Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1929)

December 21,1929 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 73 104 MONEY MAKERS of 1929— on Page 29 WHAT THE PICTURE DID FOR ME Verdicts on Films in Language of Exhibitor Copyright, 1929 AT — All Talking; T — Talking Sequences; M — Music (synchronous) ; E — Sound Effects. (Example: TME, means the picture has talking, a synchronized musical score and sound effects. In the same way all other symbols may be combined. When no symbols appear following the title, picture was run silent. Columbia BROADWAY SCANDALS (M) : Special cast— Deeember 1-2. A nice clean musical show. Not much plot but gorgeous settings and revue. Recording swell on film. Nine reels. — E. A. Reynolds, Strand theatre, Princeton, Minn. — General patronage. THE DONOVAN AFFAIR (AT) : Special cast— A 100 per cent talking picture with just a little music in the beginning. It's a murder case mystery with a clever east — Jack Holt, William Collier, Jr., Dorothy Revier and others, who handle their parts very intelligently. Cannot say this is not a good picture because every person in this play did his part wonderfully, and all the talking was very distinct and plain, but they want singing, dancing, music and lots of pretty clothes. Not so much plot and story. Shoot them with big society stuff and kill 'em dead with love making in the up-to-date, new fashioned way, and they will keep coming in droves. Paint and doll 'em up and shows will go on and on. Eight reels. — Walter Odom & Sons, Dixie theatre, Durant, Miss. — General patronage. THE DONOVAN AFFAIR (AT) : Jack Holt — November 24. A very good crook drama. Columbia has very pleasing program features. — Leslie Hables, Reel Joy theatre, King City, Calif. — General patronage. THE DONOVAN AFFAIR (AT) : Special cast— A good Columbia mystery story. Many did not like Holt in this, but all comments on the picture itself were good. Recording good. Disc print. — A. F. Botsford, Palace theatre. Long Pine, Neb. — General patronage. THE MATINEE IDOL: Special cast— November 26. Good picture. Patrons pleased. Five reels. — Charles Cassinelli, Star theatre, Bulan, Ky.— Rural patronage. First National FAST LIFE (AT) : Special cast — A very good picture. The dialog and recording are excellent. Nine reels. — Crystal theatre, Watseka, 111. — General patronage. FAST LIFE: Special cast— November 25-26. To date this is one of the best little pictures we have run. The title is good, and the story is human and appealing. Drew well and pleased the patronage. Just as good silent as in sound. — Mrs. I. H. Dietz, Star theatre, Covington Ga. Small town patronage. DRAG (TME) : Richard Barthelmess— Went over very good, but did not draw as well as we expected. Recording very good. Supporting cast fine. — Jack Greene, New Geneseo theatre, Geneseo, 111. — Small town patronage. DRAG (TME): Richard Barthelmess— November 17-18. One fine picture from Dick. Recording good, and story fine. We thought it about as good as "Weary River," but the patrons did not, and business fell off on Monday night to almost nothing, so we think they maybe did not like it. Nine reels. — Jaysee, You'll Note What Reeve Orders We're mighty thankful to Henry Reeve of the Mission theatre at Menard, Texas, for relieving our minds on one very important matter. We had had serious misgivings that Jaysee's peregrinations in Hollywood had spoiled him, what with all his meanderings with screen stars. Not so, Reeve advises us in the following letter: First, please send me some report blanks so that we may turn in our experience since we put in sound. Second, and it really should be "First," I want you to know what a really delightful visit we have just had from J. C. Jenkins. He was a long time getting here, but the event was worth waiting for. If he enjoyed himself even partially as much as Mrs. Reeve and I did in having him, then everybody's happy. Of course all of us felt we knew him after knowing him for some six years in the HERALDWORLD, but he's just as good as his Colyum and then some. You HERALD-WORLD people are fortunate in having such a traveling representative, and, when you come right down to it, I can't think of anyone else who could be that representative except J. C. He must have cut a tremendous swath in Hollywood, for my two small daughters, aged 3 and 5, fell quickly, and completely for J. C.'s "IT," or whatever it is that gets him across so thoroughly. And they are just two little country girls. Seriously and sincerely, though, we enjoyed J. C.'s visit greatly, and feel even closer to the HERALD-WORLD, if such were possible. I think J. C. knows himself that we were sorry to see him go, and I just wanted to let him know that if he ever comes back to Texas, Menard is one of the MUST places on his route sheet. — HENRY REEVE, Mission theatre, Menard, Texas. Rudolf Duba, Royal theatre, Kimball, S. Dak. — General patronage. DRAG (TME) : Richard Barthelmess— October 2021. Good picture for small towns if bought right. Recording good. Nine reels. — Louis Austman, New Forrest theatre, Forrest, III. — Small town patronage. THE DIVINE LADY (TME) : Corinne GriffithNovember 25-26. We expected to lose money on this one before we ever booked it, and believe us, we did! Didn't draw at all. Pleased a few who saw it. Corinne Griffith does not mean a thing in this town. Disc recording fair. — Walker and Donnell, Leroy theatre, Lampasas, Tex. — 'Small town patronage. SMILING IRISH EYES: Colleen Moore— November 21-22. This is a slow moving story with nothing to hold the audience's interest, yet had several people comment on "what a clean, wholesome picture" it was. — Mrs. I. H. Dietz, Star theatre, Covington, Ga. — Small town patronage. THE GREAT DIVIDE: (AT): Dorothy Mackaill — December 2. The story is entertaining. Acting good, cast good. Advertising accessories good. Photography fair and would have been good had it not been dark in spots. It is sort of a Western melodrama. But if I was out buying pictures of this type, I certainly would pass up this picture if I had a chance to hear it before buying. The recording is clear and distinct except in about half of the picture, when an orchestra is louder than the voices of the actors. This balls up the whole picture and kills its good qualities. Please cut off your phonograph while the folks are talking. — M. W. Larmour, National theatre, Graham, Tex. — General patronage. TWO WEEKS OFF: Mulhall-Mackaill— November 27-28. Just a fair program picture. The stars are always good, but the story is nothing, has no entertainment value. Why waste good talent and make it impossible for us poor cusses to do business ? We have no chance to review pictures before we show them. If we did it would be better not to show them, but being 300 miles or more from an exchange and with one express a day, what are you going to do? Tell me. — Bert Silver, Silver Family theatre, Greenville, Mich. — General patronage. THE BARKER (TME) : Milton Sills— November 22-23. Just a show, and poorest recording we have had yet. Film so dark that you could not see half of the time what it was all about. Pass it up, boys, if you have not played it yet and have it bought. Poorest special that First National put out yet with a star like Sills. It is just too bad for us and maybe for First National. Nine reels. — Rudolf Duba, Royal theatre, Kimball, S. Dak. — General patronage. TWIN BEDS (AT): Special cast— Entertaining and amusing as old silent version was. Recording good, business fair. — William Roob, Chain Theatres, Ins., Port Washington, Wis. — General patronage. HOUSE OF HORROR: Louise Fazenda— November 28. Not as good silent as talking, although it drew fine and is a darn good comedy with a lot of fun, and how they did laugh! Six reels. — R. W. Van Hook, Rialto theatre, Marillon, Ark. — General patronage. CAREERS (AT): Billie Dove— November 20-21. This picture pleased a few of our patrons to the extreme, but displeased most of them. In a way this is a bad picture, and still in another way it is very good. But it is not the type of picture most people care for. It is a shame to put a good star like Billie Dove in this kind of a picture. Paid five Don't forget — If picture has sound — Fill out blanks accordingly