Exhibitor's Trade Review (May-Aug 1925)

August 29, 1925 Page 29 "Buster, Be Good" (Continued from Page 28) high in the air on a stream of water emanating from a broken fire plug. The kid actors are fine and not a bit self conscious or strained. Tige the dog, deserves much credit for making these comedies a success. He is a wonderful animal, and his little bag of tricks are good for many a laugh. Exploit this as a Buster Brown comedy adapted from the famous series of cartoons. Make a special appeal for juvenile trade, run Saturday morning matinees, and effect all possible tie-ups with articles manufactured for juvenile consumption. "Felix the Cat Trifles with Time" Educational 1 reel This is another Pat Sullivan animated cartoon having to do with the adventures of our old friend, Felix, the cat, when he persuades Father Time to transport him for a day to the Stone Age. Felix has various troubles with Mastodons, dinosaurs, and the various other monstrous beasts of the time, and is mighty glad when he is recalled to modern times. This comedy is well up to the standard set by its predecessors, and will please both children and grown-ups. "In Other Lands" Commonwealth Pictures 1 ree! "Beyond the Alps Lies Italy," and this Post Nature Scenic transports us to the Eternal City, Rome. Here we see the ruined temple of Saturn, relics of Vespasian, Nero, Hadrian and other famous or notorious Imperators. The Forum and the Capitoline Hill where much of the history of the world was enacted are shown in all their crumbling grandeur. Also there are glimpses of modern Rome, its arches, its great cathedral, the palace of the king, and the sacred Tiber, itself, to which many a gallant citizen of Rome made his obeisance. These travel pictures are well worth additional exploitation. They are educational in the broadest sense, and will enable your townsfolk to become citizens of the world without leaving your theatre. Tie-up with the schools, the libraries, and where possible, travel bureaus. * * * "Cold Turkey" Pathe 2 reels Ray and Alice, newlyweds, are entertaining Ray's brother and a friend. Alice's mother arrives unexpectedly, and turns up her nose at the visitors arousing their ire. Alice spills alcohol into the soup and her guests become chummy. Mother's parrot hops into the turkey and starts to walk away causing every one to flee. Polly hides in the bed in which Alice and her mother are sleeping. The following morning Alice rolls out of bed onto a board and then falls to the ground. Ray's boss finds her and brings her into the house. Ray thinks Alice has not been true to him. Later his boss presents him with a contract and all ends well. This is an amusing comedy of married life in which the mother-in-law, unlike other mothers-in-law, is welcomed royally by her son-in-law, Raymond McKee. Alice Day, Pat Harmon, Sam Lufkin, William McCall and Sunshine Hart complete the cast. The film is liberally sprinkled with laughs and comedy gags. Sunshine Hart as the motherin-law supplies most of the humor. A parrot plays an important part. In one incident while the guests are joking, the turkey containing the parrot, rolls on the platter scaring the guests to such an extent that they run for protection. During the night the guests run amuck through the house chasing one another finally unearthing the cause of all their misery. Exploit this as a Mack Sennett comedy ; feature the cast. Mr. and Mrs. Lou C. Hutt, explorers, spent two years in the jungles, filming "Wild Beasts of Borneo," the Special Adventure Production which Educational will release. "Watch Out" Educational ' 2 reels Bobby, a college youth, accidentally comes into possession of the Czar's watch, a prize from the antique col'ection of Silas Creighton and his beautiful grand daughter. In endeavoring to return the watch he encounters the villain Razzputin and his henchmen who are after the watch at all costs. He has some wild adventures in avoiding them, but finally succeeds in frustrating their efforts, returning the time piece and marrying the girl. This is a fast moving slap stick comedy featuring Bobby Vernon, who is supported by Jack Duffy, as the grandmother, and Frances Lee as the girl. There are some good situations dealing with Bobbie's antics in trying to retain the watch long enough to return it to the girl. But the chase episodes are much too long, and the sequences have been photographed in such a manner as to create a feeling of dizziness on the part of the onlooker. There are one or two shots that are of questionable taste. One of these shows the melting of a wax figure that looks surprisingly human, and as the dummy gradually