Variety (July 1924)

u VARIETY PICTURES Wednesday, July 9, 1994 FILM REVIEWS CAPT. JANUARY flol r,i>a.si?r pr(>8cnl^\tlon, a Principal Plc- tur^H M:i!iif>r Pii>(lui'i;"ii and atarrinK Ilaby P»»Ky- Adapted from the «tory of Laura B. Hirh.trJs and directed by Edward F. Cltiic Showlns at the Strand, New York. we«k or July 8. Running time, pn mln». Capt.iin J.muary naliy Pemtv Jareiniah -ludklna Hobart nn-sworth Taabelie Morion Irene Rich Oeorice Maxwell Harry T. Morey Bob Pete Lincoln Ste.lman Herl>ert Morton John McrkyI John i:iliott Emmelt KinK I<nry Tripp Bartnra Tennant Both f* sweet and weak fe.iture, cont.-iining a minimum of enter- tainment while revealing: nothing beyond the "cute" and "adorable" mannerisms of tiie child star, Baby Peggy, and a iegritimate perform- ance by Hobart BosworTh. Its in- activity is fatal.' There can be no question about this picture, as it includes no ar- tistic passages which might be an argument to offset the inertia. while a majority of the foot- age is simply a series of in- •erts of the love between an aged lighthouse keeper and his ward. Those passages conform pretty much to the sequence film workers have ever followed. Al- though Babjr Pegrgy may be rated at the head of the present Juvenile contingent, the hashing over of this much-abused "great love" palls when the actual story gives it no Interest as a background. The names of Irene Rich, Harry Morey, Lincoln Stedman and Rm- mett King are meaningless other than as billing. Any number ot screen players could hava done as well in the rolea which call for no effort. Productionally, the theme is not too demanding and the pro- ducers were evidently Hitisfled on that basis. The story is oC tiie keeper of the beacon flnding a babe roped to a spar which has floated in from a wreck. Unmarried and bringing up the child for five years fostered the biggest thing in his life with an enemy (reason ungiven) in the small Maine village attempting to have the youngster taken from him. Kventually a yacht comes along and goes on the reef because the elderly guardian has overslept. There is no danger, but the owner and his wife come ashore to dis- cover the child is the daughter of the wife's sister, who was drowned. The .sei>a ration of the old man and the baby is suhsequently pictured, as is their reunion. It's sweet, sickeningly sweet, and will be meaningless, oerhaps harm- ful, to Baby Peggy at the box of- lice. The tot.-^l result can hardly be placed at the feet of any of the unit; it is just -an instance Of where the story could have been bettor left uodoiie The only certainty is the next Baby Peggy film will have to con- tain consi(l"»rable more body to It than this one for "Captain .Tanu- ary." but paves the way for a comehack. Hkig. 'The Breath of Scandal" will be the flrat pIctLre to be made by t>. P. Schulberg at the new studio under the direction of Louis J. Gas- nier. Then Shulbcrg will put into production David Uelasco's 'Boom- erang." which will be followed by a score of others which will keep the organization busy until next S'jmmer, according to the present production plans. BETWEEN WORLDS Artclaaa Production presented by Welaa Brua Written and directed by Krlti r.,an«. TillM by Katheiine Hllllker and H. H. Caldw.-ll. Shown at the C»pi(ol, New Vorlt, weak July 8. Kunninc tiraa 07 mlna. Thel.ivera ) LI! Dairowr J Walter Janaaen The Slrancer Bernard Uoetik* Monna Kiametta t,ll Dagover Cioviinl Frunceaco Walter Janasen Meaer airolamo Rudolf Klelne-RoMe The .Moor Lewis Brody The Viceroy Karl Huaiar Th« Maclclan, Afal Paul Bitnafeld Tlao Tilen Lll Da«av*r I.lanc- Water Janaaen The Archer Bemhard Ooetake The Caliph Bdward von WInteratela Kobeide Lll Dacoirer The Frank Walter Janaaen Bl Mot. the cardener Bernhard Ooettke Th« Apothecary Karl Platen WEST COASTS FOUR-DAY MEET WITH MANY SUBJECTS DISCUSSED Weiss Bros, are the aponsors for the German-made fantasy at the Capitol this week entitled "Between World." It Is a production that has been in this country for almost two years. Originally it was the hope of those who held the picture they would be able to road show it. but that it i« rather gruesome in theme discouraged this. Countless people in the trade have seen it in New York and when Douglas Fairbanks came along with "The Thief of Bag- dad" alfo a fantastic tale