Exhibitors Herald (1925)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 37 April 11, 1925 picture Carey ever made. The kid, Frankie Darro, can’t be beat. (Community, Elgin, Neb.) The best Carey in the series. Kept the audience’s attention throughout. More like this and Carey will win our heart. (Temple, Aberdeen, Miss.) This is a good railroad melodrama which went over in nice shape. I think it is the best one from Producers Distributing Company to date. (Royal, Spirit Lake, la.) Played this to a full house and they ate it up. Plenty of action, but nothing offensive to those who do not like Westerns. You can’t go wrong on this last series of Careys, as they are the stuff and pay good dividends. (Legion, Holyrood, Kan.) A real picture. It has nearly everything. Buy it and it will please. They will tell you it’s a good one. (Royal, Palestine, 11.) Well, Brother Carey is" getting better all the time. He sure will be one of the biggest box values of the Western type if he stays with Hunt Stromberg. Carey will make 'Tom Mix step fast soon. “Roaring Rails” a good picture. (Riviera, Anderson, Ind.) Best Carey to date. Kid in pictures (we forgot his name) does some great work. (Davison. Waupun, Wis.) Talk about a real picture 1 This is one. Boys, if you want to fill the “red ink bottle,” book this one and bill it big as a circus. Well made and wonderfully directed. (Bridge, Petersburg, W. Va.) Consider this the best Harry Carey I ever had. Business fair on account of bad weather. (Grove, Fox River Grove, 111.) Carey has been making some good Westerns for P. D. C., and this semi-Western is another feather in his cap. The picture is good, plenty of action. Pleased well here to better than average business. (Cozy. Columbia, Mo.) Very good little picture. Best Carey we have played yet. Carey liked here pretty well. (Opera House. Clarkson, Neb.) Good attendance. Pleased everyone. We show Carey pictures often and find them pleasing. (Strand, Dothan, Ala.) Another score for Harry. Full of pep and action. One we all like. (Strand. Samson, Ala.) Best Harry Carey we ever had. Plenty of action. Get it. (Colonial, Paul, Idaho.) The best Carey have ever seen. It’s different from other railroad stories. Audience well pleased. Business good. (Highland, Audubon, N. J.) One of the best railroad Western dramas ever shown in my house. The little French orphan boy was great. The picture pleased young and old. (Strand, Florala, Ala.) Very good. You can always depend upon a Harry Carey picture here. Played with Gang comedy. Drew comments galore. (Orpheum. Converse, Ind.) This is a new one for Harry Carey, which is about the best he has ever made. (City Opera House, Frederick, Md.) Good action picture. One of the best Carey’s I have had the pleasure of showing. (Gem, Wichita Falls, Tex.) If you like action, book this one. Harry Carey does some real nice work. (Halfway, Halfway, Mich.) I am like my patrons, we think this is the best Harry has made. It was well liked by everybody. Different from his other pictures. Moral tone was O. K. I am satisfied. This one can be used on a Sunday. Don’t be afraid to boost this one. (Electric, Tilden, HI.) Well, all Careys get us good fair houses, but this one didn’t. The reason was that we had just had a picture of a like kind, but a lot said it was better. It was a good one, full of snap and good work. Do not miss it. (Amuse, Hart, Mich.) ROUGHNECK, THE, George O’Brien, Billie Dove, 8. — Ran this one on Thursday to good business. It is as rough as the name implies. It is a hard task for a good star to carry a bunch of hasbeens. I would call O’Brien and Billy Dove very good in this one. and the picture is all okay as a program. When you say that, you give it a full measure of praise. (Ideal, Chateaugay, N. Y.) Take a tip. Don’t draw this for Sunday if you are in a town where they want wholesome pictures. The roughnecks will like it, but the better class don’t want this kind. It’s one of those South of Suva things with a number of suggestive scenes wihch are all too plain. Might be all right for beachcombers, but people in an agricultural country will not stand for these and be your friends. (Empress, Beresford, S. D.) Too much hula dancing. One very suggestive scene should have been cut out. The sooner they stop making these kind of pictures the better it will be for the small town. It hurts business every time. When, Oh when, will they stop it? (Star, Newton, HI.) This picture may not please the religious bunch, as there is plenty of nakedness in it. However, it is there and will satisfy 90 per cent. It is life as it is. Nothing suggestive in it. Clean and lots of action. (New Geneseo, Geneseo. III.) Very, very good. Has everything in it that will appeal to the class of people who attend shows in rural communities. Fox seems to have the pictures this