The New York herald., 1922-05-01
Satire Preserpedin
Film John Henry
and Restless Sex
Adaptation of Earl Derr Big
gers's Story Called Too
Much Business Humorous.

CAPITOL.-"Too Much Business" a
vitagraph production adapted from
Earl Derr Biggers's story. John Henry
and the Restless Sex,'' and directed by
Jess Robbins.
1t isr high time that the typical big
business story of to-day, in which the
hero wins hands down principally by
sticking out his jaw and being INSURER
ably impertinent. should have a little
Derr Biggers. who has written so many
stories Of just that kind. was the very
man to do 1t. A fine vein of satire ran
through his original yarn. and 1t has
been adequately preserved In the screen
reproduction, so that this has the effect of
Life initiating an efficiency magazine.
The story deals with head salesman
for an automobile products concern who
seeks to apply strictly business methods
to his courtship, only to find that there
is one field where scientific management
won't work, despite all the literature to
the contrary. He obtains an option for
thirty days on the hand OF his boss's
secretary on condition that he doubles
his salary in that time-a farcical pre-
mise, but fair enough for the movies.
When the irascible boss. who cherishes
that secretary because she frequently
saves him from making himself ridiculous,
hears of the engagement he promptly
fires the young man who would deprive
him of this safeguard against himself.
Something little different In con-
tinuity and direction Is observable at
this point. indicating that not quite
every one has gone stale on the job I'm
the films. Instead OF closeups showing
the hero painfully registering" the big
idea that is to win him $1,000,000 at
least, it is revealed gradually with an
amusing air OF mystery. although the
idea is so whimsically original that the
average director might well have hurled
1t right in the eyes Of his audience
Briefly, the salesman establishes an IN
stitution where busy mothers can check
their children by the day, with baoles
called for and delivered.
1t does not seem entirely credible that
a man who had dealt exclusively with
skid chains and spark plugs would go In
for babies on a Wholesale scale. But
then the modern business, man tackles
anything-especially in fiction. More
over the story is diverted from the
stereotype form because, strange as II
may seem, the hero fails to make even
a bowling success with the kiddies. A
rival for the girls hand interferes and
John Henry finds that an infant Is an
other commodity who refuses to conform
to efficiency. The scenes of the juve-
nife riots in the institution border on
extreme farce, but are wholesomely
laughablc, as children running amuck
always are when the spectator doesn't
have to gather up the pieces.
The way is paved for happy ending
by rival manufacturer. who first
makes the acquaintance of John Henry
when his motor car bumps into him, tho
road to glory being apparently in the
path of an oncoming automobile. Per-
haps. If one wants to get right down to
brass tacks. wealthy man would hardly
be attracted to a young man who takes
advantage Of his remorse over an acci-
dent and blandly tries to talk him into
amalgamating with n rival concern--he
would be more likely to mako q pass
that would amalgamate the salesman
with the sidewalk. But much must be
forgiven TO farce, especially when 1t
gets over. Shrewd little Introductory
devices frequently obviatc the use of or
dinary subtitles. the continuity is even
more puslneSsllhc tudtl the STORY anu tIlc
many entertaining features of the pic
ture ought to help the tired business man
in getting over that tired feeling.
Edward Horton. playing John Henry,
looks something like that other Vita
graph star. Larry Semon. and has a bit
of the same manner, though he never
once smears his fingers in the jam pots
he carries. Miss Ethel Grey Terry is
appealing, though a trifle negative as
tho secretary, and Tully Marshall. that
sterling character actor, puts ffe into
tho grouchy manufacturer. with very
little reliance on the conventional cigar
a Goldwyn Sport Pictorial Fore"
and Hy Mayer Travelaugh, such Is
Life 'Mong Paris Idlers," are other
films, while s. l.. Rothafel, with Richard
Strauss's "Til Eulenspiegel" overture.
Ponchielli's Dance of the Hour" by the
ballet and the violin solos by Frederic
Fradkln, does his share to keep Music
Week in mind.