Exhibitors Herald (1926)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 59 April 10, 1926 it is not a big special that will class with "The Sea Hawk” and others of that type. Seems to nie that it is too long for the plot and is rather draggy in spots, but is not the kind they will walk out on. (Crossett, Crossett, Ark.) 1 class this a very good picture of the Alaskan gold rush ; although I would not attempt to compare it with the original “Spoilers,” which was the greatest of all Alaskan stories. Ben Lyon and Victor McLaglen carried off the honors, while Anna Q. Nilsson and Viola Dana were very good in the supporting cast This was enjoyed by those who saw it. Business below normal owing to extreme cold weather, it being only 27 below zero here. (Ee.x, Aurora, Minn.) One of First National’s so-called specials which proved to be the greatest flop of any of my pictures this year. Weil advertised but no business. Would consider it a mediocre feature but might please in some localities. Personally I liked the feature. (Auditorium, Libertyville, III.) A Re.x Beach story but it was an awful flop at the B. O. Paid a big price for it and that is all that was big about it. Too long. (Elite. Greenleaf, Kan.) Here is a real picture, one that should draw real business. Opposition too strong for me, though. Wonderful scenes, great acting by all characters, who fitted their parts mighty well. It has a fine story. Cannot boost it too highly. Paper on it is great. (Highland, Guthrie. Okla.) This picture was well received here. A special. (Opera House. Fennimore, Wis.) A real honest to goodness special. T. O. Service said it right in the HERALD of January 23 — a great one without question. A credit to Frank Lloyd and superlatively acted by the best all around cast in many a day. Rain, mud, and then six inches of snow, knocked us out completely, but picture is there and over. I was more sorry that but a few could enjoy it than I was at the financial loss. (Star, Menard. Tex.) About one of the best Alaskan specials ever produced. Almost 100 per cent entertainment. (Rex, Bonners Ferry, Idaho.) Good Northern picture of the gold rush days. Victor McLaglen does some wonderful acting in this as a French trapper and boatman. Lots of action flavored with good comedy. Business good. (Liberty, Hardin, Mont.) WITHOUT MERCY, PDC. Vera Reynolds, Dorothy Phillips, Robert Ames, Rackliffe Pellowes, Lionel Eelmare, 6. — ^Here was a good one. Well acted and everyone doing his or her part well and good. Had bad weather for it, so did not get any money on it, (Amuse, Hart, Mich.) Title apparently did not attract, although cold weather may have been partly to blame. Picture well made, good story end excellent entertainment. (Strand. Alma, Mich.) Mighty good picture. Pleased my patrons. (State, Tawss City. Mich.) Good program picture. (Char-Bell, Rochester, Ind.) Just a program drama. Just got by. (New. Hoosiok Palls, N. Y.) Very good pro^am picture. (Palace, Ashland. O.) A great audience picture. Will please the mass. (Capitol, Hillsboro, Iowa.) WIZARD OF 02, THE. Chad.. Larry Semon. Dorothy Dwan, Bryant Washhara, Mary Carr, Char3i« 6* — This is a dandy good picture ir your folks like slapstick comedy. My folks enjoyed it for a change and the kids were wild about it. They sure did raise the roof off the house. (Lone Star, Ovalo, Tex.) I note some exhibitor knocking this production. My patrons complimented this and we found it so much different from the rest, we will report it extra good. (Palace, Mt. Pleasant, Tex.) WOMANHANDLED, FP, Richard Dix, Esther Ralston, 7. — Richard Dix’s latest, and it is a dan^ picture, with more laughs than any two of his previous productions and a very clever (Grand, Pierre. S. D.) Snowed both days and did as much business in two days as I did in fau weather three days with "The Gold Rush.” Get it, boys, and step on it. Richard knows what t^y like and he gives it to them in Paramount style. (Palace, Burkhurnett. Tex.) Very nice picture but wild and impossible story and seempoor directorial spots. However, it pleased and drew fairly well, so I can class it as okay, ^rand, Robinson, HI.) Just about the right picture for the average audience. Has wills, action, comedy and pleasing situations. Uix is at his best and Esther Ralston was never more oeautiful and appealing. Drew fairly well and everyone had a good word for it. Dix looks like a fixture in stardom. (Temple, Bellaire, O.) A right clever show with the wrong title. As envortainment it Is of the best. The story moves «ong: in a semi-bumorous vein and Dix made some friends. Why it should be titled as it is A don t know, but I do know that it was a dif***'i”j picture from what four out of five asPeeted, for which I am thankful. I suppose it 8 a hard problem to find box office titles for all the pictures that are made, but “Womanhandled" did