Screen Opinions (1923-24)

“BOOK THE NEW PERCENTAGE WAY’’ 71 “STEPPING FAST”— [Class B] 65% (Especially prepared for screen) Story: — Adventures of Rancher Rescuing Girl and Treasure VALUE CAST Photography — Good — Dan Clark. Grant Malvern Tom Mix TYPE OF PICTURE — Sensational. Helen Durant Claire Adams Moral Standard— Average. Fabian Donald McDonald , — , ■ — ■ Martinez Hector Sarno Story — Good — Melodrama — Family. Sun Yat Edward Peil Star — Good — Tom Mix. "Red” Pollock George Seigmann Author — Good — Bernard McConville. Quentin Durant Tom S. Guise Direction — Good — Joseph Franz. Commodore Simpson .....Edward Jobson Adaptation — Good — Bernard McConville. Mrs. Malvern Minna Ferry Redman Technique — Good. — Spiritual Influence — Neutral. June 1 to IS, 1923. Producer — Fox Footage — 4,608 ft. Distributor — Fox Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE— None. Usual Tom Mix Type With Melodramatic Plot “Stepping Fast” is not a picture that stands out beyond the general run of Tom Mix productions in matter of merit. It has Tom, and Tony, and the dog, Dan, as fascinating compliments, and the usual well-balanced cast of western types, as well as a good sprinkling of oriental and desert atmosphere. The struggle at the Green Lantern, a Chinese resort in Hongkong, where the hero rescues the girl from the clutches of those who plotted to gain possession of a ring she wore and the key to certain treasure left her by her father, is quite thrilling. The plot of the story is a cut-and-dried proposition, with things happening on schedule. The average Tom Mix fan will be well enough pleased with “Stepping Fast” and should be especially thrilled with the auto race across the desert. STORY OF THE PLAY Grant Malvern, ranchman, on a visit to his invalid mother, is forced into a series of adventures that takes him to Hongkong, China, when his fortune crossed that of one Durant, a man with a coveted knowledge of the whereabouts of certain rich treasure, hidden away in the desert. The murder of Durant and the death of his mother at the hands of the same agents, made Grant the bearer of a message to Durant’s daughter in China. A yellow man and others who mean to gain the key to the treasure, also sail for China, and with a letter stolen from Grant one of the group presents himself to Helen Durant as Grant Malvern. The events that follow end in the outdoing of the enemy after an automobile chase across the desert. The betrothal of Grant and Helen closes the story. PROGRAM COPY — “Stepping Fast” — Featuring Tom Mix You will be thrilled with Grant Malvern’s adventures in avenging his dead mother and rescuing a pretty girl from the curse of the yellow man and the greed of a band of crooks. Tom Mix, his horse, Tony, and his dog, Dan, are the featured members of the cast. “LUCK”— [Class C] 50% (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Experience of Young Man Who Wins Bet to Earn Ten Thousand Dollars in Year « VALUE Photography — Average — Charles Gilson. TYPE OF PICTURE— Unrefined. Moral Standard — Average. Story — Average — Farce-comedy — AdultJ. Star — Good — Johnny Hines. Author — Average — Jackson Gregory. Direction — Fair — Not credited. Adaptation — Fair — Doty Hobart. Technique — Average. Spiritual Influence — Neutral. Robert Carter..., Judge Templeton. Alan Crosby Sylvia Templeton The Plumber.... His Wife Pollard Fight Enthusiast, A Lawyer June 1 to 15, 1923. Producer— Mastodon Footage — 6,442 ft. CAST Johnny Hines Robert Edeson Edmund Breese Violet Mersereau Charlie Murray Flora Finch Warner Richmond Polly Moran Harry Fraser Distributor — C. C. Burr (Continued on next page) No Advertising Support Accepted!