Exhibitors Herald (Jun-Sep 1924)

August 16, 1924 EXHIBITORS HERALD 29 Box Office Record Succeeds Where Trade Reviewers Fail Service Checks Reviews Against “Record’' and Finds Reviewers Misguess Program Pictures as Badly as Specials By T. O. SERVICE I remind me of Thomas Edison (he said modestly) in that to date I have discovered in this investigation only the things that “won’t work.” Edison, if you remember the anecdote, emerged from his laboratory after several days of intense application to certain experiments and happily announced discovery of some thousand-odd things that would not w'ork, the next day discovering the thing that would. . .... Now for the Thing That Works After only three articles on the futility of motion picture reviews as' box office guidance, I have found the thing that works. The “Box Office Record” is the booking guidance that “works” and, like you, I knew it all the time. I did want to check up on it and inspect the evidence in the case, however, and perhaps you will hnd the evidence as interesting as I did. Samuel Sax Organizes To Make Six Specials For Independent Market NEW YORK, Aug. 5.— Samuel Sax, who has been unusually active in the production of big independent features, has incorporated h i s activities under the firm name of the Lumas Film Corporation. Mr. Sax predicts that the coming season will be the banner one for “i n d e p e n dents” and he has ■planned the making and producing of six “specials” as a starter. The Lumas productions are Samuel Sax to be made on the western coast under the personal direction of James P. Hogan. The first of the Sax pictures' has been completed, “Un-Married Wives” having Mildred Harris as its star, with the supporting cast including Lloyd Whitlock, Gladys Brockwell, Bernard Randall and George Cooper. This picture will be followed by “Black Lightning,” with the “marvel dog,” Thunder, as its principal actor. Air. Sax announces others, including “The Night Ship,” a thrilling sea story, with scenes of exciting times on both land and water; “Women and Gold,’’ a society story of today; “You Can’t Fool a Woman” and “Every Woiuan’s Secret.” Rock Visits Vitagraph Offices and Theatres In 13 Day Auto Tour (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Aug. 5.— John B. Rock, general manager of Vitagraph, toured to all Vitagraph exchanges north of New York City and in Canada in a thirteen-day automobile trip from which he returned last week. Mrs. Rock accompanied him. He visited more than one hundred theatres en route and supplied each exhibitor with Vitagraph’s campaign book showing the schedule of twenty-six productions for the 1924-25 season. His itinerary began with Albany 'and from there he went to Buffalo, Toronto, Montreal, St. John and made Boston on his return South. Cool weather has kept business good in the cities which he visited. In Toronto he was in conference with Colonel John A. Cooper, of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributing Association. S. N. Burns, branch manager at Albany, accompanied Mr. Rock to Utica and they stopped off and visited exhibitors in Schenectady and Amsterdam. In Buffalo he called a sales meeting at the office of C. W. Anthony, branch manager, and planned the Buffalo territory drive on “Captain Blood” which will be issued in September. From Buffalo he went to Toronto, thence to Montreal. There he called upon H. Biemmer and George B. Sparrow of the Francais Theatre which has booked all of Vitagraph’s productions for 1924-25. Signs Hammerstein (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Aug. 5. — Due to her fine performance in “The Foolish Virgin,” first in the series of eight Columbia Productions, Elaine Hammerstein has been signed by C. B. C. Film Sales Corporation for two more pictures. I opened the Alarch, 1924, issue of the “Box Office Record” to page 67 and read the compiled reports on “The Untameable.” 1 wanted a program picture for the purpose in view, figuring that reviewers have least occasion for guesswork when writing about a picture of which no one expects a great deal. Here’s what the “Box Office Record” had to say about “The Untameable” : ' ' Some Exhibitor Reports UNTAMEABLE, THE, U. Gladys Walton, 5. Boor picture. Evidently they are trying to kill this star, but why take it out -on us? We buy them thinking they are going to be good pictures. When they make one like .this they ought to throw it in the junk pile. Oh, why are they allowed to ask moiiey for such stuff? Five reels. (Hudson, Rochester, N. V.) Star does good work and is very beautiful. Story not very much. Hardly up to Walton standard, but not her fault. Worth playing if she is liked by your crowd. (Bijou, Beach, N. D.) Poorest Walton picture we ever ran and were told so. (Patricia, Powell River, B. C., Can.) Another one of Universal’s lemons. Heard nothing but knocks. (Princess, Lewistown, 111.) Very well liked by our patrons. Good attendance. (Emblem, Buffalo, N. Y.) I thought this a poor picture. Dual personality angle — no comedy relief. Some of my patrons' said it was good ; others agreed with me, (Majestic, Eureka,Mont.) ■ The worst this star ever made. Little or no story. Very poor box office attraction. (Peck’s, LaSalle. 