The Film Daily (1925)

THE Sunday, July 5, 1925 j?B^ DAILY 11 Hollywood Happenings McCarty Starts "Part Time Wife" "The Part Time Wife", a Renaud lldt'tnian Prod., was placed into proluction this week, with Henry Mccarty directing, Glen Belt assisting ind Jack Mackenzie in charge of ■anicra work. In the cast are Alice Jalhoun, Robert Ellis, Janice Peters, i\rthiir Hoyt and Patricia Palmer. I Leatrice Joy Vacationing I Having completed "Hell's Highoad", her first starring vehicle for 3ecil De Mille. Leatrice Joy has left or a vacation. Upon her return she trill appear in "The Wedding Song". ilharles Wliittaker and Douglas Doty »re now working on the adaptation, ilan Hale is to direct. _ocale of Rex's Next in Montana The next picture to be made by -lal Roach starring Rex, the horse, \-\\\ be made in and around Yellowtone National Park and the Crow ndian Reservation in Montana. Fred \'ood Jackman will direct. Hamilton Starts on New Series The first of the new Lloyd Hamil )n scries of comedies for Educational ; in work. The first of the new lueniles, the Jimmie Adams and the nco series have started. Seiter to Direct Denny's Next William Seiter has been retained y Universal to direct the next Regi)ld Denny vehicle, the name of Iiich has not as yet been annunced. Liter directed Denny's last. Boyd in "Road to Yesterday" William Boyd is a new addition to <c cast of Cecil De Mille's "The oad to Yesterday", with Joseph hildkraut. laire Windsor Given New Contract ^ rtro-Goldwyn-Mayer has signed ;■ Windsor on a new long term . ract. jssell Finishes Adapting "Lord Jim" J ihn Russell has completed the ad t,itation of "Lord Jim" for ParaJount. Buchowetzki Cutting "Graustark" Diniitri Buchowetzki is cutting orma Talmadge's newest, "Grauszrk". Jean Acker Signs Cecil B. De Mille has signed Jean :ker on a long term contract. 12 Releases for July and August Educational will release 12 sub:ts during July and August. Cruze Leaves on Location Trip Tames Cruze has left on a location p with his company. Considine Joins United Artists John Considine, Jr. has joined lited Artists. Suit Over Loaning Mason Hopper As a result of one company lending a director to another, under an asserted contract, a trial for $7,350 damages has been brought before Judge Albert Lee Stephens. The Goldwyn Producing Corp. was the plaintiff and they are suing Warner Bros, for the alleged loan of E. Mason Hopper. Moirison Making His Fifth "Cowboy Grit," Pete Morrison's fifth western in a series of eight for Vitagraph is in production at the California studios. Joe Sameth is the producer. Morrison has just finished "West of Arizona." In New Series for Steen Sierra Pictures, Inc., has closed with A. G. Steen to produce a series starring E. K. Lincoln and Wanda Hawley. John Ince will direct. Production on the first starts soon. Newspaper Opinions Marion Harlan in "O. Henry" Series Fox has selected Marion Harlan to play the lead in the series of eight "O. Henry" stories, which Daniel Kecfe will direct. Keefe has just been made a director by Fox. Edythe Raymond Being Starred Edythe Raymond is being starred in "Crushed Roses" for the Raymond H, Gardiner Prod. It will probably be produced in South America or the Hawaiian Islands. Hogan Finished with Schulberg James P. Hogan, having finished directing "My Lady's Lips" for B. P. Schulberg, thereby completes his contract. Frank Newman Assumes New Duties Frank L. Newman has assumed his new duties as director of the Metropolitan, Million Dollar and Rialto. "Beery in "Vanishing American" Noah Beery is a new addition to the cast of "The Vanishing American." Clara Bow Completes Third Clara Bow has finished work in "The Primrose Path" for Embassy Pictures. Harry Hoyt directed. Chaplin's Next It is understood that Charles Chaplin will next make a comedy based on "The Suicide Club". Lloyd Starts His First Harold Lloyd has commenced production on his first comedy for Famous Players. Four Chadwicks Completed Four Chadwick pictures for 1925-26 have been completed. Four others