Variety (Dec 1929)

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Wednesday, Deceiiiber 4. 1929 FILM RE VIEWS VARIETY 81 HEARTS IN EXILE (Continued from Paee 2?) Exile/''-thfl) inaterlal availablo hav-' Ing be0n plenty sufflclent without need of paddlner* It concerns the * Jove between a fish dealer's daugh-* ter an^ a young medical §tudent ■who likes his booze better than his studies. While it sometimes lacks ' logic, faults In this direction are not BO glaring as to Injure picture's chances with averag^^ audience. MarrlSge to a baron Interrupts the love affair, but It blossoms again in far-off Siberia when both husband and former sweetheart are exiled there to serve terms for various of- fenses. The hero, sorry for the wife and baby, changes Identification with the husband and rival to allow the latter liberty within two years, but the heroine-wife unknown to both has gone to Siberia to be with her husband, the switching thus throw- ing her with the other. Neither seems to mind this a great deal until the husband, in effecting an escape, turns up to take the two with him and learns the actual state JOE l aROSE PRODUCTIONS FOX THEATRES DIALOGUE FOR M-G-M 1^ FOX THEATRE p6tPoit Mich. , of affairs, killing himself as a mar-> tyr or something. Part In the escape kills hero and heroine's chances for a likely par- don, everything having been badly bungled up. More than the usual human In- terest and appeal here, with the se- quences bringing out the horror of Siberia and lot of exiled prisoners, impressive, to say the least. In direction, Michael Curtlz has turned out a neat job, free from many of the faults that pictures based on similar stories ordinarily have evidenced. The theme song, "Like a Breath Of Springtime," running through the action at appropriate points, is a melody that ought to have a place on everybody's whistle. Song has chances of being a fair hit. Acting o. k, throughtout, Dolores Costello doing the leading femme role competently: Opposite her. Grant Withers is an excellent type as the hero, while James R. Kirk- wood, in spite of his pronounced English accent, cuts an Impressive figure as the luckless baron, Al- though naost talkers he has appeared in have not brought out his voice clearly, George Fawcett's here Is afways distinct and audible, David Torrence's part as the Governor at the Siberian prislon is not an im- portant one, but well done. Others are very minor, •Recording and photography good. Char. vanla, the palace looking; like a fixed up rancho somewherie in- the.west. Love Interest Is Olive Hasbrouck, whose main duty Is to look nice at, all times. She ensnares Mayhard andr some of his cowboys to remain at the palace where they upset In slapstick fashion a plot of a schem- ing prime minister to kidnap the young monarch. Free-for-all In the final reel brlngrs more laughs per' minute than a dozen average west- ems. This sequence alone makies picture fair entertainment. Some roping stuff worked in for additional laughs. Picture is slow during Its first half and often stilted in Its direc- tion. Titles only fair and photog- raphy ditto. Comedy this one's celling point. TANNED LEGS (ALL DiALOG With Songs) Radio Pictures production and- release. Directed by Marshall Nellan. ' Musical comedy took'by Loula fieracky. Music and lyrics by. Oscar :Lievant ,and Sidney Clare: Rt?A sounded, Ann Pennington featured In cast Including Artbur Lake, Dorothy Revler, Sally Blane, June Clyde, Albert Gran, Al- lan Kearns. At Hippodrome, New York, week Nov. 30. Running time,. 08 mlnutea THE ROYAL RIDER (SYNCHRONIZED) First National production and release, starring Ken Maynard; Olive Hasbrouck and Phllllpe De Lacey in cast. Charles R. Rogers the producer. Directed by Harry J-, Brown; Btory by Nate Gatzert; titles by Leslie Mason. Ted McCord, photography. Cast: Olive Hasbrouck, FhllHpe De Lacey, Theodore Larch, Joseph Burke, . Harry Semels, At the Columbus, N. Y., as half of double I^IU, Nov, 20. Running time, 00 mlns. '^•A, KSn - Mayftard has been moved from a western locale to a mythical kingdom in Europe as the owner of a wild west' show. While there is none of the six-shootin', rip-roarin' action, there is plenty of good com- edy ; to recommend this • picture where silents are still used. Pleas- ing musical score accompanies for the wired houses. There are also a few sound effects, but no dialog or vcfcal bits. . Phflllpe De Lacey Is king of Al- ANO HIS^ BAND Now at