The Film Daily (1924)

18 THE -c&m 1 DAILY Sunday, August 10,1 i 38 Pictures Reviewed In 15 Citie "The Arab"— Metro-Gold. McVicker's, Chicago POST — * * * production is remarkable in a number of ways and not the least is its scenic beauty. Ramon Novarro plays the title role in this story of the orient. In my opinion, he does in it the best acting of his career. * ♦ ♦ TRIBUNE— We hate to damn a film by calling it "educational" but that's the word for "The Arab." It's half travelogue, beautifully done, with colorful scenes of the orient that bring forth school picture cards of your youth. Capitol, Cincinnati POST — Aside from having a convincing story, "The Arab" provides views that are bound to be what the audience expects to see, because the picture was made in Algiers. TIMES-STAR — * * * presents a story that is pleasing and romantic without placing too great a strain on the imagination. The characters are intensely human and natural. * * * Loew's State, Los Angeles (Week Ending Aug. 2) EXAMINER — It is well told, but neither the quality of the story nor the acting reflects that glamour or brilliance to which Mr. Ingram has trained his patrons. In short, execept for a few sky-line silhouettes of catnels and the brilliant white coloring of the exterior scenes, the film seems in no way to justify any claim that pictures made on location, especially in foreign climes, are justified in any way. EXPRESS — Ramon Novarro has more opportunity for comedy than in any other role he has yet attempted. As the lying, thieving rogue who succumbs to the smiles of the young teacher he even excels that impersonation of the gay young blade in "The Prisoner of Zenda." RECORD — Althougli dramatic interest falters at several points, there is never a lag in the picture's rich appeal to the eye. TIMES — Alice Terry appears without the famous blonde wig, and photographically this is not so satisfactory. She does, however, reflect a degree of charm of beauty. "Another Scandal" — Prod. Dist. Corp. Strand, San Francisco (Week Ending Aug. 2) BULLETIN — How the wife recaptures her husband after a series of misunderstandings forms a series of dramatic situations which leads to a big climax. CHRONICLE— It has Lois Wilson as its flighty heroine, looking quite young enough, too, to be believed and acting with a good deal of naivete. Her scenes with her baby are delicately and prettily done. HERALD— The film begins very frothily with the madcap prank of a gay little flapper, played by Lois Wilson, who then settles down to the more serious business of being a wife and mother, and ends with some very fine and very heavy drama. "Babbitt"— Warners' Karlton, Philadelphia BULLETIN— While it lacks the subtlety of the book, in carrying its points, the general atmosphere is well brought out. NORTH AMERICAN— The more obvious phases have been stressed in this production, and Williard Louis as the prosaic, middleaged, and complacment business man groping to escape from the deadly routine is satisfactory in appearance PUBLIC LEDGER— (Evening)— All of the Sinclair Lewis story isn't in the film — it must be shown in one evening. But there's enough of it to give enjoyment to persons who have read the book and to those who haven't. "Bluff"— F. P.-L. Regent, Rochester DEMOCRAT— There is neither finesse in productive details nor any noticeable super iority eflfect of the meaningless details of the plot — if one can call this narrative a plot. Nevertheless, with all its faults, this photoplay may please the general public more than other screen plays which provoke conjecture. HERALD — Miss Ayres does fairly well and, co-slarring with Antonio Moreno, she manages to give a presentation, which is as good as the story. In other words "Bluff" is nothing to run madly to see. JOURNAL — While it is not a particularly novel variation of the "mistaken identity" theme, the picture is nevertheless interestingly presented. * * * TIMES-UNION—* ♦ * presents a wellknit, interesting melodrama * * * "Bread"— Metro-Gold. Capitol, Detroit FREE PRESS— There are pretty scenes of family life, of gay parties, of neartragedy, with dramatic situations and emotional scenes that afforded the admirable cast every opportunity for efifective acting, and no picture of recent showing is presented more capably. NEWS — * * * an unusually interesting motion picture, • * ♦ Xhe cast alone would carry a plot of much less note than this, featuring as it does Mae Busch and Wanda Hawley * ♦ * "Broadway After Dark" — Warners' Sun, Omaha EVENING BEE—* » » springs the love scenes and drama with which the picture is sprinkled. The picture is exceptionally well cast, including Adolphe Menjou, Norma Shearer, Anna Q. Nilsson, Edward Burns and Carmel Myers. NEWS It's a picture packed with subtle humorous situations subtly acted by the subtle Menjou. WORLD-HERALD— This director bears watching. He's going to be up with the big ones before many years. And the cast I Every one of them is a real person. Adolphe Menjou * * * no better actor on the screen, makes of the bored New Yorker a charming hero. "Broken Barriers" — Metro-Gold. The Chicago, Chicago HERALD — "Broken Barriers" is very well done directorally by Reginald Barker, whose cast is fourteen-karat throughout. It manages to give a slice of high, fast life in New York without disarranging one's sense of what is proper and of what is intelligent. "The Broken Wing"— Preferred Colonial, Indianapolis NEWS — "The Broken Wing," produced on the stage recently by the Murat Players, is vastly more exciting and entertaining in its photoplay form than it was on the stage. STAR — Features that were necessarily condensed in the stage play have been given their rightful elaboration in the picture with the result that its adaptation has improved it if anything. "Changing Husbands"— F. P.