Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1272 Motion Picture News “CROSSING TRAILS” (Associated Photoplays — State Rights) Conventional Western in Plot and Incident EVEN Westerns nowadays must carry something more than a conventional display of heroics with the hero triumphing over the villain to succeed as far as story interest is concerned. “ Crossing Trails ” is a typical old-time Western with the usual shooting, the usual riding, and the usual plottings of the onery outlaws to carry out their plans. The screen has certainly not progressed in its expression of Westerns. Perhaps it cannot show itself in any other way. But there can be a note or three of novelty. One Western star is adding burlesque and satire and novel stunts to his pictures. Perhaps he is showing the way. This is not to say that “ Crossing Trails ” is uninteresting. On the contrary it measures out a good sample of action even if it contains little suspense. The latter element cannot be registered when you know from the introductory scene just how it will end. There is always a public for the primitive sequences — showing a persecuted heroine and a hero attempting to assert his manliness by lifting her out of her distress. This is all about a heroine who escapes the villain and finds refuge on the ranch of the hero. There is very little plot, the action comprising a series of incidents having to do with villainous plotting and the constant foiling of their dastardly actempts. “ Crossing Trails ” takes up the chase issue in a majority of its sequences. The hero bobs up to frustrate the enemy and after some melodrama, the arch-conspirator -is thrown over a cliff and the love interest is registered. There is no pathos, no sentiment, no character drawing, no surprises, no dramatic climaxes. Instead it is the old story of virtue triumphing over villainy with a marked economy of conflict. There are no side issues. The thread of the pattern is consistent from tne start and everything develops and ends according to Hoyle. Cliff Smith, the director, is an able technician when it comes to a Western. In fact he has dressed up this picture to make it more entertaining than such a plot deserves. Noted for his pictorial effects, he has not neglected to present a few which are marked for their scenic value and atmosphere. Besides he has brought out the spirt of the story with sufficient action. Pete Morrison, the star, plays the role in an acceptable rugged fashion and his support is competent enough. Length, 5 reels. — Laurence Reid. THE CAST Jim Warren Helen Stratton Buster Stratton “Red” Murphy Peter Marcus “Bull” Devine Mrs. Warren By L. V. Jefferson. Directed by Cliff Smith. Photographed by John Thompson. Pete Morrison Esther Ralston John McL. Hatton Lew Meehan ...Floyd Taliaferro J. B. Warner Billie Bennett PRESS NOTICE— STORY “ Crossing Trails ” is the title of the Western feature which comes to the theatre next , with Pete Morrison as the star. It is a story filled with crisp action and suspense calculated to keep the spectator at attention. There is a hero who is harassed at every opportunity by a group of villains, the chief of which is endeavoring to force the heroine to marry hintWhen the minister refuses to perform the ceremony the villain shoots him. Of course it is natural for the girl to hide out of fear that she will be arrested for the crime. She takes refuge on the ranch of Jim Warren and is captured by the villain only to be rescued by the rancher. In the end virtue triumphs over villainy, Jim punishing the ringleader by tossing hi over a cliff. The romantic interest keeps pace with the action moments and eventually it is discovered that Jim and Helen love each other well enough to marry. The picture is crammed with stirring incident, is laid in a picturesque country where the atmosphere is typical, and the story has been entrusted to a director and players who make the most of their opportunities. Cliff Smith, the director, was formerly identified with William S. Hart, and his pictorial effects are magnificent. PROGRAM READER A vivid and vital and picturesque story of the open spaces of the West isi “ Crossing Trails,” which comes to the theatre next , featuring Pete Morrison, a rugged type of cowboy-actor. The picture is filled with typical action, so characteristic in so many Westerns. It is the type of picture which reveals a harassed heroine and a young rancher whose object is to frustrate the plans of his enemies and those of the girl. The incident is crisp, the suspense keen, and the picture has been staged in the open spaces, thus bringing a wealth of appropriate atmosphere. The mention that Cliff Smith is the director is sufficient guarantee of its pictorial quality, the director having been identified with the best actors of Westerns on the screen. So come and see Pete Morrison triumph in “ Crossing Trails.” . SUGGESTIONS You can tell them that this is a characteristic melodrama of the West. Bring out the idea that it is crammed with stirring action, plenty of gun-play, hardriding, and suspense. Make mention that the spectators will not be disappointed because of the wealth of action and atmosphere. They may be reminded of its obviousness and familiarity, but they will sit up in their seats over the melodramatic moments. Make mention that Cliff Smith is the director. If your patrons remember him they will notice that he formerly directed William S. Hart and other capable actors of Westerns. The title is a winner and will suggest a deal of action. Get out your cowboy ensemble and put over some characteristic stunts if you feel like exploiting the picture. CATCH LINES See Pete Morrison, the dare-devil cowboy-actor, in “ Crossing Trails,” a vivid story of the West. Cliff Smith directed. A rugged document of the open country. See a true and typical Western. See “ Crossing