Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1929)

74 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD June 16, 1928 Broadlands theatre, Broadlands, III. — Small town patronage. GOOD AS GOLD: Buck Jones— Very good. Business not so good on account of tent show competition. If we had this kind of competition often we would positively have to close down In sixty days. — E. C. Bays, Globe theatre, Buena Vista, Va. — ^General patronage. TUMBLING RIVER: Tom Mix— Not much to this, old stuff and if it wasn't for Tony what a flop it would have been. Tom hurt himself in a fall off his horse, but, he fully recovered in too short a time. Some pretty scenes. Picture business in small towns is growing less and less because of poor prints. Five reels. — Giacoma Bros., Crystal theatre. Tombstone, Ariz. — General patronage. HONOR BOUND: George O'Brien— May 22-23. A fairly good picture of its type. Was not generally liked. Eight reels. — J. C. Kennedy, Empress theatre, Akron, la — ^General patronage TONY RUNS WILD: Tom Mix— April 7-8 Good Western. One of the best I have had for a long time and they liked it. Six reels. — H. W. Batchelder, Gait theatre. Gait, Cal. — ^Small town patronage. WHAT PRICE GLORY: Special cast— May 28-29. A little disappointed. Personally thought picture has been over-rated by you boys in your reports, as have had a number of pictures that I considered better from entertainment standpoint. I had my ears all set for a cannon but nothing popped but a firecracker That's the way I feel on this one personally. But evidently I had drunk too rnuch sauerkraut juice or something else that's manufactured in Arkansas, that affected my sense of appreciation, for most of my crowd thought the picture elegant. Well, I had ding-donged it into them that this was such a fine picture that they believed it, and if you believe it, it's so ! Gosh ! Barnum was some kid, wasn't he ? One born every minute in his time, and look how the birth rate has increased since then. Oh yes, it's a good picture, plenty of action and comedy. Battle scenes wonderful, especially in ninth reel. However, to use three reels to finish the picture on the love affair of the French maid and the two officers after inspiring battle scenes rather makes an anticlimax and causes the last of the picture to seem draggy. One can't drop from the sublime to the ridiculous without sense of values lost, and in this case makes one think there is "something missing" to satisfy one's sense of what the picture ought to be. On account of considerable advanced admission it is not proper to rate the percentage on this picture except from numl>er attending which would rate the picture around sixty-five per cent though it grossed over one hundred per cent on money received. Twelve reels.— John W. Crabtree, Joyland theatre. Corning, Ark. — General patronage. HILLS OF PERIL: Buck Jones— May 24-25. Good. A typical Jones picture. Five reels. — Wm. E. Ti-agsdorf, Trags theatre, Neillsville, Wis.— Small town patronage. MONTE CRISTO: John Gilbert— April 14-15. Reissue. This is a good picture and drew better than some of the late ones. Eight reels.H. W. Batchelder, Gait theatre. Gait, Cal. — Small town patronage. GOING CROOKED: Special cast— May 2. Very good picture. Small house.— A. C. Betts, Powers theatre. Red Creek, N. Y.— General patronage. IZ ZAT SO: Special cast — Very good entertainment that will plea.se all classes.E. C. Bays, Globe theatre, Buena Vista, Va. — General patronage. A MAN FOUR SQUARE: Buck Jones— April 21-22. This was or has been a good Western, but is all shot to pieces, at least the print I got was. Five reels.— H. W. Batchelder, Gait theatre. Gait, Cal.— Small town patronage. OVER THE HILL: Mary Carr— April 28-29. Reissue. Don't think I can add to what has been said. It is a wonderful picture and everyone should see it. Eleven reels.— H. W. Batchelder, Gait theatre. Gait, Cal. — Small town patronage. OVER THE HILL: Special cast-May 24. Brought thifi^ back for the third time in this city and did fair business. Although I could easily tell it isn't a 1928 production, I was surprised at the good condition of the print. Eleven reels.E. C. Bays, Globe theatre, Buena Vista, Va.