Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1923)

840 Motion Picture News Pre-release Reviews of Features " Jazzmania " Tiffany-Metro — Eight Reels ( Reviewed by Charles LarkinJ JAZZMANIA. We'll say it is. But we'll wager that the exponents of syncopation eat this one up. Today the nation is in the grip of jazz. It dominates every social activity, at least the successful events. Taking cognizance of this state of affairs, Director Leonard has opened wide the purse strings and let a golden stream fall into the production of one of the most elaborately staged pictures of the season. Made for fun purposes only, the story may be passed over quickly. It is a sort of syncopated Graustark theme with an American and Monte Carlo locale thrown in for good measure. Tiring of the continual plottings and bomb throwings of her countryfolk and determined not to marry Prince Otto, the pretender to the throne, Queen Ninon flees to America with the star reporter of one of the big dailies. There she becomes all the rage because of her dances, but in the end returns to her country to expose the perfidy of Otto. Her American lover follows thither and all ends well. The story has been written with Miss Murray's dancing proclivities in mind. At every step Mae is given an opportunity to shake a wicked shoulder or gyrate on her pretty tootsies. The while, of course, she is donned in striking costumes, each more original than its predecessor and costing enough to make Britain's debt to U. S. pale into insignificance. The settings, as in every Murray production, are unusually elaborate, some of them reaching heights of artistic splendor. A saving grace of the whole thing is the fact that the director and author have seen to it that seriousness does not intrude at any time. There are some thrilling airplane shots showing a plane doing a tail spin. The mob scenes are well handled. From a photographic viewpoint, " Jazzmania," is a masterpiece. This picture answers the demand for pep in our picture programs. The cast is a good one. The Cast Queen Ninon Mae Murray Jerry Langdon Rod LaRoque Jerry's Uncle Herbert Standing "Buddy" Daimler ......Eddie Burns Prince Otto Jean Herscholt Captain Valmar Robert Frazer Baron Bolo Lionel Belmore American Capitalist Harry Northrup American Capitalist Wilfred Lucas General Muroff Thomas Guise August Daimler Henry Barrows By Edmund Colliding. Directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Photographed by Oliver T. Marsh. The Story — Prince Otto threatens revolution in Jazzmania unless the queen consents to marry hir.i. She refuses. Revolution starts. The queen becomes a jazz enthusiast and when the bombs begin to fall fast and furious she flees to America. She goes back, grabs the throne, turns the land into a republic, introduces flivver? and other modern equipment — and accepts American's love. Classification— Graustark stuff jazzed up and set in elaborate scenes. The whole serving as a background for Miss Murray's dances. Production Highlights—The dances performed by the star. The sets. The gowns worn by Miss Murray. The revolution in Jazzmania. The scenes attending the airplane wreck at Monte Carlo. The fine photography. The snappy subtitles. Exploitationo Angles— The title. The star. Wonderful opportunities for putting over elaborate window displays in the leading music stores of your town. Drawing Poiver — Will have a decided appeal to our modern jazz followers. The intelligencia may not care for it. A scene from " Rob 'Em Good," Metro Comedy, starring Bull Montana, directed by Hunt Stromberg. 44 The Pauper Millionaire " Playgoers — Five Reels (Revieived by Laurence Reid) HERE we have the wealthy-father-determined-to-prevent-his-son's-marriage-to-agirl-beneath-his-station formula — an old and obvious formula, incidentally, which becomes so involved that it never seems to get anywhere. It is an English production, carrying an English cast and is quite ordinary in most every department. Poor continuity seems to be a fault with these English productions — though once in a while one of these importations register sufficiently to pass muster — particularly if it contains players who are fairly well known and is directed by some one who knows how to put it over in the American way. " The Pauper Millionaire " is slow-moving and after the theme is introduced it gets off on another tack without any of the situations being cleverly dovetailed. Such a type of story needs to be balanced with a humorous vein, but most of the action here is heavy with plot. The millionaire, an American, goes broke in London and suffers a deal of hardships before he is able to admit his failure in preventing the romance. In fact, the girl, a nurse, brings him back to health. And so