Exhibitor's Trade Review (Nov 1924 - Feb 1925)

January 31, 1925 Page 53 The 'aq Litde Fea.ture "Boobs In the Wood" Pathe-Mack Sennett 2 reels This one concerns itself with some of the troubles of a bashful lumberjack who makes the mistake of falling in love with the same girl as one of his burly fellow-workers. Later he secures a job as a waiter and achieves the reputation of "The Killer" through a series of accidents. "Boobs in the Wood" is one continuous laugh from beginning to end. Which stated in another way means that Mack Sennett and Harry Langdon have been up to their old tricks again. The troubles of Harry in the midst of a gang of tough lumberjacks provides no end of amusement, and his experiences in one of the camp eating places in the various capacity of dish-washer, waiter and bouncer introduces a number of new gags that is bound to bring a round of chuckles. Langdon is one of the drollest comedians on the screen and is steadily coming to the front. There is no other laugh-dispenser in pictures who has made greater strides than he during the last six months. The comedy was directed by Harry Edwards. "Laugh That Off" Pathe-Roach 2 reels The Spat family start ofif for a trip across the continent in a car specially designed for the occasion, and equipped with all the comforts of home. Things look bright enough at the outset, but there is plenty to smother their enthusiasm before ong. Another of the Spat family series not particularly amusing is this latest Hal Roach comedy "Laugh That Off." When a producer goes to such lengths as Mr. Roach has done in this instance in quest of laughs, the result is usually far-fetched and absurd rather than humorous. A specially built car with enough equipment to carry a family around the world with the Spats setting off on a transcontinental journey, forms the basis of this film. There is not a real good laugh in the entire two reels, but it may get by with an audience that is not too discriminating. The best that you can say in exploiting a picture of this kind is that it is a Hal Roach production. * * * Pathe Review No. 5 Pathe 1 reel Pathe Review No. 5 marks the first instalment of the "Origin of Man" which is a "picture log" of the famous Roy Chapman Andrews expedition into Mongolia. It was on this expedition that fossils over ten million years old were discovered in what is believed to have been the Garden of Eden. Motion pictures of the entire expedition will be run in the Pathe Review, showing the hardships these scientists underwent to delve into the mysteries of the past. Other subjects of the Pathe Review for the week are interesting studies of the Hummingbird which constitute the first motion pictures of the "smallest soul in feathers," and a Pathecolor of interesting views of the city of Chattanooga in the "Visiting Our Own America" series. The scene depicting the exp'edition into Mongolia are particularly interesting, and the shots of Chattanooga are a fine example of what may be accomplished in the way of color photography, "Fighting Fluid" Pathe-Roach 1 reel The story centers around an office water cooler and a habit the boss has of keeping it filled with a liquid somewhat stronger than water. The bashful clerk after a few trips to the cooler manages to marshal enough courage to marry the boss' daughter. A rather tame comedy with very few new gags and somewhat below the Hal Roach standard is "Fighting Fluid" However there are one or two situations that are genuinely funny. Charley Chase as well received where the audience is partial to broad comedy. * * * Hilliard Karr doing a Gilda Gray for the benefit of the Century Comedy girls, and it appears to be going over. He is a featured player with Century Comedies. the bashful clerk, does some good work and is ably supported by Marie Mosquini. Leo. McCarey is responsible for the directions and it must be said that he has done his best to make the film a laugh-provider. That the picture is not uproariously humorous is due to the material, for there is nothing novel in the theme. It will be gfteKouseAofi FEATURETTE Week of Jan. 19th Loew's State, Newark. — Plays "Peeps Into Puzzleland." (A Gem of the Screen.) Fox, Phila. — Plays "Animated Hair Cartoon." Subject "O." Nevmian, Kansas City.— Plays "Animated Hair Cartoon." Subject "V." 120 First-Run Novelties 1924-23 Edwin. Miles Fadman, Pres. 1600 BROADWAY NEW YORK CITY "Biting the Dust" (Aesop's Fable) Pathe-Terry 1 reel Another of the famous pen cartoons with which Paul Terry has delighted audiences for a long time past. This one is a burlesque on a football game between the gorillas and some boys from the ark. It ends up in a riot after one of the players fills the pigskin with sand, the gorillas chasing their opponents up hill and down dale. The idea of these cartoons is clever enough, but the novel twist that Terry gives to the antics of these dumb animals, linking their characteristic peculiarities with those of human beings shows keen observation and skill. And of course his sense of humor is apparent in every one of the series. If you have not cultivated the Aesop habit, you could do worse than to start with "Biting the Dust." Herbel On Sales Tour for Century H. M. Herbel, sales manager for the Century Film Corporation, left New York this week for a tour of various Eastern and Midwest Universal exchanges. He will spend a day or so in each exchange outlining the new Century star series plan to the Universal salesmen and sales executives. He expected to be on the road for ten days or two weeks. "Century Comedies have entered a new phase," he explained on the eve of his departure. "Instead of just making 52 comedies a year, and selling them as such, we have begun to specialize in groups of high class comedies made by our several stars. We now can go to an exhibitor with a definite proposition. We can offer him twelve Wanda Wiley pictures, and twelve Edna Marian pictures, twelve Al Alt comedies and twelve Eddie Gordon comedies. "We find that this appeals to the exhibitor. He knows that Wanda Wiley, for instance, is a good drawing card, and he is confident that in the twelve Wanda Wiley pictures he will get twelve good comedies. He also realizes that the series will get better and better as the vear rolls around. Miss Wiley shows improvement with every picture. "Similarly with our other stars. They are known values. There is no buying in the dark. "We are elated over the growing popularity of Wanda Wiley. Her Broadway debut, in 'Getting Trimmed' at the Rialto Theatre this week, is ample evidence of her worth as a comedienne and of the boxoffice value of the Century Comedies we are putting out with her. "Reports from our Hollywood studios indicate that the new Wanda Wiley comedies being made under the star series plans are by far the best two-reelers Century has ever produced. They are firstrun comedies in every sense of the word. * * * Lloyd Hamilton is finishing "King Cotton," to get exterior scenes for which the company travelled to Brawley. Cal., where the extensive growing of sea-island cotton furnished the atmosphere for the "down in Dixie" comedy. Dorothy Seastrom is his leading lady. Hugh Fay is directing.