The Film Daily (1923)

Hay, December 2, 1923 DAILY e Man from Brodney's" Vitagraph Whole. . . RICH IN EXCITE ■:nt and romance. IaPTED FROM GEORGE |RR McCUTCHEON'S NOV i, one of his typical i'thical kingdom ac■dn themes, will jIrill the majority. ■ Exceptionally strong cast. ■Varren Kerrigan has a fighting le of it in the title role; does «ie very good work. Alice Cal■n, Wanda Hawley and Miss Du■it a first rate feminine trio and Mirs include Pat O'Malley, Ber-jn Grassby, Kathleen Key. m of Story Includes all the ■ations and elements of appeal m usually make for a good au«ce picture. As such "The Man ■ m Brodney's" should satisfy the I office. Director Smith has sup fld the McCutcheon novel with thoroughly painstaking and ex3 ng picturization. He hasn't been ■'ing in injecting realism and Alls. The picture offers a genuily good entertainment for the ■jer majority of the picture goI public. What a more critical JjA'd may think, probably won't ■ier exhibitors very much. If •leases those they cater to, on tM whole, that's all they have to Jjry about. Of course, these Jlhical kingdom plots, are always ■ e or less far-fetched and artlial. But there is no denying director Smith has made a w exciting film. The climax is ■lling and you know you can't ■ wrong when they bring in a jiotic touch by rushing the U. Smarines to the American's asAnce. The introductory sejinces could be much shorter. abmce Angle. . .Action, romance, ■enture, thrills, an American np in a foreign port fighting the ■ves and dangerously near be I conquered when the marines alve to save him all very good office material. You know how this draws them. afitation Plenty for you to I about here. Play up the title I the author's name. Get stores :Jpisplay copies of the book and ■ounce a George Barr Mc■cheon week. Talk about the alon and use a trailer showing I marines arriving to aid the -^flerican hero. Depend upon this wring them back, for one thing. Borate the lobby with stills and iters, all of which will indicate il action contained in the picture, w up the names in the cast. ■ re are a number of important iflies here that will stand advertflig, particularly J. Warren Ker"ln. Refer to the production. ■;ctor Smith has done things on a .ther large scale. Lalion. .. .David Smith; certainly ■cted plenty of excitement and Mr . . George Barr McCutcheon •rio C. Graham Baker inraman Steve Smith, Jr. 10 graphy Good 4: .... England-Mythical island Mh 7,156 feet. "Crooked Alley" Universal As a Whole VERY TRITE CROOK STORY, ONE OF THE BOSTON BLACKIE NUMBERS, BUT CONSIDERABLY WEAKER THAN MOST OF THEM. RATHER POOR DIRECTION AT TIMES KEEPS STORY FROM BECOMING INTERESTING. Cast Laura La Plante pretty but role doesn't give her opportunity to be anything else. Thomas Carrigan does a lot of emoting that looks conspicuously unreal. Owen Gorine, a newcomer, who takes himself far too seriously, to the extent that his playing becomes comical. His posture is especially awkward. Type of Story Crook story with revenge the keynote. Girl appeals to judge to allow her father, a criminal, to die at home instead of in prison. He refuses and the man who loves the girl plans an elaborate revenge: having the judge's son fall in love with the girl and steal for her. How the cleverness of the son prevents the carrying out of the scheme, ends matters amicably for all hands. It is a trite plot that never gets away from the beaten path. You know from the start just what to expect, and each step in the development is anticipated. The only real saving grace is a fair surprise twist in the climax when the son discloses that he has realized he was being trapped but allowed the scheme to proceed in order to carry out his own plan. This the director has succeeded in bringing in unexpectedly. Box Office Angle. .. .About an average feature that will give moderate satisfaction. Can be used adequately for a daily change program and in conjunction with attractive short subjects. Exploitation. .. .The fact that this is a Boston Blackie story gives you something to work on. Your men and boy patrons will be interested if you tell them this. The picture doesn't deserve special exploitation for the theme, however, because they've seen much better Jack Boyle stories than this. It was adapted from his "The Daughter of Crooked Alley." Use catchlines: "She sought revenge but found love in 'Crooked Alley.' " Street signs bearing the title and with an arrow pointing in the direction of your theater should attract attention. Use stills of Laura La Plante. She's pretty and your folks will see more of her in coming Universal pictures. Direction. ...Robert Hill, fair; hasn't always used the best judgment; some scenes are very awkwardly done. Author Jack Boyle Scenario Adrian Johnson Cameraman Harry Fowler Photography All right Locale San Francisco Length 4,900 feet "You Are In Danger" Blair