The Film Daily (1922)

Sunday, July 2, 1922 —JXM. DAILV Another Good Western With Enough Action and Pleasing Star Hoot Gibson in "TRIMMED" Universal DIRECTOR Harry Pollard AUTHOR Hapsburg Liebe SCENARIO BY. . . .A. F. Statter and Wallace Clifton CAMERAMAN Sol Polito AS A WHOLE Will appeal to western fans and those who like action that affords plenty of excitement STORY Offers star a good role and will please his admirers; of rather a familiar formula DIRECTION Adequate; does pretty well to hold interest and get in action because story is fairly slight PHOTOGRAPHY Good LIGHTINGS Natural STAR Is kept on the jump in role of war-hero sheriff SUPPORT Usual types of western bad men, Fred Kohler, Otto Hoffman and Dick Lareno a good trio; Patsy Ruth Miller hasn't very much to do as leading lady EXTERIORS Good INTERIORS Few DETAIL Requisite CHARACTER OF STORY PoHtical gang elect war hero as sheriff thinking they can rule him but they are greatly disappointed LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 4,583 feet The last couple of Hoot Gibson releases show a big improvement over his earlier features and following the last one, "Step On It," which was very good, comes "Trimmed," another that will fulfill all the demands of the admirer of westerns and gain some more friends for the star. There is good action and it affords the kind of excitement that suits the average crowd — plenty of riding, a thrill or two and a suitable romantic touch. The plot follows the usual western formula pretty closely including the hero, heroine and customary bad men plotting the hero's downfall. Despite the familiarity and slight situations, the director has succeeded in keeping the action coming and holds the interest satisfactorily. A grain of comedy now and then affords some mild amusement between times. A few comic touches miss fire but on the whole they register all right. The welcome home reception staged for the war hero's return will amuse them, particularly when hero gets off a station before his own and misses the Avelcome prepared for him. The leader of the band overacts in his effort to get laughs but a colored mammy and her kiddies are the real thing in this sequence. More laughs come from a trick mule. A first rate thrill comes when hero crosses a high suspension bridge which the villain has tampered with, and is hurled into the canyon below. It would have been more satisfactory to the spectator if the director showed how hero made his miraculous escape from death in this bit. Gibson is kept busy from start to finish in "Trimmed" and his pleasing personality should be gaining more admirers for him. Story : Dale Garland, Centerville's war hero, gets a big reception upon his return from France. Nebo Slayter, political boss of the country, and his henchmen, run him for sheriff against John Millard, the incumbent, whom they can't "handle." Millard's daughter. Garland's childhood sweetheart, returns from boarding school soon after her father's defeat. Garland learns from her of Slayter's dishonest schemes. Slayter's ring quarrels with a moonshiner to whom they had been furnishing "protection," and Young, Slayter's tool, kills him. The girl sees the murder, tells Dale who starts after the slayer and brings him in after a terrific fight. Meanwhile the deputies have arrested two of the slain man's accomplices. They confess, implicating the whole ring and Garland jails them all. He wins the love of the girl. A First Rate Number For Any Admirer of Western Pictures Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor Exhibitors catering to a western loving crowd can safely book "Trimmed" and satisfy their patrons. It doesn't matter that it isn't strikingly original as long as it contains plenty of action, some thrills and the sort of material that goes over with admirers of this particular style of entertainment. "Trimmed" will fill the bill. If you showed Gibson's last feature, "Step On It," and they liked it. make promises for this one and tell them they'll like it as well. Try and get them interested in the star. He has the right kind of personality for the stories he is given and he works hard to please his audience. Catchlines will tell the story and a trailer would be all you would need to bring them in for the feature.