The Moving picture world (December 1920)

December 18. 1920 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 901 Fifth Clara Kimball Young Release, "Hush, 99 Is Scheduled by Equity Pictured Corporation WHAT is understood to be its most important announcement of the year comes from the offices of the Equity Pictures Corporation to the effect that the fifth Clara Kimball Yound production, "Hush," consisting of six reels is now ready for release. The author is Sada Cowen, also responsible for "Why Change Your Wife." She was engaged exclusively for the Garson productions two months ago and immediately began work on "Hash" — an original theme particularly constructed for Miss Young. Clara Kimball Young takes the role of the youthful Vera Stanford, wife of Jack Stanford, and she is supported by J. Frank Glendon, the leading man; Bertram Grassby, Kathlyn Williams, Jack Pratt, Gerard Alexander, Beatrice la Plante and John Underhill. The production, of course, is directed by Harry Garson. The release of "Hush" comes comparatively early, as only two months have elapsed since the release of Miss Young's fourth production, "Mid-Channel," which has just begun its successful career throughout the country's leading theatres. The reason for the brief interval between both releases is that the franchiseholders of the Young productions have requested as speedy a release of "Hush" as possible, so that it may follow on the crest of Mid-Channel success. Beautiful Gown Display The usual wealth of gown display that has made Miss Young's productions synonymous with the best in fashion is WITH the release of Marshall Neilan's newest offering, "Dinty," a new star, comes into the motion picture firament in the person of little Wesley "Freckles" Barry, the boy actor. In the title role of this photoplay, as the San Francisco newsboy, Wesley is called upon to portray a most difficult dramatic character. According to reports, "Freckles" has more than accomplished the task set out for him. In "Dinty," Wesley Barry's efforts are not confined to comedy relief effects as in past productions in which he has appeared. Mr. Neilan, in creating the story of "Dinty," demands of the young star a test of his histrionic accomplishments in ANNOUNCEMENT is made by Lloyd Park, owner of the Criterion Theatre, in Atlanta, Ga., that the present leasee has renewed the lease for a period of fifteen years as from Nov. IS last. The announcement straightens out a tangle which has resulted through claims on the parts of various bidders for the theatre, including one advertised announcement, which alleged that the advertiser had procured the handling of the motion picture house. Under the management of Willard C. Patterson the Criterion has developed into what is credited as being one of the best paying motion picture properties in the south. The lease is for a period of fifteen years and provides for an aggregate rental of approximately $500,000. surpassed in variety and extravagance in "Hush." The interior sets and decorations are the acme of magnificence, rivaling the indoor investitures of "Mid-Channel" in beauty, it is claimed by Equity. Among the many gorgeous spectacles that stream through the story are a brilliant diningroom scene, an oriental fete, where the costumes worn by Miss Young and others are fairly dazzling, a fantastic artist's studio, a garden party, a seashore scene and a succession of moonlight landscapes of unusual effect. The action is based on the delicate question of absolute faithfulness of a married couple. As suggested by the title the lesson of the story is that the past of a young married couple should be characterized by silence, lest some unfortunate incident be dug up which might be misconstrued by either and mar an otherwise happy future. In this production it is said that Miss Young rises to the zenith of her dramatic power, and depicts the inner suffering of a young wife, battling against her secret, with forceful '-ffect. It enables the Equity star to display the endless variety of mood and emotion, of which she is capable of portraying. It also affords Kathlyn Williams to reveal a sympathetic characterization as the friend of Vera and of Hugh Graham, the artist who is falsely suspected by Vera's husband. Of the performance of J. Frank Glendon and Bertram Grassby, it is unnecessary t > speak, as the work of these screen characters is well known in 'For the Soul of Rafael' and 'MidChannel.' situations ranging from deeply pathetic to heavy dramatic work. Joe Plunkett, manager of the New York Strand, and others, state that Wesley's work in this film presents one of the best pieces of acting of the year. He is surrounded by a capable cast, including Colleen Moore, Pat O'Malley, Marjorie Daw, Noah Beery and others. "Dinty" is Marshall Neilan's own creation, handled for the screen by Marion Fairfax. The sets were under the supervision of Ben Carare. David Kesson is responsible for the "shots" in "Go and Get It," turned the crank on "Dinty," while Tom Held acted as Mr. Neilan's assistant. It will be distributed by First National. Mr. Patterson stated that with the opening of the new Metropolitan Theatre scheduled for April 1, the Criterion will be closed for remodeling. The seating capacity will be increased to 1,300. The Criterion holds the Atlanta franchise of Associated First National Pictures, Inc., and during the time it is closed for the remodeling the releases under the franchise will be housed at the Metropolitan. Mrs. Barker III Mrs. Reginald Barker, wife of the Goldwyn director, is seriously ill at her home on South Ardmore avenue. Mrs. Barker was formerly Miss Clara Williams, of Triangle productions. Shirley Mason 's Latest Scheduled for December One of the outstanding releases of Fox Film Corporation for December is Shirley Mason's "Flame of Youth." Exhibitors will recall that one of the big William Fox money-makers last year was "Molly and I" with Shirley Mason. The success of this play was accredited to the artistry displayed by Miss Mason. "Flame of Youth" resembles "Molly and I" only in that fact that Miss Mason portrays another quaint character — that of a peasant maid who spends her days and nights in dreaming dreams and building fantastic air castles. The story was adapted by Barbara LaMarr Deely. It was staged in the Fox Hollywood studios by Howard M. Mitchell. The cast includes Betty Schade, Philo McCullough, Cecil Van Auker, Adelbert Knott and Karl Formes. Dwight Perrin Pulls Good Stunt for Film "Last of Mohicans" To Dwight Perrin, of Associated Producers, goes credit for a good publicity stunt worked in behalf of Maurice Tourneur's "Last of the Mohicans." Perrin ran across a clipping stating that Lemuel Occum Fielding, the only surviving chief of the Mohican Indians, was residing with his family at Norwich, Conn., and concluded immediately that if he could push Mr. Fielding into the newspapers as the "last of the Mohicans," it would be bully "reminder" publicity for the picture. Therefore Perrin went to Norwich and made the acquaintance of Mr. Fielding and his family, finally inviting them on a trip to Washington. Perrin went along, of course, and tried to have Mr. Fielding with his son and daughter received by Seretary Tumulty. When this would not work, he switched the "reception" to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, where Cato Sells, the Indian Commissioner, gave them the glad hand while the news cameras snapped. Quite naturally the photos showed Commissioner Sells receiving a print of "The Last of the Mohicans", from Chief Occum. Institute Interested So much publicity was had from this that the Smithsonian Institute rang up the Washington Hotel, where Mr. Perrin was stopping, and asked if the Fieldings might come over to help out the Institute with some Mohegan words needed in Smithsonian's efforts to reconstruct the Indian language. Dr. J. Walter Fewkes, Director of the Smithsonian Institute, received the chief and his family in person and again the capital news cameras cranked. Mr. Perrin next had the Fieldings offer their services to the national headquarters of the Red Cross, which is located in Washington, and the Red Cross publicity department had the prettiest nurse in the city receive Chief Occum, photographing this event and handling the pictures through the official Red Cross News Service. All that Mr. Perrin asked of the news photo people for granting them permission to pose Chief Occum and family was mention of the chief as "The Last of the Mohicans." WAS SHE HER BROTHER'S KEEPER? PEGGY HYLAND in THE PRICE OF SILENCE Wesley Barry Becomes Star with Release of the Marshall Neilan Picture "Dinty Announcement of Lease of the Criterion Theatre Has Straightened Out a Tangle