Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

February 18, 1922 1123 1 EXHIBITORS’ REPORTS ON N E W RELEASES What the Big Houses Say EARLY RETURNS FROM WEEK RUN THEATERS FIRST NATIONAL Molly O — Third week of run held up fairly well. (West.) Held up well for a week run, with audiences having the time of their lives at every showing. (East.) Hail the Woman — Did very well at a uniform price of 50 cents. (Middle West.) Strong feature which was well liked by our patrons. Played to good business. (Middle West.) My Boy — Business slow first half of week and going big for last half. Special performance under auspices of Federation of Women's Clubs on Saturday morning at end of week brought only about 200. Everybody liked the picture. (Middle West.) Jackie Coogan made another hit in this one which went over big for seven days. (Middle West.) Vendetta — Mediocre picture. Business only fair. (East.) Not so good. Receipts fair. (East.) Cabiria — A powerful spectacle. Has wonderful exploitation possibilities. Pleased good crowds. (Middle West.) Stardust — Good entertainment and box office value. (West.) Love’s Redemption — Fine picture and good box office attraction. (West.) Broke all records. Fine show. Part of the success of the engagement was due to very elaborate style show put on with a series of popular vaudville numbers. (Middle West.) R. S. V. P.— Fairly good feature with fair business. (West.) Nomads of the North — Drew for second return those who were interested in Betty Blythe from “ The Queen of Sheba.” Some dissatisfaction and would do for those who like animal pictures. (Middle West.) Penrod — Brought rears of laughter from audience, and being shown in connection with personal appearance of Wesley Barry, played to very heavy business for week. (Middle West.) Pilgrims of the Night — A splendid picture. Full of thrills, with love themes and everything to appeal to movie audiences. Business was consistently good all week. (Middle West.) Her Mad Bargain Some cf the patrons raved about this. They liked it. Receipts average. (East.) FAMOUS PLAYERS The Laiv and the Woman — Betty Compson’s popularity here usually assures a good attendance for the week. This picture proved to be no exception. (Middle West.) Betty Compson’s popularity with our audiences helped put the picture over Business good. (Middle West.) Good picture. Good business. (East.) Pretty good picture. Receipts fair. (East.) Boomerang Bill — Very fine picture, but star (Lionel Barrymore) doesn’t draw well here. (Middle West.) Good picture and satisfying box office receipts. (West.) Rent Free — Last week was anniversary week at this theatre and in conjunction with picture Victor Herbert conducted the orchestra. While picture was pleasing, tremendous business attributed to occasion and musical feature. (East.) Three Live Ghosts — Good show, but not so good as the stage presentation. Business only fair. (Middle West.) Call of the North — Old material, well used. Business good. (East.) The Sheik — Played to big business at advanced prices. Excellent picture. Pleased well. (East.) The Lane That Had No Turning — Fair picture. Fair business. (East.) The Last Payment— A good entertainment. Few dull moments. Nice business. (Middle West.) Miss Lulu Bett — Went nice and slow all week. Have no special reason to account for this as the audiences were enthusiastic about the picture. (Middle West.) Why Change Your W'ife? — In second showing drew good crowds all the time — not enormous but satisfying. Drew generally. (Middle West.) FOX Sky High Best of the Mix pictures. Played Fox Anniversary Week. Drew record Mix business. (Middle West.) An average picture which played to the usual week's attendance. (Middle West.) Shame — Two weeks to big business. (West.) Poor business but picture is good although too long. The title is misleading and think it would have gene better if named almost anything else. Those who saw it liked it but not so many came. (Middle West.) The Last Trail — Business fair, not above average. Good picture if played in right house. (Middle West.) Play Square — Drew quite well by playing up, not so expensively either, that Johnnie Walker of “ Over the Hill ” is the star of this picture. Gocd picture for general appeal. (Middle West.) Connecticut Yankee — Third week of run went good. (West.) T railin’ — Tom Mix is a big drawing card with our audiences. This one filled the house all week. (East.) Queen of Sheba — Just about gasped through the third week. (East.) Virgin Paradise — Bad picture and bad business. (East.) METRO Four Horsemen — Good' picture and good business. (East.) Ended engagement of several weeks. (East.) Conquering Power — Good picture, fair business. (East.) There Are No Villains — Mediocre picture. Business bad. (East.) Peacock Alley — Can’t find a single flaw in the production. Audiences seemed to agree with the manager, for business grew better every day of the two-week run. (Middle West.) Camille — Drew for Valentino and not for Nazimova, especially. This story has been done so many times. Some dissatisfaction because the hero wasn’t on the screen more of the time. (Middle West.) Fightin’ Mad — A gocd picture which did not receive proper support, due largely to inclement weather. A fair week’s business. (Middle West.) The Hole in the Wrall — Mediocre picture, and business to correspond. (East.) The Idle Rich — Good picture. Business only fair (East.) UNIVERSAL The Scrapper — Fair. People liked the picture, but star isn’t very well known to our audiences. (Middle West.) Conflict — Very poor story, which is saved by Priscilla Dean. Fair bex office value. (Middle West.) Don’t Get Personal — Good picture and fine business (West.) The Fire Eater — Fair production with average business. (West.) Dr. Jim — Fair business on a fair picture. (East.) REALART T iUie — Mary Miles Minter always pleases. Fair weather and good business. (Middle West.) Did rip-roaring business. (East.) Nancy From Nowhere — Bebe Daniels growing in popularity. Business good on every appearance. GOLDWYN Poverty of Riches — An interesting story, well acted Good bex office value. (Middle West.) The Glorious Fool — . Very interesting story and good business. (West.) R-C PICTURES Silent Years — Good picture. Fair business. (East.) The Sign of the Rose — Fairly good picture. Beban splendidly. (Middle West.) drew PATHE A Sailor-Made Man — Up to the usual Lloyd standard. Something doing and different every second. A sure fire for the box office. Fine business. (Middle West.) A real bex office attraction. The picture played to good crowds for a week’s run and received favorable press comment. (Middle West.) EQUITY II hat No Man Knows — Miss Young knows how to put the heart of a woman on the screen. A really good picture. Drew good crowds. (Middle West.) Fair, with fair receipts. (East.) UNITED ARTISTS W ay Down East — A sure money-maker, despite the fact that it has played here before in a legitimate house at higher prices. Now on its second week and still going good. (Middle West.) STATE RIGHTS Judgment — Foreign picture. Big spectacle. Fair business. (East.) The Soul of Man — Good picture and good business. (West.) School Days — A fine picture which drew well. (Middle West.) You Will See1 and Hear Him IN PERSON The Most Human Boy-Hero of Our Time In Booth Tarkington’» Lovable, Laughable “PENROD” Produced by Marshall Neilan At -the Most Exciting and , Convulsive Moment of the Story Wesley, Himself, Leaps Out of the Film ion to the Stage and Plays the Howling Scene Through. HE IS ALLACTOR AS WELL AS ALL-BOY Your own childhood made uproariously yet tenderly real in a great hcart-picluro that brings the combined genius of Tarkington, greatest of living American authors. j MARSHALL NEILAN. most American of producers, and “Freclrlos.” truest artist of all portrayers of the American ' Boy Shown With Fitting Splendor-Specialties \ Specially Created for This Gala Week by the Balaban & Katz Production Artists. Benson Dance Orchestra. Roy Bargv, Director. Daily J 5 p. m. — Special Morning Organ Recital, II a. ro. One of the ads which helped p-ut “ Penrod ” over to a big send-off at the Chicago theatre, Chicago