The Film Daily (1918)

Friday, September 20, 1918 AIL.V Sure-Fire Titles and Peppy Treatment Make Spy-Burlesque Register Shirley Mason and Ernest Truex in "GOME ON IN" Loos=Emerson Prod. — Paramount DIRECTOR John Emerson AUTHORS John Emerson and Anita Loos CAMERAMAN Jacques Monteran AS A WHOLE Snappy farcical spy=meller made entertaining by sure=fire titles and clever handling. STORY Serio=comic burlesque on the average spy= meller, played for laughs all the way, and landed a few real wallops. DIRECTION Kept it moving and gave excellent treatment to individual incidents. TITLES Great stuff; a winner every time — no blanks. PHOTOGRAPHY Good straight stuff LIGHTINGS Varied from good to just fair; no attempt for effects. CAMERA WORK Generally very good STARS Have pleasing personalities that admirably fitted type of story. SUPPORT Well selected; some great types EXTERIORS Army cant*onment atmosphere in= teresting. INTERIORS Not particularly distinctive but adequate. DETAIL Sure=fire titles put over laughs and patriotic punches effectively. CHARACTER OF STORY. . . .Should register anywhere LENGTH OF PRODUCTION About 5,000 feet WE might have known that when John Emerson and Anita Loos started out "on their own" that they'd hand us something with lots of pep and plenty of laughs. They have. Incidentally, the stars of this offering are going to register very favorably because it is quite evident that they were either selected to fit the story or the story written with the stars in mind — in either event they fit admirably into the general spirit of the production. From a standpoint of plot, this isn't big or unusual, and doesn't pretend to be. It hinges around the usual spy meller situations, but has been played with a broad stroke and tied together with some sure-fire titles that will register with a bang anywhere. They start this off with the news of America's declaration of war hitting an office where the bantam-weight stars, whom Miss Loos has christened Emmy Little and Eddie Short, are employed, and Eddie decides to enlist. He is turned down by the examining board because of his height and they pull a sure-fire laugh by having him crowned on the bean on his way out, which raises a bump sufficient to make up the shy inch and a half, so that he can beat it for another examining board and be passed. Eddie is detailed to Camp Upton which gives his proGerman rival. Otto B. Schott. the edge on Emmy's attentions. Finally the draft gets Otto and he is sent to camp where he is forced to serve under Eddie, who has risen in the ranks. We had some sure fire inserts which came to the spy gang as instructions from the Kaiser and when one of these instructs them to kill at least one American officer so Kaiser Bill will have an alibi to offer his people for the million Americans that have landed in France. Otto B. suggests the scheme of marrying Emmy, so that Eddie and Shero's uncle, who is a Colonel, can be snuffed off when they attend the wedding. Things go as planned and the Colonel is thrown in a cellar and the gas turned on. but Hero Eddie has his trusty gas mask along and pulls the rescue, after which the spy gang are pinched. Then a title tells us that Emmy marries a lieutenant after all, and it's Eddie, who has been promoted another notch, and we fade out on the wedding. The names given the German spies were great, as for instance. G. Wottan Orphul-Schmell, A. Schlobb and Count Yon Bumstuff. A very effective sequence in this was the close-ups of different nationalities in the draft parade coming down Fifth Avenue. The titles played for laughs but had an undeniable sincerity behind them and registered a real patriotic wallop. The handling of the scenes showing men being examined for the army was cleverly done and the subtle touches registered by titles and individual incidents all through the offering stamp it as distinctive and different. The cast included Charles DePlanta. Joseph Burke, Renault Turner, Bernard Randall, Blanche Craig, Meyer Berenson, Richie Ling and Louis Henrick. They'll Like It and It Sure Carries a Title to Play With The Box Office Analysis For the Exhibitor Regardless of the fact that you haven't got a known quality to advertise here, I am convinced that this can be put over with a bang by trick advertising along unusual lines playing on the title. Oh boy! What a title to play with. And also what an opportunity Paramount muffed when they didn't induce Miss Loos to cook up the ad suggestions for this production. Miss Loos has a knack of taking the audience into her confidence in her sub-titles which would work admirably into an intimate "Me-to-you" selling talk to get folks interested. In absence of known stars, you've got to stir something if you expect to get your folks interested and here is at least a chance to prove your ability as a showman. Just as a suggestion, which can be elaborated upon and is unlimited in its scope, you might use copy along this line: A peppy, distinctive comedy-melodrama presenting two new stars with oodles of personality supported by such prominent Germs from Germany as: Count Von Bumstuff, Prof. G. Wottan Orphul-Schmell, A. Schlobb and Otto B. Schott. "We could say more but it would spoil the plot. advise to you to "COME ON IN." Our Play up the "COME ON IN" title with a vengeance, in teaser ads ahead of your showing, on throw-aways and in your lobby. By concentrating on this one thing the psychology of it will have the effect of a magnet if you work on it hard — and keep it up. Let's have some ad copy from Miss Loos on the next one — the intimate personal appeal thing is always sure-fire and I'll bet, Miss Loos could put it over big. y'^w.* > A / X