Variety (July 1923)

w -^^s^f'-^^rT-T^'*" Wednesday, July 4, IWj »»VH"V«F 4 V^Tlf,."** ,f^"'.*TvwL-,«T' ^.Tr';«K-vrm3«;.'tt; ■■'5«ai--i'7Tr"3.: PICTURES r'!^''Tv:..'*»»"rT'(' v>. T'»,_''rr* V'>'W'>tJ*:X'7'*""•"'-'►'""\-';»r;T vjy - WARDEEING DAUGHTERS tamM Young production pre«cnted \ry •.m E Rork. Adapted from the rtory by IKl. Hurnft: directed by Jamca Toun«. mlx^m^ by Flrat National. Shown at this JSSd; New York, week July 1. Running &:Awdenr':..Marguerite d. la Motte I "^"8 ^ girl who has come all the 2?m BowdTn her father. .William V. Mon« way from EnK'land unchaperoned to it is as long as there la Bomethlng in motion on the screen. The story as near as it Is possible to-ascertain startu out with a wom- en's jcnocking club at the dnglish army post in India. They are pan- •Wlll Bo Xiuile nowden. her mother „--_ ^"^ Mabel Van Burer fl«raldine Horton -«. • Mafjorle Daw i^TrWn Morton, her father... .Noah Beery John H^rgrave- ^".Ln^'J^ti'/Ji \ o^!T> TruH • • Allen ^rrem i^ant in the Bowden hom"..Ah«» Huweii - A derlJedly slow moving, badly :«roduccd, poorly edited and but fairly directed production that i« far from being up to the standard to merit a pre-release showing at any of the bigger Broadway houses. Nevertheless it is the attraction at the Strand for the current week, and the bu3ine^« the house did from 7-30 to 9:15 on Monday night seemed ' to tell the story completely. There was- less than 50 )er cent, of the lower floor occupied. In the regular ,. run of dally change houses of the ' better class where double features f are the policy a couple of times a week the picture will serve as enter- tainment, but in a de luxe house where the better class of preaenta- ^ tlons are in order it doesn't belong. The story is a small town tale of the effect that the modern "jazz fpirlt" has on the younger genera- tion. Seemingly, according to the •tory. any girl that stays out until r, midnight with a young man that the family doesinot approve of is a V "wandering daughter," but if she ftays out until dawn with the young man that they like, and comes home In his car, sits in front of the house and atope the milk man and baker for drink and fooij and sits com- placently munching the rolls/ and buns dressed In a Hawaiian 'irnring V costume, it Is all right. I. The girl is a small town vamp of ' poor but honest parents .who treaa- t ure her highly. She falls in love I with the hero, who as far as the screen would Indicate is a real es- tate salesman, a newspaper reporter and what not. Of course the story has a heavy. He is just a country club dancer, heavy sheik lover and an artist that paints nudes on the side. He steps Into the country vamp's life and starts her sampling kisses, has her visiting his studio and a few little things like that. Incidentally he is the ^uy that keeps her out until midnight one night and when she ■ returns daddy asks her to "tell him all." That's all there wa«; there'wasn't ■ any more. At least not until daddy decided that the daughter needed a £oro modern atmosphere at home I that she could compete with the country club set in the matter of entertaining. He bla«ts Into the family bankroll to revamp the house and through the experiment he manages to narry off daughter to the hero, stalling off the installment • men who want to move the trick furnishings cut of the house while the wedding ceremony Is being per- formed. The picture leaps from pillar to post on the screen, there being about the worst continuity of events •hown as could *je Imagined. There are scenes seemingly dragged In by • the roots, such as a parade of models with gowns, a swimming pool scene at the country club (this, by the way, was a little d.f- ferent through having Illuminated •winge over the water In a night ■cene). and a lot of iazz dancing ■tuff that Is of the toddle type that pasned out a couple of seasons back. Marguerite de la Motte as the , heroine showed aothing that will win contracts for her, Marjorle Daw ta a secondary role topping her In •very scene In which they both ap- peared. Pat O'Malley wae a luke- warm hero and a patent leather- haired heavy was contributed by Allen Forrest. Fred. THE LAMP IN THE DESERT visit her brother. The youth is pop ular at the post, and therefore the cutting of the girl does not take Qibson maliea an altogether accept- able hero. Gibson has the role of a sergeant In the A. E. F.. from Texas. On the other side he suffers shell shock and the slightest unexpected noise drivea him looney. Back In Texas, while the boy is abroad, his dad and the nearest neighbor start a war of their on over the water supply for the I cattle. place in the open, but behind her On a train speeding home at about back the married hens peck her to the same time are the >oy and the pieces, in sclf-dcrcnsc the girl ac cepts the attentions of the lady killer of the post and marries him. The brother and his closest, chum disapprove of the match. After the ceremony has been performed the brother's chum receives a letter from England, where his brother Is a prison chaplain. The latter re- quests that he look up a certain Ceptain Da^ce, as there Is a woman prisoner at the Institution who claims him as her husband, she hav- ing alleged in her own defense when brought up on a charge of forgery that her husband by his refusal to support her had driven her to crime. It was-this .same Captain Darce that the young English girl had married. Then the chum