The Film Daily (1925)

THE Sunday, December 27, 1925 -.SEg^ DAILY "Madame Behave" Producers Dist. Corp. BELTER SKELTER ACTION AND SLAPSTICK KEEPS THIS GOING BUT STORY COULD HAVE SERVED FOR FIRST RATE FARCE COMEDY IF PROPERLY HANDLED. ast. .. .Julian Eltingc gives one of his female impersonations. Done in straight comedy style it would have proven far more effective than it does in its slapstick form. Ann Pennington good when she does the Charleston but her importance stops about there. Others Lionel Belmore, David James, Tom Wilson, Jack Duffy, Stanhope Wheatcroft, Evelyn Francisco. Type of Story. .. .Comedy; adapted from Gene Arlette's "Madame Lucy." They could have done a lot more with "Madame Behave." Instead of rushing it through with a quantity of slapstick situations and helter skelter action it might have served very effectively for a straight farce. They had a fine basic idea to work with and with Eltinge in one of his female impersonations it could have been worked out in intriguing fashion. Instead you have regular game of tag with the principals chasing and dodging for most of the five reels. The old Mack Sennett pie stunts are used with little comedy effect and some other entirely familiar slapstick gags fail to register laughs at this late date. The closing scenes are attractively done in color and present the wedding of Eltinge and the girl he wanted to marry. Story: Jack and Dick are buddies and sharing financial reverses. In order to win a suit against a friend Dick's uncle must find a certain woman who witnessed an accident. Dick persuades Jack to pose as the woman. It also happens that Jack wants to marry the uncle's neice, Gwen, but the uncle is anxious to marry her off to a rich dude. While posing' as a woman. Jack is able to make life miserable for his rival and at the same time he is kept busy dodging the police who found him breaking into the uncle's home. There is a general all around chase w-hich finally ends with Jack's exposure, forgiveness all around and marriage for Jack and Gwen. Box Office Angle Will do all right for the crowd that enjoys a slapstick comedy of this order. Not very appropriate for a clientele at all critical. Exploitation. . .Julian Eltinge's name has been associated with female impersonations for so long that you will probably only have to use his name to let them know what to expect. Use stills in the lobby showing him as himself and as a woman. The usual trailer and catchlines can be used for advance information. Direction Scott Sidney ; could have gotten more from the story. Author Gene Arlette Scenario F. McGrew Willis Cameraman Gus Peterson Photography All right Locale California Length 5.415 feet "A Desperate Moment" Producer : Bayiner Distributor: Ginsberg — State Rights HECTIC MELODRAMA WITH THE USUAL COMBINATION OF COMEDY, ACTION AND THRILLS BUT IT FAILS TO GET OVER IN A REAL WAY. Cast. .. .Wanda Hawley and Theodor Von Eltz make the most of impossible hero and heroine roles. Leo White a comedy impersonation of a "flossy" Englishman. Fails to register. Sheldon Lewis one of those glorifying villains who grimaces for close-ups. Others Dan Mason, James Neill and Billy Franey. Type of Story. .. .Melodrama. "A Desperate Moment" is a hectic concoction of incidents and situations with a dominating comedy line that hinders rather than helps the plot. A sissyfied English suitor who says "deah" and is afraid of his own shadow is the principal distraction in the comedy element. Leo White, who has done some rather good comedy roles in the past, fails in this one but the role didn't offer him anything very worth while. The idea of the father trying to marry off his daughter to this Englishman never takes on the slightest semblance of conviction. The plot is a rehash of familiar situations with the hero fighting an army of pirates on his ship, the desert island next on line, a cannibal attack and final recovery all following in expected due course. There is no suspense nor no well sustained interest. You are always one step ahead of the development. The direction did not improve on a poor story nor is the cast sufificiently strong enough to pull it through. Story: Dean takes his daughter on a voyage in company with Percy, the Englishman he wants her to marry. She falls in love with Reynolds, the captain, who fights for her life when bandit stowaways are found on the ship. There is a fire and the principals and crew land on a cannibal island. After some fighting a passing steamer sees the distress signal and the lovers are saved. Box Office Angle.. Not very promising unless you figure that action consisting of fights and a fire at sea will be enough to satisfy. Story cannot be recommended as to its plot. Exploitation. . . . A trailer showing the ship on fire might bring in the crowd that enjoys this type of picttire. If you think Wanda Hawley's and Theodore Von Eltz' name mean enough they can be used in announcements. No other names of box office importance. Direction Jack Dawn; poor Author Coral Burnett Scenario Not credited Cameraman Roland Price Photography All right Locale At sea Length 