Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1929)

March 30,1929 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 65 WHAT THE PICTURE DID FOR ME Verdicts on Films in Language of Exhibitor Copyright, 1929 Columbia THE SIDESHOW: Special cast— Good story o£ a circus that pleased. — J. W. Bascom, Shastona theatre, Mount Shasta, Cal. — Small town patronage. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Virginia Valli— 40%. March 13. Not much to it, will get by as a program feature. Six reels. — S. A. Hayman. Lyda theatre, Grand Island, Neb. — General patronage. THE SIDE SHOW: Marie Prevost— 40%. March 9. I would call it a pretty good feature. By the way, Herald-World, it has warmed up out here in Nebraska and things look a little brighter. Won't need those fur lined pictures. Six reels. — S. A. Hayman, Lyda theatre, Grand Island, Neb. — General patronage. SUBMARINE: Jack Holt— 72%. March 7-8. My first Columbia and a good one. This should please any type of audience as it is a clean cut. deep 6ea picture. Nine reels. — W. C. Pullin, New Linden theatre, Columbus, O. — Neighborhood patronage. THE TIGRESS: Special cast— March 5-6. I see where one of the boys said this was punk. It was different here, as everyone thought it was a good program picture. The tale of a Spanish gypsy and her infatuation for an Englishman. Why is it that the other film hounds spend most of their time panning this Columbia stuff? The program pictures I bought from Columbia were all good, and I didn't have to give them my back teether for 'em either. Six reels. — William E. Tragsdorf. Trags theatre, Neillsville, Wis. — Small town patronage. First National ADORATION: Billie Dove — Quite wonderful, from every angle. I believe it brings out Billie Dove in her best performance. I would rank this picture as one of the best productions so far this year. It is interesting in story, it is well cast, and a perfect production. Business for three days better than average. Seven reels. — W. H. Brenner, Cozy theatre, Winchester, Ind. — General patronage. THE CRASH: Milton Sills— 50%. Good action picture and went over good. Did not do much business on account of basket ball game. Seven reels. — E. D. Luma, Cozy theatre. Wagoner, Okla. — Small town patronage. SCARLET SEAS: Richard Barthelmess— 59%. March 11-12. Good picture but not as good as some of the 6tar's former productions. Seven reels. — E. D. Luma, Cozy theatre. Wagoner, Okla. — Small town patronage. SHOW GIRL: Alice White— February 27-28. Pleasing, light affair. This girl is as good as Bow if they will give her the vehicle. — J. S. Walker. Texas theatre. Grand Prairie, Tex. — Small town patronage. DANCING VIENNA: Ben Lyon— Only ran this one day but would have stood another day. Very good picture. Was afraid it was no good. Seven reels. — E. D. Luma, Cozy theatre. Wagoner, Okla. — Small town patronage. HEART TO HEART: Special cast — March 14-15. Due to all the good reports I had read in the HeraldWorld, and as one of the churches wanted a benefit, I gave this to them to a full house with a full 100 per cent reaction. I do not recall any picture which gave better satisfaction than this little program picture. Clean, wholesome, small town comedy. Let's give the director a hand. I've got to look and see who it was — oh, yes! William Beaudine. Boys, you can run this picture on any night in the calendar and you won't offend one single soul in your town or audience. Seven reels. — William E. Tragsdorf, Trags theatre, Neillsville, Wis. — Small town patronage. SYNTHETIC SIN: Colleen Moore— February 25. SEVERAL MATTERS OF IMPORTANCE GRATIFYING, indeed, are the letters we've been receiving testifying as to the value of this department. It must be as pleasing to you icho contribute the reports as to us who handle them editorially, for it is the reports that make this department the great service institution it is. And that reminds us of several things. One of them is the value in a report of giving the circumstances in which the picture was played. A picture may be I "good" under one set of conditions, and "bad" under another. Also, a few words of explanation why the picture is thought worth while or to the contrary is usually just what the exhibitor who has not played it wants to know. Another matter is the keeping of reports free from mere expressions of prejudice — a condition of mind or soul to which all of us, being human, are heir. The picture is the thing, and though those who made it are to blame if it is not suitable, the picture itself remains the thing to be criticized. A matter which may not be so important from the point of view of strict practicability, but one which is nevertheless worth consideration is the comment the exhibitor can often make on various conditions in the industry, in just a few words, in the report itself. Such comment need not be serious. Indeed, one of the most effective ways of speaking seriously, we've found, is by giving a