Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

December 20, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD WORLD 31 NEW PRODUCT This department does not attempt to predict the public's reactions to pictures. It does, instead, present detailed and accurate information on product, together with the frank and honest opinion of the reporter. THE BACHELOR FATHER MISTAKEN IDENTITY! Produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Director, Robert Z. Leonard. From the screen play by Lawrence E. Johnson. Gowns by Adrian. Cameraman, Oliver T. Marsh. Sound engineer, Douglas Shearer. Art director, Cedric Gibbons. Film editor, Harry Reynolds. Cast: Marion Davies, Ralph Forbes, C. Aubrey Smith, Ray Milland, Guinn Williams, David Torrence, Doris Lloyd, Edgar Norton, Nina Quartaro, Halliwell Hobbes. JVTaRION DAVIES' latest, "The Bachelor Father," is a laughable farce, filled with unusual situations. At the same time, it carries a touch of pathos in some sequences, giving Miss Davies an admirable opportunity to display the full range of her emotions. As a climax, a thrill is offered with the crash of a trans-Atlantic airplane. The story is obviously built for the star, and her personality stands out above others in the cast. However, C. Aubrey Smith, as the bachelor father, gives a convincing portrayal of an old man with a grouch who gradually drops his aged outlook on life when surrounded by youth. The picture gives the audiences plenty to chuckle over. The plot is built on a rather sophisticated theme which Leonard has handled delicately. C. Aubrey Smith, British peer, decides to round up all his children, situated in different parts of the world. Three put in an appearance— two girls and a boy. Miss Davies is the sophisticated, slangy daughter of an actress and, supposedly, Smith. She organizes the others into "The Sons and Daughters of Sir Basil" and this organization is to decide whether the sons and daughters will accept their father. Eventually they do. Guinn Williams is Marion's boy friend, but he is more like a brother to her. Ralph Forbes is Smith's secretary, and he provides the love interest. Guinn comes to England shortly after Marion arrives and plans to fly back. Marion has a misunderstanding with both Smith and Forbes and decides to fly back to America with Williams. They crash on the take-off. Everything is explained and Forbes gets Marion. The plot is given clever twists by Lawrence Johnson. Dialog is fast and snappy. The story is made convincing by the acting of the supporting cast, which is well chosen. As much of the footage is devoted to developing the change of nature in Smith as the result of Marion's attentions, the others spend a comparatively short time before the camera. Guinn Williams is excellent as the lumbering, ungrammatical trans-Atlantic pilot, and Forbes, being British, portrays his part with fidelity. Sound is handled well, reproduction being smooth throughout. Interiors are particularly well done. The preview audience laughed and chuckled HEROINE OF THE WEEK MARION DAVIES displays the full range of emotions, from laughs to pathos, in "The Bachelor Father," M G M production. constantly at the lines and antics of Miss Davies, and the product was well received. The picture is straight, there being no singing or dancing though Miss Davies is cast as a former show girl. — Edward Churchill, Hollywood. REACHING FOR THE MOON EXCELLENT! Distributed by United Artists. Directed by Edmund Goulding. Cast: Douglas Fairbanks, Bebe Daniels, Helen Jerome Eddy, Jane McCloy, Edward Everett Horton, Jack Mulhall, Claude Allister. Music by Irving Berlin. Photography by Ray June and Robert Planck. Sets designed by William Cameron Menzies. Story by Edmund Goulding. Dialog by Elsie Janis. Douglas Fairbanks' "Reaching for the Moon," received great applause and a fine reception at the preview this week in a big Los Angeles theatre. It is a well mounted, extravagantly produced picture that contains good music, good dialog and above all a good story and good acting. The laughter in the picture grows from the beginning, when the picture starts out as an unpretentious comedy, and builds into climax with gales of laughter. Edmund Goulding has done what is generally regarded here as a piece of direction he never has surpassed. In the picture Fairbanks plays a young man who is just as active and athletic as in any of his previous pieces. The love story, opening up when Fairbanks deserts a profitable business career to pursue a young woman, brings to the screen a new Bebe Daniels. Bebe has been well chosen for the role and perhaps due to the inspiration of the part, reads her lines and troops her scenes better than she ever has done before. Without question there is a lot of light material in the picture, as there should be in Fairbanks' stories, and every bit of it is put in with a serious purpose. The accomplishment is a lot of laughter and entertainment. The sets in the picture are worthy of considerable commendation. They are beautifully dressed and expertly designed. A cast with such people as Horton, Mulhall, Claude Allister and Helen Jerome Eddy in supporting roles is almost certain of the reception this picture received. The work of Horton is especially mirth provoking. — Edward Churchill, Hollywood. A INSPIRATION SOPHISTICATED! Produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Director, Clarence Brown. Dialog, Gene Markey. Cameraman, William Daniels. Sound, Douglas Shearer. Gowns by Adrian. Art director, Cedric Gibbons. Cast: Greta Garbo, Robert Montgomery, Lewis Stone, Marjorie Rambeau, Judith Vosselli, Beryl Mercer, John Miljan, Edwin Maxwell, Oscar Apfel, Joan Marsh, Zelda Sears, Karen Morley, Gwen Lee, Paul McAllister and Richard Tucker. B, ►ACKED by a cast which reads like a "Who's Who" in talking pictures, Greta Garbo again gives an exceptional performance in "Inspiration," a sophisticated story of Parisian life. While the character she portrays has not the strength of "Anna Christie," Miss Garbo gives it all her artistry and the result is a gripping picture. The end of the story was disappointing to those who like to see her find happiness before the final curtain, but Clarence Brown decided to be convincing and logical instead. Adrian deserves praise for his costuming of the star and others of the cast. Miss Garbo, in well executed creations, is revealed in her full beauty. And, again, in poorer costume, she is revealed as having a rare beauty no matter what the costume might be. There were two moments in the picture which stood out and which brought back the tremendous power of situation which the screen had also in silent days. The first concerns Lewis Stone. He has given a check to a woman he has loved but loves no more. She, unfortunately, still loves him. After he has told her, delicately, that he is through with her, he walks down a long flight of stairs from her apartment door. He walks into the street — and