Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1928)

20 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 3, 1928 "Home Towners" All-Talkie Makes Stage Play Force on Screen Premiere of Warner Picture Marks Another Milestone in Sound Pictures — Accepts Limitations of "Legit" (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 30.— The world premiere last Tuesday night at the Warner theatre of "The Home Towners," a Warner Brothers alltalkie, adopted from George M. Cohan's play, carried far more significance than the mere fact that here was another Warner all-talkie. It demonstrated conclusively that through the medium of talking pictures a stage play can be reproduced on the screen with much the same fidelity and force of the stage performance itself. WITH the presentation of "The Home Towners," another milestone has been reached in talking pictures, for this is the first all-talkie made directly from a stage play. If memory is correct from having seen the stage play some three years ago, the screen version is practically line for line identical with the stage play. Such fidelity in adaptation from stage to screen is a new thing in motion pictures. The producers are to be congratulated. "The Home Towners" probably points the way for all-talkie versions of stage plays in the future. With only a few exceptions, the screen version accepts all the limitations of the stage. These exceptions are a short shot of a train pulling out of a station; a sequence where the two main characters are heard and seen riding in an automobile and the same two characters conversing before an entrance to a railroad station. Robert McWade, acting the same part he played in the stage play, that of a narrowminded small towner, steals the show from Richard Bennett, and gives an excellent characterization. The acting and voices of all the characters, including McWade, Bennett, Gladys Brockwell and Doris Kenyon, are about all that could be desired. The direction of Bryan Foy stands out as the best in all-talkie direction to date. "The Home Towners" demonstrates how effective an all-talkie can be when good actors are given good lines to speak. The premiere of "The Home Towners" was attended by a capacity house which applauded both the picture and the personal appearance of its star, Richard Bennett. In a curtain speech at the close of the picture, Bennett expressed the belief that talking pictures would prove an incentive to ' legit" actors to give even better performances, because in making a talking picture the performance is not lost with the end of the play; it is preserved in film and record for the future as a testimony to the worth of the actor. The picture was preceded by three Vitaphone shorts, Jesse Stafford and His Movietone Political Ballyhoo Hurts Theatre Business (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 30.— The Movietone political ballyhoo for the Democratic presidential campaign being used nightly on Times Square may be great stuff for the Democratic party, but right now it is not so good to some of the moving picture theatres in the district. This free attraction is drawing greater crowds every night, and it runs until election day. Managers claim it is undoubtedly stealing many of their picture patrons. Orchestra; Willie and Eugene Howard's "In a Casting Office" and John Charles Thomas singing the prologue to "II Pagliacci." These met with fine audience approval, especially the last. Theatres Prepare For Big Service On Election Night Motion picture theatres will play a special part in Election Night (November 6) events this year, reports from various territories show. Midnight shows are being advertised by practically all theatres of Albany and Troy for election night, with the biggest program of the entire year. Albany regards Al Smith as its own. Harmanus-Bleecker Hall in Albany, with a show starting at 11 p. m., will give the election results as received by special wire, by radio and by a news service. The same service will prevail at Proctor houses in Albany and Troy. Walter Robert, manager of the Troy, will announce the results. Jacob Golden, manager of Proctor's Troy, and a former newspaperman, will give a particularly complete service. All leading first run theatres and many neighborhood and suburban picture houses in St. Louis and vicinity are preparing to give their patrons up-to-the-second election returns. The Skouras Circuit and the St. Louis Amusement Company will feature election returns. Loew's State and the St. Louis theatre are also prepared to give real service. Supreme Court Upholds De Forest Claims to Radio Feedback Circuit (Special to the HeraldWorld) WASHINGTON, Oct. 30.— The De Forest Radio Telephone and Telegraph Company's claim to the "regeneration" or "feedback" circuit, a basic feature of radio amplification, was upheld yesterday by the U. S. Supreme Court and the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company was denied title. H. M. Warner on Coast To Confer on Program (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 30— H. M. Warner, president of Warner Brothers, has arrived here from New York, to spend several weeks conferring with J. L. Warner on details relative to the completion of the company's current schedule. Laemmle Thanks Fox In Title on Talkie (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 30.— The following title appeared on Universal' s "The Melody of Love," first 100 per cent talking picture of that company, when it opened at the B. S. Moss Colony: "I take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation to William Fox for the kind assistance that enabled Universal to produce 'The Melody of Love' through the Fox-Case Movietone method." Famous Players Canadian Shows 20 Per Cent Gain In Earnings for 12 Months (Special to the Herald-World) OTTAWA, Oct. 30.— The annual financial statement of Famous Players Canadian is not yet ready for publication, but the information is forthcoming that the company has had the greatest year in its history. Based on earnings for the first five months, an increase of from 20 to 25 per cent is indicated in earnings. Gross earnings for the five months period totalled $3,356,094 and, after deducting operating expenses, a balance of $672,301 remained. On the same basis, this compared with gross of $6,294,077 and profit of $1,169,493 for the whole of the previous 12 months. It is intimated that gross for the year, which closed August 25 last, should run better than $7,000,000 and profit, before chargees are taken out, should be in the neighborhood of $1,500,000. Famous Players has an extensive building program for the coming year, the feature of which is a big theatre in Toronto to seat 4,500. Many of the 140 theatres in the circuit are to be wired for sound pictures. Missouri-Illinois Theatre Owners Plan Drive to Get Solid Front in Washington (Special to the Herald-World) ST. LOUIS, Oct. 30.— The M. P. T. O. of Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois through its executive board has perfected plans for a regional drive for new members. President Fred Wehrenberg and other officers feel that organization is especially needed now with restrictive laws facing Congress. This organization is solidly behind the M. P. T. O. A. The executive body has under consideration the employment of an experienced organizer, and Steve Butler, former business agent for the Musicians Mutual Benefit Association, has been mentioned. Coast Exhibitors Fight Zone and Clearance Plan (Special to the Herald-World) LOS ANGELES, Oct. 30.— The M. P. T. O. of Southern California is campaigning against the present zoning and clearance system. Questionnaires are being sent Coast exhibitors asking their reactions to the zoning plan now in use. Urbana Gets Sunday Shows The citizens of Urbana, 111., routed the Ministerial Alliance and others of the element who sought to continue a city ordinance which prevented Sunday amusements. The vote was 1,225 to 1,119. Urbana's twin city, Champaign, also has voted in favor of Sunday shows.