Variety (July 1923)

^ .s- k<S>- PICTURES^^^mf /*•:'•.■■■ t ■i<' \' Thursday, July 1^8, lf2S lals odd atnosphere th<> ^4%'«>n- arid Uir youim; JassifitM nvt i«tr»4ucetf. JUchjird takes corainajKl of the »ituatiQm. forcinff the >aBz gkiB t* cookinc and hau»ehold WMif and makittc the aociety me-n lahor at daily ta»k<^. L<ikewi»«> he make* ^e ra istent love to Babs aftfr kiiuck- ioj: both of hor flax»ces about. In tka end OTie of Baba' lovers i^eti up c*«race to make a fl^ht of it and beata RUhard In a rou«:h-and-turo- Ikle combat. This convinces tiie Mveman that he has r&formed ttie jaasiata. and he prepares ta go along with hia San Sebantian afTair. Btrt at the thlp'a aide there is a aouahj, ■laliiiai III si reversal of the relations •( all hands. BaiM declares her love far the adventwer. while her roun^ 4efend«r aalts away to carry ont the revolutionai^ l»lan <^ Richard. AM cheap fiction deaignti far 12- year-old intelliffenoe. Rush. SUCCESS Murray CianMti ^i-aAaction roia&aed Uii^Mch Metro, trmturtnt IM-andon 1'>-n*ii. ^H«<ry frrtttvn and adapfrd by Adeline l>eltz- bacti ftiwl Theo. A. l^u-bltn-. *r. Ptrcolrd br lUipti I»c« Raotrn at Hi« Capitvl. New IIK2. Ranaioc: tlaM. York, week July t 0R ninatsa. Borry Ca rieton Janr Ranaatph »M«* tuuia*ip«i. (tmtm Ittwm IVIIlia Potter... r:iibert Crsrdan. Henrj' Brl««a il»bert L«« KeiH .V*ok Walker W«y Oatrk •Irte Oajr I'enaMton Ti-MiAwal]. the Peasant Joha Woodford ••■••asasa* ••••••••••• Bruadaa Tynan Naomi Cbiidrra .... Marr Aator .Dore Davtr T.iuaol Ai HiaTUey RidMa TWniO KAflAGEl TO MAftBT Harold Raivea. Naw York's y^VBfaat picture theatre manager. w9i» direots the Acme nn 14th street (formerly the Union Square) is shortly to become a benedict. The bride-to-be is Mttdred Klotz. a beauty of the Washi»fftan Heiglits section. Young Raives is 22 years 6f age and has been managini; the house which i» under lease to his father for the past two years. Prior to that he handled the Grange thea- tre in the Mornlngside section. W. D. Sacker of Beaumont, Tex., has purchaned the Oryhewm, Waco, Ter., from Q. R. Thampson. H^re is. a picture that ahauld noaka Brandon Tynan "The Ifttak: Maater" af the acre«n. It la a atary of the theatre, but a dUPereot type of atory than is usually faund in screen vensiosis af ttveatrtoai life. Perhaps the fa. that the aan af an oU producing manager of the legki- maXe theatre was partly responsible for the story is in a maasure ac- countable for the fact that this is marc ar less a true revelation of the life that the people of the profes- sion lead. At that there was one character, that of the former bdir- lesque manager wha achieTes to better things in the theatre, tihat was passibly ov<erdraim. As a pic- ture, however, thl.s is certain to ap- peal to most any type of audience. That paternal love appeal that this <tt«ry abounds in is certain ta get to t*u,' hee-t and the tear ducts of the average picture fan. At the Capitol Monday night the picture a.>e«ied to interest the audi- ence intensely, !>ut the outstanding fact of the entire feature^waa the tramendous impression that Mr. Tynan Vnafle as the broken-down star b€ Shakespearaan repertoh^ Is "the good oM days." There is no qtiestion that hit interpretation of the role an the scraan ranks with that created by IJavid Warfleld in •The Music Master" on the legiti- mate •tage; It was a role that was writ tea atoag the Haea af the sazoe sympathetic appeat ,; ^ ,. In hriat the Starr 'm^ «t^ Barry Carleton. a naatinee idol and Shalespttsrean atax of several dec- ades afo. The actian opana with the final mijrht of hla New York .sea- •Ufa In refiartolrc. The conjpaTvy ar- ranges a banquet as a farewell amr- priee. At the same time the forma- tion of a co-partnership between the artlsUc manager of the company and the more ocNOMneroial aspirant from the field a< burleaque is an- nounced and Carleion refitaes to algn a contract with the new com- bination unless his leading ladj'. Who is to become his wife, is co- starred