with some magical stunts for appeal it was be- lieved that there is some chance for this picture. This would hardly seem to be the right answer. Judging from the man- ner in which It appealed at the Capi- tol Sunday. There is practically nothing to the picture outside of the photography that will appeal. The story Is of reincarnation. A pair of lovers have had a series of unhappy love affairs through the centuries as the love of the woman was a highly selfish one. The story opens in a small Ger- man town where a mysterious stranger arrives and takes the lover of the girl from her. The girl starts out to seek htm and falls exhausted by the side of the grave yard wall. Then the story becomes a dream in which It is disclosed the girl and boy had been lovers in the distant past, first as Chinese, then as East (Continued on page 2S) Our Answer To Inquiries M ITH painstaking care and an un- limited expenditure of money Fox Film Corporation has pre- pared its product for the coming season, embracing 52 dramatic subjects. This is the greatest assemblage of box- office entertainment ever offered the mo- tion picture theatre. ^ An announcement, the most important this Corporation has ever made, will be published in the trade press July 25th. It will contain titles and full details of the entire Fox output for 1924-1925—the out- standing production achievement of any company or group of companies in the _ history of our business. Simultaneously with this announcement there will be in the Fox Branch Ex- changes, for screening, fifteen of the new dramatic productions. your profits for the new season are involved in your selection of pictures! '- • ■■■■ ■:_:: ■ ■'■■ . • . :, -^ , , ■,;, William Fox, President- FOX FILM CORPORATION HII n, I j i |lijH I ii 111J n f li i .) . jMd iltt >T4»i> . -vrri as 142 RepresentatiTe* at CotiTention in Los Angele»-^, F. L. Browne Temporary and Henry C. Arthv Permi^nent Chairman LiOS Angeles, July S. West Coast Theatre Managers' four days' convention opened at the Alexandria hotel Monday with 142 representatives present from differ- ent parts of the State, where the circuit has its houses. The day was spent in registration, dining and amusements. At noon the delegates were guests of the Chris- tie Film Co. at the Alexandria hotel for luncheon'. They were taken to Santa Monica, Venice and the other seaside resorts. The first business session began Tuesday with F. L. Browne presid- ing as temporary chairman. Ralph C. Orunauer nominated Harry C. Arthur as permanent chairman and he presided for the balance of the session. Mike Gore was the first speaker, with his subject, "Theatre Con- struction and Progress." He told of how West Coast started with the am.aller houses, gradually grew to the 990-seater standard and now figure on making all of their struc- tures of the capacity type holding 1,400 or more. Sol Ivesser spoke on "What West Coast Theatre Circuit Means to the Picture Industry." He pointed out that the organisation l.<i in a position to buy a picture for 500 days or more, how they paid $100,000 for "Oirl Shy" and therefore the pro- ducer considered them an important factor. He declared that the exhibitor was the means of establishing co- operation with the public for the producer and therefore it was the latter's Intention to comply as nearly as passible with the request of the exhibitor. Mr. Lesser spoke also of how West Coast has been responsible for the building up of communities through taking the Initiative of erecting beautiful the- atres long before the communities were developed suRloiently to sup- port them. A. L. CJore was allotted the sub- ject. "Selling We.st Coast Theatres, Inc." He told of iiow the organi- zati.n has been systematized to the extent of having a uniform policy and manner of operation, which .ilways c.ill.s for the best of treat- ment and courtesy to patrons, as well as getting the best in pictures and oflier portions of the program. More interesting talks were given on exploitation and aiivertising I)y I'eter CJridley Smith, Harry C. Wil- .