Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

2706 Motion Picture News "MARRIAGES ARE MADE"— FOX Good Thrill in Spy Metier of Average Value THIS is only an average program offering. It is of the light type, its entertaining values heing derived mostly from the fast action of the characters and the fairly good construction of the plot, dealing with a love affair as well as German dynamiters. There are hardly any situations in it that possess the element of human appeal. The most thrilling event in this picture is the hero's rescue of the heroine while she is being carried away by the villain in a motorboat. The latter suspends himself by the feet underneath the arch of the bridge and picks the heroine off the fast running boat, which then runs against a mine and is blown to atoms. It is a clean attraction and, where this star is popular, .will offer fairly good satisfaction. — Relea^^d Oct. 13. — Length, 5 reels. — P. S. Harrison. THE CAST Susan Baird PEGGY HYLAND James Morton Edwin Stanley Peter Morton George Clarke Ethelbert Granger Al Lee Cyrus Baird Dan Mason Doris Kemp Ellen Cassidy Max Rupholdt William H. Boyd Sheriff Ed. Begley Deputy Sheriff George Halpin Story by E. Lloyd Sheldon. Direction of Carl Harbaugh. THE STORY Cyrus Baird, a retired financier, desires that his attractive daughter Susan (Peggy Hyland) shall marry Ethelbert Granger, wealthy, influential, but effeminate. James Morton, the nephew of Cyrus Baird's bitter enemy, saves Susan's life in a drowning accident, and it becomes a case of love at first sight for both. Granger invites the Bairds to cruise in the houseboat of Max Rupholdt, a secret German spy. Concealed in the hold of the boat is a mine-laying apparatus with which Rupholdt plans to destroy an American ship about to be launched at a neighboring yard. Through a series of comical situations James Morton becomes suspected of being the spy, while Susan's father takes her aboard Rupholdt's boat to get her away from her lover. At grave personal risk, Morton swims to the boat and discovers the mines. After a furious fight with Rupholdt and his gang, Morton gets away, and follows the houseboat in an auto. The German spy releases the mines, forces Susan into a speed boat, and drives down the river at thirty-five miles an hour. Morton reaches a bridge over the river just ahead of the fleeing German. Climbing beneath the bridge platform, he stretches down and lifts his sweetheart out of danger, while clinging by his knees to the structure. The escaping spy turns around to laugh in derision, but in that instant the speed boat strikes one of his own mines, and the cowardly Hun is blown to bits. A most effective and happy surprise brings this story to its conclusion. AD TALK The melodramatic spy picture has become rather common. Producers seem to turn to this type of photoplay when nothing else presents itself. With the case of " Marriages Are Made," the Fox Company has taken a step forward and introduced comedy that borders on burlesque into this conventional spy plot. As a result, this picture, which is to be shown at the ■ — theatre on of week, takes a different tack on the audience's sympathies and sets it into roars of laughter at the blunders of the spies rather than attempting to work the spectators into an intensity over their presence. Peggy Hyland, the pretty young Fox star, is seen in the title role. She appears as the daughter of a retired financier who aims to marry her off to an effeminate millionaire. It is to Peggy's fortune, though at first to her father's misfortune that she falls in love with the son of her father's business enemy. The scene shifts to aboard the yacht of a German spy who, among other things, endeavors to abduct the pretty Peggy. Her sweetheart, however, manages to rescue her and to cause the spy to encounter one of his own mines with his speed boat, so blowing himself to atoms. The series of scenes in which Peggy's father is accused of being the German spy are comical to the extreme and under the skillful direction of Carl Harbaugh the full limit of comedy is derived from them. The story was written by E. Lloyd Sheldon, a prominent author of photoplays. CATCH LINES The German spy treated humorously — the only way he deserves to be treated from his record in this country. So many pictures have taken the German spy seriously that we feel sure you will be glad to see him in his true light — the humorous light — in which he is shown in the Fox feature, " Marriages Are Made." " Marriages Are Made " — starts with a roar of comedy and ends with a rapid-fire succession of thrills. Peggy Hyland's latest and best feature for the Fox Company. Directed by Carl Harbaugh, one of the most imaginative and clever men in his art. Ever see an object come in contact with a floating mine? Step around to the theatre and see " Marriages Are Made." The best part about it is that the object contains the German spy. We defy you to find the pieces after the excitement is over. SUGGESTIONS Probably your patrons are getting tired of the procession of pictures written around the German spy, and while " Marriages Are Made " is based on the same idea, it treats of the subject in something of a burlesque way. Therefore, in your advertisements and lobby displays, why not lay stress on the comedy angle? A line something on this order might be suitable: " Many pictures treat with the German spy seriously. We don't believe he deserves serious consideration. He is usually a blundering fool. Come and see him blunder a bit in the Fox picture, ' Marriages Are Made,' starring Peggy Hyland." You will probably find that this way of procedure will attract you greater patronage than if you featured the thrills of the production. While there are a great number of these, particularly in the latter part of the subject, it is worth the chance to play up the other angle. The thrills are so good that they will take care of themselves after you get the people in and this method seems the better way to attract them. ADVERTISING AIDS PAPER: — Two one-sheets, two three-sheets, one six-sheet. LOBBY DISPLAY: — Ten 8x10 photographs in black and white, ten 11 x 14 photographs in black and white, three 22 x 28 in colors. SCENE CUTS: — One and two-column scene cuts are furnished on this production, all suggesting the lighter side of the story. ADVERTISING CUTS: — Cuts in one and twocolumn sizes are provided at Fox exchanges for this production. The press sheet also includes a number of type-display advertisements offered as suggestions to the exhibitor who makes up his own ads. SLIDE AND MUSIC CUE SHEET. It's All in One Spot Now — in The Complete Plan Book. ALL IN ONE SPOT! No More Does the Exhibitor Have to Spend Weary Hours Looking Up the Information He Needs on a Coming Attraction. No More Does He Spend Fifteen Minutes Looking For the Review, Another Fifteen Seeking the Ad-Talk, and More Time to Find What Advertising Accessories Are Supplied. It's All in One Spot Now — in The Complete Plan Book. APE" — WILLtM* Fox Exchanges Have on Hand a Number of Attractive One and Two-Column Scene Cuts on This Production, as Well as a Wide Variety of Advertising Cuts and Suggested Display Advertisements