Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 71 February 7, 1925 ENEMIES OF WOMEN, with Lionel Barrymore.— A lavish production in twelve reels, all of the picture being photographed in Europe. Splendidly acted with many thrills and the intense atmosphere of war. One of the best pictures of its kind that I have ever seen. I call it a great picture. Twelve reels. — Donald H. Dorchester, Community Centre theatre, Southbury, Conn. — Rural patronage. THE WHITE SISTER, with Lillian Gish. — An exceptional piece of entertainment, worthy of a date in every exhibitor’s booking book. We ran it after everybody in town had seen it at least twice and we did well on it considering local conditions. Nine reels. — Crosby Bros. Lily theatre, Buffalo, N. Y. — Neighborhood patronage. THE WHITE SISTER, with Lillian Gish.— Wonderful picture for Lent. It has a sad ending but it is truthful. It follows the book conscientiously and Lillian Gish wins the hearts of her audience. It has a deeply religious spirit all through it. Eleven reels. — Donald H. Dorchester, Community Centre theatre, Southbury, Conn. — Rural patronage. SIX DAYS, with Corinne Griffith. — This did a slight extra business for us. although some of our regulars remained away. Print not so good. — I. R. Gavin, Hammond theatre, Hammond. Wis. — . — Small town patronage. THE SHOOTING OF DAN McGREW, with Barbara La Marr. — Here is a sure enough audience picture. Any exhibitor is bound to do well with this. It is a rough picture, interesting from start to finish, and at the end the poem is given in a startling way, giving tremendous power to the melodrama as it closes. Fine love story. I like Barbara La Marr and Lew Cody and Percy Marmont better in this picture than in any others that I have seen them in. Seven reels. — Donald H. Dorchester, Community Centre theatre, Southbury, Conn. — Rural patronage. THE SOUL OF THE BEAST, with a special cast. — Comments on this picture varied. The children were crazy about it. The acting of Oscar, the elephant, won their praise. The older people either liked it very much or didn’t like that kind, but about 75% were pleased, and for a change I would call it a good Saturday show if a strong comedy is used. We used “Down to the Sea in Shoes.” Five reels. — O. K. Stablein, Star theatre. Alexandria. S. D. — General patronage WOMEN WHO GIVE, with a special cast.— I don’t think any of the exhibitors have been fair to this picture. It is one of the finest pictures that I ever saw. Fishing for whale and swordfish. a tremendous storm, the rescue by life saving crew, the firing of the light keeper’s home, the winning of the heart of the hardened miser and the happy story of four lovers. All this makes the picture tremendously appealing to everyone. Many people told me that this was the greatest picture that they had ever seen. — Donald H. Dorchester, Community Centre theatre. Southbury, Conn. — Rural patronage. TRAILING AFRICAN WILD ANIMALS.— This was an interesting picture to see — not tiring like so many of the animal or bird pictures are. — John Aden, Rialto theatre, Terril, la. — General patronage. LOVE IN THE DARK, with Viola Dana.— This pretty little star always pleases in her nice little comedy-dramas. This one is not all comedy. There is pathos and heart interest also, with a good measure of comedy. Used a “Gang” comedy and had a very good Saturday show. Six reels. — O. K. Stablein, Star theatre, Alexandria. S. D. — General patronage. STRANGERS OF THE NIGHT, with a special cast. — Audience seemed to like this, but business went way off the second night. Personally thought it a very good picture. — Lincoln theatre, Rochester, N. Y. — General patronage. PEG O’ MY HEART, with Laurette Taylor.— This is a dandy fine picture. Played this quite a while ago. It is real humorous and they sure enjoyed it. Eight reels. — John Aden, Rialto theatre, Terril, la. — General patronage. SCARAMOUCHE, a Rex Ingram production. — An A No. 1 picture, but no good here. Lost money on it and paid too much for the picture. Too much costume to suit my fans. Ten reels. — ^J. K., Halfway theatre. Halfway. Mich. — General patronage. SCARAMOUCHE, a Rex Ingram production. — Here is an outstanding costume picture, but I did not care for it so much as for “Janice Meredith” and “Little Old New York.” It is a powerful picture, however, and no mistake. Ten reels. — Donald H. Dorchester, Community Centre theatre, Southbury, Conn. — Rural patronage. RED LIGHTS, with a special cast. — Fine entertainment. A few thought “Red Lights” meant something else and attendance was off some. Run it. by all means, but be careful to advertise it so they won’t think it’s smut ; it isn’t. — I. R. Gavin, Hammond theatre, Hammond, Wis. — Small town patronage. HEARTS AFLAME, with Anna Q. Nilsson. — A good picture. Frank Keenan and Craig Ward sure take their parts well. So does Miss Nilsson. The big fire scene in this is good and there are many humorous situations. A picture that is worth playing. Nine reels. — John Aden, Rialto theatre, Terril. la. — General patronage. Paramount THE GARDEN OF WEEDS, with Betty Compson. — Only did fair business, but gave the best satisfaction of any picture that Betty Compson has appeared in. Six reels. — R. Linn, Virginia theatre, Fairmont. W. Va.— General patronage. THE GARDEN OF WEEDS, with Betty Compson.—Several walked out on this and I don’t blame them. Page Will Hays to take a squint at this. Jimmy Cruze is losing out, after all his good work, by directing such trash as this. — Joe Hewitt, Strand theatre, Robinson, 111. — General patronage. TONGUES OF FLAME, with Thomas Meighan. — Maybe the people expect too much from Meighan. At any rate, they did not care for this one. Just a fair program picture, suitable for one day in small town. They will have to give Tommy better stories or he is a dead gosling, for he’s pretty sick now when it comes to the box office. — Joe Hewitt, Strand theatre. Robinson, 111. — General patronage. TONGUES OF FLAME, with Thomas Meighan. — Not up to Tom’s standard. Awful slow and draggy. The director must have felt tough, for it has no pep at all. Pleased a very few. Seven reels.