Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-25


author Of the original story when she
saw the film "Tol able David" will
mark direct contrast since Mr..
uergeshcimer attended and helped
supervise the entire production, much
Of which required mountain back
ground.
Whether or not this was the reason,
the fact remains that "Tol able David"
has been hailed as nearly as free from
tho usual film cruel
Bcrthelmess as could possibly be.
Film Is Which ought to
Different please the many.
many fans who
would like to sec Dick get ahead
in his independent venture. Indeed,
IL isn't possible to- withhold admiration
from Barthelmess and his hackers In
his own company that they dared vio-
late moss covered picture traditions
and make their first picture one Of
simple. direct drama, with its ronclu-
sion one Of logic and power rather than
one Of makc>hift and c!ap.trap. II
would have been very easy land most
plausible> for those connected with
Barthelmess to bow their heads to the
laws of the gods of the film box Offices
and present a nice. pleasant, unoriginal
program picture. putting the star in
good light. but not caring much about
anything else.
Instead. they have chosen what might
be termed the harder. but finer course
and one which ought To put Rarthelmess
on the real road to cinematic success.
They've given him story really worthy
of his talents. but they have LEFT out
the conventional trimmings.
II must have been hard to stick so to
pecially since. externally at least.
mountain "mclo." with feuds and stills
and moonshiners handy to call. Thanks.
however. TO Mr. FIergesheimcr and the
intelligent producers, these have been
relegatcd to their proper place. and the
story remains n study in the charac-
ters OF very interesting mountain
family on whom trouble comes thick
and fast.
There's o bully cast. which includes
Ernest Terrence. musical comedy fun
maker. who PLAYED the Scotch captain
in THE Night Boat and who. in this
film. plays the part of villninous
mountaineer. Gladys lIulctte. remem- :
bered from old Edison days. is the
heroine. and others in the lineup in
rludc Edmund Gurnay, a stage PLAYER
OF note who played with Mrs. Fat
Campbell when she presented "Pygma,
lion over here: Warner Richmond,
remembered from John Ferguson on
the speaking stage Laurence Eddinger,
Walter Lewis and Forrest Robinson.
NERTA1N names bring to mind un'
~ told wealth and In this category
along with the Rothschilds. the stand
ard Oh and the mint. there is now
added Foolish Wives" which has ex-
uaed dollar marks from. the first men,
ton Of preliminary rlnns up to the
presentation in New York.
Eric vor Strohcim was given u
pockctbook without strings attached
and told to do his durnedest: AS
Foolish Wires" created the notori-
Difficult ons Monte Carlo,
IN Wole has built entire
cities. planted trees
and gardens. bosscd mobs Of extras and
tried to defy the Pacific Ocean. In all
except the last he has succeeded. they
say. but the story Of the way the waves
washed away some Of his finest sets
on two occasions before the required
scenes we're shot Is one Of the interest :
ing incidents connected with the pic
turization of Foolish Wives
The story concerns a renegade Rus
sian advcnturer (played by Stroheim)
who spends most Of his time vamping
other mems wives. especially If they
are Americans. He uses as his favorite
stamping ground the Casino and its
surroundings at Monte Carlo and has
two fascinating cousins. the Princesses
Olga and Vera. to aid and abet him ir
his dark deeds.
Mae Busch and Maude George play
the latter roles. and Rudolph Christian
who died during tho course OF the pic
ture. is an American envoy. In the un
finished scenes none other than Roberi
Edeson. stage star. doubled for Mr.
Christian the plan being that no face
on views were taken Of this particular
character. Miss Du Pont is one Of thu
foolish wives She. like the pic
ture, has been advertised in a whole
sale way and comes 20 Philadelphia fol-
the first time as a full-fedged star.
It's going to be interesting to see jus
how that 81 900, 900 and more spent b!
Mr.. Won Stroheim and whether the i'm
mense outlay (the largest ever know
in one picture) has been justified
Those who see the picture will alst
be enabled TO observe one Of the mos
unusual cases of film cutting eve'
achieved. Foolish Wives" was origi
nally thirty-four reels in length ant
10 now about twelve.
WHILE 1t must be confessed tina.
w Won Stroheim has outpooh
bahhed the majority of his film asso
ciates, there have been numerous case
Of very excellent directors who bosse
themselves around in leading roles.
Among these men who have no
ceased entirely to act when they &C
quired megaphones and directorial dig
nifty have bee
Directors Charlie Ray Tan
Who Also the general opinio
HaUe Acted in his case has bee
that 1t was mis-
tate. s. Rankin Drew Zone OF tn
most prominent figures in the movie:
who died in service in the war, but VIII
achieved real distinction as a directo
in "That Girl Philippa" and "Ken
usdy Square" as we'll as merit as a
e1cellent young actor, Donald Grip
(who directed himself with success |
'Bsdde the Bonnie Brier Bush")
Charley Chaplin "a supreme eIample)
Ralph 1nce (who Is such a very cleve
actor that It seems a shame he hides o
oftsn behind his megaphons) and oc
casionally, though not Of custom, vii
liam s. Hart.
Some others, such as Tom Formsn
James Cru,e, John Robertson, Mar
shall Neilan. evidently found the
could not conveniently mix the tw
positions. Forman and Neilan in par
ticular had TO their credit some re
markably vivid pieces of acting, tn
former with Theodore Roberts an
Kathlyn Williams in THE Cost o
Hatred" and the latter with Mar