Inordinately Long ‘Specials’
Cause Much Dissatisfication
More Than Two-Thirds of Productions of Last Seven
Months of Extra Length—Extra Footage Not an
Asset From Audience Point of View—Drives
Short Subjects Off Program. _
V
When is a 'special' production and
does mere extra footage mean any
thing to an audience?
Exhibitors they country over, have
IflfTwWt time been voicing their com
plaints on the unusual length of new
picture productions, and inasmuch ns
the exhibitor merely wants to buy
lues that people will come and
s«e, his complaints are a sign that
the public also is complaining on long
and unnecessarily drawn out photo
plays.
Motion Picture News, a prominent
trade paper, reports from the 250 re
leases oT the last seven months 170
are. more than five reels in length.
104 are more than six reels long, and
S6 are more than seven reels. When
you consider that a five-reel feature,
a two-reel comedy, and a single reel
news, travel or educational, make tip
a full two-hour program there is some
basis for tile complaint of both pub
lic and exhibitor.
In Ilis Own Defense.
In his own defense the producer
argues that good pictures can not he
made if the director is not allowed a
leeway in the matter of length. He
must be given reasonable allowauce
in this as well as his expenses.
. One of the tilings that enters Into
the subject Is the method of selling.
A “special” naturally is expected to
bring more exhibitor rental than an
ordinary picture—hence the great
number of longer than ordinary fea
tures.
Idle to Assume.
It Is idle In assume that of the 170
features of more than 5.000 feet of
film, made in the last seven months,
there were wot n goodly percentage
that could not have been brought to
a successful termination in the final
fadeout in less footage. Many of them
needed just, that~rutting to be* more
like what the pfiblic wants
Features of such length. unless
they are of such merit that one
doesn't rare how long one sits and
sees the story unfold, are an un
doubted bore. And one of tbe things
such long pictures cause—and a vital
one to a big percentage of theater
goers, is the driving off the program
those interesting news reels and other
short subjects—some of which tell
more In a reel or so than the so-called
-epeelnl does In six.
“Souh for Solo" Tolls
Story of bilmland
Rupert Hughes has never hern
more dramatic in the picturing of a
Story than in his newest film, ‘‘Souls
for Sale," at the Sun, although his
hand has by no means lost its cun
ning in the depiction of the comedy
snd the little realistic touches of or
dinary life which make the whole
world kin.
While "Souls for Sale" >s basically
*i Htory of motion picture players and
the making of photoplays, it tells one
of those stories of everyday people
and their reactions to life and to each
othpr.
One of the greatest of casts has
been assembled for tills story of film*
dom..
Chief interest'will, perhaps, center
in Eleanor Boardman, who portrays
the leading role. In the brief space
of a year, this actress has risen from
film extra to star.
Five other Important roles in the
film are acted by capable and ex
perienced players. Mae Busch, Bar
bara I-a Marr, Frank Mayo. Richard
Dl\. and Lew Cody. There is a score
more actors in the cast, majority of
whom are known to the flint fans.
Many of the great and near great
of Hollywood have been taken in the
picturing ef the life of tho girl who
comes to Hollywood to seek her for
tune. Tiny fist of names of all t lie
stars who are seen in the picture at
one time and another reads like a
SHU/s who of movieland.
“Poor Mon's ff ives " a
Domestic Life Drama
“Poor Men's Wives." which is at
the Rialto, is anything but a poor
man's picture, for in it is carried a
wealthy of display of automobiles,
pretty women tn beautiful clothes and
gorgeous scenes of great festive af
fairs.
Barbara La Starr plays the lead,
supported hy Zasu Pitts and with Da
vid Butler in the role,of the taxi
driving husband of the star.
The story of the picture is two wom
en—the poor one envying the richer
her good times and her fine clothes
and tlie rich one the happiness that
the other seems to have. The at
tempts of Laura, the poor woman,
to enjoy the pnrties to which she is
invited lead her to spend the savings
of her husband nnd she is forced to
leave the home? How the twins bring
her back is the happy ending.
Mickey McRan and Muriel McCor
niae is the rotes of the twins bring
mischief and fun into the emotional
story and produce the comedy to
lighten it. Betty Francisco and
Richard Tucker complete the cast.
An interesting bit of the program is
"The Land of Tut-ankh amen" show
ing motion pictures of t lie excavations
made at Luxor, Egypt.
The actual views of the burial
chamber where most of tho priceless
art objects were found and also tho
(losing of the tomb by the native
workers are shown in this picture.
in addition to the scenes at the
toinb of the Pharaoh, there are views
of the historic temples of Luxor. Kar
nak and Raineses, the Hall of Pillars,
the Colossi of Memmon and the Val
ley of the Kings.
