The New York herald., 1922-02-28
Many Villains
Perish in This
Wild Honey Film
BAD Mems Lives Enled in
Thrilling Photoplay From
Stockley Novel.

wild Honey" the latest Universal
film melodrama. which burst on the
screen OF the Central Theater last night,
holds the cinema record for slaughter
ing villains-one blackguard extermi-
mated per reel. might be Carl Laemmies
guarantee. First It's Henry Porfaen
the newly rich bounder, played by Noah
Beery. who lures Lady Vivieane, In the
guise of Priscilla Dean, to his lonely
hunting lodge on the moors, where he
proceeds to hunt her.
You can tell from his nasty mustache
trickling into the corners Of his mouth
that he means no good to our Viz. And
he shows he doesn't in most hectic
scene on the banisters-where so much
that Is villainous is perpetrated In the
movies. Here Miss Deans hair becomes
loose apparently spontaneously-sh
has but to give her head a shake and
down come her locks all over the scene.
making it most tempestuous. But the
woman secretary whom Porthen had led
on with promises to marry arrives in
time to save Lady Viviefne and shoot
the scoundrel off the edge Of her bed.
Undertaken, look after Villain No. /!
Then comes another black visaged In
dividual in South Africa, whittier the
heroine has gone for no particular rea-
son except that she's titled but broke.
She becomes lost on the veldt, managing
so let her hair down again. Miss Dean
must be the film champion at scattering
hairpins over scene. "Buch" Roper,
renegade, saves her from death in the
desert but seems to be reminded by his
unshaven beard that he ought to act
rough. So. as Buck is played by Wal
lace Berry, brother of Noah, It was
foregone conclusion that the hero Should
thrust a revolver into LGdy Vivienne's
hands in the nick of time and she should
shoot him dead. Bang goes william
No. Q!
Then there were the rascals who
helped blow up a dam and turn the
deluge on party of African cclonists-
for no very obvious purpose except to
uncork good climax. Trey were
caught up in the overwhelming wall of
onrushing water themselves and
Boys. clear away half dozen villains
That about uses them all up.
This torrent scene is the most ef-
fective OF all, and slow mot'o1 photog-
raphy has been introduced INTO this
kind of situation very smartly so that
the sight of the flood charging through
a high canyon catches you srippingly
Instead of hurrying by so -ast as to
leave you gasping, as usual, but wonder
Ing what it's all about. OF course the
pair OF lovers, caught up thrillngly in
the onrush. are no sooner rescued than
they promptly sit up on thu bank and
go at love scene. while they dry out
visibly every second
But one Is inclined to forgive them
this and other discrepancies for the
sake OF the flood that washes many Of
the faults OF che picture away. The
cutting of the scenes has been skctchily
done, leaving this adaptation of Cynthia
Stockley's novel ntfu and jerlSy as an
African cart.
And one wishes the subtitler lad kept
in closer touch with his story. for when
he describes Lady ViUienae's home as a
tottering ruin one sees one of Holly
woods neatest and newest country
mansions. Miss Dean does acceptably,
though passing through so many har-
rowing perils seems to be making her a
bit haggard, as we'll as inclined to look
cross.