The Moving picture world (February 1920-March 1920)

March 20, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 2003 1 1 1 m mi T i 1ST KtLVlE W IS and COMMrLN J CONDUCTED BY EDWARD WEITZEL. ASSOCIATEIEDITOR ^^^^^ 1 1 1 1 Sidelights and Reflections THERE have been many stories printed about the amazing changes made by scenario writers and directors in the plots of novels and plays and also of original material before the completed product has reached the screen public. The charge brought against producers that their screen versions of wellknown works by celebrated authors are often sadly mutilated generally comes from well meaning but poorly informed persons who have not learned that the change of form from printed word to pantomime imposes certain restrictions that make it impossible to retain all of the characters and situations of a story. For one thing, there is the time limit; certain novels if used entirely would outdistance the four hours running time of John Barrymore's "Richard III" the opening night and keep on going until daylight, a thing which the most ardent of movie fans might find fatiguing. The question of artistic balance is also quite as important. If you have only a given time in which to hear about a person in whom you are deeply interested you are in no mood to have the conversation switched off to another person who may be a good enough chap in his way but with whom you are but slightly acquainted. If you had plenty of time to hear about both you might feel differently about the matter. The same is true when people go to the moving picture. Their time is limited and their interest quickly centers on one or more of the leading characters in the story. Artistic balance demands that these characters shall be clearly defined and that their romance, carefully concealed secret or absorbing life-motive, be rounded out into a well-told taje, which can be learned at one sitting. Other characters which, in the greater latitude of the unrestricted and more leisurely novel, can be explained in detail without hurting the interest of the story, must be so briefly sketched in the screen version that it is generally better to drop them out altogether. It is extremely difficult to make some persons understand that even film producers learn by experience. Among other things they have learned that a story can be thrown out of balance to a serious extent in the space of time it takes to flash a single incident on the screen — if that incident attempts to awaken more than a passing interest in a character of minor importance. Fancy the effect if a grand opera chorusman should step out of line and focus attention upon himself by breaking into a solo just as the tenor had hit high C and was bowing his appreciation of the applause showered upon him by the delighted audience! The aspiring chorister and his solo would be no more out of place than would an attempt to center interest on a photoplay character whose logical position corresponds to one of the spokes in a wheel of the carriage in which the hero rides. It will be welcome news to New York picture patrons that "Huckleberry Finn" comes to the Rialto the week of March 14. The success of the Rivoli engagement will undoubtedly be repeated. WEITZEL. 1 IN THIS ISSUE. I 1 Excuse My Dust (Paramount). | I Mothers o£ Men (Republic). | I Tbe Daredevil (Fox). | 1 In Search of a Sinner (First National). | I Hushed Hour (Harry Garson). | 1 Flame of Hellgate (Robertson-Cole). | 1 Women Men Forget (American Cinema) | 1 Deadline at Eleven ( Vitagraph). | I The Dangerous Talent (American). | I The Dream Cheater (Hodklnson). | I The Lone Hand (.Alexander). | I The Stolen Kiss (Realart). | I Sex (Hodklnson). | I Comments. | ^rfi«iiiiiini«iiiHiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii"'iiiiiiiiiii'iiiiiii'iiiiiiitii'"ii'i""i'i'iii'i''i''"iii'i''i'i''i''i''i'ii'ii'i'''''i''i'i''i''i''i'ii'i "Excuse My Dust" Excellent Continuation of the Popular "Roaring Road," with Wallace Reid, Released by Famous Players. Reviewed by M. A. Malaney. EXCUSE MY DUST" is not only a picture that will delight those who admire Wallace Reid, but it will give general satisfaction to all classes of theatre-goers. It is a continuation of the popular automobile racing picture, "The Roaring Road," which was released last spring. All of the principal characters, portrayed by the same actors, are in "Excuse My Dust," and there