CONRAD IN QUEST OF HIS YOUTH
starring Thomas Meighan, Margaret Loomis and Kathlyn Williams
HARRISON'S REPORTS
November 13, 1920
Abounding in humor and pathos, 'Conrad in Quest of His Youth' may safely be classed as an up-to-standard de Mille contribution. Artistic treatment also adds to the picture's entertaining qualities.
The story is well out of the ordinary, and is given some interesting turns. The hero, an officer of the British Army, is depicted as having returned from the war older by several years. He looks back to his younger day and longs for he happiness they gave him. His efforts to bring back that boyhood happiness prove of no avail. He even goes to an old sweetheart in Italy; but it is all in vain. IN returning to England he loses his train, and is compelled to lay off for several hours in a little town. While wandering, he comes upon an adventure that leads him to the later, marrying a titled lady, instead of an actress as he first thought.
It is wholesome entertainment and should be enjoyed by all.
CONRAD IN QUEST OF HIS YOUTH
starring Thomas Meighan, Margaret Loomis and Kathlyn Williams
MOTION PICTURE CLASSIC
February 1921
Fresh from the movie mill came William de Mille's visualization of Leonard Merrick's "Conrad in Quest of His Youth." The relentless teeth of the film machine have torn into the fragile fabric of Merrick's whimsical but keen "sentimental journey," and the novel has been diluted until it really isn't the original. Considered as a motion picture play, this "Conrad" is an entertaining opus but it will offend lovers of Merrick. The whole thing has been screen standardized into conventionality.
No doubt you have read Merrick's tale of the lonely man, approaching middle age, who seeks to live over again the sweeter moments of his life, only to find them dull and empty. Time will not turn backward. But Conrad finds the zest of a new moment in his meeting with an attractive widow. The motion picture version carries him to the inevitable happy marriage, whereas Merrick's broke off with "At this point it may be discreet of us to take leave of Conrad - as Rosalind's cab comes jingling around the corner."
Mr. de Mille has told his version of Conrad smoothly and with good taste. Thomas Meighan is an adequate, if not particularly interesting, Conrad, while the real honors, to our way of thinking. Go to Margaret Loomis as Rosalind. Here, indeed, is our ideal lading woman. There is intelligence, charm and distinction to her playing.
Conrad brings forward the eternal movie questions: is it fair to distort a novel for screen purposes? We believe the style and the atmosphere of the original should be retained. If the director and the scenario writer are not able to do this, they have no ethical right to twist literature or the drama to their own ends.
For more information, see "Contrad in Quest of His Yoiuth" as our "Feature of the Month"