The Moving picture world (April 1921)

476 MOVING PICTURE WORLD April 2, 1921 Vitagraph's "Black Beauty" Sells Self; Has Smashed All Records for Company BLACK BEAUTY," Vitagraph's newest and biggest special production, based on the famous story by Anna Sewell, is proving a perfect "self-seller," and although it is scarcely a month since it had its initial performance, every key centre over the length and breadth of the United States and Canada, with only four exceptions, has booked the special for early showings. Day and date bookings prevail in many large cities, New York, Boston and Cleveland showing the largest number of these scheduled for early runs. The claim is made that this one month's sales result sets a record for the entire industry. In the cases of more than two-thirds of the "Black Beauty" bookings the Vitagraph exchanges have not sold the picture to exhibitors in their territory, but the exhibitors have come in to the branch offices and bought it. It is stated that only in this way could the present total of bookings have been run up in the stated length of time, as the Vitagraph organization could not possibly have achieved such results with its present sales staff if it had not been met more than half way by exhibitors in search of the picture. Within a week after "Black Beauty" had its first public appearance, the bookings, about two-thirds unsolicited, more than doubled the number given for any previous production for twice the period. Exhibitors got in touch with the exchange to buy on the simple announcement that the picture was ready to release. In one instance a representative of one of the most important circuits in the Middle West came east to book "Black Beauty" for one house, with the plan to run it in all the houses of the circuit if the original showing's receipts justified the action. After seeing the first showing to an invited audience at the Astor, New York City, he booked it for aL the houses on the ciscuit, and it already has played all but three of these houses with notably successful results. Practically every important circuit has made arrangements for early showings on this special. This applies not only to the United States but to Canada* as well. Not only have the biggest cities been closed on "Black Beauty," but several cities, comparatively small in themselves but important by reason of being resort centres, have booked the special months ahead of their usual practice. There had been so much cumulative interest in this production that they could not pass the height of their season without it. All centres closed for "Black Beauty" are pinions of circulation for zones of varying sizes, and the demand for these followup towns in the circulation zones is said to be tremendous. In many cases the big city bookings are for two weeks or more, and a week's booking is more the rule than the exception. The demand for "Black Beauty" naturally has taxed Vitagraph's unusually large laboratories at the Brooklyn studios, and the force there has been working overtime to turn out the necessary prints. "Black Beauty" has been a phenomenal success from the moment of its initial showing. Exhibitors have appreciated that the special production was a splendid vindication of the motion picture industry in its effort to meet the demand for cleaner pictures at a period of particular agitation. Its appeal, they understood, was widespread, as pleasing and entertaining to children as to grown-ups. As showmen they knew how to value the wonderful opportunities offered by the picture for attractive advertising and novel exploitation. They were quick to grasp that, through the world-renown of the classic by Anna Sewell, a story known to practically every reader in the country and used for supplementary reading in many schools, the story itself would attract a new class of patronage to their theatres. Practically every exhibitor who has played "Black Beauty" is authority for the statement that it has attracted an entirely new clientele to their theatres; that in addition to their regular patrons, upon whom they can bank for any good picture, they are getting the additional potential patrons who have not previously been picturegoers. The fact that "Black Beauty" it a "selfseller" to the exhibitor may be accounted for by the fact that it has proven a selfseller to the exhibitor's public, with its many years of cumulative publicity back of it, its popularity as a book in schools and public libraries and among its readers of all ages. Joseph Plunkett, managing director of the Mark Strand Theatre on Broadway, New York City, in congratulating the Vitagraph Company on the picture, stated that it opened at the Strand in the worst snow storm in years, and played to the best business on Broadway. It made many new patrons for the Strand Theatre, Mr. Plunkett stated, and was most responsive to exploitation, letters sent by the management to the city schools having excellent and easily traceable results. During the engagement of "Black Beauty" at the Brooklyn Mark Strand Theatre, the management reported that in many cases Brooklyn school teachers brought entire classes of school children to the showings, particularly during the quiet hours between the regular matinee and the first evening performance. Manager J. F. Clanceyfi of the Capitol Theatre, Hartford, stated that the picture smashed the attendance record of his theatre, and Manager Edwards, of the Palace at New Haven, also set new house records by packing in audiences of children at the Matinees. Pathe News Exclusive Pictures of Allied Advance Reach United States in Ten Days IN every way a most enterprising and clean picture screen and newspaper "beat" was scored by Pathe News with its exclusive pictures showing the allied advance into Germany. Within nine days of the entrance of the troops into Dusseldorf, the Pathe News negative were landed in New York from the Olympic, having reached the Atlantic liner at Liverpool a bare hour before her sailing by fast train from London after two swift airplane flights. Not only were they in ample time for the regular Saturday news reel at the New York theatres, but for reproduction in leading New York daily newspapers on Saturday morning, March 19. Picture patrons who saw these views Saturday evening in Pathe News No. 23, had been prepared for the treat by sections of the same film reproduced in their morning papers. These views were displayed in the American, in the World and in the Illustrated Daily News. No newspapers had pictures of the allied occupation of Germany from any other source. Preparedness, careful and intelligent planning by Editor Emanuel Cohen, sent the program through without a hitch. Staff Cameraman George Ercole had received his orders at Paris and was waiting and ready at Dusseldorf two days before the troops of occupation arrived on March 8, Tuesday. Ercole's cameras got busy and "ground" efficiently while a swift airplane waited, all tuned up and ready to take the air. Several hours before dark the pilot had received the previous negatives and was speeding as the crow flies for Paris. At Paris, Glappi, of the Pathe News staff, was waiting to transfer the negatives to another plane. This was done in a few minutes, and the second plane was off for London that same day. Glance at one of the so recently familiar war maps and you will see what this journey from the German city to London would have meant in loss of time by ordinary land and water means of transportation. The crux of the whole effort was catching the Atlantic liner, Olympic, due to leave Liverpool early Thursday morning, March 10. The leg of the negative's journey from London to Liverpool had to be made by train. This part was in charge of Wyand, of the Pathe London office. The best train to catch the Olympic left London rather late on Wednesday and Wyand would not have been able to make it if the two airplanes had not lived up to their schedule. As it was, there was very little time to spare. The Olympic, a seven-day boat, came into New York Harbor late on Thursday, March 17. The negatives were received at Pathe News, Jersey City, and developed that night. Early on Friday orints were made and enlargements provided for the newspapers, while screen prints were inserted in the regular Saturday reel, No. 17, in ample time for that evening's showing at the theatres. Only two weeks before Pathe News had been first on all picture screens with its views of President Harding's inauguration. In this more difficult problem of transmitting pictures of the allied advance its service was exclusive, not only to picture patrons but to the New York daily newspapers. Sues for Building The city of Winnemucca, Nev., is preparing to appeal from a court decision recently rendered, vesting ownership of the municipal opera house in Mrs. Kate L. Nixon, widow of the late Senator George S. Nixon. The opera house was erected several years ago by Senator Nixon at a cost of $50,000 and deeded to the city. Mrs. Nixon did not sign the deed and some time ago filed suit to obtain possession of the building.