not fit this one. The larger part of it is Western, with good streaks of humor running through it. It was satisfactory except at the box office. What the public wants now-a-days I don’t know. (Columbia, Columbia City, Ind.) An A-1 show. The title was wrong in that the most of the picture was with Western settings and the title indicates a society picture. Good flashes of comedy relieved the story and made it well worth showing and satisfactory entertainment for every class. (Columbia, Columbia City, Ind.) Equally as good as his previous pictures and drew better than “The Lucky Devil.” (Rosewin, Dallas, Tex.) Fair picture. Business fair. (Lyric, Morrison, 111.) Include this one in your next bookings and then step on it, for you are sure going to please them all. As I write this report they are laughing fit to kill. My hat is off to you Mr. Dix. Keep up the good work. (Empress. Shenandoah, la.) What’s the use for me to say any more except Richard Dix? If he isn't a real star, I never have seen one. I think he is the best among the men. He is a real he man and they have had enough Vaseline heroes what the public want is men. He is what the folks want to see. He looks real and acts real. His smile is worth a million to the box offices of the American theatre. (Moon. Neligh, Neb.) Entertaining and pleasing. (Majestic, Camden, S. C.) Pleased and did a good business. (Saunders, Harvard, 111.) Good all the way through. Lots of laughs and action. (New Geneseo, Geneseo, III.) Dix is there as a star. By that I mean he can get them in and they will like the picture, although it's light. Esther Ralston is there. She never appears to better advantage than in this one. Paramount has a star in Esther. Book this one and it will make you money. (Lyric, Frosthurg, Md. ) WOMAN HATER. THE, W. Helene Chadwick, Olive Brook, Dale Fuller, Helen Dunbar, John Harroii, 6,S51.— Personally enjoyed it for a change. However, patronage did not enthuse, no comments, a few walkouts. Title has no drawing power. Some good acting, absolutely clean. A good strong comedy will help put it over. (Seik, Scotia, Neb.) One of the best in the group. Quite a change in Helene since "The Dark Swan." Shows very well that she can be ugly or very pretty. Some good acting on Clive Brooks’ part, too. Here is some actor, men. (Star, Tuckerman. Ark.) WOMAN OF THE WORLD. A. FP, Pola Negri, Charles Emmett Mack, Holmes Herbert, Blanche Mehaffey. Chester Conklin, Lucille Ward, Dot Farley, 6,353. — This picture was the greatest surprise that I have had in years. It was really good, and I think that it went over as near 100 per cent as any picture that I have run in a long time. Chester Conklin sure did put the picture over. He was a scream. In fact, he made the stately Pola laugh right out loud. (Moon. Neligh, Neh.) A fine picture for small town house. Many of them said this was her best. Pola was not liked here hut if she makes a few more like this she will he a card. I have trouble getting paper out of the San Francisco office. (Reel Joy, King City, Cal.) Here is a picture that fooled us. Story is good and lots of laughs in it. We expected something sad because Pola was in it, but it wasn’t. It was lively and interesting. (New Geneseo. Geneseo, III.) A very weak production. Nothing to it. Poor box office picture. Pleased about 1 per cent. All others complained. (Scenic, Bolfe, Iowa.) Only fair. Lost money on her as usual. (Lyric, Morrison, III.) This one went over good here and pleased 99 per cent, as I had but one complaint. Many favorable comments. One lady said she was disappointed because Pola did not wear more fine gowns, but you just can't please them all at the same time it seems. Chester Conklin does his stuff and keeps the audience in good humor. I never liked Pola Negri before and have said a lot of unpleasant things about her, hut I take it all back and sincerely hope she does not hit an open switch somewhere now that she is on the right track. (Empress. Shenandoah, la.) Few people, including the exhibitor, highly appreciated the genius of Pola Negri and her acting, the art of which is profound. She does not take well here with the crowd but 1 can afford to exhibit her because she raises the character of my theatre with the best people. (EUte-Kozy, Metropolis, 111.) As a box office attraction Pola Negri is absolutely a dead one as far as our neighborhood is concerned. This picture is really very good, hut as far as business, any unknown star could do as good. If Pola Negri is a good bet in your negihborhood, book it; if not, leave it alone. (Bugg, Chicago, III.) A good picture, but not her best. A different type vehicle. Has some good comedy, especially sub-titles. (Char-Bell, Rochester, Ind.) WOMAN’S FAITH. A, U, Virginia ValU, Percy Marmcnt, 6. — Sunday night business good. Patrons well pleased. It is a Sunday night picture that