The Moving picture world (May 1922)

May 6, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 89 Newest Reviews and .Comments "The Fighting Streak" Tom Mix in a Speed Picture af His Ozm Brand — Produced by Fox. Reviewed by Mary Kelly. Tom Mix gives his admirers the type of entertainment that has proved successful many times in the past, in "The Fighting Streak." He has a part that calls for plenty of action and stunts— not the stunts that are inserted for merely sensational effect without direct relation to the plot, rather the kind that are the outgrowth of events, and come as a legitimate part of the story. Because of this, they are far more thrilling. Opening with a runaway that is staged with very realistic effect, the star, cast as a blacksmith with a peaceful disposition, stumbles upon romance, when he rescues the girl. By the end of the first reel the docile Tom Mix dies and he becomes the fighting, reckless, crag-jumping speed-hero as he is best known. There is some spectacular riding over picturesque settings and a fall backward down the rocks that help to stump the picture as one of the star's best. In Patsy Ruth Miller, he has a leading woman unusually gifted and at all times delightful to look at. The Cast Andrew Lanning Tom Mix Ann Withero Patsy Ruth Miller Charles Merchant Gerald Pring Jasper Lanning Al Fremont Bill Dozier Sidney Jordan Hal Dozier Bert Sprotte Chick Heath Robert Flemming Story by George Owen Baxter. Scenario and Direction by Arthur Rosson. Length, 4,888 Feet. The Story Andrew Lanning, the village blacksmith, is despaired of by his father because he never fights. One day he stops a runaway and rescues a pretty girl. Ann Withero, who has just arrived in town and is visiting Charles Merchant, who deserts her when he loses control of the horses. Soon after Andrew is taunted in the saloon by some of the roughnecks who think he is too weak to fight back. One of them kicks him, and at this, he rebels and hits back so forcefully that the other man falls senseless. The sheriff pronounces him dead, and Andrew rides away. Merchant, who is jealous of Ann's admiration for Andrew, bribes the sheriff to bring back Andrew, dead, with the report that he was shot while resisting arrest. Ann aids in his escape, and after many exciting escapes, Andrew justifies himself and gets the girl. Prosrajn and Exploitation Catchllnes: He Was the Brawniest Smithy for Miles Around — But He Had Never Used His Strength Against Another Man — Until They Tore His New Silk Tie. Right After He Had Fallen in Love — Sounds Like a Comedy But It Isn't! Exploitation Angles: Sell this chiefly on Mix and tell that he is doing his usual whirlwind stunts again. This is particularly necessary if you had the recent play in which he did not essay his usual tricks. The Bridges of New York Sights interesting to New Yorkers, as well as to most out-of-towners, are on display in this Kineto Review. The bridges of New York are known throughout the nation both through hearsay and through pictures published in the daily press, and therefore any audience could be counted on to take an added interest in seeing them in the movies. Besides there are instructive captions which go with the pictures, that will prove entertaining to the many who have heard so much of New York's great spans across her rivers. Included in the list are the Brooklyn Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, Hellgate Bridge, High Bridge and others.— T. S. daP. ''Head Over Heels" Goldwyn Releases Normand Picture — Star's Personality Helps. Reviewed by Marguerite Kemp. The picture is only fairly entertaining, with a mere thread of plot which only Mabel Normand's forceful personality holds together. It is thickly padded, yet must have been worse before someone's scissors reached it, as considerable discrepancy exists between the posters and the picture as shown. Few pictures, if any, have such an abundance of sub-titles, in some reels they have more footage than the action. Fortunately they are quite entertaining, as they express the heroine's maltreated English. There are a few moments when the action rises above mediocrity, namely, when the madcap fights her way through a bevy of stenographers and again when she routs a supposed rival with her fists. Miss Normand looks thin and careworn, registering little of the pep and beauty displayed in "Molly-0." Her odd little trick of thrusting her hat awry, and others distinctly Mabel's own, are present, but she seems to have directed herself. The types are fairly well taken, Raymond Hatton doing the publicity representative well, and the Papa Bambinetti character provokes a laugh. The settings are adequate. The Cast Tina Mabel Normand Lawson Hugh Thompson Papa Bambinetti Russ Powell Pepper Raymond Hatton Sterling Adolphe Jean Menjou Babe Lllyan Tashman Al Wilkins Lionel Belmore Story by Nalbro Bartley. Scenario by Julien Josephson