Exhibitor's Trade Review (May-Aug 1924)

Page 26 Exhibitors Trad^ Review 'THE ENEMY SEX' HAS REAL DRAWING VALUE Good Story, Racy Action, Colorful Acting and Settings Make This Big Box Office Asset THE ENEMY SEX. Paramount photoplay. Adapted from Owen Johnson'is novel, "The Salamander." Director, James Cruse. Length, 7,861 feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Dodo Baxter Betty Compson Garry Lindaberry Percy Marmont Albert Edward Sasson Sheldon Lewis Ida Summers Dot Farley Judge Massingale Huntley Gordon Harrigan Blood Dewitt Jennings Comte de Joncy Ed Faust Blainey Will Turner Dodo Baxter comes to New York with a stage career in view. She obtains a place in a chorus and wins universal admiration by dint of her beauty and charm. Albert Sasson, millionaire, gives a party for which Dodo receives an invitation. She attends and makes the acquaintance of five men, leaders in wealth and social posiition, each of whom endeavors to win her. Dodo remains steadfast in her devotion to Garry Lindaberry, a youth who has almost ruined his constitution and chances by drinking, and decides to nurse him back to health. By George T. Pardy 'T'HE producers drew a dead-line sight on the bulls-eye of the box office target when they turned out this one, and the indications are that it will register a 100 per cent score at all classes of theatres. For "The Enemy Sex" not only projects an intensely popular theme — that of the jazzy period and devil-may-care, pleasureseeking life of the younger generation, but delivers it to the screen fairly palpitating with speed, ginger and wondrously decorated as regards atmosphere, settings, costumes, etc. Yet, quite apart from its colorful spectacular appeal, the film develops a plot in which the sympathetic angle is strongly stressed, and therein differs refreshingly from the average "let-her-go" flapper feature. But "The Enemy Sex" won't weary them. The adventures of Dodo, who after the fashion of the legendary salamander, plays with fire, escaping unharmed, are just what might be expected to transpire in the sphere she moves in. You get the notion of daring, unconventional youth challenging the world, and yet, back of all the unrest and feverish conviviality, an unspoiled soul true to a certain ideal. Among the big scenes may be mentioned the millionaire's banquet, where Dodo meets the five gilded suitors, each anxious to win her favor; the remarkably fine theatre backgrounds, and that tremendously thrilling episode where she is apparently headed hell-bent for destruction in an auto with an intoxicated chap fooling with the steering-gear. Undoubtedly Dodo is going to live in screen annals as one of Betty Compson's most successful dramatic contributions to the art of the silent drama. The star's physical charms, enhanced by the gorgeously alluring gowns she wears, are much in evidence, but her superb acting is what makes the characterization stand out in bold relief above all else in the picture. Percy Marmont is artistically convincing as Garry Lindaberry and every member of the admirable supporting cast scores heavily in his or her role. The title should aid materially in exploiting this film. Feature Betty Compson and utilize the other names in the cast, all of which are familiar to the fans. Praise the story as much as you please, it will stand boosting; stress the theatrical and society atmosphere, the modern tone of the action and mention director James Cruze. GOOD WESTERN MELODRAMA 'Tiger Thompson a Swift Melodrama with Big Drawing Possibilities TIGER THOMPSON. Producers Distributing Corporation photoplay. Director, E. Reeves Eason. Author, Buckleigh Frits Oxford. Length, 5,700 feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Tiger Thompson Harry Carey Ethel Brannon Marguerite Clayton Jim Morley John Dillon Bull Dorgan Jack Richardson Charley Wong George Ring Bill (Tiger) Thompson, learns from a dying bandit the site of the latter's concealed loot, the map of which is held by his child. Thompson determines to obtain the treasure, obtains a job on a neighboring ranch, but finds that the bandit's heir is a girl, Ethel Brannon. Former members of the outlaw's gang are after the plunder. After many exciting adventures, Thompson outwits them, gets the loot and wins Ethel's love. By George T. Pabdy A CRACKING good Western, one of the best in which Harry Carey has been starred! "Tiger Thompson" should pack 'em in wherever the hard-riding, fast shooting type of picture is in demand. Also, the plot strikes along new trails, it is far from being obvious, vibrates with dynamic action, develops and maintains the love interest smoothly and winds up in eminently satisfactory style. When Tiger Thompson, previously what is known in slang parlance as a "bad un," reformed, but finding his honest slant not appreciated, the dying bandit chief, learns the secret of his concealed hoard, he does just what you would expect him to do — lays plans for making the loot his very own. There follows a medley of wild adventures, with the discovery that a pretty girl, the outlaw's child, has a direct claim on the money. Whereupon, Tiger Bill resolves to help her into her own. Atost of these Western film heroes are aided by fortune to an