Variety (May 1923)

■ Wednesday, May 30, 1923 • VAKliDTY » known histrionic ability. In the early footage Mies Brady displays herself scantily clad as a native of the South Seas. In the later reels as a woman of culture she appears to advantage in attractive creations. The acting at no time shows her at her best. In this division Mon- tague Love comes to the fore. As a husband who trains his wife the same as he does an animal he dis- plays some finished work. Charles Kent and Edward Langsford handle the other two roles of importance satisfactorily. Natives and extras used as a ship's crew furnish the background for the four principal players. The production includes numerous exteriors and several scenes aboard a yacht. Some interiors of a West- chester home frame up nicely. In no departure has an attempt been made to make this a big picture. It is a production which will prove but a cog in the wheel and never make a name for itself. Angus McKensie. a Scotchman, and his daughter are shipwrecked on a South Sea island. The girl is brought up as a native, her father being of little account When she has attained womanhood a white traveler of moans reaches the island. He wishes to take the girl, but is forced into a marriage by her father, who secures a case of whiskey for his permission. The girl is taken to her husband's home near New York. Th. re he treats her in the same manner he does a leopardess he had captured. He brags to his friends that his method is the only way to handle women. The girl had learned to care for the captain of her husband's yacht, whom she be- lieved had been drowned when thrown overboard by the latter on their trip to New York. The captain puts in an appear- ance later, and considerable con- fusion takes place, which ends in the husband meeting his Waterloo when the animal which he had kept in a cage in his home leaps upon him and causes his death, leaving his wife free to accept the captain. Hart. WHAT A WIFE LEARNED A Thomas H. Ince production. Scenario by Bradley King. Directed by Ince. Re- leased by First National. Time, 70 min- utes. Jim Russell ) John Bowers Rudolph Martin Milton Sills Sheila. Dome Marguerite De I,a Motte Esther Russell Evelyn McCoy Tracy McGrath Harry Todd Maggie McCJrath Aggie Herring I^lllian Martin Francella Billington Terry Ernest Butterworth Max field John Steppllng A conventional story unfolded in stereotyped manner by a cast, of good players of whom none stood out but Marguerite De La Motte. This girl runs away with whatever honors the roles embrace. She is convincingly* emotional as the lit- I ! — TAVERN 156-8 WEST 48TH STREET East of Broadway A CHOP HOUSE OF EXCEPTIONAL MERIT THE BEST PLACES TO STOP AT eonard Hicks, Operating Hotels LORRAINE 417-419 S. Waba.h Avenue GRANT—""> Special Rates to the Profession CHICAGO Pioneers of Housekeeping Furnished Apartments (of the better kind—within means of economical folks) THE DUPLEX 330 Wot 43d Street Longacre 7132 Three and four rooms with bath Modern in every particular. 'Accommodate three or more adults $12.00 UP WEEKLY YANDIS COURT 241-247 West 43d Street Bryant 7912 One, three and four room apartments with kitchenettes, private bath and telephone. Directly west of Times Square. Ropm arrangement creates utmost privacy. RATES: $17.00 UP WEEKLY Refft communications to M. CLAM AN, 241 West 43d St. 46th ST. NEAR B'WAY 2 Rooms, Bath and Kitchenette Meotlily (OMTI.KTKLY FUBNISHKD SSe.eO INriKMSHKD fSt.OO MAID SERVICE ROSENTHAL, 1540 Broadway, N. Y. SUITS 1502 3S0 HOUSEKEEPING APARTMENTS 1 IRVINGTON HALL I 365 West 51st Street 6640 Circle HENRI COURT 312 West 48th Street 3830 Longacre HILDONA COURT 341-347 West 45th Street. 3560 Longacre. 1-2-3-4-room apartments. Bach apartment with private bath, phone, kitchen, kitchenette. $18-00 UP WEEKLY—$70.00 UP MONTHLY The largest maintainer of housekeeping furnished apartments directly under the supervision of the owner. Located in the center of the theatrical district. All fireproof buildinga Address all communications to CHARLES TENENBAUM Principal office, Hildona Court, 341 Wast 46th St., New York Apartments con be teen evening». Office in each building. Phone: Leafacre 0444—Bryant 42S3 THE BERTHA erary school teacher who is torn be- tween love and a career. Coming west to acquire "atmosphere" while teaching school, the story tells of her struggle after marrying Jim Russell. Russell is a western prod- uct with secret yearnings to build bridges, etc. He promises not to in- terfere with his wife's career. She writes a novel which becomes a best seller; it is to be dramatized and she must collaborate with the play- wright, Rudolph Martin (Milton Sills) and move to the city. Her husband doesn't mix with her new friends, but secures emplojU ment as a truck driver rather than live on his wife's bounty. Her new circle of friends