Exhibitor's Trade Review (Mar-May 1925)

Page 54 Exhibitors Trade Review "THE MAN IN BLUE" Universal-Jewel Photoplay. Author, Gerald Beaumont, Director, Edward Laemmle. Length, 5,634 Feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Tom Conlin Herbert Rawlinson Tita Sartori Madge Bellamy Gregorio Vitti Nick de Ruiz Carlo Guido Andre de Beranger Tony Sartori Cesare Gravina Pat Malone Jacnie Morgan Morna Malone Dorothy Brock Cesare Martinelli D. J. Mitsoras Mrs. Shaughnessy Carrie Clark Ward Mr. Shaughnessy C. F. Roark Officer Tom Conlin, on beat in Italian quarter, falls in love with a florist's daughter, Tita Sartori. Because Tom is rearing two children Tita thinks he is married. She is wooed by a Dago politician of considerable wealth. A Neapolitan youth is also in love with Tita but is slain by one of the politician's henchmen. The politician kidnaps Tita and confines her in his apartment. She is rescued by Tom, who captures the murderer after a fierce battle. Tita learns that Tom is single and admits her love for him. O ERBERT RAWLINSON'S athletic form looks good in a cop's uniform and as the hero of this picture he fills the bill in every particular. It's a colorful little story of New York's Italian quarter, melodramatic in the extreme and stretching the, probabilities quite a bit, but on the whole a film with fair audience appeal, although it cannot be said to register up to the highwater mark of the Jewel brand. As far as atmosphere goes, Director Edward Laemmle achieves very artistic, and what is still better, exceedingly natural results. The backgrounds are admirable and the Celtic and Italian figures that flit to and fro impress you as being "real folks." They are cleverly contrasted characters with unfailing human appeal about them and you "quickly get their sympathetic range," so to speak, and fall right in line with their varied joys and sorrows. The plot material is slight and it is all the more to the credit of director and players that they manage to keep its interest alive through snappy action and brisk acting from start to finish. The highbrows may not care greatly for this feature, but it should run up a respectable box-office score in the neigborhood and smaller theatres. There are a few crisp comedy touches here and there, but on the whole it looks as though the humorous element has been unduly sacrificed to the melodramatic. Where an Irish hero is concerned one looks for a more pronounced comedy angle than is manifested anywhere in "The Man in Blue." But nobody will find fault with the big scene in which cop Tom Conlin asserts his physical prowess by wading in, club in hand, and quelling a restaurant riot started by the gangsters on whom his Italian politician rival relies. Tom wins out in satisfactory style, arrests the murderer and gets the girl, a very pleasing climax and splendidly staged. Herbert Rawlinson's numerous admirers will surely O.K. their favorite's work in the role of Tom Conlin. It is an excellent charT acterization, full of pep and ginger. Madge Bellamy is delightful in the part of the darkeyed Tita, fully equal to the emotional demands of the situations in which she is cast and always fascinating. Unlimited praise is due the artistic portrayal of Tony Sartori by that accomplished actor, Cesare Gravina, and the support as a whole is effective. There are many fine slum shots and the photography offers well-filmed interiors, as well as neatly posed closeups of the principals. The lighting throughout is faultless. You should be able to interest the police departments wherever this film is shown. It's a good boost for the men in blue. Stress the love angle, the lively action, hand-to-hand scraps and play up Herbert Rawlinson and Madge Bellamy. And a little ingenuity on your part will get the local police department behind your showing of the film. "THE MANSION OF ACHING HEARTS" B. P. Schulberg Photoplay. Director, James P. Hogan. Adapted from Harry Von Tilzer's Song, by Frederick Stowers. Length, 6142 Feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Pauline Craig . . . Ethel Clayton Martha Barbara Bedford A City Girl Priscilla .Conner John Dawson Philo McCollough A City Boy Edward Delaney Bill Smith Cullen Landis Martin Craig Sam de Grasse Believing his wife unfaithful, Martin Craig sends her and their child awav. The mother loses the child in a boat that drifts away and, thinking it drowned, becomes matron of a home for friendless girls. The boy is found and raised by the father as a stranger, nameless. Through her work of helping the downtrodden, Craig's wife returns only to face her son who had sworn vengeance upon the mother who had brought him into the world without a name. With Craig's cunning a mob decides to drive the mother out of town when she finally compels Craig to publicly admit the truth and restore her and her son to their former position of respectability. A reunion follows. WITH plenty of fine scenery as a background, this makes a fairly good program melodrama. The action and settings pull it across, for the plot is incoherent at times and some of the scenes appear jumbled. The story will appeal to small-town audiences and should draw well because of the popularity of the song from which it is adapted. The drawing power of the picture lies in the cast. With Ethel Qayton, Barbara Bedford, Cullen Landis and Sam de Grasse featured, all of whom are known, the tale is rounded out nicely. The scenery is unusually attractive and there are several thrills which supply action of a sort that is always enjoyed. Most audiences will like the production because of