The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

January, 1929 15 [110] THE PERFECT CRIME (Paramount) One of the most interesting crime stories I have seen in a long time, with such an apparently logical and fitting end that I was. just about to applaud loudly and call for author, director, producer, and who not, when it collapsed suddenly into a dream ! Not that I was anxious to see Clive Brook hanged by the neck but my goodness ! If he would commit a crime like that, he ought to pay the penalty. There is the usual excellent work of Mr. Brook and Irene Rich to note in passing, with fine support from Tully Marshall, Ethel Wales, and Carroll Nye. (See Film Estimates jor October.') [Ill] THE HOME TOWNERS (Warner Vitaphone) One of George M. Cohen's lesser efforts affords us an opportunity to hear the voices of some old screen friends. The Home Towners is one long, wordy wrangle between an old bull-headed banker from Terre Haute, Indiana, who goes to New York to argue an old pal out of what he considers an extremely ill-advised marriage. His quarrelling with his wife, his friend, and his friend's friends is well done, but tiresome, not being especially original. It seems to me that less than a dozen pleasant words were spoken in the entire course of the picture. Acting honors go to Robert McWade as the peevish troublemaker. Richard Bennett, whom we know Ijetter on the stage, is next in line as the long-suffering friend. Doris Kenyon and Gladys Brockwell are adequate, and Robert Edeson, another old stage favorite, is amusing in a small part. The picture is most interesting, perhaps, as an example of what is happening to the screen; the talkies are taking the move out of the movies! {See Film Estimates jor December.) [112] MANHATTAN COCKTAIL (Paramount) A feature of this otherwise modern story is a beautifully presented prologue depicting the Greek myth of the Minotaur who lived in a labyrinth on the island of Crete, and demanded a yearly sacrifice of Athenian youths and maidens. It has no particular bearing on the story except to intimate vaguely that New York is a modern labyrinth which swallows up the youth of outlying sections. Three young persons in particular are drawn into its mazes. One becomes a victim of its vicious influences, but the other two, made of sterner stuff, struggle out of the monster's clutch after some hair-raising experiences, and straggle back to the country, where they live happily ever after. Included in a lively cast are Nancy Carroll, who sings a couple of songs not badly, Richard Arlen, Danny O' Shea, Lilyan Tashman, and Paul Lukas. {See Film Estimates in this issue.) [113] SUBMARINE (Columbia) There are some of the tensest moments you ever experienced in the climax scenes of a sunken submarine, with its crew waiting for death, while a diver attempts to reach it with an air line. Jack Holt is the diver, and Ralph Graves his best friend, an officer on the submarine. Both give fine, human performances, backed up by a good supporting cast and splendid direction. The stor}' falls down a little when it makes its biggest scenes depend on a flimsy bit of a love affair; but this weakness may be overlooked by an otherwise worthy production. Dorothy Revier and Clarence Burton are notable in the cast. {See Film Estimates for November.) [114] CRAIG'S WIFE (Pathe) William de Mille has transferred George S. Kelly's stage play to the screen with fidelity in all its essential details. The story of a selfish woman is excellently told by Irene Rich, Warner Baxter, Virginia Bradford, and others. {See Film Estimates jor October.) [115] EXCESS BAGGAGE ( Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) The clown with the breaking heart in the jovial person of William Haines, is a little more believable than usual. With Josephine Dunn as his partner he plays the part of a vaudeville performer who carries his wife along to success on the strength of his own popularity. Then the wife makes good in the movies and the husband takes his turn as "excess baggage." Well produced and enjoyable. {See Film Estimates for November.) The Movie in the Child's Experience {Concluded from page 7) displacement of any method for the presentation of experiences. They cannot be applied with any degree of regularity and it is only a matter of chance that the teacher will find in current movies, material that is useful in the lessons he is planning or in the lessons that come up unexpectedly. Moreover, there is no guarantee that all children will have seen the picture that is being discussed. Nevertheless, the writer feels that in the absence of any other method of presentation, the method under discussion is well worth its insignificant cost in time and effort. We are constantly exploring the child's environment for materials to help us in our work of instruction. The movie is part of his environment and should not be allowed to pass without contributing its share towards our instructional resources.