Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1929)

January 19, 1929 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 59 WHAT THE PICTURE DID FOR ME Verdicts on Films in Language of Exhibitor Copyright, 1929 Columbia SUBMARINE: Jack Holt^December 16-17. Here is a feature that is entitled to good business in anyone's house. Much better than many of the socalled specials that you have to mortgage the house to get. On account of bad weather and roads it flopped at the B. O. for us, but it sure isn't the fault of the picture. Honestly believe it pleases 99 per cent. Step on it and raise your admission to what you charged for "Wings." Nine reels. — W. H. Silver & Son, Grand theatre, Princeton, Mo. — Small town patronage. THE SPORTING AGE: Belle Bennett— 75%. December 26. No comments either way. Print and photography fair. Six reels. — G. 0. Tunstall, Midway theatre, Martinsville, Va. — General patronage. COURT MARTIAL: Jack Holt— 52%. December 28-29. Good program picture. Print and photography good. Seven reels. — P. G. Held, Strand theatre, Griswold, la. — General patronage. THE WAY OF THE STRONG: Special casi^l9%. December 30. Another story of the underworld. Good picture but did not draw here. Five reels. — Mrs. Hulda J. Green, Gem theatre, Greenriver, Utah. — General patronage. SALLY IN OUR ALLEY: Shirley Mason— January 1-2. Not big but the kind that pleased the great majority and that's the kind we need more of. Also the kind we make a little profit on. — D. A. Rhyner, Rialto theatre, Hebron, No. Dak. — Small town patronage. FASHION MADNESS: Claire Windsor— 25%. October 3. I'd call this a howling success. Your patrons will do the howling and you will be a success if you stay away from this kind. Its only saving grace is a bit of good scenery in the last reel. The women might like it, but it will scare the men worse than a breach of promise suit. Columbia usually gives us worthwhile pictures, but I suppose this is just one of those things that happen. Just so it doesn't happen again I Six reels. — John E. Wallan, Orpheum theatre, Klamath Falls, Ore. — General patronage. AFTER THE STORM: Hobart Bosworth— 90%. December 5. A very good sea story with plenty of comedy to make it interesting. Bosworth is a good drawing card for us. Six reels. — Harry Schroeder, Lee Roy theatre, Wallace, Neb. — General patronage. AFTER THE STORM: Hobart Bosworth — 40%. December 26-27. We've had so many sea pictures that we feel seasick every time we have to run one. However, this one is as good as the average. Looks like a cross between "The Blood Ship" and "Hell Ship Bronson." Bosworth is good, but he can't do much when he is surrounded by a bunch of palookas and dumbdoras. The patrons liked the fight in the first reel, and the storm scene in the last reel was quite realistic. Just average business, but everyone seemed pleased. Six reels. — John E. Wallan, Orpheum theatre, Klamath Falls, Ore. — General patronage. STREET OF ILLUSION: Special cast— December 26-27. As usual, another good one from Columbia. When it comes to genuine acting, I really don't believe you can beat Ian Keith in this one. He portrays the part to perfection, especially at the last of the picture in the dramatic ending. Some patrons may object to the dramatic ending but Ivan Keith puts it over to the satisfaction of those that enjoy real acting. Seven reels. — W. H. Silver & Son, Grand theatre, Princeton, Mo. — Small town patronage. RESTLESS YOUTH: Special cast — December 25. Drew good house on Christmas night and pleased, according to comments received, about 90 per cent. We used the 1927-28 Columbia product and were well pleased, and bought the 1928-29 product and it also looks like a real buy. We hare had six right in a row from Columbia, and they have all been as good as any company's product, and you can't beat Midwest in Kansas City for service. Seven reels. — W. H. Silver & Son, Grand theatre, Princeton, Mo. — Small town patronage. GETTW HOTTER A NEW batch of votes have turned the tide in the "My Favorite Players" contest, Joan Crawford giving way to Clara Bow as the leader of the feminine players, and Richard Dix going into a tie with Lon Chaney for the head male position. What will next week bring forth? An especially interesting feature of this interesting contest is the effect the votes of the younger members of the family are having. This week Hoot Gibson comes into the race because of this influence, adult votes usually being confined to the "romantic" players or those of the longer features. Moreover, stars are