Exhibitors Herald (1925)

28 BOX OFFICE RECORD SECTION OF April 11, 1925 picture was worth to me. Our local exchange has been ordinarily fair in adjustments until Famous 40 came out. (Lane, Cle Elum, Wash.) We and our patrons consider “Manhandled" better than “The Humming Bird” and it did more business at the box office. I am a firm supporter of good titles and consider this one a dandy, although I have seen some criticism from brother exhibitors. No doubt I will get into hot water for saying this, but we are in the business for money and the picture that gets the money, and its title is what we want. If the public wants that kind of a picture, .so do we. (Strand, Dunsmuir. Cal.) Drew only fair. About the best to date of the Swanson’s, outside of “The Humming Bird.” (Strand, Robinson, 111.) A very good picture, according to the box office. The title has a great box office value. (Regent, St. Marys, Ohio.) Personally think it her best. She certainly shows her versatility in this picture. Splendidly cast and acted. This is the third of Paramount’s Fall product that we have run. Don’t let anyone tell you they haven’t anything. They really have. (Palace, Ashland, Ohio.) Picture did not seem to be up to Gloria’s regular standard. However, it pleased well and drew some good business. Some very good comedy. (Lyric, Sheldon, la.) A good modern society drama with lots of pep. Gloria at her best in this one. Good attendance. (Char-Bell, Rochester, Ind.) A splendid picture. The star great. Story fair. Pleased them all. (Silver Family, Greenville, Mich.) A very pleasing picture that people wanted to see and enjoyed after they came. More of a comedy than anything Gloria has done of recent years, and she took very well in the lighter vein. (Grand Pierre, S. Dak.) Best Swanson picture out since “The Humming Bird.” Everyone liked this picture. Did not have any complaints from anyone. After your patrons see a picture like this one they do not hesitate in telling you how well they enjoyed it when they pass out. This picture will make you money. Advertise it big and you will get results. (Paramount, Wyoming, III.) Drew good house for Monday and Tuesday and pleased the most of them. Film fine. (Reel Joy, King City, Cal.) This is a good picture. The comedy part is very well done by Gloria and the picture entertains more universally than most of her pictures. (Grand, Pierre, S. Dak.) Honest to Gosh, I believe “The Humming Bird” has sold Gloria in my town. I never made a dime on any of her pictures up to that time, though I did all for them that I do for any. That one made plenty. While “Manhandled” is not, in my opinion, as good as “The Humming Bird,” it is head and shoulders above her former vehicles and next best to the “Bird,” and that’s saying considerable. Now that the powers that be are giving her a chance to do something besides wear clothes, she’s showing her stuff. I’m not going to set in any future Swansons with a groan, as I used to. ’That’s a Heck of a title, but by explaining in all ads that it wasn’t as bad as it sounds, they come. Did you slip up on this one in the clean-up, Mr. Hays? “Manhandled” is there. It will do business for you. (Cresco, Cresco, la.) My first picture of this star and, while I thought it to be a good picture, my patrons did not seem to like it. I would rate this as a good picture in places where star is popular. (English, English. Ind.) Gloria’s best so far. Ran two days and had nice crowds. Subway scene good. Book if she is popular with your patrons. Admission 15 and 25. (Idlehour. Monroe. Ga. ) If not bought too high, will make you money and will add prestige to your house. (Star, Newton. 111.) A splendid special picture. Star great and cast good. (Silver Family. Greenville, Mich.) Gloria was there with bells on in this picture and star and play scored 100 per cent. (Crystal, Tombstone, Ariz.) Very good. Owing to the second day being Hallowe’en, with every organization in town holding a dance and one family out of every ten at a party, it flopped that day. When things are against you, you cannot get ’em. (Regent. Bogota. N. J.) Our first Swanson for about a year and she satisfied. Tom Moore does good work. Print good. (Empress, Grundy Center, Ind.) An average Swanson which we ran during the holiday season to a very poor business. Pleased, however. (Main Street. Russell, Kan.) We class this as one of Gloria’s best pictures and, strange to say, though she ordinarily does not get me any profit. I made some money on it. (Rosewin, Dallas, Tex.) This is one of the best pictures we have run in many months. It is as near 100 per cent