Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1922)

772 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 23, 1922 SUNSHINE COMEDIES (Fox). All good. You can’t go wrong by booking ’em as fast as they come. William Noble, Majestic Theatre, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. TOONERVILLE BLUES (Educational). Did not take well. Patronage ; small town. Attendance: fair. W. F. Pease, Centennial Theatre, Lowell, Wisconsin. TWIN HUSBANDS (F. B. O.). One of the De Havens’ best. It will please. Patronage: general. Attendance: very good. Jno. W. Creamer, Strand Theatre, Chillicothe, Missouri. Serials IN THE DAYS OF BUFFALO BILL (Universal). It Started off with the best serial patronage I have had for over two years. Buy it; it’s a sure winner. Advertising: ones, three, six, photos, heralds, newspapers, dodgers, hats. Patronage : general. Attendance: very good. T. J. Hickes, Liberty Theatre, Saxon, Pennsylvania. ROBINSON CRUSOE (Universal). On the sixteenth episode and still losing money. Had they made this in more episodes than eighteen it would break me. The worst serial I ever saw. Nothing to it. Any exhibitor who wants to lose money should run it. Advertising: every possible means. Patronage: neighborhood. Attendance: poor. W. E. Elkin, Temple Theatre, Aberdeen, Mississippi. TIMBER QUEEN (Pathe). Have run twelve serials and, boys, here is the best serial you can buy. Advertising: six, photos, ones, slide. Patronage: small town. At More Reports Mezm Better Bookings Use These Tips and Send Along Some tendance : good. F. C. Butt, Ideal Theatre, Blue Ridge, Georgia. Short Subjects AESOP’S FABLES (Pathe). Always great. Audience looks forward, expectantly, for their Fable, and feel disappointed when they are not shown. William Noble, Folly Theatre, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. COME CLEAN (Universal). With Tom Santschi, a pleasing two-reel drama; find Tom O. K. in all of his two reelers. William Thacher, Royal Theatre, Salina, Kansas. State Rights ' BURN ’EM UP BARNES (C. C. Burr). A corking good light comedy that will delight a sophisticated audience. If you have played Torchy comedies, book “Burn ’Em Up Barnes.” Patronage: mixed. Attendance: good, there is a decided and pleasing upward trend in business in this section. E. W. Collins, Grand Theatre, Jonesboro, Arkansas. I AM THE LAW. This is a good picture which pleased a big business. William Noble, New Folly Theatre, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. LAST CHANCE. For me, it’s a lemon to lay off of, brothers. Our patrons were disgusted. Franklyn Farnum is the star. Patronage: mostly men. Attendance: rotten. Jno. W. Creamer, Strand Theatre, Chillicothe, Missouri. MAN FROM HELL’S RIVER (Federated). Not up to the standard of Curwood’s stories, but pleased eighty per cent. Just a program picture. Advertising: lobby, newspaper, billboards, handbills. Patronage : mixed. Attendance : fair. O. W. Harris, St. Denis Theatre, Sapulpa, Oklahoma. MAN FROM HELL’S RIVER (Federated). A fairly good Curwood story with a real good cast including Wallace Beery. They feature a dog but he doesn’t do anything at all. Patronage: small town. Attendance: good. Marsden Noble, Noble Theatre, Marshfield, Oregon. RICH MEN’S WIVES (Lichtman). Stood them up for three nights — something rarely done here. A real box office picture. It delivers the goods, pleasing everybody. Well worth heavy advertising. B. Warner, Warner Theatre, Niles, Ohio. SCHOOL DAYS (Warner Bros.) Good picture. Patronage: mixed. Attendance: above average. William H. Mayhew, Broadway Theatre, Cisco, Texas. UNDER WESTERN SKIES (Acie). Absolutely the worst thing, for me, I have run for many a day and I’d stay away from this one again. Advertising: six, three, ones, slide. Patronage: all classes. Attendance: poor, and glad of it. Stephen G. Brenner, Eagle Theatre, Baltimore, Maryland. Consensus of Published Reviews Here are extracts from news available at press hour from publications of the