Exhibitor's Trade Review (Nov 1925 - Feb 1926)

November 28, 1925 Page 33 BRIGHT LIGHTS M elro-Goldwyn-M ayer Photoplay. Adapted from the Liberty Magazine Story, "A Little Bit of Broadway." Directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Length, 6 reels. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Tom Charles Ray Patsy Pauline Starke Gwendolyn Lilyan Tashman Marty Lawford Davidson Barney Ned Sparkes Patsy, a Broadway cabaret dancer, yearns for a change from the tinsel life of the Gay White Way, to something more simple and real. She receives a message to come to her mother's farm. There she meets Tom Corbin, kindred of the grass and trees. She falls in love with him, and he with her, but he misunderstands her relations with a visiting Broadwayite. He decides he isn't good enough for her until he learns her ways, so departs for Chicago, there to attend to the business details of an invention, and to learn the manners of the city man. She returns to Broadway. Later he appears at her hotel, atrociously gotten up in the clothes of a "bigtown" sport, and extravagant mannerisms. She is revolted, and dismisses him. Tom learns from her room-mate that she loved him as he was. Quickly discarding his cheap effects, and assuming the manner of his natural self, he returns to Patsy, the meeting resulting in a reunion of hearts that beat for one another. By Michael L. Simmons J^NTER Charlie Ray in one of his oldtime "village-hecker" roles. And, of course, since at this sort of thing Ray is in his element, we have here a satisfactory measure of entertainment; at least that part of it carried on Charlie's awkward, but able shoulders. The Broadway audience seemed to enjoy it hugely, and I believe that most audiences will reflect the same appreciation. There are, of course, other elements of interest, besides Ray's character impersonation. Most important of these are the opening shots depicting life along the Gay White Way that "jack" built (as the titles had it). In these one discerns the very evident hand of Robert Z. Leonard, who didn't let a chance slip to show rows of slim shapely legs doing the Charleston down flights of gilded stairs; corks popping to the tempo of jazz refrains and all that sort of thing. There's no doubt but that scenes of this kind are perfectly welcome to most audiences, how little their relation to the working out of the story. In this case there is a pertinent relation between the night life scenes and the establishment of the heroine's character, so taking it all in all, the lapse of time in which Ray doesn't appear on the screen is profitably employed. That the moral in the story finally points out that all this is mere tinsel, and a very minor attraction in the lives of real people in search of real kinship, does not detract a whit from its allure to the eye. Broad, simple "hokum" marks the antics when Ray gets into action, seasoned in spots with the lightest dash of pathos; not enough to take seriously, but acceptable as a change of pace is welcomed in a ball-game. Though I liked Charlie, I can't say the picture brings him back to the enviable position he once occupied in the Film Hall of rame. Probably not. This much I will say: Charles Ray gives a performance that on the whole makes for entertainment. Exploit Ray by advertising him as back to a part as of yore. TRIPLE ACTION Universal Blue Strealf Western. Story and Continuity by Tom Gibson. Direction by Tom Gibson. Length, 4,800 feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Dave Mannion Pete Morrison Doris Clayton Trilby Clark Donna Mendez Dolores Gardner Don Pio Mendez Lafayette McKee Pancho Harry Belmour Servant Floyd Ames Dave Mannion, a deputy ranger, loses his job through inefficiency to prevent cattle smuggling. Though disgraced, he determines to capture the gang and make good. He invades the enemy's country and is shot from his horse by the outlaw leader. The gang departs for the hacienda of Don Pio Mendez for refuge. The daughter of Mendez, who loves Dave, comes upon the prostrate hero, and he tells her to ride to town for the rangers. Doris Clayton, who is beloved by Dave, is lured to the hacienda by the gang. Her brother, an aviator in the ranger service, rides to the rescue but is wounded by shots from the hacienda. The rescuing force reassembles for another attack on the gang, and in a thrilling fight the outlaws are overcome. By A. Bernstein A NOTHER snappy action Western dealing with cattle rustlers and rangers, somewhat different from the average Western, in that the airplane service of the border rangers is brought into play. Pete Morrison carries his part