Variety (March 1925)

VARIETY PI C T U R E S •tif^-'i.-vr.y'; S(^ - •jil m,- Wednesday, March 4, 1925 -^ Mwing machine patent stolen trona blm year^ before. The flnlsh is a wow. The two partners, now delicrlbed aa the "bisKest dealers In antiques in the city," are shown at an ultra-fash- ionable' polf ciub. Just aa Tlihmy Is drivitigr someone at the next tee shoiits "Fore" whereupon the little merchant responds "Not a cent more than 3.98'' or something to that effect. They are then shown driv- ing to the next hole in a stunaina ItoIl8«Boycei The film is crowded wUh similar Rags, with perhaps the biggest laughs on the captions, not credited in the billing. Robert Edeson, Lydla Teamons Titus and others in the cast are entirely capable. PAMPERED YOUTH Film adaptation of Booth Tarklnston^ Pulltxer priie novel. "The MaKnlflceot Am- b«raona." Produced \>y Albert B. SmiUi. Dlraotvd br David Smith and r«l«M«d by Vita|rr«ph. Running time, 67 mlaa. OeoiTi Mlnafer (ai man) CuUen Landla Oeorte MInafer (aa Iwy) Ban Alexander Busana Mors&n .'Ailan Fasraat Iaab«l-MInafer .Alios CaUMun MaKit' Ainberson',., Bmmatt KInf Wilbur Ml&tfer ....;....WalMee McOotMld Ijucy Moraan...... .Chaflott* Marrlatn Pana|i MInafer......^.,., .Katheryn Adanu MrsL Foster,...^.. .i....AKClq Herrins OebTS* AmbersDii ...'.....WlUiain J. Irvlns This production heralded by Vita- graph with much trumpet and fan- fare missed'by a Wide maraln living up to exi>ectatIon9.' Reputed as having been adapted from a BoQth Tarkington prise winning novel, Uie surmise Iti that it n|ade better reading than tAm enter^inment. Although'I'arldnat^ may have written a faltbilal slcetch of the proud Ambet-sopi;. myob artiflciallty 'H„■■?,'"■■"i,/" .j,'. ., ^^ has crept into the film play. Most of the characters amble through niore like automatons than charac- ters of the flesh, and never once tnroughout its splntUng does any of the touted cast skim the surface of a brilliant performance. ^Uat What recommended the story as a film flublect, aside from the Pulitzer award and the reputation of its atithor, is a secret of the pro- ducers. Its story is the stet^QOtyped yai-p of southern pride and a wilful ofF8i>rin^ of a lovelesD maldh who makes himself despicable from childhood only to ffraap at the straw of redemption when fortune Is swept from under him. and he is compelled to support himself and mother. Cullen Landis gives a flat per- formance as the grown-up cad. Even In the pathetic moments he falls to be convincing. The part is not a world beater, but it seems mere could have been done with it than 'Landis accomplishes. Alice Calhoun was charming as "Isabel Ulnafer.".mother of the boy, while Allan Porrest, Emnaett King and Charlotte Merriam gave creditable pet-formances in their respective roles. - From all angles a weak sister ^ and especially for the Rialta Asa^^^^ f selling title, perhaps, but it has little chance of holding up unless booked 9n double feature bills. Edba. StesI Vslentiflo's $600 Saddle Los Angeles, March 8. Burglars broke into the stables of the- Vflited Studios and stole a sil- ver itiounted saddle, valued at |<I00, t>elonging to Rudolph Valentino. ' .■■■'■'l''i ' '"■ •.'. . I 4i-^ ^■^ •im The Latest Hits Am Paraii^tiiits! ■9 "im %]>t<l HERD" "J^- bUf'$* "the Covered Wagont and "North of S6" % ■'■>■ ^^ ^^ WINKS'* J Jtofmtfiitf Otiffth comedjf »erea'» 'i'— THE DEVIL'S GARGO" BpUtttU melodnima-ot the 6oM Kush ■ - .-1 i' »• r .■ -» "THE SWAN" v^ ^JY, 3f. Ba\l^ y««!» «oy?.' "-A Triumph!' ■^•5«P»"»—*-i- f^OP OF THE WORLD" if!- jrt«91)i» of oli actUni-melodrama ■4:^ 'A I AM THB MAN Cbadwlek Ptctures CoiW ralaaaa. direekad by Ivaa Abralnaoa. BUirr hr Ivan Abnua- aoo. StarriM LdasalBarryinore. abowa at the Broadway. N. xT, week. o( March 3. RunAlna ttms M mlna. James McQaade.... .V.... tilolial BarryiaoM Juila Calvert.;.. v<««>f.0«ena Owen UanlAl Harrlngtoo,..'...,^.,..Qaatoa 01m« Robert McQuade.......-..;....^ t. l^oCt Ooriane a»attoa..-;;.»«;tiiriora I<* BretDk Oeei'se LaiffWMx»«««,«v«#«**«f«^Aunai.lCeaaa ^Uly aray..,..,..