Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

388 Motion Picture News EHIBITORS’ REPORTS ON NEW RELEASES What the Big Houses Say EARLY RETURNS FR 0 M FIRST NATIONAL R. S. V. P.— Picture good and business fine. Personal appearance of Charles Ray helped a lot. (East.) Good comedy feature, though plot rather slight. Business just fair. (Middle West.) Mediocre. Receipts fair. (East.) Molly O— Still drawing big at end of third week. (Middle West.) Pilgrims of the Night— This one did a good week’s business, the names of the stars being played up in newspaper advertising. (Middle West.) Mother O' Mine — Fair picture, mother business has been pressed lately. Business fair considering Christmas shopping. (Middle West.) Shoulder Arms — Business good in spite of Christmas rush. Good re-issue. (Middle West.) Nobody — Good business. Special stunt, figure with face covered placed in show window with sign “ I am nobody. See me at the .” (Middle West.) The Branded Woman — Not as well liked as most Talmadge pictures. Title not in its favor. Business not up to average, due in part to fact that it was the week before Christmas. (Middle West.) Man — Woman — Marriage — Very fine picture, but it didn’t go over so well here for some inexplicable reason. First week was fine. Second was below average. (Middle West.) Courage — Good attraction. Everybody liked it. Appeals to all kinds and classes of audiences. (Middle West. ) Love Never Dies — A good picture, but played to poor business. Can’t understand why — but it did. (East.) Her Social Value — Although Katherine MacDonald is a local girl, audiences don’t seem to care much for her nor for this picture. (East.) This one, which brought satisfactory box office returns for the week, won unanimous approval of most patrons. (Middle West.) Fairly good entertainment. Average business. (West.) Scrap Iron — Audience liked this picture very much. Business better than usual. (East.) One Arabian Night — Audience did not care for this picture, but business was extra good. (East.) FAMOUS PLAYERS Ladies Must Live — Betty Compson is a favorite here. The picture attracted a large attendance for the week. (Middle West.) Very entertaining picture, indeed. Somewhat unusual. Title catchy and business good. Drew a preponderance of ladies. (South.) Get -Rich-Quick W'allingford — An entertaining picture which failed to attract business, because of the holiday shopping rush. Well liked by those who saw it. (East.) Interesting, and made a hit with my people. Good business. (East.) The Call of the North — An average attendance with this one, due largely to unfavorable weather conditions. (Middle West.) Very good picture. First day was very big with nice outlook for balance of the week. (East.) Beyond — An average picture on which we had poor business, as the week before Christmas is bad. (Middle West.) Dangerous Lies — As to quality, not so good. Business was poor but this might be partly laid to the fact that business is always poor just before Christmas. (Middle West.) Don’t Tell Everything — A fine production which brought good busines. (West.) Cappy Ricks — Had poor business on this picture, which might be due to the fact that the picture is not very good. (West.) White and Unmarried — An average picture with the usual business. (West.) Bronze Bell — A poor production with less than usual business. (West.) W EEK R UN Exit the Vamp — Star draws well for me, but this picture was considered quite disappointing by my audiences. Hackneyed theme and nothing new in development (East.) After the Show — Fairly good photoplay, though nothing extra. Business, however, was right good and we have no kick. (South.) The Golem — An excellent box office attraction. Did a big business the first week and was held over for a second week’s run. Still going good. (Middle West.) The Bride’s Play — Because of stiff competition and the week before Christmas this production did not attract average business. Production praised by press. (East.) A Prince There Was — Only a fair production, with average drawing power. (Middle West.) FOX A Virgin Paradise — Good picture, draws well. Better liked by men than by women. Special exploitation stunt a subtitle contest open to women in which fur coat and free pass were awarded as prizes. (Middle West.) The Rough Diamond — Business was surprisingly good on this attraction. Patrons like Mix and this story one of his best. (East.) Desert Blossoms — Fair picture to fair business. (East.) Shame — Audience did not care much for this picture and business was also poor. (East.) The Primal Law — Good Western to pretty good business. (East.) REALART Her If inning Way — Good picture. Comes up to the Mary Miles Minter standard and was thoroughly enjoyed. Business right good. (South.) The Speed Girl — Bebe Daniels is gaining in popularity in this city and business held up exceptionally well considering the fact that it was put on the week before Christmas. (East.) T H E A T E RS Everything for Sale — This picture did not seem to be strong enough to divert the crowds from the other interests of Yuletide. Business was poor. (East.) The Case of Becky — Good picture in which interest was created by linking up with newspaper a story of girl in Ohio who had two characters in one body. Business just fair. Probably rush of Christmas. (Middle West.) Room and Board — Amusing little picture and played to average business. (East.) METRO Home Stuff — This show was only fair. But due to holiday season, splendid weather and other contributory causes business was right good. (South.) Camille — Fine picture, though it did poor business. (East.) Fightin Mad — A fair picture and also fair business. (West.) The Conquering Power — One of the best pictures we ever have presented. (Middle West.) Lady Fingers — Good picture. Good business. Star popular. (Middle West.) UNIVERSAL The Fox — Unusually fine picture. Big drawing power. We had to rope off the crowds. Held it over a second week and did almost as well on second week as on first. (Middle West.) No Woman Knows — Not as good a picture as it was a story. Business fell off, but the week before Christmas is no time to judge the pulling powers of a picture. (Middle West.) Conflict — Very pleasing picture but played to poor business. (East.) A Parisian Scandal Mediocre picture with fair business. (West.) PATHE A Sailor-Made Man — Drew pleasingly in spite of poor run expected to result from Christmas shopping. (East.) ( Continued on page 392)