Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

742 Motion Picture New Pathe Names Releases for January 29th PATHE announces its list , of releases for January 29th. Prominent on the schedule is “ The Midnight Stage,” starring Frank Keenan, the first of the Pathe playlets. This serial will consist of a revival of former successful features reedited to three reels. “She Loves Me Not” is the title of the latest re-issued one-reel comedy, starring Harold Lloyd. “ Snub ” Pollard and Bebe Daniels also play important roles in this comedy. “ The Miller and the Donkey ” is the current animated cartoon of the series of “ Aesop’s Film Fables.” “Years to Come” is the title of the Hal Roach comedy featuring “ Snub ” Pollard. The comedy is a broad satire based on a fanciful life of the future when the positions of the sexes are changed about and the masculine of the species discovers “ his place is in the home.” “ The Clash of the Clans ” is the fifth episode of “ The White Eagle,” the serial starring Ruth Roland. Pathe Review No. 140 presents “ The Wrath of the Sun God,” an Indian legend illustrated in Pathecolor views of the Yellowstone National Park; “ Roaming Along the Riviera,” also in Pathecolor; “ Pull or Get Splashed,” a slow-motion novelty; “The Empire of Apples,” a glimpse into one of the leading industries of the State of Washington; and “Golf Glims,” a Capitol Travellaugh. Secretary of War Sees “Sailor-Made Man” “A Sailor-Made Man,” Harold Lloyd’s new Associated ExhibitorsLloyd comedy, was recently shown before Secretary of War Weeks at the Ritz-Carlton in Atlantic City. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Jules E. Mastbaum, President of the Stanley Company of America overheard the Secretary of War remark that “ he was mentally tired from work in connection with the Arms Limitation Conference, and would like to see a good screen comedy.” Mr. Mastbaum telegraphed to New York, and the film, Harold Lloyd’s latest release, “A Sailor-Made Man ” was sent to the hotel, together with operators and a complete outfit. Mr. Weeks was asked to invite his own guests, and the private showing aroused great interest and enthusiasm, according to word from Associated Exhibitors. The Child oPthe Bear A scene from “Handle with Care,” featuring Grace Darmond and an all-star cast, released by Associated Exhibitors “Prodigal Judge” Pre-View Vitagraph Special Shown in West; Prints Soon in VITAGRAPH’S big special, “The Prodigal Judge,” had its first Western pre-view showing last week at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the fashionable hostelry in Southern California. Jean Paige is featured in this super-feature, which was directed by Edward Jose. Both the star and the director were in the audience, as well as Albert E. Smith, Vitagraph’s president, who, incidentally. accompanied the members of “The Prodigal Judge” cast to various parts of the country when exterior scenes were being filmed for it. The event was in the nature of a gala social occasion and many notables of Southern California were present. Mr. Smith was the recipient of many sincere congratulations in causing Vaughan Kester’s novel to be brought to the screen, as were its star and its director. A very few minutes after the final fade-out on the Beverly Hills screen the film was on its way back East, and after a few suggestions of Mr. Smith’s are carried out the prints will be shipped to Vitagraph’s various branch offices for release. “We have a picture,” said Mr. Smith, in discussing the picture this week, “which is everything that we could hope for. This was the target aimed at, but we had no means of knowing whether or not we had made a bull’s-eye until the picture was actually projected. In writing the book, which was a best-seller the year that it was published, but which, unlike many best-sellers, enjoyed a wide sale ior years and is doing so to-day, Vaughan Kester seemed to catch a note of whimsicality which the cast of the picture, under Mr. Jose’s direction, was able to transplant to the screen. Maclyn Arbuckle’s delineation of the judge is masterful. On the screen, as in the book, the judge is a living, breathing, vibrant personality, never acting as a character in a book or a Branch Offices ply acts. He proves himself a real human being. Sometimes it is with a friend’s obstinacy that he proves his unaffected friendship, when a lack of obstinacy might prove only hypocrisy. If ‘The Prodigal Judge' is not called one of the very best pictures of 1922, I will not only be disappointed but I will be very much surprised.” Trailers on “The Prodigal Judge” were recently shipped from Vitagraph’s Brooklyn laboratory to its branch office. “The Prodigal Judge” will be a February release. Strong Cast for Katherine MacDonald B. P. Schulberg, president of Preferred Pictures, producers of the Katherine MacDonald features for Associated First National, has engaged the following well known players for Miss MacDonald’s newest production, an original story by Charles Logue, which is, as yet, unnamed; Nigel Barrie, leading man, Charles Clary, Charles Gerrard, Mona Kingsley and Ethel Kay. Chet Withey, who directed Miss MacDonald’s recently completed but as yet unreleased First National offering, “ Domestic Relations,” has been re-engaged for the Logue story. Two of Katherine MacDonald’s last three productions have been from the typewriter of Mr. Logue. Just to prove to Mr. Schulberg that he can hit the bull’s eye of the scenario target again, the author is at work upon a third story which he hopes will give him the enviable record of providing the stories for seventy-five per cent, of Miss MacDonald’s last four productions. Work upon the new Katherine MacDonald production is under way at the Preferred Pictures studios, Los Angeles. $1,000 for Best Letter on R-C Films Announcement has been made by R.-C. pictures that it will pay an aggregate of $1,000 to the fifty persons who write the ' best letters to the organization, describing an R.-C. pic ; ture they have seen. “ This organization has an ideal — it seeks to make and distribute to theatres, clean, wholesome, absorbing entertainment,” said Charles R. Rogers, general manager of distribution, in explanation of the announcement. “ In an effort to get the public’s opinion of R.-C. productions, the company has offered $1,000 in cash for the best letters sent to the New York offices, describing these pictures. “ These letters are to be limited to 200 words each and any patron of any theatre may write as many letters about as many R.-C. pictures as he may wish. “ The letters will be judged by a committee, and to the writer of the letter adjudged to be best will be sent a check for $200; for the second best letter $150 will be paid; for the third in order of merit, $100; for the fourth, $50; for the fifth $35, and for the sixth, $25. Ten dollars each will be paid for next forty-four letters, making a total of $1,000. “All letters will be judged on the basis of the ideas they contain — not on a basis of literary excellence. There is no condition or provision attached to the offer, save that the writers must have seen the pictures they describe. “ Many theatre managers in all parts of the country are co-operating with the organization by offering to anyone writing successful letters about any R.-C. picture the writer has seen in their theatres, a six months’ pass, good for any performance at any time in that theatre. “ Many exhibitors are tying up with the letter writing competition as a part of their R.-C. Picture Week campaign, February 5 to 12, and a wide interest haS already been shown in the competition.” Eugene O’Brien Popular with Detroiters Eugene O’Brien returned to New York January 16 and radiating appreciation because the people of Detroit were so unfailingly kind to him during the full week he appeared as a special feature at John H. Kunsky’s Madison Theatre. O’Brien’s “Chivalrous Charley” was the screen attraction, and the star appeared three times a day for seven consecutive days before crowds that acclaimed the Selznick star at every opportunity.