^.....,.,..Jgs<ipk Striker . This le a real don^e«^c melodrama that they wjtil like, \u the aioalier towna and with the hlim<9 of litoniBl Baryoaore It sh9Uld aet aome zhonnr at the box offlce. The, trouble Wltn the picture at the Broadway waa. that the operator rushed |t through in leas than an hour and had the action Jumping all over th* acreen. The story is a big' city tale of politics ahd matrimonial Intrigue. There are any number of minor di- rectorial details that are at coni- plete variance with what would actually happen tp real life, bt(t Abramson haa'a habit of htakii^g hie characters l^aturally dlQ a lot of' things that woiiltiiift t^awiin; lind this picture is no, ex<;^i>t!on td. his proverbial ruW, ' '''/'"'' Lionel Barrymoref ik Jh the r6l)> of the political power, ^ho txAnn another pdlltlelan t6' that he may obtain- the hand of tie lA(t*r's dauahter.. Beena Owen t>lays the daughter, looklna allghtly mature for a role of this type. However, later In the picture* she qualifies when dramatic punch Is needed. Ftora Le Breton, as a young chorus girl, carries away the honors of the film. Qaston Glass playa the Juve- nile lead and manages to get by with it, although he has nothing too much to do, while the second, heavy is in the hands of M. J. Fauat. who registers well enough. The McQuade brothers, James a,iid Robert (Barry more and Faust), have come to New York from the west, having changed their name to embark in politics, and James l>ecomes a power. He wants to marry the daughter of John Cal- vert, but being rebuffed frames Calvert, and the latter is about to be sent to state's prison when James McQuade steps in and saves him with the understanding that Cal- vert's daughter is to become hto wife. Sometime later McQuade be- comes suspicious of his wife and a young lawyer whom he has named district attorney and sets his brother to spy on them. The brother has a soft.«pot for hia sister-in-law and tries to make love to her. James llnaly kills him for this and the ortma is fastened on a young chorus girl who has been friend^ with the brother and who is also a friead of the wife. At the trial, when 'the girl con- fesses her real name and relates that her father deserted her mother when she was but a small child, James realizes that he is sending his own daughter to the chair, and after obtaining an adjournment of the trial makes a confession and commits suicide. It Is one of those pictures where a lot of unhappiness is cleared up through a couple of violent deaths and In some parts of the country they like that sort of stuff. This picture was finished .more than six months ago but at the time there was con«iluerablo con- troversy regarding it betweeij I. E. Chad wick and Ivan Abramson, which may account for the length of time it has taken for it to obtain a showing on Broadway. Without Lionel Barrymore or a name 'of equal strength it would never have been shown on Broadway, as the fitory and direction hardly, class It with the better program productions. Frcil. UCtle mias, ^mlljr P^rde^. pha i» almpjy bugs over the sbarlS apd haa several eff*ctlv« littlfi acehsa vbars 4he tries to f9irce hlip to ac^mo.wl- edke hU affeQtlo^s. Of courss'thei aberitt' 1« .letter perfect wlian it somes to rlAUig »ia/aun-apUtlng, but at lovs hell in fh^ wrong pev. As the love affair'* between '|tie aUarilTs hrothsr ajpd the bankera daiughter moves apaos, it deitfllopf thai thsi taller Moody is aOlng t6 rob the Mpk aftfr alL He d^«« »nd Is bTDUabt ha<ik to Jati by his hrotbei*. yh«n lioiqes q»e ufliVvi^ Etannr is seiitenoed to paaa. How, when tui<r fSS'^^^SI^-- where it all came About, nobody SSJUli!!!!" knowa, and no caption was flashed (o tell the screenlookers why tho execution. A tip comes that Henry is not The Raven, even the aheriff's alrl and Henry declare that he (Henry) Isn't, The sheriff then pulls a ruse as word has been sent Henry by The Raven that he wUl not hang. Henry, by-the-way, had hidden the bank's tooney and oply he (Henry) knew where U was cached. wtt»i».it ri)n« wild.. Vpll worked un. •OA.the famlnine, ooittingent. Miss tfKeM 4»»*n»s tiHKial praise. li^s bU 6y^rythln«,in,her favor an«- itJces the best of it Mark. The sherHI^tB led to the gallows ^Ut aloAg cornea a rescuing party whicti Wwada up by the sheriff, hand- cntfflng ms main''rescuer. 'JTbe l^ven, '«^d ^ho Is none ofber thah the manager of the bank and' the bl.d enemy of thb Moody 'boys.