The Moving picture world (September 1923-October 1923)

756 MOVING PICTURE WORLD October 27, 1923 Clara Bow with Colleen Moore Clara Bow through an arrangement between B. P. Schulberg and First National has been loaned to play the flapper role in "The Swamp Angel" in which Colleen Moore will enact the feature part. The production will be directed by Clarence Badger. Schulberg Says Preferred Tests £ach Story Before Purchasing Title Is Changed to "Jealous Husbands" Maurice Fourneur's newest M. C. Levee picture for First National will be released under the title of "Jealous Husbands" instead of "Jealous Fools," as originally titled. Fox Signs W. Lytell Wilfred Lytell has been engaged by Fox for the part of Lieutenant Burton, the young Northern officer in "The Warrens of Virginia," which William Fox is making from the David Belasco stage success. Rosemary Hill will play Betty, the part created bv Marv Pickford. "The statement was made the other day that one producing company had in its safe nearly $100,000 worth of stories that were not worth producing. That means one of two ;hings — either the producer is taking $100,000 less profit or the exhibitor is paying for these stories in rentals on other pictures." This statement was made by B. P. Schulberg, producer of Preferred Pictures. "I'm not giving advice to other producers, but I do think that there is no excuse for buying stories that can't be filmed," Mr. Schulberg continued. "I have known of producers who bought stories just because the title sounded attractive. Others have closed deals without reading the stories they were buying, making the purchase only because they had an idea that the story was a popular one and could be easily sold. "Preferred Pictures tries out every story before it is bought. It's a simple thing to do, and we have no copyright on the idea, but I do not believe that any other producing company has ever done it. "Before we decided to pay $100,000 for 'The First Year,' for instance, we knew just what we were getting. We bought twentyfive copies of the play and I think everybody in the studio read it. Then three scenario writers prepared a treatment. This was turned over to a director and to five actors, all of whom had read the play. "The director and the actors spent three days rehearsing the picture, following out the treatment, and then the producing force watched a performance. We used a bare stage, the actors were not in costume and they spoke very few lines. "They went through the sequences outlined for the motion picture production and what we saw was a complete rehearsal of the motion picture, not a production of the play. When it was finished, by using our imagination to fill in the sets, the costumes and the props, we knew just what we would get out of 'The First Year.' "So satisfactory was the result that we decided to buy the motion picture rights to the play. "The try-out cost us about four hundred dollars and for that comparatively small amount we learned to our complete satisfaction that we would be safe in investing $100,000 in this property. "We have done the same with a number of our other stories and it seems to me to be the logical thine; to do. No investor would think of buying a $100,000 lot upon which to erect a costly office building, without first making a thorough study of the location, the real estate values and the possible income from his site. "It is true that some stories have to be bought in a hurry because of competition. But I believe it is better to let the other fellow buy on snap judgment, and to let him held the bagfull of stories that are no good for picture purposes." "Going Up" Goes Over Big in Meighan Starts New Paramount Film Showings from Coast to Coast The newspapers in all sections of the country where Douglas Thomas Meighan started work this week at the Paramount Long Island studio on his new picture, Reports from Sam Harding's only thrilling but one of the "Pied Piper Malone." an original Liberty Theatre in Kansas City funniest situations ever brought story for the screen by Booth TarMacLean has been showing in his and from the Rialto Theatre in to the screen." kington. Alfred E. Green, who has first Associated Exhibitors' fea Omaha indicate that "Going Up" The San Francisco Examiner: — directed Meighan in all of his reture comedy, "Going Up" have was a distinct success in those "MacLean has never done any cent pictures with the exception of two cities. better work than in 'Going Up.'" "Homeward Bound," will again have The New York Herald reviewer The San Francisco Call & Post : the megaphone. Lois Wilson will commented : — "Good farce-comedy — "A gale of laughter sweeps over have the leading feminine role, is extremely rare on the screen, the audience as Douglas MacLean and the opportunity to see it is not 'hops off' at the Granada this often presented. Therefore one week in a vehicle which is truly should not miss Douglas Mac one of the funniest he has yet Lean's new picture, 'Going Up.'" ridden, 'Going Up.'" The New York Tribune : — " 'Go The Kansas City Post : — "You ing Up' is a better picture than won't have time to get 'spoony' Frank Lloyd has found his ideal it ever was a play or musical at the Liberty this week. You'll Prince Hohenhauer for his First comedy." be too busy holding on the seats National picture, "Black Oxen" in Lloyd made screen given the production enthusistic notices. Jack Partington of the Granada Theatre, in San Francisco, sent a 300 word telegram of congratulation to the home office, stating that "Going Up" made one of the most successful artistic and financial w-eeks in Granada history. The B. S. Moss's Cameo Theatre in New York played "Going Up" last week also. The prologue of music from the musical comedy was also a feature of the bill. The Cameo arranged a mechanical aeroplane race which was thrown on a cyclorama just before the presentation of the picture. Alan Hale Has Part in "Black Oxen" The New York Times : — "'Going and trying to dispel those funny, Alan Hale. Up' is really very funny." dizzy feelings brought on by the tests of a dozen well-known The San Francisco Bulletin : — aerial maneuvers of Douglas Mac screen characters and inter "The manner in which Douglas Lean erstwhile author and aviator viewed twenty more, before "dis MacLean seemingly manipulates in 'Going Up.'" covering" Hale. an airship in his first independent production, 'Going Up', is not Pathe is Arranging to Film International Race Goldwyn to Photograph The Recoil" in Europe Arrangements for the filming by Pathe of the international horserace between Zev and Papyrus at the Belmont Race Track, October 20, are progressing rapidly. Pathe, through arrangements with the Westchester Racing Association has obtained the exclusive rights to film the event and will make a two-reel special, covering every phase of this classic of the turf. This picture will be released by Pathe, October 21. Realizing fully the unusual significance of the event, which is arousing keenest interest among Goldwyn Pictures Corporation graphed in London, Paris, Rome has entered into an arrangement and Monte Carlo. Arrangements sporting circles the world over, .Wltn }• Fa™er Read, Jr., by which have been made by Mr. Read, by Pathe is conducting its prepara e . 1 Produce in Europe, a film which the famous gambling casino tions with the aim of turning out ^l5101^ of „Rex Beacn's story, in Monte Carlo will be invaded by a motion picture commensurate in The Recoil." Mr. Read has en the company making "The Recoil," every respect with the importance gaged T. Hayes Hunter to direct and scenes shot there, of the occasion, declares a state tlle production. Mr. Hunter sailed ment from the home office. It is fhis week to prepare for the filmdesigned to make the picture not inK of the story, only an accurate screen chronicle Betty Blythe has been engaged of this, the first international for the leading role in the produchorse-race to be held in America, tion and Mahlon Hamilton has Fish Returns Dan Fish, Preferred Pictures' representative in Great Britain, came to New York last week. but one vibrant with all the drafna been assigned to play opposite "Poor Men's Wives," the latest and thrills that the contest will her. surely entail, continues the statement. Preferred production released in The picture is to be produced England. Mr. Fish says, is a senabroad. Sequences will be photo sation of the trade, there.