Exhibitors Herald (Mar-Apr 1924)

58 EXHIBITORS HERALD April 5, 1924 Good strong comedy will help carry this feature across. Five reels. — H. G. Selk, Selk theatre, Scotia, Neb. — Small town patronage. Hodkinson Puritan Passions, with Glenn Hunter. — Absolutely impossible. Picture was booked for two nights but showed it only one. Seven reels of junk. — Joe Blaschke, Wapato theatre, Wapato, Wash. The Lion's Mouse, with a special cast. — Mighty poor program picture. Nothing offensive, just nothing to it. — D. E. Fitton, Lyric theatre, Harrison, Ark. — Small town patronage. The Critical Agfe, with Glenn Hunter. — Would have been better under its original name of "Glengarry School Days," but that does not hurt the story after you get them in. It's a dandy all the way, well done, and pleases everyone. Worth running. — Ben D. Morris, Elk Grand, Bellaire, O. The Critical Age, with a special cast. — A dandy pleasing program picture. My patrons enjoyed it. Five reels. — Gus N. Brown. American theatre, Mackay, Idaho. Second Piddle, with Glenn Hunter. — Pleasing comedy-drama and best he has had from this company. Light type of story along the familiar Cinderella lines, but has audience appeal. — Ben L. Morris, Temple theatre, Bellaire, O. Just Like a Woman, with Margaret De La Motte. — This is a very slight little picture that cannot do you or your house any good. Nothing wrong with it except nothing to it. Five reels. — C. H. Moulton, Bijou theatre, Beach, N. D. — Small town patronage. Down to the Sea in Ships, with a special cast. — The whale was good but he had very poor support. I gave this extra publicity but nobody got excited about it but me. Business was away off. Glad I didn't buy it before the price dropped. Nine reels. — Roy W. Adams, Pastime theatre, Mason, Mich. — • Small town patronage. Down to the Sea in Ships, with a special cast. — By working with the schools, this went over pretty well and pleased. Nine reels. — B. C. Brown, Temple theatre, Viroqua, Wis. Down to the Sea in Ships, with a special cast. — The greatest whale scene without a doubt. A wonderful production of its kind, but seems to drag in places. A picture that will draw anywhere. Big business for two days. Backed by heavy advertising. Eight reels. — W. A. Clark, Jr., Castle theatre, Havana, 111. — General patronage. The Grey Dawn, with Clair Adams. — This is a drama of San Francisco in 1852 and the plot is built around crooked politics and the vigilantes. A very good program picture of its kind. Print in good condition. Six reels.— C. H. Moulton, Bijou theatre, Beach, N. D. — Small town patronage. Metro Thy Name Is Woman, with a special cast. — An excellent picture. Acting of Mr. Mong and Barbara LaMarr par excellent. Never saw better acting in any picture by anyone. Novarro was good. Settings very simple. Would judge the production was not an expensive one as most of scenes take place in one room. Will stand small raise in admission. Nine reels; good condition. — D. E. Fitton, Lyric theatre, Harrison, Ark. — Small town patronage. Women Who Give, with a special cast. — A very good sea picture. You can't go wrong with this one. Pleased all who came to see it. This picture could do better with another name. Eight reels. — H. Youngren, Happy Hour theatre, Two Harbors, Minn. Held to Answer, with House Peters. — A good clean story. I think every one was pleased. Did not hear any kicks. A picture you can invite your minister to see. Picture does not draw. Six reels. — C. L. Brown, Paramount theatre, Elizabeth, La. — Small town patronage. Her Fatal Millions, with Viola Dana. — A dandy. One of Dana's best. Pleased all. Six reels. — B. B. Benfleld, Idle Hour theatre, Marion, S. C. — Small town patronage. Rouged Lips, with Viola Dana. — Although the picture was not up to the Dana stand ard it was well worth running. Somehow Dana did not have the pep that she usually has. Print was in good shape. Paper was good. Average advertising brought good business. — H. R. Blair, Regent theatre, Cedar Falls, la. Love in the Dark, with Viola Dana. — Went over nicely and everybody was pleased. Six reels. — Al C. Werner, Royal theatre, Reading, Pa. — Mixed patronage. June Madness, with Viola Dana. — Splendid program picture. — Bert Silver, Family theatre, Greenville, Mich. Jane Madness, with Viola Dana. — Another good one from Metro. Pleased a full house. They all like Dana here. — R. R. McCrossen. Weeksbury theatre, Weeksbury, Kentucky. — Small town patronage. Toll of the Sea, with a special cast. — Not much, only good colors. Business very poor. Five reels. — George J. Kress, Hudson theatre, Rochester, N. Y. — Neighborhood patronage. Alias Jimmy Valentine, with Bert Lytell. — A mighty good program picture. It will please them all. Six reels. — D. C. Frew, Franklin theatre, Piggott, Ark. — General patronage. The Prisoner og Zenda, with Alice Terry. — Rex Ingram sure knows how to make a big picture. Wonderful cast. Fine costumes, beautiful scenery, a dandy story with plenty of romance and action. Did a good business for this time of the year. Ten reels. — Raymond Pfeiffer, Princess theatre, Chilton, Wis. — Small town patronage. Hearts Aflame, with Frank Keenan. — Great. If you have not run this one you have missed a big one that will surely please any crowd. Nine reels. — Elmac theatre, Maple Rapids, Mich. — Small town patronage. The Tog, with a special cast.