Motion Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

June 2 , 1923 2689 Critics Praise "Soul of Beast" Wash ington Reviewers Commend Ince Production at Successful Showing "COUL OF THE BEAST," a *J Metro picture produced by Thomas H. Ince, played a successful week at Loew's Columbia theature, Washington, according to report. Managing Director Lawrence Beatis of Loew's Washington theatres, and Manager Gates of the Columbia, carried out an elaborate advance campaign on the picture and reported excellent results. Motion picture critics of the Washington dailies were enthusiastic in their praise of " Soul of the Beast." Following are some of their comments : Herald — Thomas H. Ince offers what is probably the outstanding cinema novelty of" the year in his vivid drama of two circus runaway. It is one of the most appealing pictures of the year. Post — The Columbia this week presents about the closest approach to a three-ring circus in screen form that the local silver sheet has ever offered to the public. Star — The wanderings of Oscar the elephant in search of his mistress are beautiful in story as well as in photoplay. The Canadian backwoods lend an entrancing background to the picture. Daily News — Some romancesome thrills — some laughs. The feature has 'em. Times — One of the screen's real novelties is the attraction at Loew's Columbia this week and all who have thrilled with enjoyment at the circus should not fail to see this film — " Soul of the Beast." Were it not that Miss Madge Bellamy is so entrancingly pretty one might say that Oscar, a big elephant, is the star of the entertainment. What this monster pachyderm does in the course of five reels is really marvelous. " Soul of the Beast " serves as a vehicle which brings Miss Bellamy to the very edge of stardom. "Enemies of Women" Approved M ayor Dever of Chicago Declares It Most Magnificent Production "Brass Bottle" Cast Is Carefully Selected MAURICE TOURNEUR has drawn from the casts of the season's two most pretentious productions for players to enact the leading parts in his newest production for M. C Levee, "The Brass Bottle," presented by First National. From the cast of " Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood," Tourneur selected Sam De Grasso, who did the cruel King John, and Roy Corliss whose portrayal of the jester attracted much favorable comment. In " The Brass Bottle " De Grasso again appears as a King — King Solomon— and Corliss as " The Evil Eye " an eerie creature of the spirit world. Ernest Torrence and Tully Marshall are two other actors in a recent screen triumph, who appear in the i'Jurneur picture. Torrence as the eccentric scout and Marshall as the drunken trapper, in " The Covered Wagon " will long be remembered. In " The Brass Bottle " they have characters that are expected to prove fully as distinctive as their respective portrayals in the big Western cLama. Vanderbilt Kin with Cosmopolitan Following the example set by his friends, Park Benjamin II "and Craig Biddle, Jr., Amos Tuck French, Jr., has gone into motion pictures. Mr. French, of the well known family of that name of Newport and New York, made his debut as a film actor this week in " Under the Red Robe," the screen version of Stanley Weyman's famous story which Alan Crosland is directing for the Cosmopolitan Corporation. Amos Tuck French, Jr., is a grandson of Mrs. Stuyvesant Le Roy and a nephew of Mrs. Paul Fitz Simmons, formerly Mrs. Alfred G. Vanderbilt. He is also a cousin of William H. Vanderbilt. In the same picture, in which Robert B. Mantell, John Charles Thomas and Alma Rubens are featured, Park Benjamin II is also appearing. Mr. French, Jr., attended Princeton University. Pastor Approves "Town That Forgot God" Rev. Irving E. Deer, executive secretary of the Dayton Council of Churches, has written a letter of commendation on "The Town that Forgot God" to Fox Film Corporation following the presentation of the special at the State theatre in that city. The letter follows: "It is not often that I permit myself to give a written endorsement of a photoplay, for it is unforunately not often that one can do so with ease. But after seeing the private screening of "The Town that Forgot God" I wish to say that the film has my unqualified endorsement, and I am sure all who see it will thank you for bringing it to Davton." ONE of the greatest tributes ever accorded a motion picture was that tendered "Enemies of Women," Cosmopolitan's picturization of the Ibanez novel, by Mayor William E. Dever of Chicago last week, it is said. After viewing the film at the Roosevelt Theatre, Mayor Dever said : "I guess Mrs. Dever and I didn't miss many of the big pictures, but this film is undoubtedly the most magnificent we have ever seen. The story is forceful, the actors are the best to be had, the scenes, particularly