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1190
Motion Picture News
Production ^Distribution Activities
Universal Promises One A Week
Schedule Calls For High-Class Productions At Fair Price For Season
Jean Haskell, in Goldwyn pictures.
"Hearts Aflame" Draws Crowds in L. A.
So great were the crowds at Loew's State Theatre, Los Angeles, during the run of Reginald Barker's production of " Hearts Aflame," that the newspapers commented upon the attendance as one of the noteworthy features of the exhibition.
Raving over the fire scenes in " Hearts Aflame " apparently is not a propensity confined to the Pacific Coast critics. E. V. Durling, writing in the New York Globe said :
" There have been many thrilling forest fire scenes made, but that which Reginald Barker haconceived for ' Hearts Aflame,' now showing at the Rialto, is by far the best. ... A forestry expert of my acquaintance assures me that this scene is an exact replica of one of the greatest conflagrations he ever encountered in the northwest."
This picture, directed by Reginald Barker, and adapted by J. G. Hawks and G. Rigby from Harold Titus's novel, " Timber," is presented by Louis B. Mayer through the distributing medium of Metro Pictures Corporation. The photographer is Percy Hilburn.
"Wolf Fangs'.' Under Way at Warner Studios
" Wolf Fangs," the Chester M. Franklin production being produced at the Warner Brothers coast studios under the supervision of Harry Rapf, is reported well under way. The picture features Rintintin, the famous1 Belgian police dog and World War hero.
To secure the realism necessary to the story, the cast of players have been taken to the Feather River country which is located some twenty-four hours north of Los Angeles. From present indications the production will be completed within the next few weeks, and it is likely that the Warner Brothers' will release the feature in the Fall.
AS the result of experiments made during the last six months at Universal Cify in the improvement of Universal's five-reel features, that company announces that it is in a position to assure exhibitors one high class picture every week for the rest of the 1923 season at " live and let live " prices.
This is a distinct development in the production and release policy of Universal attractions. They heretofore have been released in groups or series of nine or other small numbers. This group method was used during the last six months for the purpose of concentrating on production and building up the show value of the individual pictures in each group, and to aid in balancing the pictures in each group so as to provide for all classes of patrons.
Early last fall, Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal Pictures' Corporation, issued instructions to the scenario department and the production department of the corporation to increase the quality of Universal's five-reel features until they approximated the highest quality in feature production.
Immediately greater care was taken in the selection of stories, in the casting of the pictures and in the production. A group of pictures was planned for a tryout of the " better " pictures campaign. These pictures, released as " The Winning Nine," proved to be far better than their predecessors. Then a new group of nine was planned, with greater care in production and consequent improvement in the finished product. This group, which was released as the Prosperity Nine, showed great improvement
over the Winning Nine.
The betterment campaign was continued, this time under Mr. Laemmle's personal supervision. The next group proved to be of exceptional quality. They were released as the Laemmle Nine, as the result of the Universal chief's personal O. K. on each picture before it could be scheduled for release. The success of this series was even greater than that of the preceding group.
The planning of the Capitol Series followed. This series of pictures, now being released, represents the last word in the development of strong five-reel attractions. It is the success of this series as the culmination of the betterment campaign developed with this and the succeeding groups that prompted the planning of a continued schedule of high class features for the remainder of the season.
It is of especial note that these forthcoming pictures, many of which already are in production, are to be put in the hands of the exhibitor. Universal asserts at a price that will assure a profit to him.
The forthcoming weekly releases are being made from carefully selected stories of especial strength, and will be made with stars and players of proven popularity. A group of Universal's best directors have been assigned to make them.
Among the stars so far selected to play in these pictures are Herbert Rawlinson, Gladys Walton, Hoot Gibson, Roy Stewart, Ethel Grey Terry, Niles Welch, and others. The directors include Jack Conway. King Baggot, Stuart Paton, Herbert Blache, Edward Sedgwick, Henry Lehrman and others.
Submarine Production Completed
"Vengeance Of The Deep" Said To Reveal Remarkable Underseas Scenes
AMERICAN RELEASING A CORPORATION announces the recipt of its submarine production just completed in Honolulu by A. B. Barringer and delivery of this picture is now being made to its exchanges. " Vengeance of the Deep " is a romantic melodrama with a big submarine episode. The undersea scenes were taken at great depth in the waters around Honolulu where the producing company has been at work for the past three months.
Ralph Lewis has the role of a brutal ship's captain who has pearl concessions in the South Seas ; Virginia Brown Faire is his daughter; Van Mattimore is a beach comber; Harmon McGregor, a pearl diver; Maida Vale, a native girl, and
Smoke Turner, an island ruler.
" Vengeance of the Deep " is said to be unlike any other with undersea episodes. Among the outstanding moments are the running down of a native proa by a schooner ; a native's undersea swim to tie a knot in the diver's air pipe; an attack upon a native diver by a tiger shark; the rescue of the diver; the weird and perilous jungles of the ocean's bed; a new type of diver's helmet which generates its own air, shown for the first time on the screen.
"Vengeance of the Deep " is said to afford unusual opportunities for exploitation. The picture is scheduled for release in the latter part of March.
Stan Laurel, who has been engaged to star in the Hal Roach one reel comedies for Pathe release.
" Suzanna" Gets Approval of Detroit Critics
" Mabel Normand never has been so successful, so captivating nor so merry as in Mack Sennett's newest comedy-drama, 'Suzanna,' " said the reviewer for the Detroit Free Press when this Allied Producers' and Distributors' Corporation release was shown recently at the Broadway-Strand theatre, Detroit. " The story is alive with action and contains thrills in which the life and happiness of the heroine are at stake."
" Every full-length photoplay turned out thus far by Mack Sennett has represented a real stride in the art of the cinema, and ' Suzanna,' the latest Sennett opus, means so many more stale movieisms gone the way of the dodo," said the critic for the Detroit News. " Billed as a comedydrama, it is more drama than comedy with banal suggestiveness and pathos omitted. Mabel Normand is the featured player in a competent cast. There is much beauty in the settings. ' Suzanna ' distinctly belongs on the credit side of the ledger."
" The combination of Mabel Nor? mand and ' Suzanna ' supplies an attraction that has had few equals rnd no superiors at the BroadwayStrand." said the review in the Detroit Evening Times.
King at Work on New Rural Comedy
Carlton King, president of the Carlton King Productions, is back at work in the Hollywood studios after a trip to New York with his manager, J. Frank Moore, and reports good progress on the fifth of his series of twelve two-reel rural comedy dramas.
Producers Security will issue one a month. Each drama is complete in itself but the character of Jad, the town marshal, runs through the