Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

450 RETURN OF PETER GRIM. (6,950 feet). Star, Alec Francis. A really fine picture that deserved every bit of the praise we heard from the few who braved the chilly weather to see it. Picture did not draw, but this cannot be blamed against the production, as it is splendid. An interesting feature. Tone O.K. Strong appeal, Sunday, yes, special almost. Draw all sorts, town about 1,000. Admission 10-25 to 15-35. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, Louisiana. RETURN' OF PETER GRIM. (6,950 feet). Star, Alec Francis. Good drama that was well liked by majority of patrons. It pays to run pictures like this once in a while. Tone good, appeal SO per cent. Sunday no, special yes. Goodrich Brothers, Strand Theatre, Callao, Missouri. RETURN' OF PETER GRIM. (6,950 feet). Star, Alec Francis. Try to get out the older people for this one, for the young dancing crowd won’t care for it, but it will go strong with everyone else. Had repeaters on it they liked it so well. If you have spiritualists in your town be sure to get them, for they will eat it up. Alec Francis and Janet Gaynor very fine in this and whole cast good. Follows play closely. Dave Adams, Auditorium Theatre, Concord, New Hampshire. SUMMER BACHELORS. (6,752 feet). Star, Madge Bellamy. Drew capacity business. One of the best Fox pictures this year. A little spicy, but just what people want. Hits every home. Tone O.K. Appeal great. Sunday, special yes. Draw from masses, town 4,500. Admission 10-50. Johnny Jones, Orpheum, Washington Theatres (1,000 seats), Quincy, Illinois. THREE BAD MEN. Star cast. Absolutely the best western epic we have ever shown, and we’ve played nearly all of them. It surpassed all expectations. Tied up with schools. Picture made a big hit. Tone good, appeal 80 per cent. Special, yes. Admission 10-35, Goodrich Brothers, Strand Theatre, Callalo, Missouri. Gotham PHAMTOM OF THE FOREST. (7,080 feet.) Star, Thunder (dog). Here’s a dog picture that meant something to us. Packed them in and then proceeded to please them. What more do you want? Draw working class, admission 15. Mitchell Conery, Columbia Theatre, Renssalaer, New York. Metro-Goldwyn BATTLING BUTLER. (7 reels). Star, Buster Keaton. If it had not been for the last two reels having some comedy in them I claim that this picture would have been a perfect flop. We didn’t get much on this one. A. E. Sharer, Globe Theatre, Savannah, Missouri. BLARNEY. Stars, Ralph Graves, Renee Adoree. I don’t know what to say about this one: some liked it and I heard no kicks, but it was the roughest, toughest picture that I ever showed. Even the titleing was rough, more so than necessary, it seemed to me. But the picture was well acted and all parts looked natural and true to life forty or fifty years ago when John L. Sullivan wa3 on top. Tone not so good. Appeal not more than fifty-fifty. Sunday, special no. Draw town, farm class, town 600. Admission 10-30. H. W. Batchelder, Galt Theatre (175 seats), Galt, California. FLESH AND THE DEVIL. (8,750 feet). Star, John Gilbert, with Greta Garbo. Extra good. Draw general class, city 12,500. Admission 115-35. H. V. Smoots, Vine Theatre, Mont Vernon, Ohio. GAY DECEIVER. It was good, too. Well, you say, Clower is easy pleased as he reports all good. I can — when they are good. W. H. Clower, Liberty Theatre, Wirt, Oklahoma. HIS SECRETARY. (6,425 feet). Star, Norma Shearer. Our first Shearer picture, played this Friday and Saturday nights. Business very light first night, Saturday night good. This is a good little comedy MOVING PICTURE WORLD A picture that pulled a packed house on a rainy night! A comedy that saved the show when the feature turned out flat. A picture that drew against a carnival. Where can you learn about those assets to your program? From the tips that generous exhibitors contribute to Straight from the Shoulder. Such tips have already appeared. Do your part to help others. Send tips early and often! drama Which pleased all who saw it. A. E. Sharer, Globe Theatre, Savannah, Missouri. ROAD TO MANDALAY. (6,551 feet). Star, Lon Chaney. An average Chaney picture with a good name. Lon has a certain following that always comes to see him — just so rhany and no more. Tone O.K. Appeal 75 per cent. Sunday yes, special no. Draw general class, town 3,600. Admission 10-20. Wm. A. Clark, Sr.., Oastle Theatre (400 seats), Havana, Illinois. VALENCIA. (5,689 feet). Star, Mae Murray. Valencia very good picture; it would be a better picture if Miss Murray were out of it. They thought she looked bad and acted like a dying duck and that she killed picturei. Sunday yes, special no. Draw family class, town 4,500. Admission 10 to 50. Johnny Jones, Washington, Orpheum Theatres, Quincy, Illinois. VALENCIA. (5,680 feet). Star, Mae Murray. Very poor. Draw general class, city 12,500. Admission 15-35. H. V. Smoots, Vine Theatre, Mount Vernon, Ohio. WANING SEX. (6,025 feet). Star, Norma Shearer. Audience liked it very much. A good picture with punch; hits the misses most. Tone, appeal good. Sunday, special yes. Draw from masses, town 4,500. Admission 10-50. Johnny Jones, Orpheum, Washington Theatres (1,000 seats), Quincy, Illinois. WANING SEX. (6,025 feet). Star, Norma Shearer. One of the best of comedy dramas. Norma is getting better all the time. If Metro-Goldwyn’s picture were all like this one it would be a big parade of hits, but here too many