Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-07
BILL OF NOVELTIES 4
SHOWN AT STANLEY
"Four Seasons" Carmen and
Lloyd Comedy We-othsr
Pictures Open

Stanley-The city's harshest critic Of
the photOplay should see this bill. It
would convert him II anything could.
There are 80 many good things that
a first choice Is difficult. but ''The
Four Seasons a remarkable nature
study. comes pretty near to carrying
away the paln. Here, indeed, Is the
screen novelty Of the year. The con.
ception. credited to Charles Urban and
Raymond l.. Ditmars. is worthy OF
high praise; its execution is just as
fine.
Animals. insects. fish and birds. in I.
Guiding some Of the shyest species
known. are the actors in this remark
able drama. Their stories are enacted
against the changing background Of the
four seasons. Ludicrous bear cubs and
the spring setting, and the great
awakening of Nature is actually out
lined on the screen in series Of fas.
cinating views of woodlands and
meadows. The dramatisation of n
thunder storm Is the feature Of the
summer scenes, and the coming Of win
ter and It's effect on wild life fosms a
series of pictures that are revelatory-
and all too short.
In addition. there Is a condensed ver-
sion Of Geraldine Farrar's version of
Carmen" But don't get the idea by
the word CONDENSED that the result
is a jumpy. jerky hash Of screen
classic. Instead it Is compact.
smooth running. spirited unfolding Of
Merrime's great tragedy in which Far
rar gives nn unforgettablc portrayal.
Accompanied by Bizet's strains this
film is ever delight and the girls (the
"fappcr fanettes'O can have an oppor.
tunity Of seeing Wallace Reid with
"siders" and a spirit Of revenge.
Then, there is Harold Lloyd's latest
comedy. "a Sailor Made Man." 1t is
longer than it's predecessors and may
rot be as continuously amusing, hut it
il easily one Of his best. Where the
fun pauses for a minute an interesting
and coherent story with thrills and an
attractive background take its place.
Harold is shown as a youth with
plenty of money and more nerve. Told
by his girls father that lie must get
to work and quit being a loafer, he en-
lists in the navy. He and the girl meet
again on the other side Of the world,
and when an Indian princeling kidnaps
her Harold stages breath taking and
AuuSH prOuuclHS TesCue.
Altogether it is one of those rare bills
in which there are no tagging, boring
moments. There is something to please
everybody always on the screen, and
that, combined with an excellent musical
program headed by Caesare Nesi. make
1t pretty nearly ideal film entertain.
ment.
Arcadia--"Jane Eyre" is another ei
those screened answers to the charge
that there is no art in the movies
Hugo Ballin. the producer and director,
has taken Charlotte Bronte's famous
novel and. with depth of purpose
that is very apparent, has translated
its very essence and atmosphere into q
pictured story that ranks among the
sincerest efforts that motion pictures
have given us.
: Inevitably. "Jane Eyre" lacks the
faction" quality so persistently de
manded Of stories Of today. Most di
rectors would have interpolatcd actor
Of their own and would have rewritten
the book 80 as. to conform to latter day
ideas. But the story would not hav,
been Bronte's "Jane Eyre" Ballir
has faithfully preserved the original
only eliminating such material as coult
hVt pV IhttuuVu I'LL tHV ulIOWeu
Of film and. in one or two places. run
ming separate incidents together tc
bridge over the gaps thus caused. But
he has taken no liberties with the
novel.
Scenically. the production is delight
full. the English countryside being
duplicated amazingly in the exterior
locations discovered by the producer
The interiors, too. are notably faithful
transcriptions Of the period of the story
and the costuming is quaint and charm
ing for those who admire the hoop.
skirt styles.
Mabel Ballin's Madonna like beauty
ls excellently fitted to the role of Jane,
through the passiveness of the character
as conceived by the author does not give
her the chances to score that she has
had in other roles. She is. however.
always pleasing figure, and even the
poke bonnets Of the Eyre decade cannot
hide her attractive personality.
Norman Trevor Is ideally cast as the
forbidding lover, Mr.. Roches.
ter. No girl of today would think Sf
being in love with him. but he Is the
over as BrOnte conceived him. and both
Mr.. Ballin and Mr.. Trevor have been
too faithful to the original book to al.
Tempt to modernize it's hero.
Emily Fitz Roy, best remembered for
Ter part OF the mistress of Anna Moore's
boarding house in "Way Down East" !"
ioes an outstanding character part in
he role of Grace Poole. guardian Of
mad wife, and the maniac
herself is cleverly handled without too
much gruesomeness. Crauford Kent
an appealing st. John Rivers.
md all the other characters are we'll
karlton.-The plight OF society
woman who marries her chauffeur and
las an IT. running by her window.
and fake piano that turns into n fold.
ng bed in her parlor is contrasted In
SATURDAY Night with the equally
nd case OF a wash asherwoman's daughter
who marries society man and is ex.
,ccted to talk astronomy to sayants,
md falls asleep over her wine at n for.
nal banquet.
A guess that Cecil b. De Mile ia
responsible Is perfectly correct, This
Usually trustworthy and artistic dircc
or made Saturday Night" and, su.
,erficially. It is an entertaining, often
picture. Mr.. De Mile takes
he two couples. marries them, as de-
'cribed above, shows beyond all doubt
hat oil and water will not mix, and
hen proceeds to unscramble them again.
InterlarGed with scenes of gorgeous.
ness and POVERTY are thrills OF n more
,r less mechanical nature. but real
hrills nevertheless. One Of the heroes
Iaves his sweetheart by hanging by ono
,and from a railroad trestle while a
rain shoots by; the other hero does a
'escue in tenement fire which would
eem to indicate that he wore asbestos
,lothes. A realistic and rnuph and