are in work. Out-of-Town "The Gold Rush"— United Artists Egyptian — Holl3nvood DAILY NEWS— "Charlie Cliaplin reaches tlie pinnacle of his career in "The Gold Rush" with more than the usual amount of pyrotechnics", * » » His latest and probably greatest contribution to the screen. • » ♦ * * * unquestionably the best thing Chaplin ever has done. In point of comedy gags, situation, suspense and heart interest, it is possible that it is the best comedy drama anyone has ever done. Throughout the entire picture Chaplin, in addition to the comedy, sustains a wonderful and most appealing note of sympathy. * * • HOLLYWOOD NEWS—* * * If is the crowning achievement of the master comedian. No, the master artist. In 'The Rush' the little man with the funny walk is no more. In his place has sprung a genius of human understanding: a man who knows life, its himiors, its pathos, its joys and its sorrows. Chaplin has done that which no other artist has done, he has recorded on thin film the soul of a man. He has created a masterpiece. The picture is remarkable in that every bit of comedy business has an underlying meaning. Nothing is superfluous and Chaplin is persuasive. He holds his audience to every expression, every move. Georgia Hale, as The Girl, has a screen personality which offers an admirable foil to the star. Her work is excellent. * * * LOS ANGELES EXAMINER— Charlie Chaplin has given a Chaplin comedy of yore in his return to the silver sheet » ♦ ♦ Genius is exhibited in 'The Gold Rush." « « » Every foot of 'The Gold Rush' showed the comedian as the world has grown to know and love him. * * * LOS ANGELES EXPRESS—* * * Chaplain has created no funnier tricks on the screen, and the picture is one of the finest things the screen has seen. The ascending laughter, which reaches its climax at a dangerous precipice, causes hilarious slrieks from the spectators. Chaplin's position as a comedian, threatened by activities nf other comedians in Charlie's long absence from the screen, is now made more secure by a picture which is his best ♦ • ♦ LOS ANGELES HERAT,D— 'The Gold Rush' is an epic comedy and the star's best. Seldom has there been such unanimity of opinion on the artistic and general merits of an ambitious cinema production as was exnressed by the vociferous applause and enthusiasm after the performance. 'The Gold Rush' is without exagcerafion Chaplin's most stupendous efTort. He has endeavored to m.ake this his best picture, and I think vou will agree, when vou've witnessed it. that bis genius driven labors have not been in vain. It is a comedy of the rarest oualities. and Chaplinesque at all times. The film never lap's * * » LOS ANGELES RECORD — Cha-'ie Chanlin t'-inmnhs. His new picture. 'The Gold Rush.' evoked stormy applause, and if was m.TG-nificently presented. It is a picture nobody will want to miss seeing. It is by long odds the most pretentions he has ever snonsnred and is a combination '^^ the episodic method he introduced in '.A Woman of Paris' with his old personalitv of 'The Kid' and his earlier pictures, studded with thrills. Deafening applause and ca'es of laughter greeted the new stunts and un"snnl nhotographic effect while every one wa's '^ob'tfing his sides at this picture Georeia Hnle is wholesomely vivacious as the dance hnT "neeen ♦ » * LOS ANGELES TIMES-* * * This ''uo-e feature will i^o down as enoch-m-'king. Tt is as darino' and snectacular an experiment '•s has ever been attempted on the screen It is am-T-inqr that comedv in the fi'ms shal' iipve renched such a pm'nt in its d^vi^lopm^nt M'tiere q pi^'tnrp rivalling 'The Tt'Vth f^^ n ^'ation ' a 'Robin TTood' or -•> 'Thi-f of Raodad.' and f-oin this triil Chatdain his at least eome forth with the laurels of a pioneers. * • • "The Awfnl Truth*'— Prod. Dist. Porn. Cameo n^TT.V MTT?ROT?