he grants his consent to her becoming a member of his family. The most pleasing highlights of the picture is some first rate atmosphere of London during one of its enveloping fogs. The acting is only fair — the millionaire suggesting a Britisher more than he does a New Yorker Katherine Blair as the girl is charming and deserves a more outstanding part, while the rest of the cast is competent without displaying unusual qualities of screen pantomime. Once in a while some praiseworthy incident flashes through the sequences, but there are not enough of them to carry the picture uf! u a w[nner The title and the theme should have been treated in a semi-humorous fashion and the chances are it would have ottered far better entertainment. The Cast HarrryPysemi^.,th T+. ! ! ! \ \ [ \ Nj°T Jtt mi Martin v. Klthe^Biai? JenKs -..Jeff Barlow By Austin Fryers. Scenario by Elliot Stannard. Directed by Frank H. Crane. The Story— New York millionaire is determined to break up his son's engagement and goes to London to "settle" with the pretty nurse to whom the youth is engaged. Through a j^6" °f circumstances he loses his money and becomes injured. But the nurse brings him back to health and the father grants his consent to the boy s marriage. Classification— Based upon conflict of father vesus son because latter is determined to marry Production Highlights— English atmosphere. hxpLitatwn Angles— Title looks like best lcature to exploit here, since cast is unknown 44 Truxton King " Fox— 5613 Feet (Reviewed by Laurence Reid) HP HE mythical kingdom formula is resur-■ rected again and since this particular film is an adaptation of George Barr McCutcheon's story of the same name, it is certain of a dehnite appeal because this author has become popular through being more experienced than any other in dealing with this ancient theme. Besides, his name is sufficiently familiar with the average patron to enlist his patronage. There isn't so much comic opera flavor to this picture as one would expect and the answer may be found in the adventure and romance which are not over-stuffed with hokum. Truxton King " is the best picture which has come John Gilbert's way in some time. Not since "Monte Cristo " has he had a story which gives him the opportunities to show what he can do until his sponsors gave him the McCutcheon yarn. Oh, there is nothing original about it; there is the same dashing American who rescues the fair daughter of royalty and wins her undying gratitude and affection. And the usual conflict between the ruling faction and the revolutionists is exposed to provide a more or less exciting climax. The popular elements of such a story are in their customary places. And because it keeps moving, furnishing a good line of action and adventure, it must be put down as a likely attraction for the everyday patron. While humor is usually the saving grace of this type of play when it is exaggerated, here it looks out of place. In fact it appears labored in execution because it is entrusted to a corpulent player who impersonates a tourist guide. The director has provided a good production and deserves praise for his excellent hghting effects. Some of the shots featuring the battle between the rival factions were taken at night— and they offer a picturesque appeal. And the plot? Well, the American is suspected of being a spy by the royalists. But when he protects them and effects the rescue of the girl and saves the kingdom he is taken right into the royal household. An active picture, this, and calculated to bring Gilbert back into the good graces of the public. The Cast Truxton King john Gilbert ^orrai"e. ■ : Ruth Clifford Count Marlanx. . . Frank Leigh Prince Robin, aged 6 Mickey Moore Hobbs Qtjs Harlan Count Carlos Von Enge Henry John Miller J°h". TuI'ls Richard Wayne William Spanz Wiilis M/rkg Olga Platanova Winifred Bryson Baron Dangloss. . . . Mark Fenton By George Barr McCutcheon. Scenario by Paul Schofield. Directed by Jerome Storm. Produced by Fox. The Story — American in Graustark seeking adventure scrapes acquaintance with little prince and a meeting with the boy's charming aunt follows. Later he discovers that revolutionists are seeking to overthrow the government and appoints himself her protector. He is taken prisoner but escapes to effect the rescue of the aunt. Classification — Adaptation of story of same name by George Barr McCutcheon. Based upon mythical kingdom formula. Production Highlights— The line of action which is well sustained with adventure. The encounter between the revolutionists and the royalists. Exploitation Angles — Author's name well known. Might link up with book-dealers in exploiting book and other novels by author. Drazving Power — Suitable for any house catering to the fans.