— Very good picture. Business fair. Seven reels. — Peck's theatre, LaSalle, 111. — General patronage. An Old Sweetheart of Mine, with a special cast. — This is a very good program picture. Did not hear any kicks, so it must have pleased. Six reels. — C. L. Brown, Paramount theatre, Elizabeth, La. — Small town patronage. Soul of the Beast, with a special cast. — This has good circus scenes, good action, a well trained elephant, with a certain amount of sob stuff, with some rough stuff; in all very good. Seven reels. — F. J. O'Hara, Community theatre, Elgin, Neb. Fightin' Mad, with William Desmond. — Good western. Pleased 90 per cent. Six reels. — R. R. McCrossen, Weeksbury theatre, Weeksbury, Kentucky. — Small town patronage. Peacock Alley, with Mae Murray. — Very well received. Nine reels. — Giacoma Bros., Crystal theatre, Tombstone, Arizona. Paramount Icebound, with Richard Dix and Lois Wilson.— Not what its title would lead you to believe. It is a home story of icebound human nature in cold staid Puritanical NewEngland. A dandy character picture that appeals to the people and drew excellent business. Its advertising possibilities are not great and the paper on it is not inviting, but the story is there. — Ben. L. Morris. Temple theatre, Bellaire, Ohio. To the Ladies, with a special cast. — Here is a dandy good comedy drama which kept them laughing all the way through. Pleased about 70-30. Six reels. — C. L. Brown, Paramount theatre, Elizabeth, La. — Small town patronage. Flaming Barriers, with a special cast. — Very good, but hard to put across. Ran it Thursday, Friday, Saturday and everyone seemed pleased. Hick scenes good. Atmosphere just right. Seven reels. — Clark & Edwards, Palace theatre, Ashland, O. — General patronage. Stephen Steps Out, with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.— This picture is good, but not big. However, it was never claimed to be a super-special, as it was sold at a low price. It, therefore, makes a very satisfactory program offering. Young Douglas has a very pleasing personality and a pleasant smile, which will get him a long way on his journey through life. — Wm. H. Creal, Suburban theatre, Omaha, Neb. — -Neighborhood patronage. Pied Piper Malone, with Thomas Meighan. — Good clean jolly entertainment. If you want to do away with censorship, show Tom Meighan pictures. The cleanest pictures on the market are Tom Meighan pictures. Lois Wilson is the girl and Geo. Fawcett is the sea captain. It's a good clean wholesome story by Tarkington with a bunch of adorable kids. Good sea storm. Stacked 'em three days at 10c and 30c. Tom, Gloria and Cecil B. DeMille are my best bets. Eight reels. — George Rea, Colonial theatre, Washington C. H., Ohio. Big Brother, with Tom Moore. — Good all the way through. You can step on this one hard. — Beach-Krahn Amuse Co., Chimes theatre, Oakland, Cal. — First class patronage. The Spanish Dancer, with Pola Negri. — Very good picture if your patrons like costume pictures. Lavishly mounted. Eight reels. — Clark & Edwards, Palace theatre, Ashland, O. — General patronage. The Spanish Dancer, with Pola Negri. — A better picture than "Rosita." But played "Rosita" first and many of my patrons remembered it. — Beach-Krahn Amuse Co.. Chimes theatre, Oakland, Cal. — First class patronage. The Light That Failed, with Percy Marmont. — A good picture, but will need a lot of advertising to put it on. — Beach-Krahn Amuse Co., Chimes theatre, Oakland, Cal. — First class patronage. The Heritage of the Desert, with Bebe Daniels. — Here's a good picture from one of Zane Grey's stories'. Will please them all. Drew big for two nights in spite of bad roads. New print. Six reels. — Ingersoll & Boget, American theatre, Sandwich, Illinois. — Small town patronage. Zaza, with Gloria Swanson. — Very very fine. Personally like "Humming Bird" better, but Miss Swanson can really act. Can't call her "clothes horse" any more. A cast that fits like "the skin on a sausage," wonderful gowns, beautiful settings, and H. B. Warner deserves honorable mention. Certainly a finished actor. Paramount still to be reckoned with. Eight reels. — Clark & Edwards, Palace theatre, Ashland, O. — General patronage. Zaza, with Gloria Swanson. — Nazimova made two pictures on the order of this one. "Camille" and "A Doll's House," which marked her exit from motion pictures. One or two more with Gloria like "Zaza" and she will be looking for a new job also. A star should do something besides having fits and turning flip-flops in order to entertain the public. Would class this picture as very ordinary entertainment. Eight reels. — R. W. Hickman, Lyric theatre, Greenville, 111. Zaza, with Gloria Swanson. — My patrons didn't like this as well as the previous productions of this star and the attendance was below the average. There was too much overacting to carry any conviction and it can be classed only as just another picture. Eight reels.— -Al C. Werner, Royal theatre, Reading, Pa. — Mixed patronage. The Marriage Maker, with a special cast. — Boys, get otu the gas masks. With a director like DeMille, stars like Holt, and particularly Ayres, then such a piece of rotten cheese. The most absurd thing that I have ever seen. Just another one of those pictures that Paramount has sold on the strength of their trademark, and what they have been! It's a dead certainty they will not get far with pictures like these. I wonder what Zukor or Lasky would say if he paid his good dimes to see such a thing as "The Marriage Maker." If I had it to do over again I would pay for it and tell them to show it to the marines'. It's a cinch not to my patrons. Lay off, boys, lay off. — M. R. Blair, Regent theatre. Cedar Falls, la. The Marriage Maker, with a special cast. — Poor, very poor. Tried hard not to play this, but was forced to because we bought it without knowing anything about it. Now I am trying to alibi myself out of it with our patrons. Seven reels. — George J. Kress, Hudson theatre, Rochester, N. Y. — Neighborhood patronage. The Marriage Maker, with a special cast. — Lay off this picture. After second reel had been run people began to walk out. I asked one man how he liked the picture. He says, "Rotten is a good name for it." Did not please a single person. Seven