Trails.” A picture of real action and suspense. “TRACKED TO EARTH (Universal) n Man Hunt Story Releases Limited Action THEY have given Frank Mayo a man-hunt story in which he is under suspicion as a horse thief. While this indicates a certain quality of suspense one knows that he is honorable from the mere fact that he is the hero. Consequently the interest centers upon his real identity. Is he a government agent or a rich ranchman? It develops that he is the treasurer of a railroad who became a detective to catch the real bandits. The story carries a colorful title suggestive of much action, but this necessary element never figures prominently, it being subordinated to the love interest. You catch sight of four outlaws roping the hero and imprisoning him in a crude shack. The backgrounds reveal some picturesque shots of a desert country, with the sand and sage-brush visible in every direction. The hero is to hang in the morning, but he digs his way to safety as the walls of his prison are made of mud. The man hunt is taken up in earnest and here is revealed a note of novelty in the manner in which the young man secrets himself. While he displays Indian methods in his system of camouflage, hiding, as he does, in the sand up to his head, which is covered by some underbrush, the pursuers never stop to follow his tracks from the hut. There is always an indication that some action will develop, but the man hunt is merely a pursuit over the sands. The country is alarmed over the “ desperado ” being at large. _ But the heroine stumbles upon him and the novelty of the hero hiding in the sand is unique enough for the director to “ hold ” the scene to get every effect. She brings him eatables and he manages to start a flirtation. She even suggests that he make his escape, but he always comes back to the sand to bury himself. Another point which reveals how suspense is striven for is the case of the hero riding away with an extra horse. Which is to indicate that he is a regular horse thief. The climax introduces the sheriff entering the house of the heroine where the young man is hidden. The outlaws are also congregated there. And they are caught between two fires, when the hero comes out of his hiding place and confronts them with a gun. The bandits have robbed an express train and killed a messenger. Thus it ends with the young people declaring their love for one another. The picture is mostly exteriors, and the director has caught some highly picturesque shots. But there is little action or incident. Frank Mayo fulfils the demands of the role and his support is competent enough. You can call it fairly interesting. Length, 5 reels. — Laurence Reid. THE CAST Charles Cranner Anna Jones Dick Jones Stub Lou Tate Shorty Fuller .’ “ Big Bill ” Angus Meenie Wade Zed White By Wm. J. Neidig. Scenario by Wallace Clifton. Directed by William Worthington. Photographed by Leland Lancaster. Frank Mayo . . . .Virginia Valli . Harold Goodwin Duke R. Lee . . . . Buck Conners Arthur Millett Lon Poff Percy Challenger PRESS NOTICE— STORY “ Tracked to Earth ” is an interesting story about a man hunt and comes to the theatre next with Frank Mayo as the star. Written by Wm. J. Neidig for a popular magazine, it comes to the screen with a deal of novelty. The central figure is under suspicion as a horse thief. In fact several men are tracking him and succeed in capturing him. He makes his escape and hides in the sands so that just his head is visible if you look beneath the branch of sage-brush hiding it. He covers his tracks successfully after his escape but a girl stumbles upon his hiding place and so nonchalant and courtly is he in his attitude that she refuses to bring him to justice. She offers him her horse to make his real escape but he prefers to remain and discover romance. Ultimately it is revealed that he is a wealthy railroad man bent upon capturing the very men determined to hang him. They are the real outlaws. “ Tracked to Earth ” carries some beautiful exteriors, which show trackless wastes of the desert. It is a rugged story carrying some novelty, is well acted and directed. In the supporting cast are Virginia Valli and Harold Goodwin. PROGRAM READER He outwitted his pursuers by taking advantage of the sands. He covered himself up to his head which he kept hidden from view by means of a branch of sagebrush. Thus he adopted the camouflage — the cunning of the Indian. They could not track him down after he made his escape. But a girl found him. What happened? Did she turn him over to the authorities or did she fall in love? Did he make his escape? What manner of man was he? Was he a government marshal or a real bandit? These questions are answered in the vital and rugged picture of the West, entitled “ Tracked to Earth,” which comes to the theatre next . This is an adaptation of a popular magazine story and presents Frank Mayo as the star. SUGGESTIONS The story is adapted from a popular magazine written by an author famous for several screen stories. After you make this fact plain tell them that Frank Mayo has an interesting story based upon a man hunt. Tell that it carries several novel incidents — that it concerns a man who escaped a group of man-hunters by secreting himself in Indian fashion in the sands. Tell them that the picture offers a romantic appeal, is staged in the sage-brush country, reveals some highly picturesque shots, and is well directed. Play up the other Mayo pictures such as “ Across the Dead Line ” and “ Dr. Jim.” For a prologue you can stage a scenic of the desert country and work in some color effects for atmosphere. CATCH LINES They captured him and were about to hang him, but he made his escape. There was no place for him to hide. And it seemed easy to re-capture him upon the burning sands. How did he escape detection? See Frank Mayo in “Tracked to Earth.”