Exhibitor's Trade Review (Sep-Nov 1921)

1380 EXHIBITORS TRADE REVIEW Volume 10. Number 20. REVIEWS OF CURRENT SHORT SUBJECTS "VENUS AND THE CAT"— (Aesop's Film fable announced by Pathe for release October 9). — "And the cat came back'* would be a good title for this animated cartoon. For the family cat shows some astonishing recuperative powers. She is thrown into a well, but returns through the kitchen faucet. Then her bewhiskered old bachelor owner puts her in a safe and throws her again in the well — but she gets back, little worse for the adventure. Finally Pussy is transformed by some miraculous power into a woman and marries the bachelor. But one day as she sits knitting, a mouse happens along and the "wife," forgetting her identity, starts in pursuit. She is transformed, this time into a cat again and everybody is satisfied. This is one of the best of Terry's output and would go well in almost any house. "SWEET BY AND BY" — (One reel comedy featuring Eddie Boland. Released by Pathe October 9). — An ultra modern setting is given this funny single reeler, the stage being set on a huge dirigible in which are traveling a curious mixture of passengers, including of course, the active Mr. Boland. The mislaid ticket gag, aided with a high wind, helps to inject the necessary "pep" and the result of the escapades of the party on the airship form one of the zippiest short subjects screened in sometime. Of course, Prohibition comes in for a share of the fun. "WINGS OF THE BORDER"— Holman Day feature released by Pathe) — Governor Percival R. Baxter of the state of Maine appears personally in this picture. The character of the Frenchman lover is overacted, but the scenic backgrounds are unusually fine and proper atmosphere envelops the production. The story is a simple one, telling the troubles of landowners in a backwoods section of Maine who are induced to sign papers that afterwards prove to be deeds for their property which is nearly gobbled up by a crafty city feller. He is thwarted, however, when the governor visits the scene of his operations and announces that the heroine is in reality the legal owner of the property. Governor Baxter proves himself a reg'lar screen actor and somebody ought to sign him up when he gets through with his job at the capitol. Some good types were secured for the mob scenes. "A ZERO HERO"— (One real comedy featuring Gaylord Lloyd. Scheduled for release by Pathe October 9). — "How to hit the golf ball without killing the caddie" is one of the sub-titles in this short subject. Some of the other sub-titles are not so good. The same applies to the laugh making devices employed by Mr. Lloyd. Most of the gags are sure-fire. And some of them are, to say the least, familiar. The acrobatic genius of Gaylord Lloyd is one of his big assets and is brought into play continually throughout this lively comedy film. He takes the part of a bank clerk in love with the banker's daughter (Estelle Harrison). He wants a vacation but the boss can't see it. Then he stages a fake holdup in the outer office and after he has apparently beaten up the "robber" and recovered the cash he gets the expect( d reward from the banker, in the form of a vacation and substantial reward. He visits "Malaria Meadows," plays a queer game of golf and kicked up the dirt but not making a hole all day. "THE WOLF AND THE CRANE"— (Scheduled for release by Pathe October 2) — Another of the Aesop Fables brought up to date and with a number of good laughs. Cartoonist Terry has deviated somewhat from the original fable, but the comedy helps it along and will popularize this series more than ever with audiences . "Those who are charitable only in the hope of reward deserve but jeers" is the fable selected. The cartoonist has pictured a wolf watching a cat that is out fishing. Trying to do a little fishing "on his own hook" the wolf catches a fish but accidentally eats it so hurriedly that a big bone sticks in his throat. Hurrying to Dr. Crane he finally induced the bird to extract the bone on promise of a good reward. But when the agitated M.D. is told that he should consider it enough reward that the wolf didn't eat him alive. Dr. Crane leaps out of the window, richer only in experience. PATHE REVIEW No. 124— (Scheduled for release by Pathe, October 9). — Chrysanthemums are a beautiful flower anyway, but when Pathecolor is used, they are better looking than ever. Sub-tropical air plants that are common in Southern states are shown attached to trees, their peculiar manner of extracting their nutriment from the ah being graphically shown by the fact that they accept any object that supports their weight and even attach themselves to telegraph and telephone wires. Several shots showing how the hippopotami of New York Zoological park eat their meals and have their teeth brushed by a keeper armed with a house broom, make an interesting animal study. How the students at Vassar college put in a day of work and play is another interesting subject in the Review. "LORRAINE OF THE TIMBERLANDS" — (Tom