Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-10
"C0NQUERING POWER"
CREDIT TO REX INGRAM
Director Screens Balzac Novel
TeIlingly, With Alice
Terry in Lead

Sthillty -bNlZaC as screen WuLeTlHl :
And we'll done, too, by all hands, in
cIuding the scenario writer, the director
and the actors That infantie genius
the PhOtoplay, Cccms willing to try
anything. The telephone directory and
! the cook book alone have cluded 1t.
In case the name. "'rhc Conqucring
| Power should prove battling to Bal
zac lQver1, 1t must be admitted at once
I that IL IS movie nom de plume for
Eugene Grandct That. in itself.
/ was faux pas, but the picture most
decidedly is not.
Rex Ingram (who directed iO ccr-
/ tainly did not have to apologize as he
did In an opening sub. title. An un-
important change in period and n par
| donablc happy ending are his only
two errors against the Bazac original.
TO make up for them he has grasped
the spirit of this sombcr little story of
| French people, has transferred the
shaded characterizations and the more
subtle motives. and has succeeded in
grasping the minor values of the story
! "A feat seldom accomplished by film
! producers.
lie was lucky to have the aid of
| cid Ralph Lewis. a character actor on
Il par with Theodore Roberts (no
higher praise could be- givCn) to play
! the role OF the old miscr, ''Pcre
Grandct.' His is an astoundingly real
performance, not just sketchlng the
character into miscr, bN: showing
every element in the complex makeup
Cf Bal2ac's mi>cr
"pcrc Grandct's" love of gold and
the unhnppincsS which it brings to his
wife. to Eugcnic, to his nephew and to
others in. the little village is left, as il
rightly should be. as the crux of the
tale. The scene Of his death amid his
golden Louis. tortured victim of
conscience, is high spot in film annals.
The effect of the walls appearing to his
crazcd mind to close in on him is very
real.
Alice Terry is beautiful and effective
Eugcnic Grandrt. She shows the same
ability to grasp tho fundamentals of the
character She is playing as she did in
The -Four llorsemen. Her present
role is an even greater triumph.
Rudolph Valentino is acceptable as
Charles. His Is the smallest of the
three principal roles.
Pictorially "Thc Con0ucring Power"
is always Il delight. French atmosphere
miser's home is vividly prcAcnted dark,
cobwcbby. quantity furnished, a dour
background for the fair face of Miss
Terry.
On the bill with this stirring re-cre-
alton of Il great novel IS ms delightful
bit of nonsense aS any one could wish,
The Boat" with Buster Keaton.
This young man rivals Harold Lloyd in
turning out the best screen comedies.
The Boat" is his best.
ArCadia-Aftcr the real beauty and
story excellence of "Enchuntmcnt,
y
Brides Play her current picture. 1t
is weak in direction, continuity, theme
and cutting and editing and the photog-
raphy is not by any means up to mod
ern standards. most of it being badly
Ovcrightcd. There are the same elab-
Oratc and impressive studio sets and
choice locations that usually are notable
features Of her photopiuys and her act
ing is charming.
The photopay takes its title from an
Old marriage custom in the family of
the Sir Fergus Cassidy, an Irish noble
man. The story concerns young girl
brought up near his castle in Ireland.
inhCriting the wealth made by her
father in his Quarrios and then throw
ing aside the love Of Sir Fergus for the
false glamour of an attachment for a
tickle and useless poet. But she dis
covers tho pcridy and unwOrthiness Of
the vcrsiii"r and returns 10 wed Sir
Fergus. Her poet comes to take his
part in the "Brdc's Play" hoping to
repeat a legend of the family which had
it that one Earl's bride was carried
from the castle. Lochinvar fashion. by
her lover on the day OF III" wedding.
liut She spurns him and upsetS the
tradition and the dire predictions Of the
Irish grannies
S,,,1;,o ,1,or ..-,,, g l.;
hest work in the part of Sir Fergus. :
ITu gives an impression Of plansibiity
and sincerity while the, poet role OC
Carlton Miller was quite the contrary.
Richard Cummings was excellent aS the
girls father and Eleanor Middleton
made an acceptable family retainer.
But the small chance Of success that
the story had IS spoiled by the long cpl.
sodc portraying the legend introduced
at n point where nothing should have
disturbed the narrative. As pro-
'oCuc, this might have been puSsahlc
but placed where it Is it entirely dis
connects the story and drags the action
until the interest IS gone.
Palace-lIere is a sure fire popularity
winner. Its James oliver Curwood
yarn about the "Gr"at Northland." and
it has all the thrills and all the attrac-
tive scenes common t. the pcturzation
Of his stories. This one i called
"FlOwer of the North" in honor of the
heroine. Jeanne D'Arcumbul, n de-
sccndant Of the old cavaliers Of Franco.
Tho bold young American (na~trr-
fully played by Henry Il. WalthnID is
employed by Il company that /, blazing
Il trail Of progress through the snowy
yVDt6S I'lRlNlps lpgat nrI