111.) Well, this is, as usual, a good one, but I do not like it for her, although she did well in it and, in fact, does well in all her pictures. Universal’s are all good. (Amuse, Hart, Mich.) An average Walton picture. She has good support in this one. Good program _ picture. (Dixie, Ripley, Miss.) A poor picture of no entertainment value. Impssible stuff. Some walked out before it was over. (Liberty, St. Louis, Mich.) Paid a good price for this and it fell flat. No business on it. (Comet, Shelton, Neb.) Why, oh why, will they persist in sending out such a weak story and a strong cast? Oh, but this was panned. Old, old theme of hypnotist and dual personality, and if you only knew it, Mr.. Laemmle, they are doing it now. Gladys Walton is a real star and should be given a story, not an idea. (Idle Hour, Cambridge Springs, Pa.) This is a little unusual for this * star, but she plays it fine and everyone seemed pleased. One lady said she didn’t expect much from it, but liked it much better than “Why Worry” after seeing it. You never can tell how they are going to like it. (Community, David City, Neb.) Here Are Reviewers’ Opinions The trade paper reviewers, I found upoil investigation, did not expect this one to mark a particularly important epoch either; but they did think it was better than Gladys Walton’s average, which all of you know at that time was considered by exhibitors to be very high. Certainly the reviewers didn’t expect it to turn out as indicated above. The Alotion Picture News said the picture “Should stand strong advertising and send them away pleased. Production of high entertainment value with good story and direction, in wdiich star is given best opportunity to date, which she takes full advantage of.” The Moving Picture World said. “A novel theme creates considerable suspense. The plot has more subtlety than those frequently found in her pictures and should keep most of the fans interested whether particular admirers of the star or not. Her own following will no doubt find much to keep them entertained. The inaterial side of the production is pleasr ing and 'the performance ’ aL a wliole 'should w'in approval on the average program.” ■ : Some Further Comment The E.xhibitors Trade Review said; “Offering an unusual plot, skillfully photographed, well directed and cleverly presented by principals and supporting cast, ‘The Untameable’ affords very agreeable entertainment. The photography throughout is of the best quality, e.xteriors and interiors are well filmed and excellent lighting prevails; The picture should be exploited' as a mystery tale strong in thrills with a pleasing lo've . romance which exhibits Gladys Walton in an entirely new a'nd sensational role.” ' -■ If you went to the trouble of reading a lot of reviews to check up on my analysis of the “fence straddler,” published last week, -you may deduce that the reviewers straddled a bit on “The Untameable,” but I don't think that is the case; I believe, basing my opinion on the intensive perusal of -many reviews previously ■ mentioned, that they really thought this was an exceptional program picture. At any rate, the “Box Office Record” tells the story. Somehow, in this -ser-ies I seem to arrive always at a destination more important than the one I set out for. In this case I can’t conclude the article without telling you that the September, 1924, issue of the “Box Office Record” is in the process of compilation and will be issued at the customary date. As that date this year should be the beginning of a possibly unprecedented business revival, what with bumper crops in prospect and the war tax off, I guess that announcement is the most important thing in this story. (Another article by T. O. Service on the evils of trade reviews will appear in next week’s HERALD. — Ed.) Renews Pathe Contract LOS ANGELES — Del Lord has started work on his first picture under a new contract he has signed with Mack Sennett for making of Pathe comedies