Exhibitors Herald (1925)

April 11, 1925 EXHIBITORS HERALD 23 A tragedy, well produced and well acted, though it will not appeal to the masses. (Marvel. Carlinville. III.) HIS FORGOTTEN WIFE, FBO, Madge Bellamy, 6. — ^This is a rather good program picture which seemed to please real well. Business was a little off, but I do not think that it was any fault of the picture as everybody seemed to enjoy it. I ran it with Our Gang in “Seein’ Things” and had a real good program. (Regent, Marianna, Ark.) We played this one on a Saturday night and pleased everybody. It is an excellent show. To me it is much better than “The White Sin.” It should please young and old. (“Y”, Nazareth, Pa.) All comment was good. Nothing big, but above the average program picture. Stood up well for two nights. (Grand, Camas, Wash.) "Fine!” "One of the best in a long time.” What more could an exhibitor want to hear ? Pleasing picture from every standpoint. (Court, Huntingdon, Tenn.) Good picture, good looking stars, good direction, good everything. It is an A-1 production that got nothing but praise. Both these stars are popular here. (Majestic, Weiner, Ark.) This picture went good for two days. Nice acting and a good clean story. (Columbia, Athens, O.) The picture is all right. Pleased. Not a “sex” picture. (Alamo, Moody, Tex.) A very appealing picture, as well as a good story, which should please any audience. Madge Bellamy and Warner Baxter do some mighty fine acting in this picture. (Castle, Havana, 111.) HIS HOUR, MG, John Gilbert, Aileen Pringle, 7. — An excellent picture that pleased the women 100 per cent and also the majority of the men. The entire cast does fine work. You can put your steam behind this one. (Odeon, Chandler. Okla.) More hot stuff, but they like it. Our friend John Gilbert is sure full of pep in this. (Marvel, Carlinville, III.) Divided comments on this subject, although beautiful to look at. Rental is too high on the Glyn stories. (Peoples, Crosby, Minn.) Wonderful acting, photography and direction. Male lead, John Gilbert, a big improvement over “Three Weeks.” He should always play opposite Miss Pringle. They are a handsome pair. Didn’t have a very big crowd, but no fault of the picture. Good comments. (Community, David City, Neb.) An exceptional picture of its kind. Handsome hero and beautiful heroine. Beautiful gowns and wonderful settings. All in all. Miss Glyn should be congratulated in handling the story as well as she did. (Brooklyn, Detroit, Mich.) Good picture, good acting, in a fair story. Business light ; not a box office picture. Paid too much for it. (Globe, Globe, Ariz.) A most delightful comedy drama and the two, Aileen Pringle and John Gilbert, certainly do their stuff in a most extraordinary manner. This sort of entertainment appeals more to a class patronage and does not suit the so-called rough working man. The first night of showing our attendance was nearly all women. (Cozy, Winchester, Ind.) This is a good production. Seemed to please most all who came. Business below average. Seven reels. (Grand, Rainier, Ore.) HIT AND RUN, U, Hoot Gibson, 5. — This is another one that is different. It went like wild fire here, as Gibson is a sure bet here. Every one satisfied and told me so. Do not need a comedy when you show this as it is all comedy anyway. Played to good house first night and doubled the next, so I am sure the picture pleased all who saw it, and those who stayed at home missed somethin"-. I would like to find another star that would draw them like Hoot. (Oak, Oakdale, Neb.) A baseball yarn with a likeable hero. Some acMon and a lot of good comedy. Business fair for three days. (Capitol, New Bedford, Mass.) A baseball story with a punch and a laugh. Got over nicely and pleased all. (Elk Grand, Bellaire, O. ) This one is a dandy and will get the money any old place where there are baseball sports, as they will see the good points in it and have a good time as did the crowd in the ball park, and as my crowd in my theatre. The swat hits got them all. We have some of the old time ball players in this town. (Amuse, Hart, Mich.) This is our first picture of Hoot’s new ones and it’s a crackerjack of a baseball story and pleased all who saw it, but weather was awful bad, which kept them ^way. But they had better keep Hoot in Westerns and make him cut out the “silly stuff.” He needs a new director also — someone like Clifford Smith. (Castle, Havana, 111.) A wonderfully good picture in which baseball and Western stuff was well mixed and it brought down the house. Hoot as a “hitsman” was better than the marine in “Out of Luck,” which lingers in the memory as a good one. (S. T.. Parker, S. D.) An entirely new role for Hoot, but he gets by with it in fine shape. Plenty of comedy, but is in no sense a