The Moving picture world (January 1920-February 1920)

610 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 24, 1920 Equity's ''Eyes of Youth'' Continues to Make New Records Wherever Shown TurnbuU's earliest dramatic works was the co-authorship of "Classmates" with Mr. DeMille. EYES OF YOUTH," the first release of the Equity Pictures Corporation, continues to create new records in almost every town in the country in which it is being shown. At Albany, N. Y., it played to 60 per cent, more business than any previous picture, and was brought back last week for a repeat and again attracted more than the usual amount of patronage. At the Criterion Theatre, Atlanta, Ga., in the face of three of the coldest days the city has ever known, the house record was broken and it is to be brought back for a repeat. At the Ohio Theatre, Indianapolis, "Eyes of Youth" opened to $2,000 on New Year's Day, and, contrary to expectations, played to within $40 on Friday of its holiday total. In spite of the usual reaction after New Yeir's. or any important holiday, the Equity picture maintained its ratio throughout the first five days of fhe engagement, which is as late as the local office has any reports on. In Two Houses at Same Time. At Pittsburg it played two houses simultaneously, and in spite of zero weather — an unusual condition in Pittsburg— the record of the Grand Theatre was broken, as was that of Clark & Rowland's Liberty Theatre. Lynn, Mass., shattered all previous receipts with "Eyes of Youth," while Denver, Col., is booked for a repeat after playing to the greatest number of people and the greatest receipts in the history of the American Theatre in that city. One of the' most remarkable booking achievements in the history of local exchanges is reported by Sam Zierler, president of the Commonwealth Film Corporation, which handles the Equity productions in New York. He reports that thirty-three theatres on Broadway, from Loew's Greeley Square to the Ma Great Copenhagen House Has American Projectors MOVING PICTURE WORLD published an exclusive story in its issue of January 1 on the beautiful PaladsTheatre in Copenhagen. This story, material for which was supplied by David P. Howells, has already aroused a large amount of interest. Although the story did not state the fact, the projection equipment of the Palads-Theatre was supplied by the Nicholas Power Company, known as the pioneers of the European market. It is a condition gratifying to the manufacturers of .American projectors that this magnificent theatre, representing the best in continental houses, should be equipped with machines coming from an American organization. This unquestionably demonstrates that .American projectors are "first." <iiiiiiiiMriiiiirriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilliiiiiiiJiilliiiiiitiiiiJillili[li)ltiiniiitiiiiitn|[iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiti>ii jestic on 181st street and Broadway, have either played the picture or are playing it; this includes some instances in which "Eyes of Voulh" has played in theatres only one block apart, and which takes in important houses, such as the Standard, Schuyler, Adelphi, Keystone, Bunny, Washington, Audubon, Dyckman, and Empire theatres, in addition to which all of the Loew houses and Fox theatres have already played the picture, while in Brooklyn scarcely a theatre is without its dates on the Clara Kimball Young production. Bookings Heavy on Second Picture. So remarkable has been the business accruing to the exhibitor on "Eyes of Youth" that the bookings on the second Young picture, which the Equity will release early in February, already exceeds in volume in many instances the gross bookings on previous Young films at the end of their first year. "The Forbidden Woman," which will be Equity's most important February release, has been made on the same scale of prodigiousness as "Eves of Youth" and boasts a cast equally important. The third young release will not occur until the middle of May, and will be Marah Ellis Ryan's noted work, "The Soul of Rafael." "Tree of Knowledge" Is Warwick's Next Release THOUGH Robert Warwick is the star of the Paramount Artcraft picture, "The Tree of Knowledge," which is released on January 18, the predominating note is the "eternal feminine." The story harks back to the Garden of Eden for its motif. However, the play is thoroughly modern, the connection with Eve and the original sin being established by a beautiful prologue. In this, Theodore KosloflF, the Russian interpretative dancer, and Yvonne Gardelle are partners in a fine bit of pantomime, portraying the ancient legend of Adam and his demon-wife, Lillith, who is supposed mythically to have been Eve's predecessor. The main action concerns one Nigel Stanyon, a youth "intended" for the church, who, while travelling on the continent, is lured by an adventuress named Belle. She casts him aside and Nigel finally is installed in England as overseer on the estate of an old friend. He comes to love an innocent girl, but fears to tell her because of his past. His position becomes doubly difficult when his friend returns with the brazen Belle as his wife. What follows is full of dramatic action. Mr. Warwick has a romantic role of the type in which he has made his greatest success both on the screen and on the stage. Kathlyn Williams, in the ultra-vampirish role of Belle, contributes a meritorious performance, as also do Wanda Hawley, Tom Forman and Irving Cummings. William DeMille was the director of "The Tree of Knowledge" and Margaret Turnbull was the adaptor of the story which originally was a play by R. C. Carton. Singularly enough, one of Miss Tower* s Claim for "The Superman." Reports received by Tower Film Corporation from exhibitors who are running the five reel production, "The Superman," now being released on the state right market, show successful results. Says an official of the Tower Film Corporation: "'The Superman' is unique, interesting and thrilling as a production. It is filled with suspense, escapes, rescues and adventure. It is a melodrama that will appeal not alone for its sensationalism, but because it is something 'different' in pictures." Fox Film Jury Praises Clemenceau's "Strongest** FIVE versions of "The Strongest," by Premier Clemenceau of France, have been viewed by a jury at the projection rooms of Fox Film Corporation, which means that practically all the scenes in the production were taken five times. The jury decided which of the five, in their expert judgment, conveyed most perfectly the great thoughts of the mighty Clemenceau in his telling of what they regard as the most powerful modern love story in the world; and these scenes, titled, will be the version of the only photodrama from the pen of the "Tiger of France," that will be shown to the public. "The Strongest" is declared to be the greatest work of R. A. Walsh. Its director, Mr. Walsh, was given everything with which to make a picture — mighty story, mighty cast, mighty sets, and unlimited capital, and throwing into it all of his directorial genius, he has produced for Fox Film Corporation the crowning effort of his career, it is announced. To interpret the characters of the story, an international cast was secured including Carlo Liten, the noted Belgian actor. Harrison Hunter, a leading man; Florence Malone, noted for her work in Oliver Morosco's stage successes; Renee Adoree, known as "Renee the Adored" in Paris; Belgium's famous screen star. Georgette Gauthier de Trigny; Jean Gauthier de Trigny, the French actor; James Marcus, Hal Horne, C. A. de Lima and Teddy Piper. Ben Bail handled the camera. "A Gamble in Souls" to Be Released January 25 IN releasing on January 25 ".\ Gamble in Souls," the Thomas H. Ince production produced by Triangle and featuring Dorothy Dalton, United .considers it has acquired a feature starring one of the most popular actresses in the film industry. ".A. Gamble In Souls" is a vivid story of life. Its theme has for its basis the battle of good and evil. It is the story o.f a woman of the Frisco cabarets and a preacher of the Gospel, one scoffing at the code of morals adopted by the preacher and the man seeing only evil in the woman. These two removed from man-made surroundings and cast away on a deserted island learn gradually the true meaning of life, is grandly told in this production.