Coan — State Rights As a Whole AVERAGE FEATURE WITH FAIRLY CONVENTIONAL STORY AND SMALL AMOUNT OF AUDIENCE APPEAL; WILL SUFFICE AS PASTIME WHERE THEY ARE NOT CRITICAL OR PARTICULARLY EXACTING. Cast.... Well suited and capable; includes fairly prominent names. James Morrison good hero with Mitchell Lewis satisfactory villain. Pauline Starke heroine and Carmel Myers appropriate type as Lewis' opium peddling accomplice. Type of Story. . . .Melodrama dealing with drug peddling and implicating innocent country lad who comes to the city to make good. Instead his innocent face makes him a suitable tool for the distributing of opium and once in the power of the ring leader he's forced to obey or "be thrown to the wolves." Of course there's the usual happy ending with hero breaking away from villain's influence, the latter's death at the hands of his woman accomplice and hero's reunion with the little country girl. It's pretty conventional and at no time does the story strike off the beaten path. There's a seance sequence in which hero eventually discloses the fake operations of the medium. This angle may interest picture goers. They're always more or less engrossed in exposures of spiritualists and mediums but there isn't very much of this so the picture can't be played up as an exposure of the workings of mediums. Nor is the dope peddling angle one especially worthy of serious consideration. Box Office Angle. .. .Doubtful; picture may do on double feature program or with good selection of short subjects. It will not satisfy an audience at all critical. The story is poor and the production without any highlights. And there is little to interest them in except some good names in the cast. Exploitation You can't go very far on exploiting this one since there is little in either story or production to warrant your talking about it. Use the names of James Morrison, Pauline Starke, Mitchell Lewis and Carmel Myers. If you think you number enough sensation seekers among your clientele, it's probable they'd come in if you talk about a story dealing with dope peddling, sf a country hero roped in and the small town heroine who saves him. Direction by W. S. Van Dyke; made no great effort to cover up shortcomings of plot; handled cast to pretty fair advantage. Author Louis Weadock Scenario Doris Schroeder Cameraman Andre Barlatier Photography Lighting poor Locale Any city Length About 5,000 feet. Short Subjects" "Shadows" — Max Fleischer — Out of the Inkwell Films Diverting, Delightful Type of production. .1 reel animated cartoon Once again the imp from the inkwell becomes involved, this time witli the shadows of his own figure. The result is a completely different set of difficulties, chiefly the result of Fleischer's making silhouettes of animals with his figures. These animals annoy the imp and trouble him to such an extent that finally after being chased and crushed he becomes so bewildered that he is glad to jump back into the inkwell. Verv laughable, very amusing. "Scorching Sands"— Hal Roach — Pathe Burlesques Desert Stuff Type of production 1 reel comedy Stan Laurel takes a stab at the many and varied specimens of the "Desert" pictures, well-known to picture goers of all classes and ages in 'Scorching Sands." And it contains some very amusing stuff. Laurel is a guide who wears a fur coat on the desert to keep the heat out. He is guiding James Finlayson, a tourist over the desert and they fall by accident into the hands of a native sheik. After some amusing experiences they finally escape with a pretty blonde also captured by the tribe. Will amuse. "Wild and Woolly"— Grantland Rice —Pathe Great Stuff for Men Type of production 1 reel sport review This is the first of a series of subjects called "Sportlights" by Grantland Rice being released by Pathe. It depicts a western rodeo and shows the manner in which wild horses, cows, bronchos, etc. are ridden by the cowboys. Shots of the audience which is composed mainly of Indians and western types are interspersed and provide interesting contrasts. The riding, roping, etc. will furnish thrills galore. This is a reel that will appeal particularly to the men folks. "Kidding Kate"— Christie— Educa'l Plenty of Good, Clean Fun Type of production. . . .2 reel comedy Dorothy Devore, Babe London and Jimmie Harrison make this comedy bright and amusing, being particularly well-suited to their respective roles. The plot is not particularly novel, but the way in which it is handled makes it entirely enjoyable. Babe London, is the older sister and far too fat for beauty. She, however, is in love with Jimmie who has not seen the family for years. She sends him her sister's picture and then tries to reduce before he conies to marry her. Alas, he comes too soon, so in desperation she makes her sister wear little girl's clothes and bows on her hair. Should please the majority.