIon in. love with
bsr and sbo ms won Tho boorts and tho
rrntitude Of the whole family. she
save, eyerybodv' Of course. and nil ends
happily.
SA.n. D. aimuuse am naS, p,, pernaps, ieSs s,s
~s1 70 use her git Oh PahLolllIlr In
s~.s p'ISure pTs nan III I'll! VI neI lecen' @
SS inere 10 not great ueal Oh az
s,sa..to ., ~. e s'os ue'hs au'
si.i.. h,,. ~ os means VI .ne SUI t
ou. my ate cleseL enoush 10
y, ~, anu the phoIograpny, Win tne
p',oh oI one G,ose up sequence; en-
,sr; ncr VIII -, a.' .ue oeauty anu ~
char" tnat her aunirers expect
ta.,. IT,, o,.. ..,u.,,,
- - .s9n oru ILiukes an httractiNe
ss uIiiUrnE ii, inlelngent ana nn
oia @ 10Y; Aho"n IN s9clety
IL. p.ess asehts us Mrs Lyuis
Sy., mahes hes screen ueput IN TINS
s ~, Nntie she ~ photograPhlc
y II cannot De saIu tnat she mas
C.ha now " nio'e oei1[e the caileru'
SS SI n tne Cast are iiowSrG 1rues-
, nouert Agne", Ethel flemn3S,
pIFx; NaiIer hcbWen, Snaries
S3siB anu amy ourhe'
-
Arcadia - II anything ielse were
needed to establish lovely Betty Comp
son firmly in the hearts of picture
goers, "The Little Minister" should do
Il, even without the recent photoplays
In which she has appeared. And
equally firmly should it fix the name of
Penrhyn Stanlaws in the memories Of
photoplay fans as a director, for her
last three vehicles have been made under
his supervision and all Of them have
been far above the average in intelli-
sent conception, artistic feeling and
technical execution.
Barrie's quaint story of Thrums life
3 too well known to need retelling here.
The picture adheres closely to the book
and the sub titles are taken almost en-
tirely from It's pages. with their Thrums
dialect and their keen portrayal of
Thrums character. The settings fairly
has made US know It and fans have sci :
dom had an opportunity to see such
vital and consistent character acting ms
IL given by the members of the cast who
have been assigned the various roles.
Miss Compson herself grows more
winsome and more captivating with
rnArm
that rare one that appeals to women as
well as men and it is only necessary to
hear the comments Of the audience to
be convinced that she is winning an i'm
mense following by her consistently i'm
proving work. She Is a very reincarna-
ton of Lady Babbie.
George Hackathorne, as the Little
Minister, is unfortunately the weakest
spot In the cast. He acts well enough.
but his conception of the role is not a
sympathetic one. and his personality
leaves one hoping that Babies ro-
nance will end happily rather than
Rnhsrt 'Ea Rrower ~ "i", os Tonos ol
Mar WiIkinson as Mann s,yo t,ro
~ ths hest cbaracter inta.nnato 49, =
ss.n an the screen in n lone tima NtnaI
49, 10 an ;nnr.ss;ra .nd st,;i,;ns,s
Inotin. Canaan Holl;weii and otbsr
49, are nisvad e,ceilentir nv EJr,t,, T,nI
ktsvsns viii r WeIi;na Cny 0Iiver Im, -
Tred Huntley and Joscnb Hazieton
p.,...-ors -, tbos. not,o-.ho
n,ar-;.d'' ,a-,s ts .o,d ''.;th my ~
srSs - inters.t and snsnanss IN J., '.TS re- =
&yis THE, Carcst Nc - ,.r,nb
Js Ston. Rorbara n. ..ia.or ""'UG nCd
T,T,;.n nasronS Ia tba ,Sson an
80. ns ~. Ia san,;i,or tr;onnTo
Tsh vi sitnatinu' % n hr,doarnor, an
A.. a. Ssv ~ h,s veddino 6nS;n, tia
e 5 ps ponstra ~ thoU. 10 ~ ca mea
Jn ta n,tFo;ontIv unconYantinroI ="
,otrro a r,rnino stort nnd J..
hNo ens piStu'e I'"-S """ ~