thought a humorous twist. As we said, these bits of chat in a report, about the picture business in the world at large and right in each exhibitor's own home town — about his theatre and himself — these little observations and quips may not be of the highest importance in making reports more valuable, but they add a sparkle and human interest to serious business which is good for all of us. (And they make our job much more interesting!) —GEORGE SCHUTZ. This is a good program picture. This star fails to draw for me any more. Too many poor ones. Seven reels. — Leslie Hables, Reel Joy theatre. King City, Cal. — Small town patronage. OH, KAY: Colleen Moore— March 3-4. Good program picture. As the second night of this fell on inaugural night, I was all set for some of this prosperity we have been hearing about for a long time. Say, Herb, if we don't have any more prosperity during the next four years time than we did on the night of March 4, we will get to be as bad as T. O. Service — that is. vote as we drink. Ho! Hum! Five reels. — William E. Tragsdorf, Trags theatre, Neillsville, Wis. — Small town patronage. LOVE AND THE DEVIL: Special cast— 60%. February 22-23. A very good picture. A little different type than Sills is usually in and that is why it was good. Not the he-man type like most of his. Miss Corda made a very good comeback in this one, as I was not so het up over the last one she was in last summer. Seven reels. — W. R. Boughn, Jr., Sun theatre, Walthill, Neb. — General patronage. THE LOVE MART: Billie Dove— This went over satisfactorily as a special. Eight reels. — J. C. MacKenzie. Princess theatre, Seaforth, Ont., Canada. — Small town patronage. THE WHEEL OF CHANCE : Richard Barthelmess — 50%. December 20-22. Real good picture and the kind of story Dick can put over. His acting just swell. — A. C. Digney, Victoria theatre, Carberry, Man., Canada. — General patronage. THE YELLOW LILY: Billie Dove— March 10-11. Another of those foreign affairs. A fine picture of its kind, but nobody with good sense cares a tinker's dam for that foreign stuff. I don't wish anyone any hard luck, but I hope they take all those foreign directors (as well as the local talent with a foreign complex) and send 'em all back to Russia or Bulgaria or whereinell they come from. A good picture, but you can't get anybody in to see this stuff. That's that. Eight reels.— William E. Tragsdorf, Trags theatre, Neillsville, Wis. — Small town patronage. OUT OF THE RUINS: Richard Barthelmess— 25%. January 31-February 2. This is the poorest picture of Dick's I have ever shown. Why do producers put those darn fool close-ups of kissing in a picture for, anyhow ? You can go to any dance hall and see two pinheads doing the same thing. Why ask good sensible patrons to pay good money to see such trash ? Dick is one of the greatest actors on the screen in my estimation— why 6poil him? — A. C. Digney, Victoria theatre, Carberry, Man., Canada. — General patronage. THE PATENT LEATHER KID: Richard Barthelmess — March 6-7. "Very good show," said what few came. Played it for Legion benefit. Worst roads we have had this winter, only six or seven cars on street. Twelve reels. — Mrs, S. J. Brown & Son, Phoenix theatre, Neolo, la. — General patronage. THE PHANTOM CITY: Ken Maynard— Best Maynard in a long time, at least it pleased my patrons the best. — Harold H. Kortes, Sun theatre, Plainwell, Mich. — General patronage. ADORATION: Billie Dove— February 24-25. Nothing big but Billie is a very good actress. This is not her best. The people here seem to like her. Seven reels. — Mrs. S. J. Brown & Son, Phoenix theatre, Neolo, la. — General patronage. THE HAUNTED HOUSE: Special cast— February 22-23. Thought this was very satisfactory show. Lots of exhibitors panned this but it was not bad for a change. Six reels. — Mrs. S. J. Brown & Son, Phoenix theatre, Neolo, la. — General patronage. THE WHIP: Dorothy Mackail — February 28. Dandy program picture. No special, but pleased most everyone. Seven reels. — Harold H. Kortes, Sun theatre, Plainwell, Mich. — General patronage. SEE YOU IN JAIL: Jack Mulhall— Very good entertainment. — Julius W. Schmidt, Grand theatre, Breese, 111. — General patronage. SUNSET DERBY: Special cast — Just a fair race love 6tory. — Julius W. Schmidt, Grand theatre. Breese, 111. — General patronage. HER WILD OAT: Colleen Moore — Not much to this Colleen. — Julius W. Schmidt, Grand theatre, Breese, 111. — General patronage. THE LIFE OF REILLY: Special cast— This went over big and everyone seemed to enjoy it immensely. Seven reels. — Giacoma Brothers. Crystal theatre. Tombstone, Ariz. — General patronage. WEARY RIVER: Richard Barthelmess— This is another good one from this star. I certainly am pleased at the way he i6 pleasing my patrons. Seven reels. — Leslie Hables. Reel Joy theatre. King City. Cal. — Small town patronage. LILAC TIME: Colleen Moore— 77%. March 4. This picture is as good as all the other exhibitors