Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Jul 1929)

96 „„ A Confidential Guide to Current Continued from page 67 ' FOR SECOND CHOICE "Strange Cargo"— Pathe. Mystery Re! aboard a yacht sustained without claptrap. Film favorites acquit themselves well in dialogue. Russell Gleason excellent new juvenile. Good performances by Andre Beranger, Claude King, Warner Richmond,' Otto Matiesen, Frank Reicher. "Flying Fleet, The"— Metro-Goldwyn. Exciting incidents in the life of naval aircraftsmen, with Ramon Novarro flying a plane. Aviators work hard, with little chance for outstanding roles. Impressive photography. Ralph Graves, Carroll Nye, Edward Nugent, Anita Page. "Ghost Talks, The"— Fox. A blonde, two crooks, a boy with detecting ambitions, some bonds and a haunted house make up a comedy-mystery story that will delight children. Dialogue. Two newcomers, Helen Twelvetrees and Charles Eaton, and several favorites. "Sal of Singapore"— Pathe. Phyllis Haver as a spangled dancer is shanghaied for a worthy cause by captain of an American clipper. The dancer is transformed and so is the captain, who discovers his change of heart in time for a thrilling denouement. Alan Hale and Fred Kohler. "Annapolis" — Pathe. Pleasant chaps wear gold braid and brass buttons becomingly, and even with distinction. John Mack Brown, Hugh Allan. Jeanette Loff, the heroine, is very pretty. Shows routine of naval academy. "Wolf of Wall Street, The"— Paramount. Baclanova, as the wife of a merciless speculator, in an all-talkie. "The Wolf" is fooled by his wife and business partner in a love affair and metes out subtle punishment. Talking debuts of Baclanova, George Bancroft, Paul Lukas, Arthur Rankin. Nancy Carroll also speaks. "True Heaven" — Fox. War melodrama with the old reliable armistice to the rescue of the lover. Lois Moran as charming spy, 'in love with enemy spy, is interesting, and George O'Brien is the man who is saved, and gives his best to the role. "Captain Lash"— Fox. Victor McLaglen, as a boisterous stoker, captivates an uppish blonde, whom he saves from scalding, but is injured himself. The girl exposes her nature over some jewels, and the stoker sees his destiny in its true light. Claire Windsor, Jane Winton, Arthur Stone, Clyde Cook. "Bellamy Trial, The"— Metro-Goldwyn. Much about who killed "Mimi Bellamy," with tabloid flavoring with tricky ending. Fans likely to be concerned with Betty Bronson and Edward Nugent instead of the burning question of the drama. Leatrice Joy, Kenneth Thomson, Margaret Livingston, George Barraud. "Case of Lena Smith, The"— Paramount. Esther Ralston splendid as tragic heroine of "the biography of a woman," an artistic success for the minority. Story of an humble mother's frantic struggle to keep her child despite humiliation and persecution, and her eventual sacrifice of him to his country. James Hall and Fred Kohler. "River, The" — Fox. Romantic, poetic and slow picture of siren's un tiring effort to win an innocent country boy, who doesn't know what it's all about. Magnificent backgrounds of forest and stream and best acting of Charles Farrell's career. Mary Duncan unusual as persevering siren finally sublimated by love. "Prep and Pep" — Fox. Amusing, engaging picture on the order of "The High-school Hero," with a number of delightful young people and the background of a military training school. Must be seen to be appreciated. David Rollins, Frank Albertson, John Darrow, and Nancy Drexel. "Last Warning, The" — Universal. Distinguished production of mystery thriller; unusual story, but only fairly interesting, because slow. Actor-manager mysteriously murdered on stage; theater reopened five years later with same play in hope guilty man will betray himself ; he does. Laura La Plante, John Boles, Roy d'Arcy, Montagu Love, Bert Roach, Margaret Livingston, and others. "Romance of the Underworld" — Fox. Ordinary crook story embellished with shrewd, ironic touches and carried along by admirable acting, especially Robert Elliott as nonchalant detective who befriends girl of underworld. Married to rich man ignorant of her past, she is blackmailed by former partner until detective extricates her. Mary Astor, Ben Bard, and John Boles. "Rescue, The"— United Artists. Brilliantly produced version of Joseph Conrad novel does not make brilliantly successful picture, though extreme intelligence characterizes whole. Story of English adventurer in South Seas, who falls in love with wife of another, his mental struggle and their final