Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-05

kcteers" and found a relief; now In
Monte Cristo," they have another
Dumns romance screened in n broad,
spirited way that shows the films of In
their best light. :.
Monte Cristo" for more than half
Of it's length Is the closest thing to the
perfect picture" Ideal that has been
seen here in years. That it weakens
n bit thereafter is the fault, not of the
film Makers but Of Dumas himself.
Just as wns the case with the novel,
Edmond's betrayal, imprisonment and
cscnpe, we're far more interesting ana
better told than the involved chapters
concerning his revenge. In fact, the
remarkable thing is that the last half
of the picture Is 80 fine as 1t Is.
But that first part! Oh you Dumas
lovers, how you'll revel in that From
the minute that the Pharaoh drops
anchor in Marseilles harbor Ind young
Edmond Dnntes goes ashore to tell the
owner the news OF the captains death,
there isn't n single dull or stale mo.
ment up to the moment where the same
Edmond Dantes, aged by twenty years,
be- whiskercd and tottcring, escapes
from the Chateau DIFF, and. surround. I.
ed by finging spray, cries, The World
is Mine" Dramatically, pictorially
and artistically, 1t is the height Of
screen power.
The latter portions Of the picture are
redeemed by some sumptuous scenes,
by some fine acting, and by most re-
markable bit Of swordplay between
John Gilbert (as Monte Cristo) and
Robert McKim Gas villefort) which
last was not in the book, but should
have been.
Gilbert. by the way, covered himself
with honors in the leading role. AS
the cynical Count he is quite the hand
soonest piece of masculinity the films
have known since Schildkraut flashed
through "Orphans Of the Storm And
as the youthful Edmond. he was both
appealing and distinguished. McKim
has few equals in villainy, and he
must have felt quite at home as Vile
fort. William V. Mong was the shifty-
eyed Caderousse to the life; old Spot
tiswood Aitken was so good in the brief
role of the Able Faria that we almost
wished they had changed the story and
let him live. Ralph Clonginger and
Albert Frisco were ideal as Fernand
and Danglnrs in the first part. Francis
Mcdonald scored an individual hit as
Benedctto. Unfortunately. the women
were not 30 outstanding, though both
Estelle Taylor and Virginia Brown
Faire had their moments of great at
tractiveness.
To Emmett J. Flynn who directed
this romantic classic, nothing but praise
Is due. Many Of the scenes, even In
this day of sophistication, seem alto
! gether too real to be made in the studio.
This man Dumas seems lucky In his
screen treatment.
AldIne - James Oliver Curwood is
nearly always pretty much the same,
but luckily Nature is just the opposite
and Nature puts across 1.-The Valley Of
Silent Men" into the success c.ass.
Frank Borzage proves that mountain
ranges are just as much within the
scope Of his directorinl ability as the
Enst Side tenements of "HumoresQue. -
This particular story of villainy,
mounted policemen and snowy mountain
tops has received treatment of such
high order that the unoriginality Of the
plot is obscured. Alma Rubens is mis-
cast in the role of the heroine. being
scarcely the type for rugged stories of
this kind, but she tries desperately and
partially succeeds In winning regard.
Lew Cody is likewise out of his element.
He plays the hero's role, and Mr.. Cody
is by all laws a natural exponent of