should please any town where the people are the least bit religious. The scenes are very beautiful and taking it all together it is a very fine picture that should go anyivhere. (Ideal. Chatenugay. N. Y.) We are going to give you the lowdown on this quick. If you don’t live in a strong Catholic community don't run this at all. If you do live in such a community be sure and advertise it as a picture very suitable for people of Catholic belief. For general appeal as entertainment for movie fans it is certainly no good. If you can put it on for a benefit for Catholic church, it will go over good. We live in a Catholic town and didn’t get mobbed for running It. but advertise it for what it is or tell them to keep it, for it’s the bunk as entertainment. Cast do very well with what story there is to it. (Rex. Colby, Wis.) If you have a Catholic community hook it and make some money on it, but on second thought I do believe Carl Lacmmic doesn’t really believe that he can put out this picture and make an exhibitor come back for more like it. A good advertiser for the Catholic faith, good scenery and good acting, but no good for the average small town. Before booking be sure you have enough Catholic people to make it pay out. (Paramount. Harvard, Neb.) This is an extra fine picture that has a limited appeal. If you are in a Catholic community buy it and advertise it as such and the picture will do the rest. Had we known it to be the kind of picture it is, we would have done some extra advertising, as wc are in a Catholic community. (De Luxe, Spearville, Kans.) A good picture but failed at the box office for us. (Grand, Rainier, Ore.) Percy is a poor sheik and the public knows it and won’t come in to see him. The picture is just simply terrible. It's one of Carl’s sermons that the public doesn't want. (Electric, Chillicothe, Mo.) Sunday night to good business. Patrons well pleased. The scenes are very beautiful and, taking it all together, is a very good picture. (Empire, Manitowoc, Wis.) Not a picture to please, except your Catholic trade. However, it was good to this class of trade. (Princess, Elwood, Ind.) WYOMING WILDCAT, THE, FBO, Tom Tyler, Billy Bennett, 5. — Fine entertainment. This star is not a comer, he’s here, with the goods. Compares with any of them, and that kid and dog makes him strong with the children. (Silver Family, Greenville. Mich.) Broke all Saturday night records in seven years with this one. This star is coming big here. (Columbia. Athens, O. ) A good clean little picture which gave good satisfaction here. But oh I What a name. Five reels. (Strand, Warren, Minn.) z ZANDER THE GREAT, MGM, Marion Davies, Harrison Ford, Holbrook Bliiin, Harry Myers, Harry Watson, George Siegmann. Hobart Bosworlh, 6,500. — Not a big picture, but a pleasing comedy-drama which will send everybody home with a smile. Worth about one-third as much as “Little Old New York.” Did fair business considering the heat. Believe it would have been a clean-up in cooler weather, due to the national publicity of Hearst's papers. This is a real small town picture. (Princess, Chilton, Wis.) With all the titles that are changed for pictures without any real reason, why on earth did they let this one stand? Fair enough picture, but that name sure killed it here. In New York it would get over on the strength of the play, but it was dead wood out in the wide open spaces. (Star, Menard, Tex.) Marion Davies in an entirely new role. Pleased usual patronage on Monday and Tuesday. Metro-Goldwyu pictures please, once you get them in. Titles not exactly suitable for small town in most cases but the pictures arc above the average for entertainment. (Palace, Syracuse. Neb.) Very good one. Just right for Sunday. Print a little too dark hut step on it and they'll be satisfied coming out. Good for any theatre and will satisfy better class as poor one. (Royal. Kimball, S. D.) Print very dim and the picture was spoiled. Just a fair picture. (Opera House, Montour Falls. N. Y.) This is a good program picture, although it does not draw them in very good. (Alhambra. Garrison, N. D.) A very good picture. (Colome, Colome, S. D.) Very good picture. You can’t go wrong on this one, so boost it. (Atlantic. Atlantic, Mass.) A real audience picture action, comedy and pathos. Fine entertainment. Boost it. (Rex. Wahoo, Neb.) Splendid Western. Seemed like good pulling power. I got rained out. (Rosewin. Dallas. Tex.) A good picture but didn't do well at the box office for us due, we think, to her former appearance in so many costume productions. The photography was very poor. (Grand, Rainier, Ore.) Good big picture, star and cast fine, story none too strong but gave general satisfaction. (Silver Family, Greenville, Mich.) Good picture but failed to draw. (Riviera. Anderson. Ind.) A very good picture that went over good. (Crystal, Tombstone, Ariz.)