Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1919)

December 27, 19IQ "THE GOLDEN SHOWER'' ^VITAGKAPH; Better Than Average Entertainment THIS photoplay will be generally liked, although it may not cause any deluge at the box ofhee nor excite sensational comment, but it very pleasantly luitolds a threadworn story in a most acceptable manner and the star is very charming in her role. Gladys Leslie is supported by a very good cast ol capable screen performers. A very creditable attempt was made to provide appropriate sets, and the cabaret scenes, as well as the midnight house-party, were particularly eflcctive. A wealthy widower is a Broadway hbertine and alter witnessing a classical dance performed by a sweet girl at her college exercises, he determines to secure her for himself. She is tricked into dancing one night at a notorious cabaret and at another time she dances at a midnight house-parly, not knowing that the host is the libertine whom she had repulsed. The host pursues her to her dressing room, but this excitement causes him heart failure. He is so angry at the girl that he scliemes to forever disgrace her and before he passes away that night he makes a will leaving his millions to her and cuts his son oft" with a single dollar. The romance is injected when the son meets the girl in a distant town whence she had fled to escape hmniliation. .Not knowing each other, they fall in love. This picture is better than average entertainment. Pulling possibilities and pleasing probabilities for respective audiences are: Metropolitan, good puller and very pleasing; Elite, average puller and fairly pleasing; Family, good puller and fairly pleasing; Workers, good puller and very pleasing. — Length, 5 reels. — Released November 30. — Tom Hamlin. THE CAST Mary Gladys Leslie Broadway Al Robert Cummings Lester Frank Morgan Helen Estelle Taylor Gabby Corinne Barker Black Karl Lowenhaupt Story by Marie Eve. Direction by John W. Noble. PRESS NOTICE^ STORY Gladys Leslie in " The Golden Shower " is the Vitagraph attraction coming to the theatre for a days' run beginning . The star appears in the role of a sweet young college girl who leads the class in its classic dancing exercises. A wealthy man known as Broadway Al," is a typical libertine and catches sight of the graceful young girl in one of her dances. By conspiring with a well known cabaret dancer he induces the young girl to dance one night at a notorious cabaret but she repulses him and flees away. To enable the old fellow to meet the girl under more favorable circumstances a dancing party is arranged at his palatial home with the festivities commencing at midnight. The girl is engaged to do her classic dance here little realizing that her persecutor is the host. When she takes refuge in her dressing room he is seized with heart failure but before he passes away that night he wills her his entire fortune cutting his only son off with a single dollar. This old libertine's idea in doing this was to disgrace the girl and brand her as his own in order to be revenged for her spurning of his suit. The stage where she danced had been backed by a strong X-Ray light arranged to shine through her costume and thus blast her reputation. When the young girl is put out of college and shunned by all her old friends she finally goes home to her father and he also bids her to go away. She does not claim a cent of the old millionaire's money and finally seeks a new life in a far distant town. It is here that she meets the son of the millionaire who was so cruel to her. Neither knows who the other is but they both fall in love at first sight. And then comes the denouement. This picture is described as one of the best productions Gladys Leslie has starred in for pretty sentiment and great heart interest. PROGRAM READER Broadway Al has become infatuated with a sweet college girl and induces her to give one of her classic dances at his home. To blast her reputation so that she will not longer repulse his advances he causes a strong X-Ray light to be so arranged behind the stage that it shines through her light costume. Her college refuses to take her back again and all her former friends forsake her. When Broadway Al dies he leaves her his fortune with the exception of a single dollar which goes to his son in the west. . iviP: Gladys Leslie in a strong moment from her latest Vitagraph feature, " The Golden Shower " This poor persecuted girl is finally forced to leave the town to save herself continued humiliation but refuses to accept a cent of her inheritance. It is in the west that she later meets the son of the libertine and they both fall in love at first sight without knowing who the other really is. This is the romantic situation unfolded in Gladys Leslie's latest Vitagraph picture scheduled to be shown at this theatre ail next week. SUGGESTIONS When you book this picture you will ma'.ce the star's name prominent in all your exploitation especially if she happens to be a particularly good drawing card in your town. Display her pictures and cuts in as many places as possible. The attractive layouts are aJso good to use and some of the scenes portray lively cabaret groups. The catch lines should also be utilized. Set the program reader on a card and use these as " throw-aways " and they may produce some good results. She was a sweet college girl gracefully performing a classic dance at the school exercises, and the very next day everybody shunned her. CATCH LINES A veritable shower of gold greeted one gir» but wealth without honor and respect did not appeal to her, so she ran away. One Broadway libertine plans a terrible revenge for one girl that repulsed his advances. "TOBY'S BOW" (GOLUWYNj A Very Entertaining Photoplay