Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1922)

December 30, 1922 338? Pre-release Reviews of F eatures 44 Man’s Size ” Fox — 4316 Feet (Reviewed by Laurence Reid ) WILLIAM RUSSELL hasn’t had much of a season judging from the pictures which have been graced by his personality, but “Man’s Size” is of a different sort — a good little Christmas present and he should feel highly grateful that he has a story made to order for him. Which is to say that it carries some dramatic situations, progresses evenly and sustains the interest without its obviousness intruding to any extent. Coincidence crops out now and then, but this is to be expected from such a raw melodramatic pattern. The concluding scene offers a neat surprise which is entirely unexpected. With the opening caption the spectator anticipates another Mounted Police tale because it refers to the Northwest. But the familiar Redcoat never makes his appearance — which is something in the picture’s favor. William Russell is such a tense player that he has to have a plot to fit him — else he appears out of character. “ Man’s Size ” gives him his opportunity. Its locale is the open spaces and one of the central figures is a man with vengeance in his heart. Which means that hatred sears his soul. Having been given up for dead, he returns to find his wife married to another. Overcome with wrath he seizes the child and brings her up as a wildflower of the woods. Later she is sold to a vicious bootlegger who is to take her away and marry her when the supposed father puts in an appearance and informs the man of vengeance that she is his own child. So we have Russell hitting his stride and putting over some melodramatic punch in his pursuit of the bootlegger. Of course he is) successful and the girl is brought back to her repentant father. The action is as primitive as the setting in which it is laid. And the star is called upon to keep busy in and out of the saddle. He has a competent company which includes Charles K. French as the vengeful husband; Stanton Heck, as the villain, and Alma Bennett, as the girl. This actress may be called a newcomer and she possesses both charm and talent. Good for those audiences who want the open spaces where men are men. The Cast Tom Morse William Russel] Jessie McRae Alma Bennett Bully West Stanton Heck Angus McRae Charles K. French Carl Morse James Gordon Wha]ey Carl Stockdale By William McLeod Raine. Scenario by Joseph F. Poland. Directed by Howard Mitchell. Photographed by Ernest Miller and George Schneiderman. Produced by Fox. The Story — Features life in the open spaces with man stealing a child through vengeance against his wife for marrying another in the belief that the former is dead. Girl is brought up in a rough atmosphere and sold to a bootlegger. The supposed father appears and informs the vengeful husband that the child is his own. The hero pursues the bootlegger and brings the girl back to her repentant father. Classification — Melodrama of the open spaces. . Production Highlights — The punch to the situations. The climax and surprise ending. The good work of cast. The first rate atmosphere. Exploitation Angles — This suggests a smart teaser campaign linking up with title. Sporting goods stores and shoe-dealers, etc., might cooperate. Feature the outdoors atmosphere. Drawing Power — Good for second class downtown houses. “ A Bill of Divorcement ” Associated Exhibitors — Six Reels (Reviewed by Glenn (Catkins) THIS story was so well done on the stage by such an admirable cast that we were rather disappointed in the screen version. Its a difficult matter to convey on the screen the emotional scenes in which Alan Pollock and Katherine Cornell triumphed and which carried the play to the pinnacle of success during its long run in New York last season. The plot material, in the first place, is too meagre, for a six-reel production and padding is evident throughout. With the exception of Constance Binney, the cast is made up of English players. Fay Compton, a beautiful English actress, is called upon to do most of the emotional work. Both these stars, however, add their personal beauty to the opus, which is worth something. The male members of the personnel, including Malcolm Keen, are inclined to overact, in fact, several in the cast seem to work like automatons — being tied by strings to the director. Mr. Keen has the role made famous by Mr. Pollock. The story has to do with a man who, immediately after his marriage, confesses to his bride that there is a strain of insanity in his family. A while later he is afflicted himself and is sent away. His wife, ever faithful, waits ten years for him. Then she learns that his case is incurable. She welcomes then the attentions of another man whom she marries. Husband No. 1 then escapes from the asylum. He was to have been discharged in another week completely cured. He returns to find his wife with husband No. 2. Then follows a series of dramatic moments winding up with the wife going with the other man and the daughter deciding to devote her life to making her father happy. The return of the husband offers the climax of the picture and it is