Motion Picture News (May-June 1921)

118 Motion Picture News The Index to The Complete Plan Book {Continued from page 116) PICTURE BRAND STAR RELEASED PLAN BOOK PICTURE BRAND STAR RELEASED PLAN BOOK tlie fact that the play of the same name was in town, too. The tragic ending spoiled it for many fans, but business was brisk all week." " Went over fair, but drew big business on account of the star." " Capacity business, which is usually the rule with a Norma Talmadge production." " Many comments both for and against from patrons, but picture did good business." " Like all Norma Talmadge pictures, this went over good and drew satisfactory business." " Good picture to the usual good business that Norma Talmadge always brings." Consensus — ■' Good picture, good puller." PAYING THE PIPER (FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY CORP.) DOROTHY DICKSON JAN. 29 " Well produced domestic drama that ttill please." — M. P. Newt. Exhibitor Comment — " Ran well for the entire week. Big houses set the stamp of their approval on this picture." " Held over for second week because of tremendous business. Generally pleased." " Business held up very well for second week. Pleased our patrons." " A good picture that played to good business." " A slender story produced to bring Dorothy Dickson into pictures. Not a strong box office attraction. " Found this to be a fair picture. Business about average." " A great attraction. This one brought large box office receipts." " Second week to fair business." " Good picture played to better than average business for week." " Lavish but not satisfying. Drew well but did not build. " Very good. Two days to extra big and big business." " Exceptionally well liked by everybody. One of the best opening Sundays in weeks. Kept up satisfactorily." Consenfvs — " Good picture, pood puller." PEDDLER OF LIES, THE (UNIVERSAL) FRANK MAYO (MAR. 1) JAN. II " Oood production of mechanical and unreal plot." — M. P. News. PENNY OF TOP HILL TRAIL (FEDERATED FILM EXCHANGES) BESSIE LOVE MAY 7 " Bessie Love returns in worth-while romantic comedy drama." — M. P. Neics. PERFECT CRIME. A (DWAN-ASSO. PRODUCERS) SPECIAL CAST. MAR. 5 " Director and star make character study interesting." — M. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " The plot of the picture is good but the production lacks pep." " Originally booked for week, but pulled on Wednesday, warm weather partly to blame for unsatisfactory business." PLAYTHING OF B'WAY, THE (REALART) JUSTINE JOHNSTONE MAR. 2« "Justine Johnstone scores in satisfactory offering." — M. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — "Pretty poor stuff. Justine doesn't live up to expectations, after all the press-agent flub-dub about her." " A fairly entertaining production that drew average business." "Nothing great about the picture, but it is a creator of public Interest and filled my house all week. Offers a good field for exploitation." " Good picture, well cast and directed. Public well pleased." " Extra big business for the week. Public seemed pleased with story, star and her ability as an actress." PRICE OF POSSESSION, THE (PARAMOUNT) ETHEL (CLAYTON. MAR. 26 " Ethel Clayton gives clever performance in mild entertainment." — M. P. Neics. Exhibitor Comment — " Does not come up to Ethel Clayton's standard. A fair house all week, but an unsatisfactory picture." " One of the poorest things Ethel Clayton has ever done." " A fair picture and fair puller." Consensus — " Average picture, average puller." PRINCESS JONES (VITAGRAPH) ALICE CALHOUN MAR. 13 " Light offering affords fair entertainment." — M. P. News. PRISONERS OF LOVE (RELEASED BY GOLDWYN) BETTY COMPSON JAN. tl " Very unusual and artistic drama." — M. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Charming, djainty picture. Opened to better Sunday in several weeks. Well liked, but no unbounded enthusiasm." " Pleased our patrons and drew good business." " Attracted in a pleasing manner and netted quite pleasingly." " Only an average picture which played to fair business." PROXIES (COSMOPOLITAN-PARAMOUNT) SPECIAL CAST APR. 23 "Interesting picture of crooks and redemption.' — M. