"IF WINTER COMES."

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18015, 6 March 1924, Page 9

"IF WINTER COMES."

Ths dramativ critic of the San Francisco "Journal,'' in reviewing "If Winter Gomes, wrote.—"lf Winter Comes," the screen production of A. S. 1L Hutchinson 3 no\el> teiis the story of the "puzzlehead," Sabre, with such charm, conviction and fidelity ao to rank it among the best ol the screen efforts of the past two years. C>;,ce more a Sim play, based u;>on a 2o\Ci, a;tua'Jy surpasses m interest i.ud realism the- original material upon which ; t. ls bhilt - , j I - The role of Mark Sabre is piayed .» Percy ilarmont. and he is old "ilarso to the life. Kverv eliade ci expression, every gesture, reproduces the childlike iae ~ i_ isl of Hutchinson's story, the man who u..a almost irriiatingly lamblike in his beha.f, but wh > could become a rsgin? i.°n is defence of another, ilarmont s w-r:v m the Court room ::cene presents a picture that will stamp itself incradicably upon t. mmd and imagination of evei-vor.e "on tcCo . it. And, combined v.ith this tin'.-"-" oi technique, Mannont brings to the scree " f freshness of personality that makes his Avrjt doubly deliirh'i'ul. At once the spectator visualises him in a dozen parts for wmcn id screen aetjr heretofore has e">er q"-' 0 set-med adequate, the finely tempered c ar aelers of Locke's stor.es, for instance, belter "Mabel" than that of Marpsiyet rle i in? c.iuld not have been found. Miss /' lc . c " in? gives a perfect interpretation ol i-ii unimaginative, sou.less, se-x.ess woman w was a vindictive fireside r.utocrat m.o uie lurjain. "Bri-ht Kfrie" is played by GtedJ* Leslie with effect, and Ann rest's Lady Tvbar 13 beruiiimlly do.ie. Kverv actor in the cast has been c..cse with "uneriing taste and discrimination, and. except in the rase oi Sydney Herbert, who nhys old Twvmnjr, they are all new face-. The settings are worthy of a stor? th-msr Ives. " The plimnsos of London and Brighton; the magnificent Ln?li=h "• hou c e, with its moat, its luy P" nd .?" d •rnrden: it- decor.a'ive neacoc.ks: trie 1 villa, in Tidbo-ondi; the wroded bru.le paths; all of these are tantalising!) beauti ful. '