with hUn. The ccMnmerclal manager decries the fact^Jthat the matinee idol is to take a wife. for. as he puts it, ne matUsee idel should have Qne. As the years passed Carleton slowly sank fr<Mi the height« of stardooa. A little toe much of the cup th;.t cheers asMl hail fellow well tnet csanpantonsMi^. and finally his wife deserts him, taking with her tlieir daughter. Some 15 years later a huee Bhakespearaan revival is projected. A new »tar ki to have the prlncipai roles; Ms leading lady is to he the daughter of the old actor. The company is being backed by a financier who has an eye on the crirl. and the old actor is reduced to the poaltion of acting as dresser far the star.. On the opening night the angel presents the girl with a •^ pearls and the star, who loves her. goes out and gets drunk, with the oM-tiaser iaspers aw a tl a ^ Um and earrying off the aaoat tri* nmphant acdamAtivn o< his csuraer. There ar« but two a ware f the The girl the aext >iay he- aw»re that it was her father the opening psrformanrr. and there is n recoociliatien effected ajl aronnd. Naomi Childers plays the leading woman to the star of long ago and is the mother in the modem epi-' sodes of the plcrnre. In ihe later scenes, however, she ajn>eared young than in the earlier oiyM. Dore Davldaoa as the former bur- lesque manager walked away with the* ooflsedy bits vt the picture. Stanley Rhlg«s as the «*ar o< today suggested one of the Barrymorea aUghtfy in Ms eK^reaoion at tioaea. There was tme acesie that suggested rather forctbl}' how fights are apt to start In a theatrical clnh. with the sngg^tion that the men of the yro- feaaton 4kre ixmt as gabby about "dirt" an any of the womenfoTk. Ralph Ince handled the direction of the production rather well, send- ing the story forward practically at all times. There were only one or two moments that were permitted to drag a Tittle. >'re<i. 4 *• '•.a ■.:j^^ a •' ^.'-'i^' : ..I- V .i. '■)■'- -f-.W . .; ■ ,1 Wait TillYou See The Next One! PARAMOUNT Uket this opportunity of ^ kibitor frieniic who have personally fomplinsentecl us ii|»on our line-up of pictures for the first three months of 1923^4. The widespread satisfaction with which Paramount's new policy of making only big, worthwhile specials (one a week) has been greeted, the enthusiasm with which such pictures at ^HoOjr* wood/' ''Bluebeard's Eighth Wife" and "The Cheat** has been received by eKhibitors at exchange showings, has been very gratifying.- .-. .„ .. .,.,.„.^,.,:^ ,.,_,...,,.-......,/,,:,,. .... It is even more gratifying to Paramount to be able to an- nounce that the best is yet to come; » —that Paramount Pictures during the remaining months of 1923-24 will be even bigger and better than'the II money-making specials of the first quarter. ^ > '•> THE SCARLET LILY B. P. Sohun>orK prea«nts this production, •tarrlns Katherine MacDouald, rf>l«a.i«M4 throach First National. Victor Schertz- totffer dlr^ted from Lol» Zellner and Flor- tnt» Hetn's Hdaptatlon of Fred Sitten- haaa'a ctory. Itun about an hour, conrlud- Ins the prosram at Proctor's "JSd 8t., New TorW, in conjunction with vaudeville. Dora M««Mi Kathehne MacDonald lAwaon Dean -s. .. .Oryllle ('alilwfll leaam* Barnes .Stuart Holm<>a Beatrice Mllo i-> Oraro Morse MnlMe Matron Jane Miskimtn Trixie Adele Farringti-a Mrs. Rosetla Boirta Gertrude QuaUtj Tubtey ^ Lincoln SteadmaD Mra. Bamea..., FMith Lyle I^<irrencf. her brother Gordon Rv:ai»ell . *• . V. ;■ .-, ■'■! Paramount's next announcement—temporarily withheld for exhibitors* protection—^will present 19 productions of tl^e highest artistic and box-office value ever attained in the history of motion pictures. • ♦ / Sof again thanking the army of exhibitors who have praised our present announcement, we say: • >,■ «rf Wait till you see the next one! :» ■ Cf>aramountQ>ictures i. fAMOtj.s piavT.R^ iv^KYiinpronArfitN ■•' i The para-doxical title refers te Dora Mason (Miss MacDonald), who has accepted the ho.