Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

2090 Motion Picture News "MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING "—American Absurd, But Will Please Your Audience ALTHOUGH the story is absurd, this offering will please, because no attempt has been made to present it as a serious thing. It is an adventurous little drama of the light type, which includes some romance and a little high class comedy. It also offers some thrills towards the end. The scenario is based on the novel, " Beauty to Let," by Fred Jackson. The heroine's beauty is utilized by the hero, a poor lawyer, in a business enterprise. Eventually the two are united in marriage. Joyfulness and cheerfulness prevail throughout the play. Your patrons will enjoy it because they won't have to think hard. In general, it offers clean and wholesome entertainment. Released Sept. 29. — Length, 5 reels. — (Available at Pathe Exchanges.) — P. S. Harrison. THE CAST Margery Smith Margarita Fisher Franklyn Smith Jack Mower Henry P. Rockwell J. Norris Foster " Diamond Tim " Moody Wedgwood Nowell Betty Nan Kate Price Directed by Edward Sloman. Story by Fred Jackson, from novel, " Beauty To Let." THE STORY Margery Smith is on her " uppers." So is Franklyn Smith, attorney at law, who has a nice diploma but no clients. What could be more natural then, than for the two to combine forces. Certainly there would be nothing to lose and perhaps much to gain. This partnership is not, however, a marriage contract. It is a corporation entitled " Beauty To Let." Franklyn is the president, Margery the vice-president and the office force. The plan is simple. When any man wants a beauty to dine with him or to dance with him or to accompany him to a reception he applies at the Beauty To Let Corporation for Miss Margery Smith. And Margery, properly chaperoned by Betty Nan, stout and quite able to take care of her charge as well as herself, fills the bill. Customers are plentiful but they soon narrow down to two. These are Henry Rockwell and " Diamond Tim " Moody, rich customers, both of them, and each eager to acquire Margery for life and for better or for worse. But Margery has fallen in love with her business partner, quite unbeknownst to him and is piqued when he lays Rockwell's proposal of marriage before her. She is even more piqued when he announces that he has bought excellent bachelor quarters. She is not considered at all! But the manner in which Margery finally manages to extract a proposal from the man she really loves, and at the same time cheat Moody, the cheater, out of a slice of money, brings on a happy ending to the story. The climax is staged at a farewell dinner party given by Moody and complications arise thick and fast to puzzle all the members of the cast — that is, all save Margery Smith, the partner and office force of the firm of Beauty To Let. AD TALK The theatre will present on of week, Margarita Fisher in one of the cheeriest comedies ever produced. This is entitled " Money Isn't Everything " and is an adaptation of a magazine story called " Beauty To Let," by Fred Jackson, the well-known writer and playwright. There are few men better equipped than Mr. Jackson to write comedy. He has a high sense of this most valuable element in the construction of stories and plays, his plots are original and the situations which he evolves are never anything short of the best in the humorous line. Those acquainted with the theatre will remember his highly successful farce, " A Full House," produced only a few years ago. Producers thought so much of this that during the current season it has been made over into a musical comedy and even now is playing on Broadway to capacity houses. Mr. Jackson is also the author of innumerable magazine stories many of which have been made into pictures. Margarita Fisher, the popular comedienne, star of many American features, has a role well suited to her capabilities which she takes full advantage of. As the junior partner and chief worker in the " Beauty To Let " corporation she registers many a laugh on her own account and gets the most from the many humorous situations provided her by the author. The story is of a novel nature — nothing just like it has been done on the films heretofore, which is saying a lot in these days of " reissues " and revised productions. J. Morris Foster and Wedgwood Nowell are prominent in the supporting cast, while Jack Mower is seen in the role opposite Miss Fisher's. ADVERTISING AIDS PAPER: — One one-sheet, one three-sheet, one six-sheet. One-sheet contains attractive scene of Miss Fisher and opposite lead. Three-sheet contains light scene giving good idea of humorous nature of picture. Six-sheet contains scene of melodramatic character. LOBBY DISPLAY :— Eight 11x14 photos and title card; all are good scenes suggesting light character of production. One 22 x 28 of scene; one 22 x 28 of star. SUGGESTIONS FOR DISPLAY ADVERTISING INCLUDE: — One three-column, one twocolumn and one one-column. SLIDES AND MUSIC CUE. (Continued from page 2080) isn't a yellow man in the lot. Let's prove there isn't a Yellow Dog at home. ADVERTISING AIDS PAPER: — Three 1-sheets; three 3-sheets ; one 6sheet ; one 24-sheet stand; two styles of halfsheets and window card. A wide variety of slides, heralds, photos, etc., have been prepared. In addition there is a seven-foot cut-out figure of Uncle Sam prepared as a part of an exceptionally novel lobby display. A campaign book has been prepared for the exhibitor's use, with specially designed advertising. The newspaper stories for the exhibitors' use will identify the film as a patriotic inspiration that lends added impetus to the drive against the dangerous ramifications of the German spy system. MANUFACTURER'S ADS Manufacturer's advertisements' from which exhibitors can glean interesting information and advertising suggestions on this picture appeared in Motion Picture News Sept. 7 issue, page 1555; Sept. 21 issue, page 1881. SUGGESTIONS Jewel has been conducting an immense campaign in behalf of this picture for the last few weeks. Many towns in the United States have societies inaugurated to stamp out " The Yellow Dogs." The original story gained followers when it originally appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. For display procure a few copies of this issue if possible — May 4th — and dress up your lobby with them. Have the issues opened to the pages on which the story appeared. Also procure the address of the head of the " Yellow Dog " stamper in your town. From him get a list of his members. Circularize them. Have them attend the show in a body on the opening night. If there is no band in your town organize one of your own. Appoint some leading citizen to the head of it — yourself if need be. The papers will give you publicity on this if they see you are sincere — and you ought to be sincere. There are innumerable ways of creating interest in the picture, contained in the advertising campaign book mapped out by Jewel. Don't let an opportunity go by. The picture has a story besides — and don't forget that — but lay emphasis on its patriotic character. It really is patriotic from any an^le. SUGGESTIONS on " Honey Isn't Everything " This is a comedy of a light and intimate type and should be advertised with Margarita Fisher, the star, in view and Fred Jackson, the author. Miss Fisher has done many comedies with the American company and her past reputation will stand her in good stead with respect to this production. Feature the name of Mr. Jackson if you cater to an intelligent clientele. He is the author of the Broadway play, " A Full House," one of the big successes of a few seasons ago. He also has many magazine stories to his credit, many of which have been made into pictures. A point of interest also is that Mr. Jackson is now serving his country in the Navy. CATCH LINES Margarita Fisher in her latest and best comedy produced by American. Taken from the magazine story. " Beauty to Let," by Fred Jackson, popular writer and playwright. Margery and Franklyn formed a partnership — not a marriage contract — but a corporation, and a closed one. The idea was to " hire " Margery out to customers who wanted a beauty to accompany them to social functions. Hence the name of the firm, " Beauty to Let." Of course, Margery was properly chaperoned by one who knew her duties well. But even such a bothersome person didn't prevent the beauty from falling in love. What happened after that is a state secret, to be revealed only at the theatre on . Written by the best author of light comedy the present generation has produced — Fred Jackson. The star of " Miss Jackie of the Army " and " Miss Jackie of the Navy " is a better and more humorous picture. There are many novel ways of making money, but the most novel of them all is revealed in this highly amusing American comedy, " Money Isn't Everything." Star Cut of Margarita Fisher. Featured in American Productions Supplied for Newspaper