Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

January 28 , 1922 773 “THE CALL OF HOME” (R-C Pictures) Well-Sustained Drama, with Excellent Flood Scenes LJ. GASNIER has produced a well balanced drama in “ The Call of Home.” His theme starts with the eternal triangle sit• uation in a conventional manner, but his story has good incident and holds the suspense up to the final moment. For a climax there are flood scenes which will compare favorably with anything that has reached the screen. If there are any miniature shots, they are exceptionally well done. The entire impression is vivid and thrilling. The waters creep forward to the camera, carrying everything movable with them. And long shots, cleverly cut in, complete the impression. “ The Call of Home ” is enacted by an all-star cast, and even “ the bits ” are admirably executed. Irene Rich plays the leading female role, and Leon Barry and Ramsey Wallace are the two male leads. The story opens in an orthodox manner, when the husband, occupied with business, sees his wife continually in the company of their mutual friend. After a quarrel between husband and wife, the woman prepares to run away with the third party. She repents, however, at the last moment, but her husband is led to believe that she has executed her intention, and hies himself on a tramp steamer to South America. In an aimless fashion he wanders about the southern continent, and Mr. Gasnier, in a short time, does very well in establishing the “ dolce far niente ” atmosphere of the tropics. The man’s trust in his wife is utterly destroyed when a letter from the home wrecker tells of an intended divorce. So he buries himself deeper in the wilds, and is rescued from drowning by a native girl. Her friendship turns to love, and the man, in gratitude, marries her. Here is an improbability, for there is no proof to offer the priest that the man is free. The flood scenes come in at the end and remove this second wife, the obstacle for a happy ending. The principals do good work and there are some nice characterizations by Jobyna Ralston, Sidney Franklin and Harry Lonsdale. There is no danger of an audience losing interest, for there is plenty of suspense until the end. It should prove a perfectly satisfactory dramatic offering. The flood scenes are worth while. The dam breaks and the man goes whirling down the angry waters. It is a sincerely produced picture, with no artificial note to mar it. And such a quality is greatly appreciated by an audience. Matthew A. Taylor. THE CAST Alan Wayne. . . Alix Lansing. . Gerry Lansing. Gerry’s mother Clem Nancy Wayne. Capt. Wayne . Butler Kemp Lieber Margarita Priest Consul Leon Barry Irene Rich Ramsey Wallace Margaret Mann Jobyna Ralston Genevieve Blinn Wadsworth Harris James O. Barrows Carl Stockdale Emmett King Norma Nichols Sidney Franklin Harry Lonsdale From the story by George Agnew Chamberlain. Scenario by Eve Unsell. Directed by L. J. Gasnier. Assistant director, Joseph Rothman. Cameraman, Joseph Dubray. W. L. Heywood, art director. PRESS NOTICE— STORY “ The Call of Home ” which the theatre is offering on as the feature attraction, has been hailed by critics as a strong dramatic story of the longing for home which fills the breast of every lonesome wanderer in the world. It has an all star cast, including Leon Barry, Irene Rich and Ramsey Wallace, all of whom have a host of admirers among the patrons of the . Louis J. Gasnier directed, and the story is by George Agnew Chamberlain. This is a picture which should be seen by all those who feel the lure of the wanderlust — a desire to break the monotony of home life, sever the ties that bind them to routine, and wander about the fairy spots of the world. In a tiny hut in the South American cattle lands live three men — men who have left home. Theirs is the loneliness that knows no comfort and no conciliation. But to one comes the call of home, and the possibility of realizing it. The man who had wronged him finds him in his loneliness to ask his forgiveness. The wife whom he believed unfaithful Is waiting for him with a baby he has never seen. In the final scenes of “ The Call of Home ” there are flood scenes which are probably the most remarkable ever filmed. Only infinite patience and great expense made these scenes possible for the screen, and the result is one of the most j thrilling scenes ever pictured. PROGRAM READER “ The Call of Home ” which will be the feature attraction at the theatre on is a picture containing all the pathos and heart interest that its name indicates. It is an all star production, directed by Louis Gasnier. 1 Mr. Gasnier has produced a picture that tugs at the heart strings. It is as different from the old time movie plays of a few years ago as the latest stage production ta New York Is different from the “ one night stand ” stock company. The screen has advanced in more ways than in mere technical perfection. A story is now able to be so human, so sincere, so moving, that it is able to thrill and impress as not even the spoken drama can. " The Call of Home ” is such a story. It has been produced with infinite attention to detail. The cast includes such players as Leon Barry, Irene Rich and Ramsey Wallace. The scenes are laid in New York, in a New England village and in the depths of Peru, where the wanderers gather in utter loneliness. It is a picture you will not want to miss. CATCH LINES A story of the greatest force, the most universal