and Gerald C. Duffy. Directed by Victor Scherzinger and Paul Bern. Length, 4,500 Feet. The Story Sterling, a theatrical agent, hires Tina to come to America and become a star when he sees her doing an acrobatic act in Naples, clad in tights. When Tina appears at his oflice, she is a typical foreigner, ill clad and homely. The agents attempt to keep her out of the office but after fighting her way past the stenographers and she climbs through the transom and lands at Lawson's feet. In the meantime her guardian-, Papa Bambinetti, is taken in charge by Pepper, a press agent, who puts over a deal whereby Tina will become a motion picture actress. She is literally dragged to a beauty parlor, from which she emerges a real beauty. Lawson falls in love with her and persuades her to be his wife instead of an actress. She wants to be both until she finds him dining with another actress and after a fistic encounter she drearily packs for her return to Italy. Then all difiiculties are smoothed away by Lawson's repentance. Exploitation Anglm: Sell this chiefly as the sort of play which shows Mabel Normand in the work she does best. Sell Miss Normand rather than the play and you can deliver the goods to the satisfaction of the buyers. "Mosquito " Max Fleischer's latest "Out-of-the-Inkwell" comedy is "Mosquito." Probably this Spring weather is to blame, for the artist quits work to take a nap. The little clown of his creation dances about in anxiety as a tremendous mosquito alights on the artist's nose. His antics are unappreciated by the artist, who draws a strange insect, somewhat resembling a mosquito, but also comparable to Blue Law folk, and the insect and the clown engage in a spirited duel. The subject is up to the Fleischer standard but does not rank among his very best.— S. S. "The Bachelor Daddy" Fii'c Little Tots Cause Riot of Fun m Paramotmt Film Starring M eiglian. Reviewed by Sumner Smith. Five small children, as cunning and lively as children can be, furnish Thomas Meighan with serious competition for the honors in the Paramount star's latest picture, "The Bachelor Daddy." In fact, where Meighan as the bewildered bachelor is bringing them from the West in a parlor car, this mischievous quintet fairly romps away with the picture. Men, women and children roared with laughter at the Rialto Theatre as the little tots costumed themselves with fellow passengers' wearing appearel and staged an impromptu parade in the car. There's a wealth of good, clean fun in this picture. It is finely done, thanks to the direction of Alfred Green, and the scenario of Olga Printzlau, the action never lagging for a second and getting away to a remarkably quick start. For once, in one of his pictures, Meighan is in danger of losing "the center of the stage," for the five children hold the attention whenever they appear. The assist very materially in making the picture what it is— a comedy drama of strong appeal. Effective also is the acting of Leatrice Joy in the role of the stenographer, her sympathetic work greatly aiding Meighan in the emotional moments. Adele Farrington and Maud Wayne as cold-blooded society mother and daughter, respectively, are well cast. Laurence Wheat as the business man's friend, injects comedy toHches skillfully and J. F. McDonald makes the most of his short part. The idea must not be gained that the picture is essentially a comedy— it is emotional drama, swinging from the murder by bandits of the father of the children, to a contrast of two women who want to marry the hero — but the comedy element is strong The story is far from new to the screen and stage, but it has been adroitly picturized. The Cast Richard Chester Thomas Meighan Sally Lockwood Leatrice Jov Ethel McVae Maud Wayne Mrs. McVae Adele Farrington Joe Pelton j, jn. McDonald Charles Henley Laurance Wheat ^''f' Charlotte Jackson Barbara Maier poodles Bruce Guerin David 1 ^ Donald I DeBriac Twins Adapted from the Novel by Edward Peple. Scenario by Olga Printzlau. Directed by Alfred Green. Photographed by William Marshall. Length, 6,229 Feet. The Story A rich mine owner adopts five children whose father was killed by bandits while attempting to save his employers life. The tots almo.st wreck a train and the bachelor's home, offending his fiancee, a cold society girl. His secretary's love for the children shows the business man the way to true love. Proerani and K.vploitation Catohllnes; ThomMs Meighan as the "Bachelor Daddy" of Five Mischievous Children Has His Hands Full Until Love Provides Him With a Mother for Them — Then There Are Seven. Fivii Appealing Little Tots Romp Joyously Through a Great Thomas Meighan Picture, and Will Win Your Heart. E.iLplKitn(ion Angles: Make Meighan your best l)ct with the children for a clincher. Tie up the electric company to displtiy of nursery helps which will give aid to bachelor daddies as well as the more conventional sort.