The Film Daily (1924)

12 THE ■cS^ DAILY Sunday, August 17, 1924 "Listen Lester" — Principal Earle, Philadelphia PUBLIC LEDGER (Evening)— It contains many screen favorites in the cast and there are many hearty laughs to be found in their efforts to secure the return of the "incriminating love letters." "The Marriage Cheat"— 1st Nat'l Lyric Skydome, St. Louis GLOBE-DEMOCRAT—* ♦ * is a melodrama laid in the tropics. It is good. Not much of a plot, but an excellent cast and an abundance of atmosphere. POST-DISPATCH— Scenic settings of rare beauty and some of the best storm scenes ever filmed are outstanding features * * * The story is superlatively melodramatic * * * STAR — Marmont's '-"'■formance is good, as usual. His very walk is clerical. Laska Winter, a new Ince star, shares honors with him as the halfcaste girl Laska. Her part is excellently acted TIMES^"The Marriage Cheat" is rich in romance. Warfield, San Francisco (Week Ending Aug. 9) BULLETIN—* * * a melodrama of the higher order. There is no end of action and there is a quantity of really big scenes with just a suggestion of the risque, but the latter is by no means objectionable. CALL AND POST—* * * is "different"— and therein lies its charm and attraction. Not different in its story and locale, perhaps, but distinctive in the way it is done and meritorious through its appeal to the viewer. CHRONICLE—* * * Harsh in spots, but grimly real * * * DAILY NEWS— The South Sea islands with their exotic charm are the scene * * * The story is a Hackneyed one * * * HERALD — Happy romance, the kind that at once brings a catch to the throat and a smile to the face ; pervades the film. "Merton of the Movies"— F. P.-L. Fenway, Boston TRANSCRIPT— We do not think we are exaggerating when we say that never has a motion picture been produced which in acting, lighting, and direction — we are including comedies only — surpasses Merton of the Movies. TRAVELER— It is, I think, the best picture Cruze has done since "The Covered Wagon" — and that is saying something, foi this director could make an interesting picture out of any story ever written. McVicker's, Chicago AMERICAN — No, you don't need to hesitate in making up your mind in the case of "Merton;" just go. HERALD AND EXAMINER— There is a generous length to all the comic episodes, and what matters the slightness of breadth so long as everybody laughs? I have rarely heard more laughter for a picture. * * * TRIBUNE— It isn't so long before the film gains momentum — and when it does it swings you right along with it. "Missing Daugters" — Selznick Broadway Strand, Detroit NEWS — * * * is bound to please anyone who hankers for that especial species of entertainment, a frank thriller with nothing to raise it above or lower it beneath its very numerous kindred. "Never Say Die" — Asso. Exhibitors Capitol, Detroit NEWS — -The picture adapters have done an excellent job in giving this vehicle its celluloid dimensions, and Mr. McLean has seized an opportunity to be awfully funny in it. There are two situations that come close to deserving the adjective excruciating. California, Los Angeles (Week Ending Aug. 9) EXAMINER— There's a lot of laughter, evoked honestly enough alike by the situations and by the acting, there are clever titles, and most of all there is a real plot. EXPRESS — No one could resist its humors, nor quarrel with its use of a bit of old trickery. There is enough that is quite new and irresistibly funny to make the picture unusually good and acceptable. DAILY NEWS—* ' * contains all the thrills of Harold Lloyd's comedy, "Safety Last," and a breezy romance that has tremendous heart appeal. * * * is photographically done to the queen's taste. HERALD — Yards and yards of laughs, if such a metaphor is permissable, permeate "Never Say Die," Willie Collier's well known stage play * * ♦ RECORD — Here is a consistently good farce, produced by a consistently good farceur and his gang of consistently merry men. TIMES — To the person who is searching for a racy, spicy comedy, packed full of human interest and humorous situations, * * * "Never Say Die," starring Douglas McLean, will be more than satisfactory. "Open All Night"— F. P.