Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

January 22, 1927 298 CROWN OF LIES. 5,020 feet). Star, Pola Xegri. A fine flop here and deservedly so. Had a good matinee but they “wised up to it“ and the night attendance was very bad. I didn't see the entire picture but what I did look over was enough. Dave Seymour, retiring managing director, Pontiac Theatre, Saranac Lake, New York. DESERT GOLD. (6.S50 feet). The western fans were elated with this picture while the others thought it only passable. Did a fair business. City 9S,000. Admission 1020. A1 C. “Werner, Franklin Theatre (800 seats), Allentown, Pennsylvania. EAGLE OF THE SEA. Star, Ricardo Cortez. One of the best pictures of the year. A good pirate story with an excellent cast. Murray S. Dolliver, Strand Theatre, Laurel, Montana. ENCHANTED HILL. (6,326 feet). Stars, Holt-Berry. Very good production: broke box office for this winter. Tone good, appeal 90 per cent. Sunday yes, special no. Draw mixed class, town 150. Admission 1030. Robert W. Hines, Hines Theatre (150 seats), Loyalton, South Dakota. FINE MANNERS. Star, Gloria Swanson. Not bad by any means; they thought it was funny, and laughed plenty and anyway they like Gloria here. No complaint on this. Not as good as some of her preceding pictures, but, bought right, will get by. Good attendance. Dave Seymour, Pontiac Theatre, Saranac Lake, New York. FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE. (5,356 feet). Star, Harold Lloyd. While the picture seemed to please it failed to draw nearly as well as expected. A1 C. Werner, Franklin Theatre (800 seats), Allentown, Pennsylvania. IT’S THE OLD ARMY IGAME. (6,889 feet). Star, W. C. Fields. Judging by the laughter this picture evoked it must have pleased very well. Did a fair business. City 98,000. Admission 10-20. A1 C. Werner, Franklin Theatre (800 seats), Allentown, Pennsylvania. LOVE ’EM AND LEAVE ’EM. (6,075 feet). Stars. Louise Brooks, Evelyn Brent, Lawrence Gray. This picture is a light combination of comedy and melodrama in six reels. Did a nice business. Everyone will enjoy it. James D. Kennedy, Apollo Theatre, Indianapolis, Indiana. PADLOCKED. (6,700 feet). Star, Lois Wilson. Not what was expected and knew it after the matinee. It was received with comparative silence at the matinee and I knew what that meant from this blase bunch. Paid a good rental and took a fine loss — if you don’t buy en bloc be careful what you pay for this one. From the audience standpoint far from satisfactory— from the box office angle very bad. Dave Seymour, Pontiac Theatre, Saranac Lake, New York. RAINMAKER. (6,025 feet). A mediocre picture that failed as entertainment and as a business getter. A1 C. Werner, Franklin Theatre (800 seats), Allentown, Pennsylvania. SEA HORSES. (6,565 feet). Fair production, pleased the majority. Did an average business. A1 C. Werner, Franklin Theatre (800 seats), Allentown, Pennsylvania. STRANDED IN PARIS. (6,106 feet). Star, Bebe Daniels, cast includes Ford Sterling. This is a delightful piece of entertainment and Ford 'Sterling does some mighty fine work. Bebe is at her best in this picture. A great picture for any theatre. James D. Kennedy, Apollo Theatre, Indianapolis, Indiana. WE’RE IN THE NAVY NOW. (5,519 feet). Star, Wallace Beer'y. Not as good as Behind the Front and cost more. Too much Navy and not enough motion. Will please majority at regular rices. Murray S. Dolliver, Strand Theatre, Laurel, Montana. WET PAINT. (5,709 feet). Star, Raymond Griffith. This is the poorest picture I have played in three years. It was terrible. Four reels of drunken episodes are too many. Had many walkouts and complaints. Tone questioned, appeal none. Sunday, special no. Draw townspeople and farmers, about 850. Admission 10-25. Guy C. Sawyer, Town Hall (250 seats), Chester, Vermont. YOl’D BE SURPRISED. (5,904 feet). Star, Ray Griffith. This is a fair picture, but the public only about half falls for the “Burlesque”— a coroner trying to be funny makes MOVING PICTURE WORLD A tip in praise or a tip in warning on each picture you play, is a proof of your right to belong to the finest fraternity on earth — the exhibitors who are real exhibitors. You can depend on the sincerity of these free-will contributions sent by real showmen. Use these tips to guide your bookings and send tips to help the other good scouts. some of them mad and had several leave the theatre before they got far enough into the feature to understand it. Charles Lee Hyde, Grand Theatre, Pierre, South Dakota. YOU’D BE SURPRISED. S'tar, Ray Griffith. Made them laugh a lot here and was voted very good entertainment. This comedian is a likeable type and while sometimes his stories are very, very light, he puts them across. Nothing to fear about this one: promise they’ll laugh and now and then get a thrill and the picture will back you up in the statement. Good attendance. Dav^ Seymour, retiring managing director, Pontiac Theatre, Saranac Lake, New York. Pathe FRESHMAN. (6,682 feet). A real good comedy and did good business here. Pleased all and several came back second night. Don’t be