Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1919)

D e c c m b c r 3 j , i Q i 0 269 "THE WEB OF CHANCE'' Nothing Here to Cause \ oii Worry ALIIIOLGH this is heralded as a "whimsical comedy drama starring Pegg\ llyland,"' the instigator of the voluminous suh-tities tries to walk away with the show. There are only about five sets used in the picture and the balance is taken up with sub-titles or exteriors. Miss llyland wears the one dress through the picture excepting lor the few minutes spent in a riding habit. But this picture does not pretend to be anything but light and frivolous, and it is both. Kven the members of the cast do not appear to take it too seriously. If every thing is all right at your home, and things are running smoothly at the office, you can witness this picture and remain serene and contented to the end, as it does not present any weighty problems for you to solve. There is nothing in it to cause you worry. It was built for entertainment purposes only and may generally fulfill its mission. The uncle is a private detecti\e and when he leaves town temporarily the girl and her cousin become amateur detectives. She arrests a man, thinking he is a thief, and after she finds he isn't she marries him, while her cousin is arrested by the village constable. Pulling possibilities and pleasing probabilities for respective audiences are: Metropolitan, average puller and barely pleasing; Elite, average puller and barely pleasing; Family, good puller and fairK pleasing; Workers, good puller and fairly pleasing. — Length, 5 reels. — Released December 21. — Tom Hamlin. THE CAST Dorothy Hale Peggy Hyland Arthur Brown. Harry Hamm John Harrison E. B. Tilton Thorne Potter Wiliam Machin Henry George Dromgold Detective Sam Appel Story by Edgar Franklin. Scenario by Douglas Bronston. Direction by Alfred E. Green. Photography by Frank Good. 'Illlllll!|i||ll!l!ill!l!lllllllllllll!llll!llllll|il!ll!llllll!llllllllllllllll!|if!!^ PRESS NOTICE— STORY William Fox presents Peggy Hyland in " The Web of Chance " of a days run at the theatre beginning This is described as a comedy drama with a pretty romantic interest and plenty of adventure. Henry Hamm is Peggy Hyland's leading man and the offering is from the story by Edgar Franklin. John Harrison is head of the Harrison Agency and his niece and nephew assist him in the office. The young ones are especially anxious to assist him actively in detective work and the youthful nephew is constantly reading Old Sleuth stories and experimenting with disguises to the amusement of the niece. During a short vacation in the mountains the niece is courted very briskly by a young city fellow who gives the name of Arthur Brown. When the plans and specifications of the great Sarsfield Machine Works has been stolen this man Brown is suspicioned as he is an employe, but he disappears. In the absence of her detective uncle the niece takes up his trail and this brings her through several escapades and many amusing situations. When she finally corners him in a country house she counts upon the assistance of the village constable but that worthy has fallen asleep on the job. The constable wakes up in time to arrest the wrong man and takes the nephew, an amateur sleuth, to the town lock-up. And then the pretty niece finds that she loves the man she has arrested but determines to put duty before love. Then the man confesses, not that he is the thief but that he loves her and is glad she has arrested h'm. Then comes the climax, and it is a welcome denouement for the young couple. Motion Picture News wishes A Merry X mas to all of you and A Happy New Ye ar ! So there you are and the many comedy situations and romance is pictured in " The Web of Chance," a Wiliam Fox production coming to this theatre next week. And Peggy Hyland is the star. SUGGESTIONS After booking this picture you will, of course, adopt the regular exploitation methods of announcing it. It will not stand for any big special angles of exploitation, consequently it is up to you to get as much as possible out of the title, " The Web of Chance;" the author, Edgar Franklin; the star, Peggy Hyland, and the producer, William Fox. Of course the title may be deceiving to many as to the theme of the story. Therefore you should announce it as a modern romantic comedy. Your best bet outside of these regular channels is to use the catch lines in as many spots as possible. PROGRAM READER Here is an alert, ambitious and pretty young woman who starts tracking a man until she finds him. The girl is an amateur detective and believes that the young fellow is guilty of the theft of some very valuable papers. When she finds him she is amazed to recognize a former very ardent suitor whom she had met some time before at a summer resort. This is comedy drama. And the comedy is derived from the fact that this girl was mistaken in her man. She resolved to put duty before love and arrested him. And he was glad to be arrested by such a charming little girl. Because he knew that the only crime he could possibly be accused of was the possible stealing of her heart. And she was just as guilty because she had already stolen his heart. CATCH LINES She chased a man almost ragged, thinking he was a thief, and then arrested her future husband. This girl was not a regular detective. She was only a volunteer. It's a pleasure to be arrested by a pretty amateur sleuth. When her gasoline gave out after a wild pursuit of the thief she was forced to accept gasoline from him. She was very clumsy while going hurriedly through his clothes which hung in a closet. So she married him, and no doubt became very adept. "WANTED, A HUSBAND" (PARAMUUNT-ARl CKAhTj Registers as Highly Amusing Comedy BILLIE HI UKE has a role here that afi'ords her an opportunity of displaying some real activity instead of simply