Exhibitor's Trade Review (Mar-May 1922)

1104 EXHIBITORS TRADE REVIEW Volume 11. Number 16 Fox Gets Film Rights to 3 Novels Will Screen ''Splendid Outcast,'' ''Trooper O'Neil,'' and "Alcatraz" in Addition to Hutchinson Work William Fox announces the purchase of three more novels for screen adaptation during 1922. "The Splendid Outcast," by George Gibbs, the novelist, will be used as a vehicle for John Gilbert. "Trooper O'Neil," from the pen of George Goodchild, has been purchased with the intention of making it a Charles Jones picture. It is a northwest story. Tom Mix will be starred in the third, "Alcatraz," written by Max Brand. "Alcatraz" is a story of romance and adventure said to be excellently suited for the robust work characteristic of Mix. Mr. Goodchild's story is his second used by Fox, the first having been "Tiger's Cub," produced some eighteen months ago. Fox also won out in the bidding for the screen rights to "If Winter Comes," one of the biggest fiction sellers of the year, and the book will be made into a motion picture before next autumn. Several companies were in the market for the A. S. M. Hutchinson novel, but the contract was signed by Fox and the author about the middle of February. Dealing with a big subject, "If Winter Comes" was first published in England. Followed than its publication in this country, where it attracted equal attention. It has sold at the rate of two thousand copies a day since its publication four months ago. This constitutes a greater total than any other book of the year for a corresponding period, with the possibility of its reaching the million mark, according to its publishers. "If Winter Comes" will be made into a big special production, but the Fox company has not decided who will be the star, or who will direct it. William Fox at present is running almost entirely to big novel successes for screen material for his stars. New Owen Moore Comedy Being Given Its Final Shape The forthcoming special production starring Owen Moore continues to absorb a great deal of the attention of Myron Selznick, vice-president in charge of production, and his associates in the Selznick organization. The time and effort that is being spent in whipping this photoplay into final shape is indicative of and its importance in the Selznick plan. "The picture has been cut and cut — and then cut again. Titles and titles — and then more titles have been written and gone over with the greatest care. Each little change has had the attention, not only of the executive members of the Selznick organization but also of experts in their line from outside the organization whose opinions are being asked," says the statement. "In its incompleted form, the big picture was shown a number of the Selznick people the other evening. The claim that has been frequently made for it, namely, that it is the biggest and most important production yet made by the Selznick organization, was easily substantiated. It has enough thrills in it to make half a dozen serials, enough laughs to make a score of comedies, and enough drama to score emphatically on this point alone if all the other features were entirely lacking." Jess Robbins. It is said to be unique in motion picture entertainment, as it is not comedy in the sense usually ascribed to motion pictures. There is not the slightest touch of slapstick about it, although the comedy action occasionally borders on the farcical. The cast is headed by Tully Marshall, who has a character comedy role, that of a cantankerous employer. Ethel Grey Terry appears as "the girl" and Edward Horton as "John Kenry Jackson." John Steppling, Carl Gerard, Mark Senton, Tom Murray, Elsa Lorimer, Helen Gilmore and other players round out the cast. Dolores Gassinelli to Have Her Own Production Company Major Fiorella H. LaGuardia, general counsel of Star Productions Company, announces that the name of the organization will be changed to Cassinelli Pictures, Inc. Major LaGuardia, formerly President of the Board of Aldermen of New York City, saw motion pictures made for the first time in his life last week when he visited the Harry Levey Studio in West Thirtyeighth Street, where Tom Terriss was directing Dolores Cassinelli in The Challenge. Charles Ray Will Make Two Pictures a Year Announcement is made by Arthur S. Kane, of the Charles Ray producing organization, that Joseph de Grasse has been engaged to direct Mr. Ray in his first production for United Artists Corporation. This Ray-de Grasse working combination is not a new one, since Mr. de Grasse directed this screen star in The Old Swimmin' Hole, adapted from the James Whitcomb Riley poem; the picturization of George M. Cohan's Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway and Nineteen and Phyllis. The engagement by Mr. Ray of Mr. de Grasse as a director is in line with the star's plans for his forthcoming productions for United Artists. "Fewer, bigger and finer" pictures is the promise of Mr. Ray to his ever increasing large host of admirers, and to keep this promise to the fullest extent he feels that it is necessary to rid himself of much of the technical and detailed work of the director. This will give Mr. Ray opportunity to devote all his time and personal effort to the larger aspects of picture making and to his own work before the camera. "I want to give to the public, and to my friends, the very best that is in me," Mr. Ray says, "and for a long time I have been wanting to give more time, thought and labor to my feature productions. The public demand for big pictures is becoming more and more insistent, and in all probability I will cut my future productions to two really good pictures a year. And by 'really good' I mean the very best that I can give from the standpoint of additional personal time, additional personal cost and additional personal labor; as well as from the standpoint of the story, plot, direction, settings, photography — everything, in short, that goes to make a better and finer picture." Chapin and Diamond to Assist Ballin James Chapin, assistant director of the Warner Brothers' productions. Why Girls Leave Home, School Days and Your Best Friend, and James Diamond, who photographed the latter attraction, will shortly leave for the West Coast to assist Hugo Ballin in the production of Other Women's Clothes, featuring Mabel Ballin. "Too Much Business" Is Acquired by Vitagraph Too Much Business, a straight comedy in six reels, adapted from Earl Derr Biggers' original story in the Saturday Evening Post, "John Henry and the Restless Sex," has been acquired by Vitagraph. 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