Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

Fairfax column. The theme is tuned just right for modern audiences, and with a great, all-star production to deliver on your screen you can chalk up another victory for Metro-Go/i^ay«-Mayer's box-office-wise showmanship. 5 COSMOPOLITAN PRODUCTIONS CV£X? Cy\avr}on \f L ovarro THE PRINCE OF GRAUSTARK — This famous George Barr McCutcheon novel provides one of the most fascinating stories you have ever read and one that will screen like nobody's business. And what a part for Novarro! It's as colorful as the Merry Widow, as swashbuckling as "Scaramouche" and despite all this gayety and royalty it's a modern story. It concerns the effort of a Prince to avoid a forced royal marriage. He comes to America and falls in love with the daughter of a billionaire who proceeds to do some tall trading on the international market and practically controls the government of which Novarro is r.ear-ruler. Novarro has been styled "the Prince of Romance." The Prince of Graustark gives him every opportunity to more than live up to this reputation. I RAMON NOVARRO PICTURE ^;x3:y3 (heM. o^cyi ar (BONAPARTE) THE THIRTEENTH HOUR — Ever since M-G-M delivered "The Silent Accuser" to theatres, exhibitors have asked us to make another picture with a dog theme. And now having waited for the right story M-G-M feels "The Thirteenth Hour" will more than duplicate the success of its earlier hit. This time an even more amazing dog has been obtained. His name is Bonaparte and the industry will marvel at his almost human intelligence. He will thrill ;iudiences in this exciting mystery, wherein with his master, a young detective, he reveals the incredible activities of a King of Crooks. The latter is living a double life and through his ability to adopt the disguise of both an old and a young man, the master thief has succeeded in winning an innocent girl. Breathless episodes take place before the thrilling rescue of the girl by Bonaparte. A great cast has been assembled for this attraction headed by Lionel Barrymore and including Jacqueline Gadsdon and other important names. Chester Franklin is the director. The story is by Mr. Franklin and Douglas Purber. There will be one more production featuring ^^ Bonaparte" title to be announced, making in all 2 BONAPARTE PICTURES ^\T>^ BODY AND SO ULReginald Bark.,, who« directorial punch you know from "The White Desert" and more recently "The Flaming Forest," has now come through with his greatest virile, out-door action epic. He had a marvelous story to begin with Katharine Newlin Burt's novel, which is considered in this country one of the most thrilling best-sellers ever published. What a story! Beautiful girl sold by drunken father. She escapes in storm to middle-aged doctor who marries her. Her beauty makes her aging husband jealous and he brands her to prove his possession. The girl is rescued by young mountaineer. The mountaineer later requires medical aid and the girl swears she'll return to the doctor if he will cure the young man. What a situation! But that's not all. There are even greater thrills. All built up against Nature's own rugged mountainous background. M-G-M has given this production some cast: Aileen Pringle, Norman Kerry,.Lionel Barrymore, T. Roy Barnes. M-G-M delights in handing out this kind of box-office picture to showmen! IN i\ 1 yj L/ rL KJ IN — The eyes of the world are centered on France where the Super-production "Napoleon," the most gigantic enterprise in motion picture annals has just been completed. Officials of M-G-M were quick to recognize the importance of this work. Representatives of M-G-M went to great lengths to obtain this production for release. It now becomes apparent that M-G-M has annexed the most astounding attraction of modern times. The vivid, brilliant career of Napoleon has been immortalized for the screen. Two years in actual production. Many years in research. Armies of men employed. Thousands of soldiers and sailors utilized. Battles on land and sea i:eproduced in their real locations. The resources of all France liberally given to this crowning dramatic epic of that nation. Abel Gance, Europe's genius, was selected to be Chief Director. He assembled a cast of principals numbering 175, among whom are the most famous and talented actors and beauties of all the Continent. There is no story in the world so resplendent with adventures as Napoleon — no character in history or fiction whose loves were so intriguing — no period in ancient or modern times so fascinating in its political and social pageantry! At last the story of Napoleon is told in fitting magnificence and glory on the screen. Metro-Go/(^w^«-Mayer, whose activities span the world, was not asleep when the great opportunity came. M-G-M proudly brings to you the picture that the world waits for — "Napoleon." BETWEEN NINE AND NINE — Exhibitors know from the experience of three years that the M-G-M studios in Culver City are capable of turning out as fine and profitable attractions as have been found anywhere in the world. So that when M-G-M reaches into the production wealth of the UFA organization in Europe you may be sure that it is going after something distinctly worth while. We have pulled out a real plum in the picture, "Between Nine and Nine." It is an ingenious story of a handsome, devil-may-care student in Vienna who gets into an escapade with the police and manages to get away from them handcuffed. Between the hours of nine in the morning and nine at night he goes through some amazing adventures with his hands linked by steel underneath his cape. The possibilities of such a predicament are marvelous. Love offers itself to him, but what can he do? He is in a position to accept a quantity of money, but his hands arc tied, literally! Humor, thrills, romance are abundant in this unusual narrative and the final unravelling leaves the spectator with a pleasurable thrill. The most famous of European directors, F. W. Murnau is directing this great story from a screen adaptation done by Frances Marion, the highest paid woman writer in pictures. No expense is being spared to capture the ever delightful atmosphere of capricious Vienna at its merriest period. "Between Nine and Nine" is indeed ar interesting prospect of something delightfully different next season