time and is selling them. Worth the price. They are new and the advertising on them is good. (Bailey, Waverly, Kan.) s SAINTED DEVIL, A, FP, Rudolph Valentino, Nita Naldi, Helen D’Algy, Dagmar Godowsky, 9. — Valentino dead here. Poorest photography of any Paramount run in this theatre. Slow and draggy. No box office value, consequently lost plenty of money. (Char-Bell, Rochester, Ind.). Picture fair. Knowing that picture flopped all over (from reports) I advertised more than usual and picture went over. It would have died the death of a dog if I hadn’t. Advertised this picture featuring Valentino’s name very big. Audience disappointed in picture. Said it was only fair. I agree with them. (Regent, Albany. N. Y.). I think this was a very poor picture. My people did not like it and they told their friends, so on the second night, nobody there. (Temple, Yates Center, Kan.), Our patrons do not care for this type of picture. Business fair. Valentino is an excellent ad for “Staycomb” and the live wire exhibitor can get a window tie-up from the barber supply houses. (Odeon, Chandler. Okla. ). “A Sainted Devil” should be called “A Tame Wop.” Even his most ardent admirers left in disgust ; many walked out before the end. I put it on with a special dance prologue, which helped the program, but could not save the picture. (Lyceum. Thief River Falls, Minn.). “How the mighty have fallen.” Goodbye, Rudolph. (Rex, Wahoo, Neb.). Excellent picture. Good drawing card. Photography, however, not so good. Moral tone good. Sunday, yes. (Grand, Newcomerstown, Ohio). Splendid picture. Interesting from start to finish. Many said Rudy’s finest picture. Packed my house for three days. (Colonial, Washington C. H., O.). Good story, good acting, but public want more modern stories. Lost money on this, due to bad weather. Also think Valentino does not draw as he once did. (Crystal, Ligonier, Ind.) Much better than “Monsieur Beaucaire.” Has more story and action. Receipts disappointing. Valentino has lost out. Doesn’t draw anything like former pictures, but “A Sainted Devil” drew a little more than the average special at that. Star does too much posing and too little acting. Did you notice how he looked when he got mad? Very serious, according to the plot, but the audience laughed right in his face. (Cresco, Cresco, Iowa.) When I played “Beaucaire” and flopped, I blamed it on the type of picture, costume, etc., but after playing this one, which is Rudy’s style, I am convinced that my patrons are off him. I really think that Valentino’s estimated popularity, over-advertising, etc., has prejudiced the masses against him, at least so in smaller cities. Drew very poorly for me and did not please but very few ; 8,600 feet. (Strand, Robinson, III.) One of the biggest flops I ever had. I must admit that personally I thought this the best thing Valentino has yet done, but my patrons’ unanimous opinion was that it is just a lot of posing. (Liggett, Madison, Kan.) A fine picture with many points of appeal. Better than “Monsieur Beaucaire” as a drawing card. For some reason, Valention does not do record breaking business here, though all the women seem to like him. (Virginia, Fairmont. W. Va.) Too much Valentino. (Crescent, Newark, N. J.) Drew well on two bad days. Not as good as “Monsieur Beaucaire,” but he does some wonderful acting. Made a small profit on Sunday and Monday. (Rosewin, Dallas, Tex.) Liked this much better than “Monsieur Beaucaire.” I think the sheik is losing his hold. Business fair. (Regent, Bogata, N. J.) SANDRA, FN, Barbara LaMarr, 8. — A picture that is enhanced by splendid presentation of the star, and I believe that this production has placed Barbara LaMarr firmly in the front ranks of stardom, and, if placed in a story that will lend itself as better film material than does “Sandra.” I believe she will be a knockout. We did wonderful holiday business three days with “Monsieur Beaucaire” as opposition. (Cozy, Winchester. Ind.) Barbara does too much posing and mouth puckering. The director undoubtedly let her run loose in this. You won’t get many compliments on “Sandra.” (Marvel, Carlinville, 111.) Showed this picture just before holidays. Seems like they didn’t want any show. Can’t class it with “The White Moth.” (Grand, Shawneetown, HI.) Flopped on this one. hut not fault of picture. Personally thought it good. Had favorable comments. Didn’t raise price : perhaps that was reason. Barbara popular here, too. Just one of those things you can’t explain. Admission 10 and 20. (Idle Hour, Monroe, Ga.) Well produced but unconvincing drajna. Miss LaMarr’s habit of continually pursing her lips doesn’t improve the picture. (Lincoln, Pittsburgh. Pa.) If you don’t run for the cellar when this is over it’s because you have more nerve than I had. (K. P., Pittsfield. III.) Very beautiful and