Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

“Summer Bachelors” Allan D wan’s Peppy and Pleasing Version of Warner Fabian Novel Features Madge Bellamy BASED ON A NOVEL OF modern life by Warner Fabian, the author of “Flaming Youth,” William Fox is offering “Summer Bachelors” an Allan Dwan production featuring Madge Bellamy. The title refers to a brand of flirtatious husbands who seize the opportunity when their wives are away for the summer to step out with single girls. According to the story the heroine who is a competent secretary, and a friend who is a successful actress organize a “Summer Bachelors’ ” club to satisfy this situation. Their apartment becomes the headquarters for the gang. A department store flirtation leads the heroine, who is averse to marriage because of the unfortunate experiences of the feminine members of her own family, to invite the hero to join. She believes he is married but finds herself madly in love with him. It develops that he is still single but she hesitates. A professor who has invented a selfhypnotizing crystal puts her in a trance and when she confesses her real love, a member of the club, a judge, marries the pair. Of course she later learns the truth and although apparently displeased phones the judge to record the marriage. Notwithstanding the fact that this story has a distinctly ultra-modern theme and sounds sophisticated and risque, there are no sexy or daring situations. In fact, care is taken to point out that the girls while flirtatious and “advanced” in their ideas are self-supporting and perfectly respectable. Except in the sympathetic heart touch of the actress’s sacrifice of her real love the story has been handled by Director Allan Dwan with a light breezy touch and speedy tempo and it provides decidedly agreeable entertainment of the type that is not to be taken seriously. There is a lot of true-tolife stuff of certain metropolitan types of what might be termed “Broadway” men and women, the self-hypnotizing sequence appears overdrawn and the marriage of the girl in this state does not appear convincing or logical. The types are well selected and well played and there are a couple of situations such as a yacht episode that threaten to be spicy, but are just breezy and pleasing. Madge Bellamy is excellent in the leading role and never looked more beautiful, no wonder the summer bachelors fall for her. Allan Forrest gives a capital performance as the real lone bachelor, while Matt Moore finds limited opportunities for his style of acting in the role of the professor, but is convincing, nevertheless. Hale Hamilton, Charles Winninger and Walter Catlett are fine as the summer bachelors. There are a number of clever little touches and the picture is handsomely mounted. The story holds the interest throughout and should appeal especially to the younger jazzy element and the sophisitcated patronage. William Fox presents “Summer Bachelors” With Madge Bellamy Based on novel by Warner Fabian An Allan Dwan Production CAST: Derry Thomas Madge Bellamy Tony Candor Allan Forrest Walter Blakely Matt Moore Greenway Hale Hamilton Willowdean Leila II yams Preston Smith Charles Winninger Length — 6,782 Feet Derry Thomas, an ultra modern girl, averse to marriage because of the unfortunate experiences of her sisters, organizes a club for summer bachelors, men whose wives are away, but eventually she falls in love with a real bachelor. Sprightly and amusing romance. “Jim the Conqueror” Exceptionally Virile Western with Unusually Fine Suspense Based on a Peter B. Kyne Story John C. Flinn presents “Jim the Conqueror” With William Boyd and Elinor Fair Based on story by Peter B. Kyne Directed by George B. Seitz A Producers Distributing Corp. Picture CAST: Jim Burgess William Boyd Polly Graydon Elinor Fair Hank Milford Walter Long Dave Mahler Tully Marshall Sam Black Tom Santschi judv Marcelle Corday Length — 5,324 Feet After fleeting glimpses of the girl in Italy and New York, Jim is called home to take up the feud with the cattlemen and finds the girl owns one of the ranches. She turns on, him but warns him of attempts against his life and he outwits a lynching party landing his enemies in jail. Thrilling western with exceptionally tense suspense. UNDER GEORGE B>. SEITZ’ direction, Peter B. Kyne’s story “Jim the Conqueror” has been transferred to the screen as an unusually entertaining western, with William Boyd and Elinor Fair in the featured roles. Produced by Metropolitan, this picture is being released on Producers Distributing Corporation program. A unique feature is the fact that although the story proper takes place in the wide open spaces, the picture opens with both hero and heroine in Italy and has all of the earmarks of developing into a colorful romance, with boy and girl getting glimpses of each other • at different tourist points but being continually frustrated in their efforts to get together. This finally happens in New York and later they find themselves on opposite sides of a western feud, but love as usual surmounts such an artificial barrier. The mainspring of the story, the feud between cattle and sheep raisers over possession of the water1 holes is a familiar idea for westerns, although in this instance the usual procedure of having the sympathy with the cattlemen has been reversed. While this situation furnishes the keynote it is the manner in which plot is developed and directed that raises it above the average. From the minute that the action is transferred to the west, there is not a dull moment. Events develop with lightninglike rapidity and all of the plots and counterplots are developed within the space of twenty-four hours. The cattlemen, who are the aggressors, certainly do not let grass grow under their feet. There is a pistol duel between the hero and the girl’s uncle ending with the latter’s death, a scene where the hero beards his enemies in their own stamping ground, a dynamiting of a hill at midnight with the girl riding to warn the hero and then an attempted lynching at daybreak with the hero aided by the girl turning the tables, shutting the mob up in a burning building and fighting the leader whose foot gets caught in the noose he intended for the hero. There certainly is no dearth of redblooded action. George Seitz has expertly handled the theme so that the dramatic tension and suspense is kept at high pitch. He certainly knows how to hold a crucial situation just the right length to hold the interest at its height. The result is that, following a pretty romantic opening, there is a rapid succession of situations that will keep the spectators at the edge of their seats, and it should prove a thoroughly satisfactory attraction for the average theatre even where westerns are not generally popular, and the kiddies will yell with excitement. William Boyd is a capable hero and Elinor Fair makes a thoroughly satisfactory heroine. Marcelle Corday as the girl’s straight-laced spinster aunt is responsible for considerable thoroughly amusing comedy relief and capitally handles her role. As the warring and villainous cattlemen three excellent and wellknown character-heavy men were selected, whose names are box office assets, Walter Long, Tully Marshall and Tom Santschi.