The Moving picture world (August 1922)

August 12, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD SOS In the Independent Field 3j> ROGER FERRI The Passing Week in Review '-pHE new season is only a few weeks off. Then the real ■*■ test starts. From where we stand, it looks like a good send-off. The thoroughbred showman has nothing to fear. Independent producers are turning out pictures that can be exploited, pictures that the public seems to want. But it remains for the exhibitor to definitely determine the extent of independent endeavor this coming year. Without inde- pendent productions exhibitors are as free as the former subjects of the late Russian czar. You need independent producers, Mr. Exhibitor, and when you reach the point where you begin believing you can do without them, then and not until then is the time when you should start planning to convert your theatre into a skating rink. C TARS—and stars who are entertaining actors, not merely actors—are sought by independent exhibitors. Question- naires sent out by various distributors disclose this informa- tion. That there is no doubt about the presence of a public demand for good story pictures with established stars is evidenced from the readiness of newspaper editors to pub- lish stories on and photographs of individual players. Inde- pendents are not overlooking this demand, for on the follow- ing pages you will find numerous interesting announcements concerning the many well-known stars who will be starred in independent productions within the next theatrical season. O PEAKING of good story pictures with excellent and popu- ^ ular players, this writer can not recall a more entertain- ing and better independent picture than "What's Wrong with the Women?" a Daniel Carson Goodman production being state righted by Equity Pictures Corporation. Elsewhere in this issue appears a complete review of this production, which, in the opinion of the writer, is the biggest state rights possibility of this year. That it will be released for next season is something over which exhibitors should re- joice. Look this picture over. If you made money on Equity pictures, you'll mop up with this one, for it is the greatest production Equity ever handled. Grab this one— the sooner you do it the better you will feel. tpDDIE LYONS was in town this past week. Here is one comedian who puts his public before his pictures. And Eddie made no bones about making this fact known. He isn't kidding himself by believing that what his "gag men" devise for him, the public will like. That isn't Eddie, apparently. We interviewed this clever comic the other day. And we enjoyed every second of the interview, for Eddie is keen enough to realize that he can only attain the success he has in mind by giving the public what it wants. And judging from the last two Lyons' comedies this writer has seen, he is doing that very thing admirably. Keep it up, Eddie. CONGRATULATIONS are in order. Q C. Burr and Whit- man Bennett have joined hands and will produce jointly for the independent market. This is the most important and outstanding feature of the month—and this month promises to unfold no few surprises. Mr. Burr, in the brief time that he has been producing independent pictures, has developed into one of the most active and successful producers to be found in his industry. He has not given the trade a single flivver. His "Torchy" comedy series were a clean-up. His first feature, "Burn 'Em Up Barnes," made barrels of money for the exchangemen who released that production locally. w HAT the coming season will bring C. C. Burr remains to be seen, but we will venture to say that it will be the greatest in the career of that sincere gentleman, who knows that one must spend money to make it. And we know that in the second Johnny Hines production, "Sure- Fire Flint," he already has spent more money—and spent it carefully and intelligently—than the average producer would invest in an entire production. And this does not mean that he is extravagant. He is turning out a picture that exchangemen will feel proud in offering exhibitors. And to prove the confidence of exchangemen in Mr. Burr, permit us to mention the fact that "Sure-Fire Flint," although now in its third week of production, has been sold 90 per cent. A ND now along comes the welcome news that Charley Burr and Whitman Bennett have joined hands and will produce "The Mysteries of Paris." What could be sweeter? What better evidence does the independent exhibitor want? Yes, independents are overlooking no bets. There are new faces coming into this branch of the business. And the invasion has just started. Just keep your eye on this mar- ket. Just watch the "boys" step. 1923 will be an indepen- dent year—and don't you forget that. ^XT HITMAN BENNETT is a man of deeds. His past per- formances testify to this fact. He is not a dreamer. He is not a theorist. He finishes whatever he sets out to do—and he has never failed to accomplish his task satisfactorily. His affiliation with Burr enterprises is an ideal arrange- ment that the entire industry must admit should work won- ders. Bennett knows production from A to Z. And he doesn't do things by halves; that's the reason Kenneth Webb has been signed to make "The Mysteries of Paris"; that's the reason why Billy Bitzer, the greatest photographer in this business, who photographed all the big D. W. Griffith productions, has been engaged to supervise the photographic work, and that's also the reason why he has signed the all-star cast that is announced elsewhere in this section. VI/" E are not bubbling over with enthusiasm when we say that this is merely the beginning; on the contrary, our only regret is that we can not at this time record all the things that we know are under way. August will be a month of careful preparation. And September will witness the start of the greatest race in which the independents have ever participated. The thoroughbreds will lead the field. Of that there is no doubt. But let the independent exhibitor root as he never has rooted before. Let him demonstrate his appreciation of the efforts independents are making to turn out pictures that will make money for him—by saying it with bookings.