The New Pictures

The Lion and the Mouse. "Father, I love her" and "Now I must act" fell on the ears of the audience at the Vitaphone's latest offering. They were uttered boldly and flatly by a weak-chinned young cinemactor named William Collier Jr. He played the son of Wall Street's rich and cruel lion (Lionel Barrymore). The girl he loved (May McAvoy) was the daughter of an innocent judge that the lion had ruined financially. The throbbing drama, an old one, was arranged so that the end was happy. It was an unfortunate vehicle for the Vitaphone; the lines were terrible, making the audience laugh in tense moments. The girl had a throaty voice. Only Lionel Barrymore sounded convincing. He is the Vitaphone's best bet at the present stage of development. Women's voices are the most annoying problem; they either take on a lisp, or else they sound husky.

A Certain Young Man. Made two years ago, this film has just been released from cold storage. Ramon Novarro starts out with a monocle, a mustache, a high hat, a wife (Renee Adoree). In short, he is a smart Englishman. For the love of a U. S. girl (Marceline Day) he throws away the above accoutrements and woos her in the accepted manly fashion. The film should have remained in cold storage.

Fools for Luck. Well, if it isn't W. C. Fields and Chester Conklin, again. Goodness me, how those boys are turning out the cinemae. This time, Mr. Fields is an oil stock salesman from the big city. He dupes the folk of Huntersville, including its richest inhabitant (Mr. Conklin). But Nature, happily, brings oil to Mr. Fields' long dry wells. Slapstick, rather sour.