Variety (November 1921)

PICTURES 4 Friday, November 25, 1921 =-«= NEWS OF TOE FILMS i r The Rex, Defiance, Ohio, ha* been footifhl by Harold F. Wendt, who STlll play a picture policy In it Bern Benelll, the Italian author, Jrho wrote "The Jest," has contract- ed to write original scenarios for International Pictures, a picture producing concern headed by Mal- colm Strauss. His first will be ?*Tears of the Sea." George Ade, who originally allied nlmtelf with the picture Industry through trying his hand at writing tub-title*, has left for the Coast to write and personally supervise a •cenario called "Our Leading Citi- zen," in which Thomas Melghan Is to star. Charles C. Burr Is making ready for the showing "in a Broadway theatre" of a full-length feature •tarring Johnny Hint's, to be i lied "Bum Em Up Barnes." T* e comedian has heretofore confined himself to two-reel productions. James Morrison play in leading sup- port. Helen Jerome Eddy will play a leading role in Goldwyn'* "Always Warm and Green," a new Gouveneur Morris story. Reginald Barker has commenced "The Storm" at U. Leatrlce Jdy is cast In the leading role. knockabout and roughhouse in abundance, ending In * carnival of clubbing and, of course, the rescue of the American girl. The naval stuff aboard the war- ship is amusing and the chase -ia uproarious. The business on ship- board is said to be strictly accord- ing to Hoyle. Regular service men were employed for the scenes. "The Parson of Panamln" Is to be Jack Holt's next La sky vehicle. The story is by Peter B. Kyne. Joe Henabery will direct and Fritxi Brunette appear in the feminine lead. Dr. Carlos do Mandil, musical di- rector of the Mission theatre, has gone to New York to conduct the orchestra at the Central theatre during the premiere of "Molly O." Porter Emerson Browne's Initial istory for Inspiration Pictures is en- titled "All at Sea," and will be a stellar vehicle for Richard Barthel- mess. Henry King will direct Lon Chaney has been engaged by Director Clarence Brown for a prin- cipal role in Hope Hampton's next First National feature, "White Faith." E. K. Lincoln will have the male lead. William Alexander, of Alexander Film Corj>., has sailed for London to consult with Sir Oswald StoU. His firm will give away Sherlock Holmes stories to the number of 6,000,000 copies in connection with their exploitation and distribution <of films based on the Conan Doyle utorles. Asta Films will reprint "The Mys- tery of Hamlet," by Dr. Vining. This out-of-print study represents Hamlet to have been a woman, the assumption in the Asta rteilson film. The Appellate Division of the Su- preme Court rejected Goldwyn's ap- [peal from the decision of the Censor ffeoard barring The Rose Girl" from Raw York state. Rowland V. Lee, who has com- pleted two productions for Ooldwyn, has just started a third, "The pust Flower." James Rennie and Helene Chadwick are the leads. "Never Weaken," Harold Lloyd's litest, finished a six week's run at the Symphony this week. An elaborate preview of Thomas H. Ince's "Hail the Woman" was held at the Beverly Hills Hotel this week. Mischa Guterson, who wrote the special orchestration for the drama, led a twelve-piece orchestra in accompaniment. Matt Moore is ftere visiting his brother, Tom Moore, but will return east shortly to make another picture. John McCormlck, West coast rep- resentative of First National, has returned from New York, where he was in conference with home office officials. Goldwyn will produce Hall Caine's "The Christian." Charles Kenyon has completed the scenario. James Rennie returns to pictures .fcfter a recent fling at the legitimate. ;He has gone to the coast to play the lleading male role in "The Dust I Flower" for Goldwyn. Mona Kings- ley will have the opposite part. Rowland Lee will direct the picture. Alfred B. Green, directing Colleen Moore at the Goldwyn in "Sent for Out," finished shooting this week. E. Mason Hopper is expected to fin- ish "Hungry Hearts'* next week. William Beaudine is to direct Kathleen Norris' first original screen story for Goldwyn. It is entitled "The Happiest Night of Her Life." FALSE KISSES Jen Mlu do Pont SIS!::::::v///"//™::::::w5« wSKX This is a commendable attempt by Universal to transfer to the screen the one-act play "Ropes, by Wilbur Daniel Steele. The scenario is by Wallace Clifton. Paul Scar- don directed. The feature runs only a little over 4,000 feet, and its fault is mainly in the casting. Who is Miss du Pont, for example, and why this ridiculous designation? Surely the girl has a name. Entrusted with a role that demanded the dramatic ability of a Norma Tal- madge, it is no wonder she fell short. In less exacting roles she should suit the type of exhibitor who buys the U product. All Mr. Steele's conceptions are effective dramatically. This is no exception. Into a quiet fishing vil- lage Jen comes as a school teacher. For love of her two boy friends be- come bitter enemies. They fight. The worsted one she accepts and marries, while Jim goes away to re- turn five years later, a lighthouse in- spector. By that time Paul has lost his Job and Jim gives him one as keeper of a remote island light. There Jen's second baby is born and dies. The scenes' possibilities are not realized. The crux of the piece, with Paul gone blind, comes now, with Jim making love to Jen. To keep Paul's job she lets him kiss her, then kisses him because she wants to, only to