afraid of this one. J. J. Robinson, West Eminence Theatre, West Eminence. Missouri. Producers Dist. Corp . CLINGING VINE. Not a special but a good program picture. Our patronage well pleased. Population 15,000. Admission 1525. Date this one in. E. R. Burns, Princess Theatre, Fayetteville, North Carolina. GIGOLO. Star, Rod LaRocque. Very good picture, good settings, plot and photography work and with Rod LaRocque in it will make you money. E. R. Burns, Princess Theatre, Fayetteville, North Carolina. UNKNOWN SOLDIER. (7,979 feet). Star cast. A good picture; good print, but did not get the business here. Poor ending spoiled this picture: no one liked the way it ended. Action poor. Could not advise booking it. J. H. Robinson, West Eminence Theatre, West Eminence, Missouri. VOLGA BOATMAN. Extraordinary attraction that pleased 95 per cent, of patrons. Played to fine business. Farming community. L. M. Zug, Rialto Theatre, Jerome, Idaho. United Artists THE BAT. Star cast. A real mystery picture that had ’em on the edge of their seats. It did not draw well for us at 10-25 (advance from usual 10-20) but no fault of show. Tone, appeal good. Not a special. Draw better class, town 4,500. Admission as above C. A. Anglemire, “Y” Theatre (400 seats), Nazareth, Pennsylvania. SON OF THE SHEIK. Star, Rudolph Valentino. Of course it is a box office picture. My people were unanimous in saying that it was the best picture Valentino ever made. But why in the world did the director or cameraman fuzz is all up and make it so dark we had to turn on more juice to see it at all. As I remember The Sheik, it was remarkably clear and pretty. A person was compelled to strain the eyes to tell what was going on in this one. Tone, Sunday, special O. K. Appeal good. Draw all classes,, towtn 3,000. Admission 10-30. M. W. Larmour, National Theatre (430 seats), Graham, Texas. SPARROWS. Star, Mry Pickford. Regardless of what some critics say about this picture I consider it a good picture. If you can. buy it right it may pay you to run it, but with all my advertising it was a complete flop. I got j,ust about enough out of it topay my expenses: in fact, I took in almost exactly two-thirds of the cost of the film appeal, it pleased. Sunday yes. Draw mill, farm class, town 1,000. Admission 25. L. E. Parsons, Parsons Hall (325 seats), Marcellus, New York. TUMBLEWEEDS. (7 reels). Star, W. S. Hart. Outside of a bad print and several very dark scenes this is a very good show. Tone O. K. Appeal fair. Admission 10-25. Mrs. S. J. Brown & Son, Phoenix Theatre (200 seats), Neola. Iowa. TUMBLEWEEDS. Star, YV. S. Hart. Thisis a dandy good picture of the western type and portrays the opening of the CherokeeStrip in a very realistic manner. Did a. very nice business for first night, but got rained out the second night, so didn't makeexpenses. Book it, as it will go well anywhere. Tone good, Sunday yes, special no. Draw general class, town 600. Admission: 10-25, 15-35. W. C. Snyder, Cozy Theatre (265 seats), Larnont, Oklahoma. Universal BUSTIN’ THROUGH. Star, Jack Hoxie.. One of the best Hoxie pictures we have played. Not an old-fashioned western, but plenty of comedy and action. Appeal 80 percent. Sunday yes, special no. George Lodge, Green Lantern Theatre, Claymont, Delaware. CIRCUS CYCLONE. Star, Art Acord. Full of action, some comedy and many thrills: excellent for small town. Work of horse very good. Interesting picture all: through. Appeal, 80 per cent. Sunday, special no. George Lodge, Green Lantern Theatre, Claymont, Delaware. FLAMING FRONTIER. (8,828 feet). Star,. Hoot Gibson. Not what the producers-claimed for it here. Personally should classify this as just a shade over a program picture and bought at this rating you’ll get by: if you give super-play rental on this, look out. It’s not bad; but the meritr. of this picture, to me, is the price you buy it at. Attendance pretty good. Dave Seymour, managing director, Pontiac Theatre,. Saranac Lake, New York. HIS PEOPLE. A good picture throughout. Pleased everybody. City 98,000. A1 CWerner, Franklin Theatre (800 seats), Allentown, Pennsylvania. MY OLD DUTCH. While not much of a puller it pleased those who came very well. A1 C. Werner, Franklin Theatre (800 seatsR Allentown, Pennsylvania. ROLLING HOME. (6,831). Star, Reginald! Denny. People here seem to like Denny, judging by their reception of this picture: did very nice business. A1 C. Werner,. Franklin Theatre (800 seats), Allentown, Warner Bros, PASSIONATE Q.UEST. Nothing to brag about: still it seemed to please the majority. A1 C. Werner, Franklin Theatre (800 seats), Allentown, Pennsylvania. SEA BEAST. (9,975 feet). 0tar, John Barrymore. Truly a wonderful production by a star who knows how to act and a director who knows his business. Many favorable comments heard from patrons: leaving the theatre. The appeal in this picture is stronger for the men patrons thanfor the ladies; however, they all enjoyed it. Tone favorable, appeal 90 per cent. Sunday, special yes. Draw all classes, town 2,900. Admission 15-30. A. E. Andrews, Operai House (486 seats), Emporium, Pennsylvania..