Western. Paper is much overdrawn, as it gives too much of the scene where the girl is rescued from the runaway team and this is a mere incident in the picture. Very good. My people liked it and I was not afraid to stand at the door and look them in the eye when they came out. (Liberty, Lakeview, Mich.) If your patrons like baseball. Western, society or what, book this picture and tell them everything. It’s Okay and will please 95 per cent. Although we paid too much, that’s no fault of picture. Book it and boost. (Palace, Omaha, Tex.) Interesting story, plenty of action, and if your people like baseball stuff with comedy situations, this will go over nicely. Pleased our crowd but made no money on it, due to cold weather, we suppose. (Queen, Ft. Stockton, Tex.) Never heard them yell like they did on this picture. It’s a scream from the beginning to the very end. That’s not press talk, but sure enough facts. Strictly a baseball story, and it’s a pippin. It pleased the regular Hoot fans and all the others, too. (Highland, Guthrie, Okla.) Snappy action picture. Pleased majority. (Majestic, Eureka, Mont.) A very good picture that pleased my Saturday night patrons. (Pasttime, Granville, N. Y.) Good program picture. Drew very nice business for Saturday. Lots of comedy in it. (Cozy, Wagoner, Okla.) HOLD YOUR BREATH, PDC, Dorothy Devore, Walter Hiers, Tully Marshall, Jimmie Adams, 6. — Many patrons claimed this to be equal to Harold Lloyd’s “Safety Last” which I think correct, but it will not draw like the Lloyd picture. (Royal, Spirit, Lake, la.) I hand it to this one. It drew them and made them hold their breath. A 100 per cent comedy. (Arcadia, Vandergrift, Pa.) Made them laugh, but people are tiring of trick stuff. They get so much of it in comedies. (Davison. Waupun, Wis.) Starts in where Harold Lloyd leaves .off. If Lloyd made this picture we would have to give our house to run it. (Brooklyn, Detroit, Mich.) A very good comedy. Should please everyone. (Essaness, Rushville, Neb.) Oh, boy I What a comedy I Better than “Safety Last.” Every person who saw this comedy told me so. Devore and Hiers a real team. Why not more comedies like this? Nice business. (Starland. Anderson, Ind.) It’s as the title indicates — brimful of stunts and comedy that will make you hold to your seat one moment and crack your sides open the next. If you’re looking for excitement, here it is. Didn’t draw as well as we thought it would. (Castle, Havana, 111.) This is a steal on “Safety Last,” and it’s just about as good. Extra business election night with this. (Pastime, Mason, Mich.) Good business. Good picture. Seems to please all. (Strand, Samson, Ala.) There are two things that I have always maintained that the average woman can’t do properly, one being to drive an automobile and the other to play comedy leads in pictures. Still there are many expert lady drivers. When it comes to playing a comedy lead my skypiece is off to Dorothy Devore. She is just dandy in this picture — her part being acting out fine without overacting it. In fact that whole picture is six spools of entertainment and, by the way Mr. Editor, I claim that this picture will please the “average movie fan,” will go over in the “average theatre” and is an “average (about 99 per cent) picture.” After the picture has been reviewed by say twenty-five or more exhibitors, let’s see if I am right or wrong. The picture, of course, is a thriller, but I am not referring to that alone. The continuity is so perfect and so many pleasant punches are injected to keep up the interest. If Producers keep this pace up they should worry about getting runs for their stuff. I might add that I reeontracted for this picture at a fifty per cent increase after I reviewed it. (Apollo, Princeton, 111.) Everybody said better than “Safety Last,” and I was inclined to agree with them. House in a continual uproar all the time. Will please all classes. (Pythian, Marshall, 111.) This is a dandy picture and one which will please them all. Plenty of action and comedy. Dorothy is easy to look at and fast on her feet. Although the action is not quite as tense as the last reel of “Safety Last,” it is, however, well sustained, and should please anywhere. (Trags, Neillsville, Wis.) Here’s one that will please and then some. I liked it better than "Safety Last,” which is a similar picture. Business good and audience enthusiastic. Picture a little slow at first, but Oh I boys, when the action on the building starts it is action I Kept the house in an uproar. A series of outbursts of laughter punctuated by gasps at the thrills. (Cozy, Columbia, Mo.) A good comedy. Reminds one of Lloyd in “Safety Last.” An hour’s entertainment. Some of my older patrons did not care much for it. Don’t promise too much in boosting it. With