“Money. Money, Money,"
Talks on Sfrand Screen
Probably nothing could make a
more interesting subject for drama
than tho effect of the social scheme,
with its finedrawn distinctions on a
smalltown girl.
That is the general story of Kath
erine MacDonald in her latest, picture,
"Money, Money, Money!'' at tho
Strand tho. first four days of this
week. But in no way does it convey
the wonderful moments of drama
when thrill goes hurtling after thrill,
and the suspense reaches tension
point.
This is tho story that Larry Evans
wrote especially for Katherine Mac
Donald. and which will soon appear
hi novel form, and later as a piny.
This is probably the greatest tribute
that can be paid to the story, for it is
seldom that a ilianuscript used by
publishers and producers makes its
Uehut on the screen.
The east includes Margaret Loomis,
Charles Clary, Herschel Mavall, Carl
Stoekdale, Brenda Fowler, Frances
Raymond, Lawrence .Steers Robert
Dudley and Paul Willis.
“Crashin* Thru" Tells
Action and Romance
, Harry Carey, western mo\ ie star,
fights, rides and laughs his way
across the screen in "Crashin’ Thru."
his newest anil what is reported to he
the most pretentious of his westerns,
at tlie Moon this week. The picture is
full ijf action and thrills with Carey's
bits of humor in earh of the reels.
One of the most thrilling scenes is
that in which hundreds of fear-mad
dened horses stampedn directly to.
ward the camera, wdth a roaring
prairie fire licking at their heels and
the unconscious form of a beautiful
girl in their path. Carey performs a
remarkable feat of horsemanship
when he reaches from his galloping
horse srul snatches Vola Vale from
under scores of plunging hoofs. Other
spectacular scenes are a wind storm
and a gigantic landslide caused by
an explosion of dynamite
’’Crashin’ Thru," Is primarily dra
ma staged In the heart of the glowing
west, and tells a tale of romance and
adventure.
Tan fill ter I *red om inalrs
in Films at If orld
Comedy is th* chief ingredient
used for the pictures which the
World theater will present this week
in connection with its “Laugh Week.”
The feature, "The Gentlemen From
America,” Is a hilarious satire about
two pnls iri the A. K. F. who. follow*
lug the armistice, are given a two
weeks’ furlough. With a borrowed
I dollar they make a “killing'’ ;it a dice
Today, Tomorrow, Tuesday-One Day Only, Today
A Snappy—Peppy
Western Drama of Action
HARRY
CAREY
Moon
Start#
Wed.
FRANK MAYO
In “The First Degree”
%3j§^voeco
9r&\tiD
L /
M>ntra^s^
7a?maaje
/
' Gtor-ia.
__ ,
liMPeess
Iy/crtr^
12'Mt/kall
\(?/\V£TY
| Ji's/enG G/ta</uJick. -Muse.
game and then set out. to “do" Paris.
However, the two worthies board the
wrong traiiKand wake up in the morn
ing to find themselves In a smnli
principality between France and
Spain.
The hero get* himself mistaken for
a desperate bandit and at the same
time falls in love with the prettiest
girl in Cardonia. The girl la the in
cognito daughter of a grand duke.
Only the governor of the province is
aware of this and seeks to have his
villainous so* marry the girl. But
this plan makes no hit with the
“doujfhboy, " and ho foils the villain
in the funniest fashi' u imaginable,
only to find that w le n lie comes to
propose marriage to the girl that i:«,
still belongs t«* tii*- A. W. 1**. All nf
whnh leads to a host of laughable
complication.*.
Louis- Lorraine, Carmen Phillips
Edward Gibson, Ko*a Jlosonova and
Frank Leigh ax* sumo of the princi
pals in the big cast
An ndried attraction on the same
Mil Is the latest Charlie Murray com !
edy. ”80 This is Hamlet." which Is
said to be a fitting successor to the
several clever Murray remedies now
being released under his own direc
tion.
Itoel Itcmarks.
Harry I.aticd<>n. well known vaude
ville star, will appear in a series of
1 f'inedy hits for Kol l.esser.
Viscount fllerawiy. acconfpnnled by’
his mother, Count-ss Annesley, has
come from Kngland to sign a contract
to appear in Cecil de Milte's "The Nth
1 Commandment.” His movie name
will be Dan Annesley.
Starts Thursday
A
Notable
10 Days
A
Real
Treat
Joseph M. Schenck present*
NORMA TALMADGE
in Bayard Veiller’s Play
“Within the Law”
Adapted by Frances Marion
Directed by Frank Lloyd
Notable because
The rote of Mary Turner la tn popular
American drama what Juliet ia to classical
drama—an acting part which gives the true
artist tremendous scope.
