The Film Daily (1924)

"Married Flirts" Producer: Louis B. Mayer Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn As a Whole.. MARRIAGE AGAIN SERVES THE AUTHOR WITH AN IDEA. THIS TIME IT'S A GOOD ONE AND SHOULD INTEREST THE AVERAGE PICTURE GOER. A WELL MADE PICTURE. Cast Splendidly suited. All the right types, with Pauline Frederick playing "Mrs. Paramor" with an ease and surety that is particularly interesting. Wears some fine looking gowns in latter sequences. Conrad Nagel, Mae Busch and Huntly Gordon a capable trio. Give individually fine performances. Smaller parts played by Patterson Dial, Paul Nicholson. Type of Story. . .Matrimonial drama; from Joseph Vance's novel "Mrs. Paramor." "More truth than poetry" can truthfully be applied to Vance's story. His theme rings true to life and he has worked out a given situation convincingly and interestingly. Credit is due Julia Crawford Ivers for her adaptation and Robert Vignola for his direction, but then they had something to work on. Vignola might have saved some footage in spots but then the development cannot be said to lag at any time. The production is high class and photography excellent. Some MetroGoldwyn stars who appear in one scene are Mae Murray, Eileen Pringle, John Gilbert, Mae McAvoy, Norma Shearer and director Hobart Henley. The plot deals with Nelly Wayne, a writer who loses a hold on her husband and then refuses to forgive him for falling in love with another woman, even though he doesn't marry her. Nelly becomes the famous Mrs. Paramor, authoress of a popular novel. She attracts the husband of the former "other woman" and decides to reverse the situation. When she has the unsuspecting husband just where she wants him, the wife comes and pleads with her to give him up. Mrs. Paramor has her speech all ready. She just wanted to teach the young thing a lesson. Then she makes up with her own husband and both Mrs. Paramor and the "other woman" have learned their lessons. Box Office Angle. . . .Holds first rate appeal. Should be a good number and will likely profit by word-ofmouth advertising. Exploitation. .. .Your talking points; a new and interesting slant on the marriage question, involving the "other woman", worked out in an interesting and convincing fashion; a first rate cast with good drawing names such as Pauline Frederick, Conrad Nagel, Mae Busch, Huntly Gordon; the adaptation of Louis Joseph Vance's novel "Mrs. Paramor". Direction Robert Vignola; first rate; a little too long. Author Louis Joseph Vance Scenario Julia Crawford Ivers Cameraman Oliver Marsh Photography Very good Locale New York-Paris Length 6,765 feet. "Welcome Stranger" Producer: Belasco Prod. Inc. Distributor: Prod. Dist. Corp. As a Whole.. .ADHERES CLOSELY TO STAGE PLAY AND SHOULD ENTERTAIN A MAJORITY. CONTAINS FINE SYMPATHY BUT FALLS A LITTLE SHORT ON COMEDY. Cast....Dore Davidson always fulfills the role of Jewish business man to perfection. Thoroughly capable of commanding sympathy. Not particularly given to comedy, however. Florence Vidor once more a pleasing heroine. Noah Beery, Robert Edeson, Otis Harlan and Fred Butler a villainous quartette. Wm. V. Mong excellent. Others Lloyd Hughes, Virginia Browne Faire. Type of Story. . . . Comedy-drama, irom Aaron Hoffman's stage play. "Welcome Stranger " enjoyed a highly successful run as a Broadway play. The film version should prove a good box office attraction for it contains a lot of elements of audience appeal with excellent character delineation, human interest, sympathy, comedy and romance its uppermost points of interest. It doesn't seem that the comedy possibilities have been used to their fullest advantage. The laughs come almost solely through the sub-titles. But the real point of the story, the creating of a sympathy for the much-opposed Jewish intruder in a small New England town, is de cidedly effective. Isadore Solomon finds no welcome in Valley Falls, where he hopes to open a dry goods store. He is refused admittance to^ the hotel but Clem, considered erratic because of his ambition to see the town electrified, befriends him. Clem is also ostracised from society. The two are joined by Mary Clark, a girl seeking seclusion from a co-respondent case in which she was framed. The three work together, Solomon and Clem furthering plans to "put the town on the map". How they succeed, in the face of all sorts of opposition, and finally have their opponents at their feet, offers interesting and amusing complications. Incidentally, Mary wins the heart of the mayor's son. Box Office Angle. .. .Should satisfy most of audience. Has good audience appeal. Seems to run a little long but it can readily be cut. Exploitation. .. .Here's a first rate title for stunt exploitation. Have paper, cut to the size, and representing door mats, labeled "Welcome Stranger," placed at the doors of homes in your town. Get permission to place "Welcome Stranger" signs prominently at local railway stations or trolley terminals. Put the name in shop windows. Recall the stage play. Mention Dore Davidson's name recalling other pictures in which he has appeared; also Florence Vidor's name. Direction. . . .James Young; good but might have gotten in more laughs. Author Aaron Hoffman Scenario. . .Jas. Young-Willard Mack Cameraman George Benoit Photography All right Locale Small town Length 6,618 feet I Bebe Daniels in "Dangerous Money" Paraniou7it As a Whole... ANOTHER LUXURY SHOW THAT WILL GET OVER ON THE STRENGTH OF ITS PICTORIAL VALUE; NOT MUCH OF A STORY BUT IT HAS BEEN GIVEN A GOOD MOUNTING, WHICH HELPS A LOT. Star. .. .Reaches stardom in vehicle that hardly makes the promotion conspicuous. Has had equally effective roles before. Knows how to do this kind particularly well. Pleasing and wears some mighty good looking things. Cast.... Tom Moore the usual Irish hero. Makes all his entrances at the Rivoli showing, to the tune of "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling." William Powell suited as the suave Italian Prince who's after the American heiress' money. Others not important. Type of Story. .. .Romantic drama; from John Russell's adaptation of "Clark's Field" by Robert Herrick. "Dangerous Money", a far better box office title than "Clark's Field", gives Bebe Daniels no particularly nne chance to reach heights for her first opportunity at stardom. It does-^ive her a role that she knows how to handle and surrounds her with the sort of atmosphere in which she fits very nicely. Otherwise it's just another picture "with Bebe Daniels". This is also Frank Tuttle's (Paramount scenario writer) first directorial effort. All told he's done a satisfactory job but then there isn't anything particularly difficult in a story of this kind. Given a Cinderella formula the most he had to do was supply an attractive mounting. And this he has done. This luxury business usually appeals to a picture audience, women especially. They'll get a good thrill out of the way Bebe spends her suddenly acquired fortune and they'll be happy when her fortune-hunting Italian husband dies and leaves her free to marry her Irish lover, which she should have done in the first place. But then there had to be a plot and so after seven reels of delay the two are happy. Box Office Angle A likely bet They'll like the good looking production, varied locations, general lavish display and Bebe Daniels and Tom Moore. Has a good even chance of satisfying. Exploitation. . . ."Dangerous Money" sounds like an alluring title. They'll want to know what "Dangerous Money" is. This is a good cue for catchlines and teaser ads. Boost Bebe Daniel's name, telling them that this is her first starring picture. Run a trailer showing the "romantic villa ". Or maybe the thrill in the. melodramatic climax might serve to bring them back. Direction .... Frank Tuttle; adequate Author John Russell Scenario Julie Heme Cameraman Roy Hunt Photography Good Locale N. Y.-Europe Length 6,864 feet. "Three Women" Warner Bros. As a Whole ANOT MIGHTY FINE DIRECTO TRIUMPH WHICH DBS' STORY WEAKNESS SHCi PROVE A WINNER AT BOX-OFFICE. Cast.... May McAvoy in anoti her "sweet" roles. Pauline erick splendid as her mothei hates to grow old. Marie Pi has little to do. Lew Codj only man of consequence production, gives a satisfying formance. Mary Carr does bit. Type of Story Excepting ] this verges on melodrama. Women" rings very sint When it steps off the track comes a movie. It's a usual developed as Lubitsch always in his own distinct, individual ner. It is really fine directoria is noticed almost from the ! ning. His treatment of the m ii her daugliter and the man thej 3 love — who incidentally isn't n it — is according to his finest B of direction. Where the i shows the struggle betwceflj ther and daughter for this ll less cad, Lubitsch rises to 9 heights, but later when thew raged mother shoots Cody paving the way for her daug marriage to a real man it'' regulation movie stuff and d aj ring true. The usual Lubitsch to however, save this mediocre Box Office Angle Undoul' big league material. Title, ca; Lubitsch's name should bring in. i Exploitation Seek to arous curiosity of the average w fan and patron and you shou sure of mighty good business "Three Women." Use catC to arouse curiosity such as ' the average husband have women in his life? If so, 'Three Women' at the blank ater etc." You can play up P Frederick's name because sh been off the screen for some You know the gulling power o vost, McAvoy, Cody and Lu|| and operate accordingly, sure to tell your people theyji see this from the beginning, won't enjoy this seeing it fro| middle on. Direction Ernst Lubitsch'^ other magnificent effort fron ' director; splendid. Author Hans Scenario Lubitsch and ' Cameraman .... Charles Van "" Photography Spj Locale New * Length 7,90\