Variety (July 1921)

^ PridKy, J»ly 2», 1921 PICTURES THEATRE OWNERS BALK AT. Cobeii Denuouifi Nadoiial Body Have Say in Ar- rangements For Aug. 25—Backed by Chamber of Commerce of New York. Directly opon th« bcclt of a f «neral dtBtribQtion of afreement forms by the conduct of ''Motion Pictore Dmy" Ang. 25 to-«xhibiU>rfl and excbances tbis week, the Tliaatra Owners of America dispatdied a long communi- ^tion to its membership opposins )»articipation in the plan. The objection waa put on the g.ouod.s that Picture Day waa devised to **cafTy diacord into oor ranka*' by iQtert^t.-. ini"*^***' to the independent exhibitor. The letter, aigned by Pr^fudent Sydney 8. Cohen, con- liiiupd: The whole matter Is a poorly dis- (ulned flank moTeraent a«ainat the or- gAniaaUon. The aaiae interests that have been llfhtinK the independent e5hibiU>ns are now trying new and £itbtlc propaganda. '•What hi to be the aeope of this ^tM)pcrative work? Who' ia to di- r^'l it? Who ia to anperrise the ■ «ip<>^ndit'Br<> ef thcae naneya, all of vhirh art to be collected through the .«xhibitxn>? The proapectns is dis- .tinctly ailent on theae pointa. *^Tha proape<fts8 farther atates .that *iht fnnda miaed will be turned -oTfr to the cammitteea. Two-thirds .will be retained under control of t^c eddbitan in the state commit- tees and OAC-third will be aent to the .iDOtioa pietnre protectire oommittec ' in New Terk, which ia composed af rfirodaeera and cahibitora.* No one >,hau ever heard of a *motion picture protective committee in New York .wbt«& ia eompoaed of producers and fcxhibitora.' "If the prodacer and distributor vifth to create a ^ar chest,' let them take any day they wiah and place in ■y^ treaaai? of their aaaodatiod hMlt of the film rentals which they roliect for tbat day from the theatre (Otmers of America. Let them create 3Ltheir owi\ food and nae it for their own purposee. We do not ask them . to contribute to- our treaanry. "The rtpresentativea of the film companies who held the meeting in -^ New York arranging for this *mo- >. Uan picture day* will not hear from rthe public, but the eihibitor will, • every day in the year. The impioH- rr.ipii wUl be created that a eoloHAa! • fund has been created, suAeient for , 4*vcry demiindt when a« a matter of • i«rt n very small amount, if anything, Vr-ill be reaiized." l>urini!( the Monday and Tuemiay «c«Hion of the New York Theatre <Vner»' CAamber of Commerce, the .'t^c.i(ipu wan bronKht up end the neo- :tf:Uxry wa« instructed to inwtruot *H • riembcrw by letter that tliey hhould • refer all mattcvn in connection "with . Aojj, 25 to their organization officorM. Natiotiol Prpflident ('ohen attomlcd , Ihe (chamber of Commerce BCF.'^ionH. ^ GREAT MOMENT ^nCtK relhoni "( ' N«41n« PHhann [ OlorJa Bwannon ' Wr KUr/ord Volnom Alex U, rrnnc> : i<{«r«ri| UeiaveJ Mlltou HII1»« J^untftCf |/". u, Uullvr ^•''>»P<>;' Ai itlur Hull •'•rU Croiiibi» lluyiiiotuj IlrHthwuyt *'^y Croriible Helm r>unb:M • m«n«nii CUreiir*. OfldHrt ' "Wll Ur«>ii»oti JuM« I'nvf njonkensop Ann ()rlj;g "The (ireat Moment" n*«rain<Mint ) JJ "presented by Ji^ewe L. Liisliy.' aT*"*"''*' '■ ^i '^^O^*^ KattcrJnJiII nn<l dlrootlon by Hnin Wood nridi«r tlio m- : Mrvlalon of TljouipH jn liucImnHn. Tlx' Pljtine is ctirrenf at the Ulvoll. Klinor »»l.vn coiHrivod tlio norj and it in ^Vpicnlly in h(>i. vrlii (.f Riisty j)asKifm. » bll laboird In ItM liU'iai V dovlccn. EXHIBITORS WITH BRITISH ON TARIFF but nevertheless effective and it ought to be a first rate summer businesi getter, particularly gaiong the women fans. The production must have repre- sented a large outlay of money. There are numerous maaalve scenes and throughout the settings look I'ostly. One in particular is a midnight revel staged by a Washington millionaire spendthrift which called for a large number of people, much costuming and a studio tank water setting that probably represented a bill like a New York Hippodrome ballet ensem- ble. The production throughout is thor- oughly adequate and the money has been well apent. Thia is a case where magnificence of baiAgrounda ia de- manded by the story. It is an exotic idea of a young Bnglish girl, brought up in the austere atmoephere of her titled father's home but swayed by the gypay blood of her dead mother. The formula is distinctly Elinor Glyn's. Nada's father. 