Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

January 28, 1922 747 Many Bookings for Extended Runs for Two First Nat’l Releases There are not many precedents left in San Francisco motion picture theatre circles — thanks to “ Molly O ” and “ Hail the Woman.” These two First National attractions opened simultaneously in the Golden Gate City on December 25th, each for a scheduled one week run, “ Molly O ” at the California theatre and “ Hail the Woman ” at the Tivoli. As the week drew to a close the managements hurriedly booked their respective attractions for another week. Thus was Precedent No. 1 left prone, for never before in the history of the city has such a situation existed — two attractions of one company receiving simultaneous extensions to two weeks. The newspapers of San Francisco shattered the second precedent in publishing practically a second review in connection with the announcement of the holdovers, and reiterating their fulsome praise of both productions. Rush Work on Biggest Torchy Comedy Work has been rushed by Educational on the latest of the Torchy Comedy series, “ Battling Torchy,” which was recently delivered to Educational by Mastodon Films after a long period of work on production. This picture, in which C. C. Burr, the producer, and Johnny Hines, the star, have striven to surpass their best previous effort, is now ready for release. Critics who have viewed the picture declare it Johnny Hine’s best comedy. As the office boy cast with a lot of “ toughs ” in a particularly bad section of the lower East Side, the “ Torchy ” of the screen is funnier than he has ever been before. With a huge street set to play about in, Hines sets forth some comedy so original and clever that it drew gales of laughter from every group of critics that have viewed it. “The Young Painter” Released This Week “The Young Painter,” third in the series of Triart Great Masterpieces, was released by Hodkinson this week, and prints are now going forward to the Hodkinson branches. “The Young Painter,” with Mary Astor in the principal role, was made under the direction of Herbert Blache, as dramatic director, and Lejaren a Hiller as art director. “The Young Painter” is adapted from the painting of the same title by Rembrandt. “The Grim Comedian” Booked for Capitol Rita Weiman’s first original screen story, “ The Grim Comedian,” produced by Goldwyn Pictures Corporation, has been booked for showing at the Capitol Theatre, New York, the week beginning Sunday, January 22. Frank Lloyd directed. Phoebe Hunt, Jack Holt, Gloria Hope, John Harron, and Joseph J. Dowling are in the cast. R-C Week, from February 5 to 12, promises to be one of the most important events of the year for hundreds of exhibitors throughout the country, judged by the record-making number of contracts reported by Charles R. Rogers, general manager of distribution for R-C Pictures. An imposing group of special attractions backed by a vigorous campaign of national advertising and exploitation, including a prize competition with awards aggregating $1,000 in cash for the best letters describing any R-C Picture, have combined to stir widespread interest both among exhibitors and the picture-going public with the result that practically every important city together with hundreds of smaller ones, will observe R-C Week. Among the special attractions announced as available to exhibitors during R-C Week is: Pauline Frederick in “Two Kinds of Women,” founded on the Western novel “Judith of Blue Lake Ranch,” from the pen of Jackson Gregory. The story ran serially in Everybody’s Magazine. It is a picture rich in exciting incident and the wholesome outdoor atmosphere of the West with Miss Frederick at her best, according to Mr. Rogers. Sessue Hayakawa’s most recent R-C starring vehicle, to be given to exhibitors during R-C Week, is “Five Days to Live,” which brings new honors to Mr. Hayakawa, who, according to many critics, stands in a class by himself as a dramatic actor. Doris May’s two R-C attractions “The Foolish Age,” in which she scored an impressive debut, and “Eden and Return,” her most recent R-C release, are among the attractions available during R-C Week. They are both light, fastmoving vehicles in which the star employs her inimitable talents at farce to best