The Film Daily (1919)

"Sunday, February 2, 1919 nk4\ DAILY Star Does Something Different in Film That Has Fair Comedy Appeal Tom Moore in "GO WEST, YOUNG MAN" Goldwyn. DIRECTOR Harry Beaumont. AUTHOR Willard Mack. CAMERAMAN Geo. Webber. AS A WHOLE Doen't register anything big. but keeps a' dience a-nu ed most of the way. STORY Evidently writen as a vehicle to fit the star in cowboy role. DIRECTION Makes the most of material at hand. PHOTOGRAPHY Good. LIGHTINGS Passable, without departing from conventional effects. CAMERA WORK Satisfactory. STAR Tries something new in wild and woolly setting; gets over comedy bu iness. SUPPORT ...... Western types well cast; Ora Carew hasn't a great deal to do as leading woman. EXTERIORS The right thing for this sort of a film. INTERIORS Fill requirements. DETAIL Doesn't figure much. CHARACTER OF STORY Light and harmless. LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 4, 500 feet. They kept Tom Moore pretty busy on his trip West. Willard Mack saw to that when he wrote the story for the Goldwyn star and Director Harry Beaumont put him through all sorts of stunts in and under freight cars. Tt wasn't any de luxe journey for Tom, who earned his transportation fare in getting laughs whenever an opportunity presented itself. As a picture this isn't any world heater, but it has a number of commendable qualities in the treatment of an ordinary theme and the handling of the star, who is new at cowboy stuff and doesn't attempt to disguise the fact. That is quite as it should be, for Moore's experience hasn't been of the kind to make him a convincing two-gun man. It is much more human to present him as an awkward tenderfoot who goes about learning things in a good natured way. The film wouldn't be 'half as entertaining as it is. if Moore bad been deprived of chances to reveal his unsophistication when up against the bar-room gang. He just goes along in a blundering fashion, scoring comedy touches in a natural way and making the most of his contagious smile. Folks aren't accustomed to seeing Tom in a character of this type, but they're going to like him, even if they wouldn't fancy having him permanently transformed into a cowboy hero. The story is simplicity itself — the sort of a thing that nvght almost have been devised as the action was developed. First they have a few preparatory scenes to account for Tom's starting out on his own. His father insists that he can't earn even enough money to pay for his clothes. The boy thinks otherwise and to prove his independence starts for the West without a cent in his pockets and with only the clothes which be paid for out of money received for a prize won in a polo match. Beating his way on a freight train in the company of tramps, and going hungry most of the time, Tom eventually lands in a western town where the best job he can get is that of dishwasher in a lunch room. There is a good bit of comedy in scenes played between Moore and the Chinese cook. Among the patrons is Ora Carew, the daughter of a prospector whosf property is threatened by a gang of crooks who pick out Tom as the ideal sheriff to help al6ng their scheme. Realizing that he was selected to act as a mere figurehead, the tenderfoot pins the sheriff's badge on his shirt and at the very first issue proceeds to show his authority. They simply can't do a thing with Tom after he gets his reform movement into operation. His first aim is to save Ora Carew's property, his second to wipe out booze, gambling and profanity, in all of which he is successful. Just for the sake of a suitable climax, they bring the father west and have him pinched by the son for playing poker on Sunday. In the cast are Melbourne MacDowell, Jack Richardson, Edward Coxen, Robert Chandler and Hector V. Sarno. Should Make Good if You Have Following for Goldwyn Actor Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor. Perhaps you played the first two Goldwyn pictures presenting Tom Moore as a star, "Just For Tonight" and "Thirty a Week", in which case you may judge for yourself the pulling power of this actor. If you did a satisfactory business on the initial issues, there is no reason why you should be afraid of "Go West, Young Man", for, although it is in no sense a remarkable film, it possesses enough good features to assure a passable entertainment. Most of your folks probably will be surprised at finding Moore in the role of a cowboy sheriff and those who recall his work in pictures of a dissimilar nature, no doubt will be curious to see how he gets away with a character so far removed from his customary range. Capitalize on this curiosity by announcing Tom Moore in a part unlike anything he has attempted in the past. In your advance notices refer to him as a tenderfoot who goes West and matches his wits and strength against the "bad men" of a lawless town. Use the paper distributed by Goldwyn showing Moore in cowboy garb and sporting a sheriffs badge and use every means to let your crowd know they are going to see a favorite actor do something different. "Go West, Young Man", is an appropriate and sufficiently catchy title, lending itself to various uses in advertising and catchlines. The name of Willard Mack has been connected with so many stage plays that I would give it prominence along with the title. If you are looking for lines try: "Why did Horace Greeley say, 'Go West Young Man'? See Tom Moore in his latest Goldwyn picture and you will know," or "If you think a tenderfoot is soft, see Tom Moore in 'Go West. Young Man' and you will change your opinion."