not cornering the market, as a glance through the results will show, while the balloting also proves that the lesser known players may also attract loyal admirers. Again readers are urged to send in their votes, being careful to place the name of each voter above his or her choice, the name of the theatre and the town. Exhibitors (including partners) and the members of their immediate families are eligible to vote. Employes may not vote. Below is the standing thus far: FEMININE Clara Bow _ 12 Joan Crawford — 6 Colleen Moore — - — 6 Louise Lovely _ 4 Laura La Plante 4 Dolores Costello — 3 Marion Davies — 2 Dolores Del Rio 2 Billie Dove 2 Lillian Cleh 1 Marian Nixon ~ . - - 1 Patsy Rath Miller _ _ 1 Greta Carbo Norma Shear«r Florence Vidor — Alice Joyce Dorothy Mackaill Margaret Livingston — Helen Foster Jane La Verne — _ Gloria Swanson _ — Bebe Danieb HALE Lon Chaney 7 Richard Dll 7 William Farnum 4 Conrad Nagel 4 Gary Cooper - 4 William Haines 3 Richard Barthelmess 3 Hoot Gibson 3 Ronald Colman — — 3 John Gilbert 2 Charles Rogers 2 William Boyd Reginald Denny Barry Norton ■ ■ Ramon Navarro — — _ Norman Kerry — — Walter Pigeon — Percy Marmont — • Warner Baxter - Frankie Darro Tom Mix — _ — Charles Murray — THE SCARLET LADY: Lya de Putti— 60%. A very good feature, one that your patrons will enjoy and that will let you stand out in the lobby and meet your patrons. Eight reels. — S. A. Hayman, Lyda theatre. Grand Island, Neb. — General patronage. FBO AVENGING RIDER: Tom Tyler— 50%. December 29. A good entertaining program picture. — Bert Silver, Silver Family theatre, Greenville, Mich. — General patronage. TYRANT OF RED GULCH: Tom Tyler— 60%. A great Western that pleased 100 per cent with my crowd. Tyler is always good. Good print. Six reels. — L. Deyo, Miers theatre, Schoharie, N. Y. — General patronage. DOG JUSTICE: Ranger— December 31. Everybody liked this one. Ranger is just as good as Rin Tin Tin. Northern picture. — C. M. Albrecht, Rialto theatre, Bushnell, 111. — General patronage. SINGAPORE MUTINY: Special cast^-70%. December 25-26. Not much of a picture for the ladies, but the men liked it. Plenty rough. — D. A. Rhyner, Rialto theatre, Hebron, No. Dak. — Small town patronage. HEY, RUBE: Special cast— 65%. December 16. The title puzzled us for a while but when we saw the picture we can't praise it too highly. It is a true story of carnival life and lots of thrills. Keeps you gripping your seat all the time. Poor roads. Seven reels. — Harry Schroder, Lee Roy theatre, Wallace, Neb.— General patronage. THE PERFECT CRIME: Special cast — Fair picture. Good work by Brook, but why do they keep putting Irene Rich in pictures? She drives half of the people away from the show and gives the other half a pain. Seven reels. — J. B. Weddle, Walnut theatre, Lawreneeburg, Ind. — General patronage. TROPIC MADNESS: Leatrice Joy — December 1819. Good acting, pretty scenery and just a good program picture. FBO pictures are all clean. Have yet to find one with smutty reading or suggestive 6cenes. Seven reels. — John Coener, Sun theatre, Sargent, Neb. — Small town patronage. First National THE HAUNTED HOUSE: Chester Conklin— Good spook picture to fair business. — Roy Culley, Pastime theatre. Medicine Lodge, Kan. — Small town patronage. THE HAUNTED HOUSE: Chester Conklin— December 25-26-27. A fair picture with a box office title. — John A. Schwalm, Rialto theatre, Hamilton, O. — General patronage. SYNTHETIC SIN: Colleen Moore— 60%. December 31-January 1. Very nice entertainment. — H V. Smoots, Vine theatre, Mt. Vernon, O. — General patronage. SHOW GIRL: Alice White— December 30-31. This picture caused more favorable talk — (although the titles were hot) than any picture we have played for some time. Our second night's run of this was a regular Saturday for us. Not a walkout on this— first night patrons brought their friends and their friends' friends for the second night's showing. — Carl Veseth, Palace theatre, Malta, Mont. — General patronage. THE WARE CASE: Foreign cast— Awful pain. Shelve it. — Roy Culley. Pastime theatre. Medicine Lodge, Kan. — Small town patronage. DO YOUR DUTY: Charles Murray— November 7-8. Average Murray picture. — Roy Culley, Pastime theatre. Medicine Lodge, Kan.— Small town patronage. GUN GOSPEL: Ken Maynard— 90%. December 29. Ken Maynard and his horse are always a good bet for us. "Gun Gospel" is a good picture and above the average Western. It's worth the price of admission to see Macnard ride. Seven reels. — E. B. Conant, Charkarohen Hall, Lincoln, N. H. — Small town patronage.