Santschi drama in two reels. Scheduled for release by Pathe October 2). — This subject is pitched at a high dramatic key but will be acceptable to audiences who enjoy melodrama and want it without dilution. Santschi takes the part of the wanderer who has searched fifteen years for the despoiler of his home. Finally he finds him near the scene of the crime. He is attracted to a cabin where he hears the familiar melody that his dead wife used to play on a violin. The musician it seems, is his daughter now grown to beautiful womanhood. She is in love with a youth but is constantly harassed by "Black Bart," the villain who years ago was the means of her mother's death. The wanderer is later imprisoned for a crime he did not commit and gets word in his cell that Black Bart plans to carry out evil designs. Praying for a miracle, the jail is suddenly rent asunder by a fearful flash of lightning and he is free. "GONE TO THE COUNTRY"— (Hal Roach one-reel comedy featuring "Snub" Pollard, scheduled for release by Pathe October 2). — The flivver is again utilized to help reap the laughs in this comedy. A wind machine is also made to perform and with good results. After many escapades the young married couple accompanied by two physicians set off for a camping trip. They have all kinds of troubles getting their tent set and finally after being comfortably settled, a terrific storm arises and their tent is blown away. They are left with little besides the flivver. Getting into the decrepit old car they start back for home in a more hopeful frame of mind but land in a quicksand and are entirely engulfed. "BROTHER OF THE BEAR" (Holman Day two-reel drama, scheduled for release by Pathe week of September 25). — The lumber camps of Maine again figure in this picture and considerable ingenuity has been shown in selecting settings that will look beautiful on the screen and yet serve as a suitable background for the story. The dramatic quality of the picture is satisfactory but the comedy is not so good. The story is about Vincent Harris, a lumber foreman of almost ungovernable temper, who falls in love with Marcia, the daughter of Hawthorne, the mill owner. Hawthorne has selected Ralph Sudbury as his daughter's fiancee, but Harris, incensed when Sudbury accuses him unjustly of tampering with the firm's accounts, strikes Sudbury and is promptly discharged by the mill owner. Harris then lives in solitude with a pet bear. Later when a party visits nearby the bear chases them and Hawthorne and Sudbury climb convenient trees in their fright. Harris, seeing an opportunity to force Sudbury to clear him of his unjust charges, tells him he will not take the bear away until Sudbury has confessed. Seeing no other way out, Sudbury tells Hawthorne and Marcia that his charges were trumped up, Hawthorne re-hires Harris and everybody is happy. CHARLES URBAN'S MOVIE CHATS No. 68. — A few shots of scenic places in Ireland are recorded in the opening footage of this Chat. Then are shown the various stages in breeding an Angora rabbit, valuable for its fur which is finer than a lamb's wool. Besides the value of the wool, the skins are valuable as neckpieces. Then the cameraman goes to Texas where he shows some of the processes of drilling and boring oil wells, and subsequent operations in getting the oil to market. A few shots in the Philippines are followed by impressions of the powerful Hamadryas baboon, the South African baboon and the pelican with its enormous bill and equally huge appetite. KINETO REVIEW No. 97.— Some of the monstrosities of Pondland are recorded on this film, which shows first the horse leech that creeps about the bottom of a pond, or swims like an eel. If necessary, it can climb. Gordian worms are shown in tangled knots and the Naucoris, a water bug which stabs its enemies, is also shown. Various other types of water bugs are followed by the water flea, a curious looking object. The Diaptomus and the female newt as it appears in the natural lighting of the pond is seen, also the male newt, strikingly ornamented. An extraordinary inhabitant of the ponds is the Corethra, the Phantom, the larva being so transparent that it is invisible except after a heavy meal. This short subject, which is 908 feet in length, offers an interesting study as a "filler" that has considerable educational value as well as being fairly interesting entertainment. PATHE REVIEW No. 125.— The "Gobblers of the Sea" is the title of this issue of the Review, scheduled for release by Pathe October 16. The ungainly cormorants and pelicans have been photographed both in slow motion and 1 by the regular procedure. They are great eaters and look almost comical as they flop about through the air and water, grabbing fish. Pathecolor shows the French Vosges mountains and their picturesque inhabitants. Hy Mayer contributes his Travelaughs, called "Sand and Sunshine," which reveals many things on the beach that we don't see every day. Friesian and Holland millinery dating back to A. D. 1500 shows odd looking headgear.