in these scenes that one wishes that the husband and his ertswhile wife could use their voices to express their feelings. It is a fair program picture. The Cast Hilary Fairfield Malcolm Keen Margaret, the bride.. Fay Compton Hestor Fairfield Dora Gregory Doctor Alliot .Henry Vibart Sydney Fairfield Constance Binney Gray Meredith Henry Victor Kit Pumprey Martin Walker Rev. Pumprey Fenress Llwellwyn By Clemence Dane. Directed by Denison Clift. Scenario by Denison Clift. Distributed by Associated Exhibitors through Pathe Exchange, Inc. 1 he Story — Deals with the effects of the measure permitting divorce in cases of hopeless insanity. A man on the eve of his marriage confesses a strain of insanity in his family. He is committed to an asylum. The wife, in spite of her love for another, waits for him, until she is told her husband’s case is incurable. Then she weds another. The husband escapes, completely cured. He returns home to find the other man. The man appeals to his wife to return to him and she decides to do so, until under the persuasion of her new lover and her daughter, she deserts him and leaves him to the care of his daughter. Classification — A society drama with an original theme, but not holding much in entertainment value. Production Highlights — Constance Binnev’s presence in this picture is a saving factor. The production has been attractively mounted, possessing some exteriors of surpassing scenic beauty. The confession of the man. Exploitation Angles — The big point for you to convey to the public in this one is that it is a picturization of the well known stage hit in which Alan Pollock won fame in New York last season. It also has Constance Binney as its star, which should be played up. A Dangerous Game ” Universal — 5,087 Feet (Reviewed by L. C. Moen) GLADYS WALTON is given opportunity in this release for a spirited and variedperformance, and her following should be well pleased by it. First as the orphaned little waif, communing with the fairies in the woods, whose happiness is shattered by her heartless foster parents, then as a young girL growing to maturity and finally as the young, lady returned from school, Miss Walton gives a fresh and appealing portrayal. There is a timely angle, too, to this picture which offers abundant opportunity for novel exploitation. Gret’n Ann, played by Miss Walton, goes to a spiritist seance with her newly adopted uncle, where she discovers the trickery which is being employed and shows it up. There is a chance here to stir up no end of profitable discussion. No one, whatever their belief, can take offense at this expose, because none will deny that a large number of fakirs have operated as spirit mediums, and you can stir up some interesting discussion, through the usual exploitation channels, as to whether all mediums are fakes or not. We mention this at length because it is the outstanding selling point of the picture. The story is an entertaining and fairly substantial one, well fitted to the star’s talents, and King Baggot has made of it what seems to us to be one of the best pictures Miss Walton has had in some time. There are plentiful touches of comedy and of wistful childish fantasy. Then, too, for a pleasant change, the lonely old bachelor does NOT marry his beautiful ward. Excellent comedy is contributed by William Robert Daly and Kate Price, as the warm hearted brakeman and his wife, and Spottiswoode Aitken gives one of his characteristic performances. The Cast Gretchen Ann Peebles Gladys Walton' Edward Peebles Spottiswoode Aitken Uncle Stillson Peebles Otto Hoffman Aunt Constance Rosa Gore Bill Kelley William Robert Daly Mrs. Kelley Kate Price John Kelley Robert Agnewr Pete Sebastian Edward Jobson Stella Sebastian Anne Shaefer Madame Gaunt Christine Mayo Her Manager Harry Carter The Butler Bill Gibb& Adapted by Hugh Hoffman from the storv by Louis Dodge. Directed bv King Baggot. Photographed by Victor Milner. Produced by Universal. The Story — Gret’n Ann, when mistreated by her foster parents, runs away and hops a freight train. The kindly old brakeman takes her home to his family, but she feels herself an intruder and again runs away. She walks into a wealthy old oil king’s house and announces she has come to stay. He adopts her. They go to a spiritual seance and Gret’n saves him from being duped by the medium. He sends her to a fashionable seminary, asking her to marry himwhen she returns, to which she thoughtlessly consents, not realizing the import of it. An affair develops with the brakeman’s eldest son, John, and when she returns from school, she realizes that it is John she loves. The old man, however, realizes the situation and releases her. Classification — Comedy drama, with touches of pathos and strong thread of romance. Production Highlights — Gret’n Ann’s woodland talks with the fairies. The Kelley family.. The expose of the spirit medium’s methods. Exploitation Angles — As outlined above, play on the spirit angle. A fortune teller in the lobby might carry this idea. Interest your patrons in the expose of how spooks are produced. Drawing Power — Should be excellent in houses not needing super specials.