mORASO W CALIR AND FEATURED DANCERS m r» ft M. "ACCOBDIONV mSAGI THAMX TO AUCB GOODWIN A musical comedy on the • screen needs a punchier story than this has to get out of the average programer class. "Tanned Legs" • hais • mostly legs and anatomical displays In bathing suits, secondly clothes and society stuff the flaps may go'for to an extent. It can be exploited as a musica] comedy and hold .up better under that billing. ' Ann Pennington, featured in the billing but not the lead'In. the picture, tans more than her legs at the ritzy beach club where the plot is set. Penny wears some awfully summery bathing apparel. Looks like a kid at times, and at other times facially'older than the girl she plays. From the chin down, how- ever, always the knockout Penning ton, and. nothing hidden here. Mother and father are In their second respective childhoods. She's playing around with a boy and he with a- gal. Eldest daughter has fallen for the scoundrel who poses as a millionaire but Is the underr cover lover and con partner of father's chicken. Youngest daugh- ter loves a boy she won't m^rry un- til untying the knots in her parents' heart, affairs. Mother's boy friend is the boy,friend also of ^enny, who isn't really one of the'famlly but is around enough to be. Musical ^numbers are tossed In at random in the guise of rehearsals for the charity show. Tunes are sung at each other by the numerous aind somewhat mixed tip teams'of lovei'S. The reprised theme sdng Is "You're Responsible," hot bad,' while in back of it musically Is "How Lovely Everything , Could A couple of comedy songs dependent on 'their. lyrics quicken the pace.~ It's down to 68 minutes, which lessens chances of dragging. Bige, Goft^sman's Itch Al Gottesman wants to be- come a chain owner once more. He sold his New England cir- cuit to the Warners for $7,000,- 000 only a few months ago. Al said yesterday: "I guess it's in the blood but I'm coming back into the field,. I'll buy a s'mall chain In any part of the world where a lit- tle doctoring will put it on the. mend." Skouras' Shifts Spyros Skouras as Warner the- atre head is doing a little shifting while cpntemplating some more. H« may sehd his; brother George, asst. mgr* IniNew York, back to St. Lould to overset the 35 houses there. In the New York territory Harry Charnas will replace Moe . Silver, who takes On the same duties along the Pacific for the Warners. Endorses Sunday Pictures Al&orist,'la., Dec, 3. ' Algona Community Club financed a special election here last week at which Sunday movies were endorsied by a three to one vote. R~K-0 Bargain Pass Books Chicago, Dec. 3. A drive based upon what will be known as R-IC-O Show Pass P.ooks, will give the buyers tlcketa worth $5.50 for $5.00 and $2.75 for $2.f;0. Tickets will be Ih 8, 10, and 15 cent denominations and .^ood until used. R-K-O salesman receives i0% of all he collects. Much responsibil- ity rests' on the individual manager, in effecting tie-ups. . . Plans Small-Town Chain Los Angeles, Dec. 3. Ezra Skirboll, former Cleveland, Oi,^' picture distributor, piania a chain of .small town houses in southern California. Nucleus is the Montrose theatre at Montrose, Cal., opened this week tlifter .a. month's darkness. SklJfboll leased It from the Montrose Amuse- ment Corp., (C O S X U M F'OR HI ] PRODVCTIONB BXPLOITATIONS PRieSDNTATIONa THEATRE MANAQER With 21 years' experience in vaudeville, picture and concert field, aged 39, desires position in theatre, or any other executive capacity. Past six years house manager of the Eastman Theatre^ References and further information if interested. ' JOHN J. O'NEILL HOMB ADDBESS 288 Roslyn St., Rochester, N. Y. 1 . Mitchell Lewis, George Duryea, Chas. B. Middleton, Walter IiOng„ "Strictly Business," Radfo. Featured in F. & M. '*3W£ET COOKIES'^IDEA j Tbanlu to FAKCHOM * HAiR^CQ .; - , Dirscti«n SHALtMAN BROS.' i I I I III • ^ 111 ' , 1 ii ' - I ■ - 'm i . . . ! ■ ■ II I ■ I ■ CHABLBS R O Y A L iaf9 of "AltniiwcBV'" ■ . "'. .~ ti:bsati£b TABnCTr vancebs , with Jack'Parttngtoti'* vidardl Oras" MOW AT PABASIOirNT, MBW ITOBK PINKEY SOLLY LEIFF NOW AT FIELDS (WEEK NOV; 29) Featured with JACK PARTINGTON'S "MARDI GRAS" P. 8.—THANKS TO MR. GUNTON AND CRACKER JACK CO. Personal Direction LEDDY & SMITH AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TOUR OF VAUDEVILLE STEVE SAVAGE APPEARING AT CAPITOL, NEW YORK, THIS WEEK (NOV. 29) !S¥€Vf ANCHOR & M/)kRCO IDf is Theatres UniT *v ^ ^ ?