Variety (Nov 1928)

Wednesday, November 14, 1928 P I C T U R E S VARIETY NEW GONGRESS-SHOW BIZ Photophone-Produced And Features in New York; Buchers Odd Idea of News Hoover on Pictures R.C.A, Photophone will produce talking, shorts and several special features; says B. E. Biicher, vice- president of the company, starting the first of the yeiar. A new studio ■ite; in the Gramercy Park section baa been selected, with Richard Currier to haye it in charge. BUcher stresses that Photophone will not enter, into extensive compe- tltlbn with Pathe-DeMille, FBO, Col- umbia, Tiffany-Stahl, or any other producers, allied with Photophone but .ls doing this as a move to aocom- pllBh certain high-grade standards In mind. Even more extensively will Photophone work- with the Pathe organization for productions under the Pathe-DeMlile imprint. Phys; fcal distribution of iPhotophone's ®wn talkers will also be through the Pathe exchanges. Bucher denied with the term of •poppycock" the persistent reports that Western Electric and Photo- phone (Qeneral Electric ally) are eonsidering a working agreement Whereby W, E. will do all the wir- ing and RCA Photophone the prO: duclng. Bucher had onCe before de- nied it and when the report cropped up anew it was once again pre- sented to him, fetching . the usual Bucher idea of giving out news. The vice-president of Photophpjie, although unmistakably making a direct .statement of denial to Vari- ety's direct inquiry, has a habit of switching'' to something else hie would rather dwell on. The Bucher Idea Bucher among other things want- ed to know why Variety doesn't submit its hews stories concern- ing Photophone to him for approval *like"*ther trade papers do." i• iV • i iir Refuting himself a bit, Bucher al- RphA ilailiplc WSIIlt^ leged a misquotation by Variety IDCUC UdUICIb fTdUl5 that Photophone and W. E, were "bitter competitors." Bucher, ad- mitted that his company and West- ern Electric- (through its subsid- iary, Electrical Research Produc- April 2, 1927. during the din- ner given in New York City to the ; Latin-American diplomats by the Hays organization Her- bert Hoover touched upoii cen- sorship. He said: "If we had a deified censor of sp inspired and so; lofty a soul as to be able to say what from South America could truly represent to us their fine progress arid their great as* pirations, and who could cut from our films those things which are our own humiliation, the picture w.oujd become the greatest vehicle of friendship yet devised by man. But the industry must- be its own cieh- sor. I havie a growing confi- dence in it. The proof is that today the lowest levels of mor- als and inspiration in the films are higher than the current stage itself. I trust in the. good faith of this great body of men who dominate the industry in the United States to carry out this profound obligation; that is, that every picture of South American life shown to our people and every picture of North American life shown to the South American peoples should carry also those ideals which buUd for that respect and confidence which is the real guarantee of. peace and progress." Antis-E very thing and Re'- formers Red Hot with R e p u b I i c a n Sweep- Canon Chiase Already on Trail — Old Congressmen Interested In and Out^ with New Members Talker Opportunity L03 Angeles, Nov. 13 . Bebe Daniels, whose contract with tions) were competitors but didn't pg^j.j^^Qy^t ^as nine months to go, like the adjective "bitter" seem- j^j^g asked her release because of Ingly. that company's refusal to give her Bucher is that type of executive, ^n opportunity in talking pictures, probably with a downtown training. After conferring with her attor who thinks of news stories only in j^ey^ Edward Norrls, Miss Daniels the terms of "statements," i.e., Aim- was reported offering $100,000 to be sy or carbon-copy press matter, freed of her Paramount obligations, Seemingly in favor of "the other ghe states other companies are trade papers" which submit their ready to give her an opportunity stuff to him for approval, Bucher to star In talkers does not si2em inclined to favor Va- Miss Daniels is now in "The Big riety with exclusive information gcoop." Paramount's schedule when squarely put up to him, grudg- calls for three more pictures, all Ingly responding with a negative silent or affirmative but refusing to am- Ben Schulberg, head of Para plify.. ; ' :^ ..