_-» • » T)' nlav wa^ a HeT't. rVverlv prted affair. The pirtn^e r-xn he <^^\(\ ^arrlp Cla-k'' Ward, as tTip "nnfprna'^ a"nt." r-iv^s a Tiumo'-oiis cTiarpofp'-t7ation but she has only a small part MORNING TELEGRAPH— • * * The picture struggles valiantly to sparkle through the mist of a mediocre cast, and Paul Powell has done his best to relieve the proceedings with directorial agility, Lovers' quarrels — their misunderstandings — their jealousies — their obvious little attempts at reconciliation without humbling at the family pride, always prove diverting, and this little romance belongs to that series in the producer's notebook. * * * rOST^ — * * * Is a sophisticated tale done with a light touch throughout, and, while it doesn't matter much, it is good entertainment of an inconsequential nature. * « * SUN — * * * Deals with the separation and eventual remarriage of a fashionable couple. One or two characters that were faintly satirical portraits in the original are here treated with perfect seriousness and respect, which rather robs the movie of some moments of civilized comedy. * » * 'Grounds for Divorce" — Paramount Rialto AMERICAN—* * * Amusing but brittle is the Rialto's feature. "Grounds for Divorce" is often bright and always gay, but even for a farce its situations are somewhat too artificial. The original idea is a diverting one. Divorces wander casually in and out of the picture, but no one takes them seriously. * * » DAILY MIRROR—* * * The play has been twisted into conventional cinema fare, so frugal as to leave one's appetite unsatisfied. Florence Vidor in Miss Claire's role, is beautiful to behold and her eyes enchanting to watch, but aside from being a "clothes horse" she has nothing to do. * * * Perhaps it is the fault of Director Paul Bern. Perhaps it is the fault of Scenarist Violet Clark. At all events, "Grounds for Divorce" lacks humor, drama or appeal. » « « DAILY NEWS—* * * "Grounds for Divorce,'* pictorially put, is a sort of affront to your sense of humor — if you saw the play. You remember how much you found funny in Ina Claire's production of the "spcakies." And you thoroughly reprove yourself for not being able to get more than a couple of giggles out of the screen attempt. It's really too bad ! Because each member of the cast is exceptionally well chosen EVENING JOURNAL—* * * Louise Fazenda is good in her comedy role of a Parisian actress, and Beranger is clever. Although it all seems rather exaggerated, what with the introduction of numerous grounds for divorce. Florence and Moore and the others are well cast. * * * MORNING .TELEGRAPH —* • • The photography is excellent. Parts of the picture have been made with a color process. These scenes are individually effective, but rather distracting when interspersed with the usual black and white. It may be described as a light comedy that gives a new twist to the neglected wife theme, but except for the beauty and charm of Florence Vidor and an amusing performance by Louise Fazenda it offers little in the way of entertainment. • * • POST — * * * The screen version starts out very well indeed, but it wanders far afield later on. * * * Xhe original story is considerably tampered with to provide more material for the screen, but the tampering only serves to show that the play was never written for the films in the first place. "Grounds for Divorce", has its amusing moments, but it is all very vague for the mosf part. * • * SUN—* * • Was directed by Paul Bern. who displays somewhat of a fiair for keeping things in a light comedy mood, but who does not display genius. * * * "Grounds for Divorce" is moderately diverting. * • * TELEGRAM—* * * Louise Fazenda, in the role of the actress who cried ever and anon, "I want Maurice !" seems to have caughl the Vajda mood and cartried it through. At least she's the only one who ever gains a laugh from the onlooker, and even she resorts to broad burlesque and makes you like Fazenda more than Vajda. » » ♦ TIMES— * * * The settings and the scenery in this production are wonderfully convincing. In several sequences Paul Bern, the director, has made use of the gyroscope camera, which enhances the interest, as the photographer is enabled with this apparatus