Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

2710 Motion Picture News "PRIVATE PEAT"— ARTCR AFT Faithful Treatment of a Famous Book Should Put This Ova IN exploiting this picture you will be compelled to lay stress on the patriotic nature of the theme more than on the production's quality. Another good point that is natural for you to bring out will be the fact that the production has been based on the well know n war book and that Private Peat himself, the author of the book and a very young fellow, takes the leading part. In doing so you will probably j:i\<much better satisfaction, as the impression your patrons will get will be that they are seeing things as they actually happened. The plot has been constructed in the form of a narrative. In plain words, the hero tells, iri the first person, how things occurred. Almost half of the picture, at the beginning, has been wasted in tiresome details, the kind one sees in News Weeklies. For instance, there are scenes of his first application for enlistment and rejection, as not coming up to the requirements; his second and successful application; views of his training at camp in the different stages. Not until the end of the fourth reel does any real action begin. Then we see some interesting and somewhat thrilling trench fighting at night which is spectacular. The story also deals with the brutality of the Germans in Belgium. Scenes of the shooting of civilians, a fact proven authentically, are shown together with news of the manner in which civilians were used in screening the German troops to prevent their being fired at. — Released Oct. 13 (Special). — P. S. Harrison. THE CAST Private Peat Harold R. Peat Mary, later Mrs. Peat Miriam Fouche Old Bill, the Blacksmith William T. Sorelle From the book, " Private Peat," by Harold R. Peat. Published by Bobbs-Merrill Company. Scenario by Charles Whittaker. Directed by Edward Jose. SUGGESTIONS Harold Peat's book, " Private Peat," published by the Bobbs-Merrill Company, has a record as one of the best sellers produced by the war. As a consequence the prominent display of the name in all advertising will do more good than any number of ballyhoos or wild lobby displays. You might, however, be able to secure some trench trophies for your lobby during the run of the feature. These always attract attention wherever displayed. The picture offers the usual book store stunt, but we are inclined to believe that the book dealer will be rather independent if you come to him on the " Private Peat " proposition. You might, however, arrange to sell copies of the book in your lobby, while the display of books previously referred to in these pages is not an idea to be overlooked. Simply obtain two or three copies, and open them to various exciting passages in the story. These in your glass enclosed frames will attract interest. AD TALK Harold R. Peat, the Canadian citizen who was one of the first to become a soldier in the cause of civilization will be the featured attraction at the theatre on of week, when the film version of his book bearing the title of " Private Peat," will be shown for the first time in this city. " Private Peat " is a Paramount-Artcraft special attraction, and its contents give ample proof of the cause for which it was raised to such a position of importance on this program of excellent pictures. No more inspiring story of the war has been turned out on the films than this which contains not one line of fiction, but true and glorious facts. For the benefit of American audiences, Private Peat in the picture becomes a soldier in the ranks of the American army, but otherwise the events of his book are set down exactly as written. It is engrossing, indeed, to follow the incidents which led to his enlistment. At the outbreak of the war he seeks to enlist several times, but the doctors refuse him — because his chest expansion is too small. But Peat is not to be refused on such grounds. And at length, desperate, he invents two brothers killed in France and a mother and sister destitute somewhere on invaded territory. He is good at telling stories for the recruiting officers forget his small chest and over he goes. Peat's experiences at the front are told in detail on the screen. They are experiences that a million other soldiers have gone through, and each one's career at the front if told on the films would probably make just as interesting seeing as Private Peat's. But it is not given for them all to set down their experiences. So see Peat's. Your own boy's letter will appear twice as interesting if you take this peep into trench life. THE STORY Peat, a young man who is alone in the world, works in the store of Abner Cobb in a small American village. At the outbreak of the war he attempts to enlist, but is successively turned down with each trial, because of insufficient chest expansion. He communicates this information to his sweetheart, Mary, the village school teacher, and the two are despondent about it. That night Peat reads in the newspaper of the devastation of Belgium and Northern France, and when he retires for the night he cannot put the thought from his mind. He dreams of his own village under German invasion, of atrocities common on European soil enacted again in his free land, and in the morning he awakes with a start. And Peat with this dream still running through his mind makes a last trial at the recruiting office. He invents two brothers killed in France, and a mother and sister homeless somewhere on invaded soil. And, as a result, he is accepted, insufficient chest expansion and all. Then comes the training, the trip across, the short period back of the lines, the order to move to the front, and, at last, the supreme moment, " Over the top." The charge is successful, and the force of which Peat is a member, take a village formerly held by the Germans. But ammunition runs low, and volunteers are asked to return to the munition dump for more. Peat is one of the volunteers, and returning from the perilous mission is shot through the lungs. The dressing station to which he is conveyed after two days' lying in the open is bombed by Germans notwithstanding the Red Cross flag, but Peat escapes injury this time. At the base hospital he recovers quickly, but is discharged, honorably from the army. Mary greets him, and before he returns to the United States he makes her his wife. ADVERTISING AIDS PAPER: — Two one-sheets; two three-sheets; one six, one rotrogravure one-sheet and one 24sheet stand. This paper is some of the best issued by Paramount-Artcraft. The title is prominently displayed on all the paper, and the scenes selected indicate the grim humor of war more than the tragic side. The first one-sheet is a portrait of Peat, the second shows him in a " closeup " at mess. There is an excellent three showing a soldier with bayonet in foreground, while in the background is barbed wire and bursting shells — the soldier smiles. The other three shows one soldier assisting another who is wounded. The six is light, again showing soldier prodding the last of a line of German prisoners with his bayonet. The twenty-four is a trench scene. PHOTOS:— The usual line of photos for lobby display are provided on this feature, and include eight 8 x 10 black and white; eight 11 x 14 sepia; one 22 x 28 sepia, and the 8 x 10 photos of star. CUTS AND MATS ON PRODUCTION :— Five one-column, three two-column and two threecolumn. These show poses of Peat and interesting scenes from production. ADVERTISING LAYOUTS (MATS) :— These are furnished in the one, two and three-column sizes as on all Paramounts. CATCH LINES Peat's chest expansion was not up to standard, and so the army turned him down. But did this stop him? Never! He invented two brothers killed in battle and a mother and sister suffering in invaded territory! And they took him, poor chest and all — this patriot without a living relative! Your boy, your brother, your sweetheart, husband, sees the army life pictured in " Private Peat " day in and day out. See this picture and his letters will be twice as interesting as they are even now. Harold R. Peat was one of the first Canadians to go over. He was with twelve thousand others — the joke of the war these untried poorly-drilled troops — but they turned back twenty thousand Huns, and the world rang with praises for the Canadians — no more the joke but the heroes. Peat fought at Ypres, at St. Julian and St. Eloi, aj Langemarck and Vimy Ridge, where some of the most terrific battles of the war took place. ADOLPH ZUKOK resents HAROLD PEAT A Photoddama Based Oh His Own Booh Peat JlCpanunount (Jrtcraflt Special One-Column Ad Cut