Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-21
BARRY AND ROGERS
I'm Two new FILMS
School Days" at Stanley
"ons Glorious Day" Rivals
caligari in Originality

Stanley-"School Days" gives just
the entertainment that 1t promises, no
more. no less. There Is no misrepre-
sentation, and It seems difficult to be-
lieve any one who sees It will be dis.
appointed since they must be bound to
know what awaits them.
rative threads, "School Days might
be classed as an cducat ational Aim II
swimming holes and schoolrooms and
bOydom In general are to be 20 chased.
Except for that slightest Of threads. the !
picture Ia merely a collection OF beau.
TRULY photographed md often amusing
scenes IN which freckled faced Wesley
Barry is the central figure. As mat.
ter OF fact, this feature is most enter.
tanning when 1t keeps fur away from
that shadow OF a plot, and Is most
artistic when 1t Is merely pictorial.
Young Barry II immense; nothing
less could be said, and the young actors
and actresses who play with him are
wisely chosen types. 40 are the few
:dults. including that capable actress.
Margaret Seldom.
Also on the bill Is Buster Keaton's
newest comedy. Cops" This frozen.
faced comedian. together with Harold
Lloyd. IL showing the way in screen
fun these days, and "Cops'' is no ex.
ception.. 1t will be long time before
those shots showing empty streets. sud.
denly made riotous as Buster appears,
pursued BY an actual army Of police.
men. will be forgotten. And his ride
with the express wagon and the slow
horse is worthy of being classcd with
Gilpin's ride. and that Of Tam O'Shan-
ter. Only It's 80 different! Betty
Mastbaum. daughter Of Jules y. Mast.
baum, president Of the Stanley Com.
pany. makes her debut this week in the
prologue.
Arcadia-That harassed chap-the
man looking for the odd and novel, and
who declares they cannot be found on
the screen-ought to drop In and call
on "Ek' some lunch hour this week.
FIR is a strange little being AWAY
up In the Land of the Unborn, who
gets tired Of waiting In line to be given
a mortal body and no, deciding to plny
hockey, comes down to the earth for
u little fun.
"Ek" does more than that in this
film called "Onc Glorious Day" and
his adventures include his entrance into
the earthly body Of Prof. Ezra Bolts,
interested in spiritualism, who in prnc.
ticing an experiment. steps out for n
Thercupon "Ek" proceeds to make
things lively for poor old Ezra's body,
but since his lively spirit and quest Of
adventure enable him to triumph over
the town bully and win the girl he has
always been too shy to court, "Ek's"
single dny on earth may be called n
success both for himself and Bolts.
1t is pleasant to record that VIII
Rogers last picture before returning
to the stage Is fur and away his best.
1t is even plcasantcr to declare that
Zone Glorious Day is this country's
more than adequate answer to the
gnri.' Both pictures ring the bell for
originality and imagination. The big
difference il that the Rogers film Is
one of the most delightful. chuckle.
producing comedies the films have
ever created.
The camera man deserves n separate
paragraph Of praise. His name is Karl
Brown. and his double exposure effects,
his most unusually beautiful night
photography. and the queer shots Of
"Ek's' heavenly home. 20 n long way
toward making the pictures success.
Without ,, in any any way % IetractiTg from
as "Botts." thc impish agility of John
Fox as "Ek." the beauty and real in.
tclligcnce Of Lila Ice as the heroine.
and the we'll. simulated scene of in.
tnxicntion by Alan Hale. ''Once
Glorious Day" is one film whose credit
belongs chiefly not to the actors, but
the makers.
Notwithstanding humanity possi-
/ hln h, Il ll,,,,
play, Bought and Paid FOr,'' when
Its perturbation was engineered. The
result is Il perfectly appointed. nicely
ncted and snnely directed film which
ought to be quite well liked.
The main fault, just rs true of the
stage play as It IS Of the screen, in fact.
probably more so. is the theatricnlity of
the story and the preach ness Of the
solution. Even the painstaking and ar
tistic William DE Mile couldn't re.
move those defects. In bald subtitles
than as spoken sentences. but the wise
director has rcmedied this partially by
little touches of distinction in action
and setting.
It's all about n rich man who mar.
rios n telephone girl who doesn't love
him, but promises to try. She does
her part. but his taste for liquor makes
him at times "a stranger 70 her' and
finally she repels him, and he claims he
bought and paid for her. Next
morning she leaves. after returning a
vast quantity Of jewclry. After a nee
cssary number Of scenes the rcronrilia-
ti0n Is effected.
Jack Holt Is dignitcd and salts
factory husband. Agnes Ayrrs shows
advance In her ability TO do emotional
acting and looks as lovely rs ever: and
Walter HERS is splendid in Frank
Craven's famous part of Jimmy Gilley.
Leah Wyant is unsuitcd to the part OF
the sister.
Stanton "FoOtfalls might have