CHILDREN OF DIVORCE
Starring Clara Bow, Esther Ralston, and Gary Cooper
HARRISON'S REPORTS
May 14, 1927
The action holds one's attention for the most part, but much of the plot is not pleasant. It is well produced and develops some heart interest and pathos, but the picture as a whole will not send the spectators home in a happy frame of mind. The impression made by the film is sad, and the death of the heroine, who, after a wild night of pleasure, had run off with the sweetheart of her best friend, has a depressing influence. While the picture is supposed to point out a moral by showing the evils of divorce, it goes too far in showing up human depravity. The opening scenes, with the two little girls in the convent grounds, who afterwards are shown as the heroines of the picture when grown up, are very well handled and possess considerable appeal. The girl whose lover is stolen by her friend gets some sympathy, but none is wasted on the one who elopes, for she not only cheats her chum, but lures the man into marriage under false pretensions. The hero is rather a weak character and may not be tolerated by most audiences. The sets are lavish and the wild parties showy and realistic. At times, the action moves rather slowly. There is nothing offensively sexy in any of the situations, yet the suggestion of yielding to passion occurs often enough to make the film unfit for juveniles to see. There are communities where it will not even do for the adult family trade. There are practically two heroines, Esther Ralston acting very cleverly as the girl whose lover elopes with her friend. Clara Bow is entirely out of place in the part of the girl who comes to a tragic end. Her natural gifts are for breezy, gay "flapper" impersonations, and she is not convincing in sentimental moods. Gary Cooper does well enough as the hero. The plot is based on a story by Owen Johnson and has been directed by Farnk Lloyd skillfully, from a scenario by Hope Loring and Louis D. Lighton.
Not as good as "It," and will not draw as much.
CHILDREN OF DIVORCE
Starring Clara Bow and Gary Cooper
SCREENLAND
July, 1927
"Find the missing "It" in this picture. Has
Clara Bow got "It"? Has Gary Cooper -- or Esther Ralston?
Get in the game. Try to find "It". I give up. "Children
of Divorce" only goes to show that a man never gets anywhere
if he lets things slide -- unless he's a trombone player. And
of course Gary Cooper isn't. Why not? Don't be silly -- a hero
is never a trombone player. Gary's a millionaire. All wrapped
up in Esther Ralston -- and she's wrapped up in him, too, in several
scenes. But there's no satisfying some girls. She wants him to
go to work to win her. All right -- he will. He starts off fine
-- and then he slips. And, of course, Clara Bow is the beautiful
banana peel. First thing he knows, he's married to Clara. That
wouldn't worry most heroes, but Gary is different. Or maybe Clara
is different. You'll have to figure that out for yourself. This
picture is just a polite prize-fight between the two girls with
Gary as the prize.