Motion Picture News (Feb-Apr 1921)

March 5, 1 9 2 1 Famous Players' Houses Book Pathe Serial Frank Harris, Pathe Exchange branch manager, with headquarters in St. Louis, rounded up last week's routine by reporting the booking of a first run of an entire week for I The Avenging Arrow," at Phelps' Grand Opera House— and this three weeks before its release date, March 13th. And this was merely the prelude of the report. The really significant part related to contracts with the Famous Players' Missouri Corporation booking the new serial at ten of its St. Louis houses. This list of Famous Players' theatres which will show " The Avenging Arrow " in a single city have seating capacity averaging 1,500. They are : The Gravois, Arco, Novelty, Maffitt, Lowell, Lyndell, Lafayette, Grand Florissant, Shenandoah No. 1 and Juniata. 1813 Stanley Goethals, Age Four, a Metroite " Smiling," Stanley Goethals four-year-old film player, is cheerily facing unusual responsibilities these days. For his childish shoulders are bearing the burden of one of the most important roles in " Dated," a special Metro produc— I tion in which May Allison is starring. When Maxwell Smith's story was selected by Bayard Veiller, chief of production at Metro's West Coast studios, as the subject for a special production, it was agreed that the most difficulty would be faced in finding a child player who could enact the important part given him. After many other children of the required age had been considered Stanley was selected because of his almost uncanny ability to show just the feeling required for any action. T HI 1 a c* I trtb* :tm) A International Cast for Wanda Hawley Film " Funmakers from nearly every nation — from Britain to Africa." This is the description Rcalart applies to the supporting cast seen with cli-!|Wanda Hamley in her latest Realart picture, " The Outside Woman." Playing opposite Miss Hawley is Clyde Fillmore, whose selection as leading man makes the two leading roles 100 per cent American. Sidney Bracey, who takes the part of an artist, is a Briton. The role of the artist's jealous wife is interpreted by Rosita Marstini, a French noblewoman. Japan is represented by Misao Seki who is seen as a valet. Thena Jasper, who comes from Africa, via Pennsylvania, is the colored maid. The policeman in the cast hails from Cork, while another minor role is carried by a young Italian. Permanent Title Given Dorothy Dalton Film Paramount states that " The Idol of the North " has been decided upon as the title of the Dorothy I Dalton picture, which was filmed under the working title, " The I Teaser," and which recently was 1 completed at the Long Island stu 1 dio. Not Road-Showing 'East Lynne' Mabel Ballin playing the leading role in "East Lynn," the Hugo Ballin production to be released by W. W. Hodkinson THE Hodkinson headquarters in New York has issued a statement denying that the Hugo Ballin production, "East Lynne," which is to be released by the Hodkinson organization, will be withheld from its general release program. The statement also refutes stories which are alleged to have been circulated to the effect that this picture will be played only on a percentage basis or sent out as a road show. The statement from the Hodkinson home office follows : "While Mr. Hodkinson feels convinced that "East Lvnne" is ft.lly worthy of any distinction which can possibly be shown to it by some special method of distribution, it is certainly contrary to the recognized policy that has built up the Hodkinson clientele to one of the strongest in the industry to keep any particular super production from his regular associates. "The keystone of the Hodkinson policy to establish the most cordial relations of mutual profit between our organization, as the distributor, and the exhibitors who book our pictures. To our steadfast maintenance of this policy do we credit our growth and the increasing number of the exhibitors who are affiliated with us and who retain that affiliation year after year. Consequently, the advent of any extraordinary production such as Hugo Ballin's modernization of 'East Lynne' is really a test of our sincerity in the policy of complete co-operation which we have always avowed. The fact that fifty million people know the story from the novel by Mrs. Henry Wood or the various dramatizations that have been played all over the world, the fact that Hugo Ballin has turned out a finished picture that will rank with the greatest screen classics, the fact that we are surrounding this epic photodrama." Among the important exploitation tie-ups arranged in connection with the Hodkinson release of Hugo Ballin's modernized version of "East Lynne" will be the reissuing of the famous novel by Mrs. Henry Wood. This will be in the form of a special photoplay edition illustrated from stills of the picture which will be published by Grosset and Dunlap. In addition, both Hodkinson and Grosset and Dunlap will issue special window cards and other advertising material— the publishers' advertising will be displayed in bookstore windows and will call attention to the theatre; the theatres' lobby display will be partly devoted to placards and reproductions of the. front cover of the photoplay edition of " East Lynne " calling attention to its sale at the lrcal bookstores. This book tie-up is declared to be the first step in a thorough exploitation campaign on "East Lynne" which the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation believes will set new records in the motion picture industry for its intensity and many-sidedness. Beneficial Reaction of Slump BAYARD VEILLER, chief of productions at Metro's West Coast studios, is convinced that the slump in picture making already has been decidedly beneficial to the producer, and even more so to the theatre-going public. "The slump as a 'slump' is about over," said Mr. Veiller. " But the making of pictures in the numbers they were turned out last year and the preceding year has not yet been resumed, and I hope never will be. The economic conditions that hampered all industries for a period naturally curtailed the making of pictures. " But the important result of this curtailment is that it increased the quality of the pictures made. More time has been taken with each production, greater care has been exercised in the selection of stories, casts have been organized with far greater care — partly because there was a larger number of players to select from— and the finished picture has shown the result of this care. " With an open market ready to accept anything in the way of pictures that may be produced, there is a natural tendency to decrease the quality of the production. But with a keener competition comes a Bayard Veiller Sees Better Productions as Result demand for better pictures. The slogan, ' fewer and better pictures,' finally has been put into practice, with the result that we are about to have an era of finer productions than ever before were thought possible. "Meanwhile, the film industry is profiting by the coming of the better class of writers and theatrical producers to lend their talent to the screen. Authors, who but a few months ago wrote directly for the printed page, and permitted use of their plots on the screen merely as a by-product, now are writing directly for the screen. The close study of camera, requirements thus resulting has proved of the greatest value to picture production of "Camillc " probably will be more and more so as the producers come to realize the absolute necessity of story value in the making of films." The " fewer and better " slogan had borne fruits at Metro studios even before the pinch of economic conditions made such a change necessary. The filming of Ibanez's The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," which consumed more than six months' time and cost slightly more than a million dollars, was planned a year and a half ago. Nazimova's special production of " Camille," probably will be almost as costly, while nearly as much time will be given to it. Other productions even more ambitious are scheduled for the coming year— although the number of films will be kept down to a minimum. Four big special productions now are under way at Metro's West Coast studios. "Barber John's Boy is about to be produced with Gareth Hughes, Metro's youthful f eatured player, in the leading role ; Alice Lake is starring in a big production of John Fleming Wilson's story, " Uncharted Seas," now being filmed in the snow country; "Dated" is the title of May Allison's new starring picture, and " Coming Home " is the appropriate title of Viola Dana's next production, to be starred immediately after her return from a three weeks' shopping tour in New York.