Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

884 Motion Picture News New York Critics Laud “The Grim Comedian” Goldwyn’s Rita Weiman photoplay, “ The Grim Comedian,” had its first New York showing this week at the Capitol theatre, with Jack Holt and Phoebe Hunt in the leading roles, and received unusually good reviews. “ Splendidly handled as to players, direction and production,” said the critic of the New York American. “ The story has appeal and is notable for the fine acting of Phoebe Hunt as the Mother, Jack Holt as the Man, Gloria Hope as the Daughter and young John Harron as the Boy.” The New York World: ‘‘A well acted picture. The Goldwyn company has mounted this photoplay in its usual splendid style. It is a picture of certain charm. The realism in which the photoplay deals may be attributed to the knowledge of the stage and stage life possessed by Miss Weiman.” The Herald : “ Realistic glimpses behind the curtain. Rita Weiman seems determined to back-stage life justice.” Telegraph: “Another of those charming Rita Weiman back-stage revelations. The film is extremely well done and is intensely human. Interesting character studies as well as a fine sincerity and a charming simplicity.” “Beyond the Rainbow” ZT in Cutting Room William Christy Cabanne is engaged in cutting his latest production, “ Beyond the Rainbow.” for R-C Pictures, at the Sixty-first Street Studio, New York. The work now is well under way, and will likely be completed within the next week. It is to be released February 19. Director Cabanne worked with an all-star cast in the making of “ Beyond the Rainbow,” including many popular screen players. The cast includes Harry Morey, Lillian “ Billie ” Dove, Virginia Lee, Diana Allen, James Harrison, Macey Harlam, Rose Coghlan, William Tooker, Helen Ware, George Fawcett, Marguerite Courtot, Edmund Breese, Walter Millar, Charles Craig, Clara Bow and Huntly Gordon. “ I am confident ‘ Beyond the Rainbow ’ will prove a box-office bonanza,” declares Mr. Cabanne. Eight-Reel Drama in Color Prizma Hails “ The Glorious Adventure ” as “ Unqualified Success ” STATEMENT from the Prizma headquarters tells of the “ unqualified success ” of “ The Glorious Adventure,” J. Stuart Blackton’s photoplay, at its premiere presentation in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. “ The Glorious Adventure,” done in Prizma coloring throughout its length of eight reels, is said to mark a milestone in the art of making motion pictures. A statement issued by Prizma in connection with the premiere showing of “ The Glorious Adventure” follows: “ There are more than 200 acting parts in the play and more than 1,000 people were used in its production. The picture is eight reels in length and is completely done in Prizma color. The story is a thrilling drama cast in the seventeenth century, full of fast action, thrilling fights, large massed fete days, and culminating in a stupendous climax showing the great fire of London. Interspersed throughout are beautiful pastel effects, delicate characterizations, and exquisite close-ups, in which the texture of the skin and color of the eyes of the players are faithfully reproduced. What is of great importance to the moving picture industry is the fact that throughout the entire eight reels there is no fringing, no blurring, no failure of registry, or other minor imperfections that up to date have hampered the progress of color motion photography. “ The color work was done for Mr. Blackton in London under the personal supervision of Wm. V. D. Kelley, technical adviser of Prizma, Inc., New York, and the photography was by Wm. T. Crespinel, chief photographer, and Prizma used new apparatus and devices that were finally completed and tested just two days before the Prizma technical experts sailed for London to start the photographing of the play. “ More than a year was consumed in preparation and more than four months in actual photographing of this play, but it was apparent after three weeks’ work that the color work was to be so successful that Mr. Blackton dismissed his blackand-white cameramen, who were also working on the picture, and proceeded with the entire photoplay in Prizma color. The results reported from London following the opening at the Royal Opera House more than justify Mr. Blackton’s decision. In a recent edition of “ Conquest,” the British popular science magazine, Mr. Blackton is quoted as declaring. “ There has been some discussion