posing, and she suitably enacts the part in a charming manner. \\ liile the picture may be considered a trifle slow at the start it soon picks up a faster tempo and as it increases its stride it noticeai)ly takes a stronger hold on the spectators. Your women patrons will like the gowns, and the cast is well balanced with capal>le artists of the correct type. The story is one of those light comedy romances which requires no elaborate setlings or spectacular elfects and it regi.sters as highly amusing, being also favored with a very clear continuity. The girl is unkempt through carelessness and is aroused from her apparent stupor when her two room mates annomice their forthcoming weddings. She realizes that she niu.st ginger up a bit and a course of gymnastics augmented by dressmakers and hairdressers accomplishes wonders. After some laughable escapa<les she wins for herself a husband in the lottery of love. Pulling possibilities and pleasing probabilities for respective audiences are: Metropolitan, good puller and generally pleasing; Elite, big puller and very pleasing; Family, good puller and very pleasing; Workers, average puller and generally pleasing. — Length, 5 reels. — Released December 28. — Tom Hamlin. It's a good thing that the constable who assisted her in arresting the man, was also a Justice of the Peace. He performed his duty. He married the couple. THE CAST Amanda Darcy Cole Billie Burke Jack Remsen James L. Crane Gloria Green Margaret Linden Tom Harmon Charles Lane Paul Wood Edward Lester Holcomb Lee Bradley Barker Maude Raynes Helen Greene Helen Bartlett Gypsy O'Brien Andy Dunn Kid Broad Veronica Mrs. Priestly Morrison Hiram Frank Goldsmith Story by Samuel Hopkins Adams. Scenario by Clara Beranger. Direction by Lawrence C. Windon. PRESS NOTICE^ STORY Billie Burke in her latest Paramount Artcraft picture is scheduled for a days run at the theatre beginning new leaf. She started by giving her face a good washing. Then she went to a hair dresser. There was money enough left in her purse to purchase some attractive gowns. But this was not all she did. The girl found out that she was not only unkempt, but had also allowed herself to lope along instead of briskly walking. And was getting just a little bit too fat. A gymnasium managed by an ex-pugilist did wonders for her. Here is the outcome — keep it secret: The fellows fairly flocked to her. Simple, wasn't it? Billie Burke appears as the girl in the case and the Paramount-Artcraft picture portraying this series of events is coming to this theatre next week. It is entitled, " Wanted, a Husband." Samuel Hopkins Adams wrote the story, and James L. Crane is the star's leading man. A group of pretty women with sinking gowns is declared to be one of the many attractive features in this production. Amanda Darcy Cole is very careless of her personal appearance and allows herself to become actually unkempt. Her two young lady room-mates come in very enthusiastically one day and she learns that the young men who have been sending them flowers and candies have proposed and a double wedding is soon to be held. The Cole girl tells her girl friend across the hall that she has never had a fellow and the girl urges her to perk up and spend some of her bank account on clothes and with :he hairdressers. And also to take a course of gymnastic exercises and adopt a little style. When she finally does this the change is marvelous and the young fellows flock around her in droves. She conjures in her mind an English lord, whom she says she is engaged to and even goes so far as to show her friends a picture of him that she has found. This picture happened to be the .ost photograph of a nice young fellow who had put on the disguise during some amateui theatricals. A practical joker coaxes the two newly married couples to occupy his bungalow and also invites the Cole girl. She sees the others on the train and in desperation realizes that she must have an English husband to show them, as she was now supposed to be married. And in the same car was the exact man of her photograph, having put on the disguise again to escape a process server. Some very amusing situations arise from these complications and " Wanted, a Husband " is heralded as one of the best light comedy romances that Billie Burke has ever presented. PROGRAM READER All her girl friends were getting married. And for many months they were daily receiving candies and flowers while their nice young men were calling upon them. It was glorious — for them. But no young man ever paid any attention to her. So she decided to turn over a SUGGESTIONS When this picture is booked for your theatre you should display as many pictures of the star around in as many places as you can find spots for. And Bilhe Burke undoubtedly has considerable drawing power in many localities. Your next best bet is the title, used in connection with catch lines mostly. And as the Paramount-Artcraft brand name is well advertised, do not fail to mention the brand at every opportunity. An inexpensive exploitation stunt is the insertion of a classified ad in your daily newspapers under the classification of " Male Help Wanted." As follows: "Wanted, A Husband," apply to Miss Darcy Cole, in care of Billie Burke at the theatre. No flowers or rice. CATCH LINES When she decided that she was losing out in the lottery of love she washed her face and won a husband. The girl knew she was adding weight and allowing herself to become actually unkempt. So she took up gymnastic training and became the perfect ingenue. One girl decides that she should commit matrimony. So she took a course of boxing lessons. She decided that competition was fierce and that if she wanted a husband she would have to comb her hair and cut out the slouchy walk. Newspaper Directory of interest to all will be found on Pages 155 to 118