The Film Daily (1919)

IN THE COURTS Jacques Tyrol, who has been known in the film business as John Rittberg and lack Tyrell, has filed two suits in the Supreme Court to recover possession of films One is brought against Samuel B. Kramer and the Repuh lie Laboratories Co., for $4,000 and the other against the Mavtrix Photoplays Inc for $500. The first suit alleges that the defendants have offices on the fourth floor of 729-7th Avenue and that the plaintiff is the owner of a sevenreel film of 6.915 feet. 280 scenes, depicting the lack of parental duty to ward children, and known as And the Children Pay." He als owns a sevenreel positive print of 7,000 feet 275 scenes, known as "The Sins of the Sons." He says the defendants have retained possession of the films in sp-te of his demands and asks either $4,000 or the films. . . The suit against the Maytnx Co. alleges that the defendant has a print of "And the Children Pay" in its rooms on the 8th floor of 729-7th Avenue and refuses to give up the plaintiff's property. ^__ House Changes Berkeley, Cal — H. A. Merlin, formerly manager of the Strand has been succeeded by L. V. De Lorme. Detroit— R. Perry formerly with Metro succeeds Harry Somerville of the Drury Lane. » Detroit_George Cusick has succeeded Edgar Carson as manager of the Broadway Strand. Creston la.— The Temple Grand, has been sold by Louis Rosenfeld to Hal Kelley. Chillicothe, Ohio— Victor Conn has succeeded Elmer Redclle as manager of the Sherman theater. Detroit— Charles H. Miles who operates the Regent and Orpheum theaten. announces that commencing Jan. 29 the policy of the Regent theater will change from a first-run picture house to vaudeville. ■BfrPt DAILY In the Open Market Many State Righters in Town. A number of state righters are in town At the Arrow Film office^ alone there were five yesterday : M. Kaplan, of the Variety Pictures Corp.. Baltimore, Sam Grand, Federal Features Film Co., Boston; J. Singer, Quaker City Film Exchange, Philadelphia; J. L. Roth, Premier Feature Film Co., Boston; and Herbert Weil of Port Huron, Mich. Cheerfulness and content are great beautifiers. and are famous preservers of youthful looks. — Dickens. Saturday, January II, 1919 Business Getting Possibilities Good on Account of Star's Popularity Fred Stone in "UNDER THE TOP" Artcraft DIRECTOR Donald Crisp. AUTHORS ..... John Emerson and Anita Loos. CAMERAMAN Henry Kotani. AS A WHOLE Too forced to register as first class comedy; popularity of star the best asset. STORY Doe~n't look reasonable enough to pass as life like, so they present it as a dream. DIRECTION Makes the most of star's acrobatic ability, which is the chief feature of the film. PHOTOGRAPHY ' Nothing remarkable, but generally clear. LIGHTINGS Not much attention paid to artistic effects. CAMERA WORK Successful in getting shots of Fred Stone in difficult positions. STAR Plays in good natured vein and works hard to put across stunts on the screen. SUPPORT Ella Hall passeble as the shero; James Cruze, Sylvia Ashton and others do all that the story permits. EXTERIORS Scenes around circus tent carry appropriate atmosphere. INTERIORS Conventional. DETAIL Some of the sub-titles draw laughs; bi+s of circus life contribute to picture. CHARACTER OF STORY .... Entirely harmless. LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 4,309 feet. It's too bad that Fred Stone didn't draw a better story for his second picture appearanc. He hasn't yet had a really fair chance to show whether or not his type of comedy can he put across on the screen with the effectiveness that has made bis name famous on the stage. In time. Fred may pet just the right kind of material: then he ought to start something, for he has a mighty likeable personality and when it comes to trick stnnts he's in a class by himself. This misses on tbe story, which is too forced to be convincing, a condition that authors John Emerson and Anita Loos, apparently recognized, otherwise they would not have turned it into a dream, which doesn't help even a little bit. The plot hasn't the dream quality. There aren't the elements of fantasy and poetry needed in a dream story and nobody is likely to be impressed by this old trick of trying to set out from under unconvincing situations Stone's acrobatics are the real thing and, of course, it is highly appropriate that he • 'lonld appear in a circus picture. Many of your fd s may be counted upon to enjoy a number of the 4 :nes, considered individually, e\en if the production! n