M. Feyder was the director, 4e is the
Frenchman uno made the beautiful
screan study. Fares of Children.“
Tne story of the present film 1s not
convincing: it is, in fact. far-fetched
and arttücial, but its telling involves
so much charm and light comedy.
conceived. tnat the
imaginitt ely
heavy-footed plot #es indeed feget¬
ten. M. Feyder runs a motif of lyrical
romance through his piay like a theme
song.
You see handsome oung officers in
his Majesty's servic#, carefree and gay,
aware only that tney are young. that
life is a lark, and that love and adven¬
so long
ture is all that matters
as they click their heeis in salute to
their superiors, appear to advantage on
parade and keep their “scrapes“ within
reasonable bounds.
Willi. dashinp leutenant and nephew
of General vor. Hartz, is the young of¬
ficers’ reckless leader when the picture
opens. He is discovered heing warned
fer the last time by his uncle about
his debts and his lovr affairs. Ar a
zinal admonlshment, be is told he must
imnediately announce his engagement
to one Emil#the girl of his uncle's
chofce, and seilie down.
Onthe night of the formal an¬
nouncement party w1l, obviously
bored to death, manages to sllp out te
a favorite safe with two othe. oflicers.
At the cafe he is attracted to a shab¬
bily dressed girl in the entrance Sub¬
sequently he learns that she #a nusie
teacher and has come to get ### copy
work for the orchestra, promis, her by
Herr Schnabel, proprietor of d. place.
Dur lieutenant defends the sung
woman when Herr Scimabel attempts.
in a small private rooom, to combine
pleasure with business. Willi cracks
Her Schnabel's head and insists upon
escorting the poor little wisic teacher
out into the night.
He takes her to a wine garden, the
first wine garden she has ever visited,
shows her the silvery beauty of the
moonlight as they sit at the river's
edge, and at dawn drives her home over
the cobblestones in an open hack. This
is the beginning of love and life for
her. But it ends almost as quickly as
it started when she discovers he has
left on tue breakfast table a note for
largs sum of money.
Feeling that her world has crumbled
she decides to turn the tables and re¬
turn this insult a hundred fold. Willi
discovers the blunder too late and dis¬
covers. too, that he loves this girl. The
#rest of the picture works out the con¬
flict between these two, a conflict
which, of course, rights itself in the
final scene with a happy reconciliation
and the promise of a rosy future.
Never has Mr. Novarro player more
dextrously or with more charm and
humor. His subtle implications and
M. Feyder’s delicious touches kept the
audience yesterday in a continuous
state of soft chuckles and amused de¬
light.
Miss Chandler should forget all about
her tragic stage roles, particularly that
she ever appeared in The Wild Duck,“
for there were indications in chis pie¬
ture th
sibilities as an
actre:
ie Cook,
in h
rderly,
was
s nice
to
he screen
as
ent is pleas¬
manner, and
ant 1
with a beautiful
the piece u
smoothness.
im Morgen
S
rauen
34 S1
HEMSTREET
96 WARREN STREET
NEW YORK CITY
N T TTUES
THE SCREEN
A Debt of Honor.
AYBREAK, based on Arthur Schnitzler’s
novel; directed by Jacques Feyder; pro¬
duced pv Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. At tne
Capitol.
Willi Kasda Ramon Novarro
Laura Taub. Helen Chandler
Herr Schnabel Jean Hersholt
General von Hartz. C. Aubrey Smith
Otto. William Bakewell
Emily Kesner. Karen Morley
Von Lear Kent Douglas
Franz. Gien Tryon
Josef Clyde Cook
Emfl. Summer Getchell
Frau Hoffman Clara Blandick
Herr Hoffman Edwin Maxwell
August Juckie Searis
By MORDAUNT HALL
From Arthur Schnitzler'’s novel,
Daybreak,“ Jacques Feyder, thei
French producer, who made, among
other films, Visages d’Enfants“
and Greta Garbo’s last mute produc¬
tion, The Kiss,“has turned eut a
most compelling talking picture, in:
which the leading players are Ra¬
mon Novarro and Helen Chandler.
Throughout this admirable screen
contribution there are scenes set
forth with considerable artistry.
In this offering, which is now at
the Capitol, Mr. Novarro plays Willi
Kasda, an Austrian Lieutenant in
the Emperor’s guards. Mr. Novarro
is the only player whose English be¬
reign birth, but allowing
ves a pleasingly light
the impecunions
falls in love with
Chandler), a mu¬
quence in which
inters Laura is
Miss Chandler’s
nd away the best
notion pictures.
ifficult than that
is for most of
fellow, ready
un
nd also to heip
be it known
Empeor’s pet
ve all, respect a
only way out if
t see his way clear
romptly is to put a
brain, which one
rades does in the
this tale.
asda is concerned, he
Is urged
his uncle, General von
Hartz, cleverly acted by C. Aubrey
Smith, to marry the daughter of
wealthy parents. This, Kasda is op¬
posed to, but as his finances are at
a very low ebb, he does not see how
he can avold it. It is against the
regulations of his regiment for an
officer to wed a girl in a humble
station of life and therefore Kasda’s
chances of making Laura his wife
are remote.
In one of the several interesting
sequences, another young officer of
the guards finds himself in debt to
the tune of 2.000 gulden. He thinks
that he will have to kill himself,
but Kasda comes to his rescue, first
collecting 300 gulden from the
other officers and then by gambling
at chemin de fer and winning the
desired sum, plus 400 gulden. Laura’s
friend, a coarse individual named
Schnabel, loses the money.
After giving his comrade in arms
the 2,000 guldens, Kasda decides to
try his luck with the surplus, but
the cards are against him and he
leav
box 6/1