0ir Edward, selects as her husband her cousin Bhistace to whom th|» entailed eatate goes, a sappy looking, stolid Britiah youtli. but Nada geta a glimpse of Bayard I>elavel, an American engineer, in a hurried visit to the estate to report on mining propertiee and falls in love. Delavel departs before slie has met him, but later 8ir Kdward decides he must visit the mining properties and takes Nada with him. The party goes on an inspection tour of the Nevada mine, wayward Nada, Pa^m, the handsome engineer and half a dozon others. Nada and Delavel become separated from the othera on a mountain peak wh^r^ Delavel has built himself a solitary shack, and here comes the kick—k very neat bit of tropical fiction. Na<U drops her glove and as shf Btoops to piek '♦ up a rattlesnake stnkes her in tlie eliest somewhere below the deoolletage line. Her life |S In danger: the engineer munt act in deflance of all the rules of con- vention. Ho must open tbe snake Wte with his dasp knife. Nada shrinks away D}odeatIy; the situation JB urgent and Delavel seizes her, tears her waist open, makes the incision and sucks the poison <yut, the catch-ap- catch-can Etroggle involved goint a lonir way to heighten the effect. Delavel then carries the girl to hU fhack RU'l QDplics ihe ancient rfnn»dy of pouring raw whinkev down hor tljropf. The combination of aloliol and Nada*s pypsy blood get in their ln*»?dIouH work an() when the father nnrt Eustace come up in search of tho miHfting pair, they are in the raid-* of xvhi\t. haf) nil the appearance of a KivinjT embrace. There are mipund<»r- vtardiPRs ami recrimmattons and I>(l.ivrl if «>pdere<l forthwith "to mar- ry the cirl." nhich he proceeds to do. Tl>en the anpry father ami Fiance rii^Ur? depart, dlROwniDg Nada *hr Slir:rnolofiH (as they nupposr. ui- thoiJgh It is marV plain that the wliolc fhal.i of clrcnmstanceR has beo-.^ jn- rocPTii). Tlclrvol is ronsr'irnre idvlf-Krh. bplioving that he hs ■ (Tjcrr advitntiiKc "f n cir] "whili* lior j^ons'''- woro dnif^srrd." a.s the title pntp it. |Tf» 'ifriiphlwny recu'cs an nnnulmrnl nf iht> hnwtv mnrrfnirc, and Xadn prtPK to live witl» fricndH in the Hriti.*;h rmhaKPy at Wn*hiiigton. Jiut o'l the t in<' she hsn been in love with Delavel and tdnnjrev in*f» I the dififtiparionN of the caiiitnr«> fw*^! I set t'> fovpft l)#«r HorrowH. Shr l»e- . comeH involved with a rich bonridor and in about to many him in pi(|ue. ■ \vhe»» the now repentant fn*hrr ^■v^\^^ foi- l>nl>iv«'l rnd they nro rer niwilcd. Probnijlv the one minor defr-t of fy>r «t»>ry ID the* it is ri^th'T «catteief' , nn<l diffnKe and stinnur on* to> lonf : Itv obvlouH trU-V- and device Tt i' ' apjiar^nf. lonir befor<» the enrl that r I reeonHlia^ion iH in order and it wrmUl I I'Mve Ix'cr. W'll to ^rt to It prouiDtlv Theatre Owners Oatline yiewB to British Manufacturers The following self-explanatory cable messages between the Theatre Owners of America and the Kinema- tograph Manufacturers' Asaociation of London was made public by Pres- ident Wdney K. Cohen of the Thea- tre Owners this week: "London, Bngland. "Sidney S. Cohen, President: **Briti.*ih Kinematographs Manu- facturers' Association, compriaing all film producers in Great Britain, cor- dially congratulate you on Bfinneapo- lia resolution concerning film tariff. 'We confidently count on continued co-operation of all American theatre owners in maintaining unrestricted freedom of intercourse between the two great nations through the medium of their screens. Cable your views for publication Ijondon press. "A. C. BROMHEAD, ^Ohairmau." "New York. "A. r. Bromhead, Chairman: "Hesolution protesting against tar- iff on foreign film prompted by our desire to have exhibitor and Ameri- can public profit by low cost of pro- duction abroad. Good foreign film supplies essential element of variety to our entertainment. "Believe imposition of tariff will provoke retaliatory legislation in for- eign countries, forcing American ex- hibitors to absorb entire negative cost of domcMtic productions. "THEATRK OWNERS OF AMER- ICA." GOiST FILI KOTES By FBBD MnUJnE. Ijob Angeles, July 27. The n<>at Goldwyn production that B. Mason Hop|)er will direct wwll be "The Wall Hughes. Flower" by Rupert Herbert Rawlinsun starts Htarring for V. in "The lilai-k Hag." a mys- tery story by Ijouis JoM|)h Vance. Art Accord in to appear in an 18 cpdsodc serial for I!, it iM to be en- titled "The Winners of the West" and based un historical fact. £ldward Laemmle is to direct. Lowell Sherman says he is "off New York" for the time being at least. Ue has finished with the Sennett pro- duction "Molly O" and has been signed for the next (.Hara KinibaU Young feature. lielt Dexter, (illoria Swanaon and Wal- lace Reid are to appear. Sam Wood will direct. Universal has purchased "Wild Honey" by CyaChU Stoekley for Pris- ctlla Dean. Lois Weber and PhiilipH Smalley are to