Moving Picture World (Aug 1917)

August 18, 1917 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 109.5 A General Film Week Great Variety of Releases Shows Increase of Product of Big Distributing Company. JUST what progress has been made by General Film in organizing product for distribution can be gained by a review of current week's releases. It is stated by General Film that only a beginning has been made, and that the next six weeks will see some important announcements of additions to the existing list of regular releases. By the time various plans are complete, it is predicted, exhibitors will be booking more entire shows from General Film product. The purveying of four-reel features meets an insistent demand, and makes it more possible than ever for an exhibitor to do all his shopping under one roof when he goes out after complete bills for his best dates. Here is one week's product appearing concurrently: "The Mainspring," four-reel Falcon Feature, a dramatic adventure, from the story by Louis Joseph Vance in Popular Magazine, featuring Henry King. This is an adventure story full of thrills, witli a strong love motive. It was directed by Mr. King and supervised by H. M. and E. D. Horkheimer. "Discounters of Money," nineteenth of the two-reel O. Henry Broadway Star Features. It is comedy-drama based entirely upon the Idealistic young love that scorns wealth. Carleton King and Nell Spencer are featured. "Star Dust," one of the third series of Black Cat features from Essanay, featuring Marguerite Clayton. It is a clever comedy-drama, with the human element mixed with the humorous. "An Order of the Court," a two-reel episode from "The Further Adventures of Stingaree" (Kalem), featuring True Boardman as the antipodean outlaw who succors the distressed. "A Man, a Girl and a Lion," one of the exciting animal pictures from Selig. This two-reel offering features Kathlyn Williams and Thomas Santschi, and a full grown African lion furnishes the thrills. "Her Perilous Ride," a one-reel Selig offering, brings more thrills, with fighting savages, in another jungle atmosphere. Bessie Eyton, who is featured, does an ostrich riding stunt as part of the story. A Johnny and Emma Ray comedy, one reel, features the little comedian and his majestic spouse in "A Bathtub Marriage," another of their characteristic productions, in this series. "Those Terrible Telegrams," a Sparkle comedy, one reel; a high-class, humorous offering from the Jaxon Film Corporation, this subject being the third of the second series of six. "Tough Luck," a Jaxon comedy, the third of a second series of six; a ludicrous romp throughout. The Selig World Library No. 16 from the educational series issued weekly by the Selig Polyscope Company, containing pictures of travel and of animal life and other subjects of general interest. New product now being signed up will provide every desirable shade of atmosphere in subjects to supplement those already represented. "TURN OF A CARD" (Paralta). J. Warren Kerrigan and his company are actively at work on the production of the second vehicle in which he will make his appearance under the auspices of Paralta Plays. The subject is a comedy-drama of the West and East called "Turn of a Card." It was written by Frederick Chapin and prepared for the screen by Tom J. Geraghty. The new play concerns the adventures of Jimmy Montgomery Farrell, a college youth who goes West and there becomes involved in a series of exciting experiences and a romance with a pretty girl. The part is said to be decidedly to Kerrigan's liking, fitting his capabilities as snugly as did "A Man's Man," the Peter B. Kyne novel which will be his first release. Kerrigan's leading woman is Lois Wilson, who plays "Cynthia Burdette." Miss Wilson is the beauty who appeared opposite Kerrigan in "A Man's Man." She is declared to be just as happily cast in the new subject. The remainder of the supporting cast is headed by Eugene Pallette as Eddie Barrett; "Tiny" Morgan as Big Ed Murphy; David M. Hartford as Ace-High Burdette; Roy Laidlaw as Jarvis; Eleanor Crow as Millie Jarvis; Wallace Worsley as Mr. Carlton; Albert Cody as Slavin; Tom Bates at Finnegan. and Janice Vincent as Mrs. Phelps. The production is being directed by Oscar Apfel and photographed bv L. Guy Wilky. "THE LESSON" TO BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY. There will be no pre-release showing of "The Lesson," the first of the Constance Talmadge Selznick-Pictures, as previously announced. It was intended to show this picture at the Broadway theater the week of August 5, but "The Lone Wolf" run has been so successful that it will be continued, and "The Lesson" will be released immediately. The only public showing of the picture was at a Red Cross benefit at the Hotel Nassau, Long Beach, Sunday evening. July 29, where it was projected before a large audience of the most critical kind, being composed principally of professional folk. Nothing but the highest praise for the star, the story and the direction was heard. MADGE EVANS AND LEW FIELDS IN WORLD PICTURES. Little Madge Evans will be the co-star with Lew I "The Cornei Grocery," shortly to be published by World Brady-Made. Many ,,f Mr. Melds' most effei enea '"' Ullh the little orphan girl who finds a way Into the affectlons of the gentle-hearted old store keeper of this comedy Scene from "The Corner Grocery" (World). of the screen, with its remarkably skillful blending of broad humor and tender pathos. It is said by those who have witnessed the early private showings of the picture that all the essential qualities of Adolph Phillip's speaking play have been preserved in the transition from stage to film. In this case it is apparent that the photo version faces a long and happy career, inasmuch as "The Corner Grocery" in its original form ran for 1,007 performances in New York establishing a record in serio-comic theatricals. The appearance of little Madge as co-star with Mr. Fields is a reminder that the diminutive screen actress is a very much occupied young lady in these Summer days. Her first starring vehicle, "The Little Duchess," is the current offering of World Pictures, showing a child as the pivotal personage in a distinctly human drama people almost entirely by grown The appearance with Mr. Fields will follow this publication after a brief interval, and not long afterward little Madge wi'l play the entirely striking role of the child in "The Burglar." Then will come the photoplay upon which the tiny Miss Evans is working at present, the tentative title of which Is "When Carol Took The Subway." This may be changed Th» £iCuUr?.1S heins directed by Harley Knoles, whose filming of The Little Duchess" was uncommonly effective The most significant feature of the raising of Madge Evans to planetary magnitude in the motion picture firmament is that there is nothing juvenile about any of the plavs exceDtinher own personality. AMERICAN MAKES BIG FOREIGN CONTRACT. What is said to be the biggest contract to supplv serial and feature photoplays to Russia, Norway, Sweden and Denmark ever consummated, was signed this week in New York bv R. R. Nehls, manager of the American Film Company Inc of Chicago, and representative of a large foreign distributing syndicate. The terms of the agreement call for an export of 60,000 feet of positive film per week, 3,000.000 a year, and involve the exchange of something over $200,000. Coincidentally with the signing of the Russian and Scandinavian papers, Mr. Nehls arranged for the shipment of approximately 10,000 feet of serial and feature subjects weekly to China and Japan. This, together with recent contracts for Spain and Portugal, further clinches the American's strong position in the foreign motion picture field. PATHE-COMBITONE OF THE PIKE'S PEAK COUNTRY. "Near Pike's Peak, Colorado," the next Pathe-Combitone scenic, which was originally scheduled for release on August 19, has been postponed to a week later and is down for August 26. In Its place on the program of August 19 is the split reel scenic "Along the Baltic, Sweden." and "Japan the Religious," the latter of which subject is in natural colors. "Near Pike's Peak" is one of the very best of these excellent Pathe-Combitone subjects. It shows a section of marvellous beauty and at a time of the year when everyone's thoughts naturally turn to the mountains, with their snow-capped peaks find cool rushing streams.