^ .Thour^ Whether by design or accident. Paramount will permit Miss Dan- each time a Variety reporter sees lels to leave, if shown that another Bucher alpne in his office, a busl-| company will star her in talkers, ness as.sociate is called in or is pres ent, sitting by as a seemingly dis- interested listener or to. act as un official straight man for Bucher wheniever he laughingly dismisses such preposterous premises as a working arrangement between W. POSSIBILITIES! m Lead Variety's F9m Critics' Score $8,500 for Barthelmess , Los Angeles, Nov. 13 First National Is drafting a new K, and Photophone for one to wire I contract for Richard Barthelmess. and the other to produce exclusive- It will Increase his weekly pittance ly, as mentioned above. Anyway, from $5,500 to $8,500 per week, that's the next best thing to hav- | making him one of the highest paid Ing a stenographer present , for feheck-baok. a male screen stare in the businipss. Letting *Em See Los Angeles, Nov. 13, Talkers and Burlesque Milwaukee. Nov, 13. Conway Tcarle Is taking a two , _ - . . .j, ^, week nj^r-in vaudeville- t<> show--jChe...Qrst hgp. .iji.JM .^^^^^^ picture producers that he la a bet offer soun.l films, with stock bur tor talUors le.sque will be the Empress ^-TgaFlF Wiir operTarm mW^^ San Fnmcisoo, and play the local | oqulpment He will do some' Orpheuin Dec. 9. reaaing.s 'from Shakespeare ■ iind faonrludi- with a piano monolog, GOULDING LEAVES M-G-M Los Angeles, Nov, 13. Ei.lnuiii^ Cloulding, a pionaer for M-C!-M In talkor.s, has left that company to Join Pathe as a dialog director. XMAS FILM Lo3"Angeles, Nov. 13. William Fox completed a 2,500- foot Movietone Christmas subject called "Forget-Mo-Not," which Is a romance of a toy shop. This has been shipped oaftt for general release .during Christma.'i week. Washington, Nov. 13. Though. the Republican sweep eliminated :many of tho«e Deirto- erats, as' well as killed the balance of, power held, by the insiiroents, which factions possessed set ideas favoring. Sunday closing/ Fedepal pensorship, Government regulation, etc., that landslide seems, headed to .further' complicate the tegisia-, tive situation rather than to give the relief -the new lineup at first would suggest. ; With the advent of Merbert Hoo- ver March 4 next, the antis-every- thing and paid reformer contingent will come into power. They have always been part and parcer of the Republican party. Up to now they have been kept in line except for constant naggings and occasional flare-ups. During the campaign the political- ly inclined parsons went thrrugh the- Southerrt stiates beating the bushes and drlying out votes. This was particularly truie In Virginia, North. Carolina, Kentucky and 'Ten- nessee. The result is already history. With everything n6w set anid the shouting subsiding the first to make long and loud claims for the part played In putting Mr.' Hoover In the W'hlte House comes from this faction. . They are expecting to cash on that bush beating. Amusements will await the incoming President as to the manner In which he greets this crowd when they arrive on the door- step of the White House. If any plums are handed over to them amusements, especially the picture industry. Is In for a ride^ Mr. Hoover, himself, presents a problem. . Other than the picture section of the Department of Com- merce and Its work In the foreign field there* la little upon which to draw conclusions as to his attitude on the proposals now; facing the In- dustry from the national angle. Hoover Is known to have many frlend.3 among the producing heads in California, The question is If they are strong enough to overbal- ance hls .Quaker training and secure such a statement, .as gotten from President Cbolidge again.st Sunday closing, ,. Hoover has stated himself as against Government regulation. Will that stop , the Brobkhart bill, is a question propounded here. Also with Hoover's vast Information on the foreign situation where censor- ship is pronounced so successful, what will be his attitude on Canon Chase's pet measure? Possibly when the time Is con- sidered to be ripe Mr, Hoover Will make a statement: in regard to each Of these. His speech at the Latin- American dinner in New YCirk over a year ago seems to settle hljj po- sition on the merit of national cen- sorship. Canon's Call —That-th e—r (J fornvers—are—wasting no time Is indicated In the "call" JUat sent out by Can^n Cha.se, of Bro"6Wyh7"""WislVington=^ where, for a picture conference here at the Mayflower commencing Nov. 25. ... . An. pdcf twist, remarked upon here In Washington, in the reform- er's call i.s the omission of any ref- «;rencc to his own pet ceh.sorBhip proposal. He's