Variety (May 1925)

J?K ■'^JUMf^- Wednesday, May 13, 1925 PICTURES !£•«., .S1"1?(B«E VARIETY 37 \ FILM REVIEWS :t. THE SHOCK PUNCH ParsiDOunt Picture, itanlns Richard DIx. Adapted by L.utber Reed from Ihe play by whnlilonk S»undfr» and dlrectPd by Paul ■iMBe. Reviewed at the Itlvoll. New Tork, Star 10 week. Running time, 00 minutes. fUnnr 8«T««e Richard DIx Dorothy Clarii BYancea Howaxd XMtn Savase Theodore Uaboock Jim Clark Percy Moore Stanley Pierce Charlea Beyer •nraoce O'Rourke Oonboat Smith j[|k« Jack ScanneU BUI MuHarkey Walter U>n( lUllan Laborer Paul Panser The best picture Dix has yet nuule. It's fllled with laughs and packed with thrills. Sunday nigbt it had the Rivoli audience in alternate spells of gasp- lag and hysterics, and no matter what its narrative lapses may be, it has the ever-desirable laughs and the scarce punch. In other words, it is there with all its clothes on, looking like a million dollars. Whether it will mop at the ^.Ivoli this week isn't the question, for this week is admittedly off along the street, but it is flrst-rate fllm, and will give Dix the greatest boost he's yet "had since attaining the star ladder. The plot Is not bothersome and concerns the son of a wealthy man who has pugilistic tendencies. His trainers discover he has that rarity, a shock punch. It is proven one night, when he engages tough Bull Mullarkey, at a rlverter's balL He knocks Mullarkey for a couple of goals and a field punt, and then chases after the sweet girl who didn't like to see him fight. She is the daughter of a wealthy con- tractor, whose current trouble ia getting a huge stnictur*. rompleted '>n contract lime. In this he Is op- posed by a plot among his laborers, one of whom is Bull Mullarkey. So the hero becomes a laborer. His first job is to carry a keg of Mvets vp to the top floor of a 50- story building. In doing this he walks over the girders with noth- ing but ^pace and other girders be- l«w. He slips many times, but all ways come up smiling and waving his hand to his sweetheart. Finally, however, he overheaca a plot to keep the last, girder from going Into place. As they are lifting it, he rides up and reaches the top a sec- ond before the. cable snaps, as planned. But the girder by that time was safe, and it was his Job to fight Mullarkey on the top floor. And then a whale of a fight, with the hero victorious. This sky-scraper comedy stuff is -dangerous comedy. It has plenty of thrills, and as Dix does them, they look more on the level than usual. His riding of the girder Is accom- plished by some excellent trick photography, but In all bis other escapades, the sky line of New York la always visible,' and not through trick photography. Frances Howard plays the girl well, giving her best performance to date en the screen, while Walter Long gives another scowling villain performance as Mullarkey. Jack Scannell, from legit, la a miniature pug assistant to Gunboat Smith, and good. Everyone In the cast, as a matter of fact. Is up to the acting scratch, while the production, con- tinuity and direction is up to a high standard. If Dix is a draw then this will give satisfaction, and in the towns where he isn't. It should be a tonic. It is Just one of the real action pic- ture of the year, with Dix going through stuflr that would shame some of the othec stunt men who think they're good. Dix Is not only good at the stunts, but he can act and has a sense of humor. SUk. That wallops Donald and when he meets Lady Gwen on his last night of leave, he Is cold and she Is at a loss to understand for Marno has lied But later she accepts Marno to assuage part of the grief which ensued after Donald's coldness and afterward a wild life of parties, liquor, nigbt clubs, etc. But the war Is over apd when her marriage to Marno is about to be consum- mated, her lawyers investigate him and find that be is a penniless bounder. The flaw is that Marno. obviously a roue, should have been accepted by Lady Gwen without knowing him and that Donald shoukl have let Gwen go without questioning her on the night of their meeting in London. This film was made abroad, ac- cording to the dope, and though it isn't immedlataly apparent why this expense should have been in- curred, it is probably because Metro intends to exploit It in Eng- liUid. The Scotch scenes are of rare beauty. One sea coast