-L. Capitol, Montreal GAZETTE—* * • a light and pleasant fantasia on the marriage questioii and an agreeable hot-weather diversion from the highly-dramatic treatments which the ageold problem generally receives. STAR — There is some excellent comedy in "Changing Husbands," * * * and Miss Leatrice Joy, who plays a dual role, aided by double exposures and other methods that puzzle the uninitiated, does some clever acting. * * * "Daughters of Today"— Selznick Strand, Cincinnati POST — "Daughters of Today" is a good audience picture and won't worry you any after you go home. "Hold Your Breath"— Prod. Dist Corp. California, San Francisco (Week Ending Aug. 2) BULLETIN — Dorothy Devore makes you laugh one minute and gasp the next in "Hold Your Breath," a feature comedy. CALL AND POST— TuUy Marshall and Walter Hiers are chief aids to Miss Devore in this story, which recounts the efforts of a girl reporter to make good. She makes good all right, both with the editor of her paper and with the audiences at the Calilornia who watch her do it. HERALD — Dorothy Devore » * * makes the audience gasp and laugh in "Hold Your Breath." Dorothy makes a very eflfective "human fly," and Walter Hiers is equally effective as her devoted lover. NEWS — * * * Dorothy Devore in a series of hair-raising and amusing adventures on the face of a building. It is great fun. * ♦ ♦ TIMES SQUARE—* * * in spite of its failure to expose anything but imaginary "unconventionalities of a jazz mad age," as advertised, is excellent entertainment. The cast is competent and portrays in a convincing manner the characters as visualized by the scenario writer. "Defying Destiny" — Selznick Empress, Omaha WORLD-HERALD— The fine acting of Monte Blue and Irene Rich who have the leading roles * ♦ ♦ has made that production thoroughly entertaining. The story, not startlingly original, has been nicely directed by Louis W. Chaudet. "The Enemy Sex"— F. P.-L. Rialto, Omaha EVE. BEE — James Cruze, who produced the film, selected a wonderful cast, with Percy Marmont, Sheldon Lewis, Huntley Gordon and Kathlyn Williams. "The Fighting Coward"— F. P.-L. Eastman, Rochester DEMOCRAT—* * ♦ savors more of comedy than melodrama although there is a stimulus for the most lethargic imagination in the realistic settings of old Southern towns and scenes on and along the Mississippi river during the period of slavery. HERALD — A picture which combines some genuine good acting and laughs, due to the fine portrayal of General Orlando Jackson by Ernest Torrence ; with some delightfully delicate beauty due to the mere presence of Mary Astor in the cast. JOURNAL — It is a slight story; but is worked out with much of Mr. Tarkington's well known skill. And it has had the advantage of direction by James Cruze. TIMES-UNION—* * * there can be only praise and thankfulness for the screen presentation which is the most delightfully amusing travesty on the traditions of southern chivalry and the code of the duel that we ever have seen. "Fools in the Dark"— F. B. O. Grauman's, Los Angeles (Week Ending Aug. 2) EXAMINER — The story is whimsical in its conception, and is carried out with a wealth of subordinate complexities which enrich the plot without disturbing the legitimate sequence of incidents. EXPRESS— "Fools in the Dark," the screen feature, is a happy farce, never becoming too serious, but accentuating its droUness by some melodramatic situations almost as hair-raising as those of "The Bat." TIMES — Anyway, it is a great entertainment, whether Johnny took Bertie's characters seriously or not. If you take it straight and don't think too much, you will get a lot of thrills and laughs, and if you take it as light satire, you will derivi ki of thrills and more laughs. WORLD-HERALD— You will fit production exceedingly interesting, I of the splendid acting and the excell, rection of James Cruze, fiance of the r Miss Compson is an ideal choice ' ■ heroine. "The Heart Buster"— Fo: Apollo, Indianapolis NEWS — * * * Mix is no mean sh in his ability to refurbish extremely ol with breath'-taking incidents and r touches of humor. STAR — Those who enjoy the sw ventures of Tom Mix and his horst have a treat in store for them at tlic theater this week. "Her Marriage Vow" — Warr _ Orchestra Hall, Chicago HERALD— Millard Webb's direcA exceedingly happy. His groupings j[ photographical mechanics are good, manages to keep his players in satisl fettle. — il "Hoodman Blind"— Fox [ Pantages' Minneapolis STAR — * * an honest melodran lots of pathos and action. The filn the picture is exceptional. "How to Educate a Wife"— W.'JM Piccadilly, Rochester DEMOCRAT— The production ilif remarkably good, those technical which are unobserved by the average tor being of the same standard of e which more critical students of th( drama note with curious interest. HERALD— What one would call pleasant and amusing portrayal of thi road to compatibility travelled by married couples is Elinor Glyn's story, "How to Educate a Wife." * ' JOURNAL — There are occasional bits of realism, but more often that ad)c quality is carried to the point of be cruciatingly painful. * * * TIMES-UNION— Within certain tions Monte Blue is an exceedingly and entertaining actor, and as Ernes' the rather duffish but thoroughly young insurance agent in "How To 1 A Wife," he has a role that fits hiit glove. "Little Johnny Jones"— Wan* Miller's, Los Angeles (Week Ending Aug. 2) EXAMINER— Under the able direi Arthur Rosson and Hines, the bree8| of "Yankee Doodle," the race horse, to victory by Johnny Jones, moves and amusingly to a smashing finish. EXPRESS— It Jias retained mucljll made George M. Cohan's comedy and has added numerous angles wl| well in the celluloid version of an racetrack picture. -.^ RECORD— The picture is not witlpi humor. The audience has a tough ti^J ing to withhold laughs. TIMES — Johnny Hines is thirty-sej rieties of a comedian. * * he is clev that many angles. He can dance, pla; or clown broadly — get his laugh e£| many ways. He proves it * * * in Johnny Jones." * * * "The Man From Brodney Vitagraph New Grand, Minneapolis STAR — Presenting pleasant scree tures, the story holding the attention t H out, injected as it is with plenty o lb and human interest. Ik