be discovered through ingenious cir- cumstances when Paul recovers his sight, That their long love and life I together matters more than this in- discretion is the moral, adequately brought out. Here was great material and the U did pretty well with it, but only pretty well. Mr. Whltlock, as usual, dominated the cast. He is one of the best heavies in the business, but the whole thing leaves you with the hope that more stories by Steele and his like will be bought. Fox and the U have both tried. Griffith and his like should, too. Lecd. superior to the average example of program features. It will please all those not familiar with the elemen- tary tutelage of story construction —that vast multitude which may best be designated as "the general public" /olo. PEARL WHITE'S 0EMAND $5,000 Weekly en Stage—$250,000 for Picture One of the ambitious theatrical agents hearing there might be a de- mand for Pearl White to appear in a spoken drama, consulted Miss White, to be informed she would consider the proposal at $5,000 weekly. The agent was told by his prin- cipal to inquire at what figure Miss White would consent to make a pic- ture. Miss White replied she wanted $250,000, that the picture must be started and finished inside of six months. If it were taken in France, said Miss White, she would slightly reduce the price, as she wanted to go over there. IRE ROUSED WHEN ONE PAYS AND OTHERS USE J0HNS0H-STEGEB DROP SUIT Robert E. Johnson's suit against Julius Steger for $5,000 commission alleged due for effecting the lale Enrico Carusp's picture contract with Famous Players has been amicably adjusted out of court. Johnson, who is a musical and con- cert manager, arranged the contract with Steger, the agreement being that the latter was to waive all commlsion claims in favor of John- son, Steger's interests being else- where. Steger is now supervising director for Fox. Exchanges Start Investigation —Loss $100,000 Detroit. Nov. 23. Under the firm belief that the ex- changes of Michigan are being un- lawfully deprived of approximately $100,000 In revenue annually from film rentals, the Board of Motion Picture Exchange Managers of De- troit has called a special meeting to be held this week to take action against what they say Is a veritable net-work of film bicyclers and date stealers in the western section of the State. Grand Rapids is the particular spot at which the exchange man- agers are to start their Ive, it being claimed that several theatre managers In this city are guiKy of the practice of holding pictures for extra days and trading them with other houses. Several other towns in that vicinity are also to come under the searchlight. The revelations are the result of late return of films in many cases and various reports that have come from other exhibitors from time to time. The exchange managers, feeling that their losses are great, intend to operate a scouting sys- tem, keeping in their employ the year round sleuths who will keep in touch with suspicious exhibitors. Developments are predicted to fo!- low the meeting this week. • E. K. Lincoln and Lon Chancy I have been engaged by Director IClarence Brown as principal sup- iport for the Hope Hampton pro- duction. "White Faith." Jack Pickford is to return to Los |£Angeles within the next day or so. [a has been in New York since late September, when he arrived with lie sister Mary and Douglas Fair- banks, remaining here while they rent abroad. Ann Hnstings has been signed by Larry Semon for his Vltagraph comedy company. She has appeared in a number of Pathe serials. SIH OF MAETHA QUEED George Walsh has been signed by Universal and will appear in a series of out-of-door features. The Theatre Owners' Chamber of Commerce announces a large ad- ice ticket sale for the ball the nrganization is to give at the Astor the night of Dec. 3. The screen rights to "Buster frown** have been secured for Jackie Coogan and will be filmed as me of his features which the Sol iser organization will distribute. 'COAST PICTURE NEWS Los Angeles, Nov. 23. ■ Conrad Nagle has signed with Metro to play opposite Alice Lake in •*Hate." Wadsworth Camp wrote the original and June Mathls the continuity. Charles Clary, Harry Northrup and John Ince are in the cast. SAILOR-MADE MAN £ h * Boy Harold I,!oyd Thfl Wrl Mildred Davis rh» Rowdy Element Noah Young Maharajah Dick Sutherland Doris May has completed her tfeecond Hunt Stromberg production, {•'Eden and Return." on the R-C lot. £,Her third picture will commence this week. Charles Meredith and his wife have loft for Europe, where he in- tends to study dranvi under several noted French and British teachers Alice Calhoun has nrrived from New York and will immediately start a new Vltagraph feature, "Rlue Sell." David Smith will direct and I ORGANIST WANTED ► for '• manual Robert Morgan prgan; .engagement ready ^bout Dec. 1st; state all and lalary expected in first letter. pan Antonio Amusement Co., P. O. Box 1127, San Antonio, {Texas. Harold Lloyd's new four-reeler, release date and distribution plan not yet announced by Pathe. The story is by Hal Roach and Sam Taylor and the direction was in the hands of Fred Newmeyer; titles by Harley M. Walker. The picture has plenty of laughs, all in the familiar Lloyd vein of comedy, and some good human touches, but the comedy does not compare with Lloyd's best. The comedian appears to be In the process of changing the spirit of his appeal. The