Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

30 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD April 26, 1930 rratic daughter of the aristocratic Divines across the street, loves Charlie, uke and all, in spite of her mother’s decision that she marry Count Prunier. When the ritzy Divines very rudely snub the rich but proud Grangers, paw Granger decides to flatten their high hats if it takes every million he’s got. Horace Divine is a stock speculator so paw catches the hulls by the horns and it looks as though Divine will soon be the waif of Wall Street. But it’s a wise father, etc., etc. In fact it’s two wise fathers, etc., etc., for on the very night when the engagement of Eleanor to the Count is to be announced, the latter is rendered hors de combat. He has partaken. wisely but too freely, of some very potent beverage, brand unknown, generously offered him by young Granger. And young Granger, uke under one arm and Eleanore under the other, sneaks off and marries the girl. A reconciliation of the parties of the first, second and other [tarts takes place when it is discovered that the newlyweds own a very important portion of the much squabbled over stocks. So we leave the happy couple in pretty pajamas, with two ukuleles where there was only one before. Pity the poor neighbors. But they'll like the picture. YOUNG MAN OF MANHATTAN THE PRIVATE LIFE OF TOBY MacLEAN. SPORTS WRITER. Produced and distributed by Paramount. Directed by Monta Hell. Authored by Katherine Brush. Adapted by Robert Presnell. Photographed by Larry Wiliams. Cast: Claudette Colbert, Norman Foster, Gin ger Rogers, Charles Ruggles, Leslie Austin, Four Aalhu Sisters, H. Dudley Hawley. Footage, 7621. Release , May 17. Seen by DOUGLAS FOX in New York GOOD picture, this “Young Man of Manhattan"’ written by a novelist who knows newspaper work and newspaper people and directed by a man who has done newspaper work himself. Following the lines of the best seller, the film deals with the sports writer, Toby MacLean, his motion picture columnist wife, Ann Vaughn, and a group of other newspaper folk. If you don’t recall the story, Toby, the sports expert, leans too much on the bottle and bis wife, who with short stories on the side, does most of the supporting for the two of them. A young society chit, suitably labelled Puff, makes enough passes at Toby to estrange him from his wife, who goes to Hollywood to do some special stuff. On her return, not feeling up to snuff, she takes some of the liquor that Toby has bought for the trip South with the ball team, goes blind. Her illness puts friend Toby on his mettle, he really gets to work, turns out a story in 10 days to meet the bills and actually starts him on what is assumed to be his career as a fictioneer. Of course they make up. Claudette Colbert gives a grand performance as Ann Vaughn and Norman Foster is plausible as Toby, while Charles Ruggles is splendid as another sports scribe and best friend of the hero. Ginger Rogers, as Puff, is not quite as addle brained as she might be but is diverting none the less. Direction by Monta Bell is fine. And with the best seller behind it, “Young Man of Manhattan,” is another one of those pictures that lends itself admirably to intelligent exploitation. COCK O’ THE WALK LOl THE POOR GIGOLO! Produced and distributed by Sono Art-World Wide. Directed by R. William Neil. From a story by Arturo S. Mom. Dialog by Nagene Searle and Ralph Bell. Release date May 15. Sound footage 7,200 feet. Cast: Joseph Schildkraul, Myrna Loy, Philip Sleeman, Edward Peil, John Jeck, Olive Tell, Wilfred Lucas, Frank Jonason, Sally Long and Natalie Joyce. Seen by HARRY TUGEND in New York j^LT the Roxy this week, Joseph Schildkraut monopolizes the center of the screen in a very enjoyable hour and 15 minutes of good comedy and better drama. Cast as a cynical, egotistical gigolo, a role familiar to him, he gives a convincing and capable performance. He is given to being a bit too theatrical in spots but this might be considered in keeping with the characterization expected of him. There is enough story in this picture to make three ordinary productions. Carlos, a conceited philanderer who employs his physical charms to a great intrinsic advantage, rescues Narita from an attempted suicide. He takes her home with him totally indifferent to her attractiveness and unconcerned about her threat to end her own life. He learns that a friend whose wife committed suicide has collected $20,000 insurance. Narita consents to marry him for the purpose of making him beneficiary to a $20,000 policy and agrees to postpone her suicide until the required year has elapsed. He also takes a policy in her favor. Her growing interest in him is repulsed and he continues his affairs with other women until she saves him from being shot by a justly irate husband. A man who knows Narita’s past, throws it up to Carlos. In the ensuing fight, Carlos kills him in self-defense. He is arrested and while in jail learns that Narita is about to commit suicide so that the insurance money may be used in securing the best legal aid in his defense. He overpowers his guard, makes his escape, steals a car, and after a thrilling chase, succeeds in colliding with her car and preventing her driving off the cliff. They embrace and leave us with the assumption that all will end well. Myrna Loy as Narita gives a splendid performance, with commendable restraint. Intelligent direction has helped make this a fine picture. UNDER A TEXAS MOON WAN BAD HOMBRE FROM MEIUCKO. Produced and distributed by Warner Brothers. Directed by Michael Curtiz. Scenario by Cordon Rigby from story by Steicart Edward White. Sound footage 7,498 ft. Released April 1. Photgraphed by Bill Rees. With Frank