Motion Picture News (Sep - Oct 1926)

September 11, 1926 1011 The High Hand Leo Moloney Takes the Pot (Re>iewed by Paul Thompson) IT seems to me it was Arnold Bennett, England's ex-linen draper, pronounced with a broad "a," who wrote "Helen of the High Hand." That is the only character in fiction thus designated that I remember until it was my privilege to see Leo Maloney in his latest Pathe Western. And, curiously, the star does not play poker, at least on the screen, but does hold the winning cards when the last fade-out comes. Frankly, I like this piece Avhich he has directed and in which he stars, having taken the story written and arranged for him by Ford I. Beebe. There is a refreshing absence of those long-distance broad-jump records getting into the saddle and the horse phase is minimized throughout Leo comes to theaid of a family that is being terrified by m l)ully hired to drive them out of the county. This is that the not fully paid up ranch may revert to the lawyer who has worked flu: stuiit many times before. Hero Maloney regularly steals from both saloon-keeper and lawyer and deposits the money thus obtained with the sheriff, with a note asking that it be held until liie final collection has been made. No one knows who the burginr is and Sir Galahad in sombrero is even hired as a body-guard and to ferret out the marauder by lawyer and bad man. His "higii hand" — he takes every pot in the course of the drama — also scoops in the saloon-keeper, who is brought stocking-footed witli the descendant of Lawyer Marks to the sheriff, with wiioiu we know they can be safely left. The Cast: Leo Moloney, starred; Josepliiiie Hill, Paul Hurst. Murdoch MacQuarric. II hitclwrse. Gus Sa^nlle, Pick La Reno and Florence Lee. Director. Leo Maloney. EXPLOITATION ANGLES: New type of Western; Maloney's personal popularity. THEME : Outwitting two crooks trying to "gyp" family out of a ranch. PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS: Convincing Western saloon scenes with hero master of all situation. Length, DRAWING POWER: Should be excellent draw in most any kind of house. Made and distributed hv Pathe. \()79 feet. Released Se'ftcniher 12. 1926. Scenes frotn (gloria .Si<o;i .son's /«.s/ Puramount prodiiclion, "Fine Manners" Prisoners of the Storm Northwest Mounted Guesses W rong — for Once (Reviewed by Paul Thompson) WKKE the fourth word in the title of this thriller in the plural the casual reader might think that it referred to the New Yorkers held more or less imprisoned by the almost constant rainfall of last August. But it does not; it is concerned instead with the hero, the heroine, the Northwest Mounted (one) and the villain caught in a cal)in in the Canadian Northwest by a snowsJide wliich buried them all to work out the solution to tlieir problems until the final fade-out. House Peters is the star. He is a rougii, uncouth miner in love with Peggy Montgomery through a ]5icture possessed by her father. House's side-kick in mining. The latter, Harry Todd, a halfbreed, is murdered and >us])i(-i()n is thrown on Petei's because Walter McGrail, one of tliose who "always get their man," had misinterpreted a roughhouse between Todd and Peters the last time he saw them together and taking it seriously, figured out that Todd must be the murderer. It is a thin story even if the perennial James Oliver Curwood is the author. Charles Logue, who did the adaptation, has done all that he can to create and hold suspense. This is mostly limited to the imprisonment in the cabin, but even then you know they will ultimately be liberated from the cabin and the guilt placed wiiere it belongs. It is filled with good pictures of the Xorthwest and of a blinding, swirling snow storm that provides the title and the setting. The Cast: House Peters, Star; Peggy Montgomery, Walter }h-Crail. Harry Todd, Fred De Silver, Clark Cnnistoek and Lillian Nichols. Director, Lynn Reynolds. THEME: Solving murder EXPLOITATION ANGLES: mystery in cabin which is snow Peters' Popularity. Comedy bound. PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS: The storm scene; successful reproduction of Canadian Northwest atmosphere. bathing scene of half-breed, and forest scenes. DRAWING POWER: Fairly good as second run attraction and in the small houses. Love, villainy and fire all do their bit to mat\e "Flames," an Associated Exhibitors release, interesting Produced and exhibited by Universal (Je-a'cl) Picture Corp. Length. 6,102 feet. 'Released Decendn^r 19, 1926.