its fine settings, although the plot will confuse many at times. The story is based on the usual family difficulties where love is divided. This furnishes the human interest angle with settings that help to make the play interesting. Photographers certainly had abundant opportunity to portray their skill in the island surroundings of the "mansion." This, with the old love story that is ever new, and the sentimental ironies of fate entering into home life, is always well received by the average audience. The plot is full of sentiment and color. Women will like this picture best. It has an appeal to womanhood that most men will fail to understand. The struggles of a woman fighting her way alone, the trials of a wife who tried to be true but was misjudged, and her ultimate triumph, sounds a note of satisfaction and pride that every woman enjoys. For this reason alone, women will urge their friends to see the picture. The title is suggestive of a love plot that usually satisfies and thrills womenfolk. The thrills of the play are well depicted. For a mother who had just been evicted from her home to see her only child drifting out to sea in a small boat, beyond help, supplies a tense moment. Ethel Clayton, in the lead, has a big emotional part which she plays up welL Sam de Grasse, as the villainous husband, assumes his role splendidly, despite the fact that the story ends in a reunion that is contrary to the wishes of the audience. Exploit this play by advertising it as the story of the popular song. Feature Ethel Clayton and Sam de Grasse. Show pictures of the boat at sea, the. mob scene of the town's folks determined to drive an unfaithful wife out of their midst. Play up the son turning against his mother because of his father's deceit. Run stories telling about the heart-aches of broken homes because of misunderstanding and mistrust of both husband and wife. Advertise the play as having a moral slant that will get under the skin of everybody and make a special drive to get women to talk about the picture. "SALLY" First National Photoplay. Adapted from Guy Bolton's Musical Comedy. Director, Alfred E. Green. Length, 8694 Feet CAST AND SYNOPSIS Sally Colleen Moore Blair Farquar Lloyd Hughes Duke of Checkergovinia Leon Errol Pops Shendorf Dan Mason Otis Hooper James T. Murray Rosie Lafferty Eva Novak Jimmy Spelvin Ray Hallor Sascha Commuski Carlo Setups Mrs. Ten Brock Myrtle Stedman Richard Farquar Captain E. H. Calvert Mine. Julie Du Fey Louise Baudet Sally, an asylum waif, is adopted by an old dancing teacher. The teacher later loses all her pupils and Sally, in order to help her out gets a job as dish-washer in a cafe run by Pops Shendorf. The Duke of Checkergovnia, who has fallen on hard t'mes, also goes to work for Pops as a waiter. Blair Farquar, wealthy young society man, meets and is attracted by Sally. A theatrical gent hires Sally to dance at the Farquar home in the place of a famous Russian dancer who disappears. Sally makes a tremendous hit, but when her real identity is exposed Blair's father orders her out. In the finale, however, Sally becomes a recognized star and she and Blair are united. T^ROM first to last "Sally" is a scream of laughter and bully entertainment! Director Alfred E. Green has done wonders with this light musical comedy plot, in which Colleen Moore does the best work of her career, with the clever characterizations of Leon Errol and Dan Mason standing out in bold relief. No exhibitor need be afraid to book this feature. It possesses genuine audience appeal and real box-office values, the sort of stuff that scores a hit with young and old alike. As a stage attraction "Sally" went over big and the indications are that the screen version will prove even more popular. The little alley heroine wins sympathy from the start and holds it to the finish. The low comedy episodes are immense in their clean, crisp humor, yet all through the production you never lose touch with the pathetic strain. Take Sally's interview with the theatrical booking agent for instance. There's loads of fun in that incident, but you can't help feeling sorry for the kid just the same. And later on, when she wrestles bravely with the dishes in old Pop's cafe, she never fails to earn your pity, even while Leon Errol, in the role of the duke-waiter, is getting the laughs with his smashing falls performed on india rubber ankles. The picture's big scene is that in which Sally successfully impersonates the Russian dancer. This is a really beautiful set, gorgeously mounted and replete with wonderful lighting effects. Miss Moore has never appeared to better advantage than in her portrayal of the gutter brat who finally reaches stardom. Whether as the foundling, ready to scrap with the other alley kids, or wearing gems and regal gowns as the supposed international vamp, she is charming and wonderfully appealing. Leon Errol shines brilliantly in the role of the erstwhile duke, Dan Mason is great as the elderly Pops and the support is adequate. The photoplay throughout is of first quality. There are many handsome interiors, fine closeups and a numbers of excellent long shots. Play up Colleen Moore and Leon Errol in your exploitation. Praise the picture's racy comedy, intense pathos and romantic appeal. Refer to the success of the musical comedy from which the film was adapted. You may also tie-up with various music shops not only on the musical numbers from the stage success, but on the various "Sally' songs that have appeared coincidentally with the photoplay. There is also a good tie-up on the photoplay edition of the book "Sally."