Motion Picture Magazine (Aug 1928-Jan 1929)

In Review FORBIDDEN HOURS 'T'HIS is a sort of reversal of "The Prisoner of Zenda," with the sacrifice ending omitted. Ramon Novarro is a young king — mythical, of course — who meets, woos, and loves (after a struggle with his baser self) a young girl from Paris. She is no less a person than the niece of Ramon's Prime Minister, but still not of the blood royal. Now that I think of it, this is exactly the same story as "The Yellow Lily," only instead of being put in jail, the girl is handed over to a group of drunken officers and humiliated in the back room. Renee Adoree plays this girl with her usual sincerity and charm. But even though it was a mythical kingdom, I don't see why she had to be garbed in clothes so utterly incredible, and so hopelessly unbecoming. Ramon is nearer his old self than he has been for some time. Harry Beaumont, the director, has great talent for making actors behave in a way you recognize as absolutely real. Even in its rather idiotic background, he made the big love scene seem so true and natural that for a moment it almost became a big romantic picture. THE YELLOW LILY "T'HIS is another of those archduke-and-commoner atfairs, in which Billie Dove plays an innocent girl, and Cllve Brook is a royal prince who means harm. Billie is the sister of the village doctor — a terrifying fellow with moustachios. She meets the prince — or is it the Duke — at a ball, and falls in love with him at once. But she knows dishonorable intentions when she sees them, and the Duke has to resort to very elaborate strategy to get into her bedroom. Then there's a struggle, and before Billie knows it, what with one thing and another, she has landed in jail. Of course, he doesn't leave her there. He gives up kingdom, uniform, everything, for her in the end. Billie looks lovely, especially in her nightie. Clive Brook is very intense, but he's hardly the mythical kingdom type. The photography and settings are handsome, and the story moves along fluently and pleasantly. But in spite of all these virtues there's nothing very intriguing about it. It simply won't cause you any pain. Taken all in all, it's about as natural and exciting as a picture as its title is as a flower. DON'T MARRY J NEVER expected to shriek with laughter over the antics of Lois Moran and Neil Hamilton — of all people ! — but that's what happened when I saw "Don't Marry." Lois has developed an unexpected sense of comedy, and the picture is just a good old-fashioned yell. Nothing intricate or subtle about this. It's awfully silly — about a serious-minded young man who disapproves of all but serious-minded young ladies with ruffles and blushes. An ultra-modern flapper resents his attitude. She needs a temporary husband — just to help her escape from an unhappy home. So she decides to kill two birds with one stone and marry the poor fellow to teach him a lesson. From then on there are views of Lois getting in and out of the most excruciating rigs — old-fashioned nightgowns, bathing suits, and what not. You can imagine the results. One look at that bathing suit, and Neil realizes there is something to be said for the modern girl. Then there are more and more situations and louder and louder shrieks from the audience. It would be a sad mistake not to go to this. So loud and long were the guffaws that I feel safe in recommending it to everyone. TELLING THE WORLD 'T'HEY have given Billy Haines a new story, thank goodness. That other one was good, but it was better the first time. Bill has kept his old personality, however, and that guarantees everybody a good time. He continues to defy all the rules for heroes and get away with it. He is incorrigibly selfish. He swipes his girl's lamb chops and gives her the bone. He sleeps sumptuously on the only sofa while she gets rheumatism on the floor. He hides behind people when there's any shooting. He does everything an upstanding young man ought not to do. And the women adore him. This picture has the usual wisecracks and Billy's special brand of clowning, and a nice love story too. It's about a rich young newspaper reporter who falls in love, too late, with a girl who has taken her broken heart to China. He follows her, and from then on the story gets wildly melodramatic, with murders, executions, airplanes, and the U. S. Navy to the rescue. But it's a lot of fun. A young and amiable girl named Anita Page makes a very promising debut, with pretty close-ups and some good acting. This is fine entertainment for those who like William Haines. And who doesn't? 63