Exhibitor's Trade Review (Mar-May 1925)

Page 58 the white streak in his hair who Beth declares is the mysterious leader of the outlaws, is still at large. Beth's plan to lead the outlaw into a trap is adopted. This serial gathers momentum with each successive chapter. The story is enthralling, the setting is colorful and romantic and the acting is entirely satisfactory. "Idaho!" is a good bet wherever the chapter play flourishes. * * * "Hard Boiled" Pathe 2 reels A dutiful son gives a birthday party for his mother with all the best intentions in .the world, but everything in the world goes wrong, mostly because of the incompatibility of the assembled relatives. This is Charlie Chase's first two-reel comedy, and if it pressages what is to come, we may look to great things from Charlie and Hal Roach, for it is fine comedy. Charlie gives a birthday party at his home for his mother and invites all his relatives, for the festivities. Like so many relatives, they don't seem to hit it off very well, although Charlie certainly does all he can to entertain his guests. One of the most amusing bits in the film is the sequence wherein he gives an imitation of a ventriloquist much to the disgust of the family gathering who try to show him up. There is some excellent pantomime here that will provide plenty of laughs. No exhibitor can possibly go wrong booking "Hard Boiled," which is easily one of the best things that Chase has done. It was directed by Leo McCarey and the cast includes James Finlayson, Noah Young, Katherine Grant and Florence Lee. In exploiting this one, play up Charlie Chase and mention the fact that it is a Hal Roach comedy. ' * * * "Hello Hollywood" Educational 2 reels Lige Conley starts off for Hollywood to make h:s fortune. It is a long distance from property man to stardom, but Lige finally secures a job in the former capacity. This is without doubt the funniest comedy that Lige Conley has done in many a moon. It is one long howl from the opening shot until the final fade out. It has action, a number of ludicrous situations and an entirely new line of gags. Upon his arrival in the center of the motion picture industry he matches his wits against those of a tough studio doorman with the doorman coming off second best. Lige crashes the gate and a hot chase ensues. After securing a job as a "Prop" man, he causes no end of terror by toting a leaking can of explosive powder around the lot. There is a desperate and frenzied plunge for safety with Lige making his exit in an airplane. "Hello Hollywood" is good, honest-togoodness comedy that will set any audience in a roar. * * * Ruth Taylor Has Leading Role in Mack Sennett Comedy Pathe's program of two-reel comedies for the new season will be enlivened by the appearance of new faces in important roles, judging from the policies being enforced by its two principal comedy producers, Hal Roach and Mack Sennett. This infusion of new talent on the comedy lots of the Pathe producers is to meet the ever growing demands on the Pathe program of two-reel comedies for additional product, the increased output necessitating in turn expansion in both studio personnel and talent. Supplementing the Hal Roach announcements during the past few weeks of newly acquired talent at the Culver City studios, comes word from the Mack Sennett lot of the addition of a new Mack Sennett leading lady in the person of pretty Ruth Taylor. Erna Marian, the popular Century comedienne who has made big strides of late. Lloyd Bacon will begin shooting a new two-reel Mack Sennett comedy with Ruth Taylor playing the feminine lead. This is the first Pathe comedy that Miss Taylor has taken a leading role in. She will play with Raymond McKee in the new picture. Each week there is always some news creeping out of the Mack Sennett organization or some new face that the comedy producer has discovered and is developing. In the two comedies beginning this week on the Mack Sennett lot, several young people, virtually beginners, will be given the coveted opportunity of showing the producer what they can do with important roles. In addition to the comedy in which Miss Taylor takes one of the leading roles, Eddies Cline will begin a screen comedy with a group of players composed of Charley Farrell, Thelma Parr and Peggy O'Neill. Charley Farrell is a good-looking juvenile comic not long out of the extra ranks, while Thelma Parr is a recent graduate from the bathing girl chorus. Miss Taylor has been doing picture work for three years and has become firmly established as a leading ingenue. She was born at Grand Rapids, Michigan, eighteen years ago and attended school at Portland, Oregon. She started as an extra girl with Universal and following this became a comedy lead in the Slim Summerville Comedies for Fox. In the Warner Brothers production "Bridge of Sighs" she was the ingenue lead of the picture. * * * Pathe Review No. 16 The principal subject in the Pathe Review No. 16 is an installment of the "Prettiest Girl I Know" series, a series in which experts on beauty make their pick. In this installment Earl Carroll selects a few girls whom he believes represent the most perfect Exhibitors Trade Review type of "Show Girl." In the second subject of the Review, members of the Yale University Press translate some ancient inscriptions of the days of Babylon. In the "Visiting Our Own America" series a Pathecolor of New York City is shown. It is an especially attractive release, and the color scenes taken in the Empire City are unusually fine examples of color photography. ■fr ♦ ♦ Cranfield and Clarke To Handle Novelties Cranfield & Clarke Inc., have entered into an arrangement with Alex Hall for the handling of a series of single reel novelty pictures for the World, which will be released under the name of, "A Woman of a Thousand Faces," starring Virginia Bell, late of the Greenwich Village Follies. These pictures are very much out-of-theordinary and are bound to cause a great sensation when released. The cutting and titling of the first two is completed, and a preview will shortly be given. * * * A Radio Tie-Up With Kinograms A radio tie-up of direct benefit to motion picture exhibitors was effected last week when the Kinogram Publishing Corporation, publishers of Kinograms, Educational's news reel, arranged with A. H. Grebe & Co., of Richmond Hill, New York, radio manufacturers and operators of station WAHG to broadcast publicity matter regarding Kinograms 5069. In this issue of the news reel interesting scenes showing the manufacture of the modern radio receiving set are shown. An interesting talk on the manufacture of some of the more essential parts of the receiver is contained in the material broadcast from the station and interested listeners and radio fans are told that more can be learned from seeing the reel on the screen than from the talk. In order that all listeners might be able to learn more about the appliances mentioned, the name and issue number of the news reel are prominently mentioned in the talk and information as to where the reel can be seen is broadcast. The list of theatres includes the large motion picture circuits showing Kinograms from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast and also the names of the big representative theatres in each large city. "The Iron Pony" Century Comedy Now in Production Fully recoverd from her recent motorcycle accident, in which she suffered severe cuts and bruises for the sake of "art," Wanda Wiley, leading star of Century Comedies, is about to commence work on a new two-reel burlesque. It is called "The Iron Pony." No indications have been given out so far as to how much this "pony" resembles its illustrious sire. Charles Lamont will direct the picture. This is an important boost for Lamont. He is one of the youngest directors in the motion picture business and this is the first Wanda Wiley comedy with which he has been entrusted. Lamont has grown up on the Century lot, from property boy up. He was made a full-fledged director several months ago. Miss Wiley, who has won a reputation for daring and dangerous stunts for the screen, will be called upon for a number of "thrillers" in her forth-coming production. Her recent hospital experience, a three weeks' lay-up, seems to have made her impatient rather than cautious.