"East Side - West Side" (1923) with Kenneth Harlan and Eileen Percy felt as if I were reading a late 19th century novel as I watched it. Though it takes place contemporaneously (1923) with the film's time, the plotting, even though it begins with a roaring twenties plot line, floods us with a Victorian morality almost from the get-go. We meet three room-mates, Eunice who is leaving to live in with her rich sugar daddy who'll give her jewelry, etc, sickly Kit who wants it all, too, but is still quite young and now very sickly (looks like TB or such) and who's pretty much under the watchful care of the third room-mate and the lead, Lory, who's willing to keep plugging along, but wonders how she's going to make it and keep paying for the room without having to give up her...virtue. Along comes the friendly doctor who knows Kenneth Harlan who may need a secretary... He's filthy rich, living under the roof of his mother, and his sister and a butler also are in attendance. Harlan's a writer...of essays...boring essays...including ones on poverty of which he knows nothing about... He hires Lory, falls in love. MEANWHILE... Kit gets sicker and sicker and stills holds on to the thought that an uncle somewhere in the world has promised that he's going to strike it rich and he'll share money with her... She finally dies, but not before making out a legal will on an envelope that gives her money to Lory if she ever comes into an inheritance... Do you think this will all come to a good end? Does Carter have pills? Is the Pope Catholic? Does a bear...? Does a chicken have lips? Don't answer the last one... Very nice show! Sounds like a filler; it's cheaply made; Harlan's got the energy of a broken motor; but - Eileen Percy's a genuine pleasure to watch and the show's one of those that will make you smile in spite of yourself. Decent print from Alpha with a score that can be turned down to barely heard and thus - enjoyed. Directed by Irving Cummings. With Maxine Elliott Hicks, Lucille Ward, Lucille Hutton, Charles Hill Mailes, Betty May, and John T. Prince.
3 Reviews
When East Meets West!!!
kidboots3 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Lovely Eileen Percy started in films while still a teen as a very sweet leading lady in a few Douglas Fairbanks' movies. She later left films to marry Harry Ruby of Kalmar and Ruby song writing fame and was portrayed in the "Three Little Words" film biography by beautiful Arlene Dahl. Her co-star Kenneth Harlan was a popular leading man of the day who found his biggest success in the films he co-starred in with his then wife Marie Prevost, including "The Beautiful and Damned".
This movie was based on an unproduced play by actor Henry Hull, who would be forever known for the movie "The Werewolf of London" (1935). This was also one of the early directorial credits of Irving Cummings. A similar styled story to "Our Blushing Brides" - three girls sharing a tenement flat. Sickly Kit (Maxine Elliot Hicks) who looks on with envy at Eunice who is soon to move out to a Park Avenue penthouse, courtesy of an ardent stockbroker lover and Lory who tries to keep her home life and soul harmonious. Soon her West Side and the East Side of the pampered Van Norman family is going to meet thanks to Dr. Shepley (Charles Mailes). He thinks the Van Norman family lives in an ivory tower of fad diets, nerves and extravagant lifestyles with Duncan's (Harlan) out of touch essay on poverty being the last straw!! He organises for Lory to come in as the family secretary - "this girl has seen poverty you can't find in books"!! he tells a skeptical Duncan. Meanwhile even though Kit envies Eunice her "fringe benefits" Lory informs her that Eunice was only there this morning to borrow $5 - with her charge accounts and inventoried jewellry she is not allowed cash, not the way Lory would want to live. Kit also has her dreams in the form of a cherished letter from a far away uncle promising riches when his ship comes in!!
This is a nice little romance - Kenneth Harlan is always dependable but apart from him and Percy none of the cast caused any ripples. Hicks played a real child in a couple of Mary Pickford films ("Poor Little Rich Girl"). Lucille Hutton who played gad-about Eunice (she disappeared after her interesting first scene - I kept expecting her to come back into it) and Betty May who played Duncan's frivolous sister - both were actress ships who passed in the night!!
This movie was based on an unproduced play by actor Henry Hull, who would be forever known for the movie "The Werewolf of London" (1935). This was also one of the early directorial credits of Irving Cummings. A similar styled story to "Our Blushing Brides" - three girls sharing a tenement flat. Sickly Kit (Maxine Elliot Hicks) who looks on with envy at Eunice who is soon to move out to a Park Avenue penthouse, courtesy of an ardent stockbroker lover and Lory who tries to keep her home life and soul harmonious. Soon her West Side and the East Side of the pampered Van Norman family is going to meet thanks to Dr. Shepley (Charles Mailes). He thinks the Van Norman family lives in an ivory tower of fad diets, nerves and extravagant lifestyles with Duncan's (Harlan) out of touch essay on poverty being the last straw!! He organises for Lory to come in as the family secretary - "this girl has seen poverty you can't find in books"!! he tells a skeptical Duncan. Meanwhile even though Kit envies Eunice her "fringe benefits" Lory informs her that Eunice was only there this morning to borrow $5 - with her charge accounts and inventoried jewellry she is not allowed cash, not the way Lory would want to live. Kit also has her dreams in the form of a cherished letter from a far away uncle promising riches when his ship comes in!!
This is a nice little romance - Kenneth Harlan is always dependable but apart from him and Percy none of the cast caused any ripples. Hicks played a real child in a couple of Mary Pickford films ("Poor Little Rich Girl"). Lucille Hutton who played gad-about Eunice (she disappeared after her interesting first scene - I kept expecting her to come back into it) and Betty May who played Duncan's frivolous sister - both were actress ships who passed in the night!!
Kenneth Harlan fans rejoice!
JohnHowardReid23 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Any movie with super-handsome Kenneth Harlan as the lead, is a good movie, and "East Side – West Side", despite its obvious plot developments, is no exception. Harlan has such charisma that you remember his performance long after the rest of the players have vanished from memory. Mind you, they all seem very accomplished whilst you are actively watching the film. For instance, Eileen Percy makes a very attractive do-gooder of a heroine, whilst Lucille Ward is the absolutely perfect upper-class snob. In fact, it's impossible whilst actually watching the movie, to fault any member of the cast. Everyone seems so natural, so believable! The astute director responsible for this extremely palatable mixture of upper and working class mores was none other than Irving Cummings who was later to become one of the top five leading directors at 20th Century Fox. Available on a superb DVD from Alpha that has, for once, a really excellent music score that ties in very well with the movie.
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