sets out to put matters right. He follows the honey- mooning couple and places the fear of God Into the bridegroom by show- ing him the letter from SBngland and Informs him that he had but two ways out of the situation, one was the suicide route and the other to disappear. This latter he decides is the easier. The brother's chum then returns to the wife and informs her that an accident had occurred and her hus- band Is no more, a few months later proposing and marrying her himself. That was fast' work for a girl in a picture — two marriages in three reels. In the end the husband No. 1 re- turns to the scene, but Is conve- niently knocked off In a native up- rising, and there is the usual happy ending. Hardly any reason for It all as far as the screen Is concerned. As for the acting, the less said the better about that^^nd of the picture, for every one In the cast, and none of them could be recognized on the screen as having ever been seen be- fore, ficted all over the lot. •:...• ■ ' ■■ '■ Fred. daughter of the neighbor. They recognize each other, a childhood romance Is revived and the result ie by the time they reach the home town they are practically engaged to marry. But the two dads meet them at the station and tear the fond lovers apart. Gibson's dad says the boy has to take up the fight against the father of the girl he loves, and the girl's dad Informs her that should he ever become aware she has spoken to the boy he will disown her. At about this stage the heavy gets busy and starts to lay suit to the girl's heart, without success. The heavy finally tries to get the girl Into his arms by main force. Escaping, she makes for the for- bidden lover's borne. His dad, not aware the boy Is suffering from shell shock, believas him a coward and the two have cosne to a parting of the ways. Tbe arrival of the gin sends Hoot on tbe war trail after the heaTy, with the result he Is badly beaten up. Thlr pleases his father as an indication his son wasn't afraid. At the finish the boy gets a third and final "shock" from the explosion the heavy sets and blows up the dam of the water works. This brings the boy back to jiormal and he starts after the heavy, who has kidnapped the girl catches him. pulls him from his horse, trln^ him and rides back in glory with the young woman. It Is A little western "Homeo and Juliet" that will get over with the majority of the film fans. Gibson puts over the shell-.^hooked boy nicely and his jump from a horse at full speed and ihe tumble he and the heavy tal^e were thrills. Fred. THE RAPIDS Brneat Shlpman presents "The Rapid*" jy Alan Sullivan, produced by the Saulte ste. Mariw Films, Ltd.. released through Ilodkinson. The story was adapted for the Bcrcen by Faith Green with David M. Hartford, director. Shown privately by Hodkinson June 14. Time, 60 mln- utea. •The Rapids" Is a Canadian pro- duction carrying the name of the Sault 8te. Marie Films, Ltd., a company organized by Ernest Ship- man and promoted by Canadian capital. The picture is one of many promoted lo the same manner sev- eral of Its scenes being taken in the section wherfe the money was raised for the producing company. Few pictures made with this style of financing have reached a high mark. This latest Shlpman pro- duction Is about on a par with the rest. Its story Is so laid out as to bring several local scenes Into use a number of which are Interesting from an educational standpoint. As screened the story oversteps the bounds of regulation fiction, so far fetched In many instances as to be ridiculous. In setting his producing organiza- tion together Shipman selected players of a medium calibre and an acceptable technical staff with Davll M. Hartford the director. ,, Harry T. Morey was assigned <fle Of course he lead with Mary Astor taking the leading rola In her ^vlsloa. Walter Miller carried what bordered on be- ing a Juvenile lead. The remainder fitted :n satisfactorily, the out- standing work of the minor roles being that of Frank Andrews. Tha only cost of any consequence was the cast. Little studio work waa necessary with a number of ex« teriors including river scenes tak- ing up the footage. Several of tha »pulp wood mill and steel mill shots were exceedingly Interesting and well dono. The story Is laid in a small Ca- nadian town. For years it Is dor-" mnnt regardless of natural advan- tages. Robert Clarke appears and sees its possibilities. He secures backing and transforms it Into a thriving pulp mill center. Not con- tent with the development he learns iron Is In the vicinity and erects large steel nulls. Together with the commercial side is a love angle helped ulong by a child with the finish having ths creator of the city an tmsuccessful lover with his right hand man win- ning the girl both had been after. It Is a very simple tale. Were It not for the educational tinge tha picture would have little valu«. The big drawback Is that none of the characters with the exi. option of the child mature as the story prog- resses, notwithstanding the tale is f<pread over a term of years. That the huge mills spring up as If over night is also a bad feature. Ths story intends the Impression ba given the buildings are erected with great speed but not as miraculously as the film wo^ld lead one to be- lieve. "The Rapids'* is just a picture. It may pleass ths people in Canada who put their money into it but It hardly meets the rsquirements of * regulation scresn