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

December 15, 1928 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD 63 BY THE WAY (Being extracts from the week's reports) "Words are weak and futile when set to the task of describing an achievement like this." (Four Sons.) "But Fox sure hit upon a subject of beauty that will awaken in your heart memories of the mother to whom you ran with your troubles, problems and fears." — H. B. Wilson, Palace, Golden City, Mo. "This is a dandy, an absolute riot of laughs." (Beau Broadway.) "Sweet little Sue Carol has a fat part in this, and she's a delight to the eye. Here is a coming star." — E. M. Biddle, Strand, Paoli, Ind. "All hail the first film company that rents us records that will correctly cue their pictures on our home-made 'Vitaphone and Movietone!'" -E. C. Arehart, Auditorium, Laurel, Neb. "Well, boys, this is one for the book." (Sorrell and Son.) "If any of you hard eggs can sit through this picture without a tear you are hopeless." — William E. Tragsdorf, Trags, NeillsviUe, Wis. every one went out of town — nothing on the streets but the pavement. Dandy picture. Pretty good print and photography. We tried to make a deal with the school, but too much basketball on their minds. Eight reels. — Wolfe & Williams, Screenland theatre, Nevada. Ohio. — Small town patronage. FEEL MY PULSE: Bebe Daniels— 60%. November 24. Very good picture. Pleased all who saw it. Six reels. — Mrs. C. I. White, Princess theatre, Sanderson. Texas. — General patronage. WINGS: Clara Bow— November 11-12-13. The first picture in a long time that brought nothing but favorable comments. A story of the aeroplane and the World War, with some wonderful aeroplane scenes in it. Fifteen reels. — Dewey L. Kisor, Sterling theatre, Fairmont, Neb. — Small town patronage. SHANGHAI BOUND: Richard Dix— 77%. November 25. Pleased a good house on a Sunday night. Didn't see this picture, but fiom all reports it filled the bill and satisfied, as do all of Dix's pictures. Six reels. — Paul B. Hoffman, Legion theatre, Holyrood, Kan. — Small town patronage. SPEEDY: Harold Lloyd— November 24-25. A good picture, but as usual Paramount gets all the money. Lloyd pictures too high. Eight reels. — C. E. Holt, Legion theatre, Elmwood. Wis. — Small town patronage. SPEEDY: Harold Lloyd— November 19-20. Good comedy but it didn't draw for us. We are close to Springfield and too many of our patrons see the pictures there first. It sure hurts us. Good print and photography. Eight reels. — Robert K. Yancey, Bonny theatre Mansfield, Mo. — General patronage. THE VANISHING PIONEER: Jack Holt— 50%. November 17. Another Zane Grey picture that drew well. Cold weather kept a lot away. Six reels. — Mrs. Hulda J. Green, Gem theatre. Greenriver, Utah. — General patronage. Pathe-P D C CRAIG'S WIFE: Irene Rich— 50%. Very good picture, but did not draw. One of those that you know just what's coming next, and even then it seemed to please. Eight reels. — Elmer E. Gailey, Gay theatre. Wayne, Neb. — Small town patronage. KING OF KINGS: Special cast— Very fine production, but we did not do the business expected, partly on account of flu. — J. L. Seiter. Selma theatre, Selma, Cal. — General patronage. HOLD 'EM YALE: Rod La Rociue— 50%. November 29. A good football picture. Pleased the school children. Gave general satisfaction. — Bert Silver. Silver Family theatre, Greenville, Mich. — General patronage. BOSS OF RUTLER'S ROOST: Don Coleman— 35%. November 24. Our first Coleman Western and did not do much with it. Business only fair. Five reels. — G. O. Tunstall. Midway theatre, Martinsville, Va. — Small town patronage. CELEBRITY: Robert Armstrong— Nothing to write home about. Did not please my Sunday night crowd at all. Seven reels. — Dewey L. Kisor, Sterling theatre, Fairmont, Neb. — Small town patronage. THE NIGHT FLYER: William Boyd— 25%. November 26. Good program picture, but did not draw for us. Business fair. Print and photography good. Seven reels. — G. O. Tunstall, Midway theatre, Martinsville, Va. — Small town patronage. GIRL IN THE PULLMAN: Marie Prevost— 34%. November 25. A good comedy. Six reels. — Mrs. Hulda J. Green, Gem theatre, Greenriver. Utah. — General patronage. Tiffany-Stahl SIN CARGO: Special cast— Just passable; — A. C. Betts, Powers theatre, Red Creek. N. Y. — General patronage. PRINCESS FROM HOBOKEN: Special cast — Punk. — A. C. Betts, Powers theatre, Red Creek, N. Y. — General patronage. United Artists THE TEMPEST: John Barrymore — 50%. November 25-26. This is a fine picture. Story good. Stars and cast fine. Over the head of small towns. Terrible flop second night. Those who appreciate Barrymore's acting liked it. Fifty-fifty satisfaction here. — Bert Silver, Silver Family theatre, Greenville, Mich. — Small town patronage. SORRELL AND SON: Special .cast— November 25-26. Well, boys, this is one for the book. The finest picture as to acting and story I have seen In many a moon. The