scene, supposedly off the coast of France, Is as perfect as any painting could have been. The cast is perfect with Miss Sweet and Colman taking the laurels. Cody plays a typical part with neat humor, while Hank Mann is a semi-nance valet for plenty H)f laughs. The others were unimpor- tant, even George Fawcett being limited to a single scene. Neilan's dhraction is straightfor- ward for the most part, but toward the end he compares the tread of the heavy dowager to whom Marno is being wed with the oncoming ferocity of a tank. Some comedy is brought in this scene, all counter- balanced nicely by the sincerity, of the weddinji^ scene between Lady Gwen and Donald. "The Sporting Venus" derives its title from the orgy of spending and sporting which Gwen does when .she becomes heartbroken. As a first run this one is okey on the names alone, as both mean something at the box office. The picture is entertaining and the pro- duction details very fine, some- thing. Incidentally, noticed in all the recent Metro oQtput. 8isk. ^ SPORTING VENUS Metro-Ooldwyn. Produced by Marshall weilan and presented by Louis B. Mayer. Scenario by FYank GPraghty from atory ■2...V I?'° B«aumont. Directed by Nellan, yith Blenche Sweet, Ronald Colman and Lew eody featured. At the Capitol. New Tork, May U week. feJ^J, Gwendolyn Blanche Sweet SS^'*'^*'^*"*" Ronald Colman Prince Marno Lew Cody £^"'««» Von Alatyne....Josephine Crowell SJ-. v**^ Cirayl Edward Martlndel S^***?*^ Kata Price nff^?.' ^'"" "«"•« Mann *>«'•«"»• Arthur Hoyt Granted that the story of this nim has on© serious fault. It is ■J^ortheless a good piece of fllm befcause of constant entertaining values. For those values Marshal if! *" director is partly respon- sible but from the public's point of View the whole thing is wrapped up in Ronald Colman and Blanche Sweet who never looked better in a long screen career. She's down to a jockey weight and is wearing some evening gowns that go a trifle below the temper- ate zone and yet do not ofltend. Moreover, they're creations. In Scotland Lady Gwen Grayle is In love with Donald MacAllan, a commoner In the village of their castle. But she k>ve8 him and when the war comes, promises to wait. After two years he returns but in London Is told by Prince Marno that Lady Gwen no longer loves him and is engaged to take a Prince's title. THE TALKER First National photoplay made by Sara Rork. Lewis Stone starred In story by Marlon Fairfax. Anna Q. Nltoson. Shirley Mason, TuIIy Marshall and Ian Keith fea- tured. Directed by Alfred E. Green and reviewed at the Strand, New York. May 10. Runninc time, M minutes. - Kate Lennox Anna Q. Nllason Harry Lennox Vewin 8. Stone Ruth Lennox Shirley Mason Ned Holllster Ian Keith Henry Fells Tully Marshall Mrs. PeMs Lydla Yeaman* Titus Maude Fella Gertrude Short Barbara Farley Barbara Bedford Lonnle Whlnston Harold Goodwin Vaudeville Acts Suitable for Picture House Programs In reviews of current vaude- ville programs bills appearing weekly in Variety, from this week onward, will be founA comment when possible, men- tioning acts reviewed consid- ered adaptable to picture house program requirements. This comment will b« made only by those reviewers on Variety's staff of snfllcient ex- perience with both pictures and vaudeville to distinguish. The added comment will ap- pear in the reviews only of the vaudeville shows and not in the New Acts dapartment. It's a service similar for pur- pose of Variety's legitimate reviewers indicating in their criticisms of new plays the suitability of the story for a picture. the Fairfax exploitation may mean something in some communities, it will never be enough to put this one across. It Is just an eight-rceler, and one which will, in its present state, tire audiences. 