Moving Picture World (Mar-May 1927)

F. B. O. BREED OF THE SEA. Star, Ralph Ince. Good, strong plot; fine direction; splendid acting; excellent photography makes this a wonderful attraction. Heard more good comments than on any picture since we’ve shown Three Bad Men. It’s a sea story with a novel theme and Ralph Ince does some really creditable work both as star and as director. Hope to see him again in some more sea stories. Advertised in advance as a strong, human story, and drew a fair crowd. Tone O. K. Strong appeal. Sunday yes, special almost. Draw all classes, town about 1,000. Admission 10-25 to 15-35. H. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, Louisiana. DO.\ MIKE. Good outdoor picture. Pleased patrons. Moral tone good, yes for Sunday. Box office fair. Special no. Mrs. J. B. Travelle. Elite Theatre, Placerville, California. WHEN A DOG LOVES. Good program picture. Tone, Sunday O. K. Fair box office appeal. Mrs. J. B. Travelle, Elite Theatre, Placerville, California. FLAMING FURY. Star, Ranger (dog). Just another canine picture with too much dog in it. As is usual in all hound pictures the animal has a love affair and raises a family. Rin-Tin-Tin has played this angle so much that it is old. 'Suppose the producers change about a little and give some variety. Can’t say otherwise than that this was a weak program affair. Human actors all unknowns. Tone O. K. Weak appeal. Sunday, yes here, special no. Draw all colors, town about 1,000. Admission 10-25 to 15-35 specials. H. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, Louisiana. MAN RUSTLIN’. Star, Bob Custer. Plot no good. Bob has made better pictures. No tone, fair appeal. Sunday, special no. Draw farm class, town 412. Admission 10-25. Leveck & Garner, Benoit Auditorium (100 seats), Benoit, Mississippi. KOSHER KITTY KELLY. Star, Viola Dana. A good comedy. As well liked as Cohens and the Kellys. Comedies of this type draw better than specials (so-called). Book it and sit back and watch ’em come in. Tone fine, appeal 100 per cent. Special yes. Draw neighborhood class, city 90,000. Admission 10-20. Charles Epler, New Allen Theatre (600 seats), Allentown, Pennsylvania. MIDNIGHT FLYER. Star, Cullen Landis. This had all the earmarks of a good production and interest was sustained throughout. Character acting very good. Somewhat rough in places but nothing really objectionable. Tone O. K. General appeal. Draw rural class, town 300. Admission 15-30, specials 15-40. Chas. W. Lewis, I. O. O. F. Hall, Grand Gorge, New York. NO MAN’S LAW. Star, Bob Custer. A fair western program picture: however, not quite up to Bob’s standard. Good tone. A, E. 'Sharer, Globe Theatre, Savannah, Missouri. NON-STOP FLIGHT. A knockout story: had everything — photography, scenes, acting and everything. Good business. Tone good, appeal 90 per cent. Draw general class, city 23,000. Admission 10-25. Ed C. Curdts, Bijou Theatre (300 seats), Greenville, South Carolina. OUT OF THE WEST. Star, Tom Tyler. Good for Saturday, tone good, appeal good. Sunday, special no. Draw town, country class town 896. Admission 10-25. Mrs. S. J. Brown & Son, Phoenix Theatre (200 seats), Neola, Iowa. SECRET ORDERS. .Star, Evelyn Brent. Our first Brent picture and gave very good satisfaction. Patrons entirely pleased with the work of this excellent actress and interest maintained throughout. Tone O. K. Appeal general. Sunday yes, special no. Draw rural class, town 300. Admission 15 “It is my utmost desire to serve my fellow man.” That is our slogan, we exhibitors who send unbiased reports on pictures we have played. Our Gang is held together by the bonds of common interest and mutual good will. We welcome you into our circle, you will automatically become one of us by the free-will act of sending picture tips to this dependable tip department. OUR GANG 30, specials 15-40. Chas. W. Lewis, I. O. O. F. Hall (250 seats). Grand Gorge, New York. TWO-GUN MAN. Star, Fred Thomson. Good. Thomson is a sure bet here. We like him more and more. Appeal fine, Sunday, special no. Draw farming class, town 412. Admission 10-25. Leveck & Garner, Benoit Auditorium, Benoit, Mississippi. WHEN A DOIG LOVES. 'Star, Ranger (dog). A regular kid show which the adults will like too. This dog, if given good stories, will make some of the so-called star dogs sit up and take notice. Sunday yes. R. A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. First National IT MUST BE LOVE. Star, Colleen Moore. Good as hers always are. Enjoyed by all. Tone good, appeal 60 per cent. Sunday yes, special no. Draw general class, town 2,200. Admission 10-25. A. F. K. Jenkins, Community Theatre (469 seats), David City, Nebraska. JUST ANOTHER BLONDE. Star, Dorothy Mackaill. A good program picture. Pleased majority. A good cast, and Well acted picture. Tone, appeal good. Sunday yes, special no. Draw mixed class, town 1,800. Admission 25. Fred S. Widenor, Opera House (492 seats), Belvidere, New Jersey. KIKI. Star, Norma Talmadge. Splendid. Everybody thought it was fine. She got away with it and we didn’t think she could in this type of picture. Everybody pleased. Tone fair, appeal 80 per cent. Sunday no, special yes. Draw general class, town 2,200. Admission 10-25. A F. Jenkins, Community Theatre (469 seats), David City, Nebraska. KIKI. 