The Film Daily (1924)

THE j^^ DAILY Sunday, September 7, 1924 Short Subjects "Through Three Reigns"— Cranfield and Clark, Inc. Very Interesting Type of production 2 reel historical record Apropos of the visit of the Prince of Wales the Rivoli showed, the past week, a novelty offering called "Through Three Reigns", correctly introduced on the program as ' "a striking illustration of the service of motion pictures to re-create the historical events of the world for posterity. "Through Three Reigns" is a resume of the most picturesque incidents in the lives of Queen "Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V." Not only is this picture interesting because of its historical value, showing as it does important events of three reigns, but because it is also an indication of the vast strides made by the motion picture toward perfection. It is interesting to note the improvement as indicated in the pictures of each successive period. Of the scenes offered probably the most interesting are the pictures of the late Franz Joseph, of his funeral and scenes of the coronation of King George V showing the King and Queen and the next heir to the throne, Edward, Prince of Wales. "Rough And Ready"— Jack White Educational Sure-Fire All the Way Type of production. . . .2 reel comedy There is enough material in this Jack White comedy to have almost made two pictures. At any rate, its sure-fire stufif. The first laugh-getting sequences are those showing Lige Conley manage his trunk which has been thrown after him out of his boarding house. Several things happen to Lige and the trunk. Then the sequences at the automobile school where he gets a job as an instructor are funny — they include several wrecks for those who enjoy them — and last but not least, there are the scenes in the sliding-panel-trap-doorhouse where he goes to rescue his girl. These are the best in the film. The gags used are not particularly new, but are the sort that are always good for a laugh and have been handled in a fast-and-snappy manner. Norman Taurog directed. The Week's Headlines Monday Labor Day. Tuesday Admission taxes for fiscal year $77,712,523, an increase of $7,537,376 over previous 12 months. Chicago salesman finds tough going for independents in the Mid-West. Sees handwriting on the wall. Nine on Authors' League board to judge Zukor award of $10,000 for the author of the best American picture. Ten per cent tax still on in South Carolina. Hopes for action when General Assembly meets in January. Drastic slash in Fox English force. Wednesday Coast budget $137,000,0C'0 for coming year; $72,000,000 for pictures, rest for equipment, new buildings. Gordon Edwards series through Tififany-Truart. Coast producers reported dickering with Curtis aeroplane people for Garden City, L. I., property as site for studio. One third of Southern Illinois' 260 theaters closed because of idle miners. Conditions serious. Famous Players Canadian Corp., Ltd., will enter theater field in Great Britain. Court order strikes out $550,000 of Charles lirabin's $583,000 claim against MetroGoldwyn. Thursday Loew increases admissions five cents at scattered New York houses. Paris reports Sessue Hayakawa rejoins Famous for "The Golden Bed". New budget for coming year will keep Coast studios 100% busy. M. H. Hoffman, of Renown, discounts pessimistic article of Chicago salesman on state rights conditions. Sol Lesser to make new version of "Resurrection" for Principal. M. P. Directors' Holding Corp. will not make pictures for Grand-Asher, because of failure to meet financial guarantees. Friday Move on to unite all exhibitor factions into one committee to handle uniform contract. Robert T. Kane, former Famous production chief may make pictures for Paramount. Famous may eliminate $8,000,000 good-will item to offset criticism. Earnings ample for dividends. July tax returns $6,226,088, increase of $1,086,582 over same month last year. Al Steffes won't run for re-election at Allied States meeting. Future of U. C. I., Italian production outfit, in doubt. May stop production. Saturday Famous Players will have its defense in the Federal Trade Commission charges, ready by October. Another spectacle planned by Fairbanks. Hopes it will outdistance "The Thief". "Traffic Jams" — Century-Universal Not So Funny Type of production 2 reel comedy "Traffic Jams" is not at all the kind that mother used to make, for the latter invariably tickled the