User Reviews

George Beban understands how to put the human touch into a screenplay when writing the scenario and also when playing the leading part. "His Sweetheart," the five-reel Morosco picture written by Mr. Beban and Lawrence McCloskey, overflows with bits of real life and revelations of humanity in its most pleasing phases. A clear understanding of the worth of a closely knit, dramatic plot that has sufficient vitality to keep ahead of the spectator's powers of discernment is among Mr. Beban's equipment for the art of playmaking; and, aside from one debatable point, the material used in the present instance is logical, convincing and of a surprising degree of freshness. The character played by the star is that of Joe Picarri, an Italian iceman on the "east side," whose great ambition at the opening of the story is to bring his mother over from Italy and establish her as the mistress of his home, two small rooms in the cellar back of his place of business. This is accomplished, and the following series of events show Joe's "Mamma Mia" accused of stealing a gold pin from the wife of the district attorney. She is convicted and sent to prison, and Joe is made a tool by a number of crooks, in an attempt to kill the attorney. The iceman is prevented by an unlooked-for circumstance from carrying out the scheme and events terminate happily for Joe, his mother and a new sweetheart that becomes Mrs. Picarri. The debatable point is having the wife of the district attorney entrust Joe's mother with the doing up of the family laundry. The back room of a basement in the Italian quarter of New York is hardly the place that a woman of wealth would select for the washing and ironing of her little girl's frocks and articles from her own wardrobe. The many persons who have seen George Beban in "The Sign of the Rose" and other plays which permitted him to introduce his remarkably lifelike and sympathetic portrayal of the Italian character, the humble son of Italy as he is known to New Yorkers and Americans in general, need not be told that he fulfills every requirement of his role in "His Sweetheart." His humanity is the most engaging quality to be found in his creation of the iceman. Helen Jerome Eddy is faithful to nature in her performance of the Italian girl Trina, and Sarah Kernan looks and acts as if she has just landed from Naples. Harry Devore and Kathleen Kirkham are worthy representatives of the district attorney and his wife. The details of the production have been carefully looked after. – The Moving Picture World, February 10, 1917