parting. Picturesque backgrounds, unmistakable literary quality, but not interesting. Ronald Colman and Lily Damita. "Captain Swagger" — Pathe. Trivial, but rather charming because of Rod La Rocque's debonair elegance and Sue Carol's delicious femininity. Story of gentleman adventurer who holds up automobile, thereby rescuing girl from villain, and their subsequent romance. "West of Zanzibar" — Metro-Goldwyn. Not as interesting as usually expected of Lon Chaney, but unusual atmosphere and voodooism of jungle natives helpful. An ivory trader plans elaborate revenge through supposed daughter of enemy, only to discover that girl is his own, and sacrifices his life to save hers. Mary Nolan, Lionel Barrymore, and Warner Baxter. "Dream of Love" — Metro-Goldwyn. Elaborate, overdressed story of mythical kingdom, with important cast. Crown prince falls in love with gypsy, who later becomes great .actress after he has cast her aside. Rest of story given over to court intrigues and efforts of prince to win girl back. Nils Asther, Joan Crawford, Aileen Pringle, Carmel Myers, Warner Oland, and Harry Myers. "Synthetic Sin" — First National. Rather amusing version of Colleen Moore's usual Cinderella theme. Prankish girl, failing as actress, leaves home for Broadway to experience life and "sin," subsequent adventures with crooks, and rescue by man who marries her. Antonio Moreno, Montagu Love, Kathryn McGuire, and Edythe Chapman. eases "Lady of Chance, A" — Metro-Goldwyn. Elegant lady crook marries man, supposing him rich and expecting to fleece him. But he is poor, so she falls in love with him, confesses, is sent to jail, but is paroled at request of husband. Amusing moments, but pretty trite stuff. Norma Shearer, John Mack Brown, Lowell Sherman, Gwen Lee, and the invaluable Polly Moran. "Masks of the Devil"— Metro-Goldwyn. John Gilbert at his best as pseudo-villain whose handsome face conceals hideous soul, thus making profligacy attractive and easy to accomplish. He betrays his best friend in fascinating the friend's promised bride, but retribution comes when he sees in a mirror a reflection of himself as he really is. Unhappy ending, but glamorous picture. Eva von Berne, Alma Rubens, Ralph Forbes, Theodore Roberts, and Ethel Wales capital. "Three Week=ends" — Paramount. Lively, amusing story, typical of Clara Bow, as a chorus girl who eludes the traps of a rich man, to fall in love with a youth she supposed to be rich. On learning the truth she indignantly repulses him, only to swing a big business deal that brings him back to her. Miss Bow delightful, Neil Hamilton and Harrison Ford deftly amusing. "Home=coming" — Paramount. Somber German picture, with foreign cast, but decidedly meritorious because of fine acting and distinguished direction. Two soldier comrades are separated, one thinking the other dead. He goes to the latter's wife and, against his will, falls in love, return of the husband bringing about striking, unusually intelligent climax. Lars Hanson, Gustav Froelich, and Dita Parlo. "Woman of Affairs, A" — MetroGoldwyn. Elaborate picturization of Michael Arlen's "The Green Hat," skillfully equivocating censorable incidents and achieving moderate interest. Story of a promiscuous heroine, her flagrant affairs, and the one true love of her life — another version of "Camille." Greta Garbo finely effective, John Gilbert sacrificed to her; Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Lewis Stone, Hobart Bosworth, Dorothy Sebastian, and John Mack Brown support them. "Home-towners, The" — Warner. Continuous dialogue, expertly delivered by Richard Bennett, Robert McWade, and Gladys Brockwell, with interruptions by Doris Kenyon and Robert Edeson, tells laughable story of small-town man who tries to break up romance of rich, city friend and fails. Fine performances, many laughs, but story weak. "Woman Disputed, The" — United Artists. Elaborately produced story of a streetwalker who, reformed by love during the war, is asked to give her-; self to a Russian officer as his price for sparing the lives of her Austrian countrymen. She does so with saintly reluctance, and a whole army kneels to her in gratitude. Fairly entertaining, but silly. Norma Talmadge, Gilbert Roland, and Arnold Kent. "On Trial"— Warner. Heavy melodrama of a husband accused of murdering his man friend, and his justification shown by means of cut-backs, though he is saved from conviction by a last-minute courtroom confession. Entirely in dialogue, some of it very Continued on page 118