picture for my house as I have ever run. It is surely the best Gloria has ever done. Plenty of comedy and a fine story. Had more favorable comments at box office than on any other picture we have run in the past year. (Wetz Rialto, Middletown, Ind.) One of the best pic tures we have ever had the pleasure of playing. (Crescent, Newark, N. Y.) MANHATTAN, FP, Richard Dix, Jacqueline Logan, George Seigmann, 7. — This is a good program picture sold on a program price and satisfied a fair crowd. The star is not yet made at the box office but is coming and the crowd is satisfied with this picture. (Grand, Pierre, S. Dak.) If Dick keeps up this standard he should worry about a new starring contract — nix (Rhymes with Dix. Think I’ll apply for that poet’s job Bill Weaver wants filled.) Did not see this one (Too many salesmen — I’d sooner talk to them than view picture, anyway), but comments gave it a very good s'end-off, and business was good. “Manhattan” is good for any house that uses action pictures. Keep it up. Dick — and Burnside, too — he did a fine directing job — from flashes I saw. (Cresco. Cresco. la.) Would call this an ordinary little program picture. Seemed to please but did not offer very much in the way of variety. Perhaps Dix will go over, but he hasn’t shown an3rthing startling at the box office as yet. (Pythian. Marshall, 111.) Well produced and characters capably portrayed. (Lincoln. Pittsburgh, Pa.) This picture will give the star a great boost on his way to popularity. It has lots of action and comedy, but the title did not catch the public and it only drew a fair crowd for us. (Suburban, Omaha. Neb.) Good obvious melodrama. Well acted and elegantly mounted. Has an appeal for the crowd and goes over better than lots of the more pretentious ones. (Temple. Bellaire, Ohio.) Good picture and pleased close to 100 per cent. They may put Dix over, but he has not shown us any drawing power as yet. Still, he always seems to please. (Strand, Robinson, 111.) Extra good. Give Dix more stories on this order and he will be the most popular man on the screen. (Crystal, Ligonier, Ind.) A very good program picture. Pleased all that saw it. Ran it Friday and Saturday, but lost money on it. (Liberty, Condon, Ore.) Good picture and pleased all who saw it. Richard Dix is a good drawing card for me. (Cozy, Wagoner, Okla.) Richard Dix’s first starring picture and a dandy. Full of action and thrills. I believe this star will make good on his own. (Liggett, Madison, Kan.) Splendid picture. (Palace, Ashland. O.) Good. I think Richard Dix will be popular in my community. (Strand, Milford, la.) The picture is pretty good and we did a fair business with it. (Regent. St. Marys. O.) Very good. Dix is a comer. (Palace. McPhee, Ark.) MAN WHO CAME BACK, THE. F, George O’Brien, 7. — When William Fox calls this one a special he makes no mistake, for it is a wonderful picture. Every young man and girl should see it. It contains a lesson that should impress itself on the mind of everybody who has the good fortune of seeing it. While the price is a little high, it is worth it. Buy it and promise them something e.xtra. (Ideal, Chateaugay, N. Y.) A real good melodrama. The kind of a picture your audience tells you “has something to it.” Story covers a wide range of territory. Offers opportunity for musical features with orchestra or organ, carries the sympathy and has lots of comedy. O'Brien is a problem as a star, as he has little peculiarities that will be hard to overcome. (Temple, Bellaire, O.) A very good picture and I believe if George O’Brien gets the right support he will make good. (Marvel, Carlinville. III.) Business good. Picture very well liked. (Strand. Pittsfield. Mass.) Don’t pass this one up. Did better on this than on “Scaramouche” and didn’t have to pawn my coat to get it. either. You can buy this right. Print good. Paper good. Our critics all praised this picture. (Halfway, Halfway. Mich.) A real good melodrama but did not draw. Star unknown. (Electric, Independence, Mo.) This is a wonderful picture. Will please all classes of theatregoers. Have picture set in for a return date. (Ark, Logansport, Ind.) A very good offering if bought right and exploited, but why does Fox call it a super? (Liberty, Kalispell, Mont.) A knockout. The first of the 1925 specials from Fox for us. Hope the rest keep up with this one. Good, clean with plenty of action. You can’t go wrong on it. (Princess, Obion, Tenn.) Very good picture. Should have done better. Fox has good pictures this year for neighborhood houses. (Franklin, Philadelphia. Pa.) MAN WHO FIGHTS ALONE, THE, FP, William