Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

December 27, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 21 has made a powerful picture of the original "Aloha," produced by Thomas Ince in 1914. Photography in the death scene is superb. The girl, Raquel Torres, plunges into a volcano on her native island. Sound at this point is exceptionally well done, the hissing of steam and the bubbling of molten lava being effectively portrayed. Ben Lyon, as the white man who loves Miss Torres, is well cast. He is particularly effective in portraying his devotion to the woman and, at the same time, in revealing to the audience his weakness in believing insinuations that she is not all that she should be. Miss Torres' performance is equally good. Her portrayal of the half-native, half-white girl who renounces her native life for the white man, and gives him not only her love but her wealth, is sympathetic. Third on the list is Thelma Todd, sister of Lyon, who by her trickeries finally convinces Lyon that Miss Torres is not worthy of him. Al Metcher has done much to make the sets realistic. Island scenes, bamboo huts and a native village are well reproduced. Robert Edeson, playing the part of the father of the boy, Lyon, reads his lines well. The work of the others of the cast won favorable reactions from the preview audience. The plot is convincing, not only because of its realistic ending, but because it is worked out logically from the first. It is compact and well-woven. There was very little tendency to cling to the original script of Ince and Hawks. — Edward Churchill, Hollywood. SHEER LUCK GLORIFIED MILKMEN! Produced by Hollywood Productions, Inc. Distribution by Tec-Art. Directed by Bruce Mitchell. Cast: Nick Stuart, Jobyna Ralston, Bobby Vernon, Philo McCullough, Margaret Landis, John Ince and Reed Howes. DIRECTOR-HERO i t OHEER LUCK" turned out to be dramatic enough for the preview audience to hiss the villain, Philo McCullough, and cheer the hero, Nick Stuart. The story involved Stuart's and McCuIlough's attempts to win the hand of Jobyna Ralston. Stuart plays the part of a milkman, and is assisted in his love-making by Bobby Vernon. The girl is the daughter of a wealthy man about to be elected mayor of his community, and McCullough is the suave, wealthy young man who heads a gang of crooks and cutthroats. The picture rambles along at an entertaining rate through dancing sequences, love scenes, binding and gagging, kidnapping and auto chases and ends in a prohibition raid. Nick Stuart twice socks McCullough very effectively and Vernon manages to be quite comic. Jobyna Ralston returns to the screen after a long absence and ably handles the part assigned to her. Miss Ralston was once Harold Lloyd's leading woman and now is the wife of Richard Arlen. McCullough is a very villainous villain, and his gang of cut-throats are all good menaces. — Edward Churchill, Hollywood. A THE LOTUS LADY INDIA! Produced by Audible Pictures. Director, Phil Rosen. Photographed by M. A. Andersen. Dialog and continuity by Harry S. Drago. Film editor, Carl Humm. Cast: Fern Andra, Betty Francisco, Tom Terris, Lucien Prival, Frank Leigh, Ralph Emerson. IF "The Lotus Lady" had been done in an entirely farcical manner it would have been an excellent, entertaining picture, but the effort to be serious detracts somewhat from its effectiveness. The story is of a wealthy young American who goes to India to escape justice. There he meets and falls in love with a native dance hall JOSEPH LEVERING has turned out a polished picture in "Sea Devils," produced by Larry Darmour for release by W. Ray Johnston. girl, played by Fern Andra. The inevitable situations follow one after another and they are married. Betty Francisco, the boy's two-timing sweetheart, comes to India and then he realizes he really loves his wife. Fern Andra reads lines well but her pantomime does not attain the same height. Betty Francisco and Lucien Prival, as the heavy, give the outstanding characterizations. The dialog pre-explains much of the action and tends to slow up the tempo. The cameraman has taken every advantage of the possibilities offered — the exterior shots of India are particularly interesting. — Louise Allen, Hollywood. SEA DEVILS SEA THRILLER! Produced by Larry Darmour Productions for W. Ray Johnston release. Directed by Joseph Levering. Story and dialog by Scott Littleton. Photographed by James Brown. Incidental music by Lee Zahler. RCA Photophone