force, in the world — the call of the home. You will not want to miss this latest production of Louis Gasnier, ] “ The Call of Home,” a powerful drama enacted by an all star cast. “AT THE SIGN OF THE JACK O’ LANTERN” (Hodkinson) Original Idea Developed Into Very Good Entertainment ££ * T the Sign of the Jack o’ Lantern” is an interesting and ** ZA amusing concoction of incident, half mystery and half farce A. comedy, relating the experience of a bride and groom who fall heirs to a house and lot and six hundred dollars in cash and incidentally become hosts to a house full of the deceased uncle’s wife’s relatives. With an original idea, possessing decidedly humorous possibilities and requiring the services of a nicely balanced cast of characters, Director Lloyd Ingraham has developed his story with a fine regard for tempo and builded considerable suspense, not perhaps on the final outcome of the story but concerning what each episode is to bring forth. The wise fans will figure that the eccentric old man who has connived with his lawyer in several ways to embarrass his relatives is not really dead, and then be pleased to find that they have been fooled. Likewise they will probably guess that the whole thing has been framed as a revenge on the parasiting relations and be equally pleased in this instance to find that they are correct. In producing the picture, particular attention has been paid to the selection of types with no one character so developed as to be able to run away with the show. Besides the newlyweds, there is a nut poet, a youthful cousin of the age of 96, another who has three very much spoiled youngsters, a widow with saw-tooth disposition, an eccentric cook and two young people who enter the household not unwelcomed and who finally benefit by the will of the eccentric gentleman of the “Sign of the Jack o’ Lantern” house. The whole thing is ingenious and a welcome change from the cut and dried formula stuff. Possibly some may wonder whether it is to be taken seriously and question the advisability of making a picture that is neither farce comedy nor drama in its construction, but most people are going to call it a first class evening’s entertainment in which a lot of clever players grab off acting honors for themselves and furnish an occasional real haw-haw and many a smile. Length 5,193 feet. — J. S. Dickerson. Mrs. Carr Harlan Carr Dick The Poet Mrs. Dodd Jeremiah Bradford Uncle Skyles Mrs. Holmes Willie Elaine THE CAST a Betty Ross Clark Earl Schenck Wade Boteler Victor Potel Clara Clark Ward Monty Collins .William Cortwright Mrs. Raymond Hatton Newton Hall Zella Ingraham Story by Myrtle Reed. Adapted by Lloyd Ingraham and David Kirkland. Produced by Renco Film Co. Directed by Lloyd Ingraham. PRESS NOTICE— STORY “ At the Sign of the Jack O’ Lantern,” a mystery farce of unusual merit is the photoplay feature at the theatre lor a days’ showing beginning . The story told concerns the experiences of a bride and groom who inherit a home and six hundred dollars and incidentally are forced to entertain a whole army of the donor’s relatives before matters are finally settled and they are allowed to live happily ever after. The picture was produced by Lloyd Ingraham with an all star cast in which Betty Ross Clark and Earl Schenck have the role of the newlyweds and such other players as Wade Boteler, Victor Potel, Clara Ward, Monty Collins and Zella Ingraham have important parts. The picture is entertaining and has one of the most original plots ever conceived. It screens in six reels, every foot of which holds the attention. The production was made by the Renco Film Co. and is released by the W. W. Hodkinson Corp. PROGRAM READER The feature photoplay offered at the theatre for the next — days is “ At the Sign of the Jack O’ Lantern,” an original and entertaining mystery story by Myrtle Reed adapted for the screen by Lloyd Ingraham and David Kirkland. “ At the Sign of the Jack O’ Lantern ” tells the experiences of a bride and groom who inherit a house and plot and six hundred dollars from a deceased uncle whom they have never seen. They move in and soon after a whole house full of the dead man’s relatives show up. Things go from bad to worse for the newlyweds and there comes a time when the parasites can be endured no longer. It is here that the original twist in the plot finishes the picture with a laugh and a live happy ever after ending. The picture was produced by the Renco Film Co. with Lloyd Ingraham as director and is distributed by the W. W. Hodkinson Corp. In the cast which has no featured player are such favorites as Betty Ross Clark, Earl Schenck, Wade Boteler, Victor Potel, Clara Clark Ward and others of equal popularity with the fans. The picture screens in six reels and is offered as one of the best evening’s entertainment of the season. SUGGESTIONS Bill as good clean entertainment and play up the comedy angles with reference to the general idea on which the story i$ founded. Give the cast a good boost and explain the characters played in jazzy language. Tell your patrons that you have a picture with an original plot but do not explain what it is. The opening shots of the “ Jack O’ Lanters ” house offers a first class lobby display idea. CATCH LINES Explaining pictorially what happened when the handsome young groom and the pretty little bride were forced to board a dozen of their near cousins for a whole summer and what came to pass when they finally revolted.