industry boiled down to a sentence. They present the views of Moving Picture World (M.P.W.); Exhibitors’ Herald (E.H.); Motion Picture News (N.); Exhibitors’ Trade Review (T.R.); Film Daily (F.D.) The Loaded Door (Hoot Gibson — Universal — 4,563 feet) M. P. W. — Has novel climax. . . . There is melodrama of a familiar sort in the body of the story. E. H. — A Western thriller, with the popular cowboy actor doing his best to put over a rather obvious story. N. — Just a snappy, full of action, rapid'y moving and thoroughly satisfying Western. F. D. — First rate comedy drama, with good action and plenty of laughs. The Prince and the Pauper (Tlbl Lnliln — 0.522 feet) M. P. W. — Mark Twain’s delightful story, “The Prince and the Pauper,” is beautifully and sympathetically picturized. F, D. — Interesting and fairly spectacular version of Mark Twain’s story. . . . Should appeal to matinee crowds especially. N. — For the most part. “The Prince and the Pauper,” is entertaining and should do especially well In neighborhood houses and at matinees when the children are present. T. R. — A picture which should find favor with young and old. The Eyes of the Mummy (Fola Negri — Paramount — 3,S05 feet) M. P. W. — Has dramatic force and Is well directed. E. H. — A rather conventional story of the Sahara desert. It contains a thin plot and many stock situations. N. — Much below par. T. R. — This picture at Its best Is far below the majority of former German films that have been shown In this country. Under Oath (Elaine Hammerstein — Seiznick — 5,175 feet) M. P. W. — Heart-gripping story lavishly produced. N. — This is Elaine Hammerstein’s best picture to date. ... It has a good story. E. H. — Without a doubt this is one of the finest pictures in which Elaine Hammerstein has been seen for some time. T. R. — An extremely interesting picture and admirable starring vehicle for Elaine Hammerstein. Chain Lightning (Ann Little — Arrow — 5 reels) M. P. W. — If your patrons enjoy entertaining Southern pictures you should cash In on this one. F. D. — Pleasing Southern romance and good race track sequence in this. . . . The average audience will like it. E, H. — Here is a good program picture. N. — The racing scenes are filled with color and thrills, and there are sufficient elements of a dramatic nature to provide a first rate entertainment. Destiny’s Isle (Featured Cast— American Releasing Corp.— 5,496 feet) M. P. W. — Attractive but lacking In strong story. F. D. — Splendid pictorial appeal and good direction keeps story Interesting. N. — Here’s a picture whose somewhat hackneyed theme Is redeemed by really worth-while direction and the careful work of a well-chosen cast. T. R. — An attractive picture which holds Its Interest fairly well. Smudge (Charles Ray — First National — 4,716 feet) M. P. W. — In “Smudge” Charles Ray has a story that is interestingly told, and a vehicle that Is well acted throughout. N. — Here it is — something different. Yet “Smudge” resembles other Charles Ray productions sufficiently to identify it with the star’s numerous successes. T. R. — Affords fair entertainment. E. H. — An amusing and diverting comedydrama. So This Is Arizona (Franklyn Farnum — W. M, Smith Production — 5,800 feet) M. P. W. — An entertaining Western, with more merriment than is usually associated with this class of features. N. — Here is a rip-roaring Western, full of speed and pep, with a lot of genuine comedy flung in, and some rather broad humor that starts the risibles of Western devotees. F. D. — Fair Western, built along familiar lines. E. H. — It should give general satisfaction* where Westerns are booked. Heroes and Husbands (Katherine MacDonald — First National— 5,460 feet) M. P. W. — Holds Interest from start to finish. N. — Really fine dramatic narrative, well acted, well directed and well photographed. T. R. — Pleasing entertainment, but appear! to be slightly long drawn out. E. H. — Rely upon the name and popularity of Katherine MacDonald to put this plctur* over.