-L. Metropolitan, Los Angeles (Week Ending Aug. 9) EXAMINER — From a directorial angle the new play is delightful. It is terse, fastmoving, happily free from long titles, * * * with drama, comedy and whimsical satire abounding. * * * it offers entertainment and will arouse controversy. EXPRESS—* * * Paul Bern, the director, has invested many of the episodes with * * * charm of gay sophistication. HERALD — Bern took an old story and polished it into a bright, attractive and interesting picture, extremely novel at times and well done throughout RECORD—* * * has elaborated action and toned down (to certain extent) the erotic vagaries of the characters, and has turned out a photoplay that is not too heavy, but is subtly weird. "The Shooting of Dan McGrew"— Metro-Gold. — Strand, Cincinnati COMMERCIAL TRIBUNE— At last we get the full life history of that group of characters made famous in Robert Service's poem, "The Shooting of Dan McGrew." And it took the movies to turn the trick. ENQUIRER—* * * Originally was a rhymed melodrama, but the film by that name is a melodrama without much rhyme — or reason, either, for that matter. "The Side Show of Life"— F. P.-L. Palace, Montreal GAZETTE — It has the Locke atmosphere, a not easily defined blending of the real and the unreal, and it is unusual, a picture that is a welcome change from the ordinary run. "The Plunderer"— Fox Fox, Philadelphia PUBLIC LEDGER (Evening)—* * » a generous bit of melodrama — with villains and fights 'n everything — * * * Taken altogether it gives one a maximum of variety and a pleasant entertainment. RECORD—* * * worthy. The atmosphere of the West has been admirably caught by the director of this story of mining life. Gigantic mountains, lonely trails and a picturesque mining camp give the romance of the play ideal settings. The story, too, is absorbing and is ably set forth * • * "The Reckless Age"— Universal Loew's, Montreal GAZETTE — * * * fast-moving sequence of events, mixing thrills and laughter in great style. "Recoil"— Metro-Gold. Ohio, Indianapolis NEWS — The settings are really thrilling. The party given by the millionaire at Deauville for the ten most beautiful women of Europe, will whip up the interest of the most jaded photoplay viewer. STAR — It is an old story and an interesting one. The manner in which everything comes out right in the end adds a dramatic climax to a picture full of surprises. TIMES — * * * held my interest because it is different, and because it is splendidly acted. Hamilton does fine work as the man who is burdened with many millions, and Miss Blythe is not only beautiful, but powerfully effective. Strand, Minneapolis JOURNAL—* * * Has little that is new, but it has been directed with skill, the settings of Monaco and Nice are authentic and these European backgrounds give an impressive atmosphere to proceedings that are more or less the conventional incidents of a typical photoplay plot. "Revelation"— Metro-Gold. Alhambra, Milwaukee JOURNAL— While Viola is no second Nazimova. she makes the role convincing and extraordinarily attractive. Capitol, Montreal GAZETTE — The film is one which will please inordinately those who like an abundance of sentiment, some vivid scenes of gayety contrast with the devotional passages in the monastery, and Miss Dana is supported by an excellent cast * ♦ ♦ "The Signal Tower"— Universal Broadway, Los Angeles (Week Ending Aug. 9) EXPRESS—* * * there are deft little touches of quiet human appeal, the humble joys of the workman's home in which a youngster creates much diversion and joy and a silly female relation much anxiety to the family but great merriment for the onlookers. HERALD — Had Manager Cloakey searched far and wide, and he evidently did, he would have had difficulty in finding a more pleasing picture than "The Signal Tower." TIMES— The thrills are few, short and far between. The greatest of these is the wrecking of a train * ♦ » smashing head on into the limited with its priceless human cargo. On the whole, "The Signal Tower" is something you are likely