8i*k. THE CRACKERJACK East Coast Films, Inc., production pre- sented by "C. C. Burr, starring Johnny Hlnes. Slory by Dick Frell, script by Victor Grandln and Arsyll Canpbell, directed by Charles Mines. At special showinc Hotel Plaza, May 8. Running time, 72 mimitea. Oackerjack Perkins Johnny HInes Rose Bannon Slgrld Holmqulst Col. Perkins J. Barney Sherry L^pez Bradley Barker General Bannon .' Henry West he does a bit of radio business that 1\tB With the "Wait, I'll get India- story that has gone the rounds of the stag audiences. Frrd, UP THE LADDER Unlvtrsal Jewel, presented by Carl Laemmie, starrlns VIrcinia Valll. Adapted from the Owen Davis play; directed by Bd- ward Sloman. Miown at the Plocadllly, New York, week May •• RunnInK time, 41 minutes. Jane Cornwall VlrsInU Valll James Van Clinton Porreat Stanley Helcne Newhall Marnret Llvlnaton Robert Newhall Uolmea Herbert Judce Seymonr Oflbrae Fawcett P«ny PrIscTlla Mofan Dancer Olive Ann Alcora Housekeeper Lydla Yeaman Titus Society drama with little different twist to vampinx division. It is a married woman pal of the wife's that does the vamp stuff instead of a cabaret dancer or an actress. But (hen Owen Davis will have to be credited for that innovation, for that was what he held to in the rlay itself. The picture does not seem quite strong enough to offer any opposi- tion to the regular run of pre- release showing tn the big six of Broadway, but in the average liouses with a daily change of bill it wlU stand up as a fair program picture. The story Is there, but tliere Isn't an outstanding personality in the cast. With a real cast thi« could have been made a real box office picture. The story Is that of a wealthy orphan in love with the boy next door ever since their pinafore days. He has frittered away his fortune trying to invent a tele-photo tele- phone. The family estate has been sold and he ia up against it for more money just as he is on the verge of success. The girl, returning from a tour about the country, discoyers her own fortune practically has been wiped out. but she orders her guardian to sell the home to get the money so that the boy can proceed with his work, insisting the guard- ian give him the money and go into partnership without divulging she made the sacrifice to finance him. Success comes and it blinds the inventor to everything except bla own p«trt in evolving the invention. At the same time he falls for the vamping of a married friend of the wife's, showering her with Jewel* and forsaking his business. The ln> evitable happens, his own invention is his undoing. The wife calling on her friend to invite her to a party. sees her hust>and in her apartment and the next day there are oonsid- erable fireworks. The husband Is at the edge of a crash, the wife being able to save him If she will dispose of her half interest In the project, but to save her husband from his own aucoees she decides to let him go to the wall, figuring that it will bring him to his senses. It does just that, for after a year's separation from his family, they are reunited, when she is again made a partner by the big corpora- tion that has taken over the inven- tion. Virginia Valll does fairly, but not convincingly. George Fawcett as the guardian delivers as he always does. Outside of little PrlsciUa Moran, a child actress, there is no (Continued on page 38) Marlon Fairfax, who wrote the story of this film, is the syndicate writer who advises on domestic troubles, and who. ■ In a few para- graphs, prescribes for serious mari- tal ailments. Therefore, this is a picture of domesticity in some of its unfavorable forms, and Kate and Harry Lennox are the princii>als. Kate and Harry have been married some time, but Kate tires of living tn the suburbs. With her Is Harry's kid sister, Ruth, and Kate's preach- ings of "living the way you want" finally touch the kid until she runs away with Ned Holllster, a rounder and roue. But she gets away from him and is given up for lost. That causes a rift between the married pair until she finally comes back home as things are about to change, and here she reunites Harr.y and Kate and falls into the arms of her one-time sweetheart, Lonnle Whlnston. whom she had refused long before. -Much of this slight plot is ad- vanced through the old procedure of the garrulous child, in this In- stance Maude Fells of the Fells family next door. The child says things when she shouldn't, and being a close observer, sees things that look bad. Tully Marshall and Lydla Yeamans Titus protvide the comedy interest as Mr. and Mrs. Fells, a scrapping old couple. Much of the footage can be easily eliminated and half of the sub- titles can be scrapped, for they are long and preachy as well as use- lessly explanatory. It Is mostly a Fairfax preachment of a familiar nature. The cast is excellent and performs well throughout, v .'th the exception of Harold Goodwin um the juvenile. He doesn't s^era adapted to