The Film Daily (1928)

THE DAILVL Sunday, August 12, 1928 Newspaper Opinions T h e y S a y — "The Perfect Crime" (FBO) Rivoli, New York These are straight newspaper opinions, comment on the sound effects and synchronized music score appearing en page 9. AMERICAN'—* • • could stand cuttiuR almost anywhere, for its monotony jcopardize^; its chances of suspense and ability to hold the spectator's interest. DAILY MIRROR—* * * The story is highly involved. A plot within a plot within a plot. • • • DAILY NEWS—* * ♦ With all the ingredients that make for topnotch thrill stuff. "The Perfect Crime" falls short of being perfecl film fare because of inexpert direction. EVENING GRAPHIC—* * * For those who are still curious about the talkies, a visit to the Rivoli this week is worth while, and. aside from that, "The Perfect Crime" is superior to the general run of summer program pictures. EVENING JOURNAL— * * * After seeing it, this column went home and simply sobbed itself to sleep. For here in this picture, someone — director or scenario writer or someone else — muffed a chance to turn out the best mystery yarn ever filmed. EVENING WORLD—* * * oughl really to have been a nearly-perfect motion picture, for its conception is ingenious and imaginative; but it has so many loose ends and discrepancies that it degenerates to the classifica tion of quite good instead of remaining great, as it promised to do at the start. ♦ • ♦ HERALD — * * * one is disappointed that "The Perfect Crime" will fall far short of being one of the best pictures of the month. Although there is offered a marvelous plot. and although Clive Brook gives an inspired performance, "The Perfect Crime" turns out to be a rather botchy, irritating melodrama. • * « MORNING TELEGRAPH— * * * has every ingredient for a successful film except sustained entertainment. Its continuity is perfect, the cast adequate, the direction good, the photography above criticism, and yet it doesn't provide the stuff for which motion pictures audiences pay. It hasn't a thing to hold interest. ♦ * ♦ POST—* * • All in all, it is decidedly me<liocre stuff, though Mr. Brook performs -vith his usual studied restraint and dignity. • • • SUN — * * * This clever, if sloppily projected tale, is enacted by Cllve Brook, Irene Rich, Ethel Wales and others, all of whom seemc«l to Ije entirely in the picture. And, contrary to what you might expect, the mingling of silent and spoken drama does not jar. TELEGRAM—* * * Hampered by not very Indispensable prologue and epilogue, the main stratum of the film, "The Perfect Crime," achieved some dramatic effects, which Culminated in an excellent trial sequence. • * • TIMES— This is the sort of thing that should cause even Pippa to stop saying "all's right with the world." Amalgamation of sound and silence, "The Perfect Crime" at no time liecomes more than a pabl>crwocky of inane incidents. • • * WORLD—* * • Worth a visit. Me>dco Bans Babies at Theaters Mexico City — Babies in arms under two years of age are prohibited from theaters throughout Mexico, under an edict issued by President Calles, who says their attendance at theaters is bad for their health, interfering with regular sleeping and feeding. On Great Inventions Talking movies giving complete plays, perliaps with color added by the Eastman process; will be sent "on the road," and troupes of live actors will stay home. The Actors' Equity Association looks for a slump with hard times coming for actors, but that's a mistake. No great invention ever hurt anybody. The best actors will make more money in talking moving pictures than they ever made. The second class men will do as well or better. First and second class will be able to rest and exercise while the film does the work. — Editorial, "N. Y. Evening Journal." * * * Business Outlook Favorable The country has entered the period of summer quiet with seasonal trade recessions in most basic lines less pronounced than usual and a satisfactory balance being maintained between consumption and production. — Bank of America. * * * Aladdin and Sound It is unfortunate that the brains (?) of the industry has seen fit to push aside the backbone of the business— silent pictures — in an attempt to popularize, over night, a very uncertain quantity. After reading some of the advertising of the producing companies, one would think it was only necessary to rub Aladdin's lamp and — presto — every house immediately becomes sound equipped. Such advertising as this is bound to disturb what equilibrium there is in the industry, and seriously disrupt the business by slowing up generally the buying of silent pictures by many thousands of exhibitors. — P. J. Wood, Business Manager, M, P. T. O. oi Ohio. Mr. Kennedy's Ideas The greatest mistake that an executive in the motion pictures can make is to talk. What he should do is to tend to business. Let the stars talk; let them get the publicity. The sky's the limit as far as the exploiting of talent is concerned, let them have everything. But the executive's job is business. * * * l think there is too much profifering of theories as regards what should be done in the movies. Too m.uch talk, too little action. 