Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

879 ebruary 4, 1922 from “The Seventh Day,” Richard Barthelmess’ second First National picture. Center — Buster Keaton in his latest First National comedy, “The Paletit — An extra “still” taken on a “The Masquerader,” set with Richard Walton Tully, Doug Fairbanks, Guy Bates Post and James Young posing. “The Masquerader ” is being produced by Mr. Tully for First National release Iodkinson Announces February Releases The w. w. hodkin SON CORPORATION announces its releases for February as follows: February 5th — The first Movie Chat, following which “ Chats ” will be released every Sunday thereafter ; “ The Four Seasons,” an Urban Popular Classic, depicting animal and plant life in spring, summer, autumn and winter; the first picture of a series of twelve singlereelers descriptive of Great Authors made by Charles Urban. (The first subject will deal with John Greenleaf Whittier.) February 12th — “Hope,” the fourth picture of the Triart Great Masterpiece productions, made under the supervision of Herbert Blanche as dramatic director and Lejaren a Hiller as art director and based on the famous painting by the famous Watts. February 19 — “The Luxury Tax,” fifth in the series of Hugo Ballin productions, featuring Mabel Ballin. Ethel Donoher wrote the story, and the cast includes besides Miss Ballin, Crauford Kent and Raymond Bloomer. “Molly O” Scoring Everywhere LEAVING in its wake a constantly and rapidly increasing list of shattered records, “ Molly O ” the Mack SennettFirst National super comedy, is registering sensational success in every section of the country, crowding every theatre where it is being shown and winning extended runs in many houses, declares a statement from the First National headquarters. In Los Angeles “ Molly O ” has just completed a six weeks’ run at the Mission theatre, where policemen were frequently required to hold in check the mobs seeking admission. In Milwaukee it broke the attendance and box office records at the Strand. In Cincinnati it did likewise at the Boulevard, the first picture to get a weeks’ run at that house, drawing patrons from all parts of the city, and at the Walnut it achieved “ very good receipts,” according to the management. “ Excellent attendance ” marked its showing at the Vernon in Chicago, Manager J. O’Connell adding: “ Everybody was well pleased and went out talking it over in complimentary terms. It is the kind of picture we want.” J. E. Coston, Theatre Owners Tell of Excellent Business Being Done manager of the Harvard theatre in Chicago was very enthusiastic about the production, terming it a very satisfactory picture and one which did good business. The following telegrams and letters evidence its results in various cities. S. Barrett McCormick manager Allen theatre, Cleveland : “ I know you will be very much interested in the successful run of ‘ Molly O ’ at the Allen theatre. “ The first week’s business was so large that we felt it advisable to hold the picture over the second week, which proved a very successful move on our part, as the picture enjoyed splendid patronage throughout the entire two weeks. ‘ Mollv O ’ is a picture that is bound to please and is one of the most satisfactory attractions that the Allen has played.” H. C. Horater, manager Alhambra theatre, Toledo, O. : “ ‘ Molly O ’ opened at the Al hambra Sunday to capacity business from 3 p. m. till closing. Monday and Tuesday business was great. Today the same. It looks to me as if’ Molly O ’ will do more business than any picture we have had on here in two years. It certainly is a box office attraction.” J. S. Phillips, manager Rialto theatre, Ft. Worth, Tex.: “ I have just completed the most successful run of any picture in my experience, which covers a period of more than ten years, on ‘ Molly O,’ Mack Sennett’s wonderful production. It is one of the few pictures that please from the street urchin to the bank president, from the weak tiny girl to the gray-haired grandmother and the sour old maid. Every day I played the picture I made money. A picture to -'1 to drive away the blue day.” Ralph Lieber, manager Circle theatre, Indianapolis: “ ‘ Molly O ’ opened Sunday and Monday to very big business. Monday matinee broke all existing house records, including Charles Chaplin in ‘ The Kid.’ We expect that ‘ Molly O’ Week will be one of our winning weeks of the past four years.” Big “Scoop” for International ohiTS. Robertson Will Return to Hollywood Following his announcement last eek that Rodolf Valentino’s first aramount starring picture would : a special production of Vicente lasco Ibanez’s novel and play, Blood and Sand,” Jesse L. Lasky 1 Los Angeles this week stated lat John S. Robertson, producer f “ Footlights ” and Sentimental ommy,” would soon return from moad where he has been making aramount pictures and would -£in work on the production of Blood and Sand ” in Hollywood. June Mathis, who adapted Iban:’s novel, " The Four Horsemen,” )r the screen, has completed the :enario of " Blood and Sand.” alentino will play the role of the >reador, and May McAvoy will 5 seen in the part of the wife. WHAT is claimed by Universal officials to be perhaps the greatest news reel “ beat ” ever recorded in moving picture history occurred last Sunday when the International News Reel Corporation supplied Broadway theatres a few hours after the Pope’s death with the only and exclusive moving pictures ever taken of Pope Benedict XV. International, the only news reel company ever to take moving pictures of a Pope or in a Vatican, recently obtained possession of the only other moving pictures of the Pope ever filmed, and now possesses exclusive rights to the only picture of the late head of the Roman Catholic Church, and of the interior of the Vatican. At the same time that Broadway houses were being supplied with the Pope pictures, 300 prints also were being rushed by fast mail, airplane mail, courier and other means to exhibitors in other parts of the United States. These prints, each Exclusive Pictures of Pope Shown as Death is Announced five hundred feet in length, are a part of International News No. 7, released by Universal, and are being supplied to all users of the International News Reel service, without added cost. The celerity with which the pictures of the Pope were distributed Sunday is all the more remarkable owing to the fact that International was not deceived by the false report of Saturday afternoon but waited until absolute confirmation of the Pope’s death early Sunday morning, before starting to work on the news reel features. Laboratory workers of the Universal Fort Lee plant had to be called from their beds to begin the printing and cutting of the film. The special 500-foot feature is made up of pictures never before shown in public, including several hundred feet of ceremonial “ shots ” showing the Pontiff in remarkable poses, performing his duties as head of the church. Some “ shots ” taken of the Pope during the visit of the American Knights of Columbus and not heretofore released also are included. The films give an unusual idea of the splendor surrounding the various Papal ceremonies. They include close-ups of the church jewels, among which are the Pope’s gemdecked tiara and mitre. The remarkable affection exhibited toward the Pope by the people of Italy is shown in colorful scenes of Benedict XV blessing hugs throngs of pilgrims to the Holy City. The most striking scenes of the exclusive International pictures show the Pope mounting the hallowed Sedia Gestatoria, the chair upon which he is borne high above the heads of those around him in ceremonial processions.