Universal Weekly (1924-1936)

18 Universal Weekly Vol. 24, No. 11 Newsreel Includes Warfare Scenes For Navy Day IN anticipation of Navy Day, October 22nd, International Newsreel in its current issue, Number 82, contains scenes of spectacular manoeuvers, staged for International Newsreel by the mighty U. S. battle fleet oif the coast of San Pedro, California. The outstanding feature of these manoeuvers is a series of scenes which show a number of little destroyers laying an impenetrable smokescreen around the dreadnaughts of the fleet, hiding them completely from the view of "The Enemy." The use of oil for fuel enables the little destroyers to pour forth an unbelievable quantity of heavy black smoke, wholly impossible when coal is burned, the smoke being of such a heavy quality that it clings about the dreadnaughts like a pall, completely obliterating them for half an hour at a time. Also, as a part of the Navy Day scenes International Newsreel shows the first pictures of the airship carrier Langley, the newest defensive weapon of the Navy. This queer-looking .ship with its flat top carries a fleet of airplanes of all sizes and is capable of launching its winged brood at the •"foe" within a few minutes time. The airplanes are shown circling: the fleet and then returning to the expansive bosom of the mother ship. A new device is shown in action which halts the planes almost as soon as they land on the deck, although the planes may be travelling at a speed of a mile a minute. Hersholt Dons Clever Make-Up ALTHOUGH he is playing comedy instead of his usual dramatic character work in "The Wrong Mr. Wright," Jean Hersholt, will have opportunity to once more display his versatility as a make-up artist. In this fast-moving farce, Jean is donning the make-up of an eccentric old gentleman in order to elude an ambitious gold-digger who is on his trail and those who have seen him in the characterization declare it is as unusual and splendid an example of his work as has ever been seen on the screen. Scott Sidney is directing "The Wrong Mr. Wright," from the popular play by George Broadhurst and an unusually large cast supports the star, including Enid Bennett, Dorothy Devore, Walter Hiers, Mathilde Comont, Edgar Kennedy, Robert Anderson, Jay Belasco and others. Ralph Lewis plays a featured role in "Held by the Law," the Edward Laemmle Production rnade froin the story by Bayard Veiller, with Marguerite de la Motte and Johnny Walker in the leading roles. Two of Six Best In September Are Universal Jewels TWO of the six best pictures of the month of September, according to Roscoe McGowen of the New York Daily News, were Universal Jewels. These were "Poker Faces" and "The Marriage Clause." Of "Poker Faces" he writes: . . the picture is highly entertaining. Laura La Plante is delightful and George Siegmann his usual competent self. Tom O'Brien, whose fame in 'The Big Parade' still lives, deserves mention in this film, if only for the terrific fist fight in which he engaged with Siegmann." In commenting upon "The Marriage Clause" he says: . . this picture, through the really excellent acting of Billie Dove, Francis X. Bushman (Sr.) and Warner Oland, presents a few of the blunders of life in a manner that gets under the skin." Brookheim Goes To Cuba Exchange C BROOKHEIM, formerly manager for Universal in France, * and later special representative in Europe for Carl Laemmle, has taken over the Cuba exchange for that company, it has ju.st been announced at the Universal home office. He replaces Nat Liebeskind, formerly of the Big U Exchange. Richard Talmadge Continues Stunts In Super Thrillers A LEAP of forty-two feet from a roof to the ground, a jump of twenty feet from a window to a coping of a building below and the bridging of a chasm astride a horse, are a few of the spectacular feats accomplished by Richard Talmadge in "The Fighting Don," which the athletic star is now producing for Universal under the contract signed with Carl Laemmle, from "The Black Rider," a vivid story from the pen of Max Brand. Because Talmadge, under his Universal contract, will henceforth produce pictures at a cost of approximately $200,000 apiece, there has been some discussion as to whether he would continue to risk his life in feats like those which have characterized his offerings in the past. The incorporation of these and other thrilling incidents in "The Fighting Don" demonstrates that Talmadge will continue his daredevil tactics in all of the six productions he will make for Universal. In addition to the other feats Talmadge has also catapulted an eighteen foot fence, swung himself from the branch of a tree to the roof of a hacienda, made a flying leap onto the back of a runaway horse and leaped into a gully from a mountain road to escape a posse. Talmadge is being supported by a notable cast in "The Fighting Don." Barbara Bedford has the feminine lead. Stuart Holmes is playing a comic heavy. "The New Yorker" Praises Newsreel THE NEW YORKER, a smart weekly publication in Manhattan, contains in its current issue the following, which refers in both instances to International Newsreel pictures : "The high point of the movies last week, or any week, was reached by the newsreel that showed the accident to the Fonck plane on its start to Paris. The wreck of the plane, the dim dash to safety of the survivors, and the burst of flame that consumed the two that died were caught so perfectly that the watcher received an emotional experience that he will never forget from fictional portrayals. "This, together with the picturing early in the summer of a lava flow down an Hawaiian mountain, across a village and into the sea, have been very nearly the most impressive of film displays." i