to like. Merrill, Milwaukee JOURNAL— ♦ * * Not only only an excellent story of railroad life — as we heard an old-timer of the steel trail remark — but it is also an absorbing, dramatic and wholly convincing picture. * * * ■SENTINEL— The production is the best all round thick-chested but well produced melodrama seen in ages. A vigorous wholesome story of every day people, it keeps one's attention riveted as few of your farfetched jazz tales can. Granada, San Francisco (Week Ending Aug. 9) BULLETIN— The mere title of the picture gives promise of rapid action and there are no disappointments in this regard. CALL AND POST— For here is a melo drama that takes a tight hold of the interest the minute the story starts to unreel and never lets up until the big moment. » ♦ * CHRONCLE— * » * Turned out much bet ter than one expected. In fact, it's good. DAILY NEWS—* * * An exciting yarn of the rails with melodramatic thrills by the score and a finely sustained interest. HERALD— The best all-round, thick-chested screen melodrama of the year. * * * A vigorous human story of railroad life in the mountain forests of the Northwest, held the audience tense and thrilled at the Saturday matinee. "Single Wives"— 1st Nat'l Capitol, Cincinnati COMMERCIAL TRIBUNE— The storj rapidly draws to an interesting close from fh' ' point. Excellent photography in which ai featured a new treatment of lighting effect for residence interiors, and a splendid sui porting cast, help make this an excellent piture. INQUIRERSince the heroine of th, photoplay differs to no appreciable extent frm her sisters, and since the problem she iaa^ and the way she solves it — or rather the ^ it solves itself — also is pretty much the saigi the appeal of "Single Wives" is anything fig strikingly novel. State, Cleveland NEWS — This film is a society picture will rank high with pictures of its kind, year or any other year. Every scene is 1: and not once is the spectator permitte think the characters are any other than peopl of wealth who have everything at their bcc and call that money can buy. PRESS — The incidents of the picture^! lacking in variety and contrast. Before it Sll over this reviewer was tired of seeing so nun in turn hold their heads in both hands ai look anguished. n Loew's, Los Angeles (Week Ending Aug. 9) EXAMINER— There is a marked absenc of over-acting throughout the story. Emi tional climaxes are reached naturally an logically, and Miss Griffith shows rare hi trionic ability in translating varying shadi of emotion. HERALD— Miss Griffith takes advantaf of all of the many opportunities in the stoi, for beautiful shading of expression. SI makes her whims and moods felt by all. I The direction throughout is excellent. RECORD— Both Miw Griffith and Si! should be commended for their admirab restraint. They portray difficult roles wi just the right amount of fire, never descenj ing to exaggerated emphasis. TIMES — ^Most of the heavy emoting fb; Miss Griffith and Mr. Sills are called qpc for is childish and silly, although there a some scenes a few reels from the end wte their various displays of emotions are yu fiable. For the most part, they are mere , manikins, moved by the threads of a W«t plot. State, Minneapolis JOURNAL — The picture has been produt with the usual elaborate sets, but the story trite. Rialto, Omaha WORLD-HERALD— The climax \i4d presents the reconciliation between the yoBn couple, is highly dramatic. It is also cleil ly presented. The atmosphere is penl* So are the artistic settings and the beatll!! gowns worn by the feminine member*' the cast. f "The Woman on the Jury" Karlton, Philadelphia RECORD — For tensity of interest and matic situations, "The Woman on the Ji adapted from the stage play of that nil and shown yesterday at the Karlton Thi takes its place among the year's intei dramas. COMING SOON PRODUCERS DISTRIBUTING CORPORATION Stortj biji\n VAN LOAN DirectcJbif JEROME STORM and HUNT STROMBERG ENTIRE PRODUCTION UNDER T>1E PERSONAL SUPERVISION OF — HUNT STROMBERG HUNT STROMBERQ £^ CHARLES R.ROGERS /^/zseflb PriScilla Dean SEASON 1924-1925 THIRTY FIRST-RUN PICTURES