^on, Frank Whitbeck, H.irold Home and Dick Spier. Whitbeck pointed out how he took over the Warfleld in San Frinclsco for this purpose ,\n<l quickly achieved result.! tlirough the study of the picture before it was advertised and then bringing out n-i stellar qualities through his cami)aign. H. B. Wrisht, tn.ui.'iging director of Loew's .State, spoke on the mike up of the general pro^ram. with M. D. Howe tellin» of the vaulr-ville • idv.iiitage.s and fanchon of the pro- log iier»s.sities. A. M, Bowles, in chttgc of the Northern Circuit fir West Coast. Iiad as his subject ' S'ip:>rvi3ion and iie.sponsibility of M.in.igeis on and Off Duty." Ho stated a manager w;is the policeman of his theatre 21 hours .1 day. J. Leslie .Svvope of the Hollywood We.^t Co.Tst houses, and fleorse Clovclirid of Venice ■ oiv ■ (in the s lino sub.ieet. A(loli)h Kimish hud 'The l'"in.iii. eiil Inipoit IMC" of the Circuit." Ho told of the amount of money in- vested in the project by the niem- 1) "IS of the Clrfiijt. iiid how coni- muinties con.sidor the thei!ro.- I":iil- itig ficlors in tlieis- liusine^s lif,-. Ill 'Oticlu.-^ion lie s4.'i!-d tint -An long as ,t. nwni^or does no; send in a stiteniciit with "r <d ink' be -in-nul aiixiuun..t,i nu-•! Mm .,•',;_ W i.se than S'fi.'ijlj ; lot ;f li ■ ■ i. - ivliy the niectiriK is piirel.v ini.-i- JoB Sciienck on 'Co-operation" .loseph M Sell, :i,k s;),i|;f. .,ii ' c'n- ')per.iii,«n WiMi I'lddu.ei-. lOxiiiliito: ind I^xili.iime " He Miid tli'it none W'SH Kood eiioiiKh to K>'t yliiXK wltli- ,«ut the !»til 'of the o'lher, and a.i long as all would work in harmony the picture indust / would be » progressive one; but should either of these people slip it would only react on the Industry. For the subject of "Personal Con- tact Between Rxhlbitors and Ex- changee," Charles Thall of Sa« Francisco, J. H. Goldberg and H. W. Woodln were the speakers. Harry C. Arthur, Jr., .oke on "Closer Co-operation Between Each Department." He stated that co- operation was the basis of success, and that no man in the circuit was too big to co-operate with the other f !liw. Ralph Grunauer assistant to Arthur, had as his subject "Dol- lars and Sense." He said that the dollar was mighty, but that sense could play havoc with It. He statsd f'.at the price of a picture shouM not sway the exhibitor, for many a picture which does not cost top money may, if properly handled »ni exhibited, bring as good results as the super features would. He stated, however, that the organization was in favor of showing the big pic- tures at all times, but that whe* the interral came that a big one was not on hand the smaller one should and must be glv^n as much * attention In handling. - Miss Reggie Doran a|>oke oa "Public Relations and Civic Duties." showing that the exhibitor must not consider himself first at all times, but establish such relations that he and his theatre can be ot us» and service to the civic com- munity. Biggest Season The session closed with a talk on "The Inauguration of a Greater Movie Season," by Harry C. Arthur. He told his auditors that the 1924- 2S season should be the biggest in the history of the theatres, and that plans were now being formulated to make it so. Others to speak on the subject were Frank L. Browne, J. Lesli« Swope. Herman Wobber and Jack Ketlaw. Thursday night the closing ban« quet will be held at the Alexandria, with M. C. Levee of the United Studios the guest of honor. Th« speakers will bo Dr. R. B. Vo« Klelnsmid. Thos. H. Ince, Louis B^ Mayer, Rex B. Goodsell and Majo*' Frank Hutton. >■ MZQUE COTNS OV BOAD Mique Coyne for the last four years in charge of United Artist^ product in th? South, and stationed at Atlanta, has resigned. He wlB take one of "The Ten Command* \^ ment" shows out pext season. "GREED" AS SPECIAI "Greed." the special productio* directed by Kric Von Stroheim for (Joldwyn. will be a big special for Metro-Goldwyn and wiU be given a theatre run prior to its general release. LASKT BACK JULY 19 Jesse L. Lasky Is expected hick from ICuiope ,Iuly 19, He has been chatting over produc- tion details of "l^eter Pan" with .Sir James ll.arrie. T. J. GERAGHTY INJURED I..OS Amjeies, July S. Tli.nn IS J. Ceras'iit.v tripped over a tool kit in the driveway of an oil .station near his home, uid I'rirtmed his left lii|). He will lie laid up six weeks. Ail Exhibitors in Michigan ii-ni] our niagazirie put)ti.«hed "."rT Tiiesiday If you want to reach this cliontil* there IS no better meduirri Rates very lov* MICM.GAN FILM REVIEW JACOB SMITH. Publisher ♦15 Free Press BIdq. OET.'^OlT NKM AI>ilRr.«tS