as to whether the ordinary projection machine would effectively show this color film on the screen, and suggestions have been advanced that a special machine would be required for projection. I want to state, as emphatically as possible, that this is incorrect. This film can be shown in any theatre and the usual projection machine will throw it effectively on the screen. It -is, therefore, as commercially practical as it is artistically attractive.” Pathe Releases for Feb. 5th Three-Reel Edition of “ Convict 993 ” Heads Short-Subject List PATHE EXCHANGE. INC., announces that the latest Pathe playlet, “ Convict 993,” featuring Irene Castle and an all-star cast of players, will head the strong collection of short subject features and the one serial episode scheduled for release the week of February 5. Among those playing prominent roles in the offering are Helene Chadwick, Warner Oland, Paul Everton, Harry Benham and J. H. Gilmour. “The Trap” is the sixth episode of the new Pathe serial, ‘ White Eagle,” starring Ruth Roland. The chapter is replete with thrills and gives the Pathe star full opportunity to display her daring in performing perilous feats. Earl Metcalf, Virginia Ainsworth, Harry Girard, Otto Lederer, Gertrude Douglas and Bud Osborne play prominent roles in the episode and help keep the action going at a rapid rate. Features of the chapter are the lighting effects and the interior scenes in the chamber of the Golden Pool. “ The Lamb ” is the current reissued onereel comedy starring Harold Lloyd. The offering shows the spectacled comedian as a timid youth until the worm turns, and he becomes a battler. Lloyd is sup ported by Bebe Daniels, who appears as a cabaret singer, and “Snub” Pollard, as the proprietor of the tough cafe. “The Fox and the Grapes,” one of the best known tales of Aesop, is the latest animated cartoon of the series of “Aesop’s Film Fables.” “ Blow ’Em Up ’ is the title of the current Hal Roach comedy featuring “ Snub ” Pollard. The offering is an uproarious satire on the methods of anarchists — and hence a topical theme amusingly told. Pathe Review No. 141 presents a series of subjects of the most entertaining sort. “Nature Cast Out” is a study in the ways of cities; “ Timber Thrills ” presents the real moments of danger in the day of a lumberjack; “Color for Milady’s Silks ” is the story of the patterns in silk goods; “The High Jumpers of the Himalayas ” gives slow motion views of the Himalayan “ tahr ” or mountain goat ; and “Teddy in Glazier Land” is the first of a series of four Pathecolor stories in which 5-year-old Teddy adventures among the Alps. Mil ARE A The Child oPthe Bear Stanlaws Starts New Paramount Picture A combination of exceptional interest is announced for a new Paramount picture, “ Over the Border,” by Albert Shelby LeVino based on the short story, “ She of the Triple Chevron,” by Sir Gilbert Parker. It will be a Penrhyn Stanlaws production, the first he had made since his return from New York to the Paramount Western studio. It will be made with Betty Compson, Tom Moore and a splendid cast including such well known players as Casson Ferguson, Sidney D’albrook, J. Farrell Macdonald, L. C. Shumway, Jean deBriac, Edward J. Brady and Joseph Ray. Griffith Asked to Film National Drama To have the greatest drama of their national history told by D. W. Griffith in the film is the desire of two great South American nations. Representatives of these two governments came to New York to see “ Orphans of the Storm ” at the Apollo theatre, and then made an engagement for Mr. Griffith to attend a conference in Washington. The scenarios of these stories would be the work of a committee of the foremost native authors of the two countries. William Farnum Film Due in March “A Stage Romance,” the Fox feature starring William Farnum and his first production since his return to America from his long European vacation last fall, has been completed and will be released in March. The story concerns a romantic chapter in the life of Edmund Kean, the famous English actor. The picture was directed by Herbert Brenon. Well-Known Players to Support Chas. Jones A large and well-known group of actors constitute the cast of Charles Jones’ newest picture now being made at Hollywood for release by Fox Films. It includes Eileen Percy, Mae Busch, Robert Daly, G. Raymond Nye, Joe Harris, Otto Hoffman and William Steele. Everything, Plus — as IV ritten by J. V. “THE ISLE OF ZORDA”