Exhibitor's Trade Review (Nov 1925 - Feb 1926)

November 21, 1925 Page 29 THE CLASH OF THE WOLVES Warner Brothers Photoplay. From the story by Charles Logue. Directed by Noel Smith. Length, 6,478 feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Lobo (Leader of the Wolves) Rin-Tin-Tin Mary Barstowe June Marlowe David Weston "Heinie" Conklin Sara Barstowe Will Walling Borax Horton Pat Hartigan lyobo, wolf-dog leader of a wolf pack, has a price on his head. One day, suffering from a thorn in his oaw, he is found by_ Dave, a borax prospector, and befriended. The animal returns, love and loyalty. Later Lobo saves Dave from attacks of a scheming villain, who has designs on Dave's claim. Once again the villain attacks the young prospector and leaves him for dead on the site of the claim. Lobo arrives, and Dave sends him with a message to town for help. In the meantime a posse is hunting Lobo, but he manages to escape them, and at the same time decoy them to Dave. There, they learn that Lobo is man's friend. By Michael L. Simmons J^IN-TIN-TIN is a magnificent animal. He brings to the role of leader of a wolf-pack, an intelligence, a beauty of motion, an impressive cleverness that should find wide favor. He is a spectacle, in my opinion, well worth the price of admission, and I believe most others, when they see him, will feel the same way about it. There is a story woven into the fabric of "The Clash of the Wolves" ; one that involves certain episodes in the love of the youthful borax prospector for a girl, of his difficulty in winning her father's sanction, of a villain who aims to get both the girl and the prospector's holdings, and so on. This story is of comparative unimportance, though the boy is handsome, the girl pretty, and the villain beaten. It is all a thin device for furnishing the real hero, the wolf-dog, with an opportunity to display his bag of tricks. And these are various and admirable. It is obvious throughout; every time the human cast stacks up alongside the exploits of the animal players, the latter stand out far ahead in the ability to compel interest. A picture of a litter of baby wolves feeding at their mother's breasts, while her mate, regal in stature and alert in bearing, stands with a protective challenge at the mouth of the cave, is comparable to that which has come from the paint-brushes of the best in the painting line. Aside from situations of beauty, many of which, showing the admirable dog straining his neck from the topmost crags of the Sierra Nevadas and silhouetted against the spotless sky, are surpassingly beautiful, there are active moments of interest. The spectacle of a steer cornered by the wolf-pack, lashing out with hoof and horn in a desperate stand for life, is indeed breath-taking. Rin-Tin-Tin's dashes across desert sands, double-backing around cactus plants and sage-brush, his primitive instincts outwitting a hunting posse, make for action that interests and entertains. The dog furnishes interest every time he appears. It is only when he is off screen that the story flattens. You have many exploitation angles on this one. Dog shops, kennels, and the like should be willing co-operators. Then there is the borax angle with the grocer. LORD JIM Paramount Photoplay, directed and produced by Victor Fleming from the original story by Joseph Conrad, adapted to the screen by John Russell. Length, 6,702 feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Lord Jim Percey Marmont Jewel Shirley Mason Captain Brown Noah Beery Cornelius Raymond Hatton Stein Joseph Dowling Dain Waris George Maerill Sultan Nick de Ruiz Scoggins J. Gunnis Davis Yankee Joe Jules Cowles Tamb Itam Duke Kahananamoku A turn of the wheel of fate, and a man is branded a coward and dishonorably dismissed from seamanship duty. Years pass, and ever the accusing finger of shame pursues the unfortunate. Until at last, far out on a native island, where he may start his life anew, the man resurrects his soul, 'and we see him as Lord Jim — friend and advisor of the heathen natives. But because of the hardships he has undergone in his trials for recreation, he is tolerant with some miscreants who have no thought but to do injury. They betray his friendship and kill the son of the rajah of the island. Lord Jim. true to his word, gives his own life in penalty — that being the law of the land. By Hank Linet interesting picture that will certainly be appreciated by readers of Joseph Conrad, for the screen adaptation contains much of the genius of the writer. And true, too, it contains some genuine acting for a goodly portion of the 6,700 odd feet. Only toward