Evening star., 1924-05-12
National" Dorothy Vernon
If of Haddon Hail."

II Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hail.
with Mary Pickford in the role of the
heroine of medieval romance, was
presented last night at the National
a happy combination in which the
foremost theater of the Capital play
I'D host to the supreme figure OF the
screen. The stars right to. this dis
tinctfon was never more triumphant
ly demonstrated than by an audience
that literally packed the house in de-
fiance of the storm.
m With Charles Major to provide the
play. Marshall Neilan to produce it
and thoroughly high standard cast
to interpret royalty, mobiles. armored
knights and high rufied ladies of the
Elizabethan reign, there was but one
feudai custom lacking-a herald to
stand forth and challenge to combat
portray only the emotions of child
hood. At first glimpse of Dorothy in
her stone-walled boudior friveling
with her maid instead of obeying her
fathers order to come down stairs
and be betrothed to a cousin she
ally recognized the sunny hair. the
dimples and radiant freshness Of
Americas Sweetheart" but the in
stant she stepped into the feudal at
of Hollywood. became Mistress Doro-
thy Vernon of Hadden Hall.
Bethrothed when a child to Sir John
Vernon, son of the Earl Of Rutland.
who has spent his youth abroad. an
enmity between the two houses finds
Dorothy about to be betrothed
against her will to a cousin she has
never seen. Just before the wedding
she meets and falls in love with Sir
John, and the plot weaves itself into
dramatic complications before its
final happy end.
Queen Elizabeth has been invited
to the wedding and, with 200 armed
warriors, the Earl of Leicester, her
then cavalier, and her customary
promise to off with the heads of
her majesty. the story carries its
climax to Haddon Hall Dorothy's
betrothed, Scot and upholder of
Mary Stuart, has conspired to rescue
Mary from Lochleven Castle and have
her secreted at the castle of the Earl
of Rutland, with Sir John, a loyal
Englishman, to convey her secretly
to his home. Dorothy, believing she
has cause to be jealous of Sir Johns
faithfulness, tells Elizabeth that
queen Mary Is in England and that
Sir John has brought her over.
When the queen, her retainers and
hosts have left the great hall, Ieav-
Ing Dorothy to the realization of
what she has done, 1t doesn't seem
as II any woman on or off the stage
sunering of one who had condemned
the man she loved 1t is a big mo-
ment in the play, though the greatest
thrill or the entire production Is Dor
othy's ride to Rutland Castle to warn
tne earl and his son before Eliza
peths soldiers can get there. 1t is
q saiiop, up the stone steps of a
parapet, along a narrow wall, down
an all but perpendicular slope.
tnrough water, over bitches, with a
Jump from one broken height to
another and the clearing of a high.
spiked fence that gave evidence that.
Wnen II comes to riding. Mary Pick
Ioro can hold her own with Paul
Clare Eames might have been an
Incarnation of Queen Elizabeth. So
true TO type in dress, trickeries of
manner and personal resemblance did
sne invest the character of that mon
arcn; Her jovial enjoyment of a
sood little story told by the Earl
OF Leicester and her later endowment
OIL years banishment to Sir John
VINO mas just saved her life, and
Eraciousness with which she spares
the head of Dorothy, who has de-.
Lendeo her from Sir Malcolm's SWORD.
aGe among the delights of the PLAY
e carrie Daumery, as the AFRO
TEanI mother OF Sir Malcolm; Estelle
ayior: as the tenderly sad Queen
81 scots, together with such actors.
Forrest, in the role of the beroin
iover, Sir John; Marc McDermott
Anoers Randolf, Wilfred Lucas
Courtenay Foote. Eric Mayne and
cbsra Jul,n henny. portray other leading
CudracterS of the play