THIS picture wiil no doubt be t)elter received by Tom Aloore'h oiu admirers ilian the l^.ngUsh themes he has ueen seen m so much ol late, lie is perieclly adapted to the role and is siurrouuded by some pretty women lu a photoplay set in Lrreeiiwich Village, i\ew Xork City, and in Virginia. Ihe direction, mountings, continuity and photography are all up to present-day standards and Uie story contains a very pretty romauUc llavor. Whenever he approaches the dramatic it is cleverly nreezed along in light comedy channels. A very entertaining pUoto play that should give pleasure to all classes ol patrons. ihe young author has spent all the royalties, received from his successlul novel, in a not ol fast hviug, and hiially visits a quiet place m Virginia far away from tbe boliemian set. Under an aasmned name he meets tlie daughter of a proud old Southern family and collaborates with her on a novel which is hually sold and thus enables her to pay oil the mortgage on the old homestead. She is furious when sue discovers that he is already a successful author and declares she wiil accept no charity. But everything is adjusted in Cupid's hand-book and he is favored with the very deferential bow tnat Toby, the old colored servant, saves for members of this naughty family. Pulling possibilities and pleasing probabilities for respective audiences are: Metropolitan, good puller and very pleasing; Elite, bi" puller and very pleasing; Family, good puller and very pleasing*^ N^orkers, good puller and generally pleasing.—Length, 5 reels.— Tom Hamlin. THE CAST Tom Blake Tom Moore liugenia Doris i'awn Uuoois Macey Harlam Bagby Arthur Housman Cambridge Colin Kenny i'aige Augustus Phillips v'alerie Catherine Wailace Mona Violet Schram u.audmother Ruby Lafayette jap George K. Kuwa looy Wick Cogley uy John Tainter Foote. Scenario by Edward T. Lowe, Jr. Uirection by Harry Beaumont. Photography by Norbert Brodin. PRESS NOTICE-STORY Tom Moore in his latest Goldwyn picture, " loby's Bow," will have a day's showing at the theatre beginning This is taken from the Broadway stage success by John Tainter Foote, and the scenes are laid in Greenwich Village, New iCork City, and in Virginia. The star appears as lom Blake, the author of a very successful novel, who has squandered all his royalties in wild living among the Bohemian set. His publisher finally advises him to seek a quiet place where he can rest and then start on another novel. He learns that a proud old Southern family in a small Virginia town is forced oy financial difficulties to take in a boarder or two and goes there under an assumed .lame. The pretty daughter does not let the old mother know that Tom Blake is a paying ooarder and he is received as a guest. The old black servant defers to the guest out does not favor him with the elaborate oow retained for members of the aristocratic .amily. The young man collaborates with the ^irl in writing a novel which is accepted and ihe money received enables her to pay off che pressing debts. It IS then she learns that her guest is using an assumed name and that he is her favorite author. She is furious as she believes he nas been fooling her and declares she will nave none of his charity. A trip to New York through a Greenwich Village entertainment is enough for the girl and she returns to the Virginia home that ihe author had never left. And as the couple .each a clear understanding the author is at last favoied by the old black servant's bow. " Toby's Bow." ber of this family, was no easy job. Besides all this he felt that he was unworthy of the girl. He had thrown his small fortune away in fast living among the Bohemian set in Greenwich Village. Tom Moore has the star role in " Toby's Bow " which wiU be shown at this theatre next week. It is a Goldwyn picture and the scenes are all laid in America. A group of very pretty girls enliven the cast and a very neat little romance embellishes this comedy drama. Don't miss " Toby's Bow." SUGGESTIONS After booking this picture you should emphasize the fact that it is laid in America as the recent features starring Tom Moore have been set in England. And mention that It is from the Broadway stage success by John Tainter Foote. As Goldwyn has a national advertising campaign under way you should not fail to publicize the brand name as all these things help considerably at the box office. For your lobby or a special street stunt you could have a man make-up as a colored elderly servant with the gray hair and dressed in a sort of thread-bare dress suit. An old silk hat would also be appropriate. Let him simply walk the streets or walk in the lobby. Have the name "Toby" on a ribbon crossing his expansive shirt front. And have no other advertising appear. He will form the tie-in and attract great attention by simply making a very elaborate and deferential bow in an expansive manner to about every sixth person he meets. CATCH LINES He spent his money in wild living and then hied himself away to the quiet Virgnia countryside. And then it happened. Oh if he could only earn the privilege of receiving one of those elaborate bows that Old Black Toby reserved for immediate members of the aristocratic family. PROGRAM READER There was only one way for him to receive the elaborate deferential bow of old Toby, the black servant. And that was to become a member of this proud old Virginia family. Toby did not hand these bows around promiscuously. You just HAD to be a memuer of the family. And with a pretty but very haughty daughter to win in order to become a mem His body was run down from city excesses and while the country life quieted his body it almost immediately lost him his heart. Twelve Pictures Reviewed in the Complete Plan Book In This Issue