The Film Daily (1924)

THE ije^ DAILY Friday, September 12, New Theaters Gloversville, N. Y. — Charles Sesonske, former manager of the Avon, Watertown is one of the incorporators of the Miraiste Theater Co., which will build an amusement park and theater here. Evanston, 111.— The Park Theater Bldg. Corp., has altered a building on Chicago Ave., opposite Washington St., into a theater at a cost of $75,000. The house will seat 700. Newspaper Opinions Greensboro, N. C. — Nat S. Ferber and H. Somerville will manage the Durham and Greensboro houses of the Pryor chain when the fall season opens. Bath, N. Y.— The new Babcock, which Associated Theaters Inc., recently built, will be ready for business on Thanksgiving Day. Cincinnati, O.— The Hollywood Theater Company is building a theater in the suburbs here, to be known as the Hollywood. Arkansas City, Kans.— Roy Burford's new theater will open some time this month. It costs about $125,000. Wheeling, W. Va.— Work on the new Capitol is under way. The house will probably open in November. Cartersville, Ga. — Manning and Wink are almost ready to open the doors of their eighth house, the Palace. Fort Collins, Colo.— The New American has opened. M. W. Kravetz is owner and manager. LaGrange, Ga.— Clyde W. Cheek will again take over the operation of the Strand here, Aberdeen, Wash. — Permit has been issued to IL E. Connell to build a theater here. Hawkinsville, Ga. — Mrs, L, C. Liggett has taken over the Community. Madison, N. C. — H. Somerville has sold his Orpheum to a Mr. Wright. Forest Park, 111. — Ground has been broken for the new Amsterdam here. Appalachia, Va. — A new theater is scheduled to open its doors here soon. Stuart, Fla.— The Lincoln, a theater for colored people has opened. Norton, Va. — J. D. Ammons will shortly open his new theater. Putnam, Tex. — Putnam opened its first picture house last week. Fort Worth, Tex.— A. A. Cheteay is erecting a new theater. Latonia, Ky. — A new theater is under construction here. Stamford, Tex. — A new theater is being erected here. "Merton of the Movies"— F. P.-L. Rivoli AMERICAN — * * * might have been much better if the scenario writer had not tried to improve on the * * * play. * ♦ * * * * is the best of the pictures, showing the intricacies of studio Hfe that we have had. The same fine comedy and pathos that characterized the play is intact. ♦ ♦ * BULLETIN—* * • By his exceptionally well done production of "Merton" ♦ * * James Cruze definitely proves his right to be styled the foremost directorial humorist in cinema* * * Very little of the laugh making quality of * * * Wilson's story has been lost * * * it is very doubtful that the story in its original term generally inspired as much hilarity as the film did • * * DAILY MIRROR—* * * it doesn't measure up-to-par, even though James Cruze did the directing. The picture lacks the sparKle of tne stage play, and the story * * * often rambles, without any regard to plot. Hunter is whimsical, sometimes pathetic, usually lackadaisically convincing in the leading role, and Viola Dana does the best she can as the Montague girl. * ♦ * DAILY NEWS—* * * If there is anything wrong with * * * "Merton of the Movies," I'd like to have some one tell me. It's every bit as good as — nay, better than the book by Harry Leon Wilson. * * * EVENING WORLD—* * * this novel * * * was the truest and most devastating shaft of ridicule ever shot against a colossal infant industry which is beginning to call itself an art. * * * But Merton is there as he was in the play, fatuous, humorous and inexpressibly touching. ♦ * * HERALD-TRIBUNE—* * * it proved to be most disappointing. Not only has it been movieized, it has been obviousized. In a story containing so much gorgeous material as "Merton" it certainly was not necessary to add new stuff. But this has been done, often at a sacrifice of some perfect line oi situation which we had been looking forward to * * * Glenn Hunter, we think, was very good ; in fact, he couldn't have been better. MORNING TELEGRAPH— * * * Glenn