Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1080 Motion Picture News Associated 4PhotoPlays L k Names Sales Chief FOLLOWING the announcement of the establishment of the New York office of the Associated Photo-Plays, Inc., in the Loew Building, comes word from the executive offices of the company in Los Angeles, of the appointment of Mr. A. Canter as general sales manager. Mr. Canter will be in charge of sales of all productions to be released by the Associated Photo-Plays, Inc. He is well known in the industry and is especially well acquainted with the independant state-right exchange managers. "The sales policy of the Associated," states Mr. Canter, " calls for the reduction of our distribution costs to the minimum. " Our first productions, ' Why Women Re-Marry,' has just been completed and the sample print will reach the New York office within the next few days. I am informed that Milton Sills, the star, gives the finest performance of his career in this picture, and is ably aided by an all star cast which includes Ethel Grey Terry, Carol Holloway, Clarissa Selwynne, Wilfred Lucas and William Lowery." "Dangerous Age" Used T as] Photoplay Model The Palmer Photoplay Corporation out in Los Angeles are using John M. Stahl's production, " The Dangerous Age," produced by Louis B. Mayer and released by First National, as a model in screen story construction and have sent out letters to 10,000 photoplay students to see the picture and in towns where it has not been played to urge the exhibitors to show it. The Palmer people declare that "The Dangerous Age" is an outstanding argument in favor of the original story for screen production and since this organization teaches scenario writing its students are naturally interested in a picture that was not based on a book or a play ~ Thomas H. Ince, Rex Ingram, G. Gardner Sullivan, Rob Wagner, J. L. Frothingham, James R. Quirk and Allen Holubar are on the advisory council of the corporation. "Public Opinion" Allied Release First Serious Chaplin Production Is New D eparture in Construction FOLLOWING the receipt of its copyright registration in play form, Charles Chaplin yesterday announced that the title of his first serious motion piction production would be " Public Opinion." The production will be released by Allied Producers and Distributors Corporation, the subsidiary of United Artists. The production which is already well under way and which was temporarily called " Destiny," will be in ten reels and though written and directed by Chaplin himself, it will star Edna Purviance in the leading role. " Public Opinion " is said to mark a new departure in most every element that goes to make up motion pictures. In story structure, in acting and in theme the production promises to be revolutionary and Chaplin himself is very emphatic in saying that it is by far his most important contribution to the screen. In speaking of the picture, Chaplin says: " I believe that ' Public Opinion ' will be the most important work of my career and no one realizes more than I what a revolutionary step I am taking in adhering to the original style of construction which I am using. " There have been a number of queries as to whether I intend to act in the picture or not. I am not going to act in it not from any policy but because in the story as I truthfully see it, there is no place for my character. And I am rather glad there isn't because the story is something that I wish say without its being stunted by injecting my own character into it." Playing opposite Edna Purviance, who is being launched on her starring career in " Public Opinion," is Adolphe Menjou while other important members of the cast include Carl Miller, Lydia Knott, Harry Northrup, Malvina Polo and a number of others well known in the picture world. The staff on the production end of the picture includes Alfred Reeves, general manager, Eddie Sutherland, assistant to Mr. Chaplin, while Arthur Stibolt is technical and art director. Harry DArrast and Jean de Limur are aiding in the picture as advisories on details of the manners and customs of France where the scenes in the production are laid. Roland Totheroh is handling the photography assisted by Jack Wilson. "Java Head" Feb. 25th Rel ease Paramount Feature Approved by N.Y. Critics After Broadway Showing PARAMOUNT'S feature scheduled for release February 25 is George Melford's production, "Java Head," which was adapted by Waldemar Young from the novel by Joseph Hergesheimer. Leatrice Joy, Jacquelime Logan, George Fawcett, Raymond Hatton and Albert Roscoe are the featured players in this picture, the story of which is laid in Salem, Mass., in the late forties. The theme is essentially one of the eternal triangle. In this case the three corners are a young Chinese princess, a New England girl and a dashing sea captain engaged in trade with the Orient. To save the life of the princess the young mariner makes her his wife ' and brings her back to Salem, there to confront his curious family and neighbors and the girl he has promised to make his wife on his return. Only through bitter tragedy is the course of true love allowed to have its way. To film the exteriors Mr. Melford took his company to old Salem and there, with the assistance of Mr. Hergesheimer, picked out the locations. The Melford production played successive weeks at the Rivoli and Rialto theatres in New York and was accorded unreserved praise by the newspaper critics. The Tribune said : " Every minute of it was a delight to us, and ' Java Head ' is one of the best directed things we have seen in a long time." The Herald said: "'Java Head,' as a whole, is a splendid picture — beautiful to behold and charged with drama." " Entertaining and interesting," said the Globe. The Sun said : " George Melford has caught the spirit of the original story and of the period absolutely, and by discrimination and an unfailing sense of tempo he has made it one of the judicious film triumphs of the year." Special Aid Secured for "Within the Law" Reports from the coast indicate that Joseph M. Schenck intends to make "Within the Law" the most elaborate stage picture in which Norma Talmadge has ever starred. He has had a special art director design the sets, he has had a captain of police assist Frank Lloyd ]n the details of the acting of the crook characters, and has engaged Willard Mack to help in production generally. Many Sales Reported on "Drug Traffic" INDEPENDENT exchangemen throughout the country this week are reported to have deluged the New York offices of Harvey Gates distributing his latest production, " The Drug Traffic," with Barbara Tennent, Gladys Brockwell and Bob Walker. The production, the first print of which will be delivered in New York the first of next week and prints ready for general exhibition on Feb. 28, has created considerable discussion in film circles. The following sales were announced this week: Renowned Pictures Corporation for New York State, New York City and northern New Jersey; G. Mayers of Excel Amusement Enterprises of Williamsport, Pa., for Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia; H. Leiber of Indianapolis for Indiana, Liberty Films, Inc., of Des Moines for Iowa, Southern States Film Corporation of Atlanta for entire South and Southwest, Mountain States Film Corporation of Denver for the Rocky Mountain States, Twentieth Century Film Corporation of Philadelphia for Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. Big Exploitation for Principal Release Eastern Distribution Manager Irving Lesser of Principal Pictures Corporation has started in full motion the machinery that will exploit its latest release, " Temporary Marriage," the first picture Sacramento Pictures Corporation has contributed to the Principal lineup. William H. Jobelman, vice-president and general manager of Sacramento Pictures Corporation, in a telegram received by Mr. Lesser characterized the pictures as " one of the greatest ever offered good substantial independent exchanges." The all-star cast is headed by Kenneth Harlan. Others in it are Mildred Davis, Tully Marshall, Myrtle Steadman, Stuart Holmes, Maude George and others. "A Front Page Story" Tops Women's Lists " A Front Page Story," the Jess Robbins' production made for Vitagraph, heads the list of twenty motion pictures approved and praised by the Kansas City ParentTeachers' Association. The committee in charge of the motion picture activities of the association actually functions, and every day its members are on duty at the City Censors' office watching pictures, while others are doing the same at many film exchanges. Each month a list of the pictures approved is made public with the announcement of the theatre where they will be shown. There are twenty in the list for January and "A Front Page Story" heads the list.