is a thrilling auto race, exceeding the one in the other picture. The story has been adapted from the Saturday Evening Post Tale entitled "The Bear Trap." The new picture opens with Wally and Ann Little, the parents of a chubby youngster, living with Ann's father. There is keen rivalry between the auto company owned by this family and another company owned by a set of shady individuals. Naturally things lead up to another automobile race. The big events of the race are the smashup of the two leading cars and the daredevil ride by one driver over a trestle, with a train bearing down behind him. This was made necessary because of a closed roadway. Reid, Theodore Roberts and Miss Little are all excellent. It is easy for anyone who saw "The Roaring Road" to grasp the characters. A foreword explaining something about the previous production also serves to make the story clear to those who have not seen the previous picture. It is a fine production and will certainly please with its speedy action and excitement. Cast. "Toodles" Walden Wallace Reid J. D. Ward Theodore Roberts President Mutchler Tully Marshall Dorothy Walden Ann Little Darby Guy Oliver Henderson Otto Brower Griggs James Gordon Ritz Walter Long Oldham Jack Herbert Police Magistrate Fred Huntley Adapted from the Saturday Evening Post story "The Bear Trap," by Byron Morgan. Scenario by Will M. Rltchey. Directed by Sam Wood. Length, 4,330 feet. The Story. "Toodles" Walden is manager of the Darco automobile agency and son-in-law of J. D. Ward ("The Bear"), president of the Darco concern. Ward has the new Darco motor, a marvel for speed and power, hidden. Mutchler, president of the rival Fargot Motor Car Company, is determined by fair means or foul to secure a sketch of It. Egged on by Ritz, a Fargot racing driver, "Toodles" is lured into a race and arrested. J. D. Ward arranges to have "Toodles' " license suspended for sixty days and sells all three Darco racing cars on the open marlcet. The Fargot concern secretly acquires two of them and disguises them as Fargot cars. At the auto show, the Fargot company issues what amounts to a challenge to the Darco people. J. D. puts up $10,000 for a road race from Los Angeles to San Francisco. "Toodles" buys in one of the old Darcos and names it the "Cyclone." The Fargot representatives think it is the Darco with the new motor. "Toodles" receives a telegram from his wife in San Francisco that their baby is ill and to come at once. He enters the "Cyclone" in the race. J. D. hears that the Fargot drivers plan to wreck the "Cyclone." Taking the real Darco with the new motor, he starts out after his son-in-law. Ritz, the Fargot driver, attempts to crowd "Toodles" off the road, but the latter foils him by ramming him in the rear. He beats Ritz up, sees another Fargot driver come up in a disguised Darco, and, jumping into the seat, orders the astonished pilot to take him to San Francisco at top speed. Old J. D. wins the race, with "Toodles" second. The latter rushes to his wife to find everything O. K. Program and Exploitation Catchlines: "Excuse My Dust," Says Wallace Reid In His Latest Smashing Racing Story — See Him Tear Up the Roads in His "Cyclone." With the Drop of the Flag They're Off — Dashing, Smashing Their Way Around Curves — Death Defying Plunges Through the Darkness Against Time. — Does He Win the Race? See Wallace Reid in "Excuse My Dust." See the Thrilling Auto Race — The SmashUp — The Beat at the Point Where the Road Crosses the Railroad Tracks — They Are in "Excuse My Dust" — A Follow Up to "The Roaring Road." A Pleasing Comedy Drama of Business Love — Auto Racing — and Many Thrills. Exploitation Angles: Play up Reid and the fact that this is another of the "Darco" automobile stories. Hook up with the others you have used and make a special drive on the automobile owners if you can get a list— and you can get a list if you want one badly enough. If you can get a bargain in cloth have banners lettered up "Excuse My Dust. this week," and supply these to auto owners who run fast cars; then get the worst looking Ford you can find and turn it loose on your own account with a similar banner. Send this car out a few days after the others, and frequent breakdowns will add point to the joke. REVIEWS printed in Moving Picture World are written with authority by experienced craftsmen who express an honest opinion That's why our reviews are dependable