The Moving picture world (January 1920-February 1920)

936 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 7, 192C Silver Horde " Rex Beach's Latest Goldwyn, Is Full of Strong Action "He Bent Down and Kissed Her." A line from "The Sporting Duchess,' Alice Joyce's new Vitagraph. First Run Theatres Give "Blind Husbands" Big Runs KEEPING tabs on the bookings of all pictures is quite a study in itself. Some pictures will have a large sale at the time of their release but bookings on them will stop in a short time. "Blind Husbands," the Universal picture written and directed by Stroheim, is showing up in direct contrast to this. This picture was released before full publicity on it had been prepared. Bookings were satisfactory from the start but not above the usual run of a good picture. As the publicity on the picture caught up and the production started scoring in town after town the bookings started to increase out of all proportion to its slow start. As a result the sales momentum of the picture increased steadily as the public's interest in the problem dealt with in the picture became awakened. The production is now continuing to book heavily in first run theatres that were at first skeptical in regard to putting it on their program. As an instance of this the American Theatre of Denver has just played it although it was offered to them several months ago. They reported a record week, The Denver newspapers because of their big outof-town circulation and the unusual comment aroused by the picture ran "club" advertisements giving the dates of showing in all the surrounding cities. This gave a "news" interest to the advertisements and was excellent exploitation. Among the seven day bookings on the picture received this week were The Royal. Little Rock; The Signal, Knoxville. The Signal, Chattanooga; the Walnut, Louisville; the Strand, Phoenix; the Sun, Omaha, and the Casino, Spokane. IN LOVING MEMORY JOSEPH KAUFMAN Died, February 1, 1918 ETHEL CLAYTON KAUFMAN WITH many of the new Goldwyn directors present, Rex Beach's latest picture, "The Silver Horde," was screened recently at a private showing. It is said that the production combines the irrestible humor and pathos of "The Girl from Outside," with the dramatic vitality of "The Spoilers" and "The Brand." Frank Lloyd directed the production and stages the mob scenes, the fight scenes, and the great outdoor action with all the skill that won him his high reputation. "The Silver Horde" bristles with rapid-fire action and dynamic climaxes. "The book from which the photoplay is derived is one of the most popular of Rex Beach novels. The Goldwyn exploitation staff calls it a "red-blooded. He-man, two-fisted, straight-from-theshoulder romance of the Great North." Myrtle Sted man and Betty Blythe are the two leading women. As Boyd Emerson, Curtis Cooksey is a dominant and forceful figure throughout. Frederick Stanton is Big George Bolt, and together these two men and Cherry Malotte fight the forces of cunning and greed which seek complete control of the salmon fisheries of Alaska. The rival forces are led by Marsh, a sinister and convincing character played by Robert McKim. The head of the eastern financial interests, Wayne 'VVayUnd, is in the capable hands of H. D. MacLean. Remarkable shots of Alaskan scenes, of the gleaming millions of salmon hording into the Kalvik river to spawn, and of the great wharf riot on the docks of Seattle add to the picture quality of "The Silver Horde." Four fights of growing mtensity mark the progress of the story. The struggle of two men and a woman agamst big odds in nature and financial power pictures the unconquerable American spirit that wins through to success in the face of failure. Metro Officials Examine "Right of Way" in Chicago IN response to a strong personal indorsement by William E. Atkinson. Metro general manager, and Maxwell Karger, director general, Marcus Loew interrupted his trip west with Richard A. Rowland and Joseph W. Engel to examine the first positive print of "The Right of Way" in Chicago. "The Right of Way," a picturization of Sir Gilbert Parker's novel of the Canadian north woods, is Bert Lytell's newest Metro-Classic starring vehicle, just completed at the Metro studios in Hollywood. '"The Right of Way' is one of the biggest pictures of the year. Be sure to see It," was the word to Messrs. Loew, Rowland and Engel the day before the theatre circuit owner, and the Metro president and treasurer left New York for the Pacific Coast to inspect the Metro studios. It came in a wire from Mr. Atkinson. As Mr. Atkinson was about to ship the first positive print of "The Right of Way" east the Loew-Metro officials altered the program of their cross-country jaunt to include a stop-off at Chi cago, where, in the projection room of Metro's exchange in the Lake City, they examined the print. Jack Dillon directed. June Mathis wrote the scenario. In the supporting cast are Leatrice Joy, Carmen Phillips. H. Gibson-Gowland, Virginia Caldwell. .Antrim Short, Frank Currier, Henry Harmon and Larry Steers. The production is scheduled for early release by Metro. Hotels Plan to Exhibit Pictures to Their Guests A CONTRACT signed recently by General Sales Manager J. C. Ragland of Realart Pictures Corporation with Charles C. Ritz, son of Caesar Ritz. founder of the Ritz-Carlton chain of hotels, discloses an extensive organization, now in process of formation, which will exhibit high-class motion pictures in big resort hotels throughout the country. Mr. Ritz says that many experiments along these lines conducted during the past year have met with signal success and have demonstrated that an excellent field for exhibiting good pictures is practically neglected. "Amusement directors in the big resort hotels of the nation," said Mr. Ritz in a statement, "have come to the conclusion that through neglect of motion picture entertainment they have been missing a valuable business opportunity. The attitude of their guests has been reflected in willingness to patronize motion pictures. "Hotel officials are recognizing the progress which the art has made and also its appeal as entertainment. The demand for hotel shows is tremendous. When negotiations are finally concluded we will show motion pictures in resort hotels throughout the country, but only those productions of the better class. Eventually many of these hostelries will have their own auditoriums for the sole purpose of projecting motion pictures. Recognizing that their guests are people of education and discernment, they will present big-time pictures, and the very latest to be had. Arrangements made with Realart Pictures Corporation will insure the presentation of these highgrade films in the best of surroundings." Completes Script for "Half an Hour." Clara Beranger has completed the scenario for Barrie's "Half an Hour," wh'ch is to be Dorothy Dalton's first vehicle under her contract with the Famous Players-Lasky. It is Miss Beranger's firm belief that when masterpieces of fiction or the stage are purchased for the screen, the scenario writer should try as far as is compatible with screen technique to carry out the original idea of the story. In th"« instance the action of the play given to Miss Beranger takes place within half an hour's time. Though it may seem impossible to accomplish this on the screen, ^he scenario is so developed that the original idea has been preserved, and there is not a sing-le time lapse from start to finish.