audience. Hart, aa..j i 'T- **•;•■ THE BROKEN VIOLIN Atlantic Features production released by Arrow. From the story by George Rogan, directed by Jack Dillon. Shown at Proc- tor's 23d St., in conjunction with a flve-act vaudeville bill for throe days commencing July 2. Time. 73 minutes. Jeremy Kllsworth Joseph Blake Thomas Kitterly Warren Cooke James Gault Henry Sedley Dr. Mason Sydney Dean John Kllsworth Reed Howt-s Constance Morley Dorothy Maclialll Beatrice Kllsworth Rita Hogan Jules Davega J. H. I.ewifl The Governess Zena Keefe Phil Carter ? Fl9yd Wataon J Gladden James George M. Davis presents screen version ■f Ethel M. Dell s novel. Script author- ■bip, director's name and that of the cant •navailable. Relfta^ed through C. B. C f*r state rights. At Fox's AoROemy. N. T., July \-A, on double feature bill. Running time GO minutes. This screen version of Ethel M. Dell's novel Is just "one of those thlng.s." There seems to be no rea- son for the title, likewise no reason for the picture. It Is Just a cheap bodge podge of a story of India the like of which has been done hun- dreds of times on the screen and in- cidentally much better. The production bears all the ear- marks of having possibly been done abroad, at least It is disconnected enough in the matter of story to have been. For the cheaper grade of houses where there is a dsily change it will get by on a double bill, and ioT the rest it will pass nicely for the audif>nces who do not care what Melodramatics are the stock in trade^ of this production, with the story bringing forth only old bits in this line to create Interest. The tale has a flimsy love angle weakly told, with the theme In general fall- ing short of holding attention. The story Is long drawn out, the rough and tumble action being well sep- arated by great lengths of film In which little action or Interest Is de- veloped. ( The producing company has stuck quite closely to studio work with this production, the sets coming in the classification of ordinary. What exterior work is brought into play is not spectacular. The big scene of the picture Is a race between a motorboat and hydro aeroplane. It Is far from convincing. A fight scene, where the hero single-handed tackles a tough gang. Is another of Its punches. The rough and tumble work Is poorly done. As the fight went on the cooler the combatants became. The cast has Zena Keefe as Its only name, the others being from the rank and file of picture players. Miss Keefe's role proved of little value to her, its opportunities being very limited Reed Howes did the bulk- of the work. Gladden James and Henry Sedley were kept com- paratively busy. The story Is of an Imposter en- deavoring to secure the millions rightfully belonging to another. His ruse works for a time, but the rl::ht- ful heir finally comes into his own and incidentally wins the girl which the other had also attempted to secure. These long drawn-out melodramas are pretty tough on summer-time audiences. Hart. he*s looking for ■<■? THE wise exhibUor doesn't think about pictures just for today, tomorrow, and next week. He looks ahead to the coming months. To next year. He's got to be assured of a continuous supply of superfine box- office material over a long period of time if he expects to keep up with the procession in these days of strenu- ous competition. ' ,- , That's why a prominent exhibitor, liaving read Paramount's announcement of 11 big specials (one a week) for the first three months of 4923-24, having seen ^'Hollywood," "Bluebeard's 8th Wife,'' 'The Cheat" and several others of the 11 and assured him- self that they are exactly as promised, pointed to tha remaining 9 months of 1923-24, and said: 'That's what I'm interested in. What kind of Para- mount Pictures are going to follow these 11 big • .»»f winners: Paramount answered this veteran showman in all honesty and sincerity: -^ • A.^:- **•. ^f All Exhibitors in Michigan Read our magazine published every Tuesday If you want to reach this clienirle there Is no better medium. Rates very low MICHIGAN FILM REVIEW JACOB SMITH, Publisher <15 Free Press BIdg. DETROIT SHOOTIN' FOR LOVE ITnlveraal production atarrlnc Hoo* Oib- »f>n. Story by Raymond'Sclirock and Et!- warJ SfdBWick; aoript by SrhrocJc anJ Albert O. Kenyon. Uireoted by Kdw. SedK- n-ick. Shown at IiO*-w'» New York, on tloublo f»ature bill June 28. Running linT", fll minutes. Duke Travia Hoot Oibufn Mary RaJidoiph Laura La Plante Jim Travin Alfn-d Alien Hill It.^ndolph WiHIam WH»h Dan llobson William Steele —SmAfthJnp good little feature of the western type with a couple of good thrills. Even though it opens with a war atmosphere and has a little battle .sluff, there isn't enough to worry anyone. The .scene for the greater part i« in the open country and there 1h a lot of good riding. For audien« tm where westerns are liked this one in sure to stand out. The story is -simple and not too involved. Hoot The next announcement of Paramount Pict u res ■ temporarily withheld for exhibitors* protection—^will offer 19 great money-making specials bigger and )bet- ter in every way than the first 11. They will be, we truly believe, the finest group of pictures ever released by Paramount or any other company in the whole history of the industry. They are emphatically worth waiting for. * This ?s Paramount's answer and Paramount's pledge to the exhibitors of America. * paramount Q>ictums 'S- FAMDIK VUWf JK -1 AS&V COWOSATWII