Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1923)

December 1, 1923 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 505 “Kidding Kate” (Educational — Comedy — T wo Reels) Dorothy Devore has a congenial and attractive role in this Christie comedy in which she is forced by her mother to masquerade as a little girl in rompers in order that she will not “steal” her fat sister’s beau. Of course things don’t go as mother intended and Dorothy gets him after all. Babe London is the fat girl and Jimmie Harrison the beau. Although there is nothing new in the idea, the picture contains considerable clever business, is bright and amusing and should please the average audience. — C. S. S. “Why Elephants Leave Home” (Pathe — Animal — Two Reels) This fine showmanship title with its exploitation possibilities refers to a picture that has no sex angle. Instead, it is a two reeler which shows how wild elephants in Ceylon are driven from the jungles into a “kraal,” being lured by their domesticated brethren. They are then trained to be of use to man. The picture is novel and interesting throughout. In addition to the corraling of the elephants, forty-odd in all, there are interesting views of a large number of elephants being used for various purposes such as uprooting small trees, hauling logs, etc. It should prove an attractive offering on any program. — C. S. S. “Under Covers” (Educational — Comedy — One Reel) A sanitarium furnishes the background for the rough and tumble comedy in this single reel Cameo, distributed by Educational. Cliff Bowes as an orderly gets into all kinds of scrapes, is fired and returns in disguise to be near his sweetheart, the head nurse, and more mix-ups follow. George Ovey is cast as a doctor. There is considerable material of a familiar trend which will bring the average number of laughs. — C. S. S. “A Dark Knight” (GrandAsher — Comedy — Two Reels) A convict’s uniform proves a rather dangerous costume for a masked ball in this Joe Rock comedy. He has to serve a prison sentence before he gets to the party, but escapes and finds safety at the ball where a dozen others are wearing a “Convict 13” uniform — safety for a few minutes. It should prove amusing to most fans.— M. K. “Hollywood Bound” (GrandAsher — Comedy — Two Reels) As the winner of a popularity contest, the hero played by Sid Smith goes to Hollywood, where he has some difficulty getting into a moving picture studio. A lion, insufficiently tamed, makes his life hectic throughout scenes that are lively and funny.— M. K. SHORT SUBJECTS REVIEWED IN THIS ISSUE Bottom of the Sea, The (Educational) Dark Knight, A (GrandAsher) Flip Flops (Pathe) Hollywood Bound (GrandAsher) Kidding Kate (Educational) Miles of Smiles (Universal) My Boy Bill (Educational) Taxi, Please (GrandAsher) Under Covers (Educational) Uncensored Movies (Pathe) Wet and Weary (Fox) Why Elephants Leave Home (Pathe) Wild and Woolly (Pathe) “Uncensored Movies” (Pathe — Comedy — Two Reels) This is one of the very best of the new series of Will Rogers’ two-reelers distributed by Pathe. Rogers appears as an investigator sent by a village reform society to Hollywood and also impersonates Tom Mix, William S. Hart, Rudolph Valentino and others. He does this in a kidding manner, poking fun at and burlesquing the situations, as for instance where in chasing the villain he captures him although they start from the same place and one rides wildly up hills while the other rides down the hills. The titles and action are in Rogers’ best style and there are a number of laughs and several subtle touches. — C. S. S. “My Boy Bill” (Educational — Wilderness — One Reel) A quarrel by the sea, which ended in “my boy Bill” going out in his boat and failing to return, furnishes the motive for this Bruce picture. The story is told by Bill’s father, who is shown waiting through the changes of seasons in vain for his boy to come back. It is marked with a strongly pathetic note and there are many beautiful and artistic shots of the sea under different conditions. It should thoroughly satisfy the Bruce fans and prove acceptable anywhere. — C. S. S. “Taxi, Please” (Grand -Asher — Comedy — Two “The Bottom of the Sea” (Educational — Novelty — One Reel) As with the previous offering in this series of Lyman H. Howe’s “Hodge Podge,” distributed by Educational, this issue contains an assortment of humorous animated cartoons and subtitles and sections showing items of interest such as catching tunny fish in Sicily. The cartoon work is especially clever and there are a number of laughs. It should be welcomed as a