Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1919)

EXHIBITORS HERALD "iimiiinn.iimiiiiiiiii iiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiirdiMiiiiiin iniriiuiiii MJiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiilllitiimiNIKt George Melford's "Everywoman" Praised at Chicago Exhibition Henry W. Savage's Famous Stage Spectacle Gains By Transposition to Screen — Director Credited tw Htmrnuiiiiiiiiiniil ■ huhiii Mnimu h n mrmrmiiBiiiimniii tllllllllllltllllllLIIIII IIM 1IIIIMIIIIINIIIIKI till George Melford's ParamountArt craft production of "Everywoman," Walter Browne's modem morality play, which scored a national success half a dozen years ago when spectacularly staged by Henry W . Savage, was shown to the trade in Chicago recently at the Famous Players-Lasky exchange, a representative gathering of Chicago film men being in attendance. Those present had clung to street 'car and "L" straps to reach the exchanges. The influence of the coal shortage had crippled the city's transportation system. They knew that a like experience confronted them when the showing should be over and they must make their way home again. Despite these circumstances, and despite the possibility of a government order closing theatres to conserve fuel, the hubbub of comment following the projection of the picture bristled with such words as "Great," "Class'' "Surefire" and "You tell 'em." The production is due cause for such enthusiasm. It has all of the elements that go to make up great pictures. It has none of those that spell failure — financial or as entertainment. Which aspect was a matter of momentary concern upon the part of one Chicago neighborhood exhibitor. "It's beautiful," he said, "and I like it. But will my people understand it?" To which an acquaintance, another ex hibitor, replied: "They will if they read the American language." He put it rather well. The picture is an American picture. It deals with the life of the composite American woman, , revealing the inner workings of that woman's mind as it could in no other wise be revealed, by the manner of the morality play. If for no other reason than this — and there are other reasons — the film is assured of a popular success. Among the other reasons to be considered there is a cast of players, the list of whose names reads somewhat like a directory of the screen's best talent. Violet Heming, best known at the moment for her work in the stage production of "Three Faces East," is cast as "Everywoman." Her versatility is given the acid test by the requirements of the role and assays 100 per cent. Wanda Hawley, Theodore Roberts, Monte Blue, Tully Marshall, Bebe Daniels, are names that give a fair idea of the quality of a cast too large to be described in detail. Settings that must have cost considerably more than the storied "small fortune," lightings unrivalled in contemporary production, continuity simple despite the involved nature of the story, George Melford, a director to be reckoned with, has added to the attractiveness of the production as a whole. The print viewed was in eight reels. There is a probability that this may be curtailed or augmented. The latter is merited, for the eight-reel length is not an inch too long. Theatre demands will doubtless govern. Whatever the form in which the attraction reaches the projector, it should be heralded by an elaborate advertising campaign and put upon the screen with the most lavish presentation that the exhibitor can contrive. The public attracted by such methods, always a hypercritical public, will find entertainment that more than fulfills expectations. CHARLES C. PETTIJOHN AVho as assistant to Lewis J. Selznick is an important factor in the various Selznick enterprises. J. Searle Dawley to Direct Doris^Kenyon J. Searle Dawley has been engaged h" Deitrich-Beck, Inc., to direct their next production, "The Harvest Moon," in which Doris Kenyon will be the star. Work on "The Harvest Moon," which is from the famous play of Augustus Thomas, has been started at the Leah Baird Studios at Fort Lee. Together with Augustus Thomas and Theodore C. Deitrich, Mr. Dawley has been working on the adaptation of "The Harvest Moon" for the past two weeks. The preliminary work has been completed and it is announced that the motion picture play will be even more thrilling and artistic than was the stage production of Mr. Thomas' original play, which ran for a year at the Garrick Theatre in New York and was presented in every important city throughout the United States. BESSIE LOVE'S CURRENT VITAGRAPH FEATURE Three scenes from "Pegeen," which is regarded by many as the most apoealing screen characterization this Griffith discovery has yet appeared in. 108