Harrison's Reports (1928-1928)

August 25, 1928 HARRISON’S REPORTS 135 “Out of the Ruins” — with Richard Barthlemess ( First National, Aug. 19; 6,100 ft.; 70 to 87 min.) Very good ! It has strong heart interest. In some of the situations the heart interest is so strong that picture-goers, particularly women, will hardly be able to restrain their emotions. This is effected not only by a pretty good story, but also by excellent acting on the part of both Mr. Barthelmess and Miss Nixon. The two make the love affair as realistic as any love affair that has been seen on the screen for sometime. They are shown as loving each other with all their heart, and fearing: lest they be separated. The action unfolds in Paris, during the world war, and presents a handsome lieutenant (hero) of the French army meeting a beautiful girl (heroine). He was in Paris on a furlough. Little did he realize that the girl was his chum’s sister, until the brother, who acted as if his sister was a stranger to him and as if he himself had been struck by her beauty, reveals the secret to him. He first pretends that he made love to her, just to tease the hero, who wanted an introduction to the “stranger.” The hero and the heroine’s brother are recalled because of the impending big German “push.” While the armies lie inactive, the hero receives a letter from the heroine telling him that her parents were trying to force her to marry a profiteer. The hero is denied leave of absence and he deserts. He reaches the heroine and they hide in the attic of the hero’s mother's home. But the sight of the maimed and mutilated soldiers returning from the front so move the hero that he goes back and presents himself to his captain. He is court-martialed and sentenced to be shot. After the armistice the heroine sees the hero and thinking that she had seen his ghost screams. But soon it comes to light that it was not the hero’s ghost but his original self ; he tells the heroine’s blinded brother that his own men, who worshipped him, had not shot him ; they merely wounded him, and he was found by the Germans, who sent him to a prison camp, and liberated him after the war ended. Hero and heroine embrace each other full of happiness. The plot has been founded on a story by Sir Phillip Gibbs. The picture has been directed well by John Francis Dillon. Robert Frazer takes the part of the brother. Emile Chautard is the heroine’s father and Eugene Pallette the profiteer. It should please everywhere. “The First Kiss” — with Gary Cooper and Fay Wray (Paramount, August 25; 7,640 ft.; 88 to 109 min.) Good ! The first half is interesting the second half, besides being interesting, is also appealing to the emotions. This is brought about by the sight of a brother (hero), refusing to prevent a heavy sentence for stealing when he could do so by bringing his three brothers as witnesses ; he had stolen in order to give them an education, just as he promised he would ; he had found his grandfather dead, and there was no other way for him to obtain the money. The scenes in the court room where the heroine takes the stand and tells the judge about the hero’s past life — that he had sacrificed everything for his brothers, that he had even sold the dream ship he had promised to build for her in order for him to pay back the money he had stolen for his brother’s are moving. The scenes later on where his three brothers, whom he had helped go through the college. standing before the judge and pleading for mercy for their brother, telling the court that it was they who were really guilty, too, are moving. The love affair between Miss Wray and Mr. Cooper is charming; Miss Wray, in particular, awakens warm sympathy by the loyalty she had shown toward the hero, whom she did not abandon when she learned what he had done. The theme is a little dangerous in that it attempts to justify an unlawful act, but it has been handled so well that the moral conveyed is wholesome. Leslie Fenton, Lane Chandler, Paul Fix, Malcolm Williams, and Monroe Owsley are in the cast. The plot has been founded on Tristan Tupper’s novel, “Four Brothers.” It has been directed skillfully by Rowland V. Lee. “The Wright Idea” — with Johnny Hines (First National; Aug. 6.; 6,225 ft.; 72 to 88 min.) Not a bad comedy. It has a number of laughs scattered throughout with a nice love story interwoven. The hero (Johnny Hines) invents a blotterless and luminous ink which he tries to market. Because he had rescued a lunatic, who had taken him for a drive in a police depart ment car, where he meets the heroine (Louise Lorraine) through a collision with her car, and because he accepts as a reward a yacht which the lunatic claimed he owned, he gets into many difficulties. A bond is stolen from the heroine’s purse and although she suspects the hero, she does not accuse him of the theft because she is in love with him ; and to vindicate him, she has a blundering detective shadow him. The scenes in her office where she permits the hero to receive the men who were interested in his invention are amusing in that he appears to be a very wealthy man, the office being well furnished. There are many amusing scenes on board the yacht. The leader of the crew, which manned the yacht, was the real crook. They were all bootleggers, trying to get beyond the threemile limit. Another amusing scene is when the heroine sends in an actor to bid against the manufacturer, who had come on board to further discuss the terms. Thinking the whole thing a hoax, none of them buys it. And when the radio announces that the yacht was reported stolen, the crew puts out the lights and the hero, realizing that he had been duped, fights the crew in the dark, doing much running around. He had succeeded in writing the word “HELP” on the side of the ship with his luminous ink. This helps the police and the owner to find them. Louise Lorraine is pleasing as the heroine. Fred Kelsey contributes the comedy as the detective who always caught the wrong man. Edmund Breese, Walter James and Henry Barrows are in the cast also. The picture was directed by Charles Hines from a story by Jack Townley. Facts About Talking Pictures (Continued from other side) The price of the instrument will, as I understand, include two simplex machines (Western Electric does not furnish moving picture machines). Originally the sound attachment was put before the machine head ; but RCA has made changes and put the sound slit after the head, in the same position as it is in the Movietone. In this manner, a Photophone instrument can show a film made by the Movietone process, just as will a Movietone be able to show a film made by the Photophone process. I am informed reliably that RCA, too, are fitting their instruments with dual turntables, so that also pictures of the disc type of reproducing sound may be shown. The turntables will be ready about November 1. About $3,000 additional will be charged. Photophone, Inc., is working also on separate sound heads, to fit either a Simplex, or a Powers, or a Motiograph machine. These will fit on the machine the exhibitor already has. They will be ready for delivery about December 1. A set of sound projectors, consisting of four cones, will be furnished with these heads, together with the amplifiers and whatever is needed. While the outfit will be small, its quality will be guaranteed to come up to the standard of the big instruments. The object of the RCA Photophone executives is to manufacture something that will be within the reach of the small exhibitor. The price has not yet been definitely determined; but it will be soon. These instruments will not be sold ; they will be only leased, for a term of ten years. What they will do with these instruments after the lease expires the Photophone executives have not yet determined. But I have learned on good authority that any improvements made on the instruments during the terms of the lease will be put on the instruments that have already been sold or will be sold to the exhibitors. I11 addition to the regular talking pictures instrument, RCA Photophone, Inc., is busy on a non-synchronous device, which will sell around $850. It will be fitted with the regular sound projectors, of four cones. (It has not yet been determined whether this instrument will be sold outright or only leased, as is the case with the talking instrument.) By aid of this instrument an exhibitor will be able to score his own pictures. The regular Victor records, used on the Western Electric instrument, will be used also with this instrument. The Victor Phonograph Company’s cue sheet can be used. The instruments will be ready in quantity about January 1. Music Tax The question of royalties, charged by the American Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers to those that play music belonging to its members, irrespective of whether it is on a sheet, on a record, or on the film itself, remains exactly as it was before. Next week: Cost of operation; cost of film, and other relevant matters.