amke a long trip abroad. TLey wHl sail from New York on Kept. IS and while on the contioeot will dirc<'t a production in which RIhic JauiM is to appear. Ben Turpin has started for Chicago, He is to make a number of pi^rNoatfl appearances in the middle west, pend- ing the reopening of the i^leniiett lot when he will start on hia starring eontract there. KIPLINO PLEASED A special screening of "Without Benefit of <:iery" was put on at the Alhambra, London, a few days ago to give Rudyard Kipling a view of his short story nuiKterpiece in film form. Tx)rd Beaverbrook who was present cabled to Fnihe the British author was greatly pleased with the adap^- ton and with the playing of Virginia Falre. Al Christie returned here last week exp<>ct to re^Hume «»perat{onR at his studio out on Sunset 1^ulevar<l and found that the works wsk dosed i^owa by the strike. A new working staff is being recruited. The first Mary Miles Minter pic- ture on her return from abro" ' be "Tillie The Menoonite^ Maid,'^ which' has been written by Helen It. Martin. ' obstacles to the embrace when it wan patently in provpect. ' Ncverthelefis it is an absorbing story, particularly for tl^e feminine public, with novel touches, very mod- Cm arguments touching the new woman's demand for freedom in choosing her mote nnd the story in- volves a first rate element of sus- pense. It is e.M|)eeially well acted. Riish. Kathleen Clifford is recovering from u nervous breakdown at the Virginii Hotel. Ix)ng Beach. Her last ap- pearance was at the Calif')raia in a sketch given in conjunction with "Cold Steel," a feature ilm in wbieh she also appeared. Anna T^hr was in court last week for her refusal to pay a bill of $010.85 to a local store for costumes. Her reason for ntt paying was the fact that the collector for the company threatened her with arrest if she did not come across. The scenario staif at V. has been increased by the addition of J. Grubb Alexander, fomprly with Robertson- Cole; Hklward T. I.rf>we, late of Metro and Rita Kisain. Mlai Dwinella Ban- thol. formerly dramatic' editor of "Vkt Baltimore American," haa been added to the reading staff. Claire Windsor, the girl who waa "lost" for :m hours last week has been signed to support Frank Mayo in "Dr. Jim" at U. Charles Ray has started on "Gas. Oil and Water." a new Kintt National release. With hlni in the '••»k» r»»ii be Chadotte Pierce, Otto Hoffman, Robert Gray. William Carroll, Bert Offord and Dick Sutherland. Lew Cody is being held over at the Symphony this week where he baM been making peraonal appearance in ennnection with "DaBgero>us Pastime." For bin seoond week at the house "For Husbands Only** waa received. Tom Forman. tlie Thomas Ifelghan director, arrived here this week and Is to start on the shootli^ of "A Prince There Was" by the first of next week. Howard Biggins, who has been pra- dnction manager for Cecil B. DeMille at the liasky plant, has been elevated to the rank of director. His ^rst star will be Wallace ReM in **Reut Free." Saila Cowan is to make a trip to Korea accompanied by her mother. William D. Taylor returned to Tios Angeles la«t Thursf?ay after a trip abroad. His n%xt produetiun for Lafiky will be started in about a week. A. S. LeVino has prepared the script for the I>asky production of "The Rainbow's End" in which El- r^onstance Btnaey ia here and about to sUrt work at «be Realart itlidloa. Maurice <3ampbell will direct her screen activities, he having Just com- pleted the making of hia seventh pic- ture with Bebe Dahiela as the star. Agnes Ayres secured a dhforce laat Thuffsdav in Judge BoMverf/dd's Court. Thia was the second trial given the action. W. T..eAle Ramsey is being sued by his wife on a charge of desertion. Thev were married five yeora ago m Holfywaod. XESBXO AH WCT WABBBH I^s Angeles, July 27. J. Warren Kerrigan haa been added to the Fred B. Warren Corp. difltriboting banner. The itar, who has been abaent from pictnrea fOi almost two years, la to return in a Warren released productiona late this year. f Comingl A Picture of Tremendous Force With An Unusual Love Angle! A STRONG CAST BABB^RA CASTLETON LEWIS 8. STONE ADBLE FAERINOTON WINTEK HALL WILLIAM DESMOND RICHARD HEADRIOK ■ •.A LOUIS B. MAYER'S ~ prf.s€mtation of ilie iP^-f^^r HOTE3L< HOLjL«YWOOD *■■ BCMILKVOrit OF 1 a lid I Bi L A J B BBIT 1 HOLLYWOOD. LOB ANOEIJ9. CALIFOR i6: rT' r f 4^ John M. Stahl Production THE CHILD THOU GAVEST ME 5^ V O^lf ;fr*.ifi*-".f" Written by ||l| ;« [^iif PEKRY N. YECROFF lliiilVsrif^i.^ Directed by • , i/|l!ii'1^i!^'*:i ^ JOHN M, STAHL :'0? -iOtC A FIRST NATIONAL ATTRACTION *>* 1 1 1 I