its entirety leave! a negative impression. They set the circus atmosphere in the prologue, introducing a boy who attends a traveling circus and champions the little daughter of the manager when she is threatened by roughs. Having returned home, filled with thoughts of the circus, the boy starts a show of his own, taking the part of the tight-rope walker himself. The fall from the rope accounts for the 4.500 foot dream to follow. Stone's introduction as a house painter, pursuing his calling at the perilous point of a church steeple, is effective, as is his unconventional descent. Soon the circus comes to town and with it memories of the long ago, when, as a boy, he had come to the aid of the little girl who still accompanies her father's troupe. The old circus man dies suddenly, leaving his daughter and the show property which she inherits under the guardianship of two veteran members of the company, who turn out to be first class croo'es. They scheme to get control of the circus, not knowing that their former running mate, Sylvia Ashton and her crafty son, James Cruze, are after the same ea?y money. Tbe plot hinges on the efforts of tbe crooks to get the better of defenseless little Ella Hall and Stone's opportune intervention on her behalf. Playing the game of a pl'h lover. Cru?e is about to marry the girl when the faithful house painter comes between ;hc;n Saved, for a few moments, the persecuted Flla is aeain ironard;7ed by tbe circus men who figure on hypnotizing her into marrying one of them. There is action galore in tbe scenes preparatory to Stone's triumph as the saviour of the girl. The picture is benefited, however much the pl<>t may indicate a convenient arrangement, by the agility of the star in the use of all varieties of circus apparatus during the sequences dealing with his catch-a«-catch-can conflict with the sl'ero's pursuers. Included in the cast are Lecter LeMay, Guy Oliver, Charles Ogle, and Noah Beery. Circus Story, Passing as a Dream, Is Too Forced to Convince Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor. I can't see this as a really first class film from a technical angle, but in the matter of advertising possibility, it is there all along the line. As a business getter it is quite likely to go ahead of pictures of more intrinsic merit. In point of genuine popularity among theater-goers in small towns as well as cities Fred Stone is one of the safest bets among the high priced stars corra'cd by the Famous Players-Lasky people. He has tonrrrt the country frequently enough to become generally known as a stage comedian of the highest character and his following is pretty certain to turn out to see what he does in pictures. Just to make certain that your folks identify him correctly, word your reading notices so that mention is made of the famous team of Montgomery and Stone who appeared in various plays, preferably naming those which visited your town. By consulting newspaper files it w'll be a simple matter to get exact dates as well as names and to work publicity on the line that Fred Stone, after a lapse of so many years (giving the number) is returning in his photoplay triumph "Under The Top". There's no danger of a comeback on this, because the film is not poor enough to make your regulars think that they have been fooled. The title is decidedly catchy and cirens stones have more than the average appeal. You might exploit this on a circus basis, dressing your lobby accordingly and using throw-a-ways of the circus type. To start the film appropriately, have a baritone in a clown costume sing the prologue to "Pagliacci". Spoor Lands Another Big Contract. Indianapolis, Ind. — Ike Schlank. president of the Capitol Film Co., Inc., has signed a long term contract with the Spoor-Thompson Laboratories for the the processing of film for all pictures released by that company This company has now started the release of pictures, the positive prints for which will run into several hundred thousand 1 feet of film each week. This is the second big contract secured by the Spoor-Thompson laboratories within the last two weeks, the first hav | ing been signed by J. A. Berst for processing all of the film of the United Picture Theaters of America. Beecroft to Sail Soon. It is reported that Chester Beecroft, Famous Players-Lasky Export department will shortly take an extended trip abroad. Mr. Beecroft was in Washington yesterday arranging for licenses and the necessary papers preparatory to his trip.