transition so far is faint and scarcely dis- cernible, but it is in the wrong direction. Specifically. Lloyd is turning his characterization from the "boob" to the "wise guy." Instead of being al- ways the victim of the joke he Is the perpetrator. Instead of falling Into the banana peel trap he sets the trap for somebody else, losing sight of fhe fundamental that the laugh poes to the banana peel victim ani net to the Joker. In so far as the new picture obeys this rule. It is funny, and at all times tho surprises a»*e ingenious. Of course, the comedy punch is an elaborate chase. Picture making has not yet developed any substi- tute for this sure-fire device. The whirlwind climax is neatly led up t ■> and Is smoothly dovetailed with an amusing love utory. Tiloyd is the rich boy. The Girl won't have him unless ho "docs something worth while." He rocs into the navy. As a goh he goos to sloop and dreams he is an admii.l. This Is only an ineident. The dream onuses a flpht with tho ship's bully, a capital chapter, leading to the eo- monting of .'. llrm friendship be- twoen tho Boy and the Hully. The ship anchors in an Oriental port and the CJirl. on a yachting cruise with h r father, comes to tho same place. Oirl goes ashore sight- seeing, as gob also goes on shore- leave. Tho Rajah sees the Ameri- can girl and kidnaps her. The Hoy and his matey go to the palace in pursuit. Here begins tho wild chase with a rich fund of comic detail. The Roy takes refuge in the bath of the harem, staying under water and breathing through the stem of on Oriental wa'er pipe, which the Rajah lights so that smoke bur' "es ri: c from the water. There is "The Sin of Martha Queed" is a Muyflower production, written -and directed by Allan Dwan, photo- graphed by Tony Oaudio, distributed by Associated Exhibitors through Pathe. It is a modern version of "Punchi- nello," carefully scenarioized to pass stringent censorship. It does not come up to the standard set for the better class of first runs, but for the general run of program picture houses It can be played up by exhib- itors as a high-grade production and will please the patrons of such establishments. To a student of dramatic technique it is long drawn- out, with the agony and suspense piled on unnecessarily, but with, say, five minutes of footage cut from its present running time of 65 min- utes, would make for a gripping melodrama, admirably directed and photographed, with a splendid cast. Martha Queed, a school teacher in a mountain village, is In love with a "city feller," who ia up there fish- ing, clad in riding breeches. He re- ciprocates her affection. She Is worshipped silently by a hunchback and coveted by a middle-aged worthless relative. Martha spends a perfectly inno- cent afternoon with the city chap in his bungalow*, accepts his offer of marriage. The worthless one dis- torts the visit to the gin's father, and when she returns home he sends for a justice of the peace and forces her to marry the no-account. It is raining, and although the father gives the worthless one his daughter he refuses to lend him an umbrella. When the hero hears of it the next morning he swears he will kill the no-account if any harm has come to Martha. Hero rushes to the hut, tinds tho no-account dead and the girl gone. He is tried for the mur- der and found guilty, with the girl's father in his capacity of district at- torney prosecuting the hero. The hunchback has spirited tho girl away to his shack, where she libs ill with fever. Just as the hero is convicted the hunchback comes into the courtroom, whispers "In my cabin" to the hero, and tolls (flashback) It was he who killed the worthless one, stabs himself to death, and in the hospital to which she is taken comes "love's fulfill- ment" in the form of a marriage ceremony with the hero, the "sin" having existed only in her father's mind. Mary Thurman is featured as Martha, and Nlles Welch as the hero, contributing excellent char- acterizations. Hut the outstanding hits of the (liming are supplied by George HackethOrn, with the actual stellar role of the sclf-sacrilicing. pathetic hunchback. Joseph J. Dow- ling, as the hard, unyielding father, and Krank Campeau as the repulsive relative who is shot by the hopeless and unhappy deformed "Punchi- nello." "The Sin of Martha Quecd" is far What Makes a Picture a Knockout? Why, 10 Counts, of Course! Count 'em Out Yourself! l'JOHN BARRYMORE, America's greatest actor, as the man who never saw a woman until he was 25. 2 MARSHALL NEILAN, the director, mak- er of sure-fire box office attractions. 3 "THE LOTUS EATER," a fascinating story which has been read by millions in the Cosmopolitan Magazine. 4 Albert Payson Terhune, author, who is ft writer of international fame. 5 Wesley Barry, the freckled faced "kid" whose comedy touches have made millions laugh. 6 Colleen Moore, as charming an actress as ever crossed the silver sheet. 7 Anna Q. Nilsson, whose statuesque beauty and vampish eyes have cast a magic spell on" the public. 8 J. Barney Sherry, a strong, virile actor, known to every motion picture lover. 9 A complete cast of stars of stage and screen in support 'of the great Barrymore. 10 Strong acting, lavish production, artistry, beauty of settings and scenery—a perfect ensemble such as goes to make up a John Barrymore production directed by Marshall Neilan. A First National Attraction Opens at the Caplisl Theatre, November 27 i^ i