The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

160 The Educational Screen PAY DAY (First National). If you like to see Mr. Chaplin permanently back in rather cheap slapstick, peppered with an occasional laugh-deserving gag, you may accept that gentleman's last release. It displeases us, quite apart from anything it might achieve as slapstick, because, like The Idle Class, it is a sickening come-down from the immortal Kid film. BOBBED HAIR (Paramount) In this picture Wanda Hawley is essentially and specifically what people mean when they exclaim, "Adorable, delicious, too darling for words!" Miss Hawley is all these things but that is slim re- demption for the absurd vehicle with its ridiculous implied propaganda against bobbed hair and girls who would be different. Its legitimate burlesque of the poseur type of cheap Bohemianism leaves the wrong impression on audiences. Romance and poetry are too easily laughed at in these days of unproportionate values. In this film the laugh is incorrectly centered. We hope that in the future Miss Hawley will have something worth her pro- pensities for being adorable. MUTTS (Celebrated Players). This picture, primarily for children and the deathless "kid" in all humans, is a cast of dogs. Big "Brownie" is the general manager (as well as star performer) of the only cabaret in dog- town. You see his clients of varying types from the cooing couple in the seclusion of a private booth to the giddily and badly behaved pest, a ragged and deliciously funny poodle. The latter is eventually thrown out although the proprietor must do it several times before the somewhat unsteady gentleman remains out. "They do k better than human beings," was a remark heard several times from three intelligent spectators. The remark was correct. The amount of emo- tional expression managed by those canines was immense! Even the ostracised citizens, a row of perky, mad, thoroughly scratchy pussies, were talented in this matter of emotional expression. We hope that the Mutts will be with us as often as their ingenious director can manufacture an adequate vehicle. HER OWN MONEY (Famous Players). In this film Miss Clayton proves that the portrayal of the modern woman with the average problems of everyday can make an effective? film. As the wife who learns the value of own money and who teaches her husband lesson of success, Miss Clayton is natural pleasing. A family film. THE BLACK PANTHER'S C (Equity). A distressingly bad film in its telling, continuity is a series of disjointed presentat of different parts of the story, interspersed I dim scenes, beautifully mysterious in the ( effects, but happening where mystery was the point, thereby serving only to confuse audience further. Florence Reed is, of cou the saving note of the production. She is alw quiet, forceful, magnetic. The story, too, wa itself full of powerful possibilities. The gla of a Parisian gambling house, the always teresting argument of whether blood will will not tell, the bitter mistakes of the Corsi the high courage of a woman at bay, all tl things should have made a great picture, the introduction of the argument and the re ence to the Empress Faustine was too ] and what followed too broken in arrangem The last reel was much better in this resf All in all this film is another example of the best of stories, badly arranged, spoils it and a forceful screen actress. FROM THE GROUND UP Tom Moore's screen work has sameness t if you like it, can be depended upon to plei if you don't then this film is not for you. I negligibly good and indifferently successful. DANGEROUS CURVE AHEAD There is space only to comment on the br: quality of projection manifested throughout film by Richard Dix, who makes photogra more possibly alive than many of us thou possible or probable. THE SIGN ON THE DOOR A film that includes the pompous presence Charles Richman is not apt to be able to 01 come the handicap. Even Miss Talmad; strength, and in this picture some of the "Martha's Vindication" grip is evident, does balance the bad acting of her leading man. ' picture has suspense.