Variety (July 1923)

PICTURES Thursday, July 19» 1929 •?ifi INSIDE STUFF, ON FICTUBES The picture of the Derapsey-aibbons heavywolght championship battle •t Shelby. Mont.. on July 4. has not been issued as yet. alj-^^ugh a nuna- |>er of states rights buyers have been approached on the question or Ht Shelby Mont.. on July 4. has not been issued as yet, although a num ched on the question ^iiidim^ tiiem in their respective territories. The greatest interest in Ihe pictures at this time teems to be centered In the Minneaplois-St. Paul locality, that being the native heath of Tom Glbbona. Late last week with the arrival of Jack Kearns manager for Jack Dempsey. in New York from Sa;lt Lake City a number of abates rights men also appeared In New York in response to wires that they had re- ceived from Kearns asking that they submit offers of what they were WlUine to pay for the righta to the pictures in their territory UP to Sunday when several of the bigger of the stales rights men left they reported that they had been unable to come to terms with the manager Of the champion because of the fact that they were unable to receive any Miurances that they would receive the same legal treatment In the United States District Courts aa was received by the distributors of the Demp- «ey-Carpentler pictures, where there seemingly was an agreement that ♦1,000 fine would be exacted In each state where the pictures wer» «K- Seemingly Kearns has not been able to make his "connection" on the Question of the Dempsey-Gibbona pictures and the states rights men state that they will not handle until such time that they are assured that no heavier lines would be handed out in the case of the present pictures than (there was previously exacted. In the meantime the first prints of the fight have not as yet been de- livered from the laboratories, at least so I^earns informed the prospective •tatos rights buyers. ^ ■. •. *. 'V ,:-%-.: j'^^s.. ■,-•• ••>, >.._. ■■■'■■■■\,'\ ■ '■■■■■^■' Along the film rialto during the week there was considerable ipecula- Uon to the possibility of distribution of the Firpo-Willard fight pictures, and In the event that they should be the first on the ground whether or not'tbey would take the edge oflC of those of the championship battle. Seemingly the thought among the film men being that Rickard would be A l>etter "fixer" for the release of the pictures than Kearna. THE LOVE PIKER CoamopoltUn production, nlM^d by 3oldwrn-Co»moi)olltan. StoiT bjr Prank R. idamal sUrrlnv Anlt» Stewart. rMrector. C. Mason Hopper. Projection tl ma, •* nlnute* At tha CapltoU New York. July Ifopa Warner ^nU* Stewart Peter Pan Hutsen Wnilnra Norrla Martin Van HulMn "^*r*^*^"?5 Archie Pembroke Carl Oerrard I'rofeseor Click '^^^^ ^°^^ Edith (Money Rettr Franclaoo Willie Warner WInaton Miller Mr«. Warner ***'"I.* *^v'» Mr Warner Frederick Trueadell nutler Robert Holder Maid .Cornelia Callahan judg* Jaraea F. Fulton Production method rather than scenario material probably is the trouble with "The Love Piker." The substance of the story is the regen- eration of a new rich snob by her love for a poor young man, but the difficulty is that she Is objectionably snobbish for nine-tenths of the story and sympathetically yielding for 80 short a tenth that the count up is nine to one against her at the Director Hopper makes his points crudely. When he is sentimental he Is too utterly mushy. His com- edy is no more delicate nor subtle. Altogether his effects are achieved with a heavy hand. Plainly he doesn't believe a fan audience is capable of fine shades of expression. He never suggests; he insists upon spelling it out so there may be no possibility of misunderstanding simpering parlor maid. Stock com- pany farce producers will find » lot of old friends here. In short it's a machine-mads pic- ture without any spontaneous spirit, built on ths mistaken Idea that "they llks ths old stuff best" Ru9K A GENTLiaiAlf OP LEISUBE Paramount picture preaentad hy Jeeae Tautky. From U»e play by John St«pleton and P. O. Wodehoua*. adapted by Jack Cunningham and Anthony Ooldeway. Star, Jack Holt. Directed by Joseph Henabery. Shown at the KlvoJl, New York, week July 15. Runnlns tlma, B5 minutes. Robert Htt Jack Ho>U. Sir Spencer I>eev0r Caaaon Fersuaon Molly Creedon Slyrid Holmqutat Sir John Blount..,...,.. Alec Francia Lady Blount Adele Farrlnston Spike Mullen Frank Nelson BIgr Phil Creedon Alfred Allan Maid Nadem Paul Chorus Olrt Ailca QueenM>erry A year or so tigo, when ths Fa- mous Players-Lasky organieation iss«M»d its schedule of productions for the year which ends next month, "The Gentleman of Leisure" was to have had the late Wallace Reid. His unfortunate demise made this im- possible. So, having discovered that Jack Holt in his last release no^de a considerable Impression In the lighter form of comedy, they cast him for the principal role In this comedy drama of society and crooks. It is mighty good hot weather en- tertainment. Not too fast, still not too slow—Just a medium-paced ve Walter E. Greene, president of the now defunct American Releasing Corp., in which he was associated with Fred Warren, has lately resigned from participation in ths affairs of the Pyramid Pictures in which he :was an officer associated with the Smallwood Bros. Greene is now almost Wholly devoting time to the Cleremont Laboratories. Prior to the American Releasing Corp. passing out of existence and Che turning over to the Select exchange of the product which It was handling there was, a deal whereby the Keith Interests were to have