Tess of the Storm Country (United Artists) (1922)

Playing Up the “New” Angle—Cast and Synopsis A Most Beautiful Mary Pickford in Her Greatest and Most Beautiful Picture Mary Pickford as a girl again! Mary Pickford and her wonderful curls and her wonderful smile! The beautiful Mary Pickford more beautiful than ever. Mary Pickford as Tess in her own brand new, recently completed, production of “Tess of the Storm Country,” that long famous screen classic in which Miss Pickford made one of the earlier triumphs of her cinema career. Not a re-issue, nor a revival, nor a revamped picture— But a 100 per cent. NEW production from the first to the last; NEW in every sense of the word in all the word “NEW” means in every foot of the approximately eight reels. This is what exhibitors have to sell in this production. This is a Brand New Picture The exhibitor selling this brand new “Tess of the Storm Country” to his public has one big thing to keep in mind: NOT ONE OF HIS PATRONS HAS SEEN THIS PICTURE BEFORE. A few of them may have seen the old and first-made “Tess of the Storm Country”—the picture that was made eight years ago, and prints of which long ago were worn out and have since been bought up by Miss Pickford and destroyed—but none of his patrons has seen THIS BRAND NEW, recently completed Mary Pickford production. This “Tess of the Storm Country” is not a re-issue, not a revival, not a revamped picture, but is entirely and wholly new from the very first flicker till the very last—brand new in every foot of the approx¬ imately eight reels. Play Up the “New Picture” Angle The exhibitor should carefully plan his publicity, advertising and exploitation campaign on this picture to bring out the big point that THIS “Tess of the Storm Country” is an entirely 100 per cent, brand new picture. In all the advance trade paper and general publicity issued on this production the fact that it is a wholly new production made by Mary Pickford’s own company was hammered on continually and emphati¬ cally. In every story in the press book issued with the production for exhibitor’s use this point is brought out in the very first paragraph. In the ready-made newspaper advertisement cuts and mats in this folder and meant for exhibitors to use in their local newspaper adver¬ tising this point is made the feature of every ad. It should also be one of the big features in all exploitation by every exhibitor. CAST AND SYNOPSIS for MARY PICKFORD in “TESS OF THE STORM” From the Novel by Grace Miller White; by Arrangement with Adolph Zukor; Direction by John S. Robertson; Photography by Charles Rosher. Released by United Artists Corporation THE CAST Tessibel Skinner . Mary Pickford Frederick Graves . Lloyd Hughes Teola Graves ... Gloria Hope Elias Graves . David Torrence Daddy Skinner . Forrest Robinson Ben Letts . Jean Hersholt Ezra Longman ... Danny Hoy Dan Jordan . Robert Russell Old Man Longman . Gus Saville Mrs. Longman . Mme. de Bodamere SYNOPSIS Tessibel Skinner lives with her father in "squatter” village, on the shore of a lake. The “squatters’* are her people and she fights for them when Frederick Graves, Sr., whose mansion tops the hills, tries to evict them as a nuisance. Graves’ son, Fred, home from college is not in sympathy with his father for Tess, in spite of ragged clothes, captivates him when, single-handed, she fights the game wardens sent by Graves, Sr., to burn the nets that bring these fisherfolk their livelihood. Dan Jordan a young lawyer who wishes to marry Graves’ daughter, Teola, leads the wardens. In the skirmish Dan is killed. Tess’ father, Daddy Skinner, is arrested, charged with the crime which really was committed by Ben Letts. The only two persons whc> know the truth about Jordans death, are Ben Letts and Ezra Longman. Ezra, terrified by Ben, promises not to tell on condition that Ben stay away from Tess, with whom they both are in love. Graves tells Tess he knows her father is guilty. Tess drives him out of the house. In her despair she turns to God, assured by Fred Graves that if she will pray and read her Bible her faith will free Daddy Skinner. Daddy Skinner is convicted. Before he goes back to college Fred tells Tess that her father’s case will be appealed—and that he loves her. So Tess, her hope renewed and her faith transfigured by love, carries on. Dan Jordan’s death has meant more than loss of love to Teola Graves. In her father’s absence, Teola attempts to drown herself but is rescued by Tess—and her baby is born in Tess’ shanty home. She plays on Tess’ love for Fred and leaves the infant for Tess to care for, under pledge of secrecy. Teola takes milk to the baby till she becomes too ill to leave her home. Tess. in desperation, tries to steal milk from the Graves’ kitchen but is caught by Graves. She bears the whipping he gives her without a murmur, begging to be allowed to keep the milk but is forced to return to Teola’s baby empty- handed. Fred