recording by Neal Jack and Charles Franklin. With Molly O'Day, Edmund Burns, Walter Long, Paul Panzer and others. Tj HE production genius of Larry Darmour is quite in evidence throughout this little actionfilled sea thriller, based on a story by Scott Littleton and directed by Joseph Levering. The Darmour influence is especially noted in the outstanding quality of production and showmanship methods so often neglected in this type of independently produced product. Much is left to the imagination in telling the story, which probably accounts for its being so intensely interesting. Levering's direction is polished and demonstrates an ability to keep an audience on the edge of its seats during a preview showing. It is rough and tumble action of mutinous cutthroats bound on a gold salvaging expedition with the captain's beautiful daughter at the center of the trouble. Some excellent underwater photography is revealed during the frenzied hunt for the lost bullion. Molly O'Day, prettier than ever, is seen as the daughter of the honest Captain and the chief mischiefmaker with her constant refusals to the savage like attentions of the first mate. A stowaway, Edmund Burns, saves the day with his timely appearance from under cover just as the members of the crew start clubbing each other. Walter Long, as the bad man, does a fine job. The members of the cast are equal to their requirements and under the handling of Levering the film turns out to be first class material. A word of praise may be said of the camera work, sound and settings, and the editing of "Sea Devils" is particularly fine. — Tom Hacker, Hollywood. NO LIMIT AMUSING! Produced and distributed by ParamountrPublix. Directed by Frank Tuttle. Cameraman, Victor Milner. Story, George Marion, Jr. Screen play, Viola Brothers Shore and Salisbury Field. Cast: Clara Bow, Norman Foster, Stuart Erwin, Dixie Lee, Harry Green, Thelma Todd, Kenneth Duncan, Misha Auer and Marice Black. G, EORGE MARION, JR., Viola Brothers Shore and Salisbury Field have given Clara Bow an excellent vehicle which involves gambling to work with. "No Limit" is smoothly directed and moves steadily with humor and pathos intermixed, to a clever ending. Cameraman Victor Milner has done some exceptional work in making New York street scenes realistic and in giving Miss Bow some excellent backgrounds. Stuart Erwin, as a lumbering and dumb Swede, provides some of the laughs, Clara does her part, and Harry Green also does effective work. The story deals with Clara, the usherette, Erwin, who inherits a gambling resort disguised as an apartment and a Rolls Royce, and Norman Foster, a crook who eventually serves a jail sentence and goes straight for Clara. Clara and her girl friend, Dixie Lee, are given the use of the apartment by Erwin, a sailor, who immediately goes to sea. Clara, while he is gone, marries Foster. The fact that the apartment is devoted to games of chance provides some unusual situations. The publicity which Miss Bow received at Calneva is brought back to the audience through lines in the play, and the audience laughs heartily. This personal touch is highly effective. Green, as the theatre manager, gets over some good lines as the picture progresses. Foster, as the gold digging crook who falls in love with Clara and reforms, also gives an excellent account of himself. Thelma Todd, whose jewels are stolen, uses those eyes effectively. The preview audience gave every indication of liking the picture immensely. The product stands out as a well directed, capably acted, and skillfully recorded piece of business with action flowing in a steady stream. — Edward Churchill, Hollywood. THE MAN WHO CAME BACK GAYNOR AND FARRELL! Produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation. Directed by Raoul Walsh. Stars: Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. -IT'S a Gaynor picture. Raoul Walsh has packed into this old story every ounce of feeling and showmanship that is possible in turning out real entertainment. It has had the disadvantage of having been done before on the screen. But it has the advantage of being a picture that is not recognizable to anyone who has ever seen the silent versions. It is more than a program picture in many regards. It boasts of the best acting that Janet Gaynor has ever contributed to the screen. That to me is the finest thing about the picture. This turn in her acting is deserving of great praise. Farrell at many times seems to be under