1 prefer not to indulge in this. I'd much rather not be quoted at all, and let the other fellow do the talking. I'd rather mind my own business entirely and spend my time figuring out the next move to make. There's plenty of work to be done without the conversation. — Joseph P. Kennedy, in an interview with Edwin Schallert in "Los Angeles Times." * * * Financing, a Foreign Problem In my opinion the chief fault with the foreign producing market is that they appear reluctant to invest sufficient capital in their films to make really good productions. They cannot seem to see what enormous returns they can obtain from such investments by making good pictures. These "arty" efforts are splendid and often show strokes of the genius. But they will not and cannot make money. And unless pictures make enough money to justify the tremendous financial outlay the producers cannot weld together a strong organization, — King Vidor. Sapiro Members Raise Fund for Maintenance Members of the I.M.P.E.A., the Sapiro buying organization have raised a fund said to embrace many thousands of dollars, for use by the organization for any purpose held necessary. The action was entirely voluntarily and does not constitute an assessment of any nature. Extending Activities into Films Tile Board of Trade for GermanAmerican Commerce, Inc. in its desire to further cement business relations between (jcrmany and this country, is extending its facilities to embrace motion pictures. Sapiro Action Delayed Filing of an affidavit by the Sapiro buying organization, the I.M.P.E.A., in the Supreme Court in New York yesterday put off moves for an injunction against the M. and S. circuit until next week. Colorado Exhibitor Condition Critical Pueblo, Col. — J. J. Goodstein, Denver and Pueblo exhibitor, is reported in serious condition from complications arising from injuries received when he was kicked in the shin by a former employee. Saxes and Brachman Sue on Madison, Wis., Deal Milwaukee— Three suits for $19,500 each have been filed against Midwesco Theaters (Fox) by Thomas Saxe, John Saxe and Oscar Brachman claiming the defendants agreed to buy 195 shares of stock in the Capitol Investment Co., Madison, at $100 and the payments have not been made. The Saxes and Brachman, who formerly operated the Saxe Cham, recently gained control of the Capitol at Madison. Browning Making Comedy Tests Irving Browning of the Browning Studios, New York, has left New Vork for Norfolk, Richmond, New Orleans, Houston, St. Louis and Kansas City, where he is to conduct screen tests in the campaign of Hal Roach to secure new talent for Our Gang comedies. Four crews have been sent out by M-G-M to make local comedies. New Theaters New York — Steel frame for Film Guild theater on West Eighth St. in Greenwich Village, will be put in place this month. Darby, Pa. — Construction has started on' t the Parker, which will cost $500,000 and include stores and offices. It will be the largest in Delaware county, seating 2,500. W. H. Lee is the architect. The theater will open Oct. 1. Springdale, Pa. — Matt Ida is building a 500-seat house which will be ready this fall. Wichita, Kan. — The first suburban theater here, the Uptown, has opened. Officers are Harry J. Stockman, president; George Siedhcff, vice president; Charles Smvth, treasurer. Kansas City, Mo. — A. Baier has started constn-ction on a theater at 4011 Troost Ave It will seat 1,350. Oklahoma City, Okla. — The building com mission is checking plans for a $50,000 theater projected for Capitol Hill, but the names of the backers have not been disclosed. Winnipeg — Aaron Morris is building a $20,000 theater in the suburb of St. James Chick.isha. Okla.— W. O. McComb is remodeling a building into a theater. Fort Madison, la. — A. W. Thornlon of Hillsboru will build a 700-seat house here. Hoboken, N. J. — Stanley-Fabian Corp. will open the Fabian Aug. 2. The theater cost $2,000,000 and Fred W. Schroeder has been named resident manager. Passaic, N. J. — The Rex has been opened by the Rutherford Amusement Co., with Henry J. McCune as manager. Sees Negative Cost as Determining Rentals (Continued from Page 1) '. cent of their product, their price must be based on the cost of the picture and not on the fact that it has some draft to it," he declares. "The poor production of pictures last year and the demand for high rentals was caused by the fact that all the producing heads were busy taking over theaters, and in order to protect their investment in the theaters they attempted to get this cost out of the sale price of pictures. "Are the producers desirous of making their profit in theater ownership and operation, or in making productions? The answer is that the theaters, most of which are now new, built of steel and concrete, should last fifty years and will be here when the pro , duciiig units and companies will be dead and ' buried and new ideas advanced for entertain1 ment to go into these theaters. "Hardly any of the producers who are . chain theater owners are giving this question much consideration, although there is a precedent already set up for it. "Dramatic and legitimate producers years , ago, who were smart enough to see that the profits were to be made in theater operation, created circuits for themselves and today there are only two left, the Erlanger and Schubert Circuits. "As long as these circuits encouraged the ' production of attractions for these theaters, they were successful; but in the last three ' years when they proceeded to stifle them and ■ to make most all of the profit from a produc I ers br.-inch, they brought on the condition that exists today in their field." j Sees Many Mergers in i Talking Picture Field! (.Continued from Page 1) time keeping pace with it. 1 The publication says: "Undoubtedly, a lineup of new or ! ganizations gradually will evolve from the mixed situation with small companies going into larger ones and a gradual elimination of the poorer equipment and inventions as the new industry develops." Connor Returns to Whiteville Whiteville, N. C— W. S. Wishart has sold the Grand to W. D. Con i tj| nor, Connor formerly owned the , * house. I