palate. Harry McCoy is probably capable of being really funny, but with the idea and the lone gag with which he has to accomplish his ends here, he has very little chance. True to the title, there are jams, plenty of them, and they are more or less diverting, but a little digression from the single idea would have helped considerably. The much-maligned "Henry" is brought into play for a while, but aside from wrecking a beautiful house and cutting a few trick contortions, helps the film along very little. A few good shots of a real auto race add what merit there is to the picture. "That's the Spirit"— Universal Acrobatic Humor Type of production. .. .1 reel comedy Spooks, spirits, and a spirit-photograph "bug" form the basis of this very active one-reeler, in which the comic antics of Bert Roach are considerably augmented by a black-face boy whose tumbling ability seems to have no limits. Alice, the spirit-bug, is intent on getting photographs of spirits in the dead of night, and what happens is a regular typhoon of calamities to her husband. Skeletons, flying chickens with humans' skulls. Brand New English Moy Printer complete with take up. $400.00. Slightly used English Moy Printer complete with take up. $250.00. MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS CO., Inc. Bry. 6635 118 West 44 St., N. Y. C. U. S. and Canada Agents for Debrie IMAji and a thieving intruder become mixed up in a hodge-podge of difficulties, all of which furnish a variety of laughs and entertainment. "Jonah Jones" — Lloyd Hamilton Educ'l A Pleasing Number Type of production 2 reel comedy An excellent cast supports Lloyd Hamilton in this short reel. Chief among the players is Babe London who is particularly funny as Hamilton's fat country sweetheart who has a hard time keeping her man away from beautiful Margaret Morgan, played by Dorothy Seastrom. Dorothy's father wants her to marry a title in the person of Sir Algernon but Hamilton tries hard to rescue her. There are numerous laughs throughout the two reels. Hamilton's facial expressions are always funny, and Babe London makes an excellent leading woman for him. In an early sequence she gets out of a flivver on roller-skates. It's a simple gag, but funny. "Jonah Jones" was written and directed by Fred Hibbard. "Three Foolish Weeks"— Sennt Pathe Fair Entertainment Type of production. . . .2 reel cor Ben Turpin is starred in this wS is supposedly a burlesque on Elinor Glyn story. Much new acti(| has been injected although the orig' nal story glimpsed now and then touches such as the tiger-skin s quence. Madeline Hurlock looks e ceedingly well as the Queen. Turpi is funny in a get-up that is striking like Von Stroheim's "Count" "Foolish Wives." Possibly the fu niest bit is that in which Turpin seen in his perfumed bath, drinkii sherry and egg and smoking cigarette in a long holder. The seen in the peasant's home could stai considerable cutting. "Mind the Baby" — Centiu-y-Univers Average Release Type of production. . . .2 reel comec Pal, the dog-star of this CentU! comedy, is by far the most interestir player. There is much trick photogr phy and novel inventions in the w; of row-boats that run on dry Ian (the rope by which it is pulled beii visible to the trained eye), a pair tiny boats that enable the wearer insert a foot in each and literal walk on the waters, etc. There . also a plump comedian, unnamed Vfl constantly falls into things, and m; be considered funny by some. The is a sequence near the finish in whi( a baby is supposed to go over son falls in a clothes basket. This is good bit. "The College Cowboy" — Universa Fast Action in This Type of production 2 reel westei Joe Bonomo is the hero and st; of this two reeler in which there action, and then more action for the; who like it, despite the fact that mm of it is just "hurrah!" stuf?. Fis fights abound to such an extent th; one wonders why the horse-thievi! or the pursuing cowboys never «:' the pistols in their belts. Bonoir does much, including a snappy tang dance, a get-away over roof-tops, ar several of the above mentioned han( to-hand encounters. CHADWICK PICTURES CORPORATION I. E. Chadvnck, President. 729 Seventh Ave. New York presents "THE TOM BOY" A Sparkling Story of Youth and Love with winsome MADGE BELLAMY in the title role Directed by David Kirkland Hold your dates for the Chadwick 9 Foreign Rights controlled by Simmonds-Kann Enterprises, Inc. "Each Production An Achievement"