Camera (April 1920-April 1921)

CAMERA! 'The Digest of the Motion Picture Industry" Page Seven EXHIBITORS' SERVICE PAGE CURRENT REVIEWS •THE RETURN OF TARZAN" "The Return of Tar2,an," the Numa production distributed by Goldwyn, showed last week at the California and is showing this wee': at Miller's. The story is more or less episodic as presented and strains the audience's credulity somewhat, but it certainly will never be accused of lack of action. Gene Pollar plays "Tarzan," not exactly according to our conception of the ape nia>., but he is so taken up with one hand-to-hand battle after another, that we haven't the heart to blame him. He has a terrible time. Karla Schram does .Jane Porter, the feminine lead. Interest would have been added had this role been introduced a bit sooner in the production. George Romain and Estelle Taylor appear in the parts of the Count and Countess De Coude. There is no reason fcr their inclusion in the adaptation, save that they provide four or five additional fights for the jungle hero. Ormand Cortez and Louis Stearns enact the persistent "Villyuns" in a nianner which further encourages Tarzan to fistic expressions. Others in the cast are Walter Miller and Franklin B. Coates, and Estelle Evans. Harry Revier directed. "THE MOLLYCODDLE" Douglas Fairbanks' latest and best, opened last week for an indefinite run at Grauman's Rialto. The story is exceptionally entertaining and unusually consistent. The comedy touches are clever and well placed. The entire cast is good and the production setting among the Hopi Indians of the painted desert is as Instructive as it is novel. The star without doubt offers in "The Mollycoddle" his best work. For once he has an excuse to allow his personality and imagination full range. Ruth Renick is a delightful lead for Fairhanks and plays her part of the secret service agent convincingly. Wallace Reery is more than satisfactory in a characteristic role. Van Holker. Four or five supplementary parts are included in the whole which, though inconsequential in themselves, add complication to the plot and form an interesting background for the main action. Victor Fleming directed. "REMODELING HER HUSBAND" Dorothy Glsh, under the direction of Sister Lillian, remodeled her husband, at (June's Broadway last week. The story, which deals with a theme that it is unwise to burlesque, is handled fairly we'l under the circumstances, and there are several good laughs in the production occasioned entirely by the star's eccentric mannerisms. Janies Rennie is satisfactory in the more or less inane role of Hubby, who scarcely seems worth remodeling. Others in the cast are Marie Burke, Downing Clarke and Frank Klngdon. "THE FIGHTING SHEPHERDESS" ■'The Fighting Shepherdess," a Louis H. Mayer attraction, starring Anita Stewart, s-howed last week at the Symphony. The story is a melodrama of the old type, but it is entertaining and is an improvement on recent Stewart vehicles. The entire cast is unusually good. Wallace MacDonald does Hugh Disston, the male lead, cleverly, and forms on interesting opposite for the star. Noah Beery creates a real character in Mormon .Joe, the kindly old sheepherder, and Walter Long is convincing as Pete Mullendore, the Mexican heavy. KINEMA TO HAVE PREMIER OF SENNETT FIVE-REELER The Kinema will shortly stage the i)remieiof M'ick Sennett's First National five-reeler entitled "Married Life." Jack Callicott is making arrangements to surround the toiriedy with an atmospheric bill. Ben Turpin is expected to make a personal appearance during the evening presentations. Ruth King, who is playing the lead with Edgar Lewis in "A Beggar in Purple" Eugenie Besserer further proves her versatility by her work as Jezebel, the star's mother. Gibson Govvhaui is Bowers to everyone'.s satisfaction, ar.d Calvert Carter is good as the niayoi. The cast includes in addition John Hall. Billie Do Vail, Maud Wayne, Ben Lewis, and Will Jeffries. Edward Jose directed. "HOMER COMES HOME" Charlie Ray played again at Grauman's Million Dollar Theatre last week in a Thos. H. Ince production, "Homer Comes Home." The story, while a wild dream of childhood, is yet one ot general appeal, and has a sufficient number of laughs and heart throbs to be thoroughly entertaining. The star is at his best, and the remainder of the cast cleverly enacts typical small town roles. Pri.acilla Bonner does the little country town gill, who is the feminine lead, delightfully. Altliough not very well known she i.s an artless depicter of the regular girl. Ralph Fee McCollough is very good as the petty villain, and his action assists the plot materially. Jerome Storm directed. KELLERMAN PICTURE HAS NEW YORK PREVIEW Sol I^esser has wired his associates, thi' Gore Brothers, that his "What Women Love." with Annette Kellerman, had a pre view last Tuesday evening at the Broad w:iv Theatre. Mr. Lesser will announce his di:Iributing plans within a week. Kathleen O'Connor has just signed up with an eastern organization to play lead-; in a forthcoming production. 'WO FEATURES ON PATHE'S PROGRAM FOR JULY Two feature produc tions for July releasi; Iiy Pathe are "A Broadway Cowboy," a larce produced by Hampton with William Desmond in the title role, and "Man and His Woman," a dramatic offering produced nnd directed by J. Stuart Blackton. The release dates are July 4th for "A iiroiulway Cowboy," and July 11th for "Man ;md His Woman." The Blackton picture will present the following cast: Herbert Rawlinson. May .\IcAvoy, Warren Chandler. Eulalie Jensen. Charles Kent and Louis Dean. HOLUBAR PRODUCTION TO BE RELEASED THROUGH FIRST NATIONAL Negotiations were concluded this week whereby Allan Holubar and Dorothy Phillips will distribute their first independently produced feature through the First National lO.xliibitors' Circuit. The deal was closed between Albert Kaufman, former Famous Players-Lasky executive, who stands sponsor for Holubar, and J. D. Williams, general manager of First National. The director and star have adjusted all legal dithculties between Universal and lliemselves. and are now free agents, making their own productions. The first offering, a seven-reel feature, will be ten weeks in preparation. CRITICISMS OF LATE RELEASES "REMODELING HER HUSBAND" "Directed and played by a woman star, .^liould attract interest, a story only mildly I musing. Would fall decidedly flat minus liu^ Gish mannerisms." — The Billboard. "This is Lillian Gish's first attempt at directing, and probably because of the fact that she is a novice and furthermore, had to direct her own sister, she allowed Dorothy to occupy the center of the stage most of the time to the exclusion of the story, l>lot and everything. It is a Lillian-Dorothy sketch of five reels. Will probably please :is well as the average flve-reeler, but don't expect too much from it." — Exhibitors' Herald. GEORGE B. SEITZ COMPLETES SERIAL FOR PATHE George B. Seitii has completed the serial "Velvet Fingers." in which he will star with Marguerite Courtot, and has commenced production of "Rogues and Romances," the I'l-alure in which Pathe will star him with .inne Caprice. Mr. Seitz intends filminc; hut few of the scenes, interior of "Rogues and Romances" in his New York studio, for on July 6th he will sail with ?. company to Algeciras, Spain, where the major i)orlion of the scenes will be taken. NOVEL FEATURES IN SALISBURY FILM A film without a single cut-back will be presented by Monroe Salisbury in his indel)endently produced picture. "The Barbarian." Salisbury considers that the successful idiotoplay story must be told in direct continuity. The feature is also novel in that it has iio heavy. The film will have all scenic titles obtained by a double exposure process. The company is now on location at (laslle Like in the Mount Shasta country. FIRST NATIONAL TO RELEASE DWAN FEATURE Alliin Dwan's initial release through First National will be Harold MacGrath's "A Slilendid Hazard," with Henry Walthall in I III' leading role supported by Ann Forrest.