Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1922)

358 Motion Picture News Evelyn Greeley, co-starring with Carlyle Blackwell in “ Bulldog Drummond,” releasing arrangements to be handled through Producers’ Security Corp. Larry Weber Is Again Active in Game Keen comment in film circles was created by the recent announcement of the renewed interest in film affairs exhibited by L. Lawrence Weber when he and his associate Bobby North signed Director Will Nigh for a series of super specials for the independent market. The negotiations with Will Nigh bring Weber once again to the foreground of filmdom. This aggressive promoter and Producer holds a rare place in film annals. He flashed to the fore years back when the industry was cutting teeth with the introduction of Olga Pterova for the first time in pictures. Weber carved another niche in picture history when he organized Metro and shaped its policies as one of the original Board of Directors. He showed his genius in cutting new paths when he appeared with the super screen presentation of “The Passing of the Third Floor Back” with Sir Johnson Forbes Robertson in his original role. The pioneci producer then followed with another sensation— “Raffles” with John Barrymore in the title role. Wally Reid Finishes “Ghost Breaker” Wallace Reid has finished his work in “The Ghost Breaker,” his latest for Paramount, directed by Alfred Green, and after a three-day rest began work the latter part of last week in William de Millc’s production of “ Clarence,” in which he is co-featured with Agnes Ayres and May McAvoy. The star’s last few days of work in the first named picture were very strenuous, du’c to an almost continuous succession of fight scenes with twelve men in heavy armor in an old Spanish castle setting. Rothstein’s N.Y. Campaign Great Exploitation Introduces “ In the Name of the Law ” in Big City ‘‘IN THE NAME OF THE LAW” had been introduced to the New "York public by an exploitation campaign staged by Nat G. Rothstein that has seldom been equalled in the motion picture history af the metropolis. Its opening at noon on a hot Sunday proved that the campaign was as efficacious as it was big. This is in spite of the fact that the George M. Cohan theatre is new to pictures and that the advance advertising was concentrated, starting only a few weeks before the opening. It is the belief of the Film Booking Offices of America, which will release this picture in the early fall as a special, that this production has already proven its exploitation values. Exploitations of a most startling nature preceded the showing. Unprecedented in the history of motion pictures, a huge sign was erected by Mr. Rothstein in the heart of the theatrical district, at the north end of the Times Building. This is the most coveted advertising spot in all New York and has only been used for advertising purposes to aid such drives as the Liberty Loans and Red Cross drives. Banners were stretched across many of the important streets of Manhattan and the Bronx and a variety of street ballyhoos were used. “ We are, of course, intensely gratified by the showing made by our picture at its world’s premiere,” said Mr. Schnitzer, vice president of F. B. O. in discussing the picture. “ It is living up to all of our hopes, both as regards to its adaptibility to exploitation and as to its entertainment value. We know that even such exploitation as Mr. Rothstein has given ' In the Name of the Law ’ will not carry a mediocre picture, and the fact that we overcame the terrific obstacle of hot weather during the entire day and followed up with an excellent business on Monday and Tuesday assures us that we have a picture of real entertainment value. “ We confidently expect ‘ In the Name of the Law,’ to continue its big business during the entire New York engagement.” “The Storm” B’way Hit Universal Jewel Is Well Exploited and Gives Promise of Great Run “'T'HE STORM,” Universal-Jewel’s adaptation of Langdon McCort mick’s stage success, is the sensation of New York, according to Andrew J. Cobe, manager of the Shubert Central theatre, where the picture is now in the second week of its phenomenal run. The unsurpassed manner in which this film thriller is standing up despite most unfavorable weather conditions, strong counter attractions and other obstacles is due in a large part to the forceful presentation arranged by Cobe, the remarkable mechanical effects installed by McCormick, and a forceful exploitation campaign engineered by Marc Lachmann, Universal exploiteer. The lobby contains many unusual effects in the way of novelties and innovations devised by the Universal’s Exploitation Department. Several realistic transparencies showing the scorching flames flashing through the huge trees of the forest, with dense clouds of smoke arising from the blazing timber, furnish continual movement and attract and hold the interest of the spectator. Artistically framed oil paintings of punch scenes are shown from the production and colored portraits in oil of three featured players, House Peters, Virginia Valli and Matt Moore. Ask“Grandma’sBoy”Dates Exhibitors Ask Earliest Bookings Possible for Harold Lloyd Feature WITH the time officially set for the national release of the Harold Lloyd-Associated Exhibitors feature, produced by Hal Roach, “ Grandma’s Boy,” still nearly two months away, leading exhibitors throughout the coutry are clamoring for bookings at the earliest dates possible to secure. Arthur S. Kane, president of Associated, annnounced this week a long list of engagements entered for well known theatres, and these are declared to represent only a comparatively small part of the nation-wide demand. Several cities on the Pacific cost and a few in the Rocky mountain district will have their first view of “Grandma’s Boy” in the next few weeks, Harold Lloyd’s first five parts feature seeming to vie with summer resort weather as an attraction in these favored localities. Only in the case of such tourist Meccas are departures being made from the decision fixing September as the release month. July 9th saw the start of a run of indefinite length in San Francisco. The Golden Gate city is filled with convention visitors this summer and M. L. Markowitz, owner of the Strand, explains his booking of “ Grandma’s Boy” in the statement that he considered it a patriotic civic duty to bag the very best attraction obtainable. M. Naify of the T. & D. Jr. Enterprises has procured the picture for the Goddard Theatre, Sacramento, one of the finest houses in the California capital. Johnnie Walker, new R-C star, whose first picture for release through Film Booking Offices of America is “ My Dad,” to be issued July 23. “Nanook of the North” Wins Critics’ Praise Less than three weeks after the release of “Nanook of the North,” exhibitors, patrons and reviewers in widely separated sections of the United States were united in pronouncing the unique Pathe special Eskimo feature among the greatest productions ever screened. In “Judge,” issue of July 8, Heywood Broun, wrote : “Go North, young picture men. Go North !” and continued with such expressions as these : “ ‘Nanook of the North’ and his family act their own story before the camera of Robert J. Flaherty, up where the seals and the walruses come from, and so unversed are they all in the art of motion picture acting that every move they make is beautiful, exciting and eloquent.” Feet Only Are Shown in This Picture An amusing screen novelty, described as a “ novelette, bound in leather,” is “ Feet — Her’s ’N His’n,” the outstanding feature of Pathe Review No. 165, which has been scheduled for release the week of July 23rd. The subject show?s a romance with two pairs of feet — masculine and feminine — playing the leading roles and expressing all the necessary emotions for a love affair. The camera only records the feet and ankles of the twro leading characters, showing the masculine pair waiting for the feminine ones to appear, the quarrel, the separation, the reunion, and finally the wedding. “To Have and to Hold” Nears Completion George Fitzmaurice has practically finished the studio and location work on his production for Paramount, “ To Have and To Hold,” adapted by Ouida Bcrgere from Mary Johnston’s famous novel and the film will soon be ready for the cutting room. Betty Compton and Bert Lytell are co-starred in this picturization of the story.