— General patronage. Gotham THE ROSE OF KILDARE: Pat O'Malley-10%. May 14. Dandy picture which was liked by the majority but did not draw such a good businees. But on a dead night 10 per cent is good for any picture. We had to change the date of showing on account of a roadshow and that spoiled the whole thing. Not the fault of the picture. Step on it, boys, and make yotu'selves some money. Seven reels. — Rudolf Duba, Royal theatre, Kimball, S. D.— General patronage. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer THE ENEMY: Gish-Forbes— 60%. May 2-3-4. Fair picture; but poor drawing power. Too much the same thing over and over. — C. H. Ketterman, Colonial theatre. Alma, Kan. — General patronage. IN OLD KENTUCKY: Special cast— 50%. This is a nice program picture. Nothing to rave about but will satisfy. Seven reels.— H. K. Allen, Broadlands theatre. Broadlands, 111. — Small town patronage. LOVE: Gilbert-Garbo— 40%. May 13-14-15. A good picture, but not the high priced special we bought it for. Bad weather kept the percentage down some. Eight reels. — C. P. Washman, Roxy theatre, Skellytown, Tex. — Small town patronage. BEN HUR: Special cast— 92%. May 19-20-21. Well, boys, all I can do is just tell you the truth. Here is a big one and will bring in people that never come to your theatre. What's more it satisfies them, so don't miss out on it to cash in. Nevertheless, this made good business but on my best two nights in the week, third night small and that made it drop below "The Covered Wagon" record. "The Wagon" was the show for us. Twelve reels. — Rudolf Duba, Royal theatre, Kimball, S. D. — General patronage. BUTTONS: Jackie Coogan— 34%. May 27-28. Good picture and well liked. Enough comedy to keep them in good humor and plenty of excitement to keep them pepped up. It will be seen from percentage that this picture did not click, even though we gave it more publicity than usual. Not the fault of the picture. This is the poorest season of the year for us. Second night percentage higher than usual. Film okay, but some scenes too dark for our projection. Seven reels. — Tivenan & Wolfe, Screenland theatre, Nevada, Ohio. — Small town patronage. BECKY: Sally O'Neil— 70%. May 30-31. Fair comedy drama well received. Personally I thought it punk but my crowd thought otherwise and had many favorable comments. Metro puts out pictures that please my crowd fully seventy-five per cent, which I consider exceptionally good, considering the variety of patronage I have. Seven reels.^John W. Crabtree, Joyland theatre. Corning, Ark. — General patronage. THE CROWD: Boardman-Murray— April 9. Good feature, well received. Nine reels. — W. O. Doyle, Capitol theatre, Huntsville, Mo. — Small town patronage. THE PATSY: Marion Davies— Excellent entertainment.— J. L. Seiter, Selma theatre, Selma, Cal. — General patronage. THE SMART SET: William Haines— Had this one set early on release but jerked it because of one or two misleading repoi-te. Don't just remember who threw the monkey wrench in their report on this, but will state whether critic or exhibitor, he's all wet. The picture is fine and different from the usual run and no one need but feel proud to have shown it. — Joe Hewitt, Strand theatre, Robinson, 111. — General patronage. THE SMART SET: William Haines— May 13-14. A dandy picture, pleased most everyone. Not as clever a picture as "West Point." Seven reels. — J. C. Kennedy, Empress theatre, Akron, la. — General patronage. THE ROAD TO ROMANCE: Ramon Navarro— May 26. The cast in this one is enough to assure you of a good picture. But brother if you have a thousand amps put it behind the second reel, and if you burn it up there's nothing lost for it's so dark you can scarcely see it. Metro, please come out of it and make night scenes that at least can be identified as such. Even at that we made a thin dime and everyone satisfied. Print fair, outside of the above comment. Seven reels. — Halliburton and Burns, Texline theatre, Texline, Tex. — Small town patronage. ROSE MARIE: Joan Crawford — May 5-6-7. Personally didn't care for the picture, or rather the story. However, think it pleased the majority who saw it. Eight reels.