The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

September, 1930 209 Titles of Films (Actors) (Producers) ridiculous story, amusing to those who think "boop-a-dooping" is funny. Dawn Patrol, The (Richard Barthelmessi (First National) Tries to do for air-fiRhting what "Journey's End" did for trench warfare, with only partial success. Sonne fine moments, notable air photography without overmuch faking, but some things absurdly overdone. Suffers by comparison with "Journey's End." Dixiana (Bebe Daniels) (RKO) Costly, pretentious and poor costume-music-revue laid in the south with some technicolor sequences and some terrible "sound." Nothing particularly objectionable, merely cheap and flat. Even Wheeler and Woolsey seem a bit stale. Escape (Gerald du Maurier) (RKO ) Made in England, from very undramatic Galsworthy play, merely portraying the vicissitudes of English ex-officer who, imprisoned for trying to help a street girl, escapes only to be captured again after long chase. Grim and depressing but notable for continual glimpses of typical English rural landscape, fine English speech and the rare acting of du Maurier. Eyes of the World ( Nance O* Neill ) ( U. A. ) Queer and complex mixture of sentiment, romance and melodramatic violence and thrill, in typical Harold Bel! Wright story. Some excellent acting and beautiful photography, and freedom from cheap or unwholesome suggestion are its chief merits. Fall Guy, The (Jack Mulhall) (RKO) A mixture of bootlegging, crooks, dope and cheap wisecracking dialog supposed to be funny. Flirting Widow, The (Dorothy Mackaill) (First National) Well acted and quite amusing comedy of family life, in which older sister invents a fiance for herself so younger sister may marry. Fiance materializes, and the situation becomes thoroughly funny. Picture weakens at end and does not realize its possibilities. Accidental drunkenness of aunt only objectionable feature. Floradora Girl, The (Marion Davies) ( MGM ) A nonsense comedy. using the old Floradora Sextette to make fun of the life, manners and costumes of the gay "90'8'* in a harmless, amusing and often clever fashion. Much burlesque and hokum, but on the whole good fun. For the Defense (William Powell) (Paramount) Powell excellent, this time as a super-clever lawyer intimate with the underworld, specializing in defending crooks. His liaison with the heroine (well played by Kay Frances) is made clear but not offensive. Court scenes particularly fine. Very doubtful iniluence on public's respect for law and order. Follow Through (Nancy CarrollBuddy Rogers I (Paramount) Naive, over-acted comedy, all in color, with elemental dialog and amateurish singing, about the love-affairs of a golf instructor. Strains continuously to be funny, with some cheap attempts at the risque. Merely exploits Rogers as irresistibly lovable to all women. Tiresome. For Intelligent Adults Fairly good Hardly Interesting Fair Mediocre Rather amusing For Youth (15 to 20) Thrilling Mediocre Doubtful Entertaining No Amusing Rather good Very good Stupid Entertaining Doubtful Hardly For Children (under 15) Too strong Hardly Of no interest Too involved No Of little interest Fairly amusing No No Titles of Films (Actors) (Producers) Golden Dawn ( Vivienne Segal ) (Warner) Pretentious and elaborate, but largely preposterous hash about Anglo-German relations in South African jungles during the great war. Negroes, brutality, grotesque character and conduct, terrible singing especially by Noah Beery, incessant noise and riotous color. Not worth a fraction of its cost. Good Intentions (Edmund "Lowe) (Fox) Another crook thriller, with hero truly in love and wanting to go straight "for her sake." Usual violence and gun-play, tough dialog, with heroic sacrifice at the finish fairly convincing. A bit above the average of its kind. Grumpy (Cyril Maude) (Paramount) Excellent screening of the famous stage play, splendidly acted by Maude and fine cast. Eminently worthwhile comedy for everybody, and an all too rare example of intelligent production. He Knew Women (Ijowell Sherman) (RKO) Sprightly, smooth social comedy, highly sophisticated but not vulgar. Well-knit plot, with only four characters and entire action occurs in one apartment. Wholly dominated and beautifully played by Sherman in his best suave, deft manner. Next to him, Frances Dade does the best work. Alice Joyce the worst. Hell's Island (Jack Holt-Ralph Graves ) ( Columbia ) Another attempt to "cash in" with a re-hash of "Flight." "Submarine," "Condemned" etc. Two tough soldiers, one girl, rrvisunderstanding, suffering, prison, and terrible English. Holiday (Ann Harding) f Pathe) One of the best character comedies yet made, accurate and delightful screening of the stage play, excellently acted, spoken and directed. Ann Harding's role as the rebellious daughter of wealth is an outstanding example of screen acting at its best. An intelligent production. Inside the Lines (Betty O)mpson) (RKO) Decidedly above average war story — without battlefield shots, Laid inside Gibraltar during the great war, showing complex but thrilling activities of spies. Rather incredible but satisfactorily mystifying. Fine suspense, good acting, and striking climax. King of Jazz (Paul Whitman) (Universal) Finest of its kind to date, and fitting climax to present epidemic of musical revues. All in color. Many really exquisite effects in color, dance-rhythms, stage-sets and camera angles, with many of the entertaining numbers clever. Stupid episodes, risque dialog and cheap sophistication kept down to minimum. Lady of Scandal, The (Ruth Chatterton ) ( MGM ) A treat for the intelligent, in the fine work of Chatterton and Rathbone, in a screen version of Lonsdale's "High Road." English aristocracy is amusingly burlesqued. Rich in character interest and human appeal, and love is portrayed with a dignity rare in the films. Decidedly unusual film. Lawful Larceny ( Bebe DanielsLowell Sherman) (RKO) Clever, light crook-comedy deftly done by whole cast in the Sherman manner. Very sophisticated, but without vulgar or offensive scenes. Fast and sparkling. For Intelligent Adults Absurb Good of its kind Excellent Entertaining Worthless Excellent Very good of its kind Fine of its kind Excellent Amusing For Youth as to 20) No Thrilling Excellent Better not No Good Very good Entertaining Good if not too mature Very sophisticated For Children (under 15) No Doubtful Excellent No No Beyond them Good, unless too exciting More or less amusing Beyond them Hardly (Continued on paoe 212)