The Film Daily (1924)

THE 10 j55^ DAILY Sunday, November 9, 1924 Newspaper Opinions New York "The Battling Orioles"— Pathe Cameo AMERICAN—* * * "The Battling Orioles" is a waste of time and material. ♦ ♦ * However * * * there are some people who dote on slapstick comedy, and for those who like this type » * » 1 can recommend "The Battling Orioles" most highly. ♦ » * Hal Roach ♦ ♦ * must do better next time. If he is going to emulate Mack Sennett in the slapstick line, at least he must give us something of a real comedy nature. BULLETIN—* * * The subsequent adventures of the Battling Orioles makes a very funny picture, not the least laughable feature of which is the picture of the Orioles in the good old days of 1874. ♦ * * DAILY MIRROR— The old time slapstick comedy has been rejuvenated by Hal Roach into • * * "The Battling Orioles" ♦ * * If a combination knock-"em-down and run Mke fury picture with a thin story and a thinner romance sequence interests you. you'll like "The Battling Orioles." DAILY NEWS—* * * the audience was in ecstasy over the film, but we personally couldn't see the thing at all. * * * EVENING WORLD—* * * "The Battling Orioles" is old-time slapstick, with the pie-throwing left out. It's a rough and tumble chase from start to finish, and the crowds * * * liked it very much. * ♦ * Probably, its appeal will be general, for after all, everybody enjoys seeing a cop being made fun of or a dignified old man being put upon by a young upstart. * * » GRAPHIC— It took Hal Roach * * * to see the possibilities of hilarity in the great American game. One wonders in viewing "The Battling Orioles" * * » why the lights and shades of baseball are not more frequently utilized by producers. * * * MORNING TELEGRAPH—* * * Tryon himself doesn't seem to possess the qualities that lead to stardom in any great abundance, but he has been surrounded by such a whirlwind comedy melodrama that the picture makes a fine impression Certainly no more original bit of fooling has been on the screen in some time that the fight in which the rejuvenated gray beards cle'an out the rough cafe. * * * POST—* * * The story is too slight to withstand a detailed attack. It is frankly slapstick, but it is delicately handled ♦ • • and bears the delightful Hal Roach touch of open make-believe which saves it from being tiresome. Indeed, the audience was reduced almost to hysteria by the rough-and-tumble gags, particularly in the cleverly worked-upto scene in which the score of old men battle an equal number of younger toughs in the Owl's Eye Cafe. If you are in a laughing mood, you'll probably enjoy this burlesque sufficiently to overlook its many obvious impossibilities and absurdities. ♦ * * TELEGRAM—* * * The picture is melodrama burlesqued and is outrageously funny. TIMES—* * * You can look at the last reel of this comedy and then gaze upon the earlier reels with equal enjoyment. One young woman even suggested that it might lie funnier if it were run backward. The hero. Tommy Roosevelt Tucker » * * and Blanche MehaiTey, appear to be in good health and riuite lively. "Garden of Weeds" — Paramount Rivoli AMERICAN— "The Garden of Weeds" is infinitely better in the celluloid version than it was on the spoken stage. * * * * * * very fair entertainment. Betty Compson * * * is at her best in this picture. She has some big dramatic moments, and she not only looks like a million dollars, but she gives a performance that is in the same superlative class. "The Garden of Weeds" as a story is nothing exceptional. * * ♦ .Tames Cruze * * * is wise enough to make the most of the big scenes, and not fill the picture with inconsequential situationis. ■* * * DAILY MIRROR—* * * Directed by the keen and deft James Cruze, this picture * * * inakes worth while entertainment. An excellent cast, headed by Warner Baxter and Rocklifife Fellowes, lends strength to Betty Compson's splendid performance. The outstanding features of this film a'C the human touches so characteristic of Cruze. Short Subjects Animated Hair Cartoon, No. M — Red Seal Eyitertaining Novelty Type of production....! reel novelty Listed as Animated Hair Cartoon No. M., this is a clever novelty reel drawn by Marcus. It consists of a series of drawings of heads in pen and ink on which the hair, eyebrows, whiskers, etc.. are moved from their original places and rearranged by the artist's hand so as to form an entirely different head. Thus we have emerging from unknown likenesses such familiar folk as Tohn D. Rockefeller, Charles M. Schwab and Larry Semon. Animated Hair Cartoon, No. N — Red Seal Interesting Type of production .... 