The New York herald., 1922-05-18
'Silper Wings
Film Tells of
Brothers Strife
Mary Carr Has Leading Mother
Role in Fox Photo
play.

The true advent of summer is coming
TO be signalized through the Broadway
showing by William Fox of mother
picture. Last night at the Apollo The
ater aSilver Wings" with Mary Carr,
made straw hats appropriate.
As matter of fact 1t is not veri-
tally maternal picture, and Paul Fl.
Sloane, who wrote this phofoplay. has
gone "Over the Hil' and beyond in
getting away from his original theme.
The producer aimed his camera at a
mother motif, but instead il shot two
tween Anna Webb's elder son John, arr.
logant and unscrupulous. and his
shrinking, sensitive younger brother
Harry that carries most of the dra-
matte burden, and does 1t in the main
without too much of struggle.
The scenes in which as boys and
again as men the elder taunts his
brother with being a coward and exer-
clses his almost hypnotic domination
over Harry are well carried out. and
save the picture from being mothered
up to the hilt
The Maternal Element.
The maternal element. indeed. is
largely incidental, and the photodrama
therefore does not too often cross the
sentimental deadline The manner IN
which A mother. longing for demonstra-
tive affection. is hoodwinked into indul-
Eence by an unregenerate offspring VINO
makes a great show of love for her is
far closer to reality than one has any
right to expect In pictures of this type
But the means by which John, object
ing first to his sisters marriage and then
throwing the blame for his theft OF
money upon Harry, drives her other two
children away mounts up to a total sum
of sheer melodrama. And 1t would seem
likely that o. mother who had shown
enough common sense to build up a big
sewing machine factory out of nothing
would refrain from extravagantly in
dulging her sons wildcat schemes, espe-
cially as she is not shown suffering a
mental breakdown, whatever else she
suffers.
Fox says in foreword that thi~
picture deals with life in the ideal
American home" but judging by the
story this home must cover a lot Of
ground. 1t moves from humble frame
country dwelling through more COM
Portable abode to a Fifth avenue man
sion, the latter being made to riot with
gilded vice by the simple addition of a
little jazz. The episodes veer from simple
rural shedding and church scenes to
moments OF undulating dances-the
orchestras accompanying a Fox picture
certainly have to be most versatile.
Director. show Restraint.
On the whole. Edwin Carewe and
lack Ford the directors. have exercised
int ha Wu oh
"Over the HILL" Mrs. Carr's earlier pic
ture and there seems to have been quite
a supply of glycerne left over after all
the tears were shed for this film. They
have dexterously inserted attractive
touches in some amusing snow and
Christmas entertainment scenes, though
their handling of the juveniles Is at
times too redolent of megaphoning afore-
thought. At times the youngsters just
seem to clench their teeth and make up
their minds they will act.
Mrs. Carr again bears about all the
troubles possible and once more per-
forms the feat Of aging almost as one
wa tches. Knox Kincaid and Joseph
Monahan in the prologue as boys and
Percy Helton and Joseph Striker in the
play itself fill the roles OF the brothers
adequately, the scapegrace OF course
being forgiven everything n the end and
once more placing premium upon being
g family black sheep. Jane Thomas as
the sister contributes about the only
note OF romantic cooling in the picture.
The photography of the ideal Ameri-
can home is not always Of the clearest,
but to make up for this the subtitles
are constantly addressing the spectator
as you and practically thrusting the
intimate atmosphere upon him. Mother
photoplays always are open to the charge
OF being highly sentimental, and no
doubt this is Just as liable to be popular
as "Over the Hill"