a more popular star it would have the drawing power it now lacks to make it a big picture. (Milford, Chicago, 111.) A dandy comedy, as good as a Lloyd. Humor thrills, everything necessary. (Maple Leaf. Mount Dennis, Ont., Can.) One of the best action pictures we ever ran. Good business. (Lyric, Creighton, Neb.) Best picture of this kind I ever saw. Should say 100 per cent. (Temple, Blissfield, Mich.) This picture is a ringer from start to finish. It kept the house in an uproar during the whole run. Dorothy is well liked here and this is the best thing she has ever done in the way of comedy. Buy it and give your people a real treat. (Community, Elgin, Neb.) Very good. Pleased small business two days. Print better than usual, from New Orleans. (Strand. Florala, Ala.) A refreshing, clean, fast moving comedy. Family entertaining type. Better than the Lloyds and can be bought right. Grand. Chetek, Wis.) Our audience 'aughed more at the two reel comedy we ran than at this feature. Poor attendance. (Majestic, The Dalles. Ore.) Some picture, full of comedy thrills with the girl pulling the stunts. Ran this in August, but they have boosted the price since then out of sight. (Monroe, Monroe, Wis.) Gave this to the Legion for a benefit for Armistice Day and they did well and were tickled pink with the attraction. It’s another “Safety Last” in everything but the price. Dorothy Devore, pulling same stunts as Lloyd, makes a hit. Fine tie-up for a benefit for any Legion Post. (Strand, Robinson, ni.) Lean hard on this one. It’s a pip, especially for Saturday. Lots of laughs and lots of thrills. Good combination with “The Chase” (Edueational) , which is the most delightful novelty short subject we have had in many moons. (Strand, Alma, Mich.) A very good comedy drama. Rather slow at the start. Last two reels quite exciting. (Star, Gibsonburg, O.) A good novelty program. (Silver Family, Greenville, Mich.) HONOR AMONG MEN, F, Edmund Lowe, 6.— Lowe’s first picture in his series for Fox. It did not please here, as costume pictures have hard going here. May go over better in larger theatres. (Royal, Saxon, Wis.) Had this picture booked for two days and pulled it off the first day. It might be a fair picture but it is a rotten one for houses using Western and action pictures, as most all houses are that use Fox pictures. Poor business. Paper punk. (Highland, Guthrie, Okla.) Taken from “The King’s Jackal,” by Richard Harding Davis. Poor story for the screen. More time and money wasted. Pleased very few. (Maxine, Croswell, Mich.) Possibly all right for some localities but no attraction for our town. Did not make film rental. Anything bordering on costume or foreign no good for our clientele. This is a foreign story. Elite, Humboldt, Kan.) Was not liked; too much foreign .stuff. (New Geneseo, Geneseo, III.) This guy Lowe might be a good actor, but if he is a box office magnet, then I am a millionaire. Had a Bargain Night at half price on this one and people got stung. (Liberty, Kalispell, Mont.) HOT WATER, P, Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, 5.— Very good and while it doesn’t begin to have the thrills of some of his earlier features, it will go over on account of Lloyd. Paid a big price for a town of less than 500, but was the first in this territory and drew ’em for miles around. (Palace, North Rose, N. Y.) This is one of Lloyd’s best pictures, but after paying the price they ask, with advertising and house expense, I did not make a dime. Be sure that your contract has been approved before you start advertising this one or you may be sorry. This is just a tip. I know from experience. No more Lloyd’s for me at the present exhibition value Lloyd has on his stuff. Print new, weather good. Played on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. (Royal, Spirit Lake, la.) A good five reel comedy which I paid a big price for. In a small town of 4,000 the price was so high that I had to advance the admission price to 25c and 50c in order to get by with it, and that is all I did — get by. Half of the town are sore at me for advancing the admission price on Lloyd, as they think that with 50c they ought to see a masterpiece and not a five reel comedy. A good comedy ; run it if you can buy it right, but don’t charge them 60c, whatever you do. Fair attendance. (Star. Dunsville, N. Y. ) A good five reel comedy, but with roads almost impassable, and at the price we paid, we didn’t make anything. (Russell, Brunswick, Mo.) Was afraid of “Hot Water” after the luke-warm praise given it by Chicago papers, but folks, it is there I It is his funniest comedy since “Grandma’s Boy,” and the best story he has had for a long time. Man, that last reel is worth all we paid for the show. Lloyd brings out the lame, the halt and the blind.