Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-17
BARRYMORE SHINES
IN WHIMSICAL COMEDY
"lotus Eater" at stanlay 10
Novel Film--Rogers at Ar
cadia---other Pictures

oIeeh kVu ~ Sohcy tsihuu oyfOu OF
. picnic ~.
Any of the above might describe
''The Lotus Eater and it's star. John
Barrymore. Furthermore, IL has 9
sprlnkllng Of Jules Verne. a favor Of
Burton Holmes and q certain amount
of happy Whitney which will probably
sail serenely over the heads OF most
picture fans. The latter don't like
anything that departs from cherished
film tradition. They call It silly. II
they are right ''The Lotus Eater" is
= silly film. -.
Nearly every movie tradition is
smashed at one place or other In its
5000 feet. 1t is as irresponsible as
Cohan's Tavern" was on the stage
and as refreshing rs spring water after
diet of rain drops. It mustn't be
taken too seriously, because neither star
nor director nor cast appeared to do
that. '... ~
It's about a jacques Lenoi (French,
possibly y, whose father, disillusioped
by a faithless wife. has kept him Sc
eluded on a yacht, out Of sight, Of the
world-and women--until he is twenty
I've years old. The scheme fails, how
ever, when Jacques falls in love with
and mnrries one of the first girls he
sets eyes upon In New York. She ia
bored. however, BY comparative pov-
srty and Jacques. disgusted, goes on O
balloon trip for relaxation, He IA
wrecked on an island in the South
reas. where he finds a modern Utopia.
Its comforts and conveniences ep-
peal to. what his wife had called his
Victorian. nature. He likes the free
restaurant, the perfect bar, the general
.pirtt and. most Of all, one pretty girl.
Conscience makes him return to New
York. 1t Is winter; the streets are
piled with snow; his taxi Is stalled !;
he finds his wife married: a glimpse
st restaurant life disgusts him, and
when Mrs.. Lenoi runs away with still
third man. leaving n sarcastic note
tor her two husbands" jacques re-
turns to bis island Utopia and claims
bis sweetheart there. 90.
Barrymore is unique. At the be-
ginning he is raving, hair tearing,
outraged husband (playiug the fotber
Of the ,hero) next he Is tho same per-
son as a palsied. feeble, old man and
lastly. the young Jacques, with profile
and shoulders like the before mentioned
Greek god and the old Jack" Barry
more smile peeping through. The first
scenes are not in bis best style Zone
suspects he was playing them in an
attitude OF burlesque,. though H. was
the one and only Barrymore and that
10 saying the most that could be said.
The pictures main fault is a rather
jumpy continuity for the first two or
three thousand feet. and few slow
moments just after the opening. The
end. heretical from the standpoint of
hlm tradition. is one of the screens
best achievements. The photography is
so splendid that It would tempt the
eyes from any actor Less fascinating
than Barrymore. Italy, New York,
Florida: and the South Seas are set.
tlngs of the picture.
The star's face when he is con-
ironted with bill for S72 at the res
taurant or, when be takes his free
whisky at the Utopian bar or when he
and hts fellow husband" find them
seves deserted ia film comedy at it's
best. It's like a final echo of the old
Jack" BARRYMORE.
II, according to the fans who cannot
stand the unusual in pictures. "The
Lotus Eater" IS "siliy," IL should he he
every ores hope that there is an epi-
demic of Stiffness" In screen circles.
Arcadia --- Possibly 1t was seeing a
pre- review Of Doubling for Romeo"
that made VIII Rogers decide to po
back to the speaking stage. Rogers has
made SO many good comedies for the
films that 1t is disappointing TO see
him In one that does not come up TO
his standard. OF course, he himself IL
always WIZ Rogers! and by his very
personality he injects a shrewd and
pleasing humor in every shot In which
he appears.
Doubling for Romeo" is hung upon
y very tenuous thread Of story about
81 COW boy who is much In love with a
girl, but DOESN'T know how to make
love to suit her romantic ideas. He
studies Romeo and Juliet" and falls
asleep over the volume, and this in
troduces the stale old device of intro.
ducing a dream In which he is Romeo
and she Juliet and all their acuuaint-
ances the other characters in the
drama. The dream is carried to firing
lengths, and there is q crude ATTEMPT
to interject humor by Inserting titles
making the characters talk ,dern
slang and think modern thoughts,
which Is much better done In "Connec-
t!cut Yankee"
The photography Is Of the pre- war
vintage, and all Of the comedy is in the
titles instead of in the action. Sylvia
Dreamer Is very charming leading
lady without a great deal to do. Ray
Inond Hatton is the cowboys rival for
her affections, and other parts are
taken by Sydney Ainsworth, AL Hart, |
John Cossar, G. 2. Thurston, Cordelia !
callahan. Roland Rushton, cute little |
] Jimmie Rogers, son Of the star, and |
Orlamund.
Vfctoria-In a story that Is much |
more human than her usual run of We
iicles, Katherine Macdonald becomes
more animated and
reasonable. and puts warmth and spirit |
into her role. ''Trust Your Wife,
which iB not very much the kind Of a
hing its name implies-tells Of young
architect from the West who takes his |
bride with Sim to New York where he |
'ries TO put over money making
'cheme on "shoe string" They newly |
|eds put on big front In the me. |
Iropolis and liye in gorgeous apart
nents, much beyond their means. That |
let's the stage for "the other man."
n this case a rich chap who likes the |
wife so much that he is will ng to lend !
he husband a sum of money. To tell !
ne rest would be to spoil everybody's
pleasure.
Miss Macdonald. Charles Ricbman
as the rich mani and David Winter
'as the husband), oil have excellent |
parts and make the most Of them. The
'taSlng Is always adequate.
Regent-Light comeiy In used IN