movies, and in one melo scene grew ten- twenty-thirt' in his action.s. But everyone else is flne. with Stone and Shirley Mason getting the act- ing breaks. Miss Mason in the final sequences returns home after hav- ing worked for a long time in a fac- tory, and as an emaciated girl ia wonderfully made up. Her acting here is also above par. The direc- tion is average, witli nothing out- standing. One error in castlnp was putting Gertrude Short, a pudpy grownup, in the kid role, for whioh she is unsuited on but one score— size. "The Talker" Isn't up to First Katlonal's standard, and though This is the final production of the series of Ind^endently made and distributed pictures with Johnny Hines as the star to be presented by C. C. Burr prior to Hines switching his releases to the Associated First National. The four of this Hines series, all feature length comedies, have b^en good for laughs and the last one is no exception. Incidentally the First National theatre franchise holders have a chance for this pic- ture from the independents at a price that will be urfdoubtedly un- der the exhibition value First Na- tioruil will put on the future Hines comedies and play it as a step to- ward building box office good will for a star that they are later going to present as a regular First Na- tional player. "The Crackerjack" is built en- tirely for laughing purposes. There are laughs in the action and -in the titles, were done by Johnny Kraft, and laughs are what picture house audiences want the most and get the least of. The story is simplicity itself, but the manner in which it is produced and the gags that have been in- jected make the picture virtually a scream from beginning to end. Hines plays a boy working his way through college. His uncle lives in the South and is paying for tbe boy's education, but the youngster Is banking the dough and living on what he makes in a white/front res- taurant as cashier and 4het. The financial stralif on unk's oank roll for the education, coupled with' his natural Southern Indolehce wrecks the pickle works, his sole source Of income. Finally, he writes to the youngster that he better come home, for the works have gone to smash. While In the east, Johnny has be- come imbued with New York pep, and on his return begins to mak< the works hum. The money he has saved Is put into an advertising campaign behind an Innovation that he has conceived, stuffed pickles, and the brand Is known "Perilns' Stuffed Pickles." Johnny starts out with a cart to handle the advertis- ing and sales. Near the border he hits Into a small town and there discovers a girl whom he had seen In New York. Her father is running a Jarge gro- cery store as a cover-up for his activities in starting a revolution in Esquasado, the neighboring repub- lic. Here they have 60.000 rouftds of ammunition hidden, but they can- not find a way to get them across the border. The stuffed pickle idea solves their problem, and they buy 5,000 jars, intending to remove the cheese stuffing and replace it with the cartridges. The girl, fearful of the consequences to her father In the event that he should engineer the revolution, pleads with the pickle salesman to do something to save the day. He promises, and wires the pickle factory to duplicate the order of stuffed pickles that he has already sent, but to stuff them with bullets of cheese. He then engineers a switch in the shipment, and we next find him in Esquasado, and the fun begins. Suffice to say that Johnny thwarts tho revolutionary party and wins the girl in the end. How he does It holds too many laughs and gags to be set forth, but one that is a wow is where a Central American vamp is putting on the business for him. believing him to be a general, and RICHARD DIX is today one of the leading box-office draws of the screen. If 'you doubt it, go up to the Rivoli and see and hear the crowds at his latest and best—'The Shock Punch/' a iTollicking two-fisted coniedy> by the author of "Too Many Kisses." Directed by Paul Sloane. Screen play by Luther Reed. And these other winners coming between now and August: *'ARE PARENTS PEOPLE?" "GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE," "LOST—A WIFE," "PATHS TO PARADISE," with Ray- mond Griliith; Zane Grey's ''LIGHT OF WESTERN STARS," "MARRY ME!" and "THE MANICURE GIRL." Q^ammount Q>idums iM i 'fei--^