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Positively the worst business in several years. Nothing about it to arouse interest." " Just an average program picture. Nothing to get excited over." " This feature proved one of the best business getters of the year and was generally liked by our patrons." " Didn't draw any too well for me, but pleased fairly well those who saw it." " Just fair, especially from box office standpoint." " Audiences commented favorably on this production. Business fair. Acting of cast good." PUPPETS OF FATE (METRO) VIOLA DANA APR. 30 "Heart interest story with Viola Dana in a character role." — M. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Viola Dana always a .«ure bet here. She lives up to her reputation in this picture. Good house nil week." REPUTATION (UNIVERSAL-JEWEL) PRISCILLA DEAN MAY 14 "Interesting picture mif/ht have bcc7i more dramatic." — M. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Shows here on its first relea.«;e and went over big. An alluring title which attracts interest. .\ full house all week." " Great box office attraction. Splendid picture, although incredulous in spots. Fair business." " This certainly went over big. making it necessary to hold over for second week. Patrons seemed pleased and l)ox office receipts wore satisfying." " Tremendous business. Picture lias universal appeal." RICH GIRL. POOR GIRL (UNIVERSAL) GLADYS WALTON JAN. 2t " Gladys Walton scores in heart interest story." — M. P. News RIDIN' ROMEO, A (FOX) TOM MIX JUNE 11 " Unexcelled horsemanship in Mix's loestern farce." — il. P. Neics. ROAD DEMON, THE (FOX) TOM MIX FEB. 26 Exhibitor Comment — " Tom Mix always a favorite here. Business good, picture fair." ROAD TO LONDON, THE (ASSOCIATED EXHIBITORS-PATHE) BRYANT WASHBURN JUNE 11 "Bryant M'ashhurn exploits London in this feature." — If. P. News. ROADS OP DESTINY (GOLDWYN) PAULINE FREDERICK APR. 9 "Hopeless story enlianced someichat by star's splendid acting." — M. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Pauline Frederick is not up to her usual standard in this production and It can't even begin to compare with 'Madame X.' " " Artistically and dramatically, very fine, but did not get the business. Miss Frederick's admirers did not like her In this. Sorry, for thought It was great, myself." ROMANCE PROMOTERS, THE (VITAGRAPH) EARLE WILLIAMS. JAN. n " The sun shtnes on Earle WilUamt in this one." — M. P. News. ROMANTIC ADVENTURES (PARAMOUNT) DOROTHY DALTON..JAM. U •' This one looks like a vehicle." — M. P. Newt. Exhibitor Comment — " Two days to big business — good." SAGE HEN, THE (EDGAR LEWIS-PATHE) SPECIAL CAST JAN. X2 " A well-produced dramatic story of the west." — M. P. News. SALVAGE (ROBERTSON-COLE) PAULINE FREDERICK MAY 28 ■• Pauline Frederick scores in heavy and morbid picture." — il. P. Sews SAPHEAD, THE (METRO) KEATON-CRANE FEB. te " Rather spotted, but provides some good entertainment." — U. P. Nevis SCARAB RING, THE (VITAGRAPH) ALICE JOYCE JUNE 4 '■ .Alice Joyce has fair mystery melodrama here." — M. P. .\'ews. SCOFFER, THE (DWAN-FIRST NATIONAL) SPECIAL CAST) MAR. 19* " Theatrical and far-fetched in incident but interesting." U. P. News. SCRAMBLED WIVES (MARGUERITE CLARK PRODS.-FIRST NATIONAL) MARGUERITE CLARK JUNE 4 " mender story makes just average starring vehicle." — J/. P. News. SCRAP IRON (FIRST NATIONAL) CHARLES RAY JUNE 11 " Greatest prize fight picture ever made." — M. P. News. SEE MY LAWYER (ROBERTSON-COLE) T. ROY BARNES MAY 14 " Too lengthy and complicated to be amusing." — If. P. News. SENTIMENTAL TOMMY (PARAMOUNT) SPECIAL CAST) APR. 9 " Exceptionally artistic and undeniably human." — U. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Reflects great credit on the producers and any theatre that shows this picture. We gained by exploiting May McAvoy as new star. Not a big box office attraction but pleases." " Great — can't say enough in its favor. Did tremendous business all week." ■' An excellent production in every way. Box office figures very satisfactory." "A delightful picture that many liked. Business good." "Splendid picture. Great drawing card, receipts fine." "Classiest picture of the year, but fails to djaw the crowds." " Great pictura Went over fine. Everybody enjoyed it, consequently big business." SEVEN YEARS BAD LUCK (ROBERTSON-COLE) MAX LINDER..MAY 7 Unquestionably Linder's best picture to date." — M. P. News. " Good picture from entertainment standpoint and brought good returns." SHAM (FAMOUS PLAYERS) ETHEL CLAYTON MAY 28 " Good clean entertainment with star in likeable role." — M. P. News. SHE COULDN'T HELP IT (REALART) BEBE DANIELS MAR. S " Lacks action, but will interest after a fashion." — il. