The New Pictures

Shadows of Paris. In this version of the play Mon Homme, by the author of Kiki, Pola Negri plays a perky, jerky girl of the Parisian underworld, who loves an Apache even after he is killed in the War. Coming to life, cinema fashion, he steals into her home after she has married into wealth and low-cut gowns. When he is shot in the back and killed, his ex-sweetheart, fluctuating with doubt as to whether she really loves him, makes up her mind. She prefers her living husband. Pola does a Swanson swagger as the fiery Blackbird. But she shows to best advantage in upper crust costumes that are much better than the plot.

Twenty-One. Dealing with the idle rich, this picture takes Richard Barthelmess to the slums for its second half. On attaining his majority a young man (Barthelmess) throws off the butterfly pinions imposed on him by a selfish mother. Mother and father have been at odds for years, so the son suffers. His mother, taking charge of his destiny, strives to mould him into her beau ideal--a classical dancer. In desperation he leaves home, becomes a taxi driver. One of his fares is his father, whom he dislikes for leaving him at the mercy, of his mother's Wilde-ish whims. But when he drives his parent into a den of thieves--blood tells. He saves his dad in the necessary scrimmage, is knifed, recovers. Convalescence in the dear old mansion sets in.

Impossible and ephemeral at times, the picture has some unhackneyed situations that are its saving grace. There is, for example, a classical ballet wherein Barthelmess imparts delicate satire to a home-made faun. The young actor takes full advantage of a chance to do some of his characteristic staggering at the end. John S. Robertson, the director, with a light touch saves some of the scenes from melting into butterscotch.