those made in Monte Carlo and Paris, are educational and make a stirring background for the play itself. The greatest achievement of the producers of this picture is the manner of presenting this great moral so attractively that it gains force rather than loses it by the magnificence of its presentation. The whole story is told in the line : " 'For those who sow self-indulgence can reap only emptiness of heart and loathing of life. Only through sacrifice in the shadow of the cross can happiness be found.' " "Enemies" is now in its fifth capacity week at the Roosevelt Theatre. In its first week there it broke all records, plaving to more than $26,000. it is said. Preferred Envoy Sees Good Business GEORGE S. JEFFREY, Special Representative for the Al Lichtman Corporation returned to New York this week after a business trip through Canada and New York State. He reports that every key city in New York is now playing the Preferred product. In Canada, Mr. Teffrey announces that business is rapidly recovering from the blow dealt it by the failure of the crops in the West. Exhibitors say business is normal again. Mr. Jeffrey organized a Canadian sales drive and called a meeting at the Home Office of the Aliens, who handle the Preferred product in Canada. Reports from Quebec, Ontario, and the Maritime Provinces showed that Preferred Pictures had gone over with the exhibitors who awaited eagerly the fifteen releases announced for next season. "Are You A Failure?" especially, is going strong and is soon to play in both Toronto and Montreal at the Allen theatres. Shipman Seeking Long Island Beauties The newspapers of Long Island — numbering about seventv-five, and headed by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle— are said to be unanimously endorsing and supporting the movement of Ernest Shipman to find two Long Island beauties who will typify the "Sunrise Trail." They are beginning, this week, a contest — and will conduct it for a period of sixty days — in an effort to determine the most beautiful blonde and the most beautiful brunette in their respective communities. At the conclusion of the contest, the winners will be again judged by a committee of experts, whose choices will be awarded the opportunity to make their debut on the screen. Shipman's search for pulchritude is in connection with the forthcoming production of " Sunrise Trail " Pictures on Long Island, by the recently-organized Long Island Cinema Corporation. Broadway Showing for "If Winter Comes" With the completion of the William Fox screen version of " If Winter Comes," A. S. M. Hutchinson's sensational literary success, negotiations virtually have been completed for a large Broadway theatre in which the photoplay will make its first appearance. Mr. Millarde. with a company of players headed by Percy Marmont and Miss Ann Forest, who play Mark Sabre and Effie Bright respectively, were in England the greater part of a year to take the picture. The screen version of "If Winter Comes " is said to have adhered with absolute fidelity to the original story. Fisher Meets Footage Demands Announces That Production Policy Will Put Limit at Six Reels THE popular demand on the part of exhibitors throughout the country concerning footage of feature production, has been ".ccepted by Fisher Productions, newly formed producing organization of San Francisco with studios in Hollywood. In an announcement issued by Victor B. Fisher, supervising director, the Fisher Company goes on record as favoring the six-reel production and states this will be the policy of this organization in the instance of "Youth Triumphant," just completed, as well as future pictures. "The popular request of exhibitors urging producers to keep the length of feature pictures down to six reels," said Mr. Fisher, "is something that cannot be ignored by producers. "Believing that it. pays to give the exhibitor what he wants. Fisher Productions announces its decision to comply with the exhibitors demands and will confine 'Youth Triumphant' and all future pictures to a footage of six reels. "Fisher Productions agrees with exhibitors that with a very few exceptions, it is not necessary to go beyond six reels in telling a story on the screen. In 'Youth Triumphant' we have a story that we had originally planned for a nine reel production. The story is replete with action, drama and romance and it was a difficult matter to confine it to six reels. However, acting on the requests of exhibitors we did so and now, upon completion of the film, we find that the picture loses nothing by its presentation in shorter form. "Youth Triumphant," the initial Fisher Production will soon be ready for release. The picture is now in its final cutting under the supervision of Mr. Fisher and Lillian Ducey who directed and adapted the storv bv George Gibbs.