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Rather slow as a picture but star Is cbarmlof enough and popular enough around here to carry the show. Average business." SHE PLAYED AND PAID (JOAN FILM SALES) FANNIE WARD.. NOV. tT " Fannie Ward's acting the redeemina feature here." — U. P V^i»«. SHELTERED DAUGHTERS (REALART) JUSTINE JOHNSTONE. .. MAY 28 " The best little bet in many a month." — M. P. News. Exhibitor Comment. — " The best thing Justine Johnson has vet done, and it shows promise. Her other pictures were so l)ad that business on this was just " fair to middlin' ' but believe that her next will draw and so on. This one was a fairly entertaining picture on a moss-grown theme." SHOCKING NIGHT. A (UNIVERSAL) LYONS-MORAN JAN. 1« " Not substantial enough for five reels." — M. P. Neirs. SILK HOSIERY (INCE-PARAMOUNT) ENID BENNETT FEB. It " Long on fashion, short on drama." — U. P. Newt. Exhibitor Comment — " Failed to draw. Oar spring style show sared the day." SILVER CAR, THE (VITAGRAPH) EARLE WILLIAMS JUNE 4 " This picture falters after a couple of reels." — M. P. News. SKY PILOT. THE (CATHERINE CURTIS-FIRST NATIONAL) SPECIAL CAST APR. 30 " Fine icestern has collection of thrilling punches." — If. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Good average picture. Did as much business as we expected with it." " Not an extraordinary attraction. Used a Semon comedy to help out." V SMALL TOWN IDOL, A (SENNETT-ASSO. PRODUCERS) SPECIAL CAST FEB. 19 "Mack Sennett gives a three ring circus here." — if. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Second week to good business." " Sennett has given us one of the best comedies of the year in this picture and It la a laughing success from start to finish. Broke house records first we^ of its stay here and we are holding it for a second week." " Fairly good picture, but we had poor business with it. " Picture lived up to the advance notices given It by critics and we played to splendid business during its run."' " Attracted capacity business for week's run." " Sennett has produced one of the best comedies ever screened and it did a big business at our theatre during its entire run." " Broke the house record on opening and held over for second week." " Good summer stuff. One of the funniest comedies ever made." " Held it over for a second week to box office returns almost as much as the first week. If it had not been for two days of hot weather we would have be.Tten the first week. Picture, curiously enough, appealed here mostly to men." " Well liked, drew fine and receipts pleasing." SMART SET, THE (UNIVERSAL) EVA NOVAK APR. 2 "Rather frail but pleases in a mQd fashion." — M. P. Newt. Exhibitor Comment — " Our audiences called this poor. Business was not up to average either." SNOWBLIND (GOLDWYN) SPECIAL CAST JUNE 4 "Snow picture that impresses because of splendid acting and scenic values." — If. P. News. SNOB, THE (REALART) WANDA HAWLEY MAR. 5 " Oood production of commonplace story — will get by." — M. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Very attractive. Just the kind of picture to appeal to high class neignbor audiences. Pleasing throughout and thoroughly proper." " A good picture and business was fine during the showing of it." " Very acceptable and pleasing picture with good cast." SOCIETY SECRETS (UNIVERSAL) EVA NOVAK FEB. 26 " Heart interest drama is mild but entertaining." — U. P. Newt. Exhibitor Comment — " Very poor picture. Business was much less than usual." "something DIFFERENT (REALART) CONSTANCE BINNEY JAN. 29 " Rather frail but backgrounds save it." — il. P. News. Exhibitor Comment — " Good picture to fair business. Better crowds than usual." " A good picture. This star always draws well at this bouse Fine business during run." " A very draggy piece ; nothing worth while In It but star registers in some mighty pleasing scenes. Can see no excuse for making picture as poor as this one with product as good and as fine a cast as the director had." " Splendid picture. Had much favorable comment. Good direction and good back grounds." Consensus — " Oood picture, good puller." Box Office Reports continued on page 120