«ipltnlity of a married man's apartment in all in- noceiH>e and then flnds ensuing cir- cnmstanceH reflecting on her char- acter becau.se of the purely inno- c»*iit itinerary in tho Jessup Barnes suite. Barnes, a married man, com- mi!i»ioned the interior decorating Arm which employed Dora to fix up a new apartment for him. Miss Mnson la the one assigned to the task, and Barnes commits a bad break at. the installation night's l»arty. Dora leaves In a huff, re- turning .to her squalid hall bedroom to find her ailing sister. MoIIie, oa the ebb. The landlady, objecting te anything hypenlng In her house, demands polseaaion of the ,room, and Dora faces a touglL situation be- cause of her depicted exchequer. <She has lost her position mean- time.) Comes a note from Barnes inviting her to use the apartment for a month In his absence out of town, which Dora is forced to accept in view of her sister's plight. The situation becomes compli- cated with the intervention of Mrs. Barnes and her private detective on Barnes' return at an unfortunate moment, and Dora Mason is pub- liciiea as a t;o-respondent. In a country retreat Lawson Dean, a promising political figure, renews acquaintance with the heroine, hav- ing come up to recuperate from se- vere eye-strain. Her marriage to the lawyer, who has announced his candidacy for District Attorney, ruins his political chances when Mrs. Barnes recognizes the newly- wed bride as the supposed "other 1 woman." The usual situation about the husband's suspicions and dis- belief and hor effforts to establish her innocence follow, with the fmil fade-out satisfactory all around. There is considerable story to the picture ami it interests all the way. Director Schertxinger has wielded hiH puppets wisely and well, shifting attention from one situation to an- other without overplaying any par- ticular point. Opportunities for par- donable stressing presented them- Hclve.s at divers times, but footage probably limited any such desire. The star acquitted herself intel- liKently. Mr. -Caldwell as the male lead had a few opportunities, but wa.s ffonerally limited until half the picture liad run its course. Stuart Holmes was his usual sukve light heavy," and the balance of the sup- port was satisfactory. Ahel. HER FATAL MILLIONS M't/o production from the atory by Wll- Um Dudley Pelley; adapted for the acreea l>y Arthur .Statter. Direclod by William I<.«audln\ wltlv Violi Dana aa the atar Shown at I.oeWs .state. New York, fi.r tiirpo days In conjunctlun with n vaud**- villi* bill, commcmlng July 0. Time. Oi niinulec. Miiry HiHhop Kro.l (tarrison \.>"*f ('arnii)dy I.oaise Carmody .\mon Iil3hop Mtry Ap;>!ewin I ■ "'aJy ..;. opport«ialtlos to disfrfay Jmt abtliift as a oomedianne. whlcii ahe al>jy Seas. 4Lt9^»yiaiM « winsaosonass and piqsMMcr i« Mose wt the eosnedy scenes wtiich prove tlie production's McgostAasoets. Witli tho ¥uko« Kate Price as a cooaedir foil, the star brings forth a naoiWr o1> genuine laughs. Huntley Gordon is allotted tiM male lead, being feintnred in the blUhig. Gordon is not over-bur- dened with OMM»rt«inltles. but rvnjv tbrongli the several reels in a con*'' vteeing style. Kdward Connelly ^ a eharacter role wsui next in im- portauce« with AlUa PiHTe»t dolw a fair heavy part. In the productk»n end "Her Fatat IClUions*' com^s vp to the general standard of Metro features. Noth- ing pretentions ln*the way of sets, with those brought into play con-- vlneing. William Beaudiae in his direction has worked out a ligti| story in the proper comedy vela. His wor1< is creditable. The story has as 4ts leading tifgmf Mary Bisbop. a yonng girl who wishes to ffive-ber ionner awect- heart the impremilon she is worth m<l1iotM. By borrowing dothes. iewels and an awtomehile. ahe i« well on the road to snocess when an automobile accident breaks up her plans, causing Innnmerable ccmtpli- cations, which are Anally cleared away, allowing her to marry tho ck&p who alie had thought already we'd and who had figured lier aa haviniT already stepped into matri- monial harneos. HmrU STEPPIN' FAST Wi!ila«> Ft>x featare, utarrlM; T'-m If't. WrUtea by Bernard McConvilte. IHrecieA by Joaepb J. Pranz. Bhown at Fox's Aca«- eaav. New Toi^ Xune ■S4-?7. IS3I. do»¥T« feature bill. Rannlns tine. 37 minHlea. MaJvem , Tom Mi« QuIrtTh Diiraat .Tom 0«iee Kabiun. '... .Donald McD<ina44 Viola Djna ...Huntley Ciord >n Albin Forrp*t I'ejfgy HroMN ..Edward Cornplly Kat" Piloe Joy W inthion Mctio has turned out a Rcmiine summortimo picture in "Ucv I'atal -MilIio«i.