— E. D. Luna, Cozy theatre. Wagoner, Okla. — Small town patronage PETER PAN, with Betty Bronson. — Picture is just wonderful for its type, but it goes to show that the people, especially in small towns, do not want this kind of picture. As an illustration. I played to twice as many admissions one week before when I had “The Virginian” and had many more comments as to how good the picture was, and “The Virginian” is only rated as a program. Many of my patrons walked out on “Peter Pan” and the second night hardly paid to operate. I consider “Peter Pan” a great production and think the company and exhibitor that puts this on for the people is certainly entitled to liberal patronage. However, this is the way of the movies. Ten reels. — A. L. Hepp, Idylhour theatre, Greeley, Nebr. — Small town patronage. NORTH OF 36, with Jack Holt. — A great picture, pronounced by our patrons as good as “Covered Wagon.” — Bert Silver, Silver Family theatre, Greenville. Mich. — General patronage. FEET OF CLAY, a Cecil B. De Mille production.— Here is a real picture, one you can boost to the limit. Cecil B. De Mille sure made a master picture of this. Will please about all. Did not have the attendance it should. No fault of picture. Ten reels. — E. D. Luna, Cozy theatre. Wagoner, Okla. — Small town patronage. FEET OF CLAY, a Cecil B. De Mille production.— When the Western fans will tell you that a picture of this type is a good one, you may take it for granted that it is out of the ordinary. This is. The typical De Mille luxury stuff is there : is even better than usual. The cast is A-1 and do their parts like they knew what it was all about. Those last two reels are loaded — loaded with some truly magnificent scenes that will produce large quantities of talk, which won’t hurt the box office any, either. I used some local talent in a home made presentation which was a bet, too. When you play this, stress the unusual ending and don’t be afraid of making a noise about it. Ten reels. — L. F. Wolcott, Grand theatre, Eldora, la. — Small town patronage. THE ALASKAN, with Thomas Meighan. — As a scenic, plus. Not just exactly the type of picture for Meighan, however, or so we are told. (As for that matter, I notice that the critics are at the same story about “Tongues of Flame.” Poor Tom, just what type picture should he play in, anyway?) Anyhow, we liked this a lot better than any of his more recent pictures. Used it as a New Year’s attraction and had good business on the holiday, but practically none the day following. Eight reels. — L. F. Wolcott. Grand theatre, Eldora, la. — Small town patronage. THE ALASKAN, with Thomas Meighan. — A fine production. Tom in a he-man part. Get it. Eight reels.— Roy S. Hammonds, Recreation theatre, Hardburly, Ky. — Mining Camp. OPEN ALL NIGHT, with Viola Dana. — One thing is sure, you will not have to stay “Open all night” to take care of the crowds who wish to see this one. It’s too spicy, too racy for the small towns. The preachers sort of looked me over the following day, having heard about it, I guess. It is a new idea in entertainment, being built around a Paris six day bicycle race, and Jetta Goudal does fine work in her part. Only two points in its favor here. It is in only six reels and (I say this with certain mental reservations. not being in this business for my health altogether) not many people saw it. Six reels. ■ — L. F. Wolcott, Grand theatre, Eldora, la. — Small town patronage. OPEN ALL NIGHT, with Viola Dana.— Absolutely rotten. Not one good foot in the whole feature. Pay them for it and keep it on the shelf : it will be the best thing that you can do for your patrons. I think that it’s the worst that I ever sat through. — A. Mitchell, Dixie theatre, Russellville. Ky. — General patronage. THE MAN WHO FIGHTS ALONE, with William Farnum. — This is perhaps as choice a piece of tripe as was ever pushed over on a gullible and unsuspecting public. Does anyone know why Paramount resurrected this bird after Fox laid him away on the shelf? If I remember correctly, this is one of the Famous Forty. One redeeming feature about this picture is that Lois Wilson is in it. Seven reels. — Wm. E. Tragsdorf, Trags theatre, Neillsville, Wis. — Small town patronage. THE MAN WHO FIGHTS ALONE, with William Farnum. — Our people seemed to like this. And, while I do not fancy Farnum in this sort of role — crippled — I may say that this was a box office bet, one day. Seven reels. — L. F. Wolcott, Grand theatre. Eldora. la. — Small town patronage. WORLDLY GOODS, with Agnes Ayres. — I saw a couple of places in “What the Picture Did For Me” where some of the boys kinda panned this one, but I’ll say that I have shown many as two days that was not as good as this, and so have you. and probably will again before the wolf gets me. I consider it a clever little comedy, nothing big but the bull, but they all seemed to enjoy it. Business was light, but they all are light box office drags for me. It did better than “Lily of the Dust” and cost just about half as much. I wonder when Paramount is going to wake up to how weak a sister Pola is and hand her the gate. I hope soon. Six reels. — S. B. Johnson, Regent theatre. Marianna, Ark. — General patronage. THE SIDE SHOW OF LIFE, with Ernest Torrence.— This has some very good war stuff in it and Torrence is fine in the part. Rather too long NOW BOOKING A. w/th nm 5YD CHAPLIN Directed by Scott Sidney Produced fry CHRISTIE FILM COMPANY INC IDEAL FILM5 LTD. Distributors for United Kingdom /{eleefed fry PR ODUCERS ~ DISTRIBUTING -CORPORATION