'Star, Norma Talmadge. The refined, emotional Norma in a cheap story of the Paris streets. Why do they do it Fans were disappointed, as they have learned to expect the beautiful star in pictures suited to her type, high class dramatic features, and they did not fail to express their opinion of this number. Let’s have Miss Norma in pictures of the Smilin’ Tru and Ashes of Vengeance type. Tone fair, appeal weak. Sunday perhaps, special no. Draw all sorts, town about 1,000. Admission 10-25 to 15-35 specials. H. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, Louisiana. LUNATIC AT LARGE. Star, Leon Errol. This was the poorest show that we have shown this season. Patrons all said it was too silly. Tone good, appeal poor. Sunday yes, special no. Draw mixed class, town 1,800. Admission 25. Fred S. Widenor, Opera House (492 seats), Belvidere, New Jersey. MIDNIGHT LOVERS. Star, Lewis Stone. Too bad that such a fine actor is miscast so many times as a lover. Fans want a youngster to do the loving but First National doesn’t seem to realize this, and they are thereby causing attendance on this star’s pictures to fall down. Midnight Lovers is £ very weak feature and the few who camt gradually left the house before the final fadeout. If Stone must be cast as a lover, let’s let a younger rival get the girl. Tone weak, appeal none. Sunday maybe, special no. Draw all sorts, town 1,000. Admission 10-25 to 15-35 specials. H. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, Louisiana. MISMATES. Star, Doris Kenyon. A nice little program picture that went over very good. Don’t make expenses but no fault of the picture. Don’t think you will make a mistake in playing this one. Tone good, appeal 90 per cent. Sunday yes, special no. Draw general class, town 600. Admission 1025 and 15-35. W. C. Snyder, Cozy Theatre (265 seats), Lamont, Oklahoma. NEW COMMANDMENT. Star, Blanche Sweet. A good romantic drama with war scenes. Well liked. Tone good, appeal 40 per cent. Sunday, special no. Draw general class, town 2,200. Admission 10-25. A F. Jenkins, Community Theatre (469 seats), David City, Nebraska. OVERLAND STAGE. Star, Ken Maynard. Good. First one by this star that I have played. Girls are raving about him; men like him. ‘‘Oh — Min!” what a horse! And he can ride. Try him out, boys. You won’t be sorry. Appeal 60 per cent. Draw general class, town 2,200. Admission 10-25. A F. Jekins, Community Theatre (469 seats), David City, Nebraska, OLD LOVES FOR NEW. Star, Lewis. Stone. Very good story; pleased the patrons. Tone, appeal good. Sunday yes, special no. Draw farm, merchant class, town 1,650 widely scattered. Mrs. J. B. Travelle, Elite Theatre, Placerville, California. PLAYING WITH SOULS. Stars, Mary Astor, Jacqueline Logan. This picture, which was fair and created a lot of heart interest, failed to click at the box office. The advertising and stars meant nothing and they just Fox AUCTIONEER. (6 reels). Star, George Sidney. The best Jew “poppa” of the screen is Sidney. He’s great in this one. But some way or other we couldn’t get a crowd in on it. Nice and clean for a Sunday. Paper is only fair. Good moral tone. R. A Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. BLACK PARADISE. Good picture but failed to get business for us. Tone fair, appeal 75 per cent. Special no. Draw mixed class, city 23,000. Admission 10-25. Ed C. Curdts, Bijou Theatre (300 seats), Greenville, South Carolina. GREAT K. & A TRAIN ROBBERY. Star, Tom Mix. Mr. Thomas Mix does not show up in this number: in it, however, we find Tom Mix of old — the dashing, hard-riding son-of-a-gun, who carries a wallop in either hand and who is capable of whipping a whole den full of thieves without getting as much as a scratch himself. The patrons eat this kind of stuff, and we heard more praise of Tom in the Great K. & A Train Robbery than we have heard since the Deadwood Coach. "Would like to shake Tom’s hand after this one. Wonderful scenery. Tone O. K. Appeal 100 plus. Sunday yes, special no. Draw all sorts, town about 1,000. Admission 10-25 to 15-35 specials. H. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, ouisiana. MARRIAGE LICENSE? Star, Alma Rubens. A long drawn out affair with fine acting and splendid photography but poor entertainment value. The story of a mother who sacrifices her love in order to give her son an education. No comedy relief. Too heavy for most small town audiences. Paper