The Film Daily (1924)

Sunday, January 6, 1924 ±cE£!k DAILY Madge Kennedy in "Three Miles Out" Producer : Kenma s a Whole... AN UP-TO-DATE PLOT IN WHICH THE POPULAR HERO OF THE DAY— A BOOTLEGGER — PLAYS A PART. OFFERS EXCITEMENT FOR THOSE WHO WANT ACTION. ;tar Madge Kennedy winsome and pleasing. Has a thrilling time of it trying to avoid marrying a rich bootlegger while the real hero suffers considerably before the i happy fade-out. ast Marc McDermott suitable as the "three mile limit" man; Harrison Ford undergoes the hardships of his role bravely and satisfactorily. Ivan Linow gives creditable character sketch and others the regulation types. ype of Story Melodrama that has genuine up-to-the-minute atmosphere. You hear a lot about bootNleggers these days but they haven't reached any great heights of popularity on the screen until now when "Three Miles Out," a Kenma production, essays to show the workings of rum row rather effectively and in conjunction with a legitimate plot. Madge is engaged to Marc McDermott but she'd rather marry Harrison Ford, a victim of ,McDermott's in connection with his spurious dealings. How ■ Madge goes aboard one of the rum boats, suffers various attacks from the crew and is eventually rescued by her fiance only to witness his arrest, is followed by the usual happy ending when she is free to marry Ford. Toward the close the plot becomes highly involved with Madge performing some Pearl White stunts capably and through the means of a dream, the improbabilities are overcome. {ox Office Angle Those who fancy melodramas will be satisfied with "Three Miles Out." You can probably arouse considerable interest by letting them know the story has to do with bootleggers and rum row. The title offers good probabilities providing you don't run up against any interference from prohibition authorities. exploitation. . . ,If your folks like action pictures with plenty of good thrills and excitement, you will likely find it worth your while to get them interested. Play up the title with catchlines such as: "You've read about 'rum row' and the 'three mile limit.' You can see it in 'Three Miles Out,' a Madge Kennedy picture at the blank theater." Where the star is a favorite let them know she has an exciting time of it trying to avoid a marriage to a bootlegger. Show a trailer of some of the thrills in the climax with the star suspended on a mast with villain hacking away at the bottom. Direction Irvin Willat; provides plenty of good action and keeps story moving along at good pace. Author Neysa McMein Scenario John Emerson and Anita Loos Cameraman Henry Cronjager Photography All right „ocale New York Length 5,626 feet 'Gentle Julia' Fox As a Whole. . BOOTH TARKINGTON STORY MAKES AMUSING PICTURE THOUGH IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER IF THEY BOILED IT DOWN TO KEEP WITHIN FIVE REELS. Cast Bessie Love pleasing and suitable in the title role with young Mary Arthur a typical mischievous "kid sister." Harold Goodwin good as Bessie's most persistent suitor. A good many in the picture with Frank Elliott, Charles Kr French, Harvey Cross, Jack Rollins, among the more important. Type of Story. .. .Comedy of youth. One of the typical Tarkington stories dealing with the efforts of a young belle to vamp all the men of the town and the mischievous schemes of her young sister which almost lead to the girl losing the one she really loves. There's much good comedy and many amusing situations in "Gentle Julia." although it is not as good as some other juvenile stories that Tarkington has written. "Gentle Julia" is more or less a series of incidents, not always closely related so, while it holds the interest pretty well, it is not actually a connected plot. Bessie Love helps considerably to make her story interesting and young Mary Arthur offers many laughs for her typical characterization as the inquisitive sister of the heroine. The atmosphere will prove thoroughly appealing to the majority and it is entirely dependable, wholesome entertainment. The little girl's various stunts through which she tries to make her sister realize that Noble Dill is really the young man she should marry provide many of the features' laughs. Box Office Angle Good, clean entertainment that should satisfy all of your patrons. This is a particularly good one if you cater to family trade. It's good for old and young. Exploitation .... Use Booth Tarkington's, name prominently and let th^rn know that "Gentle Julia" is from one of his novels. Arrange a book-store tie-up for display of the book and announcement of the showing at your theater. Use catchlines, such as: "Have you a Miss Mischief Maker in your home? See 'Gentle Julia' and you'll appreciate the difficulties of a young girl to entertain her gentlemen friends against the opposition of a little sister." Make use of Bessie Love's name and use a trailer of some of the comedy bits. Direction. .. .Rowland V. Lee; usually good although lays too much stress on occasional incidents that really don't warrant it. Author Booth Tarkington Scenario Donald Lee Cameraman George Post Photography Good Locale Any city Length 5.837 feet Glenn Hunter