incredible extent when in quest of a girl's love or buried treasure, but what makes Tiger Bill's adventures appear more plausible than the average is the fact that luck doesn't always turn his way. Bill has a distinctly hard row to hoe and you can never feel quite certain that he is going to come out on top until the last few moments of the final reel. This maintenance of suspense is one of the picture's outstanding qualities, due largely to good direction and artful molding of its situations into a coherent whole. The physical action is as furiously strenuous as the most fervid admirer of melodramatic "punch" could desire. There are fistic combats galore, staged with savage realism, riding stunts of spectacular intensity, yet the love romance is neatly interwoven into the general scheme of things and emerges triumphant at the close. Harry Carey not only fills the leading role acceptably as an athlete of unusual ability, but makes a palpable hit in supplying its dramatic demands. His performance is natural and appealing, and he is ably assisted by Marguerite Clayton, in the part of Ethel Brannon, which she fills to perfection. The support is excellent, and the photography from start to finish a credit to the camera experts, including as it does, a wide range of mountain backgrounds, ruggedly impressive, wide, rolling expanses of prairie land, with skillful long shots and artistic close-ups. You can exploit this as an unusually good Western, offering Harry Carey in a role which suits him in every detail, a story rich in melodramatic values and rapid action, with thrills and romantic lure unlimited. Besides the star, Afarguerite Clav ton, well and favorably known to movie fans, is worth advertising. PLEASING SOCIETY DRAMA 'For SaZe' Likely Audience Picture, with Good Treasury Possibilities FOR SALE. Fir.t National Photoplay. Author, Earl Hudson. Director, 'George Archainbaud. Length, 7,480 feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Eleanor Bates Claire Windsor Joseph Hudley Adolnhe Menjou Allan Penfield Robert Ellis Mrs. Bates Mary Cair Harrison Bates TuUy Marshall Cabot Stanton John Patrick Betty Twombly-Smith Vera Reynolds Mrs. Twombly-Smith Jule Power Mr. Twombly-Smith Lou Payne Mr. Winslow Phillips Smalley Mrs. Winslow Christine Mayo The Bates family is hard up and it is necessary for daughter Eleanor to marry money, although she loves Allan Penfield. .She becomes engaged to Cabot Stanton, but he is killed in an auto wreck, and Eleanor permits the attentions of Hudley, to whom her father is indebted. Penfield takes to drink, Hudley and the Bates family go abroad. On their return Eleanor sees her old lover and tries to break with Hudley. Failing, she attempts to poison herself. Penfield halts her. Hudley relents, disavows his claims against the elder Bates, frees Eleanor and leaves her to Penfield. By George T. Pardy HTHIS society drama is well photographed and directed, moves smoothly and at a fairly fast pace, registers as a likely audience picture and ought to bring respectable box-office returns in any house. Skillful handling does much to accentuate the best points of a plot which is not remarkable for originality, as it merely rehashes the ancient theme of a girl about to contract a loveless marriage, because her • family needs the money, but a damsel in such a fix always commands sympathy on the screen and heroine Eleanor Bates proves no exception to that rule. The great wonder is that Director Archainbaud has managed to stretch this tale into seven reels without resorting to padding tactics or slowing up the action. For it doesn't drag at any stage and he has shown infinite resource in shaping a variety of backgrounds, switching from New York to gay Paree and back again, all the time keeping you interested in the lady who is for sale in the marriage market, until the happy day when her intended purchaser has a change of heart and surrenders her to the chap with whom she is in love. This is a strictly conventional climax, but the kind most approved of by the majority of patrons, and anyhow, the girl experiences enough suffering earlier in the game without being sacrificed at the finish, so there you are! There are some brilliant ballroom scenes, an ample sufficiency of elaborate settings, society atmosphere de luxe and a display of the latest creations in gowns that will surely please the women folk. Claire Windsor, always charming, is particularly good in the emotional phases of the leading role, and her Eleanor stirs the imagination as being just the sort of commodity for which prospective wife-hunters would bid to the absolute limit. Adolphe Menjou takes off the satirically engaging Joseph Hudley to the very life, and Robert Ellis, Mary Carr, Tully Alarshall, John Patrick and Vera Reynolds give excellent performances. There is an abundance of fine photography, with effective lighting throughout. The title suggests tie-ups with stores on a sales announcement basis. Play up the brilliant society backgrounds, the Paris and New York shots, and tell your feminine patrons about the beautiful gowns worn hy Claire Windsor and her associates. Stress the story's heart interest, feature the star and mention the names of players as above.