Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1922 - Mar 1923)

January 20, 1923 EXHIBITORS HERALD 53 SPECIAL CAST IN ALL THE BROTHERS WERE VALIANT (METRO) An exceptionally interesting story of the sea, one that is well told and full of unusual detail. The sea stuff is particularly well handled and a splendid cast enacts . the various roles. It was adapted from Ben Ames Williams' story; Julian Josephson prepared the scenario and Irvin W. Willat directed. It is in seven parts. Here's a corking story of the sea. It las the tang of the salt sea, is a simple, /idle tale and rouses one's interest at he very start and holds it throughout. The plot revolves around two brothers, he one a sea captain, the other a clerk or a shipping firm. There is good charicter drawing, a pretty heroine and it s the type of story that should appeal o all who care for a wholesome story vith no over-sentimentality about it. Lon Chaney has the role of Mark Shore rough sea captain, who deserts his ship o search for pearls. Malcolm McGregor 5 the younger brother, Joel Shore, while Jillie Dove appears as Priscilla Holt, vho becomes the charming wife of Joel nd sails with him on his first whaling xpedition. Others in the well chosen ast are Robert McKim, as first mate; Villiam Mong, as the comedy cook; Bob Cortman, in the role of Varde; Otto irower, as Morrell; Kurt Rehfeld, as iooper, and Shannon Day, as the Brown Hrl. There are many unusual talking points bout this picture and its exploitation ossibilities should not be overlooked, ittractive lobby displays of ship's equiplent and fishing nets suggest themselves nd the excellent cast should be adversed extensively. An outstanding feature of the producon is the thrilling and intensely intersting scenes of a whale hunt. Several hales are harpooned and their bodies rought alongside and later scenes are lown of trying out the fat. The fistic icounter between the loyal sailors and lose who start a mutiny among the ten is a well staged bit of excitement. The story concerns Mark Shore, sea iptain, who is lost while his ship is ichored near an island. His brother Del is made captain of the same ship and :nt on a whaling cruise with his bride, e finds his brother, who has found and dden some pearls while marooned on lonely island, and Mark at once deterines to return to the island for the :arls. Joel refuses to go and will not :rmit his men to join Mark. A fight Hows and in the melee Mark is knocked /erboard. Joel saves him and the story lds with the entry on the log of "All }e brothers were valiant." FARM FOLLIES (UNIVERSAL) Produced on an actual farm, this bit of msense is a series of chases, of broken iwn wagons, and a pretty group of farmettes. About the funniest thing in it is e put and take game, in which the colored ntleman swallows the top to avoid being rested. It continues to spin in his omach and an X-ray is employed to see e result. Not much new stuff in this medy and the labored subtitles do not lp it much. SPECIAL CAST IN NINETY AND NINE (VITAGRAPH) A good old-fashioned melodrama with enough exciting situations to satisfy the most blase fan. It has one of the most realistic forest fires ever screened and the sensational race of the locomotive through a veritable furnace of blazing trees with its human freight leaves a lasting impression. Directed by David Smith, from Ramsay Norris' stage drama. 6,800 feet in length. They tell us this is the season of melodrama on stage and screen. If so "The Ninety and Nine" is sure of a popu'ar welcome. It has about ■everything in it the showman wants to make it appeal to those who like genuine melodrama. There's the unjustly accused hero, the treacherous villain, the heroine, stern parents, village gossip, half wit lover and the stolen mortgage money, all more or less familiar to devotees of screen melodrama, but deftly handled in this case and the story interest is never allowed to lag. The fire sequence is particularly well done and the love story supplies extra interest and has been very well handled. Warner Baxter makes a particularly pleasing hero and acts naturally and we'l a role that calls for much restraint. Colleen Moore is excellent as the small town girl in love with the wayward city youth. Lloyd Whitlock plays the moustached villain; Gertrude Astor is the city girl and Robert Dudley a natural and severe Abner Blake. The picture has many good talking points and exploitation angles, such as the raging forest fire through which the hero drives the locomotive to safety, the escape of Phil Bradbury on a locomotive, the contrast of city and country life and the stampede of the inhabitants of Cleves, surrounded by a burning forest. The story concerns Phil Bradbury secretly •engaged to Kate Van Dyke, society belle. A mysterious murder is committed in the Van Dyke home and Phil appears to be guilty. He makes his escape on a locomotive and hides in a small lumber town called Marlow. Leveridge, owner of the railroad, with Miss Van Dyke, who has become engaged to him, stop at Marlow with Abner Blake. Ruth Blake has fallen in love with Phil, but the village half-wit has been bribed to steal money from Blake and hide it in Phil's suitcase. Phil, upon hearing of the danger of the residents of Cleves, a nearby town, saves the villagers by driving a locomotive through the blazing forest. Word has been received of a confession of the real murderer and Phil and Ruth are reunited. Warner Baxter in a scene from "The Ninety and Nine" (Vitagraph) JACK PICKFORD IN GARRISON'S FINISH (ALLIED PROD. & DIST.) This marks Jack Pickford's return to the screen, after two years absence, in one of the best vehicles he has ever had. The screen play was suggested by W. B. M. Ferguson's novel and made under the supervision of Elmer Harris. Arthur Rosson directed. It is in eight reels. There is a certain irresistible appeal about racing melodramas and for that reason "Garrison's Finish" is sure to meet popular favor. For it is one of the best that has ever been screened. It opens with an exciting and well staged race and the concluding reel pictures another race with one of the most exciting finishes ever photographed on a track. There is a good consistent plot to the tale and enough melodramatic situations to fairly raise an audience out of its seat. The scrap between the outraged jockey and the cowardly Crimmins is but one thrilling bit of action. The escape of the jockey and the race horse from a burning barn and the timely arrival at Churchill Downs is another exciting climax. Then follows the race. And such a race! Never has a more complete nor thrilling event ever been screened. Jack Pickford fits into the part of the little jockey as though it was written especially for him. He is natural and effective in the big scenes. Opposite him appears the pleasing Madge Bellamy, who has added another hit to her long list of recent successes. A good performance is given by Ethel Grey Terry as the wife of the villain, and Clarence Burton, the popular "heavy," gave a distinct impersonation as Crimmins. Others who aid materially in putting over the piece are Charles Stevenson as Col. Desha, Tom Guise as Major Desha, Frank Elliott as Waterbury, Charles Ogle as the trainer and Lydia Knott as Garrison's mother. Herbert Prior was the judge of the track and Audrey Chapman and Dorothy Manners, friends of Sue Desha, the role assumed by Madge Bellamy. Photographically the picture is perfect. Arthur Rosson is responsible for the latter. The story concerns Billy Garrison, a jockey, who loses a race when Crimmins, a trainer, puts a powerful drug in his cough syrup. He is indefinitely suspended from the track. Sue Desha, daughter of a Kentucky breeder of thoroughbreds, takes pity upon him and hands him her card, asking him to apply to her father for a job. Shortly afterwards he is attacked in a saloon and struck on the head. He wakes up in a hospital, his mind a blank. A couple of tramps befriend him, and thinking Sue's card is his home address they take him to Kentucky, hoping for a reward. Under an assumed name he trains Desha's horse Rogue. The day of the Kentucky Derby arrives and because of an accident to Rogue's jockey, Billy is pressed into service. The horse and jockey are stolen and locked in a barn by Crimmin's henchmen, but Billy escapes and arrives at the race track in time for the race. He is reinstated following the disclosure of Crimmins' crookedness, wins the race and finds his old mother in the crowd. Billy and Sue then start for Niagara Falls on their honeymoon, with the Colonel's blessing. There are a great many unique stunts that can be staged to put this picture over.