Exhibitors Herald (Jul-Sep 1922)

September 23, 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 45 SHIRLEY MASOX IX YOUTH MUST HAVE LOVE (FOX) Ordinary program picture offering very little in the way of originality. May get over where Miss Mason is well liked. Story too stereotyped to have much appeal. Directed by Joseph Franz. Five reels. Shirley Mason in "Youth Must Have Love" (Fox) While the producer is deserving of every credit for the manner in which he has transformed this commonplace story into a presentable film play, it is several points short of being a big. interesting feature. It is artistically presented and Miss Mason portrays her role intelligently, as do the other members of the cast, but, nevertheless, it is hackneyed in theme and the climax is an obvious one. Wallace MacDonald has the hero role. Ruth Marvin's father is pressed for funds. He endeavors to enlist the aid of a friend, who promises support if Marvin will influence his daughter to marry him. They go to the man's uncle to borrow the money, find him in an altercation with a young man trying to get possession of certain papers belonging to his father. The old miser falls stunned and the young man leaves. The nephew enters and in a fight kills the uncle. The youth is arrested but makes his escape from jail on the eve of Ruth's departure for the East. Ruth's father confesses he witnessed the killing of the old man and frees the young man. who has become engaged to Ruth, and there is a happy finish. JACK HOXIE IX BARB-WIRE (STATES RIGHT) A Sunset production directed by Frank Grandon from a story by William Lester and Marin Sais. Thoroughly conventional Western drama with its lawless "bad man" and honest but fearless rancher. The lover of rough Western stories will be satisfied. Five reels. Probably Western drama lovers and followers of Jack Hoxie will find "Barb Wire" more or less attractive. It contains some excellent photography, the usual fight scenes and a dramatic escape from a court room. The production has been well handled aside from the aforesaid escape, which is too obvious and does not provide the intended thrill. Jean Porter appears in Hoxie's support to good advantage, as his sweetheart, as does Olah Xorman as his mother. Joe McDermott is the villain of the piece. William Lester is Bart Moseby and Jim Welsh, Bob Lome. Jack Harding incurs the enmity of the range when he fences his ranch with barbed wire. Bart Moseby plans to "get" him and hires Lazarre, a tough character, to stage a robbery of the town bank and leave Jack's hat and revolver on the premises. Jack, who has spent the evening calling on his sweetheart, refuses to alibi out of the bank robbery and is being tried for it, when he makes his escape from the court room on the back of his horse, being used as a material witness, while his mother holds the crowd at bay with a revolver. The testimony of a witness to the bank robbers, hcwever. saves Jack and he finds happiness with his sweetheart. Joan. SPECIAL CAST IX TIMOTHY'S QUEST (AMERICAX RELEASIXG) An attempt at dramatization of a book not suitable for screen material. The story meanders and is not very intriguing, consisting of many ordinary incidents in the lives of two waifs hunting a home. Directed by Sidney Olcott. Seven parts. Kate Douglas Wiggin's stories are essentially "sweet" stories, charmingly told. but devoid of sufficient incident — especially the story of "Timothy's Quest" — to make acceptable photodramas. without the introduction of additional material to "perk" them up. Katherine Stuart adapted this "story of the heart," and, we fear, stuck too closely to her text. Lengthy subtitles and long shots of the two children climbing in and out of box cars and wagons, begging food and finally finding a home, make up the whole film. Director Olcott has attempted to blend the wistfulness of little Helen Rowland, as "Little Lady Gay." and James Depew's precocity, in the role of Timothy, into the semblance of a film narrative but the extremely slight story presented an awful task. It is much too long — seven reels — and its principal appeal is the beautiful out-of-doors photography and the work of the two youngsters. Good character studies are introduced by Vivian Ogden. Margaret Seddon, James Terbell. Mertram Marburg and Marie Day. but the title and author are its old talking points to advertise. It lacks action and suspense. Upon the death of their foster mother Timothy and Lady Gay leave the tenement district of the city and wander away to the country. They finally reach the farm they have pictured in their dreams with a white house, a white cow. and a white kitten with a white-haired lady sitting at a window. She takes them in and a spinster sister looks after them. Soon they have endeared themselves to the lonely old couple and become part of the family. SUPPLY AND DEMAND (PATHE> Johnny Jones, who won recognition in the "Edgar" stories is back again in a new series. "Supply and Demand" is quite a good comedy, of the juvenile type, with more than a little originality. It tells of a youngster's desire to earn money, his bright thought of selling mouse traps to people who do not want them, by spreading an alarming story about a rat epidemic. The acting of the cast of youngsters is above the average and if succeeding comedies from this company measure up to "Supply and Demand" there is a big field for them. North Starts Drive on C. B. C. Film in N. Y. A big twenty-four-sheet campaign that will cover Xew York City and Greater Xew \ork territory is one feature of the exploitation being planned on "More to Be Pitied" by the Apollo Exchange. Bobby Xorth, of this company, which has distributing rights to the Greater Xew York territory' on this first of the C. B. C. Film Sales Corporation Box Office Winners series announces that he has already contracted for some of the most prominent and valuable twenty-four-sheet stands throughout the city and the upper part of the state. He reports many bookings on the feature. Charles Ray Will Make Classic by Longfellow The delightful romance of colonial days, which Henry Wadsworth Longfellow has preserved to all future generations in "The Courtship of Miles Standish." is to be reproduced in pictures by Charles Ray. Arthur S. Kane has announced. Mr. Ray will begin production work as soon as possible after the completion of James Whitcomb Riley's "The Girl I Loved," on which he is now engaged. "The Girl I Loved" will follow the current offering, "A Tailor-Made Man." It will be elaborately produced. Start New C. B. C. Film Plans for the production of '"Only a Shopgirl," the second of C. B. C. Film Sales Corporation's series of "six box office winners" are being rapidly completed and production will be under way almost immediately. It is from one of the Charles E. Blaney stage successes. Produces for Schulberg Officials of Attractions Distributing Corporation announce that the company has placed its forthcoming feature. "The Man and the Moment." from the novel of that name by Elinor Glyn, with Playgoers Pictures for handling. B. P. Schulberg is president, and J. G. Bachmann. treasurer of Attractions. Johnny J ones in a Scene from "Supply and Demand" (Pathe)