Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1928)

32 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 11, 1928 Trucking up to Truckee in California, the Fox company found the snow that made possible a long sequence in "The Red Dancer of Moscow." The sequence shooting was also made possible by the young gentlemen above. Most prominent are Raoul Walsh, astute director of this and many other dramatic film things, and the chief cameraman of the outfit, Churles G. Clarke, whose name is regularly in up to date news of the trade. FBO Will Begin Sound-Pictures Within Month, Says LeBaron Device to Be Installed in Melrose Avenue Lot March 1 — Several Films on New Program to Have Scores By RAY MURRAY HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 7. — A complete outfit for the recording and reproduction of sound in connection with motion pictures will be installed at the FBO studios here by March 1, according to William LeBaron, vice-president. LeBaron returned from New York Wednesday where he witnessed a demonstration of the new device. Work to Begin Immediately The General Electric Company is sending an engineering expert from the laboratories with the apparatus and work will begin immediately with a production unit especially assigned for this at the studio. Space has been set aside for the installation of the General Electric's new patent. EXPERIMENTS toward the practical de Blanche Mehaffey, actress, and George J. velopment of the device will be made in Hansen, were recently married, left Wednes Hollywood, according to LeBaron, and as rapidly as possible a new technique somewhere between stage and screen will be devised for the filming of talking or operatic pictures. While the tie-up with the Radio Corporation of America, and the General Electric and Westinghouse companies will not immediately affect the product of FBO, it is stated undoubtedly a number of the pictures on the new program will have musical scores on the film. * * * Thomas Meighan returned to the Coast last Thursday, after an extended vacation in Florida and New York. Plans for Meighan's next picture to be filmed by the Caddo Company for Paramount, are well under way and work is scheduled to start about March 1. It is to be a melodramatic tale of rum-running and maritime hijacking. Lewis Milestone is to direct. * * * Funeral services were held Jan. 30, by the 233 Club, for Earle Metcalf, aged 38, former motion picture actor, who fell from an airplane while receiving instructions near Burbank. * * * All West Coast Theatres are celebrating the eighty-first birthday of Thomas lidison this week. Motion pictures made more than a score of years ago are being shown in the 175 houses comprising the West Coast chain. * * * Benny Stoloff, who recently completed "The Gay Retreat," has signed a new lon^-term contract with Fox. This marks Stoloff's sixth year with that company. day on the Chief for New York and Florida on a honeymoon. * * * Ramon Novarro set aside rumors that he was leaving pictures forever, by signing a new contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer last week. He has just completed, "China Bound." * * * Betty Bronson, Blanche Sweet, and "Micky" Neilan left last week on a three months' trip to Europe. They will visit London, Paris, Berlin and Rome. This is Miss Bronson's first trip abroad. George Marshall, supervisor of comedies for Fox Films, has elevated Jasper Blystone to a directorship. He will direct "Daisies Won't Yell" as his first assignment. $ * $ Harold Lloyd is shipping the first pair of horn rimmed glasses he ever wore to the first international film exhibition to be held at the Hague, Holland, April 14 to May 15. The glasses will be one of the feature exhibits which is being staged for the benefit of the Dutch Red Cross. * * * The writers of Hollywood are about to adopt a "code of ethics" for scenarists somewhat on the order of those enjoyed by the legal and medical professions. As an initial move the following well known screen writers met at the Roosevelt hotel last week, Charles Logue, Agnes Christine Johnstone, Bess Meredyth, Barney Glazer and John Goodrich, and agreed on a decalogue, which is now being drafted and will be presented to the Academy. THE STUDIO PREVIEW "The Show-Down" ' ' HP HE Show-Down" is George Bancroft's *■ initial starring vehicle for Paramount. It is heavy fare but serves as an ideal stellar introduction for the big, likeable actor and he delivers with telling effect and conviction. The story, adapted from Houston Branch's play, is a study in psychology. It depicts the ravages of the heat of the tropics upon a small group of men working an oil well, trying to control their emotions yet distrusting each other. The picture has an all-star cast, consisting of Evelyn Brent, as Sibyl Shelton ; Neil Hamilton, as Shelton ; Fred Kohler, as Winters; Helene Lynch as Goldie; Arnold Kent as Fickerell, Leslie Fenton as Kilgore, and George Kuwn as Willie. At the Westlake Theatre, Hollywood, where it was previewed last week, it held the audience in a tense grip of suspense to the last foot. Victor Schertzinger directed the opus, originally called "Honky-Tonk," and has succeeded in getting over the idea of the inborn lust of men cooped up in a dirty, hot camp, without giving offense or resorting to the profanity that usually accompanies such stage plays. "The Show-down" is to the screen what "White Cargo" is to the stage, minus the strong dialog. It is crammed full of dramatic situations, however, and ends in a smashing climax. Evelyn Brent, playing the wife of a man who is attempting to retrieve lost fortune and social position, injects a very human and unique feminine touch and in the more dramatic moments scores heavily. Another excellent role is that played by Helene Lynch as Goldie, a cabaret dancer. A tense and convincing fight is staged by Kohler and Bancroft, one of the best this previewer has witnessed. The story concerns a group of oil workers located far in-land, away from any amusement or diversion. Into this camp comes Shelton and his wife. He leaves her behind when he goes prospecting for oil. During his absence, Cardan, the owner of the camp, knowing the lustful nature of his companions, keeps a watchful eye upon her. The heat, and noise of the pumps, finally drives her to desperation and she asks Cardan to take her away. He refuses. Cardan gives Winters a terrific beating when he discovers the latter has broken into Mrs. Shelton's room. The husband returns and misjudges Cardan's motives. He asks for a settlement and Cardan suggests a hand of show-down poker, the winner to take the oil well and remain. Shelton draws a pair of tens. Cardan's hand contains a pair of kings but he says : "Tens win" without disclosing his hand and walks out of the shack. A splendid play, well acted, well titled, well photographed and very well directed. Victor Milner photographed it, while John Farrow WTOte the titles. —MURRAY. Frances Misses Bobby (Special to Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World) HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 7.— Frances Lee, who began work on a Christie comedy last week, stated it is the first picture she has ever made in which she does not work with Bobby Vernon. Neal Burns is in the leading male role. Evelyn Brent 111 with Tonsilitis HOLLYWOOD. — Evelyn Brent is confined to her home with tonsilitis, having contracted a cold on the Paramount set while working with Adolphe Menjou in "Captain Farreol." LTpon completion of her role, she took to her bed.