Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-05
THE MOVIE FANS LETTERBOX
BY HENRY NJ. NEELY

I rice Flynn. The only time I have seen
him was in "rhc Woman Who Walked
Alone but believe you me. ! certainly
could soc him. He's got good looks.
personality. u magnificent smile. and a
certain Sparkle If you get what l
mean.
Long ago I saw Florence Vidor in
FOy's Tale of Two Cities. She was
cast as the little seamstress. just tiny
part--but l remember 1t to this day.
Her acting there was cxquisitc--per :
feet. And in the pictures in which she
has starred ! thought her absolutely
fiat. Funny
ION. Edna. how can you. Florence
Nidor is one Of my extra special en- =
thuSiasms and here you 90 and say she
is absolutely fiat" / was tempted
! not to print that part of your letter.
Generous Of me. isn't it?
l had much the same experience as
yours when saw "The Primitive Low =
err I'm afraid we'll have to admit
that the average movie audience simply
cannot get anything as clever as
that--and that's one reason the fillums
have to be made so blatantly obvious
and free from subtlcty. Otherwise they
would fall fiat and be commercial fail
ures.
m getting somewhat hopeless about
Meighan. l don't know what's the
matter with him. but the old strong,
compelling personality isn't there any
more
Wanna Lou writes: Memories arc
Just the ghosts of an unforgotten yes
| terday, aren't they?. And the film
ghosts. every once in a while they come
creeping back.
Particularly the curly haired wrath
Of Mazlalenc Merryums. You remcm .
Der Mazlalene. of course. There simply
wasn't anything swerter than the in :
genue star Of the well known Kant
Bee Wurss Films. She was. five or
six years ago. the acknowledged queen
Of the screen. but an awful lot of
things have happened to all kinds OF
royalty since then.
Zone Of Mazdalencs specialties
| (there were exactly two altogcther)
was the shy and dcmurc country gal,
one of the species that went out OF
existence in Harrison's administration.
The first glimpse Of Miss Nierryums rs
little Nerbena Perkins, the pride OF
Celery Center, was in n meadow or
garden or other location in the great
outdoors. Ecrbcna always had biz
bouquet of roses or sunhowprs or
something and she stared straight at
the camera with those starry eyes. The
sun was always shining on her bcauti-
fully marceled curls. And how that
sun shone! Both indoors and out. and
all around Nerbena's golden head.
Never once missed 1t.
But you couldn't keep Ncrbcna
down on the farm by heck. She went
! ,oh ~ ha al 81.
was the only "city' in those days)
and. long about the middle of the see
ond reel she met the villain. Every one
knew him because he had mustachc.
snerr and an ever ready cigarette.
"Then an overdose Of what the agi-
tated scenario writer called 'diabolical
plots gilded cafes, hard hearted land =
ladies', a couple Of second hand villains
in addition to the main guy, and the
bright lights of Broadway.
"Oh, the thrilums of the fllums
And when the scenario man became
tired of the whole darn business he had
only to drag in the honest country boy
and final fade out against back
ground of the old homestead, n corn
! field, and oh. yes, the sun at its old
pastime of shining on Ncrbena's golden
head.
"Mazdalene's other specially was the
ragged mountain girl of Old Kentucky
with New Jersey scenery. Her pa
was always moonshincr and, like
daughter. used Ring Lardnerian die
tion exclusively.
after a reel or so Of Little Blue
bell registering JOY by running around
like demcnted Hottcntot. the hand
some revenue officer appeared on the
scenery. At first she hated him be-
cause he was n 'Northerner' and then
discovered she loved him after he Il been
shot as the result of walking into II
friendly little fcud. He nearly died.
TOTO the tune. Of Hearts and
Flowers or, If the piano hanger felt
that way, oh. Johnny, o. or Poor
Butterfly.
after that it was only question Of
time until tho fade.out, with the sun,
etc.
"The ghost of the bright star MAJ
dalcne isn't the only spook that comes
back. Here's the shiny shadow OF
Wceda Wara from the days of old when
yamps were bold; at least every one
thought they were. Oh. Wecda was
wicked, though; she even smoked
cigarettes.
Nowadays you'll have to admit It Q
Der Tag of Gloriola Delish. the scin-
tillating super star Of super. director
Cheesil De Chille's Super -Stupsndous
Productions. The cornhslds and noun