Screen Opinions (1923-24)

“BOOK THE NEW PERCENTAGE WAY” 139 by a manager, and April is given the star part. After the successful opening, April, who has been wooed by Dudley Quail, a rich man, suddenly finds that she loves Edgar. A greater revelation awaits her when she discovered that Edgar is the author of the play, having been kept in ignorance of the fact until the big day. PROGRAM COPY — “The Purple Highway” — Featuring Madge Kennedy The road to success led April Blair, a slavey, to a purple valley of dreams, white lights and romance. Don’t miss Madge Kennedy, one of the screen’s most popular stars, in her latest feature, “The Purple Highway.” “HELL’S HOLE” — [Class A]80% (Especially prepared for screen) Story: — Cowboy’s Dream of Term in Prison for Another’s Crime VALUE CAST Photography — Very good — Not credited. Tod Musgrave Charles Jones TYPE OF PICTURE— Realistic— Dorothy Owen Ruth Clifford Adventurous. Del Hawkins Maurice Flynn Moral Standard — Average. Mabel Grant Kathleen Key ■ Warden Grant Hardy Kirkland Story — Very good — Melodrama — Family. Pablo Eugene Pallette Star — Very good — Charles Jones. . Author — Very good — George Scarborough. August 15 to 31, 1923. Direction — Very good — Emmett J. Flynn. Adaptation — Very good — Bernard McConville. Technique — Very good. Spiritual Influence — Neutral. Producer — Fox Footage— 6000 ft. Distributor — Fox Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE — Be Sure You Have the Price of a Ticket Before You Board a Train Spirited Melodrama With Dashes of Comedy Should Get Across in any Theatre Spectacular Landslide Feature of Production “Hell’s Hole” is the best to date of the Charles Jones features. The story on which it is based has a worth while plot which is worked out in a dream of a cowboy after he has been thrown from a railroad train for not having the price of a ticket. The western settings of the production are unusually attractive, and the prison atmosphere in which the dream scenes take place is realistic, presenting amusing types who figure in interesting incidents of prison life. The avalanche or landslide in which the hero, the girl and the villain of the dream are swallowed up and all but lose their lives, forms the biggest exploitation angle of the picture. This is unusually effective, rocks hurled from the mountain side, and great quantities of earth displaced pile up in the valley, “Hell’s Hole” as the place is known. The picture is well directed and carefully edited, and the cast including the star, Charles Jones, Maurice Flynn and Ruth Clifford are thoroughly at home in the parts they play. You can afford to give this picture an extra boost. STORY OF THE PLAY Tod Musgrave, a rider of the range, together with Del Hawkins, both penniless, are pursued from a dance hall where they have participated in a fight. They board a train and are thrown off by the conductor for failing to show tickets, and forced to sleep on a bench on a station platform. Tod dreams that Hawkins holds up a train and steals a big amount of money, and then lights out leaving him to bear the brunt of the theft. In prison he meets a pretty girl, who visits the warden’s daughter, and falls in love with her. As a trusty in care of the prison library he discovers a hole in the wall behind the book shelves through which he can escape. And on Christmas day, the day on which he is to be given a pardon, he .makes his getaway with the intention of bringing Hawkins, who is now manager of a big ranch, back with him. In the struggle to get Hawkins, who has lured Dorothy away to a lonely cabin in the mountains, the group, including Pablo, a Mexican, Tod, Dorothy and Hawkins are hemmed in by a landslide which completely covers the cabin. As the lighted candle is about to go out, they are rescued. The story closes with the betrothal of Dorothy and Tod, after Tod has disclosed Hawkins’ deceit and made him hand over the stolen money. PROGRAM COPY— “Hell’s Hole”— Featuring Charles Jones Don't miss the tremendous spectacle in “Hell’s Hole,” a landslide, and near-death for the central group of characters. This is Charles Jones’ best feature. No Advertising Support Accepted!