the end does it start to weaken. Whether or not it was "saved by the bell" is a matter of personal opinion. At any rate, knockout or no, it remained fair entertainment, The one difficulty, paradoxical as it mav seem, was in the sterling manner in which Percy Marmont, as Lord Jim. portrayed the ragged and brow beaten unfortunate of the first half of the story. So realistic was he as the weakling that his last minute display of almost godly courage did not quite register with the reviewer. It smacked too much of movie quackery. But as a full hour of entertainment, "Lord Jim" is a jewel. Taking the picture in its entirety, it was fast moving and rhythmic. The cast was very good, with the one slip-up mentioned above. Although it might be added in the case of Raymond Hatton, he too lacked just a bit the full measure of genuineness when he made lightning rapid changes from a bully to a cowering savant. The coloring was there, but the delicate shading was missing. I guess the whole difficulty lay in the fact that the picture had the makings of a better than usual production, and perhaps too much was expected of it. It does se^rn that the only real criticism of it ran be summed up in the few words: it could have been a bit better. But it still remains, nevertheless, a very pleasant memory. As for "selling the picture," exhibitors will find no difficulty at all in getting plenty of cooperation from libraries, reading clubs, etc. Announcement ads would reach their greatest efficiency in the magazine section of the local newspapers, playing up the author's name above all else. ALL AROUND FRYING PAN F. B. O. Photoplay. Story by Frank R. Pierce. Directed by David Kirl(land. Length, 5,519 feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Bart Andrews Fred Thomson Sheriff Jim Marcus "All Around" Austin Wm. Courtwright Jim Dawson John Lince Jean Dawson Clara Horton Mike Selby Monte Collins Foreman Slade Elmo Lincoln Ruddy Logan Newton Barber Bart Andrews, vagrant cowboy, is arrested by the sheriff, chiefly because men are needed in the road gang. At a rodeo, to which the sheriff takes him handcuffed, a horse defies the attempts of many to ride him. Bart begs for the chance, and the sheriff consents. He succeeds and wins the favor of the cowboys, who persuade the sheriff to let him work on the Lawrence ranch. Bart learns of shady work going on by the foreman, and is instrumental in preventing the theft of a trainload of cattle. Later he surprises the foreman in the act of rifling a safe in the general store. A terrific battle ensues, at the end of which he finally brings the foreman to justice. Soon after, Bart reveals himself as the missing son of the rightful owner of the ranch. He marries the faithful caretaker's daughter. By Michael L. Simmons T^HIS picture is not, as the title may imply, a kitchen comedy. "Frying Pan" is the name of a town, and "AJl-Around" has reference to the many hectic things that happen from the time Fred Thomson starts kicking up the dust of this prairie village. What results is a brand of stunts familiar to the followers of Fred Thomson; entertaining in the way good red-blooded Westerns are entertaining, and plenty of excitement to salt the action. The guiding principle of interesting Westerns is — action. Well, the picture has it in abundance. Not the kind to distinguish the film as a Western among Westerns, but sufficient to hold the interest and give the customers their money's worth. Figure it out for yourself: A near lynching, cattle rustling, a rodeo scene, and a battle, that is, Oh my! a battle. It starts on the ground floor of a general store, then works its way up a flight of stairs, descends way down into the basement, until shelves, stock, notions and sundry are heaped in one wild mess, like ruins following an earthquake. Of course, you can't speak of a Fred Thomson picture without due credit to his wonderful four-footed pal, Silver King. In ancient days this horse would undoubtedly have graced the harness of a royal entourage. Now, with the march of civilization, he is used to better advantage. Touches of humor, of a mild sort, are contributed now and then by the antics of a sheriff, whose bright new nickle-plated pair of handcuffs are never brought into play but that the prisoner manages to walk off with them, his liberty included. For exploitation — if your house caters to the "Western" taste, run a trailer showing Fred Thomson breaking in his "bronch" ; another flash of the terrific battle, and outs'de place a cut-out of the regal Silver King, full of the restless dash and intelligence that has won him many admirers.