become Interested nbt only In the exchanges and the distributing ends pt the organization, but In the producing end as well. The price that the Keith Interests were to have paid was $2C0.000, for irhlch they were to have received one-half of the holdings of Greene and the same amount of the Interest that Warren held as vice-president. Warren, however, it is reported, held out and wanted either an outright purchase of his holdings or the continuance of the company on the basis that it was operating. Famous Players Is figuring that their end of the "The Covered Wagon" l-ecelpts of the engagements at the Criterion, New York, and the Holly- wood, Los Angeles, will return the negative cost of the picture to their coffers. An expert flgu*-lng the cost of *^he Covered Wagon" believed that It did not exceed $325,000, this It Is seemingly certain the producing organization will g^t' from the two extended runs of the production. In New York the corporation gets a return both ways from the Criterion theatre. The week of July 4, the 15th week, the picture was running at that house with the gross going to |10,700, there was a film rental of a little less than |2,000 paid into Famous Players and in addition the house showed a profit of |1,700 on the week. In Los Angeles the pro- ducers are getting a straight percentage of the gross, but do not share on the house profit. The New York run It Is believed will show at least $150,000 for Famous, while the Hollywood run will get them about $175,000, which would total the estimated production cost of the picture, . , Altogether a picture made for the | hide, in which the star acquits him- self fairly ^ell and Is helped out con- siderably with titles in the matter of securing linighs. The story opens In London and then shifts quickly to New York city and then to Bay Shore, L. L There are several scenes In both of the' latter locations that are entirely too studio In atmosphere. Park avenue. New York, as set In a studio in Los Angeles is far from convincing, and The South American representatives, 22 of thorn, invited guests of the Monroe Centennial and Motion Picture Exposition, at Loa Angeles, during the first week were not so forcibly Impressed with the hospitality shown them during their visit. The South American gentlemen were scattered, some housed at the Ambassador Hotel and others at more popular priced hostelries. At the lesser-priced hotel meal tkketa were provided, which did not make much of a hit with the dignitaries and they declared them- selves emphatically. The Los Angeles hosts provided transportation and endeavored to return the S. A, men to their respective countries without giving them the opportunity of vl.slting San Francisco, so they could return to their native lands singing the praises of Los Angeles. Fred Elliott, however, took them In charge and routed the tickets via Frisco, and the various clvlo organizations in the northern metropolis showed them the times of their lives, sparing no expense. Murray W. Garrson produced "Success," current at the Capitol, New Tork, without paying the authors anything for the story, but contracting to give them 25 per cent, interest In the net profits of the production. The Isathors are credited as being Adeline Leitzbach and Theodore A. Llebler, Ji^. Brandon Tynan also has an equal interest In the stage and screen authorship rights. The reason therefore dates back to when "Success" was produced on Broadway a number of years ago by Llebler with Tynan and the late Jess iMindy In the leading roles. At rehearsals Tynan practically rewrote the punchy third act and the authors acknowledged his assistance by agree- ing to split equally. With the screen production, Tynan, in addition to being featured among the players, shares in the royalties. He also has teen re-engaged for another Garrson production. The Inwood Country Club, near the Rockaways, L. I, whore the Na- tional Open Golf Championship was played last week, have discovered that they are not getting the picture publicity counted on because of the match. The reason was that In former years the club had welcomed the news cameramen from ail of the services and had granted them every courtesy. This year, however, through some member of the' clufc dabbling in the t)lcture business they made a contract to hold the right to the motion pictures an exclusive one. The result was that when the pictures of the final game of the miilcli in which Bobby Junes, of Atlanta, an amateur, beat out Bobby Crulckshank a professional, the prices that those that took the pictures asked of U\c Broadway first run houses were so gr«at that the Uia/lto, Rivoli, Strand and Capitol ail turned thom down. •, literal and matter-of-fact people who would rather laugh at the ba- nana peel fall than be gently nudged into a chuckle. That's one kind of film, of course, and pleases Its own kind of audience. So In Its way it is an admirable effort, but it doesn't spell screen success at any point. Neither Is it calculated to win Anita Stewart a clentele among the discriminating Broadway regulars. Worse yet. It doesn't picture true and recognizable characters, and, worst of all. It doesn't present in- teresting or likable people. The htoroine starts as a snob, and a particularly exasperating one, and remains a snob until it's too late. What defense can a director make for a young woman who reluctant- ly gives up a rich suitor for a poor young man and then all but sneers at the size of her fiance's engage- ment ring? The author couldn't conceal by any romantic device