The Film Daily (1922)

THE Sunday, November 26, 1922 is&m DAILY 17 Plenty of Good Action Will Make It Popular With Many i Cosmopolitan Prod. "THE PRIDE OF PALOMAR" Paramount DIRECTED BY Frank Borzage AUTHOR ' Peter B. Kyne SCENARIO BY Grant Carpenter and John Lynch CAMERAMAN Chester Lyons AS A WHOLE Western; good action that embraces familiar plot in the main but has been nicely handled STORY A little variation from the usual formula with fine action, will appeal to a majority DIRECTION Good but allows feature to run too long ; comedy touches are fine PHOTOGRAPHY First rate LIGHTINGS Nearly all exterior shots PLAYERS All right; well suited and do good work; includes Forrest Stanley, Marjorie Daw, Warner Oland and Tote De Crow EXTERIORS Very good; right atmosphere INTERIORS Not many DETAIL Ample CHARACTER OF STORY War hero returns to find father's ranch in hands of mortgagor; raising $300,000 to save it furnishes the thrills LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 7,500 feet As an out and out action picture "The Pride of Palomar" offers one of the best entertainments of its kind — that is, of course, considering that the spectator does not object to the method of arriving at the action nor the quality of the situations that lead up to the events. The plot is frequently illogical in its development and often far-fetched but all this does not matter if they want excitement, for things certainly do happen and happen fast. The story is essentially a western that offers a slight variation from the usual formula although its chief situation is the time worn mortgage theme. Some very unnecessary propaganda is introduced which may tend to make the feature unpopular where it is shown in theaters patronized by Japanese. The propaganda has to do with the efifort to suppress the influx of Japs into California. The influence of this isn't very strong but it is more or less obvious and since it isn't especially essential to the plot, it might easily have been omitted. Warner Oland plays the part of a Jap who tries to buy Palomar ranch for colonization purposes. The action is very well distributed and reaches the high spots in the derby at the climax. The race is splendidly timed and Borzage has injected a lot of spirit into it, sufficiently so to almost get them out of their seats at the Rivoli. There's a first rate thrill in it. The comedy touches throughout are also good and seemed t5 get real laughs. Borzage might have saved a lot of footage by getting into the story sooner. He takes too long to introduce hero and get things started. Forrest Stanley does good work although he is not the best suited hero for this role. Others in the cast are satisfactory. It includes Marjorie Daw, Tote De Crow, James Barrow, Joseph Dowling, Alfred Allen, George Nicholls, and others. Story: Don Mike, last of the Dons of California, returns from the war to find his father dead and the famous Palomar ranch in the hands of John Parker, wealthy westerner. Parker intends re-selling the ranch to Okada, a Japanese who wants it for colonization. Parker gives Mike one year in which to raise the $300,000 necessary to save the ranch. Mike has a friend in Parker's daughter, Kay, who, in spite of her father, helps Mike to raise the money. The remainder of the picture deals with Mike's adventures in getting the money which he finally puts into Parker's hand on the last day just as he is about to forclose. Talk About the Action and Thrills if That's What They Want Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor For a first rate action picture you can depend upon this one to fill the bill. If your folks like excitement you can make promises for "The Pride of Palomar" and feel sure they'll be well satisfied with it. A few feet of the horse race used as a trailer might be all you need to bring them back. Make sure to advise them of the action and do your best to interest them because if they like action pictures it should go over big. You have the advantage of the publicity back of the picture in the Hearst publications and the story has been running as a serial. Use Peter B. Kyne's name and of course a tie-up with your local book shop would be a good stunt. Of the cast use the names of Marjorie Daw and Forrest Stanley.