returns for the Christmas holidays. He goes to Tess* shanty home, finds the baby and accuses Tess of being the mother. Tess does not reveal the truth. Fred leaves in a fury of anger. Ben, who has been watching Tess’ shack, and maddened by jealousy, enters the cabin, determined that Tess shall belong to him. Ezra is found half-dead in the snow by Fred and confesses that Ben has tried to kill him because he threatened to tell Tess that it was Ben and not her father who shot Jordan. Fred follows Ben to Tess shack and arrives just in time to save Tess. Fred confronts Ben and tells of Ezra’s confession. In a furious fight Fred captures Ben, and Tess turns to him in gratitude but he spurns her. Tess takes Teola’s dying child to the church to be baptized. When Graves attempts to prevent the ceremony she performs it herself, finishing just as the child dies and Teola cries out in acknowledgement of her mother¬ hood. Tess passes out of the church, oblivious of Fred’s agony of contrition. Teola dies. Graves realizes that in her sacrifice for his daughter Tess had shown the true spirit of Christianity. Christmas Day Tess is happy with Daddy Skinner freed. Through the storm comes Graves and Fred to ask for Tess friendship and forgiveness and to give to Daddy Skinner a deed to the shack in which he lives. Tess is too generous to harbor ill-feeling and with her usual ability in overcoming ob¬ stacles she quickly finds the way to Fred’s embrace. You Have a New Public to Cater To The exhibitor booking this brand new Mary Pickford production of “Tess of the Storm Country” should never lose sight of the fact that a new generation of picture-goers has come into existence since the old and first made picture of the same title was made and shown and put on the shelf. Children who eight years ago were too little to go to picture shows are now among your best customers. While there was one movie theatre in your town eight years ago there are now sev¬ eral and millions upon millions of persons who never went to see a motion picture a few years ago now form the chief support of the thousands of new houses that have come into existence. This is due largely to the tremendous improvement in pictures, generally, and their manner of production, as well as to the marvellous growth of the in¬ dustry in general. Two Classes of Your Public Every exhibitor will .have two classes of people in his theatre terri¬ tory tt> sell this picture to—those who may THINK THEY HAVE SEEN IT and those who know they haven’t. Those who may think they have seen this “Tess of the Storm Country” must be convinced that they have not; must be convinced that this production is as much different from the old and now retired pic¬ ture as night is from day; that this new Mary Pickford production is so much greater and better in every respect than the first made picture as to beggar description and defy comparison. To those who know they haven’t seen this picture—all the exhibitor has to do with them is to sell Mary Pickford—Mary Pickford at her best in her best and great¬ est picture. Your Big Advertising Line The greatest cinema artiste in the world has taken one of the most famous of old-time screen classics and made .her own new version of the picture in which she made one of her greatest early successes. MARY PICKFORD AS TESS IN HER OWN BRAND NEW PRODUCTION OF “TESS OF THE STORM COUNTRY”—This is your BIG line. Start your advertising and publicity campaign as soon as you book this new production of a cinema favorite. Your campaign should be run so that it will make your public talk—talk about Mary Pickford, talk about the inimitable Tess, and make those of your patrons who saw the old picture, made eight years ago, wonder what this new pro¬ duction is like, and make them want to see it because it is so much greater and so much more beautiful than the first made picture. A New Generation of Millions A new generation of motion picture goers have come into the world since the original “Tess of the Storm Country” was made and its num¬ bers millions of persons. There are other millions also who have become motion picture fans in the last 'two and three years just because of the tremendously big improvements in photoplay production—people who formerly laughed and scoffed at “movies” as something beneath their notice. These millions have never seen the old “Tess of the Storm Country” and to them exhibitor have only to sell Mary Pickford and her newest, great¬ est photoplay. Window Displays With the 11x14 and 22x28 display cards and the black and white stills the exhibitor has a mighty strong argument with which to go to the business men of fiis city and put over one of the biggest window display exploitation stunts that ever has been put over for any picture. These cards are beautifully colored and are of a nature that makes them stand out as absolute ornaments in any window displaying any kind of merchandise.