The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-04-20
AT THE PALACE
POVERTY VS.. RICHES
IN PICKFORD PICTURE
Happiness in Squalid Hut While De-
spair Stalks Through Palace
of Wealth

spair Stalks Through Palace
of Wealth
Mary Pickford's highly diverting
recreation of "Tess of the Storm
Country" the first production of
which she brought to the screen eight
years ago, and the new production
of which is coming to the Palace
theatre for five glorious days begin
ming Sunday, under United Artists
release, offers a most interesting con-
trast in the lights and shades of life
as symbolized by dramatic feeling
visualized before realistic settings of
the two widely different classes,
squalid and luxurious
Miss Pickford, as the heroine, Tess,
in this picture is an impoverished
resident of lowly fishermen's viii
lage and her cabin is the last word in
crude, humble appointments. No car
pets grace the floor and all the furni-
ture is of the tumble-down variety.
The one stove is so delapidated it
won't even hold smoke, and energetic
efforts are necessary to keep the fire
from falling out of it. Comforts in
this squalid abode are scarce, and it
is to the credit of the art director
that he succeeded in producing such
convincing effects of poverty.
AS the story of "Tess of the Storm
Country" goes there is a home of
almost unlimited opulence in close
proximity to this hut-on a hill just
above it. In this veritable palace
lives the man who owns the land
upon which Tesss cabin stands
against his wishes. The most strik-
ing room in this latter place of
wealthy habitation is a grand parlor
and in the arranging of this "set"
the art director has once more achiev-
ed something worthy of note. This
is truly one of the most beautiful
interiors which has been shown on the
motion picture screen for some time.
The rug which covers this floor
actually cost $1,000 and the cut-glass
chandelier which is suspended in the
middle of the room cost quite few
hundred real dollars. The broad
stairs which lead from this "set" are
distinctly unique in design and it was
a costly proposition to build them for
the reason that they are both original
and practical. They are SO construct
ed that the incline is so slight one
does not realize there is much ascent.
The landing, which is halfway up, is
a novelty inasmuch as it is quite
large enough to be classed as a small
room and serves as a semi-balcony.
Miss Pickford conceived and per-
sonally drew the plans for these
stairs, and hence they could be ap-
propriately christened Mary Pickford
stairs. SO far as any of the experts
on the staff of the Pickford-F Fairbanks
studios are concerned, no other stair
case was ever like this one. 1t is
certain few film producers have ever
spent as much time and money on
single feature of "set" as this
star has on this.
The various other "sets" of the
rich mans home are equally attrac
tive. 1t would seem that no gloom
or sadness could come to those for
tunate enough to dwell in the midst
of all these handsome surroundings,
but, as might be expected, the daugh-
ter of the master of this household
gets into deep trouble and her brother
has his troubles due to the opposi-
ton of his sire to his love for the
humble Tess.
Therefore, it is fitting to declare
the shadows of life are cast, in this
case, where the lights would be ex-
pected. In impressive contrast, the
ioy-infusing lights radiate from the
humble center of the cabin in which
Tess resides. She energies from the
squalor encompassing her to spread
sunshine in the form of real help
fulness to those much better stu
ated and the spirit of this pure drama
evolved in this screen classic is ac-
centuated by the carefully arranged
contrasts in the settings atop the
hill and at the bottom of it.