Screen Opinions (1923-24)

114 "BOOK THE NEW PERCENTAGE WAY" who fights for the hero in spite of her uncle and drunken fiance whose business it is to defeat Arnold. Lloyd Whitlock and Frank Beal have the heavy roles, which they play intelligently. The production is nicely photographed STORY OF THE PLAY Jack Arnold, mining engineer, is sent by his employer to secure possession of a valuable opal mine in Australia. Arnold makes the boat by jumping off the dock as the vessel is moving out, and then discovers he has not enough money to pay his voyage. His predicament is overcome by Caroline Peyton, who has overheard his conversation with the purser, and who deposits his fare with the captain. Arnold sees the name on the check, and later takes advantage of an opportunity to talk to her. The remainder of the story is consumed with adventures on the coast of Australia, where Langdon, Caroline’s uncle, together with her fiance, fight Arnold for first chance on the mine. Caroline’s sympathies are with Arnold and later she frees herself from her drunken fiance to become engaged to Jack, whose quick wit secures the mine from the original owner. PROGRAM COPY — “When Odds Are Even” — Featuring William Russell A thrilling tale of love and adventure — a hazardous race for an opal mine — a red-blooded tale of a struggle for riches in Australia. William Russell and a fine cast play the picture. c “THRILL CHASER”— [Class A] 80% (Especially prepared for screen) Story: — Adventures of Cowboy Who Wanted to Be a Movie Star VALUE Photography — Very good — Virgil Miller. TYPE OF PICTURE— Humorous. Moral Standard — Average. Story— Very good — Comedy — Family. Star — Good — Hoot Gibson. Authors — Very good — Edward Sedgwick and Raymond L. Schrock. Direction — Very good — Edward Sedgwick. Adaptation — Very good — E. Richard Schayer. Technique — Very good. Spiritual Influence— Neutral. Omar K. Jenkins. Olala Ussan Sheik Ussan Prince Ahmed... Lem Bixley Rudolph Biggedo Abdul Bey CAST Hoot Gibson Billie Dove James Neill William E. Lawrence Bob Reeves Gino Gerrado Lloyd Whitlock December 15 to 31, 1923. Producer — Universal Footage — 5,196 ft. Distributor — Universal Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE — There Is No Royal Road to Stardom Amusing Burlesque — Best of Hoot Gibson Features — Good Comedy in Studio Scenes “The Thrill Chaser” is easily the best of the Hoot, Gibson features to date. That is to say it contains real comedy, a combination of farce and burlesque' that will pull a laugh to almost every scene, and is subtitled to match. The opening scenes show the hero cowboy sitting underneath a tree reading from Omar Khayyam, “a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou,” at which moment a girl appears on the other side of the tree who, astonished at the class of literature he is reading says, “I thought you were a cowboy.” To which he replies “So I am — but some of us can read.” The comedy hurries along in this rollicking vein from first to last. The scenes in the studio where the cowboy, asking for a meagre two thousand a week, is forced to content himself with three bucks a day, and where in place of riding a horse he becomes the son of Nero, and rushes on, spear in hand, to inform Veronicus that “Vesuvius is ruptured,” are among the funniest in the picture. His sojourn in Arabia, doubling for an Arabian prince, affords some good comedy and a few thrills, all of which finds the star in good form and doing his best. Billie Dove does well without much opportunity, and the cast is good throughout. STORY OF THE PLAY Omar K. Jenkins, after riding after a train and placing a young lady on it from the back of his horse, learns that Bill Hart gets three thousand dollars a week for doing the same thing that he has done. And so Omar hies him to Hollywood, demanding not less than two thousand a week to ride anything on four legs. His dream of wealth and stardom are soon over when he is cast as a Roman soldier and after two or three vain efforts is fired off the set. He goes to Arabia at a big salary to double for a Sheik and falls in love with one of the women of the harem, with whom he elopes. PROGRAM COPY— “The Thrill Chaser”— Featuring Hoot Gibson The funniest of all Hoot Gibson features. Thrilling adventures of a cowboy who would be a movie star and ends by doubling for a Sheik in Arabia. No Advertising Support Accepted!