Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

46 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 1, 1927 Timely Reviews of Short Subject Productions By C. S. Sewell “The Lost Soul” (Universal — One Reel) This Blue Bird comedy featuring Charles Puffy is developed along rather out of the ordinary lines. Puffy appears as a ghost when a young couple starts quarreling. He warns them of what is liaable to happen and then pictures his own story, how he ■quarreled with his young wife and faked suicide and then accidentally shot himself. Despite this somewhat gruesome touch the offering is moderately amusing, for it has been handled entirely from a comedy angle. Elsie Tarron, pictured here, appears in the role of Puffy’s wife. “Jane’s Flirtation” (Universal — Two Reels) In this issue of Stern Brothers’ “What Happened to Jane” series, Wanda W iley, the star, has a flirtation, as implied by the title. Piqued at her sweety, George, she lets a tough guy pick her up and is taken to a spiritualistic seance. George appears and does monkey business with the fake medium’s stunts and in the end the medium is soundly beaten by his irate wife for flirting with Wanda. Most of the gags are of a familiar sort, but are moderately amusing, and it should prove of average entertainment value with the Wanda Wiley fans. ^Felix Trumps the Ace” (Educational — One Reel) UP HE ACE THAT FELIX t trumps in this Felix the Cat cartoon is the Ace of Clowns in circus. After various experiences in search of food the •clown tries to kid Felix and there as a chase over high wires, roller •coasters, etc., ending with Felix being instrumental in landing fhe clown in a mud puddle. An amusing and clever cartoon well up to Pat Sullivan’s high standard. A laughable bit is where Felix makes a dress for a fat lady but cutting holes in a small circuit tent. The animation, especially of the roller coasting -scenes, is especially good. “Balloon Tired” (Educational — One Reel) AS SUGGESTED by the title, this Life cartoon comedy concerns an auto race and Mike in a little home-made affair and Harold in a highpowered car are rivals. A new character is injected in the person of Mike and Myrtle’s baby, little Nibbens, who, when Mike is away chasing a fugitive tire, plays with the controls and accidentally pilots the car to victory. It is an amusing and cleverly executed burlesque with some novel effects showing the doped car acting like a human being. “Anything Once” ( P a the — Three Reels ) In Hal Roach’s newest three-reel comedy starring Mabel Normand she again appears in the role of a poor girl who eventually wins a swell guy. This time, Mabel works for a costumer and, in trying to deliver a gowl to a rich woman who has had her face lifted, she practically ruins it. Mabel wears the gown to a fancy ball, is mistaken for the rich lady and the prince this woman was supposed to marry, falls in love with Mabel. The excitement causes the old dame’s face to slip and she is a perfect fright, so the prince is only too glad to take Mabel instead, even though she is poor. There are a number of good laughs in this number and it should prove a popular attraction with the majority. Max Davidson, pictured here, appears as the rich woman’s adviser. The cast also includes several other feature players, such as Gustave Von Seffertitz, Theodore Von Eltz and Leo White. This comedy has been produced on a regular feature scale. “Telling Whoppers” (Pathe — Two Reels) Here is one of the best of the recent hilarious “Our Gang” Comedies. It is all about the terrorizing on the gang of by one of the members known as “Toughy” played by Johnny Downs, pictured here. Fat little Joe and chocolate-colored Farina are de “Bruce Scenics” (Educational — One Reel) THREE interesting -*■ and superbly photographed subjects filmed by Robert Bruce are included in this reel. “Sunbeams” shows the shafts of sunlight piercing the clouds and shining on mountains, trees and valleys. “The Rainbow” does not show in full effect because of the lack of color, but the views of the mountainsides are extremely beautiful. “Moonlight” is photographed in the soft silvery tones and most of the scenes show the reflection on the water. These are all fine specimens of Mr. Bruce’s artistry. “The Bathing Suitor” (Fox — Two Reels) George Harris, pictured here, is the leading player in this Fox Imperial comedy, with Barbara Luddy playing opposite. The “plot” steps out along unhackneyed lines with George and his father attempting to unload a stock of antiquated bathing suits. They stage a revue showing the evolution of the bathing suit, ending with their old stock as what is to come in 1928. The scheme falls flat, but when bathing suit censors get after some of the girls for their abbreviated costumes George gets an idea and tries to arrest a couple and the whole mob runs to buy his stock. His ruse is discovered and the crowd gets after him. There is plenty of action and slapstick and some good gags as when George’s father lures a prospective buyer into the shop with the fumes of corned beef and cabbage. tailed to waylay and lick Toughy but lose their nerve and come back and tell a whopper, saying they had done the deed. In the meantime, Toughy’s mother finds his clothes smeared with strawberries, while Toughy is in swimming and reports to the police that he has been murdered and Joe and Farina are accused. There is a chase, in which Toughy, with a sheet, scares them, as they think it is his ghost. Of course, all is finally straightened out. “Menace of the Mounted” (Universal — Two Reels) Edmund Cobb is the star and hero of this Mustang brand story of the Northwestern Mounted police. As usual with pictures of this type, the Mountie gets his man; this time he is the leader of a gang of fur thieves and in love with the girl whom he kidnaps. Cobb effects her rescue, and with the aid of others arrests the leader and rounds up the gang. The entire story follows along the lines of familiar formulas for this type, and while there are no new situations there is considerable action. “So’s Your Monk” (Bray — Two Reels) This is another of the Bray-Sunkist Comedy featuring Mr. X the monk, and the Sunkist beauties. The girl is reading a book on evolution when the monk appears on the scene bearing a torn handbill reading, “Beware, Follow the Ape.” The animal causes considerable consternation with his antics and finally the girl follows him to the beach : where after the girls have amused themselves by using Mr. X to tease the life guard, the girl and her sweetheart are again united. The action is quite disconnected and hard to follow, but there are some amusing gags. “The Musical Parrot” (Pathe — One Reel) Dp HIS AESOP’S FABLE carA soon starts off with the parrot interfering with a billiard game between the cat and the. farmer. A blind man with a monkey is then introduced and there appears to be no connection, but before long the parrot is thrown out of the window and lands at the blind man’s feet. Then, there is a regular “parrot and monkey” time with everybody chasing everybody else across country through a house and on top of it. There are plenty of laughs and an extra lot of action in this one.