Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

April 7, 192^ 1699 Comedies, Short Subjects & Serials "Sky High" Is Next Century Comedy Al Herman and Edward I. Luddy have written a new comedy and are casting for it. Herman claims the gags come quicker and funnier in this than in any preceeding Century he has directed. The story jazzes Hollywood's second best occupation, that of the real estate operators who beset one on every corner. These "realtors" as they are called in sunny California have a recently developed tract up in the mountains. Dirty work is involved such as bungalows which disappear in the night, the selling of homes so high up in the hills that the tenants have to be pulled up there by means of cables and other troubles not familiar to Easterners but which will be appreciated by them. Jack Cooper will play die leading role and Joe Bonner, Jack Earle the giant, Ford West and vampish Marjorie Marcel will contribute to the merriment. Baby Peggy to Make Five Reeler "Where Pavement Ends" Excites Moline What is claimed by Metro as the biggest theatrical event in the history of Moline, 111., was a special showing of the Rex Ingram production of "Where the Pavement Ends," which has not yet received general release. The Moline Daily Dispatch made a big spread with the news that the Le Claire Theatre would hold a public preview of Metro's version of the famous John Russell story. "A Scoop for Moline," it was called. An effective tie-up was made by Richard R. Doerling, Metro exploitation representative, with Moline's best bookshop, displaying copies of "Where the Pavement Ends," with attractive placards announcing the run of the picture at the Le Claire Theatre. Elsie Jane Wilson Star in Century Will Direct Young Film Production THE announcement comes from Julius and Abe Stern, heads of Century. Film Corporation, that their little star, Baby Peggy, is to make her first five-reel — full length — production. It will be made at Universal City and to insure its success the Stern brothers have chosen as her director one of the cleverest women directors in the motion picture industry — Elsie Jane Wilson, in private life the wife of Rupert Julian — the Universal director of " Merry-Go-Round." The first run exhibitors who have booked her recently released bloc of six two-reel pictures, were unanimous in saying that they could easily book five reclers of this wonderful little girl, according to Century. The Stern Brothers have given Miss Wilson full power to go ahead regardless of expense and to duplicate her former successes when she was one of the most promising women directors of the screen. For the last three years she has been content to act in an advisory capacity to her husband, but from 1915 to 1920 she directed some thirty features and a large number of smaller subjects. She did some splendid work for Universal. In addition to all star pictures she directed such stars of that day as Ella Hall, Ruth Clifford, Zoe Ray and Carmel Myers. Many of the pictures she directed were written by herself. The story of Baby Peggy's first five-reeler is now under consideration by Miss Wilson and will be announced shortly. It will be largely written by herself. Good Receipts Reported on "Shorts" Program With " The Message of Emile Coue," forming the nucleus, exhibitors are successfully showing all short subject programs. The Curran theatre, Boulder, Col., and the Wray theatre, Wray, Col., report very satisfactory business on two such programs. The program at the Curran theatre consisted of " The Message of Emile Coue," the Educational African hunt special, " Man vs. Beast," a Hamilton comedy and the Lyman H. Howe picture, " A Ride on a Runaway Train." The program at the Wray theatre consisted of " The Message of Emile Coue," " Man vs. Beast," a Hamilton comedy, " Extra! Extra!" and the Lyman H. Howe Hodge Podge, " Garden of the Geysers." "Rob'EmGoocT Highly Praised Bull Montana Travesty Shares Honors With Metro Washington Feature BULL MONTANA in " Rob 'Em Good," a travesty on " Robin Hood," shared honors with another Metro photoplay, " The Toll of the Sea " for an entire week's engagement at Loew's Columbia theatre in Washington, where it won high praise. Critics gave equal prominence to the burlesque on chivalry and the remarkable natural color film," the first to be photographed by a new process. R. L. B., photoplay critic of the Washington Post, praises " Rob 'Em Good " in the following terms : " Bull Montana as the Earl of Nothingdone, Chuck Reisner as King Richard, James Quinn as Prince John — these and all the rest of the cleverensemble kept the audience yesterday in a constant state of merriment. The sets and scenery are almost duplicates of those which were used by the blithe Doug; and in every detail — from the continual eating of King Dick to the merry bounding of the Sherwood Forest outlaws — delicious travesty abounds. The actors have caught the spirit of the thing and have given it an atmosphere as drolly ridiculous as ' Robin Hood ' was interest-compelling." The Washington Post is equally commendatory in its review : " Bull Montana as ' Rob 'Em Good,' in a comedy by that name, brings his cauliflowered ears and belligerent countenance through all the scrapes of a crusader. The comedy is a travestv on Fairbanks' ' Robin Hood,' and follows the original very closely in situations. A side-splitting burlesque on the original is the result." The picture presenting Bull Montana in " Rob 'Em Good " was produced by Hunt Stromberg, and is released by Metro Pictures Corporation. "Head Hunters" Draws in Sunday House The Associated Exhibitors' attraction, Martin Johnson's production of " Head Hunters of the South Seas," was the feature at the George M. Cohan theatre, New York, last Sunday, and drew large audiences, afternoon and evening. " Head Hunters " ran for a week at the B. S. Moss Broadway theatre, recently, and since he secured possession of the Cohan theatre for Sundays, Mr. Moss has been repeating in that Broadway house the features which had scored the biggest triumphs during the longer runs. Use of Pathecolor in Review Now Increased It is announced that in forthcoming issues of Pathe Review, the use of Pathecolor has been extended to further distinguish its popular American Scenics section. It has already been used consistently in Pathe Review, applied to scenics photographed in foreign countries. Critics and exhibitors have commended it highly for the valuable eye-resting effect it produces when introduced midway of a long screen program, as well as for its own particular entertainment value. Among the American Pathecolor subjects announced to appear in Pathe Review, beginning in the near future, is one picturing the much-visited old California Mission. Another is prehistoric cave dwellings of the Pueblos. The Grand Canyon of the Colorado, in color and sublimity considered by many to excel all other natural scenes of America. Pathecolor views of Niagara Falls and of Catskill Mountain scenery also are now in process for issues of Pathe Review. "Fare Enough," Century Comedy Finished Al Herman has just finished "Fare Enough" the Century Comedy on which he has been working for the last four weeks. Jack Cooper has the starring role in this comedy of rural life mixed in with the clash between a jitney bus concession and a street car franchise. The cast is composed of Marjorie Marcel, Jeanne Hope, Joe Bonner, and Ford West. The story is by Herman Sandrich, his assistant and Edward I. Luddy. ''Ex-Kaiser in Exile" Proven Genuine L. N. Kniskern, assistant to the vice-president of the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation, in a memorandum sent to all branches, sets forth in detail, proof of the authenticity of the film, " The Ex-Kaiser in Exile," released through the Hodkinson organization. A statement has been sent to each branch manager and salesman telling the whole story of how the film was obtained. It is said that the film itself contains actual evidence of the genuineness of the motion picture, including a photograph of the Dutch military pass used to gain entrance. It further verifies the fact that Baron Von Radowitz, who secured the film, was actually a guest of the ex-Kaiser for three days, and got the photos after securing permission to photograph the house and grounds. Vitagraph Releases Two More Urban Classics Two more of Urban Popular Classics were shipped to Vitagraph branches this week for immediate release. They are " Pirates of the Air' and "The Staff of Life." The former is a particularly attractive feature for children showing birds that prey upon others. Among the strange fowl are the great horned owl which kills game birds and the condor, the largest of all birds of prey. " The Staff of Life" shows the progress of a grain of wheat from the sowing to the baking in a modern breadmaking establishment.