5,781 feet "When Husbands Flirt" Columbia Pictures — State Rights ONE OF THE SURPRISES THAT COMES FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. CORKING FINE LITTLE COMEDY NUMBER THAT CAN BOAST OF CONTINUOUS LAUGHS. Cast.... Tom Ricketts gives a great performance as the henpecked husband and Ethel Wales as his wife is a scream with her chronic indigestion. Dorothy Revier and Forrest Stanley quite suitable as the young married couple but Ricketts and Ethel Wales steal the picture. Maude Wayne good as the vamp. Type of Story .... Farce comedy Once in a while — a great while — something comes along unheralded unannounced, and brings with it a real surprise part}'. "When Husbands Flirt" is one of the best oi the current laugh makers. \Vi,l the possible exception of onj c two gags that are just a tr:fl "raw" the picture is decided y ( r. of the funniest things out. 1 i cr ated a riot of laughs in a Brord way transient house where it r-; on a double feature program T'^ story is one of those domestic complication affairs with a newly married couple and a not-so-new. y inarried pair offering amusing con trasts. Director \\'illiam We.lman has injected many outstanding clever touches. Whoever wrote the sub-titles did a good job also. The story runs along at a lively clip and there isn't a dull moment in the entire proceedings. Story: Stanley and Ricketts are partners in business, the former a newlywed and the latter a henpecked wretch who risks a party with a vamp, played by Maude Wayne. He borrow's Stanley's car for the occasion. Next morning Stanley's wife finds a handkerchief and purse in the car — and the war is on. Ricketts' wife is the first to assist in divorce proceedings to follow. The complications that pile on — with the guilty man's wife leading the hunt and not knowing that her own husband was the culprit and with the guilty and henpecked one trying to keep the knowledge from his wife — are too numerous as well as humorous to do them justice in this small space. Box Office Angle. ... Sure-fire laugh maker. Will certainly send them into roars of laughter. Should do a first rate business. Exploitation. .. .Run a trailer to give sufficient idea of the comedy and tell them about the henpecked old fellow who went out on a lark with a vamp and tried to keep his wife from finding it out. You can make all the promises you want for the laughs. They're there. No names that mean anything very much but they may after this — especially director Wellman and Tom Ricketts. Direction William Wellman; very good Author Paul Gangelin and Dorothy Arzner Scenario Not credited Cameraman Sam Landers Photography Good Locale City Length About 5,000 feet Theda Bara in "The Unchastened Woman" Chadwick Pictures — State Rights TOUGH BREAK FOR THEDA. SHE HAS AN UNSYMPATHETIC PART CALLING FOR REPRESSION. A REPRESSED VAMP--A NEW IDEA, BUT— Star.... Docs wonders with a role that forces her to repress her emotional fire under a mask of coldness for seven reels. Absolutely miscast. Cast Wyndham Standing as the husband evidently never read the original stage play, for he completely misses the spirit of the part as Louis Anspacher wrote it. John Miljan too old for the part of the infatuated young architect. Eileen Percy as the husband's secretary gives a good portrayal of the "other woman." Type of Story Drama of married life, adapted from the play by Louis K. Anspacher. The original stage production was 75 per cent clever conversation. The action in it was almost nil. The adapter has tried heroically to build up scenes and sequences with the necessary action to make a successful photoplay. It must be recorded that he has fallen down with a terrible thud. It was not his fault. The oiiginal theme was never intended to express itself in action The consequent effort to inject it results in a picture that is stilted, artificial and unconvincing. Even at that tlic pictu.-e could have been saved if the main characters — man a.nd wife — had been given bits that aroused your sympathy. But no. The production leaves you absolutely cold throughout. The entire cast seemed to have sensed the hepelessness of it all — and they act accordingly. It w-ill go on record as a colorless offering lacking hu man niterest and that pulsing throD that real drama inspires. The thm story could have been told in two reels — faithless husband, society wife leaves him, goes abroad and for spite comes back with a half dozen male admirers. Husband repents, but the wife won't relent. At last the birth of a son and .':eir reconciles them. Asking Theda to play a cold, disdainful part will get few cheers from' her fans who glory in her vampish fire and Viightet'sion emotionalism. Box Office Angle. .. .Lacks elements to make it a good draw. Might get by on double-bill. Exploitation Louis Anspacher's name as the author of famous play will help. But go light on mentioning star, as her part may disappoint. Direction. .. .James Young; material hard to work with. Author Louis K. Anspacher Scenario Douglas Doty Cameraman William O'Connell Photography Good Locale City, Continent Length 6,800 feet