are surprised at dinner one night by the entrance of the truck driver. When one of them laughs he bounces the crowd. From then on they go it alone until the husband returns to his ranch and completes the building of a dam which has been started years before and abandoned. The bursting of the dam and the rescue of the play- wright, who has followed the au- thoress west, is the big thrill of an otherwise featureless' tale that is heavily padded and draggy toward the latter portions. The story solves itself when they decide they are builders and that the creative In- stinct can be practiced in double harness. The picture is an ordinary pro- gram release and becomes tedious before the last embrace. Milton Sills did well in a colorless role and John Bowers was intense if uncon- vincing as the transplanted west- erner. Marguerite De La Motte must be credited with saving the release from absolute mediocrity. Her work was high grade through- out. Con. THREE JUMPS AHEAD Fox Film Production, starring Tom Mix. Written and directed by Jack Ford. At Fox's Academy of Music, New York, Tues- day, May 22. Time, 55 minutes. Cast: Tom Mix, Francis Ford, Buster Gardner. Ed- ward Teil, Joseph E. Girard. Virginia Board man, Margaret Joslln. This is a western of the machine made sort. Cut and dried situations galore in the early part of the pic- ture, with the big punch arriving in the final reel and making up for the drivel that has preceded it. Punch is leap on horseback made by Mix across chasm that looks to be moun- tainous in height and possibly 20 OEL'S One Moment West of Broadvy-ay at 41 »t Street The Rendezvous of the Lending Lights of Literature and the Stage. The Best Food sod Entertainment in New York. Musle and Dancing. $1 Our Special: A Sirloin Steak and Potatoes (Any Style) $1 In the GRILL with SPECIAL RESERVATIONS for LADIES The Chateau Laurier City Island, N. Y. NOW OPEN FOR SEASON OF ;-: 1923 :-: Beautifully Decorated. Dinty Moore's Wonderful Orchestra Excellent Shore Dinner at $3.00 and exquisite a la * Carte service ■^ feet in width. Maybe more. What- ever the exact dimensions, it's a darb of a leap. Story is built up slowly, first part dragging. Usual bandits, cow hands, tough guys, mountain scenery, and a chase toward the finish. It's the sort of stuff they used to fill the dime novels with years ago, dnd evi- dently aimed to please the kids. Lots of apple sauce, with hero (Mix) outwitting bandits and rescuing sweetheart's father from cruel clutches. A titte mentioned something about "Old Hokum Bucket." books as if title writer had been reading Variety. Great riding stuff. One stretch of film has Mis doing a wild chariot ride on remains of stage coach that has gone over the cliff. That's the kind of film it is, "over the cliffs with 'im, boys." Mix is excellent in role that means nothing, making it important through sheer force of personality. He deserves better vehicles than junk like this. Rest of cast good, in- cluding ingenue, whose name is not mentioned in cast because Academy doesn't give out -programs with casts, and film was run off so swift- ly name could not be caught from screen. Photography average. Picture would make great two reeler. As it is there's a nice long sleep between reels one and five. Punch is worth waking up for, though. That riding by Mix and bandits, and Mix's leap would make any picture. Would have made this a big timer had rest of it been any way near it in point of interest. For the smaller houses it should be a great card, especially matinees for the children. Lacks class for the big houses, but should make an excellent half of a double feature bill. Bell. SNOWDRIFT William Fox production starring Oiarles Joncw. Directed by Scott Dunlap from Jsmes B. Hendryx'a story. Runs about r.r. minutr*. Half of a double feature at I.ocw'ji New York. I Management Julius Keller William Werner This is the forerunner of the usual avalanche of Arctic subjects so pre- valent during the torrid months. The title gives away its frigid locale. The story is one of those stock formulas about the white daughter of rather veiled origin; the gambler- hero; the "the Queen of the Yukon" and the boss of the Bonanza dance hall who insists on making the heroine an inmate of his Dawson rendezvous. The period of the action is vaguely denoted as around the gold rush time. Charles Jones is only identified by the soubriquet of Ace-in-the-hole because of his unusually lucky poker activities. Heralded by a title as a college graduate and an engineer, he is introduced on one of his stud rampages. Later tables turn and .lows becomes and is accused as being a "bum"- by the "Queen of the Yukon." Ace is led to reform and cure him- M-lf of* the grip of hootch by his stojc Indian good man Friday. lie "mushes" north to again develop his mine which purpose is conveniently lost Night of in Arc's wooing and winning of "Snowdrift" »Dorothy Manners). She is the daughter of the McFarlandi who entrusted her ;.s .