As movies go "Mother's Millions" is refreshing. Here is a film with a definitely serious tone, and yet it is neither a mystery story her relentlessly realistic. Also the picture is punctuated with frequent humorous occasions, yet it is divorced from the current comic tradition, either slap-stick or sophisticated.

"Mother's Millions" is, as might be suggested by the title, a one woman affair. It was inevitable that the production should stand or fall according to the ability of the central character. In portraying on the scren a portion of the life of the famous feminine financier, Hettie Green, May Robson has created a characterization which not only set the seal of success on the picture, but has entitled it to be ranked high among the yearly output of Hollywood.

The story is of an iron-willed woman who has reached the pinnacle of commercial success, but who in doing so has, to outward appearances, allowed the milk of human kindness to curdle. Her son she considers a weakling, and she is on the verge of making her daughter an automaton, trained to carry on the Green tradition of close-fisted, hard-hearted dealings. It happens that the son redeems himself, and the young girl's dormant emotions are awkened by the agency of Mr. James Hall, who, incidentally, turned in a rather flabby performance.

All praise, however, to May Robson, who rides roughshod over the industrial leaders of the nation, working her will in national crises. Irascible, domineering as she appears, it is impossible to dislike her because of her gruff good-humor, and her submerged maternal affection, which intermittently breaks through her hardness, and prevents the characterization from degenerating into a mechanical personification of worldly greed.

Supplementary material on the programme is "The Girl Habit" with Charlie Ruggles. It is incomprehensible why an actor who has made whatever reputation he has as an inebriate should, when the time comes to be featured, play without the liquid illusion. "The Girl Habit", despite spasmodic excellences of pantomime, proves that Ruggles is not sufficiently endowed to carry a picture single-handed.