1 reel novelty This Animated Hair Cartoon is exactly like the other Marcus cartoons in the series. The drawings this time are found to be of Conway Tearle. Billie Burke and Norma Talmadge. The charm of the reel lies in watch''ng the bits of hair being moved from one place to another and in seeing the likeness of a well-known face emerge. Animated Hair Cartoon, No. W — Red Seal Diverting Type of production....! reel novelty This Marcus cartoon is designated as No. W. The be-whiskered folk are seen to be Buster Keaton, Admiral Sims and Thomas Meighan, after their hair has been re-arranged. This series provides an excellent means of providing diversion in programs that are long and heavy. The material contained in them is amusing and novel and the reels are quite short so that they may be used where a longer comedv could not be. "Poor Butterfly"— Mermaid — Educ'l Good, Fast Comedy Type of production. .. .2 reel comedy Action is the keynote of this Mermaid comedy. There's plenty of it and there is much that is amusing, even though the laughs aren't brought forth by much that is new. Ruth Hiatt is very well cast as the little hick from the farm. Her work is good and she gets away from the hasty movements so much seen in comedy work. The action concerns the troubles a wealthy "bugologist" gets into while chasing a butterfly that leads him to Minerva's farm, his "fall" for the girl, and her troubles in the city while waiting for her sweetheart. Good fast comedv. "The Artist's Model"— Earl Hurd— Educ'l Excellent with Music Type of production..! reel animated cartoon. Excellent results can in all probability be obtained by using this reel in conjunction with orchestral effects. The cartoon deals with a janitorproperty man of a theater who forgets his cues for the different vaudeville performers in his dreams of a poster-girl. The animal jazz-band all play different instruments. The tight-rope walkers have some trouble, and there is a fine scrimmage between the janitor and the leader of the Zulu Jazz Band when the former wins the latter's grass-skirt. A funny musical accompaniment will do much toward making this very effective. "Speed, Boys !" — Century — Universal Clean and Entertaining Type of production. . . .2 reel comedy This is essentially a kid comedy. It features little Arthur Trimble, and Bubbles, a little colored lad, and has a cast that includes Speck O'Donnell and several other kids. The children in your audience will like the small locomotive train that the kids run, and around which most of the action centers. This should be a pleasing little comedy for the average house. Not hilarious, but good, clean and entertaining. "Gridiron Glory" — Grantland Rice — Pathe Fine, Tiynely Reel Type of production .... 1 reel comedy This is a peach of a "sport" number. The men will thoroughly enjoy it and so .will the football fans among the women. Football practice, showing the different plays and the method of training for them are shown and in slow motion. The tight moments in some of the big games of this and past seasons are also shown, with the cheering crowds, etc., lending appropriate atmosphere. Fine, timely reel. "Film Facts"— Cranfield & ClarkRed Seal Varied and Interesting Reel Type of production..! reel magazine The subject matter of this magazine reel is extremely varied and interesting. In fact, it is so varied that there is only time for a glimpse of most of the things dealt with. Among the scenes are those showing Japanese geisha girls dancing, several novel chemical experiments such as freezing mercury by means of liquid air, and some excellent under-water shots of queer and little known fish. DAILY NEWS— If it weren't for James Cruze's renowned trifling subtle touches, "The Garden of Weeds" would be merely another one of those movies. Jimmy Cruze has made something really interesting, however, out of a mediocre story, the like of which has been done for the screen over and over again. ♦ ♦ * We've an idea you're going to like "The Garden of Weeds" — principally, of course. for its direction, and secondly for the splendid performances given by the cast. EVENING JOURNAL—* * * The picture is well acted and interesting, although at the beginning a lot is left