piccolo players in the band. Tone O.K. Appeal 85 per cent. Sunday yes, special no. Draw general class, town 3,600. Admission 10-20. Wm. A. Clark, Sr., Castle Theatre (400 seats), Havana, Illinois. Paramount BLONDE OR BRUNETTE. (6 reels). Star, Adolphe Menjou, with Greta. Nissen. Who said Miss Nissen can’t act? She’s there — ■ and over — in this one; and Menjou, no question about him — great as ever. This is “some” picture! Spicy in spots but not offending. The picture didn’t do very well but no fault of picture, this is a bad time of the year, here, to put over any kind of a picture. But boys — if your town likes Menjou and snappy drama, step on this one. New print and good service, from Paramount. R. A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. GRAND DUCHESS AND THE WAITER. (6,324 feet). Star, Adolph Menjou. A dandy comedy directed by Mai St. Clair. Florence Vidor certainly was easy on the eyes in this one. Tone, appeal good. Not special. Draw better class, town 4,500. Admission 10-20. C. A. Anglemire, “Y” Theatre (400 seats), Nazareth. Pennsylvania. LONDON. Star, Dorothy Gish. We were doubtful of this picture but it went over better than Nell Gwyn. Quite a number of our patrons expressed themselves as pleased with it. Good only for a short run. L. V. Hepinger, manager, Orpheum Theatre, Clarion, Pennsylvania, February 5, 1927 LONDON. Star, Dorothy Gish. Good program picture. Rental was too much for this small town: only a slight margin of profit — not enough. Mrs. J. B. Travelle, Elite Theatre, Placerville, California. LORD JIM. (6,700 feet). Star, Percy Marmont. An excellent picture and story, but the sad ending spoiled it for the majority of our audience here in a small town. Tone, appeal good. Not special. Draw better class, town 4,500. Admission 10-20, C. A. Anglemire, “Y” Theatre (400 seats), Nazareth, Pennsylvania. LOVE ’EM AND LEAVE ’EM. (6,075 feet). Stars, Brent, Brooks and Grey. The title of this picture did much in putting it over fon us. You could hear them say (outside in lobby), “Must see that one. That title sounds g-ood.” And they came, too. The players are all youthful, which adds much charm to the picture. Louise Brooks, in her flapper role, is excellent. Don’t overlook, boosting this one. L. V. Hepinger, manager, Orpheum Theatre, Clarion, Pennsylvania. LOVE ’EM AND LEAVE ’EM. Stars, Brent, Brooks, Grey. Good program picture. Only trouble, rental too high: that is the trouble with all these pictures, rental is too much for this small town. Tone good, no appeal here. Sunday yes, special no. Draw farm, merchant class, town 1,650' widely scattered. Mrs. J. B. Travelle, Elite Theatre, Placerville, California. LUCKY LADY. (7 • reels). Star, Greta Nissen. A fair program show. Not enough, action in this one for our house. Greta Nissen made the picture. Tone good, appeal fair. Not a special. Draw better class, town 4,500. Admission 10-20. C. A. Anglemire, “Y” Theatre (400 seats), Nazareth,. Pennsylvania. MAN OF THE FOREST. Star, Jack Holt. An excellent feature. Sure to please an audience, anywhere. Beautiful scenery, fine acting: everything that is necessary. Rental too high for this small town; forced to raise admission to get only a slight profit. Mrs.. J. B. Travelle, Elite Theatre, Placerville, California. MAN OF THE FOREST. Star, Jack Holt.. This is just another Zane Grey but nevertheless they all seem to go over with me and: to please my people. Zane Grey is just good, plain food for the box office and never fails to do a good business here. I sometimes wonder if Jack Holt is working for Zane Grey or Paramount — anyway, people like him in these Grey westerns, and let’s hope he does them all before he quits. Appeal 95 per cent. Special yes. Draw from industrial town of 6,000. Admission 10-30.. L. O. Davis, Virginia Theatre (700 seats). Hazard, Kentucky. SO'S YOUR OLD MAN. (6,347). Star, W. C. Fields. Comedy which pleased majority, but parts of it were too simple. Would not call it a bang-up feature. Tone good, appeal fair. Sunday yes, special no. Draw mixed class, town 1,800. Admission 25. Fred S.. Widenor, Opera House (492 seats), Belvidere, New Jersey. STRANDED IN PARIS. (6,106 feet). Star, Bebe Daniels. Extra good. Draw general class, city 12,500. Admission 15-35. H. V. Smoots, Vine Theatre, Mount Vernon, Ohio. UNTAMED LADY. (6,132 feet). 'Star, Gloria Swanson. Very good. Gloria always does better than the average business for me. Did not hear any comments, but had a better than average second night business and that is what counts. Tone, appeal good. Sunday yes, special no. Draw town, farm class, town 600. Admission 10-30. H. W. Batchelder, Galt Theatre (175 seats), Galt. California. VARIETY. (5,452 feet). Star, Emil Jannings. I believe this is the greatest work Jannings has ever done. Everyone complimented him very highly. T’he picture as a whole received about a fifty-fifty break. Half thought it extra good and the others did not like it because it was sad and depressing and because it was a foreign picture. Personally I thought it was wonderful entertainment. The aerial artists are wonderful. The picture as a whole keeps you on your toes with excitement. Jannings alone is worth the price of admission. But like most foreign pictures it would never do to show to a Sunday school class. They just did get the camera stopped in time — several times. I’ll bet the long version is a whopper! Business was only average. Tone ????