advantage. February 5-12 to Find R-C Pictures in Many Theatres Wm. Christy Cabanne has rung the bell again, so to speak, with his sensational production “At the Stage Door,” a picture rich in the alluring atmosphere of the stage and of life behind the scenes. Lillian “Billie” Dove, Huntly Gordon, Willie Collier Jr., Elizabeth North, Vivia Ogden, Doris Eaton and others appear in the Cabanne production. L. J. Gasnier is represented by “Silent Years,” a dramatic production founded on the novel “Mam’selle Jo” by Harriet Comstock. Among those in the cast are Rose Dione, eminent French actress ; Pauline Starke, Tully Marshall, George Seigmann, George M’Daniel and others. Another notable production available during the week is “Possession,” Louis Mercanton’s French production based on Sir Anthony Hope’s novel “Phroso” and depicting a gripping tale of romance and adventure on a mythical island in the Aegean Sea. Then, too, there are : “The Barricade,” produced by Wm Christy Cabanne and featuring a distinguished cast of players, including Kenneth Harlan and Katherine Spencer; “The Lure of Tade,” in which Pauline Frederick has one of her biggest dramatic roles ; “ Live and Let Live,” directed by William Christy Cabanne; “The First Born” with Sessue Hayakawa. A feature of R-C Week commended by hundreds of exhibitors who appreciate the value of judicious advertising is the special drive in the fan magazines, aggregating more than 8,000,000 readers. Double and single pages have appeared in the following magazines during R-C Week the last two months calling attention to R-C Week : Photoplay Magazine, Shadowland, Motion Picture Classic, Movie Weekly, Motion Picture Magazine, Motion Play, Moving Picture Stories, Picture Play Magazine, Film Fun, Film Play Journal and Photo Drama. Other exhibitor helps have been provided for R-C Week in the shape of free accessories, and the special service of expert exploitation men who are constantly at the call of exhibitors anywhere in the country. “Song of Life” Opens in Three Theatres “The Song of Life,” a John M. Stahl production released by First National is to have three simultaneous premiere showings the week of January 23rd. It has been booked for that period by the managements of the Grand Opera House and Liberty Theatre in Pittsburgh, and the Victor Theatre of McKeesport, Pa. “ A drama of dishes and discontent ” described the story of “ The Song of Life,” and the director has delineated the little tragedies which are so common in real life. In the cast are such competent players as Gaston Glass, Grace Darmond, Georgia Woodthorpe, Richard Headrick, Arthur Stuart Hull, Wedgewood Nowell, Frank Kelsey, Claude Payton and Edward Pell. Goldwyn Has Fine Cast for Kyne Story Goldwyn has engaged one of its brilliant all-star casts for its production on the screen of Peter B. Kyne’s story, “Brothers Under Their Skins,” a South Sea romance scheduled for early production at its Culver City studios under the direction of E. Mason Hopper, who but recently completed the film version of Anzia Yezierska’s “ Hungry Hearts.” Helene Chadwick and Richard Dix will play opposite each other again in this picture. Claire Windsor, one of the featured players in Goldwyn’s “ Grand Larceny,” has also been engaged for a leading role. Jacqueline Logan, featured with Lon Chaney in “A Blind Bargain,” and Roy Atwell, recently appearing in “Grand Larceny,” complete the quintette of stars. New Hoxie Feature Is “Desert’s Crucible” Arrow Film Corporation will shortly release an Arrow-Ben Wilson-Jack Hoxie production, entitled “Desert’s Crucible,” directed by Roy Clements. Jack Hoxie has as his leading woman in this picture a very beautiful and cultivated actress, Andree Tourneur, and the other familiar and capable supporters of Jack are also seen in the picture. It is a Western story but it is said to be somewhat different inasmuch as it full of favorite Western action and the plot is of a particularly subtle character. ADVICE WANTED IF you owned a sure-fire box-office attraction like “THE FATAL MARRIAGE” would you 1. Play it as a road show direct with exhibitors 2. Sell it outright to Independent exchanges 3. Release it through a national distributing organization 9 9 9 • • • Art Brand Productions, Inc. 1600 Broadway Room 200 New York