DOROTHY VERNON OF HADDON HALL
starring Mary Pickford and Allan Forrest
PHOTOPLAY
July, 1924
This new effort of Mary Pickford, one of the late Charles Major's historical romances, is exceedingly beautiful pictorially. If it does nothing else, it will establish a new high water mark in animated photography.
"Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall" moves along conventional historical lines. Dorothy is being pushed by her father into a marriage with her worthless kin, Sir Malcolm Vernon, when she loves the son of the neighboring Earl of Rutland. Actual folk of history move across the background, now and then becoming pawns in the story. Dorothy, petulant, headstrong, violent tempered and lovable, wins her choice.
Miss Pickford is Dorothy, and the role will please her army of followers. Although lovely optically, it offers little new. Workmanlike of technique, her acting strikes no big spark. It is careful and considered all the way. This mood of care seems to run all through the production. It moves slowly. It lacks pace and, in a measure, spontaneity. There are two performance of vitality in the production. Claire Eames' Queen Elizabeth is admirable. Her Virgin Queen will linger among your celluloid memories. Estelle Taylor's few moments as the tragic Queen of Scots have poignancy. Miss Taylor has been steadily advancing. Actually, "Dorothy Vernon" comes pretty near being old home week for the Pickford family. You will find Lottie Pickford as a serving maid to Dorothy, and Allan Forrest, her husband, as the heroic John Manners. Even the redoubtable Doug is there to be caught by those with keen eyes. Marshall Neilan is the director, and his hand is apparent in the frequent little comedy sequences. Charles Rosher, cinematographer extraordinary, deserves a medal of honor for the photography.