The Moving picture world (February 1920)

722 MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 5, 1921 Great Crowd Applauds Vitagraph's "Black Beauty" at Premier Showing "Black Beauty," Vitagraph's special production based on the famous story by Anna Sewell, had its first performance in any theatre last Sunday night at the Capitol Theatre, Hartford, Connecticut. Jean Paige is the star of the production. The theatre, which seats more than three thousand two hundred, and holds fully three thousand five hundred persons with the standees, was crowded to capacity at both performances. The Connecticut State Laws provide that Sunday evening performances may not begin before seven o'clock P. M. and must end by ten o'clock P. M. The late arrivals who could not gain an entrance to the first performance remained patiently in the spacious lobby for the second showing of the picture. Mr. and Mrs. George Randolph Chester, who wrote the film version, were present. " 'Black Beauty' is a splendid example of the efforts of Vitagraph to produce better pictures," Mr. Chester told the audiences in a short speech. "It is a great step forward in the right direction. The picture is clean and wholesome, and it is also good entertainment. Will Be Encouraged "If you like it simply because you know the story and because there is nothing in it to offend man, woman or child, then we have at least partially failed in our purpose. If you like the picture for these reasons and because it is also good entertainment — exceptionally good entertainment— -then we have accomplished what we set out to do and will be encouraged to continue along the same lines in making better pictures." There was no doubt that the huge audiences liked "Black Beauty," it is said. Many of the scenes were applauded to the echo. Subsequent audiences were as large and as enthusiastic and the engagement of the Capitol hung up a new record for attendance, the previous record having been held by "Dead Men Tell No Tales," another of Vitagraph's special productions. An unusual feature of the engagement of "Black Beauty" in Hartford was the new class of patrons it attracted to the theatre. A week before the engagement every school teacher and principal in Hartford, to the number of nearly eight hundred, received a personal letter, briefly describing the special production of "Black Beauty" and calling attention to the fact that the picture would be shown at four forty-five o'clock in the afternoon each day, except Sunday, the picture closing shortly after six o'clock, thus enabling school children to see the production without in any way interfering with their school dut'-s and studies. The gist of the letter was told to the pupils and brought the desired results. As the usual second performance in the afternoon, coming in between the regular first performance and the first evening performance, is known as the "dead hour" in the motion picture theatres, the presence of school children, who were admitted at the regular matinee instead of the night prices, did much to assist and obtain a new record for the theatre. But these afternoon performances were not attended entirely by the youngsters. Their parents or guardians or teachers came with them. To further create interest in the picture, Mr. Clancey gave a private showing on Saturday morning, in which the guests included high city officials, the clergy, and the principals of the various schools. Subsequent letters from those who were delighted by the picture afforded Manager Clancey the opportunity to print their words of approval in his adver tisements and stretchers in front of the theatre. No Extensive Exploitation Manager Clancey did not undertake any unusual or extensive campaign in exploiting "Black Beauty," trusting rather to the general knowledge of the story and the natural interest in it. A beautiful black horse was exercised daily for two weeks in the Hartford streets, wearing a blanket with his name, "Black Beauty," in black letters. In one corner of the lobby of the theatre, Mr. Clancey had had built a stucco stable of English type with red tile roof and in this he placed a life-sized figure of a black horse borrowed from a local harness maker. This attracted considerable attention and interest. A string of seven foot letters in black and reading "Black Beauty" was hung across the middle of the lobby. This was all the special exploitation found necessary. Press of Work May Cause Moreno to Forego Planned Southern Trip In the midst of the wholesome surroundings of a big ranch near Bakersfield, Cal., Antonio Moreno is guiding the operations of a giant farm tractor. He recently finished "Three Sevens," and while he had earnestly hoped that before starting another picture he could wedge in a trip to Honolulu, unless he can arrange a passage this week, he will be forced to abandon the trip, as all preliminary preparations have been completed for starting his next production. Meanwhile, he is enjoying real outdoor life on a ranch. In addition to plowing and cultivating, he is directing the construction of a real Spanish hacienda on the ranch. Hunting, too, takes up part of his time and he is having many an enjoyable hike over the mountains after game. "Three Sevens" has been shipped from the Coast to Vitagraph's Brooklyn studio, and soon will be available for exhibitors. Chester Bennett, who has done many excellent Vitagraph features on the Coast, directed Moreno in "Three Sevens," which was adapted from the novel by Perley Poore Sheehan. The theme is that no man is greater than the law, and the development of the fiction storyis said to prove the point graphically along unusual lines. There are some prison scenes, but the subject, while deep, is by no means morbid. It is said to have been approached from a wholly different angle than ever before, and the rapidity of the action really entitles the play to the much used, and abused, description of "gripping." His next will be a radical change from "Three Sevens," but is hoped to retain some of the members of the "Three Sevens" cast, which is an exceptionally large and expensive one, including Beatrice Burnham, Jean Calhoun, Thomas Jefferson, Hector Sarno, Robert Mack and more than a dozen others. Hodkinson Issues Campaign Book "The Truant Husband," the first Rockett Film Corporation production to be issued by the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation, has been given an exhibitor's campaign book which is in every way worthy of accompanying such a comedy de luxe, it is said. The entire book is of a singularly high calibre and it is filled to the brim with helpful aids, for the showmen who show this picture. George Brewster Gallup, Jr., "The U. P. Trail" is a Benj. B. Hampton production made from Zane Grey's novel. It has proven one of the greatest box-office successes of the current season. advertising manager of the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation, has declared it to be one of the most thoroughly satisfactory boo'-s which the company has ever issued. Harry Levey Film Is Just Completed "The White Bottle," Harry Levey's latest "Feature with a Purpose," has just been completed. The picture, which is an appeal to children to drink more milk, has an excellent cast, it is said. Lillian Bonnie and Leslie Hull have the leading adult roles. Miss Bonnie is one of the Ziegfeld Folly beauties. Mr. Hull appeared under the direction of D. W. Griffith both in "Way Down East" and "The Love Flower." The Car Kiddies — Tom and Rosemary — who also have leading parts will be remembered for their work in "Over the Hill." In "The White Bottle" they play the part of children of the idle rich, who are left in the care of governess and housekeeper Milk, being an every meal occurrence, is looked upon with contempt by them. An effective scene in the picture is made by cutting from the luxurious dining room of the rich kiddies to the home of two poor starved little tots in the heart of New York's slums. The milk cast aside in disgust by Tommy and Rosemary is an almost unknown luxury to them. The picture was shown for the first time this week before the New York Milk Conference Board and was very well received, according to reports. Given Big Run From W. O. Edmunds, Hodkinson representative in San Francisco, comes an announcement to the effect that C. W. Midgley has contracted for "The U. P. Trail" for a seven-day showing at the Oakland Theatre. Oakland, Cal. E. V. DURLISG Who is editor of the Selznick News Weekly