the fact that the poor young man had let himself in for a lot of trouble at the wedding. That wife of his would give him a lot of trouble later on—but that would be after the end of the picture. Still, It stuck In your mind that the ending wasn't in reality a happy one. The film is a collection of un- promising people, with the probable exception of the heroine the person of Robert Frazer, a young man not much noted until now, but who makes love gracefully and is gen- uine even In a wooden straight part. One roa.son Hope was reluctant to marry Martin was Martin's humble Dutch father, who lived In a queer neighborhood, smoked a corncob pipe (the corncob seems "rather out of key with a Dutch father), and went moistly sentimental about his late spouse at Hope's first visit. There was some justification for Hope. It must be trying to have your future father-in-law get your georgette waist all damp the minute you enter the place. That probably was Hope's reason for declining to Invite father to the wedding, al- though the scenario alleged the pipe. However, at the last minute she saw that keeping the old man away was out of order. So she left all the ,wedding guests waiting for more than half an hour while she rushed to the shack In her limou- sine, being then all done up In her bridal veil and the other appropri- ate scenery, told the old man (she called him "Peter," which was pret- ty fresh for a daughter-in-law-to- be and ordinarily would have brought swift results from a Dutch father) she was sorry and brought him along to the wedding then and there. Peter remained undisturbed this time, even though they told him his bride had run away with an- other man. When she returned he told her he knew she would do the right thing by the old man all along. Martin was the better part, and properly the film should have had a man star for the part. The comedy Is all hokum. Includ- ing the familiar somersaulting but- ler, who 1.1 constantly making love to a disdainful parlor maid and dropping china. They forgot very few of the hardest worked comedy props, remembering the vulvar so- riety-cllmbing mamma, a gushing flapper sKster, ci.ssy boy brother and toy lapdog, which was rapidly pas.sed from one Kuest to another until It brought up In the butler's arms and he transferred it to the Bay Shore, L. L. is far from having palm trees that ars two feet i« thickness. Outside of that every little thlnff seems O. K. Holt plays a dashing youngr Amer- ican millionaire who on his return from Europe meets with several boon companions in a Broadway cafs for luncheon, remarking that sines his return he hasn't seen a prettj glrL However, there happens to b« one right across the dining room, and he bets that he'll win a smlls f from her before she leaves the room, hi Failing In this, he makes another bet " * that he'll have a picture of her with. In 24 hours that will be Inscrlbsd "With Love," figuring that he wIU be able to llM-one that she has bemi displaying to her friends that bears exactly those words. In this, however, he is also unsuc- cessful. That night in his rooms a burglar appears, and when he cap- tures him he decides that the two shall make an attempt to enter ths ' girl's home and steal the picturs therefrom. Here he Is frustrated again, but manages to talk his way out of what looks like a sure arrest. The following day at the home of ths Deevers* at Bay Shore he boldly makes an appearance, and Sir Spen- cer Deever, a young Englishman who is being forced by his aunt and uncle to propose to the American girl, hails him with delight, finally losing the girl to him. Through thlSf\.- all. runs the complication of ih^ f: crooks, a couple of strings of phoney'^; pearls and a number of heavy-footed.v coppers. ' !; Playing opposite the star is SIgrld Holmqulst, ths beautiful young* ' blonde from one of the trio of Scan- > dlnavlan countries, who has Im« .> proved 100 per cent. In her actinf r. since last seen In r picture that Cos- mopolitan produced. In this produc- tion she runs the star a race when- ever she is on the scene with him. * Alec Francis and Adele Farrington, Continued on page 84) M ^■^ . Sunday, July 22 ~ THE SURPRISE NOVELTY Slip back with a modern man to ths Haremland of 6,000 years sgo. To mystic nights—castles of splendor—besutiful womsn clad in diaphanous robes, dancing to witching music, dipping in frottsd baths with smiles bewitching—enticing you for • night to sss this wonder pisy. T Concentratlo-i may be made by a solidiiied body of picture men for the petitioning of Congress next session to repeal the admiH.sion tax. Kx- hlbltors are slowly beginning to under.stand thit despite factional differ- •nces, If any benefit l.s to bo derived from the drive on W.i.shington there must be a unified front presented to tho AuKUst body. Divisional exhibitors with committees ropre.sentlng the several sections would be of little avalL jTist how the con.solidation for protective meas- ures at Washington will bo aqcomplishod has not aji yet been worked out. While prepared to^'^n'bcforo Congros.s and deoiand a repeal, the picture men do not look for such a radical acccptmco by the legislators. A modl- ' Conlinuod on page 31) Presented by M. C. LEVEI Writterrby F. AN8TEY Directed b^ Maurict Toumear, 'director of The ItU of Lost Ship* m All Exhibitors in Michigan . Read our maprazlne published every Tuesday If you want to reach this clientele there Is no better medium. Rates very tow MICHIGAN FILM REVIEW JACOB SMITH, Publisher 415 Free Preis Bldg. . DETROIT I A FirMt National Picture ^