Pots and Pans Peggie

“Pots and Pans Peggy offers Gladys Hulette in another very entertaining picture. It is a grateful relief to view a picture that avoids the vampirish or sordid life details but instead presents a quaint and pleasing story that can be appreciated by all. Its utter simplicity adds to its interest. At times it does appear as though the author has endowed her leading character with a part that at times becomes improbable. This appears the strongest when Peggy, supposed to be only a slavey, shows an overabundance of common sense. During the dinner scene she carries herself with a style that does not impress one with the fact that she is only the maid of all work dressed up in good clothes. While this might lessen to a slight degree its dramatic appeal, the effect upon the entertaining quality of the picture is very little. There are a number of kid stunts that add greatly to the pathetic appeal of the story and are done in a style that does not become boresome.

“Closely following the success Gladys Hulette experienced in Her New York, this latest Pathé release provides a vehicle particularly well adapted to Miss Hulette’s acting abilities. Her mannerisms and her true out-and-out Irish character portrayal is so well done that had the same been placed in another’s hands it might prove disastrous. From start to finish her work is of such worth as to demand high praise. Kathryn Adams likewise presents a very pleasing part as the daughter, while George Marlo and Wayne Arey in their respective parts provide able characterizations. The author has injected a certain amount of clean, wholesome wit that will bring more than one laugh from the audience. The humor, well woven together with the pathos, constitutes a story that, being free from all blemishes and sexy suggestions, will be appreciated by those who wish to be entertained and not thrilled during every 100 feet of film. Community houses will find this of particular value.”

REVIEW by Dickson G. Watts, The Morning Telegraph, March 4, 1917:

“Pots and Pans Peggy is a frivolous confection loosely hung together, but providing the featured player with an admirably suited vehicle. As a little slavey, Gladys Hulette goes her way through the five reels in a most engaging fashion, providing at least cheerfulness and a large number of laughs, if nothing more lasting. In an age of sex and vampire plots, this production will be found most refreshing. At times the incidents are old, as when Peggy is impressed into service to impersonate the guest of honor at a society dinner, and during the first half of the play the padding is heavy, yet the action is speeded up well at the last, and an exciting climax provided. Above all there is spontaneity to the humor and to the acting of the whole cast that raises the work out of the average run of films.

“Peggy, maid of all work in the home of the Caldwells, who are vainly endeavoring to keep up appearances in the face of reduced circumstances, becomes involved in an attempt to save Marian for Jack, her poor, but honest suitor. Mrs. Caldwell much prefers Deane, a millionaire, who has been kind enough to secure a position in the War Office for her son, Arthur. Deane’s morals are not all that they should be, and it develops that he is using Arthur as a tool. The plot involves some important plans, which Deane steals from Arthur, but which are recovered by the indefatigable Peggy through the medium of a vacuum cleaner, skillfully manipulated through a transom. Of course, Arthur wishes to marry Peggy, but she much prefers her taxi-driver lover, and finally brings him to the question.

“Acting honors much go to Miss Hulette for the way in which she carries the leading role, but this is no reflection upon the other members of the cast. Every part is well taken. The settings and photography are standard, and the leaders of more than usual worth.”

REVIEW by Edward Weitzel, The Moving Picture World, March 17, 1917: This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.

“That the story of Pots and Pans Peggy is strongly sentimental does not matter in the least. The main issue is that the picture offers a welcome relief for a theatre that has been showing hectic melodrama and sex plays. It will also appeal to any class of audience, young or old. The combination of Gladys Hulette’s acting in photoplays written for her by Agnes Johnston is a most happy one. There are a great many short scenes, but the film does not have the appearance of being choppy because of the continuity of the episodes. The director wastes no time in getting down to the meat of every incident. He keeps the human interest of the story always evident. The direction was by W. Eugene Moore.

“The theme of the story is the adventures of an extremely young Irish girl, Peggy, who becomes a servant so as to support her four brothers and sisters. She secures a position in the home of a wealthy family and not only sets the house in order but straightens out the destinies of the members of the family, making the son get a job and go on the ‘water wagon,’ arranging it so that the daughter marries the man she loves, and securing some plans that have been stolen by the deep dyed villain. Gladys Hulette is delightful in the character of the slavey with an obsession for work. She is remarkably pretty and she also plays the part with spirit. The rest of the cast, which includes Wayne Arey, George Marlo and Kathryn Adams, offers fine support to the star. If an exhibitor has been showing a lot of blood and thunder or the eternal triangle, Pots and Pans Peggy stands a fine chance of lifting up his jaded patrons.—F.T.”

“Gladys Hulette, the Thanhouser star, has nearly finished Her New York, and director Eugene Moore is preparing to start work on Miss Hulette’s next play within a few days. Agnes C. Johnston, author of all Miss Hulette’s Pathé Gold Rooster plays—The Shine Girl, Prudence, the Pirate, and Her New York—has written for Miss Hulette a feature called Kate o’ the Kitchen, in which Miss Hulette plays a little girl, poor but happy, who has to go to work for four reasons—three sisters and a brother. Edwin Thanhouser has given Kate o’ the Kitchen a splendid cast, including besides Miss Hulette, Doris Grey, Wayne Arey, George Marlo and Arthur Bauer.”

“John Barleycorn gets a knockout in the Thanhouser comedy drama, Pots-and-Pans Peggie, featuring Gladys Hulette, to be released as the Thanhouser-Pathé Gold Rooster play in March. The knockout, too, is administered by the small hands of Miss Hulette. There is a bad boy—‘Rah ‘Rah Arthur, he is called in the story—who comes home at dawn heavily laden and tilting. William Parke, Jr., who usually plays opposite Miss Hulette, is ‘Rah ‘Rah Arthur.”