^. C. Kennedy, Empress theatre, Akron, la. — General patronage. LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT: Lon Chaney— May 27-28. Very good. Fair at box office. Patrons seemed pleased with it. Seven reels. — J. C. Kennedy, Empress theatre, Akron, la. — General patronage. THE STUDENT PRINCE: Special cast^^ust fair, did not draw, quite a few stated they did not like it.— Russell C. Dey, Town Hall theatre, Reedville, Va. — General patronage. ROOKIES: Dane-Arthur— Apri) 27. A corking good comedy but of course it is expected of them. Played it a bit late but it went over fairly well. Print fair. Seven reels. — Halliburton and Burnfc, Texline theatre, Texline, Tex. — Small town patronage. TILLIE THE TOILER: Marion Davies— April 2L Patrons a bit disappointed in thi.s. But is a fair program picture. Print good. Seven reels. — Halliburton and Burns, Texline theatre, Texline, Tex. — Small town patronage. TWELVE MILES OUT: John Gilbert— May 12. A fair story well done but not the kind for such a small town as this is. Print good. Seven reek.— Halliburton and Burns, Texline theatre, Texline, Tex. — Small town patronage. THE UNKNOWN: Chaney-Crawford— May 5. To say it is a wonderful picture puts it mildly. Chaney is certainly the berries and Crawford is all of that and more. Sorry to say our print was very poor in places. Seems that Metro likes to make 'em dark. Seven reels. — Halliburton and Burns, Texline theatre, Texline, Tex. — Small town patronage. AFTER MIDNIGHT: Norma Shearer— May 19. A good picture, but no drawing card for the little places. Print good. Seven reels. — Halliburton and Burns, Texline theatre, Texline, Tex. — Small towm patronage. BABY UnNE: Dane-Arthur — Metro, shame on you to hand us this awful insult. You never should have released it. Wish Louis Mayer and some of your big guys who sanctioned this "foul" had to face patrons like we do after a fiasco like this. And by the way Metro, while we're crabbing let's get it all out at once. You know in the pa/it you have usually finished the season pretty strong, but from the way it looks this year you have to hustle like fury to finish even in minor league style. — Joe Hewitt, Strand theatre, Robinson, 111. — General patronage. THE BUGLE CALL: Jackie Coogan— Not quite so good as some of Jackie's other features, but above average feature in entertainment and drawing power. — W. O. Doyle, Capitol theatre, Huntsville, Mo. — Small town patronage. MAN, WOMAN AND SIN: John Gilbert— The same old triangle but very well done by an excellent cast. We found no criticism to make on account of the story being risque as some reports have shown it to be. It is a story so true to life that while it may be startling to many, yet the man about town and the woman of that kind knows that it is true today and especially is it true in the larger towns and that's what makes the "innocent" small town people sit up and take notice. Seven reels. — Giacoma Bros., Crystal theatre. Tombstone, Ariz. — General patronage. BODY AND SOUL: Lionel Barrymore — Some mighty good acting by Barrymore, otherwise the same old story. Seven reels. — Giacoma Bros., Crystal theatre. Tombstone, Ariz. — General patronage. WEST POINT: William Haines— May 28. This is a comedy that is a knockout. Clever original stuff with some splendid shots of "West Point" ending with a big football game and some actual scenes, of the big Army-NaNT football game at Chicago. Eight reels. — H. K. Allen, Broadlands theatre, Broadlands. 111. — Small town patronage. ADAM ANT) EVIL: Special cast— Neat little picture. Good entertainment. Seven reels. — Wm. E. Tragsdorf. Trags theatre, Neillsville, Wis. — Small town patronage. SPRING FEVER: William Haines— Haines well liked. All his features please our people. Should please any audience. — W. O. Doyle, Capitol theatre, Huntsville, Mo. — Small town patronage. Paramount SPEEDY: Harold Lloyd— 94%. May 23-24. A very good comedy. One of Lloyd's best, if not the best, was the majority's opinion. Eight reels. — Mrs. Hulda J. Green, Gem theatre, Greenriver, Utah. — General patronage. 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