Hunter, on the screen, again scores in the title role of his great stage success • ♦ ♦ People who saw the stage version may be somewhat disappointed * * * but those who see it on the screen for the first time will probably glory in it. * * * Many delightful scenes in the story and play were entirely left out. » ♦ ♦ POST — * * * James Cruze has given the tale * * * a thoughtful interpretation which is featured by good acting and proper restraint. The original plot has been changed somewhat, some of the funniest incidents have * * * been eliminated, and — to any one, at least, who has read the book or seen the stage play — it seems to be a little too condensed ; but there are minor considerations and on the whole the picture is mighty good entertainment. Glenn Hunter is excellent. • * * SUN — * * * The movie is a little on the sentimental side — more than we remember the novel to have been. For a time about twothirds or so through it drags a shade — but those are comparatively minor ailments. It is on the whole a deftly competetit affair, in which James Cruze, the director' may take pride. * * * The movie takes its place unquestionably among the "bigger and better things.'' TELEGRAM—* * * Glenn Hunter is superb as Merton. * * * One may laugh, but it is with a sob in the throat. But it is hard to imagine him without a sense of humor — the basis of Mr. Wilson's situation. But let that pass — the new Merton is quite as satisfactory. Viola Dana as Sally Montague did a fine piece of work, too — as, indeed, did every member of the cast. * * * WORLD — * * * one of the best motion pictures ever made * * * jt ♦ ♦ * deserves a special theatre on Broadway ♦ • * It is just so exquisite that the ordinary haphazard method of viewing it is not fair. When a cinema company brings out an example of the dramatic art so finely done as this, nothing is too good for jt. * * * * * * surpasses the stage presentation in many respects. • * ♦ "Sinners In Silk"— Metro-Gold. Capitol AMERICAN—* * * all about the flappers and their sins. ♦ » ♦ very well directed and well handled. There are no complications in the story and no unnecessary scenes. * * * as good as any of them and a little better because the cast is really excellent. BULLETIN—* * * Hobart Henley * * * has built a picture which paints in bright colors the joys of the white lights, the festive dances and banquets, * ♦ * There is much to please the eye and make the fancy soar without limit, including the swimming pools in which scantily clad loveliness revels. Champagne, cigarettes, petting parties, all the vices and pleasures of the rich. DAILY MIRROR—* * * Menjou does splendid work, his acting shaded with delicacy and subtlety. Eleanor Boardman is beautiful and convincing ♦ * • but Conrad Nagel is very tiresome ♦ ♦ * There's rollicking gaiety and life and parties atop an apartment on a New York skyscraper in this * * * and Director Hobart Henley deserves credit for making an interesting film out of a drab story. * * * EVENING JOURNAL—* * * shows a riot of gorgeous gowns, swimming pools, modern manners and a magnificent apartment on top of a skyscraper. ♦ ♦ » * * * is consistently entertaining. Menjou does exceedingly well * * * Miss Boardman is very attractive and very modern, and the story is another indictment of the restless age ♦ ♦ ♦ EVENING WORLD—* * * There are gleams of real originality in this filrit and long stretches of sentimental rubbish, but the inspired bits are unusual enough to make it worth seeing. They have something in them of the honest cynicism which Chaplin put into "A Woman of Paris." Incidentally, most of the action is staged on one of those bungalows atop a skyscraper * • • HERALD-TRIBUNE—* * * is often entertaining but never important. It must have a plot ; every picture has one, but after it is over one forgets all about what was in the first two reels * * * But you do remember the splendid work of Adolphe Menjou, the intriguing flippancy of John Patrick and the unusual vivacity of Eleanor Boardman. * * * So many names might