| Show VE BEST PI PICKED KED Examiner Standard Examiner Critic Names Half Years Year's Prize Pr ze e Plays By Dr J 0 US W Wi DEAN DEAT I i NEW YORK TORK July Tuly It 14 14 It It Is customary tor for the professional re- re reviewer re reviewer viewer of ot pictures picture's pictures to pause at nt the I middle of ot the he year ear and Issue a a l list t ot of the ten ten bee best beet or the h eh e eI I best est pictures pictures of ot the tint first halt half ot of otI I the tho year year eal i Pausing thus I summit the fol- fol following fol following low lowing Ing list tOI 1 The 00 Wagon n By B D Lantern Unlit V 1 Pleasant Journey Othello Safety Safety fety w Lost Last t The Kristian Trailing lid lid African Animals I of ot Women omen I 1 The Irs Fair Fall I 11 Adonis II I It enrol and nn l Sam un That Is a verv erv unorthodox list D By Lantern Light Is only ono I reel usual usual- usually usual usual- long Such pictures are usually ly h ly considered too short tor for con con- conI con v In a list of the b brat 3 vetI et r I hol holl that a n picture li is I a plc- plc pic picture tur lure ture regardless of ot Its length I doubt If IC an any picture 0 over ever er mado na Od ahle aho Ho high artistic level 10 ot off o By Lantern Light ht unless It ft be Jenkins and the Lutt or Moon Moon blind blind companion films In the Bruce serl series I It If It Is maintained that By Dy Lan Lan- Lantern lan lantern tern Light Is too short then thon r I argue that Enemies of ot Women cost a n million Is 18 too long And so Is D W 1 Griffiths Griffith's very er excellent The White bIte Rose Roe The Tho Co Covered ered Wagon gon Is also n Il very er long picture but It deen es Its length It Is a sermon To me It seems tho the biggest pl picture turA In con con- concept con concept and treatment ever eser made It ItI Itis I is an Inspiring document on Amer- Amer Amerl Amer l It should hould be bo preserved for tor 0 et every cry ery generation of ot America that I Is to toll follow ow ItO coMra GOOD Goon A Day Days Day's Journey li S only two reels long long- longI I r place It on m my list It Is the most I I ever eser saw It Is one olle O those hilarious comics pill played ed b by Hal lIal Roach s a tr up ot of o kids Each of ot the pictures picture In the tha list listis listIs is I there thera because It fulfilled the true function of ot motion pictures better than other othel pictures That function Is to tell a n story to cre- cre creata create cre create ate ata entertainment In the manner which Is distinctively of ot the me- me medium me medium Bum employed Other of ot the first halt half haltof haltof of the tho year which seemed thoe the Iho average were acre re Poor Mens Men's Wises l Daughters Baru Ea u Prodigal Daugh Daugh- Nobody's Money Canyon ot of the Fools The Tha Neer Ne'er Do Well This Way Out While the Pot Bolls Boils Daddy Within the tho 11 Law Peg o the roles Movies and Shadows Shado s This list Is called up from memory mem- mem memory mem memory ory Better have hao been heen a overlooked looked Se Several eral exceptionally poor pictures are arc also recalled The are Daughters of ot the Rich Soul of ot the Beast past and The Tho Ragged Edge However Oscar the elephant elphant In Soul of ot the Beast contributed one of the best bits ot of acting of ot the season SLAPSTICK STUN Ma Many n who afro offered BUlge suggestions to the toI he Authors League for tor the tho Im Improvement pro provement of ot the movies mo advocated the Iho elimination ot of o slapstick comedy from the films They took the wrong attitude Slapstick stuff has hasIt hasa n It definite place on the screen lust just Justas as as It has hao on the stage Backfire a new nw Jack Tack White comic starring LIge Conley Is made mado up entirely of ot slapstick ant and Is Isan isan Isan an exceedingly tunny funny and enter enter- entertaining entertaining comic Havelock Ellis EIlls in his new book The Dance of Life holds that which Is a an n expression slon of oft I telf lf of ot life Is art Measured aith Ith I that hat standard Backfire with all It its slapstick antics must be bo con con- con considered a 0 a treat great work ork of ot art e esen en by bv our OUI highbrows s In short hort It ft is the story of ot a plebeian flivver ar eJu rejuvenated lIh aith pe pea valves winning Inning a road raCe against aristocratic motors It Is self the tho expression o ot sufficiency self that rests In tho the bosoms ot of o all el owners Had Backfire been released be- be be before fore foro July Tuly 1 1 it would have o been included In the list tt of ot the 12 best pictures of ot the six-months six period |
