User Reviews

This is a rather odd movie. Where basic entertainment value is concerned it may not be a very satisfying experience for the average viewer, but for theater historians it's of considerable interest. An unusual plot device at the heart of the story allows for brief, casual cameo appearances by several contemporary stage stars, each of whom portrays him- or herself at home (and posh-looking homes they are, too) in suburban Connecticut, New Jersey, and upstate New York. As the George M. Cohan song of the day had it, these performers all preferred to live no more than "45 Minutes from Broadway," presumably so that they could get away from the noise and bustle during the day, yet still make that evening curtain without too much strain.

A co-producer of the film was the journalist and theater critic Burns Mantle, remembered today for the Best Plays of the Year book series he edited for decades. In 1915 Mantle was stage critic for the New York Evening Mail, and thus had ready access to the actors who make appearances here. The celebrity sequences resemble home movie footage, albeit carefully staged. In some cases, the actor's spouse, children, pets, and other family members appear on camera, and the impression is created that we're being permitted to see these famous people as they really are, off-stage: relaxed, out of costume, and just puttering around the yard like real people.

Most of these performers are forgotten now, but a few became Hollywood character actors in later years, and might be familiar to movie buffs: May Robson played the lead in Frank Capra's Lady for a Day and a number of other films, Henry Kolker was prolific in supporting roles, Henrietta Crosman appeared in George Cukor's version of The Royal Family of Broadway, and Julia Dean was the old lady in Val Lewton's ever-popular Curse of the Cat People. But the most famous of all -- to theater buffs -- is female impersonator Julian Eltinge, to whom I'll return in a moment.

The aforementioned device which drives the plot involves Molly Malone, a plucky Irish lass who is offered a job as a newspaper reporter on condition that she can secure interviews with ten prominent Broadway performers. The challenge is arranged like a chain letter of sorts: each celebrity she meets and interviews must then agree to give her a reference and pass her along, as it were, to the next. Molly's charm helps ensure that these jovial actors -- each of whom, without exception, comes off as warm, friendly, and generous -- will cooperate and help her in her quest. (We have to take it on faith that Molly is so charming, however, because Marguerite Gale, the obscure actress in the title role, makes little impression.)

At any rate, the filmmakers must have realized at some point that they needed to juice things up, because the Broadway stars were all so determined to portray themselves as warm, friendly and generous, and so very willing to help Molly in her quest, that any suspense concerning the outcome of the story soon dwindles. So, a villain enters the story, a rival woman reporter from Molly's own paper driven by professional jealousy, as well as the notion that if Molly succeeds, the paper may decide there's room for only one woman on the staff -- no doubt a genuine cause for concern in those days. But the nasty schemes she contrives to scuttle Molly's mission are pretty flimsy, and downright silly after awhile. I don't think I'm giving anything away in noting that the title of this film acts as its own "spoiler."

In my opinion, the single most interesting element of the film is the presentation of Mr. Julian Eltinge, as he is billed. From around 1907 or thereabouts, Eltinge was by far the most prominent professional female impersonator on the American stage. Reviews of his act emphasize a number of points, such as the man's physical grace, the amazing illusion of femininity he presented, and the lack of vulgarity in his material. There is surviving footage of Eltinge in drag, but it dates from late in his career, when age and added weight combined to give him a matronly look, so it's all the more disappointing to report that, in this film, Mr. Eltinge appears in male attire only. Still, his cameo is moderately interesting.

Much of the publicity material concerning Eltinge strenuously emphasized that he was a normal, red-blooded American guy who just happened to earn his paycheck wearing ladies' clothing. In fan magazine spreads he was usually depicted on his estate doing 'guy stuff' like chopping wood, clearing away brush, etc. And his brief appearance in How Molly Malone Made Good follows suit: he is first seen in the manly act of repairing his automobile, and when he accidentally bangs his thumb we are given to understand that he curses roundly. When Molly arrives, Julian is just as cordial to her as his colleagues have been, and when she is threatened by an attacker (another attempt to spice up the story), he swiftly starts after the rotter, and has to be restrained from laying hands on him. What a guy! Perhaps these scenes were intended to convince audiences that Mr. Eltinge was, you know, an "okay" fellow after all. But despite the undeniable interest of seeing him, it's nevertheless a let-down to find that, on this occasion, Julian Eltinge chose to leave his dresses in the closet.

Director Lawrence B. McGill was active in New York from 1911 through 1918 and to judge by this entry, he was a very skillful director who was able to handle comedy, action, suspense and location shooting with both finesse and style. He has also drawn some excellent performances from his cast of top-of-the-list professional stage actors, including names that still make an impression today such as Julian Eltinge, May Robson and Henry Kolker. The pace is not only fast and furious but the plot allows the director to make excellent (and delightfully nostalgic) use of many famous New York locations. The tinted photography is likewise first-rate. Both heroine Marguerite Gale and villainess Helen Hilton deliver strong performances. And best of all, the movie has survived in an excellent print available from Grapevine Video. According to IMDb, the movie was also issued under the title, How Molly Malone Made Good. (70 minutes).