novelty by the average audience. — C. S. S. “The Five-Fifteen” (Pathe — Cartoon — One Reel) Plotting against the arrival of a precious visitor on the “fivefifteen,” a gang of cat-bandits holds up the tram and scares it into many parts. The right compartment containing a bottle of “old stuff,” however, is saved. The action is vivid and every bit of it entertaining. An Aesop Film Fable by Paul Terry. — M. K. “Wet and Weary” (Fox — Comedy — Two Reels) Clyde Cook is the victim of various kinds of wet torment in this comedy, which starts off with a terrific rainstorm, providing many ludicrous sights. The only shelter he can find is under a street cleaner’s cart and this leads him to the civic department, where he is given a lawn-sprinkling job. The hose appears to be alive and herein lies much of the comedy. It is a good comedy for the average theatre. — M. K. “Flip Flops” (Pathe — Comedy — Two Reels) Mack Sennett’s latest is fast and furious enough to meet with the ardent favor of all slapstick fans. It is comedy of the most obvious type, broad in places but overbrimming with hilarious fun for those who like plenty of slambang effects. Lewis Sargent has a lover role which causes him all sorts of suffering, including some exciting scenes with an elephant. — M. K. Gibbons of Pathe Reports One-Reelers in Big Demand Another indication of the growing popularity of the short subject is contained in the report of Pathe’s short subject sales manager, Miles Gibbons, who has just returned from a tour of key cities of the Middle West. “General conditions are sound and the outlook decidedly encouraging,” says Mr. Gibbons. “There is an unusually heavy demand for short length screen entertainment, and business as far as Pathe is concerned has never been better.” A notable point in Mr. Gibbons’ report is the heavy booking of single reel subjects. He found that the Pollard, Laurel and “Dippy-Do-Dads” are enjoying great vogue and the Aesop’s Film Fables are in many instances receiving special mention by critics because of their originality and humor. Mr. Gibbons attributes this vogue to the uniform quality of entertainment in these series, their wide variety of subjects and to the ease with which a single-reeler can be fitted into a program. This latter is of especial importance in view of the additional length of many features today. Reels) Monte Banks, a taxi driver, spends his time transforming bald heads with the aid of a fake hair grower and dog fur in this comedy. He makes a fortune for his sweetheart’s mother, who owns the store, and then elopes with the daughter and the gold. There is not much variety here, but it will get laughs and satisfy the average patron. — M. K. Plans New Witwer Series for F. B. O.; Will Not Be Fight Plays “Miles of Smiles” (Universal — Comedy — Two Reels) As a pair of twins, Baby Peggy has a double role in this Century comedy that keeps her very active and amusing. One of the twins gets lost and leads a rough life as assistant to a railroad engineer, while the other one enjoys luxury and ease. They get mixed up of course, but eventually both twins are restored to their parents. The star is a delightful little entertainer as usual. — M. K. u H. M. Berman, general manager f exchanges for the F. B. O., left his week for the studios at the Vest Coast to complete plans for he Film Booking Offices’ third eries of H. C. Witwer’s short tories to follow the second series f “Fighting Blood” two reelers ow being released. The new series will not be fight tories but will be based on the Vitwer Cosmopolitan stories bout the hotel telephone girl. No mining title for the series has been selected as yet. In addition to this Mr. Berman will make plans for the Witwer “Alex The Great” series of sporting type pictures. It is the intention of the F. B. O. to concentrate its entire efforts on the Witwer short subjects for the coming season and will not take on any additional two-reelers for distribution. To date the Witwer “Fighting Bloods” have proven unusually popular and profitable. ild and Woolly” (Pathe — Sport — One Reel) A typical western rodeo or “stampede,” as it is called in the film, is the subject of this single reeler which is the first of a new series of “Sportlights” by Grantland Rice which Pathe will distribute. It is a decidedly interesting offering that will appeal particularly to men and to lovers of red-blooded sports. There is a lot of action covering the riding of steers, bronchos and wild, unbroken horses, and the spills provide thrills. There are also interesting sidelights in the shots of the audience. — C. S. S.