work of H. B. Warner, as well as the balance of the cast, is superb. If any of you hard eggs can sit through this picture without a tear you are hopeless. I do not believe there was a dry eye in the house, but they loved it, as the second night proved. Excellent in every detail. Ten reels. — William E. Tragsdorf, Trags theatre. Neillsville. Wie. — Small town patronage. THE GAUCHO: Douglas Fairbanks— Very good, but did not go over here. Fell flat. — A. C. Betts, Powers theatre, Red Creek. N. Y. — General patronage. TWO ARABIAN NIGHTS: Special cast— Quite good, but not as good as "Tin Hats" of MetroGoldwyn. — A. C. Betts, Powers theatre. Red Creek, N. Y. — General patronage. MY BEST GIRL: Mary Pickford— A very good picture. — A. C. Betts, Powers theatre, Red Creek, N. Y. — General patronage. Universal CLEARING THE TRAIL: Hoot Gibson— The best Hoot we have had for a long time. A good clean picture, one that pleased the kiddies, and the grownups too. Six reels. — E. B. Conant, Charkarohen theatre. Lincoln, N. H. — Small town patronage. CLEARING THE TRAIL: Hoot Gibson— Good Western for Saturdays. — J. L. Seiter. Selma theatre. Selma. Cal. — General patronage. THE MAN WHO LAUGHS: Special cast— This will make a name again for these stars, but many were slightly disappointed. The picture has lost the great spirit of Victor Hugo. True, it won't shock anyone. Universal missed a chance to make a picture that would rank with the greatest. — R. J. Speck, Kenwood theatre, Chicago, III. — General patronage. THE FOREIGN LEGION: Norman Kerry— 50%. October 27. Nothing startling, but it kept the audience interested. In the afternoon ran Buzz Barton in "Rough Riding Red." This feature was good. Eight reels. — E. B. Conant, Charkarohen theatre, Lincoln, N. H. — Small town patrouage. FREEDOM OF THE PRESS: Special cast — Uncle Carl is asking for what the public thinks about certain questions. Here's what we think about his pictures. "Freedom of the Press" can boast only the well liked Lewis Stone and Marceline Day. Trite plot and usual direction. They made this one quick. — R. J. Speck, Kenwood theatre, Chicago, III. — General patronage. THE CLOUD DODGER: Al Wilson— 14%. November 27. Had three good shorts with this, other wise we would have felt we were cheating our patrons. Not enough to it for a good program. The thrills were mostly left to the imagination, although we admit that it is difficult to put airplane thrills on the screen. Ran this on China Night, which is the reason for fair percentage. Very good print and photography was mostly pretty good, although some scenes were rather blurry and dark. Five reels. — Wolfe & Williams, Screenland theatre, Nevada, Ohio. — Small town patronage. HOW TO HANDLE WOMEN: Special cast— Tryon does good work here. Miss Nixon is getting better looking lately. However. Tryon won't be worth a nickel at the box office unless he gets some new material. Can I get a job as a gag-man for the family undertaker? — R. J. Speck, Kenwood theatre, Chicago, 111. — General patronage. HOW TO HANDLE WOMEN: Glenn Tryon— Not nearly as good as "Hot Heels." Six reels. — E. B. Conant, Charkarohen theatre, Lincoln, N. H. — Small town patronage. WE AMERICANS: George Sidney— 70%. November 23-24. One of those pictures that makes you like to stand at the door when the crowd passes out and hear their comments. A picture they like to come the second time to see. It should go over good in any house, anywhere. What more could one say? Nine reels. — O. A. Halstead, Cozy theatre, Duchesne, Utah. — General patronage. THE RAWHIDE KID: Hoot Gibson— 65%. November 28. A good Gibson picture that drew and pleased a pretty good Wednesday crowd. Print fair. Photography very good. Six reels. — G. O. Tunstall, Midway theatre, Martinsville, Va. — Small town patronage. THE RAWHIDE KID: Hoot Gibson— 35%. November 20. Just another Hoot Gibson picture. Seems like Hoot is slipping like some other stars. He doesn't draw for me like he used to. — Mrs. C. L. White. Princess theatre, Sanderson, Tex. — General patronage. JAZZ MAD: Jean Hersholt— 70%. October 24. Title is misleading, but the picture is good. Six reels. — E. B. Conant, Charkarohen theatre, Lincoln, N. H. — Small town patronage. A MAN'S PAST: Conrad Veidt — 35%. November 13. A very interesting picture. The acting of Conrad Veidt is wonderful. — Mrs. C. I. White, Princess theatre, Sanderson, Tex. — General patronage. THE NIGHT BIRD: Special cast— A fairly good Denny that pleased but was not at all startling. Denny's wife is acceptable as an actress and beauti FIVE WEEKS NEW YORK RUN! "Impressive • Sweeping" — Kann in Film Daily "TEN DAYS THAT SHOOK THE WORLD" by S. M. Eisenstein, Director, of "Potemkin" Produced in U. S. S. R. by Sovkino of Moscow January Releases — "THE YELLOW TICKET" "TWO DAYS" Representatives in America of all Motion Picture Producing Organizations in U.S.S.R. AMKINO CORPORATION 723 SEVENTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY