The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

October, 1930 243 Titles of Films (Actors) (Producers) Melody of the Heart (German east) (Ufa) A notable picture from abroad — dialog' in both German and Eng-lieh — telling charming love-story of peasant girl and army officer in authentic sets and beautiful backgrounds of Budapest and the Danube. Fine acting-, subtle direction and unusual camera work make it richly worth intelligent viewing. Moby Dick (John Barrymore) (Warner) Talking version of Melville's classic. Ahab. maddened with hatred for the sea monster that tore off his leg pursues the beast with insane fury through all the seas. Finally capturing his prey, he returns home to find his faithful Penelope. Filled with realism and ffrue some thrills. Monte Carlo (Jeanette MacDonaid) (Para) A smart musical comedy starring Jeanette MacDonald and Jack Buchanan. Good acting by cast and clever direction by Ernest Lubitsch. Plot concerns a rich count who poses as a hairdresser to court and win an impoverished countess who has run away from her fiance Too sophisticated and risque for young people. Office Wife. The (Dorothy Mackail and Lewis Stone (Warner) Rather pernicious, and otherwise rather dull, story of a Secretary ( well played by Dorothy Mackail) who starts out deliberately to win her boss away from his newly wedded wife — and succeeds entirely. One of industry's impertinent and unwholesome offerings to America's young people. Outside the Law (Mary Nolan and Owen Moore) (Univ) Above average crook -picture, but all the sympathy is with the crooks. Hero and heroine live together, relation convincingly shown as platonic. Opens with usual swaggering gangster stuff. cheap wisecracking, terrible English, etc. But becomes sentimental and very human story. The little-boy actor is extraordinary, reminding of Coogan at his youngest and best. Pay Off, The (Lowell Sherman) (RKO) Another masterful crook picture of Sherman's deft, artistic creation, needing no sex, undue violence, or cheap thrill devices usually employed. Exceedingly smooth, colorful action and character work of hig'h class criminals, but the ethics are badly distorted — only two honest characters, the young boy and girl, lie like veterans to protect the crooks. Recaptured Love (Belle Bennett) (Warner) The middle-aged husband deserts his wife, marries show girl, but comes back to first love, etc., etc. Waste of Belle Bennett. Santa Fe Trail, The (Richard Arlen) (Para) Above average Western of Spanish Southwest in Indian days, with more real story, comedy, and character interest than usual. Movement slow and fairly convincing, yet with fine suspense and thoroughly adequate thrills. Smooth villain, healthily detestable — hero appealing though very amateurish in his acting. Scarlet Pages (Elsie Ferguson) (First Nat'l) Intensely dramatic courtroom drama. Mary Bancroft (Miss Ferguson), a lawyer, successfully defends a dancing girl accused of murdering her supposed father. In tracing the reason for the crime, which is justified by the court, the girl is identified as adopted by the murdered man but in truth the daughter of her defending lawyer, fending with acquittal of girl and happiness for all. For Intelligent Adulta Interesting For Youth (15 to 20) Beyond them Entertaining Mediocre Good of its kind Interestinc Hardly Good of its kind Verj good Good if not too strong For Children (under 15) Beyond them . Hardly By no means Doubtful Doubtful No Entertaining No Doubtful Doubtful No Good if not too exciting No Title* of Films (Actors) (Producers) Sea God, The ( Richard Arlen ) (Para) Adventure of South Seas. Feud between hero and crooked trader, who vie over one girl and race in search of pearls. Cannibals attack hero's ship, but when he appears in diver*6 suit natives worship him as a god. Trader arrives, captures girl and treasure, but is killed by natives. Full of excitement ani romance. Sea Wolf, The (Milton Sills) (Fox) Another super-brute melodrama of Eastern water fronts and open ocean — packed with fights and gratuitous cruelty — with particularly grim ending. Best bits of real acting and human appeal are when the Sea Wolf is not in the scene. Some good work by Jane Keith and Raymond Hackett. Sinners* Holiday (Grant Withers) (Warner) Poor imitation of better crook pictures — group of very common people and criminals trying to cheat a living out of the Coney Island public. Usual wisecracking dialog throughout, drawled through the nose and the corners of the mouth, by Grant Withers especially. Painful or amusing, according to the spectator. Spoilers. The (Gary Cooper) (Paramount) Old Rex Beach story of Alaskan gold rush thrillingly done, with notable character acting, and Gary Cooper less wooden than u^ual. Longest and most violent fist-fight yet screened — "sound" absurd at times — dance-hall and drinking scenes not overdone, and no objectionable sex element. Sweet Mama (Alice White) (First Natl.) Burlesque actress falls in with racketeers but manages to save her lover from them and go straight. Silly title for a rather trite and stupid film. Sweethearts on Parade (Alice White) (Columbia) Poor imitation of the girl-in-love-with-sailor films, with complications from the doubtful intentions of a wealthy rounder — and Alice White and Marie Prevosl to furnish the sex appeal. Three Faces East (Constance Bennett and Eric von Stroheim) (Warner) Fairly good war-spy story for those that like that sort — reminiscent of "Inside the Lines" — English girl posing as German spy outwits and kills German-spy-villain. Suspense and thrill, but not a notable picture. Free from objectionable scenes or suggestions. Top Speed (Joe E. Brown) (1st Natl.) Cheap and silly hash of incessant wisecracking, and more or less risque dialog and situations. Potboiler farce. May amuse those who think Joe Brown is funny. What a Widow (Gloria Swanson) lU. A.) Goes to Paris for gay life, firmly decided not to marry again. Has numerous suitors. Marries American lawyer. Farce with many complications. Funny in spots. Some rather risque incidents treated lightly. Over-acting and continuous drunkenness tiresome. Too silly to be very entertaining^. probably amusing to some. Whoopee (Eddie Cantor) (U.A.) Screen musical comedy at its near best — all color, and pleasing color — lively, elaborate, varied — songs and beautiful chorus dancing well done. showing Ziegfeld's "taste" as director. Ideal role for Cantor who supplies in some speeches the only risque or vulgar touches. 95% wholesome, and the 5% not offensive. For Intelligent Adulto Interesting Hardly Good of its kind Worthless Worthless Fairly good Cheap Perhaps Excellent of its kind For Youth (15 to 20) Perhaps Good thriller No No Thrilling and entertaining Excellent of Its kind For Children (under 15) Doubtful Perhaps too thrilling No Perhaps Not much interest Amusinf;, probably harmless