The Film Mercury (1926-27)

/ V VERITAS „ THE FILM! Cents News, Reviews , Opinions V INC IT v ^ MERCVRY Published Every Friday Cents Vol. 3.— No. 17. Sixteen Pages Hollywood, California FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 1926 Mercury Publishing Co. Hollywood, Calif. ZUKOR HAND SEEN INNEWF.B.O.DEAL nillllllllllllllllltllllllllllllllllllllllJL I Tamar I Lane niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii “THE TOWER OF LIES” If any further evidence is needed in proof of the rank incompetence of the newspaper and magazine scribes throughout the country who are posing under the titles of “photoplay critics,” it can be found in the deplorable treatment which V ictor Seastrom’s cinematic gem, “The Tower of Lies,” has met at their hands. This picture, unquestionably one of the finest presented on the screen in the past year, — if not one of the finest of the past decade, — seems doomed to fade silently into motion picture oblivion, unheralded and unsung. Yet, judged by every worthwhile and intelligent photoplay standard, it is to be rated as one of the most masterful films in photoplay history and a superb example of first-rate, superior silent drama. Yet we hear no outbursts about it from the gentlemen of the press. For all the concern they have given “The Tower of Lies” one might presume it to be merely another weinerwurst ground out from the great movie sausage factories. TO BE EXPECTED That the movie industry itself has allowed the fineness, the beauty, the brilliancy of “The Tower of Lies” to pass by unnoticed is not unusual. This is to be expected from a busi'■"'here ignorance, stupid'\nd a lack of ap+hat is Chaplin Baby Expected April 10 ‘U’ IN NEW STORY SUIT ‘Man Higher U p’ in New ‘ U ’’ Story Suit Carl Krusada, former “U” scenarist, is filing suit against Universal this week, charging the company with failure to give him proper story credit, it is said. It is also understood that Krusada will make more serious charges to the effect that there were questionable money transactions in the buying and selling of his stories, and that a mysterious “man higher up” in the Universal organization was given perquisites in order to get his approval of the stories. “Lorraine of the Lions” and “The White Outlaw” are two of the stories which Krusada claims to have written for Universal, but for which he has never received proper credit. Isadore Bernstein, one of the Universal production heads, was given story credit on these two films, it is said. Bernstein is also implicated in other charges that Krusada makes. There is no hint as to just who the mysterious “man higher up” may be, although it is claimed that money was paid him to facilitate the purchase of stories by Universal. It is understood that Carl Laemmle is investigating Krusada’s claims and that there will be some changes in the studio organization if there is found to be any basis for the charges. CHAPLINS HOPE FOR GIRL, IT IS SAID The second child of Charles Spencer Chaplin and Lita Gray will be born on or about April 10, it was stated to a representative of the Gardner Outlook, Hollywood local paper, in an exclusive interview granted by the 18-year-old wife, who is a former resident of the Gardner community. Both Mrs. Chaplin and Charlie hope that the child will be a girl, it was stated, and in the event that it is, she will name it Corinne, in honor of Corinne Griffith, for whom she holds a high personal regard. If the child is a boy, it will be a more difficult matter to find the right name, Mrs. Chaplin said. It was also learned that Merna Kennedy, Chaplin’s new leading woman, was introduced to the comedian by Mrs. Chaplin, who is a girlhood friend of Miss Kennedy’s. * * « SPECIAL FILM DEPT. Washington. — The Senate has provided $30,000 for the establishment of a motion picture section in the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, in the bill making appropriations for the Department of Commerce for the coming fiscal year. The House allotted $15,000 for the proposed division, for which $26,000 was asked by the Department. Claim Wrigley Also Interested in F.B.O. There are indications that the hand of none other than Adolph Zukor is in some way responsible for the recent purchase of F. B. O. by John P. Kennedy, of Boston, and Hayden-Stone banking interests. Just how much Zukor may have had to do with the buying of F. B. O. and to what extent he is to be interested in the new organization, if at all, is by no means clear at present. Certain things that have developed since F. B. O. changed hands, however, indicate that there is a good possibility that Zukor will be a silent but dominating factor in the affairs of the company. The appointment of Edwin King, former Paramount studio head, as new production chief at the F. B. O. studio, was the first move that made film sharpshooters prick up their ears. The sudden friendliness of Paramount for F. B. O., as evidenced by the report that the young graduates from the Paramount player school will be farmed out to F. B. O., is another move that is to be regarded with suspicion. It is also reported that William Wrigley, chewing gum magnate, is now heavily interested in F. B. O., in association with Kennedy. Wrigley (Continued on Page 2) 'draws! Puzzles Industry A -V : — \ \