gorgeous, but did not please my patrons. Not as good as “The White Moth.” (Majestic. Mauston, Wis.) About the worst picture from every standpoint we have shown for months. They walked out on this one in droves, (Majestic. Las Vegas, Nev.) We ran this picture only one day. account of a road show the next, but it was a shame. There is a picture that should be run at least three ; in fact, every LaMarr. Maybe others don’t think so. I think Miss LaMarr is a knockout. Wish she was with Paramount. (Judith, Lewistown. Mont.) Fair story, hurt by excess footage. Could have been done in seven reels. Business just fair. (Crystal. Wayne, Neb.) SAWDUST TRAIL, THE, U, Hoot Gibson. Josie Sedgwick, David Torrence, Charles French, 6. — This gave satisfaction. Has some good comedy touches. (Lincoln. Pittsburgh. Pa.) Oh, Boy ! What a picture. Comedy, lots of good clean action. I think this is by far the best Gibson has done yet. Played Friday and Saturday to good business. The women liked it ; also the men. Pleased all classes. (Rex. Albion, Neb.) A very good picture but they want Hoot in Westerns or not at all. Some told me. “A good show.” Some said, “Not worth a darn.” (Jefferson, Jefferson City. Tenn.) This is the first Gibson picture we ever played and pleased our patrons. (Ark, Logansport, Ind.) Taken from “Overland Red” in “Saturday Evening Post.” Rather tame in action and plot. If they like Desmond it will get by. Prints from Universal on their new stuff are in fine shape. (Queen. Ft. Stockton, Tex.) Did not think this is the kind of picture my patrons want Hoot in. The box office shows that it isn’t. However, this is a mighty good picture with lots of laughs and thrills. (Highland. Guthrie, Okla.) Very good. Plenty of action. Will please 100 per cent. (State, Two Harbors, Mich.) Hoot did fine. He could not have done better. More bad weather, but still holding on. Good warm theatre, a good picture and a smile will catch them. (New, Berryville, V.) Here is absolutely the best picture Hoot has made so far. That statement goes for myself and my patrons. Hoot had the house in an uproar from start to finish with his funny antics and droll comedy. My business away above the average in spite of inclement weather conditions. Those who saw the picture the first day became first class walking advertisements for the second day. Let’s have more like this one. It may not be strictly Western, but it was certainly a box office treat. (Columbia, Mo.) This is about the best that Hoot has done to date. Has comedy, thrills, and plenty of action and went over with the audience 100 per cent. Josie Sedgwick deserves a lot of credit too. (Opera House, Lenore, Kan.) This is the best picture we have ever played “Hoot” in. It pleased practically 100 per cent. (Capitol, Delphos, O.) Hoot sure does his stuff in this picture. Drew good against a circus, on Saturday. Boost it to the limit. (Cozy, Wagoner, Okla.) While not strictly a Western, this one contains enough Western stuff to satisfy and has quite a few laughs besides. Pleased all who saw it, but played it on Saturday after playing one on New Year’s Day, and the people are too conservative here to spend more than 25 cents a week for anything besides groceries, so lost money. They sure do hug the quarters in this burg. No exhibitor will go wrong on playing this one. (Opera House, Baldwin, Wis.) An enjoyable comedy drama with Hoot as the sissy college boy who joins the wild west show. Was made from Pelley’s “Saturday Evening Post” story. “Courtin’ Calamity.” (S. T.. Parker. S. D. ) This was a dandy. Pull of ginger. In fact, so good you want to be sure and get it. Can’t go wrong. (Amuse. Hart, Mich.) Best Gibson in a long time. Pleased them all. (Royal, Cherryvale, Kan.) This is a very good program picture and proved to be a good Saturday night feature. (Pastime. Granville, N. Y.) Fits him like a glove. Circus, society. Western. Good story well done. For an entertainer you won’t get much better. As a week-end program it can’t he heat. Drew excellent house and pleased everybody. Best we have seen from Universal in a long time. (Queen. Ft. Stockton, Tex.) Our fans just ate this one up. We think that it and “Out of Luck” the best Gibsons that we have played. Book it. (Elmac, Maple Rapids. Mich.) Society comedy Western. Drew good business against stiff competition and pleased 100 per cent. (Grand. Rainier. Ore.) The best of his “booh” pictures. As good or better than “Out of Luck.” (Alamo. Moody, Tex.) Very fine picture and pleased all. In my estimation Hoot’s popularity is due to his versatility and am glad that Universal does not make rubber stamp westerns with him. (Robinhood. Grand Haven. Mich.) Fair. Gibson, if placed in proper stories, will he a winner where people like outdoor stuff filled with wholesome comedy action, and who doesn’t like to laugh ?