Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-22
OVIECRAMS
SDF THE WEEK
6II0ce Reid in ''The Die.
entor'' at Stanley; LADY
Codiua' at Aldine

quite bit of argument. but there is
- question that among those men,
TONED for the honor would be Phila-
delphia's own Richard Harding Davis.
Yet, strange as It may seem. "Dicky'
Davis has not been well treated in
regard to the filming Of his yarns.
Since his death It is doubtful if there
have been three screen adaptations Of
his novels, plays and short stories. One
of the three will be seen here next
week when THE Dictator" opens at
the Stanley.
CIDNEY DREW fans land they were
~ legion remember that charming and
fragrant playing Dead" based on
one of Davis last stories. In which both
Drew and his wife were at their best.
That was five years or more ago.
Douglas Fairbanks fans, who have
followed the athletic one since his
famous machine gun entrance into
the films In The Lamb" will re-
Americana which was nothing more
nor less than The White Mice" and
which caused lawsuit on that account
The real 'old-timers" remember
when Dustin Farnum. then new to the
screen. played Clay in version Of
Soldiers of Fortune. made in Cuba
by the An-Star company. It had
atmosphere, but. even in those days.
lacked neutrality-suspicious. 1t was
movie technique.
More recently. that same romance Of
q South American revolution was filmed
under the direction of Allan Dwan
with Norman Kerry. Anna .. Nilsson
and others but il lacked even more the
right dash and spirit. In both YER
sions the best parts of the story-the
tragedy of Stuart and the satisfying
way In which Clay switched herones--
were badly done.
Then we've had screen adaptation
Of Davis play. The Galloper." and
tator,' in which John ,then jack
Barrymore was at his tip.top comedy
best so good, in fact, that he even
eclipsed the memory of Willie Col
Hers stage portrayal of Brooke Travers.
The old Edison company produced a
short version Of 'Ransom's Folly
whose main claim to distinction was
the work of Marc McDermott in the
role of the post trader. by far the most
interesting character Of the story. II
memory serves riSht, one of the last
stories Davis wrote, Somewhere in
France" was filmed with Louise
Glaum. and. once upon time. some
company or other made Vera the
Medium
The best of all his novels. Captain
Macklin,' has never been picturized.
probably because of its lack of the
much desired "love interest. Nor has
any attempt been made to film The
Princess Aline." with its exquisite end
ing, and THE Lion and the Unicorn, u"
THE Reporter Who Made Himself
King" The Kings Jarkall.' The
Consul, The Derelict.' gallagher
(here's bully chance for Wesley
Barry and the Van Bibber stories have
been equally neglected.
WALLACE REID plays the role Of
w the young American hero in the
version Of The Dictator on view Mt
the Stanley next week. 1t is more like
the part he had in Hawthorne of the
U. s. A" than any recent role he has
assumed, and 1t ought to be bully
vehicle for him.
What's more. he has in his support =
ing east such crarkerjack character men
as Walter Long who. from his Gus in
''The Birth of a Nation all the way
down TO his vilainous sailor in Moran
of the Lady Lefty" has upheld the
highest standards of villainy). Theo-
dore Kosloff. who jumped into the front
rank Of screen pantomimists with his
portrayals in Fools Paradise. The
Lane That Had No Turning and
''The Green Temptation''D and Allan
spot in desert Of weird effects in
Naximova's DOLLS House,.
Lila Lee. who has succeeded in build
ing up her structure Of popularity al
most to the skyscraper heights Of star
dom after 1t was demolished by the mis-
guided attempt TO force her on the
public too soon is the charming Spanish
heroine.
Don't be surprised. by the way, If the
plot of this picture seems a bit strange
to you. Those who saw the original stage
farce are warned that there has been
tampering with some of the facts. chieHy
in regard to the character Of ''Bif
Dooley, chauffeur.
4 Nd. speaking Of changes from the
\ original. some one should send Al
d, Lord TennySOn spirit message
, come and attend a showing Of the
:. feature at the Aldnc next week. whcn
is none other than Lady Godivn."
However. in all fairness. it must be
admitted that the film. Lady Godiva,"
prominently advertises itself as being
only "suggested" by the poem. The
result is that the famous ride or the
heroine through the streets of Coventry
"clothed only in chastity in order to
save the townspeoplo from m" wrath Of
the wicked Earl. her husband, is only
an episode in lively melodramatic
plot which eliminates in the destruction
OF the Earl's castle by the rising tide
after 1t has been undermined by the
maddened citizenry. There Is. Of
course, a hero for Lady Godiva to be
reunited with at the end after the Earl
and all the castle reveers have met
their death.
The cast Is comprised Of English
players mostly and was made abroar.
The name part is played by a we'll
known English actress. l1edda Vernon
who. having failed to have bobbed her
hair during the craze. was suitable for
the role of the modest lady who took
so strange horseback ride. Others IN
the cast are Edward Winters, Earnest
Dench. Paula Winters and Zoni Zim-
merer
Poems, by the way. are not generally
filmed, except, perhaps. as single reel
novelties. OF course, "Evangelnc"
has been put upon the screen. and
Paul Revere's Ride" one or two of
the Service ditties. "Enoch Arden, "
"Mazeppa' and "Pippa Passes and
a few others. Even Tennysons Tor
Mallory's, II you prefer To go back
Arthurian romances have not been made
into celluloid scenes.
A LTHOCGH there are other inter.
u II