Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1924)

1920 Motion Picture News Forty Horse Hawkins (Universal— 5419 Feet) (Review by Laurence Read) THIS carries a slight plot — which offers a great deal of episodic and padded incident. One might call it glorified hokum — but hokum that is not out of place considering the story and characterization. Ever since Hoot Gibson demonstrated that he can plav the boob to perfection, Universal has given him stories calling for his peculiar brand of comedy. The picture is dependent upon the star, for he is in every scene. It is far-fetched and repetitious in its incident — but the average spectator will be fairly interested in its burlesque — even though it fails to generate any humor. Gibson is a handy man in a western hamlet, doubling as bus driver, hotel manager, waiter, porter and stage manager of the local 'opry house. In assuming these duties he wears a distinctive headdress "for each of the varied positions. The hokum isn't long in arriving. The tank town troupers are playing one of the " mortgage " melodramas — and the action shifts from shots of the audience — to bits from the play — and several scenes of Gibson as the boob stage manager. It is ridiculous if you can imagine a Broadway actress falling for a country bumpkin. But she does — and he follows her to New York, where after an unsuccessful attempt to locate her he gets a job as super in her new production — without discovering that she is the leading lady. The New York stage life and atmosphere is in vivid contrast to the " hick " stuff — and the incident concentrates upon showing the super as a prize boob. He is always in the way or intruding where he doesn't belong. And in playing up the part, the director repeats himself. This director, incidentally, places himself in the picture as the city stage manager. The boob puts over some impromptu business when he discovers his sweetheart — and saves the show from flopping. So we have two plays within a play. The picture is not as bright as some recent releases of Gibson's — but it should satisfy the audience in program theatres. It was apparently sketched to exploit the star in a boob character. THEME. Comedy romance of westerner who is jack-ofall-trades. Falls in love with actress, follows her to New York — and wins her love. PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS. The village 'opry house — with an old-fashioned meller being acted. The hokum of scenes which feature star. The boob performance by Hoot Gibson in his role of a handy man and a stage super. DIRECTION. Makes fairly interesting picture from slight plot. Is mostly episodic — and is forced to repeat his incident. A hokum story — he sees to it that the hokum is in place. Is good with his stage incident. EXPLOITATION ANGLES. Bill this as another of the Hoot Gibson comedy pictures — in which the star plays a boob role. Emphasize the title in a teaser campaign. Might ballyhoo it with employees dressed in uniform of Union soldiers. DRAWING POWER. For program houses. SUMMARY. This one has slight plot — which is mostly episodic. Gives Gibson a chance to play the boob — which he does so well. It featurse two plays within a play — and carries a lot of hokum. Not much humor — but should satisfy its audiences. THE CAST Luke (Bud) Hawkins Hoot Gibson Mary Darling Anne Cornwall Rudolph Catalina Richard Tucker Sylvia Dean Helen Holmes Johnny Jack Gordon Edwards Sheriff Ed Burns Wild Bill Bailey John Judd Stage Manager Edward Sedgwick By Edward Sedgwick and Raymond L. Schrock. Scenario by Raymond L. Schrock. Directed by Edward Sedgwick. SYNOPSIS. A young Jack-of-all-trades in isolated western hamlet meets leading woman of theatrical troupe — and sees to her comfort in his hotel duties. Also acts as stage manager. She returns East — and the hero follows — where after working as chauffeur he becomes a super in her company — and saves the show by some impromptu business of his own. The romance is continued. On Time (Truart-Six Reels) (Reviewed by Frank Elliott) THIS story was evidently written for no other reason than to exploit the athletic prowess of Richard Talmadge. The plot sure does keep this active star on the move, jumping over persons, up telegraph poles, from one building to another, from one floor to another, and so on and so forth from beginning to end of a film tale that starts out with promise but soon develops into such a bewildering maze of nonsense that there is one hope left in the mind of the observer — that the end may soon arrive. In the beginning we have some fairly interesting work on the part of the star and the beauty of Billie Dove who is exceptionally easy on the eyes, with some fair comedy on the part of Tom Wilson in the role of a valet who is also a Nubian polo enthusiast. But then suddenly, and for no reason whatever, we are introduced to a costume ball and a lot of dances which take up valuable footage. We soon discover, however, that " we hadn't seen anything yet," for then ensues a long series of wild sequences dealing with an attempt of a demented surgeon to transfer the brains of a gorilla to the dome of the hero and with a lot of " you chase me " stuff between the athletic star and a band of Mongolians who want their little idol back poco pronto. After one is just about fed up with the silliness of the whole thing and as the hero and heroine are about to be married a screen is drawn aside and Ave are told that it was all done for no other reason than to see what the young man could do as a movie star. But even that didn't make us feel any better. However, be that as it may, there are some audiences who may enjoy this sort of picture and overlook its weaknesses in the action-packed sequences. Talmadge works hard but he has had much better vehicles than this one. The cast includes some names that can be played up, such as Stuart Holmes, George Siegman, Charles Clary and the cbarming Miss Dove. The mounting of the picture is quite stagey throughout. THEME. A melodrama that exploits the athletic ability of Richard Talmadge with the star going through some very wild adventures and in the end being told that it was all to test his talent for a film career. PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS. The stunts accomplished by the star. The charm of Billie Dove. The comedy introduced by Tom Wilson. The fights in the Chinese den. DIRECTION. Must be forgiven on account of the weak material at hand. Has however kept the star on the move. EXPLOITATION ANGLES. Put over a display of clocks with your local department or jewelry and hardware stores with appropriate ads and photos on the feature. Play up the thrilling stunts put over by Richard Talmadge. DRAWING POWER. Suitable for smaller houses downtown and in the communities where folks don't like to use their grey matter much. SUMMARY. There are a lot of folks who like to see Richard Talmadge jump around on the screen. This feature, therefore, will please these folks. It is a production that starts off well but becomes so muddled up that the interest is lost before the ending comes which explains why so much foolishness was permitted. THE CAST Harry Willis Richard Talmadge Helen Hendon Billie Dove Horace Hendon Charles Clary Richard Drake Stuart Holmes Casanova Clay Tom Wilson "Mr. Black" Douglas Gerard "Dr. Spinks" Fred Kirby "His Wife" Frankie Mann Wang Wu George Siegmann By Albert Cohn. Directed by Henry Lehrman. Scenario by Garrett Ford. Photographed by William Marshall. SYNOPSIS. Failing to make a fortune in six months, in spite of his possession of a lucky Chinese idol, Harry Willis returns discouraged. But he is offered $10,000 a day for some dangerous work. He becomes involved with a demented surgeon who wants to graft gorilla brains on him and with a gang of Chinese who threaten his life unless their idol is returned. When he seeks a license to be married he finds that all his wild adventures have been nothing more than tests to see what he could do as a movie star.