in a convincing manner ; although as the story was directed, the major part of the action is placed in the hands of the Spanish girl who loves him, and the aviator who aids in the rescue and in the machinations of the outlaw gang. This results in Morrison becoming a less virile character than he should have been. The episode of the attempted rescue at the hacienda is thrilling and full of suspense. The airplane shots are especially well done, and there is enough fighting and action in the episode to keep up a lively interest throughout. Morrison is supported by Trilby Clark, his sweetheart, Dolores Gardner, who would die for him, Harry Von Meter, his nemesis, Les Bates, the outlaw leader, and Milburn Morante as the whimsical sidekick. These five players do much toward making this picture satisfactory. While the story and the direction are not noteworthy, they are at least intelligently presented. The patrons of every house catering to Westerns will like this picture. Exploit Pete Morrison, the border rangers and the airplane service. Heralds made up in toy airplane style, the kind that can shoot through the air, might be a profitable investment. The reviewers of Exhibitors Trade Review and Exhibitors DAILY REVIEW, don't content themselves with merely stating that a film is good, or otherwise. They state specifically, why. In describing just how and why a film measures up to certain standards, or fails, they are providing you with a critical record that makes the best sort of booking guide. THE ONLY THING Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Photoplay. From the story by Elinor Glyn. Directed by Jacl( Conway, under the personal supervision of Elinor Glyn. Length, 6 reels. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Princess Thyra Eleanor Boardman Duke of Chevenix Conrad Nagel The King Edward ConneUy Sir Charles Vane Louis Payne Gigberto Arthur Edmund Carew Princess Erek Vera Lewis The Duke of Chevenix, British Envoy, arrives in Chekia to attend the wedding of the King to Princess Thyra. The King is very repulsive, and his kingdom is on the verge of a revolution. The Duke, who has fallen in love with the Princess, determines to prevent the marriage, which has been arranged for political reasons. He has secret meetings with the Princess. Suddenly the revolution breaks out and a "Red" reign of terror follows in which the King is killed, and the Duke and Princess are thrown into the sea. The Duke manages to swim with the Princess until he reaches his yacht, anchored outside the harbor. Once safe, they embrace each other in betrothal. By Michael L. Simmons EXPERIENCE has taught exhibitors what to expect from the pen of Elinor Glyn, and when you are told that "The Only Thing" runs true to form, you know that the setting is somewhere south of the Balkans. You know also that a marriage between a bad king and a lovely princess is imminent, and that it will be thwarted by a handsome adventurer — this time an English duke — and that after some goodly shots of lavish palaces, underground passages and the like, real love will reap its just reward. That's exactly what happens in this picture. There is much color to the settings, and no little diversion in characterizations, ,but these are threaded together by a story that will hardly appeal to intelligent tastes. ;For all that, there is a flavor of entertainment throughout the film, attained for the most part in amusing detail and good titling. Story and direction, then, are somewhat awry. The saving grace is the casting. The king is convincingly repulsive, as enacted by Edward Connelly; Eleanor Boardman is, oh, so easy on the eyes, and well worth the courting of almost certain destruction, as hazarded by Conrad Nagel in the role of Duke. Arthur Edmund Carew is just the man for the leader of the revolutionists. There you have the best that can be said for "The Only Thing." To this should be added that Conrad Nagel's characterization contributes a definite amount of entertainment value to the film. It will be seen, therefore, that the picture is not without certain attractions. In fact, if one wishes to take the story less seriously, there is enough entertainment for average audiences. As a spectacle, in which kings, grand dames, nobility and such are trotted out essentially for eye lure, the film has a definite appeal for the curious. The love-making is rather mild for the usual Glyn brand of breast-heaving. The announcement that a Glyn story was on the program proved a magnet to a staggering turnout on Broadway. There's your cue, and don't forget that book-shops do a land-office business with Glyn novels.