And we believe you'll say Norma is the
greatest Mary Turner of all time.
The fiercest of all passions is the love of a
woman scorned. >
Cornel laugh, cry and thrill
over the big scenes
Gloria Swanson Stars
in Argentine Story
Gloria Swanson in an tntriguiijjt
story of South American politics and
love in “My American Wife,” at. the
Km pros q this week, has with her in
the cast a new leading man, Antonio
Moreno, He plays the part of La
Tassa, a young Argentine aristocrat.
The story is a colorful and unusual
romance laid in the Argentine and
j presenting the loy- story of a hand
some young aristocrat arid politician,
descendant of one of the old Spanish
j conquistadore*. and » beautiful Amer
ican girl from Kentucky, who owns
i the horse which out-races the valued
I track champion of the I^atln noble
| man.
There many other interesting
| names in the supporting cast, in ad
i dit.ion to Mr. Moreno.
The various other characters, the
; majority of which are Argentine, are
I essayed by .such well known and tab
• nted screen players as Josef Swi.-k
nrd. Brie Mayne, Geno t'orrado,
Bdythe chapman. Bileen 1 Tingle. K
B. Butler. Jacques D’Auray, Koval
1’nderwood. and Walter Kong, who
as usual, is the hea\/y. Some of these
players have been seen in many
Paramount pictures, hut a few of
them are said to be new on the Para
mount stages.
ff althall in Crook
Story at llie Gayety
Some interesting food for thought
1 is offered in the presentation of
Parted Curtains," featuring Henry
B. Walthall, and Mary Alden. at the
jfJavety today.
The problem propounded is debated
by a group of aristocrats who claim
1 that "once a man is a crook, he will
always be a crook ' This question has
i*een marie the subject of countless
discussions among literary and social
welfare societies, and criminologists
have delved deeply into its perplexing
phases But Henry B. Walthall. In
the role of an ex convict who sees
the light of day after seven years of
imprisonment. shows conclusively
that if a mAn must always he a crook
ifter having once tasted of Its bitter
j cup, society is to blame.
; Mr. Walthall is aided and abetted
n this engrossing story by Mary al
Iden. whose life is shrouded in mys
tery. She is the Wife of a noted ar
tist, and into her happy life there
1 «'oniM a stranger whose career is
1 nked not only with the artist’s wife
; but also with the px-convict. The con
i flict that follows, and the embarrass
ing situation that threatens to cut off
[*he artist s w if. from her marital tie
'forms the «uruenir*- ■ f i story of self
j F-acrifice.
Pit lure* t>f African
If ihlerness at St rami
Kouis Shuman s ' Man Against
Beast. ’ in th« pursuit of which lie
lost his life In Africa, will be shown
this week at the Strand. The hunting
of the wild gnu. the hippopotamus, the
• hyena, the rhinoceros* and the ‘"ftp
TODAY
4 DAYS
ONLY
Nites and Sun*
mV, 40c
Week days un
‘i1 5 9Rr
o'clock."" ^
KIDS, .any
ioc
“A Whale of a Show”
Mx KATHERINE*
A ?iwt national Pictui*
A drama—vitally interesting—of a *»r 1 who wanted
money; of what happened when she fot it—and when she
lost it all.
You Will Rend It
Soon ab • Novel
You Will See It
Soon on the Stage
I You Can See It
Now A» a Picture
*- ■ t.
EXTRA! EXTRA!! EXTRA!!!
A Remarkable Picture of Thrills
“MAN vs. BEAST”
Louis Shuman’s Two-year Expedition, <
HUNTING WILD ANIMALS
—in— I
DARKEST «
AFRICA
Originally Intended to Be j.
Released In Si* Reel*. J
It Was Re-Edited to Two |
Reels Which Now Gives You S
Two Years’ Thrills
in a Half Hour
“Picture* of the African Jungle* have been done
before in movie*, hut none of them ever con
tained »n unusual and thrilling scene* as those in
“Man v* Beast.” JAMES W DE.AN,
Critic for Newspaper Enterprise Assn.
