The Film Daily (1921)

filial DAH.Y Sunday, May 1, 1921 (i Fatty" Has Had Better Laugh-Getters Than This Roscoe Arbuckle in "THE TRAVELING SALESMAN" Paramount DIRECTOR Joseph Henabery AUTHOR James Forbes SCENARIO BY Walter Woods CAMERAMAN Karl Brown AS A WHOLE The least amusing of the Arbuckle features so far; only a few big laughs STORY Loosely connected series of very much "movie" material; not of feature strength DIRECTION Might have made more of the opportunities even though they were not the best PHOTOGRAPHY All right LIGHTINGS Satisfactory CAMERA WORK Average STAR Story doesn't give him half a chance SUPPORT Unimportant EXTERIORS All right INTERIORS Adequate DETAIL Some fairly good titles CHARACTER OF STORY Traveling salesman falls in love with station agent's daughter and saves her property LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 4,514 feet Here's a case of another good stage play "gone wrong." "The Traveling Salesman" as a play was a popular hit, but it falls short of being a successful screen comedy and doesn't give the Paramount comedian much chance to get over his usual line of laughs. True, there are a few big ones, especially in the poker game, but they come too few and far between to hold over. Long stretches roll along without a laugh at all. out a laugh at all. Perhaps if "Fatty" hadn't turned out such good ones as "Brewster's Millions" and "The Dollar a Year Man," his last two pictures, this one wouldn't seem so lacking in mirth. But after them "The Traveling "Salesman" is weak entertainment. It doesn't give the star enough to do. James Forbes' story doesn't contain good screen material in the first place and as it appears here consists of incidents loosely strung to-, gether and they are of real old "movie" formula — the heroine who owns property which the villain is planning to relieve her of and a jealous suitor, in on the scheme, and finally the salesman hero who comes to the rescue. Director Henabery didn't have much to work with, but he might have made more of what comedy possibilities that did present themselves. They could have pulled some "rube" stuff in the country hotel besides drawing "hootch" from the gas pipe and serving it in tea cups. The title writer got an inning in the opening shot and tells some jokes, one about a girl being attractive at twenty, attentive at thirty and adhesive at forty. Bob Blake ("Fatty), salesman for ladies' clothes, is the victim of practical jokers and he gets off the train before it arrives at his destination, Grand River. Bob is drenched in the pouring rain and when he can't find a lodging, breaks into an untenanted private house which the sheriff is going to sell for the taxes. It belongs to Beth, the telegraph operator at Grand River Station. Bob looks her up to pay for his lodging, and falls in love with her as well. Royce, also in love with Beth, is jealous of the salesman and accepts the proposition of Drury, a skinflint, to do Beth out of the proceeds of the sale. The deal isn't made very clear, but anyway hero "Fatty" saves the house and wins the girl. Should Go Over Well Enough With Folks Who Like Star Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor Arbuckle's latest won't hand them the laughs that some of his previous features have, but if they like the fat comedian well enough they'll probably be satisfied with "The Traveling Salesman." The title is a good one and should have a good drawing power. In view of the usual line of jokes told in connection with this familiar personage, the title ought to get them interested without further explanation. You can tell them it is an adaptation of the stage play. Use stills for your lobby decoration and if you are entitled to local newspaper space, the Paramount press sheet contains adequate advance stories. Catchlines can be used to good advantage also. Say : "Ever know a traveling salesman who wouldn't flirt? Here's one who wouldn't — so he thought, but watch him when he meets the right girl. 'Fatty' Arbuckle is at the blank theater."