JANICE MEREDITH
starring Marion Davies
PHOTOPLAY
October, 1924
JANICE MEREDITH
Starring Marion Davies
PHOTOPLAY
October 1924
This romantic tale of the American Revolution, written by the late Paul Leicester Ford in the old days of the swashbuckling novel, is likely to be the last big costume picture to reach the public in some time. The pendulum of favor seems to have swung away definitely from wigs and furbelows.
As an example of its kind, "Janice Meredith" is fair to middlin'. Marion Davies' Janice does not approach her work in "Little Old New York." Still, it is far better than her Yolanda. "Janice Meredith" represents a huge outlay of money. Several fortunes have been tossed into the making of the story, which, incidentally, is neither clear cut nor well motivated.
Basically it represents the love of Janice, daughter of a Tory father but at heart a true American, for Charles Fownes, a bond servant who wins laurels as an aid to Washington. As in every other romantic opus, the characters in "Janice Meredith" are in intimate touch with all the notables of the day. This is a panorama of famous folk.
The story's chief fault is that it is repetitious. The hero is captured continually, only to be liberated by the heroine. The script is a wandering one and the direction loose. "Janice Meredith" has its own ride of Paul Revere, which, however, does not compare in electric qualities with that of Mr. Griffith's. "Janice Meredith" reaches its high point in a presentation of Washington and his forces crossing the ice-bound Delaware.
We are convinced that Miss Davies' metier is comedy. We feel sure she would be a her best in intimate comedy minus lavishly oppressive trappings. Let's hope she gets such a role soon.