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

‘A first-rate attraction for audiences who follow the sport of kings. 56 THE FILM RENTER. .& .M OQVING. PICTURE NEWS. June ‘16; 1923. REVIEW OF NEW PRODUCTIONS~Continued. Pillars oftheTurf. sf * RELEASED BY BUTCHERS. Length, “750 feet. Release Date June | 25. SERIES of short stuff pictures" that is very sure ‘to “commend: itself to exhibitors whose patrons follow, the ‘turf (andunder that category ‘can be placed °90° per cent. of the picture-goers in this country) is being put out-by Butchers Film Service under the title of ‘‘ Pillars of the Turf.” This series, one of which was ‘shown at the Shaftesbury Pavilion to the trade last week, give some very interesting and informal views of both human and equine personalities-in the racing world. The sub-titles areinformative -and to. the point, and, assuming that the five other films are up to the standard set by the one which was trade shown, they should prove an acceptable booking in most halis. ‘ The Custard Cup. “A picture not worthy of the genius of Mary. Carr. RELEASED BY FOX. Length, Seven Reels. Release Date, September 10,1928. ~ Y will be a matter for real regret if the reputation which Mary Carr has justly gained by her sincere acting in earlier and better films is jeopardised by ‘this film being boomed as a Mary Carr picture. Relying on the success of . “Over the Hill’ (in which she had a, part in which she could do herself*justice) auy exhibitor may be tempted to book !' The .:.., Custard Cup’* without seeing it, and thus secure for himself). ‘profound disappointment. For the picture is a poor vehicle for .the particular style of acting in which Mary Carr has Ze excelled. To be’ frank, it is a hotch-potch of secues having no . strong thread to hold them together, and one would not have bee: 1 surptised at the introduction of any outlandish scene before : the’ end... 3 ‘Whe burning: of the pleasure steamer is thoroughly well done, and” the lurid ‘glare of the fire and the dropping off of the holiday-makers into’ thé. water-make for a fine cumulative effect, but’ this had very little: to do with the story, and tho-descent _ of. dn aeroplane driven ‘by..a policeman, . which effected. the rescuc of some sot the passengers, seemed far-fetched. in the extreme: -° “ Tho Custard’ Cup’ "Ss a collection. of tenements in. which lives ‘Penzic, ‘a widow: She takes in washing to ‘support her small: adopted sons, one. ‘of whom brings home a rough, .tomboy_ girl who had fought him onthe dump. The rest of the. story ‘deals ° principally With the children’s escapades and the dealings of Some crooks in the tenements who are trying to pass counterfeit notes. They implicate Penzie, who is innocent, but she is eventually’ "exonerated and marries the man who captured the crooks. The telling of the story occupies seven reels and the action ranges from. comedy of. the. slapstick variety, through crook drama to the thrills of the’ steamer on fire. There is an attempt in the sub-titles to provide humour, but except in a few. instances it is singularly drab stuff. There may be some rather uncritical audicnees who will accept the picture and even laugh at the sub-titles and the not very refined activities of the vulgar , toriboy, ‘Lettie (vigorously acted by Miriam Battista), but the public ‘which found the pathos of Mary Carr’s former vehicles a gratifying bit of screen emotion will not hesitate to pronounce their deep: dissatisfaction with ‘‘ The Custard Cup.” With the limited opportunities she has Mary Carr does her best, but " the picture never demands of her that deep uote of pathos which she has exhibited elsewhere. Previous to the screening of this seven-reeler, an attractive “Jittle item was shown in which the actors were all avimals— dogs and eats and chickens; Assisted by some clever sub-titles the picture made quite an attractive little drama. The Face in the Fog. ‘An ingeniously worked-out story with strong parts for Seena Owen ‘ and Lionel Barrymore. RELEASED BY FAMOUS-LASKY, Length, Six-Reels. — Release Date, December 24. HE latest Lasky offering is a highly melodramatic production, contains some thrilling scenes, tense acting, aud fine photographic effects. In spite of the story being _ somewhat far-fetched, interest is aroused at the beginning: and kept till the end. The face in the fog-is that of a man who is shamming blindness. Actually he is the servant of an aristocratic Russian family, who have entrusted their jewels to him to take over to’ America at the time of the revolution. The jewels are contained in the handle of his crutch. He is followed by Bolshevists, who attack and kill him with his own crutch. When ~ Scexe From ‘' Tue Face In THE Fos." the police -arrive part of, the crutch’has been carried away by Dawson, a reformed crook. “A détective:suspects Dawson, but ean. find no evidence against him: As‘a matter of fact, the ‘+ blind.”' servant had slipped: the jewels into Dawson's pocket during, the’ scrimmage, and'he, later, had hidden them in a safe in the,wall.. Thé Bolshevists track:down Dawson and force him to tell them the: combination’ of: the safe. On trying to open‘ the safe; however, they aré:held rigid ‘by the action of a powerful electric battery until the police arrive. Meanwhile, two Russian’ aiistocrats succeed in reaching America, , One of them is Count Alexis Orloff and the other a Grand Duchess; with..whom he is-in love. The lattcr’s parents owned the jewels, and fheir:daugliter swore that she would never -réturn to Russia without them. ‘But Dawson' hands them ovor “#6 the Government, which claims thém on the ground that they were smuggled ‘into the country. “The Grand Duchess is deprived of the family heirlooms, but’ marries the Count nevertheless. This picture, though not a‘ Super " Lasky, is well produced, ‘ and acted with wonderful ‘spirit and cleverness by a talented company;:‘at ‘thé head of” _Whiéh "are Seena Owen and~ Lionel Barrymore, *