Motion Picture News (Aug-Oct 1920)

2248 Motion Picture News Levey AnnouncesNew Plan " Pictures With a Purpose " to Be Made by New Harry Levey Company "White Moll" Breaking Chicago Records Heralded by an advertising campaign in the Chicago newspapers, the William Fox special production, " The White Moll," has been making big attendance records at Moir's loop theatres in that city. With Pearl White as the star, and appearing in her first feature production, this picturization of Frank L. Packard's underworld stoo% according to William Dineen, general manager of the Moir Theatrical enterprises, has attracted the largest crowds these theatres ever have known. Universal Sells Films in Scandinavia C. H. MacGowan, Universal Export Manager, announces the sale of " Shipwrecked Among Cannibals " to John Olson Company for Scandinavian territory. This follows' the sale of the following pictures to the same company for that territory : "The Virgin of Stamboul." " The Devil's Passkey," " Blind Husbands," " Paid in Advance." " The Great Air Robbery," " Once to Every W oman," " Under Crimson Skies," Harry Sothern Signed by William Fox By virtue of his work in each of the three episodes of " While New York Sleeps," the new Fox special, Harry Sothem has been placed under a long-term contract by William Fox. Mr. Sothern, who is a nephew of E. H. Sothern, will be called upon to enact juvenile and character parts in Fox productions. His work in' " While New York Sleeps" was warmly praised by critics. Paul Powell to Head "London Film Unit Further evidence of the increasing scope of the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation's production activities in England is given in the announcement by Jesse L. Lasky, first vice-president, that Paul. Powell, who has directed a number of Paramount Pictures in Hollywood recently, will sail from New York, September 30, to head a third production unit in the company's new studio in London. Scene from "Uncle Sam of Freedom Ridge," the first release of Harry Levey Productions with William J. Corbett as "Uncle Sam" and George MacQuarrie as the Postmaster HARRY LEVEY recently announced the formation of a new producing company, the Harry Levey Productions, to make eight dramatic feature photoplays a year. Now Mr. Levey supplements his initial statement with the announcement that each of these feature productions is to be what he describes as " a picture with a purpose." In a statement just issued Mr. Levey says that following the war the public sought in its picture entertainment the " lightest material pos THE PATHE FEATURE DEPARTMENT announces that it has just made good under the most trying conditions to which an organization could be subjected. With the beginning of summer, the Pathe feature brigade announced its intention of overcoming the customary weather handicap and returning a greater volume of business than was ever recorded in any other similar period of the sible in their amusement." Now we have entered on a new phase, according to Mr. Levey, and the public, tiring of the " inane, senseless, love story that forms the ' be-all ' and ' end-all ' of most so-called ' feature ' photoplays," is looking for something " deeper " and for pictures " that will give them some message to carry away with them." The first of the productions on the Levey program, " Uncle Sam of Freedom Ridge," based on the story by Margaret Prescott Montague, is described by Levey as just this type of " purpose picture." It is a story woven around the League of Nations and has already attracted considerable interest throughout the country. Concerning his later productions, Mr. Levey has the following to say: " The dramatic possibilities of the story are intense. It will make a picture that moves swiftly, cogently, to a logical end — and it will make a picture that will entertain — and that will make people think. " It is my purpose to produce eight such pictures a year. I am already completing arrangements for securing the film rights to stories with as wide and urgent an appeal as that of ' Uncle Sam of Freedom Ridge.' " Another such release is to be ' The Forgotten Child ' — one of a series of sketches on life by Tim Thrift, and part of a volume known as ' Tim Talks,' that has had wide circulation throughout the magazines of the country, and has been syndicated to many newspapers." entire organization. This meant a tremendous feat, for March, April, May and June of this year were the most successful months in Pathe's annals. Yet when the returns for July were recorded, it was shown that a thirteen per cent increase in feature business over June had been made. This effort was" almost superhuman, considering the severe summer. Skinner Returns After Completing Work on " Kismet" Otis Skinner has just returned from the West Coast where he acted the part of " Hajj," the beggar, which is the central role of the Robertson-Cole production of " Kismet " to be released during the fall. Mr. Skinner acted " Kismet " for three years in New York and many other leading American cities. As a stage play " Kismet " was first presented on the stage of London with Oscar Ashe in the stellar role, and not long after it made its appearance in America with Otis Skinner playing the part of the beggar. Elaborate Schedule of "Close Ups" Adopted Something unique in " intimate " picture production is promised in Metro's picturization of " The Marriage of William Ashe ", in which May Allison will be starred. Edward Sloman, directing the picture at Metro's West Coast studios in Hollywood, is said to have worked out a schedule of " closeups " that is to bring the spectator as near the players as when listening to actors on the speaking stage. Not a scene will be enacted at a greater distance than ten feet from the camera, according to Metro. Frank Smith \ Writes New Seitz Serial^ i Frank Leon Smith, chief scenario-writer of the George B. Seitz Company, has completed a new serial-play which is to be put in production soon. His new story is an adventure-romance, entitled " The Man Who Stole the Moon." Announcements from Pathe assert that the latest Smith play has received the heartiest endorsement and aproval of the scenario and production departments. Dorothy Cleveland on Hodkinson Staff Dorothy V. Cleveland, recently added to the publicity department of the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation, was formerly associated with Cosmopolitan Productions Company, and she was also on the staff of Land}" & Turnbull. Miss Cleveland has also written scenarios and magazine fic.'ion. Pathe Pleased with Record Features Overcame Hot Wheather Handicap, After Supreme Efforts Scenes from two new Christie comedies released through Educational Film Corporation