STIRRING SCENES OF PERILOUS COMBAT
Between Men and the Most E'erociou* Wild Beasts,
Actually Coming to Death (•rips Before the Camera,
and Rare Shot* of the Most Wary Denison* of the V
WILD* RHINOS, HIPPOS, HYENAS, BIRDS
Compare it with any other similar pic
ture that has ever appeared or may.
l.OUISF. FAZENDA
HARRY GRIBBON
ln*a Rurlaiqu*
of theThrillin*
Mvstrry Play*
‘Cold Chills’
Strand Orchestra
It ilLVi.ilMAN. Dirrttlng
IMttying "Morning, Noon »nd
Night"
Trotzky of Russia
Hfurmin the Aimed loi»e%
Shawn in FOX N1 WS
! tnre of great birds are bit* of the
film that are full of ac tion and thrilla
land make up the version which has
. i,pen built into two reels for the en
tertainment of the public. Some 19
other reels have been sa\ed for the
interest of scientist*. Mr. Shuman
lost bis life, on th* way out of the
jungles after the most dangerous part
of tho exploration had been com
pleted.
Muse Program Uca/lcd
If ith Carey's Latest |
' f.'rashln' Thru.” starring Harry
Carey, open# the wwk s program at
the Muac this w»'»k.>arey has a typi
cal western story With ^action and
thrills aplenty Monday and Tues
day, Helene Chadwick appears in
“Gimme.” in which a domestic r» w
is created because the wife has to
ask for every little* hit of money she
needs. “Crinoline and Romance,” in
which Viola Dana has pleased audien
ces at the World for the past week,
will be featured on Wednesday and
Thursday and* the final two days
; there Is offered “The First Degree,"
a society drama.
- ■■ ■ ■ r
Em press Announces
!\ew Summer 1*01 icy
Announcement of a change of pol
I ley for the summer is made today by
the Empress theater and until th**
[ fall vaudeville season the house will
show only photoplay programs in
; pile e of a combination of boVh vaude
ville and pictures.
Manager Ledoult announces at the
.-am* line a change in prices as fol
lows; Children at all times. 10 cents;
adults, matinees. 20 cents, and even
ings. 30 cents.
Feature photoplays will lie pur
chased in the open market and the
program balanced with short subjects.
Reel Remarks
- ■ - \
Marilyn Miller of the Follies, whose
marriage to Jack Pirkford about a
\ear ago was celebrated with miles of
publicity. Is to make » picture thia
summer with her husband. His last
appearance In films was in "Garri
son's Finish."
“Clnemonla” is the newest disease,
but you have to be a picture actor
lo catch It. It is a sort of Influenza
caused by outdoor work at night—the
carbon dust fioin the cameras causing
liad colds. Iret.e Rich Is the latest
victim.
It's a peculiar < uit Mete • 'hat
Jackie Coogan. Roby Peggy ard
Buddy Messinger. three of the b*st
known children of th*- movies, were
all liorn the same day r.f the year.
<>, tol)**r 26. Buddy is ' Jackie S and
I tabby fuggy about 5.
The truth has come out. Thr*e
years ago Jack l.loyd of it < Mcrroaid
Comedy company was married to Miss
Irene -Vernon of New York, when
both were playing In "The flirting
Princess" there. Sinee that time Mrs.
Lloyd has been playing in Saw
and “Cbu Chin Chow” there and
Lloyd has been in California. Last
week she came to California with her
husband and may pomlbly go into pic
tures.
NEIGHBORHOOD THEATERS
GRAND .... 16th and Binney
GLADYS WALTON
in "THE LAVENDER BATH LADY”
HAMILTON - 40th end Hamilton
REGINALD BARKER S
“HEARTS AFLAME"
VICTORIA - » - - 24th and F»rl
MARSHALL NEILAN’S
"FOOLS FIRST"
PRESENTS
Daily at 11-1-3-5-7-9 O’clock
RUPERT
HUGHES’
Startling Red Book Story of
HOLLYWOOD
V
With a great
cast of
35
FAMOUS
PLAYERS
It takes the public behind
studio doors through the de
velopment of its own story.
CREATING
The most original photodrama since
the earliest days of the silver screen
HERE’S THE CAST
Chat It# t haplin
Mar Huach
Hat hat a la Man
Ri* hatd Ota
I tank Nlayn
Fitch \ an Mndlfiw
£ It toft
hmlt Stawai t
Milton Sill*
I laanot Roatdman
Ira Cod y
vlaitr Windtot
Aea**a lo\e
Anna Q. NilUon
Blanche Sweat
T. Ri»v Bat nft
I lame HumWfMtUn
t'.eorjr \\ al»K
l'*t»v Ruth M II#*
l heater i nahlm
KathU n " Hum*
t laucte Gilli»|»«tr«
Mabla Ba l>n
Km mond i»«*lhth
s«iu rut.
H. liana
Fl»rtnr« V (i<M
•ban Naraholt
D«|mar ('.wJoat k*
ttarbata fta<it«M4
Joknnt* \l alkai
l d»nn
Hobart Ho*«aitk
Aht* 1 aka
At la* it Pi Mafia
