The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

* June 2, 1923. 'w Productions. WP eeR's Pictures. Safety Last. The greatest Harold Lloyd comedy ever screened. A wonderful story with screaming situations and Teal thrills, RELEASED BY W, & F. FILM SERVICE. Length, 6,120. feet. Release Date, November 12, 1923. HEN W. and -F. advertised the trade sliow: ‘of this picture they announced that there was no need for an orchestra, asthe music‘wouldnot be heard. This -was the truest utterance. that -has.ever appeared in any film company’s publicity, as it-is the only conclusion anybody can possibly come.to after seeing this wonderful .photoplay. 1 is easily the greatest screen comedy that Harold Lloyd has ever appeared in, and is, with the exception of ‘‘ The Kid,” far and away the funniest picture seen on the screen. “‘ Safety Last ’’ is what I should describe as a perfect showman’s picture, for it is a certain house-packer, and not only that, but is-a picture ‘that kinema-goers will want to see again and again. Harold Lloyd has in the past proved: himself a resourceful artiste, but in this photoplay he proves himself a great screen..actor and comedian, fit to rank as equal to Chaplin, -‘‘ Safety Last ’’ has the real merit of possessing one of the finest and most origina] stories yet seen-in any comedy. % is -one continual: succession of laughs and thrills from beginning. to end. To see Harold Lloyd climbing a twelvestorey building, and his -antics whilst doing so, is absolutely enough to make the most blasé of picture-goers double up with laughter. Shown to a crowded audience on Tuesday last, the picture was accompanied by..yells of laughter almost from the moment it started. Harold Lloyd. gets into his stride very quickly, and there are some extraordinary scenes of realcomedy . where. this great comedian is seen holding a -little job in a big. department store, whilst. he sends. presents and wonderful letters of the pésition he holds to his girl in the little village --of Great Bend. On-the advice of her mother she goes to the big city to-see him,and his efforts to impress her with his importance are easily: the-finest work that Lloyd has ever done. The store. wants advertising,. and Lloyd is promised one . thousand dollars if he can attract crowds to the store. He arranges with his pul, Bill, to do a stunt, to climb up the. : side of the twelve-storey building, and to split the prize. At __ the last moment Bill is chased by a policeman on whom he had played a joke earlier, and he tellsLloyd -to go up to the ; first flight and he will change clothes with him and finish the act. At each floor, however, Bill; still pursued by the ‘police3 man, tells Lloyd hemust go one floor higher. The scenes . whilst Lloyd is climbing this twelve-storey building are really so extraordinarily done that one is literally convulsed with laughter at one moment and watching his antics with heart in the mouth the next. There are genuine thrills in this picture, and, together with its great comedy scenes, ‘‘ Safety. Last’ makes a tremendous ~ photoplay. Harold Lloyd. has never done anything approaching the work he has in this particular photoplay, and, great comedian as he is, the combination of thrills, together with bis ~_|f mirth-provoking antics, have made a film which will undoubtedly be a tremendous attraction with the public. The ‘THE FILM* RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. “45 Scene From ‘‘ Sarety Last.”’ exhibitor who knows his business will book this picture and give it the exploitation it deserves. It is no use merely announcing it as a Harold Lloyd comedy. If it is advertised and exploited rightly there will be no holding the crowds that will flock to see this photoplay. Jn the hands of real showmen “ Safety Last” is calculated to be one of the biggest box-office attractions ever put out. Certainly no exhibitor need have the slightest hesitation in putting on this wonderful comedy. It is a picture that the public will come to see and come again. W. and F. Film Service are to be envied, handling such a _ picture. : FS E W. F. Souls for Sale. Photoplay of Hollywood Studios which will attract “ fans.” RELEASED BY GOLDWYN. Length, 8,100 feet. Release Date, Not Yet Fixed. E lives and habits and work of film stars are of great “interest to that class of film patron which can be termed the ‘‘ fan "’ class, and for such folk the film under review no doubt possesses great attractiveness. The intorior of some of the large Hollywood Studios, their equipment and personnel loom large in the picture and occupy so much of its footage that it is in danger of seeming to be an interest picture on film production, held together by the personality of one of the characters of the story. Whether or not a good service has been Scene Frost ‘‘ Sours For Saze.” Lal