have been selected which would have suited the story and us much better. * * * MORNING TELEGRAPH—* * * The results are unique and lead to at least one sequence that registers as one of the most sustaining seen in this era of pictures dealing with a generation supposedly socially made. * * * The first part * » ♦ contains entirely too much wicked high life. It becomes a little boring. • ♦ * * * * a remarkably sustaining piece of work. It seems too bad that the producers chose to cast such a piece of admirable construction in the conventional "jazz" setting. It deserved something better than that. * * * POST — * * * At any rate, we enjoyed the * ♦ ♦ picture ♦ * ♦ the story is interesting enough, though probably the Pulitzer award committee wouldn't stay up all night to consider it, * * * Adolphe has a part which suits him to the well known T, and he handles it with considerable, albeit a somewhat cut-and-dried, artistry. * ♦ • TELEGRAM—* * * Hobart Henley * * * manages to achieve a story holding all the elements popularly supposed to appeal to the flapper of today. ♦ ♦ ♦ sumptuous settings, rich men _ buying jewels for young and beautiful females, champagne and cigarettes by the bucketful, swimming pools and evening dresses. » » • has every ingredient necessary to a successful society drama. * ♦ * TIMES — If the second and closing stages * * * lived up to the introduction, it might be intensely interesting. But when one comes to the middle of this picture it is obvious that the narrative is not what one anticipated. Nevertheless there is no denying the entertainment value of this picture. * • * unusual care has been taken to give a realistic idea in the exterior scenes. * * * WORLD— That slickest of all the slickers * * * Adolphe Menjou, is seen * * * in a picture ♦ ♦ ♦ which glorifies the flappers and spreads upon the record a great variety of dressy scenes. "Sinners in Silk" • • * leads us into no fresh pastures of glistening lips and silk stockings, and for my part it is not very much more than a fairly good light movie comedy. Incorporations Albany — Theater Owners P New York. 1,000 shares preft stock, $100 each; 2,000 shares C A common, no par value, and shares Class B. common, no value. Incorporators, B. Kramer B. A. Daly. Albany — Z i e g f e I d Contint Stars. Capital 100 shares com j. stock, no par value. Incorpora M. L. Elkin, L. I. Fink and A. Ei.ei Attorney, Nathan Burkan, Broadway. Albany — Jewel Regun Theal Corp., New York. Capital $10 Incorporators, Charles Steiner, Weisner and J. Schwartz. Attonl Breitbart and Breitbart, 305 Bn way. Albany — White Prods., New 1,000 shares preferred stock, at each and 500 shares common stl no par value. Incorporators, I. Bil I. M. Michelman and R. Leibhofll Albany — Dexter Process, Ii York. Capital $100,000. Incorpj tors, H. J. and F. J. Rendich W. F. Quigley. Attorney, E. A. Sd Jr., 25 West 53rd St. Albany — Dutchess Playhouse, ll New York. Capital $10,000. In! porators, E. Koenigsberg and' Siegelman. Attorney, I. Mendel i New York. Springfield, 111. — Shakespeare 1\ ater Co., Chicago. Capital $10, Incorporators, Sidney C. Nierr: Edwin Silverman and James E. (i ton. Albany — F. M. Y. Movies, i York. SO shares common stock, par value. Incorporators, J. Mc son, O. L. Zekowski and A. L. I tig. Albany — Mercury AmusenE,! Corp., New York. Capital $5,l| Incorporators, A. Smaliey, M. J. boyer and O. V. Fleischmann. Albany— Staten Island The;' Co., Richmond. Capital $20,000. i corporators, F. X. McNamara, F. Driscoll and R. Powers . Albany — Museum Operating Co New York. Capital $10,000. In: porators, C. A, Becker, P. Fin stein and H. B. Cantor. Albany— M. P. Trading Ccih New York. 50 shares common st<| no par value. Incorporators, L. Si(| and J. Hamburger. Albany — Ves Corp., New Y<| Capital $20,000. Incorporators, R|o„ Ritcher, H. C. Littick and G. D. 1%^. phy. Albany — Silence Prod., New Yctv Capital $30,000. Incorporators, f Marcin, A. Ganz and H. Lapin. Sacramento, Cal. — Golden Si Theater Corp.. San Francisco. C:' tal $1,600,000. .1