Fay , Raquel Torres , Myrna Loy , Armida, Noah Beery , Georgie Stone, George Cooper, Fred Kohler, Betty Boyd, Charles Sellon, Jack Curtis, Sam Appel, Tully Marshall, Mona Maris, Francisco Maran, Tom Dix, Jerry Barrett, Edythe Kramera and Bruce Covington. Seen by HARRY TUGEND in New York T -L IIEY’RE going to need that new double entrance they’ve built at the Winter Garden. At least they’ll need it as long as they keep showing “Under a Texas Moon,” which is as delightfully amusing and enjoyable, as intelligent directing and dialog could possibly make a rollicking, virile story by Stewart Edward White, who knows his God’s-country and hemen. Add to that a splendid cast, beautiful, natural settings enhanced by a good job of Technicoloring and wbat more can you ask for? Frank Fay, known in these parts as a pastmaster-of-ceremonies, uses his ingratiating personality to an advantage that will undoubtedly make him as popular a star as he was an introducer of stars. As Don Carlos, the gay caballero, the heart-breaker, the bad man and suave liar, his performance is a revelation. Don Carlos, Casanova of the Southwest, flanked by his two henchmen who are ready, at the drop of the sombrero, to draw their knives in his defense, or their guitars in his conquests, agrees to capture a long sought cattle thief and bring back the lost cattle, all for the sum of $7,000. After winning the hearts of both Dolores and her sister Raquella, he goes away on his mission. At an inn where he stops for refreshment, he mets Lolita, whom he woos to the usual accompaniment of his two serenaders. He pauses in his advances when he sees her father, greedy for the money in his belt, pour poison into his wine glass. At the point of a gun, Don Carlos forces the father to drink the wine himself. Don Carlos makes his getaway before Lolita’s brother arrives with his gang to avenge his father’s death. But the Don Juan cannot resist the ladies. Every pretty face is an irresistible urge to signal his serenaders for musical inspiration and aid in his love making. Never was a theme song used to better advantage. After several conquests and exciting adventures he returns to the ranch, with his own skin and heart intact, driving the stolen cattle before him. He confesses that he himself is the rustler, grabs the reward, and makes his escape, first pausing to break what is left of the hearts of the two sisters. Outstanding among the performances of a totally excellent cast, are the enchanting charm of Armida, and the deep bass hilarity of Noah Beery. If this picture is a sample of the trend toward outdoor romances, I advise some of our stars to throw away the piano and get a horse to sit on. LOVIN’ THE LADIES A POTENTIAL MORMON l Produced and distributed by Radio Pictures. From the play by William Le Baron. Direction by Melville Brown. Photography by Eddie Cronjager. Cast: Richard Dix, Lois Wilson, Allen Kearns, Rita La Roy, Renee MacReady, Virginia Sale, Selmer Jackson, Anthony Bushell, Henry Armetta. Footage, 6,138. Release date, April 6. Seen by DOUGLAS FOX in New York W ILLIAM LE BARON, production chief of Radio Pictures, saw to it that his play was well filmed from a directorial and photographic standpoint. It is a light easy story almost entirely based on the amusing situations in which Richard Dix, having undertaken to make love to a number of young women on a bet, eventually finds himself. Lois Wilson, who, as far as I can remember, has not been prominent since sound came in, is accomplished and pleasing as the one young woman about whom the hero is really serious. It would be nice to see her again in the sort of role she had in that great picture, “The Covered Wagon.” She seems to be made for the sort of gown that is tight and primly revealing from neck to waist where it suddenly gets very full of material and models beautifully in the lightest breeze. And, now that the subject has been mentioned, I wish Paramount would get to work and do “The Covered Wagon” over again in sound. Not entirely because of Miss Wilson’s clothes, but because it would be grand to see Ernest Torrence again in the sort of role that suits him best. THE MAN FROM BLANKLEY’S Seen by PETER VISCHER in New York I T’S a little difficult to understand why “The Man from Blanklev’s” was brought into the Central theatre in New York so quietly, for here is one of the most hilarious pictures in sight with no less a star than John Barrymore. True, the picture isn’t what you’d expect, in view of the great lover pictures in which Barrymore has been shown for the past few years. So different is Barrymore in “The Man from Blankley’s,” so much more like the Barrymore of the old days, that the audience which came to the Central didn’t quite know what to do at first. All of a sudden somebody giggled, which hardly seemed the thing to do at a Barrymore opening, and then the house just cut loose. I don’t want you to think that I’ve gone a little insane personally, so I will quote the following which appeared in the review of the picture in The World: “Mr. Barrymore, the courteous, informed, garrulous and wisecracking souse, face to face with as quaint and commonplace a set of London homebodies as ever was gathered under one roof, making himself amiable among them, kidding them, cursing them, insulting them, entertaining them, is a delight and a joy. “The result is, to be sure, nothing more or less than one continuous monolog by the unfortunate visitor and it is for this reason largely that the mad wanderings of the evening move forward in a vein of such hilarious nonsense. Nothing happens save what rolls so glibly and so gracefully and so sharply from the lips of this tipsy and misguided playboy, but that, be assured, is sufficient.” And so it is.