<*." a stnnlnp: vehicio fr>r ^ ioli Dani. Not a hip picmre in any sc.n«t' of fh^ W'(»ril, \\u^ pn»<1ur* tion- win come up to the requiit^- monts ol Ihe avcragr t-xhihitor of program pirture« und ahouUl prove a satisfactory seloction for hoi\,seft of that type." It is a comedy-drumu. vsith empha^i.s on the comedy, its «1rr\n>atio value being null and voi.l. 'ihr si».ify gives Mi.ss Dana u'tup';.; A feature that for action has everything. The story Is a wild one, but the action is there with gnn fights, fist tights, hard riding, anto- aaobile racing a couple of steamship races across the FaciArx my^.tery murders by Chinese in L«os Angeles, a hid^lon treasure in the mountains, a map hidden In a ring,«and h 1k.h'o and heroine to be involved in ail of ths foregoing. Could ^uqr picture Can ask for moce? Tom Mix Is the he^p and at the opening is leaving his little ranch in the hills to visit his mother in the city. On the way he runs across Quintin Durant. an elderly scientist who is being attacked by three men. Mix rides to the rescue, anjd the two (Continue to the city together. Ar- riving there. Mix is Invited to the scientist's house, arriving Just in time when the old num is being at- tacked by the same three men that waylaid him on the road, their forces having been augmented with a couple of Chinese. Mix drives them oflT, but not before the old man has been fatally stabbed. As he is dying he gives Mix a note and the map ring. Both are to be taken to Durant's daiighter In China. The plotters ars tipped off that Mix has the note and go to hia. mother's home to secure it. Tho nnother dies from lAioek and Miifs pet hound is also killed by them. That gives the hero aa Incentive to track down men. However, they tra|> him In a Chinese den and knock him over the head, casting his un* conscious body Into the bay, from which he is rescued and taken on as one of the crew, wotiiins his way to China in the stok^old. Tha plotters, however, have taken a fait steamer and arrive in port a few hours ahead of him, and one with the note impersonates Mix, luring the dangfater of the scientist Into a dive to obtain the ring from her, the girl and father both liaving had copies of the map to the treasure. The plotters get away with the ring, bnt the Chinese joint In which they were operating is wrecked by a gang of American sailors. Then with the Sid of a kindly old friend of tho Durant family a race back across the Pacific Is staged, the old friend loaning his yacht so that the crooks can't get away with the girl's treas- ure. On arrival in America Mix drives a racing automobile across country to the mountains, where the treasure Is located just In time to prevent the three crooks from getting It. he bringing about the death of all three of them via the rope route, thus avenging the death of his mother, the girls father and his own dog. The final fadsont finds the usual close-up clinch. There are a couple of bits of action ?!lf V, ^"^ corking, one especially with Mix driving the racing car in the deaert and cornering a horse- ""•" T>«t was wHl worked out. Th* picture is as good a feature as Mix .has been seen in for some time. Claire Adams was a fair enough leading woman for the west- ern star as far aa what she had to do was o«^ncerned. .. frrrf. AZ/ Exhibitors in Michigan Rc-^vl our magazine published every Tuesday If you want to reabh this clientele there is no better medium. Rates very low . MICHIGAN FILW REVIEW JACOB SMITK. Publisher 41S Free Press BIdg. OETROIT >3 ■3 1