The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-08-30
BLANCHE SWEET
HAS ANOTHER
SCREEN SUCCESS
Movie Fayorite Creates
Tragic Role in Tess
Finn,
By JACK JUNGMEYER,
NEA Service Writer

81 OLL1 WOOD, aug. SO.-I ne
it'll haunting ghost Of Hardys
III Tess Of the D'Urbervilles, ="
one of the most tragic figures ever
impressed upon the popular mind,
has been wildly and pathetically re-
ffeshed by Blanche Sweet.
Under the direction of her hus-
band, Marshal Neilan, the blond
star has added another triumph in
the character by which the novelist
paid his sardonic respects 70 the
double standard Of morality.
The role was a happy selection.
Both in type and personality does
Miss Sweet encompass Tess" the
maid who fails in her timid, in
genuous way to avert the smirching
circumstances which finally lands
her on the gibet.
There are scenes in which she is
perhaps too theatric. Familiars of
Hardy's heroine may feel that she
misses by a shade suggesting the
full measure Of tragic resignation to
her fate. But on the whole. the
portrait is excellent. A little more
of that sombre apathy which Miss
Sweet incorporated in her superb
Anna Christie" would have made
the likeness perfect.
Triumph for Two
It is interesting to note that
Neilan and Sweet score so decisively
In this their first joint effort since
marriage at a time when a number
Of other director-actress matrimonial
alliances have split for professional
activities, after long periods of dual
endeavor.
Neilan discovers. or permits ex-
preston Of histrionic resources in
his wife which even Griffith didn't
fully exploit. Tess" shows Neilan
in a new light as we'll. His usual
horseplay is eliminated. There is
practically no comedy. There are
few essays at subtlety. He has
translated the book with consider
able fidelity and with straight-away
march tempo.
More difficult than the finessing e
auy scenes. I take it, was the funda-
mental necessity of making the
tragedy seem an inevitable out
growth of the girls first stumble
with the seductive ALEC D'Urber-
Vile; 20 preserve the picture from
cheap melodrama in these days Of
compromised standards. That diff
Guilty Miss Sweet and her director
surmounted by grating the poignant
drama TO Tess" mental attitude,
rather than to incident
Highlights in ''Tess's" love gamut,
from housemaid with her ravishing
kinsman to discarded bride of AN
gel Clare" whom she lost by telling
the truth. show her being wooed
against her will in the "D'Urber
vile" mansion, performing home
baptism Of her child. working in the
dairy where real affection poses her
dire dilemma, Staying her betrayer,
caught in fight at historic Stone
henge Temple. and bidding farewell
to her contrite husband in prison.
Work in these scenes gives haunt
ing quality to the role.
NageI Is Splendid
Conrad Nagel as Angel Clare"
gives his best performance and
Stuart Holmes contributes a strik-
ing Interpretation OF ALEC D'Urber-
Vile" into whose greedy arms
Tess's designing father filings his IN
tutored daughter. George Fawcett
plays the father, Victory Bateman
the mother and Joseph Bowling
the priest who scourges Angels con-
science for having deserted his bride.
implications in Tess OF the Dur
berville's.'' written by Thomas
Hardy a little over two decades ago.
and stated in Neilan's picture. af-
ford sharp comparison between the
right ethics of even that recent
date and this. a more tolerant pc
Rod. When written. Hardy's novel
vas considered a very daring, icono-
Elastic. even dangerous screed.
In his foreword the author plead
ed. I'm respect to this books opin-
ions I would ask any too genteel
reader who cannot endure TO have
said what every one nowadays thinks
and feels to remember a well-worn
sentence of St. Jerome's: IF an Of
Tense comes out Of the truth. bet
ter is it that the offense come out
than that the truth be concealed. ."
Which censors might ponder if they
be inclined to take a slash at the
screened Tess"
NIargaref 10 Make Debut