New-York tribune., 1922-10-23
On the Screen
Gloria Swanson Is Seen in ssI'he
Impossible Mrs. Bellew''
at the Rivoli
BY Harriette Underhill

"
rs tWonders of the Sea-" the William
son picture, which was at the Rlalto
| last week, has moved up to the Rivoli
and shares the honors with Gloria
Swanson in '.The Impossible Mrs. Bel
lew" and with Burton Keaton in "My
Wife's Relations" When we saw the
marine picture last week we were fas-
cinated with it and we praised it super
latively, adding that it ran for only
two reels or so and that it should be
longer. At that time we were informed
that the picture was four reels in
length, and when we sat through it yes
terday we realized quite well that 1t
was at least too long. When we saw it
last week we must have missed at least
reel of the beginning. for lot of it
we did not recognize, and it seems much
too long now and terribly draggy in
spots. There are SO many people fea-
tured in the picture who have nothing
to do with it at all, and there Is at
least reel of unimportant detail be-
fore the story gets under way. How
ever, the undersea stuff remains as
marvellous as ever.
Who ever named Gloria Swanson's
story "1'he Impossible Mrs. Bellew" was
a little more harsh than we should
have been with Mrs. Bellew. To US she
seems merely highly improbable. Cecil
de Mile did not do this picture, but we
were surprised at the end Of it to learn
that it was the work of Sam Wood. 1t
is extremely De Mile in every way.
Even the titles are the sort that always
grace De Mile extravaganza. No
credit is given for these titles, but they
are probably the property Of DR.. Frank
Crane, though occasionally there is one
which sounds like Margot Asquith.
Will Make Lot of Money
Whenever you see man and woman
dancing the tango, or any dance, in
fact, other than the lanciers, follows a
title with reference in it to "effete So
soety"--society that is "rotten to the
CORE" "fotten at the top" or "deca-
dent" We did not read the story by
David Lisle, but the picture is just
another one of those things which
people who never think anything be-
cause they have nothing to think about
and nothing to think with are going to
like. 1t ought to make lot of money.
Gloria Swanson is seen as one of those
faultless young women who has mil
lionaire husband who does not appre-
she odores, and, Of, course, she is quite
woman so long as she may keep jr.
All of the characters fit into the
well-known inches without which no
motion picture is complete-take it
from the man in the box office. There
is the wronged wife who, driven to
desperation, becomes so very impossi-
BILE! Why, my dear, would you believe
it, at party given at the home of
Count Radisloff she impersonated a
statue. Yes, she really did, and then
she resented it because the count in
suited her. Robert Cain is the wicked
husband, Conrad Nagel is the noble
lover, Richard Nayne is the dear, kind
friend, Frank Elliott is the count who
smile and smile and be virtuous. Ger
trude Astor is the society snob, who
snubs Mrs. Bellew after she has been
branded" and becomes "pariab."
June Elvidge is the vampire, who is
mean to Junior after she becomes his
stepmamma. Herbert Standing is the
Rev. Helstan, who casts the first stone,
and the little Moore children, Mickey
and Pat, are Junior at different stages
Of the picture.
Censors Used Shears
1t is evident that the censors did
not approve of all Of the picture, for
some of the titles in quite different
type proclaimed that their shears had
been at work. We should like to know
just what it was that the count said
to Mrs. Bellew after she had imper-
sonated the statue and he had fol-
lowed her to her dressing room. He
now says, MADAME, you are magnifi-
cent?"
Buster Keaton's comedy is about
man who made taffy, and who, by a
peculiar train of circumstances, found
himself married to scrub lady who
was sister to policeman, d prize
fighter, fireman and bricklayer, all
giantlike gentlemen. 1t is undoubt-
cdly very funny, because people howled
with delight every time bed would
break down or one man would fell
another one. But slapstick comedies
are not the least bit amusing to US.
We used to hope that we should re-
form, but now we're sure we never
shall.
"The Prisoner of Zenda" remains at
the Capitol. "Clarence" has moved
down to the Rialto. At the Strand the
feature is "skin Deep" This will be
reviewed tomorrow.