to the imagination, with no reference to the chorus girl. Probably because chorus girls needs no reference. EVENING WORLD— "'The Garden of Weeds" * * » doubtless would have devel oped into a rather attractive flower bed hac it not been stultified at the very bcginninj by weeds of confusion. The opening of thj plot was a trifle ambiguous, as we saw it but after it got into action, it blossomed into a moving story and really made some thing of itself. The presence in it of Betty Compson, War ner Baxter and RockclifTe Fellowes and it! direction by Jim Cruze ♦ * ♦ made the pic ture worth while for us ♦ ♦ ♦ HERALD-TRIBUNE—* * * a deaidedb fetching picture, though we don't know ex actly how much of this credit belongs to th< story and how much to the director and tin actors. Cruze has made it interesting throughout, and he has some fine, tricky bits which art quite justifiable because they work like a charm. Then, Betty Compson is thin and beauti ful — more so. than of yore. Rockcliffe Fel lowes is the bad man, and an exceedingly nice preson, who never won us before, ♦ ♦ * MORNING TELEGRAPH—* * * "Th« Garden of Weeds" is another Cruze success. Miss Compson is thoroughly good in the role of Dorothy and a better choice could not have been selected for Crawford than Warner Baxter. Rockcliflfe Fellowes is effective as Flagg. * ♦ ♦ SUN — "The Garden of Weeds" * * * is a rather entertaining, "snapnv story" that rnves most of its worth to the excellent directorial hand of James Cruze and the fine acting of Betty Compson. ♦ ♦ ♦ TELEGRAM—* * * Its worst elements have been retained. Even James Cruze failed to make it more than a distasteful melodrama. The piece is skilfully handled and lavishly produced. But. as in the play, emphasis is laid on the "weeds" in the "garden." » * * Betty Compson does well eiiough with the role of an understudy. » * ♦ TIMES—* * * The good work done by Mr. Cruze in some of the scenes makes this a passable light entertainment. ♦ * » WORLD—* * * Betty Compson acts more rationally than I have ever seen her. I think she does a neat and appealing characterization. * * * And appearing alongside the star is that sterling film performer, RockclifTe Fellowes, whose work in the last year or so has amounted, in my judgment, to something like triumph. The picture version of this play, it is possible to add, is better than the stage version. But that doesn't necessarily connote an ocean full. * * * k\ k . "The Only Woman"— First National Capitol AMERICAN — * * * a very much better picture than I had expected. * ♦ * * * * has much to recommend it as screen entertainment. * * * * * * It's a box office attraction whose possibilities for making money cannot be denied. Norma Talmadge is lovel.v as the heroine— slim, beautiful — and she gives at all times a sympathetic performance. * * * I have never seen a more realistic and better staged sea catastrophe than the one Sidney Olcott provides. * ♦ * BULLETIN—* * * It is a fairly stereotyped plot, around which the picture is built -" * * but it is lifted from the ordinary run * * * of story by the consistent working out of the plot, the excellent direction, and above all, by the unusual acting of Miss Talmadge and Eugene O'Brien. * * * D.\ILY MIRROR—* * * Nerma Talmadge is more beautiful and lovely than ever, in her latest picture • • * "The Only Woman" is reel romance, light, I>ut crescendoing w'ith suspense. There are stormy scenes at sea * * • that set a standard, for oceanic thrills. And there are charming scenes in Tripoli, rich with color and realism. * * * DAILY NEWS— "The Only Woman" brings Norma Talmadge back to present day fashion, after a sojourn in several of the periods. For this reason alone — if there were no others — female fans should try out Norma's newest. ♦ ♦ ♦ Miss Talmadge wears some lovely creations indeed. * * * There is a very splendid storm scene ♦ ♦ * * * * This is, come to think it over, an exceedingly box-office-y photoplay. EVENING JOURNAL—* * * The picture is well costumed. Norma is beautiful, O'Brien staggers around as ■■' b; wished he really were drunk and there is an excellent storm that would have a sobering efifeot on anybody. Wind-tossed sails, thundering clouds, collisions, fights, and all that sort of thing. * * * EVENING YORLD— * * * if a picture ever was a thriller, this one is. The shipwreck * * * in the most realistic tiling we have ever seen. * * * the minature V. tl m K