concentrating on the Brookhart bill and the muohly re- vi.seil, or "strengthr-ned" as th** (Continued on page 14) lv\::\\K> Thiror/ of the Now York N'ews, romps No. 1 iii Variety's film critics box score for the period ox- tending, from June 1 to November 10.. Htfl' showing of .785 on 65 plc- tiu-es reviewed is not only one of tlie highest individual percentiiBo.s pbtained by any Maiihattaii soreen writer but Is a complete reversal of her o\yh standing all la.st soa.son, when Miss TlUrer unlforntly was al- or near the bottom of the list. . ..The soliuion of. tiie sudden .jump lies in the inauguration either by the News or Miss Thirer of a sys- tem of grading all flims reviewed by one, two, three or more stars, ac- cording to the estimated degree of merit possessed by the picture. The influence of this star-gradiiig systcni, is evident in the complete elimination of no opinions. During 1927-28 Miss Thirer accuniiilated 42 no opinions, a record in its way. Presently she has but three no opin- ions and these were acquired prior to the new system. Mae Tinei? (Frances Kiiruer), of the Tribune, leads the Chicago divi- sion with a smart .829 on a total of 47" pictures. That pereentage not only tops the Breezy Village but is an ample margin oyer the best In New York and the presumably ex- pert trade papers. Mt.ss Tinee has beeii writing , film criticism a long time and po.ssosses what is perhaps the most individualistic screen de- ■partmcnt, style in the country. Doris' Ardein (Muriel Vernon), of tiie Chicago Jburnal, making her first appearance in. the box. .score, closely trails Mae Tinee. 'This scribe seems to like everything. Her favor- able opinions are so con.sistent as to occasion the suspicion 6.C In structions. A Difference Miss Thirer not only lias the highest percentage in New York, of pictures, 65, among the reviewer* of the dallies. Tliis is a niarked dlf-, ferehce from Miss Zimmerman's runnerrup percentage of .777. based; on but 27 pict.uros. Bland ; Johaneson (Mirror) com- ing in fifth, is ofT her guessln* avoragei which formerly kept her . first or second. George Gerhard (lOve. World), another . reviewer ranking high has tumbled several rungs to No. S. Rose Pelswlck (Journal) has Im- proved her standing and is fourth with .630 on 60 pictures. This U Miss Pelswick's first year in the box score. Qulnn. Martin (World) holds third place, but Increased hUi percentage from .706 to .719. John K, Hutchens (Post), who got off to a bad start with a low per- . centage of .258, improves with the present tabulation to .45.6. Hutchens, . like Cohen (Sun), and WatU (Herald. Tribune), is inclined to be literary. Cohen, of the three, is the^ only one vei-y successful in gettliiff ■ the hoi pplloi slant on films which are not much artistically; Hutchens .seeni.s to be trying .and Richard . probably doesn't care, sloughing box oifioe attractions on a strictly per- ."onalizcd reaction basis. Trade Papers Variety's showing. In the trade division Is mediocre. The wrong col- umn Is overloaded with 20 demerits against 69 rights. This rag's per- centage is reduced from .877 on Aug. 31 to .797, nearly 100 points, on Nov.- 10. . Motion Picture News, muffing a large number of the major films., has a runner-up ^lercentage of .750 on 32 pictures reviewed. Closely fol- lowing with .746 is Motion Plctureii Today, still in third place. Pete Harri.son'3 almanac, comes in last with: .656. Pete caught 71 pic-; tures, a lot Of reels for one man to -sit through. He forgot to be definite but has caught the greatest number a couple of times. Score as of Novi 10 Key to the abbreviations: PC (pictures caught), ,R W (wrong), O (no opinion expressed). Pet. (percentage). NEW YORK jrene Thirer (News) Katherine Zimmerman (Telegram).,.. Quinn Martin (World).....;.....,;.. Rose Pelswick (Journal) Bland Johaneson (Mirror) John S. Cohen, Jr. (Sun) Regina Cannon (American) ...•••■>•■ Gedrge Gerhard (Elven 1 ng Woi; 1 d>...v. Betty Colfax* (Graphic) ......... -.... Richard Watts, Jr. (Hr-rald Tribune). , Mordaurit Hall (Times) ,, Jieffery Holmcsdale (Woi ld).... , ...., John K. Hutchens (Post j............ Margaret Tazelaar fHenild Tril)uiie). ♦Julia. .'^howoM.:. (right), CHICAGO. LE BAEON FOR CONTEEENGE Lo.s Ari;,'<'l'--- :U>\-. } VViili^irii T,"H;u'on, in flnr^,'" i>! J-'iiO p:-';il i.-tlon, Is lt'.-ivii:c? York. ■L'.,» 1). "LYA's NEW mmA I,OS Atrt^i'lcrf, Nov. IJ. J'-iUl r'.-nirnr!li to Holly- '.vi'k irum Europe to ■v>) i<;' i'lH'.s for Columbl'.v. - Is 1,'oing to retire I-.---, ,'itiij devol'? ht.-r life •A i.x' A niaiila.