Famum, Lois Wilson, Edward Horton, 7. — A fine story. Star splendid (he never made a poor one). This picture will check up with some of the so-called specials. (Silver Family, Greenville, Mich.) This picture shows Farnum at his best, supported by a good ca.st. Good attend ance. (Char-Bell, Rochester, Ind.) This picture drew me a good crowd and everyone was pleased. I made a i>oint of asking several people and all praised it. I saw it myself and consider it a darn good picture. I have seen several reviews panning it. I don’t see why. (Grand, Dunnville, Ont.) I knew this to be a weak sister from reports. Used it Saturday before Christmas for that reason. Not much to it. Farnum miscast. While thing was not like the crowd of today looks for. (Regent. Bogota, N. J.) Title rather misleading. My patrons were expecting a Western. Run this before you play it and you can help it greatly by cutting out about 300 feet. Pleased fairly well. (Lyric, Chappell. Neb.) ’There is nothing wrong with this picture, but heavy rains kept the people away. (Regent, St. Marys, O.) Flopped. Did twice as much the next day with a Buck Jones. (Franklin, Philadelphia, Pa.) Nothing to it. Drags and is tiresome. Should be given a decent burial. (Apollo, Princeton, 111.) If you have this picture bought. I’ll tell you what to do. Take the third reel and cut out about 500 feet of the scene where the mother is having the baby. There is about 600 feet of this and 500 of it is padding and very poor stuff to put in a picture. Leaving the 500 feet in you have a rotten picture. Taking it out, as I did, the picture is fairly good entertainment. (Scenic, Hastings. Minn.) A very good picture with a good cast. Farnum at his best and one that is bound to please for three days and make money. Town of 18,000. Admission 10c and 35c. (Grand. Elyria, O.) 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. (Trags, Neillsville, Wis.) 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. (Grand, Eldora, la.) This is way above the average he made for Fox. Paramount generally does make them that way. My summary of this is that it is very much better than average program. (Cresco, Cresco. la.) Title should be changed to read “The Man and Exhibitor Fight Alone.” Guess the balance. (Palace, McGehee, Ark.) Lay off of this one. Absolutely no good. Title suggests an action picture, but I did not see any action. Print good. (Empress. Grundy Center. Iowa.) Poor old William is sure a dead one with me. However, he has made worse pictures than this. Paramount sure did their part. Gave him good support and spent some good money in trying to put him over. Just another case of him be ing out of his sphere. (Regent. Marianna, Ark.) Did not figure much on this, so was not disappointed. Farnum was not bad with material given him, but he has lost his drawing power with me. (Strand, Robinson. 111.) A pretty good picture. Not as fast and furious as the Farnums of old, but it was well acted and pleased. (Temple, Bellaire, Ohio.) Very misleading title. Not a Saturday night picture for small towns. No action. (Crescent. Newark, N. Y.) Splendid picture. Was curious to know what he would do under the Paramount banner. An entirely different picture from what you would naturally expect from Bill. Age has mellowed him and he still does splendid work. Paramount will give him his big chance. (Palace, Ashland, Ohio.) William Farnum has lost none of his old time tricks in putting over his stuff. We expected him to fight a little, at least, and that is the only disappointing feature about this picture. When we see Bill we expect some action. (New Geneseo, Geneseo, 111.) MAN WHO PLAYED SQUARE, THE, F, Buck Jones, 7. — Good Jones picture, good comedy relief pretty shots. Business good with this one. We hit about once in every five with Fox. (Strand. Pittsfield, Mass.) Here is another 100 per center. Well pleased with it : so were the customers. New Geneseo, Geneseo, 111.) Here’s a real special feature. It’s the best Fox feature that I have ever had. It’s full of life and action. Pleased 100 per cent. Print in good condition. (Miers. Schoharie. N. Y.) Good Western, if you care for this kind. (Crystal, Tombstone, Ariz.) If your patrons like action, they will eat this one up. It’s the best thing Jones has done in a long time. Red hot melodrama, with lots of action and thrills. Played three days preceding Christmas to better than average business. (Capitol. New Bedford, Mass.) Buck never appeared in a better picture. If they keep on giving him such good material to work on he will beat Mix at the box office. (Majestic, Easthampton, Mass.)