• babe to an Indian tor is it Bsquimo?) squaw--it is not made clear- Who placet Snowdrift in a convent and leads all to believe 'he nvnt«. Geo. r. Schneider, Prop. FURNISHED APARTMENTS CLBAN AND AIRY 323-325 Weit 43rd Street NEW YORK CITY Private Bath. 3-4 Roonsa. Cater I n* to the eosofort ss4 con real* are of i «■« profession. STEAM HEAT AND ELECTRIC UtiUT ..... S15M IP COMPLETE FOM.HOC8EKEEPINO. THE ADELAIDE 754.756 EIGHTH AVENUE Between 4«th and 47th Street. Oae Bloek Wost of Broadway Three, Four and Five-Room Hlfh-CUSe Furnished Apartments WtrtrtU IWe-lnaal. MHH UKtUUiK HlEttEL. Mrr Pl!oW> BrV Brynt SS5S-1 ARISTO HOTEL 101 West 44th St., Ntw York In the heart of th« Agents* district FOR THEATRICAL FOLKS Rooms with bath fit week up Telephone llt7-tl»tt Bryant ————■—————^—■—<——» MAIN 1994—eeeet Engstrum Apartment Hotel 623 West Fifth St. LOS ANGELES, CALIF Special Rates' to Profession girl Is her offspring from a hybrid mating of questionable origin. Ace having conquered drink trails Claw (the heavy) to his Dawson City dance hall where he has kid- napped Snowdrift and in a truly gripping fight amid flame* effects a rescue and the convenlent*demise of the villain in a mortal combat in self-defense. That's the big punch of the picture—that fight—and tops off the release effectively. It is produced with the us mil Fox production economy with plenty of outdoor stuff and a couple of crude log cabin interiors. Probably a pop price rental release and should please in the small daily change bouses. The star gets in some effective HOTEL HUDSON % 8 end Up Single $12 and Up Double Hot and Cold Water and Telephone In Bach Boom. 102 WEST 44th STREET NEW YORK CITY Thone: BRYANT Tttt-tt HOTELFULTON (In tho Heart of New York) $ 8 snd Up Single $14 snd Up Double Showar Baths, Hot and Cold Water and Telephone. 264 288 WE8T 46th STREET NEW YORK CITY Phone: Bryant 0S83-9S94 Opposite N. V. A. work. IVIfss Manners is an unknown quantity and fell below the mark in the little she was called upon to do. For that matter all the women did nothing distinguishing excepting the Indian squaw. Irene Rich as the danfe hall quern was given few op- portunities. G\ Raymond Nigh as Claw, the heavy, was ♦ ftVctivf. Abel. INSIDE STUFF ON PICTURES (Continued from page 22) The announcement of a merger of Cosmopolitan, Goldwyn and Distinc- tive into a $25,000,000 combination* occupied* trade attention this week when the significance of the move came, under study and analysis. It revived all the old talk of new trade amalgamations which have been resting since the start of the Federal Trade Inquiry Into Famous Playerr. Out of the whole mass of figuring this view stood out: The Hcarst-CJoldwyn consolidation brings new and powerful opposition to bear against Famous Players, both by the strength of Its production schedule, its lineup of stars and directors, and its representation on Broadway with a big exploitation theatre. All these things figure In the Federal trade matter and it looks as though the future depends pretty largely upon the outcome of that pro- ceeding. If the investigation results In a check upon the present system of conducting the film business, it will have much the same effect on all the big producers, generally forcing a policy of "the open door* to In- dependents and all the big companies will be ruled by the same de- cision. If, however, the government gives Famous Players a elean bill of health, it would seem logical to expect the further growth of large and concentrated organizations. With the addition of Hearst to the Goldwyn Ijneup that concern has come mightily to the fore, ami it would surprise no one to look for a major DjSttle between Hearst-fJoIdwyn and Famous Players for the 1 leadership. It has been the history of big business, and especially of the big pic- ture business, that combinations breed new combinations and (bis bring" up the old figuring on Zukor-Loew. If the Federal Trade inquiry fails to disclose any real trouble for Famous Players and if Hearst-tloldwyn strength goes to a point where it challenge* Famous Players leadership, hc!I informed trade observers belit* an arrangement between tii^e m\o would be almost inevitable. The trade has never really figured out Why Fanaoue and ]a'\y have r.« t come together except on'the aucface explanation tii.it. the positive Vietri Of both men have been against it. A new view, in the light of recent events, it that the overhanging of the Trade inquiry had some weight. The matter baa been impending for more than a year, and doubtless ha« done much »o prevent consolidations In Ihls slid o?h'r directions, but r,nc« it i i oui of lh« way, film authorities would look feu- vlt I develoi