succumbs to the effects of steam, its eyes drop out and its features disintegrate. The impression created is not so good. In another scene a fish pops out of a gold fish bowl directly into the mouth of one of the characters. On the whole, this effort is not up to the level of the usual Bobby Vernon comedies. Your exploitation should feature Bobby and Jack Duffy, and your advertising copy may contain humorous allusions to the Czar's watch and excerpts from the clever titles. * # * "Babes in the Wood" F. B. O. 1 reel This is a Dinky Doodle Cartoon that is about up to the average merit of the product. The remarkable part of these films is the combination of photography with the cartoons. Thus the creator of Dinky and his dog is shown with them, and they appear remarkably alive. The boss tires of his pen children and abandons them in the woods, thence they are transported to another planet by a villainous cat and an evil old witch. The intent of the kidnappers is to feast upon the frightened" duo, but first an effort is made to fatten them up. Fortunately the eyesight of the cannibals is not so good, thus Dinky and the purp fool them. Finally both victims are blown up to bursting point with a pump, but, lo, instead of being consumed by the witch, they are wafted skyward and blow back to earth. Here they are greeted warmly by their owner who has already repented of losing his pestiferous friends. Exploit this as one of the Dinky Doodle series and make a special play for the kid trade. A crowd of boys leading pups and bearing banners will call attention to your theatre's attraction. ^ * % "The Window Washer" Pathe 1 reel The moral, so-called, of this Aesop Fable is "Laugh and the World Laughs With You ; Snore and You Sleep Alone." Which after all is as sensible as the film, and will doubtless get a smile. The usual Chase sequence is present and in the fade-out the odd looking human being in the cartoon is seen being pursued by a horde of mice while he and the cat vie with one another to increase the distance between them and their enemies. There is no plot, but the antics of the cartooned animals are pleasing and are sure to get laughs from the juveniles of all ages. The cat is shown in the guise of a window cleaner, and one of the mice help him along by polishing the farmer's specs while that worthy dozes. Play this up as one of the fables, and make the characters that appear in the series popular and well-known in your town Offer a prize for an additional moral to the film. * * ❖ "Shoes" Fox 2 reels CAST AND SYNOPSIS Rosine Heinestetter Marion Harlan Johnny Atwood Harold Goodwin Pinkney Dawson Brooks Benedict Mr. Heinestetter Charles French President of the Republic Harvey Clark Johnny goes broke when he tries to raise cockleburrs without stickers for cattle fodder. His rival Pinkney literally gives him the gate — the gate of his sweetheart's cottage — and Johnny departs to be Consul to a South American republic, where, even the President doesn't wear shoes. Johnny receives an inquiry from the home town regarding the chances for opening a shoe shop, and believing it another of Pinkney 's jokes replies that there isn't a shop in town. His sweetheart's father sinks his fortune in shoes, and Johnny by a clever stroke saves his fortune, puts Pinkney to confusion and wins the girl. O. Henry, beloved of thousands, has finally reached the screen. This story was written by him, adapted by Beatrice Van and directed by Daniel Keefe. It is one of the best short comedies ever screened. In the first place, there is little or no slapstick. A true O. Henry plot is well developed, and the surprise twist at the ending is such as brought the author fame, if not fortune. The best sequence is that in which the President declares a fiesta, and the population dance barefoot at his behest. Johnny and his pal suggest that they do an American dance_ for the assemblage, and then cavort all over the place sprinkling the cockle-burrs which they have ordered shipped from the villain Pinkney. As they are shod, all is well, but when the natives, including the President, join the festivities and the burrs begin to register, pandemonium breaks loose. Johnny comes to the rescue suggesting that shoes are the main need of the inhabitans, and the shop is sold out in no time at all. Then the President smells several mice and seeks the owners of the cockle-burrs. At this juncture Pinkney shows up with several ship loads and is introduced by his rival to the President. He receives a warm reception. Exploit this as an O. Henry story, and do not hesitate to promise your patrons several thousand feet of merriment.