^ Of course Henry Is freed, the money's returned to the bank, Mary and Henry do the big embrace, and Emily finally gets Frank to declare his love, and everything ends hap- pily. Just as audiences have long been accustomed to seeing them when Jack Hoxie and the Universal ranchers start to ride Vrlth hoofs flying and guns read^ for the draw. Story qnisfies. Hoxie sure looks an idfal sheriff whether riding oi striding to and fro, and he's a typa that Dils a bill -yrhen there's physical Jv'a encounters or gunplay to be con- P^tf sidered. There's a corUng comedy bit, a bunch of cowhands or. rather, the sherlfTs posse, who try to run an auto and it creates consternation CURL ON THE STAIRS i l^y 1» Wl feBo Bftiva. DItabUd by wiw,^ Sailhaiito. Josa aenaai^. WniNir atsncea Raymond '!i • >.<k<it^<H<Arlto« Pretty "aiJ ;a.a^..>^......,8bao)ion IH* ^ ....;......;j..Mltaa WakiK ' j .'.•.t..'....irreeraan Woo4 7 • tk.«.•.••Bertram QraMhv ij Mlphael DaX,.4 An Interesting murder mystery starring PaUy Ruth MlUer. if ona accepts the theory that the subcon- scious niind directs the activities of sleep walkers and that the somnam- bulists do hot remember anytiiing they 4® 'While in the coma, "but if - put to sleep by artlQolal means will reveal the promptings of the sub- cspsclous mind, the picture is credu- lous. Whether one admits its plausibility or'pot,'it is an engrossing picture, adhilfably cast and directed and s4AnpttiousIy produced. Mtss MiHcr is Dora Sinclair, the. sleep-walking miss. Shp is cured ot the habit by Dit-Bonrget (Geo. PerloIat> by tt^ method referred to above." portk at school carries oii a flirta- tion with Dick Wakefield (Freeman wood) and writes him love letters, -'^i Shb Is engaged to Prank Farrell '"-tl (I^les Welch), a young attorney^ Ltuter sh^ discovers Wakefield Iqr maf'ried to one of her best friends. Ttjs Wakeflelds lease the place next to, 'Dora's home. Dora attends a "w41d party" at the akeflelds and tries to recover her ers from the philanderer, who demanded ti kiss for each ietter. He stii^Fgles with her and is surprised by ibis wife, who leaves the house. That night WakeHeld is found mui>dered by his wife when she re* i-t- ■ >' ••* ■(.V ' •4- \N- rx i - \ /_ 1 N't t-v-'?»- ■ '^SMjOMEOP the TENEMENTS" 2f. Y^ World $ap8: "A First DivMon Picturer FLYING HOOFS. Univeraal production. aUrrlns Jack Iloxle. Btdry by Clea Wooda. Prooi original atpry, "Beyond the, Law." Directed by Clifford Smith. Reviewed at the tlVnM, New Terl(. Fab. 2S. Runnlag tlma. SB minutea. ., Prank Moody ,....,,.. .Jack Hosle Henry Moody Bartlett Carre fianker Connor Wllliani Wclah Jamea Perdee Qordon Ruaaell Stelly Perdee Charlotte Steven* Mary Cbnnor Alya Hurretl The Raven Duke R. Lee ^Qne of the most unustial mdo- hits of the year r ,i, <<;*»>>■ ■^■/^<i:^-w-.'^';-'» v^^'^^•■^'^' ^ .^^.::idS^^^'^ f^'^^ P'^ 'TIs rerlly the age of flying, thun- dering herds and hoofs on the screeii these hectic days of "westerns." "Flying Hoofs" Is a typical western, with Jack Hoxie, as the sheriff, who must ride a fast horse whenever his posse was called forth or whenever he WQnt in pursuit of "The Raven," a bold, bad man, a man given to dis- guises and robbing folks who drew money from Connor's Cattlemen's Bank. The story Is one that Jumps a few hurdles In so far as screen license Is concerned. There's a reward by the western town's leading bank for the arrest and capture of The Raven, the outlaw, and Sheriff Moody (Hoxie) has sworn to get him, dead or alive. In the getting, however, strong suspicion and vil- lage gossip point the finger at ,the sheriff's tall brother. Usnry MocJIy. who, to make the story more Intri- cate, lovss the ban^r'^ ^duughter. Mary. bdjtPiates the girl's father ihtiu plzen l^cause hc^'^e-i Gay Paree U its G^ye»t! . ::^^ . ' --- :—:'^'^} ;■•■■- -'^i-Aitj'-aA • • f •* . ^ ' Here is a story that Is crammed with those ele- m(6nts of audience ap- peal that will mear\ fnoney anywhere. ••.•;^' . i?; VjC ''.. -A strong love story and as fine a Parisian back- ground as has ever been brought to the screen,^ ^. with '"* Jacqueline Logan Mary Aator Clive Brook ^'Buster'* CoUier , Mr Countoas do Cham- Ursn; iidaijited by C. i i . .1 lleves Connor gypped him and his brother out' of their ranch. Now Henry makes no bones about his public sentiment regarding Connor and once earner dose- to giving him a sock on the nose. Hoxie has a sweetie, a peart, cute; OUfdeaer ftviitvas: di- i<!k«(e4 by a*Ijpi|l Ince; , MServiaed by Joisk Qrtf- ' fta Wray; prca««ted bjr »'• • .' ■'-«*■■ Thoa. H. Ince Corp. 'I i ■.i'-T.'^tVjbji;. ■.»»■:''v/ ' .. ■■ i .',-^.} .*^./. .• -J ■ 'I ■n ^i <i>»r 'm:mi^^