Evening star., 1933-01-29


H ters" was brought to light
we have had qualmS. Qualms
about names and qualms
about faceS-and what names go
with what faces.
The trouble began when, in the
midst of this Tower production
classic, the heroine, a slim, bird
like little soul, acted by Marian
Marsh with the conviction of a
kindergarten prima donna, twined
her young arms around the hero's
neck and murmured a soft but
audible, "Edgar-I love you!"
Although Miss Marsh's II love
you" was a normal, if low pres
sure, rendition of affection, and
doubtless would have passed
muster for casual inspection, it
was Edgar" that hurled us out
of an inky sleep.
1t is possibly 10 years, or more,
since heroine has dared to speak
the whole name. While Edgar
remains one of the obvious heir
looms which proud parents aff1ict
their children with, it has not
been quoted verbally to a rugged
hero since before the waterfall
and-snoW-and-ice Gish-G Griffith
days.
When, therefore, Miss Marsh
tossed off the name with a slight
trembling of the eyelids, and that
Watery haze in the eyes which is
an index of love on the screen,
several nearby neighbors-who up
until then had been generally at
peace with the world-bounced up
in their chairs and began to take
notice. And, if they thought that
perhaps the film wasn't quite up
to the mark, at that moment they
were certain-that here was at
least something different.
When, then, the name Edgar
was repeated shortly afterward,
they bounced again, and when
finally Edgar was rewarded with
sweet promises of eternal devo-
ton, there were signs COR maybe
cries. or something or other.
A IL of which brings up a very
serious point-namely, the
part that names play in the
talkies.
Granted that Daring Daugh-
ters" is not the kind of a film
that you would want to wrap up
and take home to your mother,
it at least presented certain sides
of modern life and may have
stimulated hopeful young lovers
into the realization that marriage
is a very wonderful and a very
comfortable thing. Although to
us it seemed a shabby piece of
business, miserably acted, appall-
ingly directed and written with a
sledge hammer instead of a pen,
it at any rate seemed to please a
long, lanky lady on the aisle next
to us, who clapped her hands
loudly with JOY when the heroine
said "All men are alike" and
made other caustic remarks about
lle praWnier sex.
However, even this lady looked
unhappy when Edgar hove onto
the scene. Whether or not she
was a little deaf, or for what
reason, she turned after a minute
to her left-hand partner and said:
"Would you mind telling me,
young man, if that gentleman'S
name lpointing to the hero) is
Edgar?"
Yes" replied, "it is Edgar"
THANK you very much" she
said-and she plunged immedi-
ately into Edgar'S problems.
Then I looked at her. She was
obviously hurt. And it must have
been that name. Because, al
though Miss Marsh made many
more caustic references to men
in general, and although the
scenes became more and more
animated, the lady had noticeably
slumped. More than that, she
had walked out before the end.
This should prove to producers
that ladies do not want their
heroes called Edgar.
THE unusual in names has al
ways done well in literature.
Therefore, they should do well in