“One of the most popular classes of motion picture drama has been, and will always be, the delineation of life among the upper, more favored, strata of society. There is always a never-failing interest in the minds of men and women, who struggle upon a limited income to make both ends meet, in the little daily commonplaces of life among those whose every wish is satisfied almost before it is expressed. An important feature in this sort of interest is the element of romance in high life—particularly when it lies along the generally assumed lines of a foreign, titled marriage. The family of moderate means takes to itself a most virtuous disapproval of these marriages for money and position—yet, inconsistently, it reads and discusses every detail of such a marriage with that sort of disapprobation which is very close to thinly veneered envy. And the average woman whose husband earns less than two thousand a year can explain to a fraction how many motor cars, yachts, servants, horses, grooms and regular guests there are upon the broad estate of her millionaire neighbor, down on the beach.
“All of these considerations have been utilized by Mr. Lloyd F. Lonergan in his new play, An Unromantic Maiden. In the character of Grey, the rich parvenu, we have the familiar self-made man who during the years of money-getting has acquired, by the payment of yellow ‘centuries’ to his tailors, the art of dressing well, but who lacks the poise and worldly knowledge which come more easily with breeding. Mr. Thompson conveys the idea very capably. Miss Hastings’ impersonation of Mrs. Grey, the matchmaking mother, is equally good.
“In the character of May, Miss LaBadie portrays the college girl of ultra-studious type who nevertheless has enough sense of humor and self-respect to appreciate the ridiculous farce of a titled marriage de convenience and enough determination to refuse being party to it. In several of the scenes, one scarcely blames the count for his quite evident infatuation. A pretty girl is a pretty girl—in spite of the fact that a good cigar is a smoke—and there will always be enough of us males to appreciate her. One speculates with some idle amusement as to how many thousands of the sterner sex, during the next few months, will figure out mileage—cost between Oshkosh, or other remote camps, and New Rochelle—and pester the local librarians with questions as to etiquette of securing introductions to player-folk who have delighted them. Mr. Cruze as the Count DeChromo is as much the man-of-the-world as Mr. Thompson’s nouveau-riche. And the scenes aboard the yacht have the vivid realism which can be obtained in no other way than by means of the whirling film. In fact, as a specimen of perfect kinetic photography, the yacht scenes will hold the unflagging interest of every audience—and would do so even if there were no story plot unfolding in them.
“From what has been already said, it will be evident that the count does not eventually marry May. But how she gets rid of him is a bit of comedy which must be seen to be thoroughly appreciated. The play will appear after August 24th—and will prove one of the Thanhouser successes.”