in "Grit" Producer: Film Guild Distributor : Hodkinson As a Whole CROOK STORY THAT IS FAR FROM BEING GOOD EVEN WITH F. SCOTT FITZGERALD'S NAME ATTACHED TO IT; AN AMATEURISH LOOKING PICTURE BOTH JN PRODUCTION AND ACTING. Star. .. .Could have handled the role a lot better. At times meets the situation adaquately but more often seems unable to get it over. Cast....Dore Davidson about the only one who really acquits himself creditably. Clara Bow greatly overdoes her part and Osgood Perkins has a glorious time of it overacting the role of gang leader. Others Helenka Adamowska, Roland Young, Townsend Martin, Martiri Broder and Joseph Depew. Type of Story Crook melodrama in which a weakling hero, born as his father is killed by a gang he had quit, is kept a coward through his fear of a gun but eventually overcomes his fear, is the means of exposing a desperate gang and is eventually happy with Orchid, a girl of the underworld. F. Scott Fitzgerald, though he be credited with several'successful novels, fails to win any laurels for this screen story, a rather weak and poorly developed crook theme, further injured by a rather amateurish production and a cast, incapable at least of putting any realism or conviction into the characters of the Story. The atmosphere is greatly overdone. Settings representing Bowery restaurants, street scenes, and filthy quarters in general, are all so overcrowded and so plainly "dressed" that there is little realism. The production is so plainly studio manufactured that it's noticeable. Nor has the story been well handled. There is far too much detail and the development is slow and tedious as a result. Box Office Angle Average, if that. They expect a much better crook story than this nowadays and there are so many good ones floating around that they're sure to realize the weakness in "Grit." Slow, posit i v e , over-detailed development doesn't make for a sustained interest. Exploitation. .. .Not very much for you to exploit in this. If you think that Glenn Hunter's name is sufficient to interest them, use it prominently in your announcements and mention his previous Film Guild productions: "Puritan Passions," "Second Fiddle" and "Youthful Cheaters." You might also use F. Scott Fitzgerald's name if you want to bring them in. on the strength of it. Say: "What do you fear most? 'Grit' will help you overcome it. See the picture at the blank theater." Direction Frank Tuttle; fair Author F. Scott Fitzgerald Scenario Ashmore Creelman Cameraman Fred Waller Photography Fair Settines by Junius CravinS Locale New York's East Side Length About 5,000 feet. "Restless Wives" C. C. Burr — State Rights As a Whole. . . JUST WHAT THE NAME IMPLIES: A PICTURE DEALING WITH THE POPULAR FORMULA IN WHICH A YOUNG COUPLE AGREE TO DISAGREE EVEN BEFORE THE HONEYMOON IS OVER. Cast First rate company with Doris Kenyon and James Rennie suitable as the couple in question. Others Maude Sinclair, Montagu Love, Burr Mcintosh, Coit Albertson, Edna May Oliver, L^joy Grooms, Edmund Breese, Naomi Childers. Type of Story. .. .Another domestic unhappiness theme wherein the husband's devotion to his desk brings about a desire on the part of wife to attend cabarets without him. This husband, like those in previous and similar films, forgets the lady's wedding anniversary and then tries to smooth things over by a second honeymoon but, by this time, wifie longs for the gay times and early one morning hubby awakes to find himself alone. The eventual reunion is brought about when the wife's father, being found guilty of misusing stock funds, kills himself. Then she's ( glad to go back to her husband. There's little to recommend Izola Forrester's story but where they still favor this cut and dried, unoriginal plot, "Restless Wives" may satisfy. The production caters to a certain class of picture patrons and gives them the sort of atmosphere and situations that they revel in. 'There are cabaret scenes, JF*?nd!y rows between the husband and wife, and just enough excitement to give them a thrill. It holds no surprises in the development, but sustains the interest fairly well, at that. Box Office Angle Many exhibitors will probably be able to use this one to their satisfaction. A good many picture patrons still favor pictures of this order so if you think your crowd is right for "Restless Wives," let them have it. Exploitation. .. .You won't have to do much explaining with this title. It's self explanatory and should give them a sufficient idea of what sort of a story to expect. Show them a trailer of some of the cabaret scenes and you can rely upon them bringing in a certain majority. Of the players mention the names of Doris Kenyon, James Rennie, Naomi Childers, Montagu Love. If you care to use catchlines, they could read: "Husbands and Wives will find something to interest and benefit them in 'Restless Wives,' A C. C. Burr production at the blank theater." Direction. .. .Gregory Lacava; sticks pretty closely to regulation routine in his direction; average in quality. Author Izola Forrester Scenario Mann Page Cameraman Jack Brown Photography All right Locale .... City and mountain lodge Length 6.041 feet.