The Film Daily (1929)

THE Friday, July 19, 1929 Newspaper Opinions "Desert Nights" M-G-M Capitol, New York AMERICAN—" * * As to the star: He is as big as his opportunities in this one, which isn't saying too much. * * * DAILY MIRROR—* * * Just fair entertainment. The great lover of the movies hasn't much love to make in his old-fashioned drama of desert thirst. The story is one of those vintages of 1913 — villain, hero and the girl lost in the desert. * * * EVENING JOURNAL—* * * The photography is effective and Miss Nolan is decorative. There are no talking sequences. * * * EVENING WORLD—* * * John Gilbert Mary Nolan and Ernest Torrence strive earnestly to make something of "Desert Nights," but their efforts are something less than availing, for the story is far below the Gilbert standard. It is advertised as a thrilling romance of the burning African sands; an absorbing story of hate, revenge and love but it falls far short of those adjectives. * * * GRAPHIC—* * * Dying of thirst on a desert doesn't leave much incentive or inspiration for loving, and poor Jack was hor ril.ly self-conscious under the crop of whisker? necessitated by the script. * * * HERALD-TRIBUNE—* * * Thanks to the skill of the cast and the effectiveness of the idea, "Desert Nights" becomes, for most of the time, an entertaining, if far from important, screen melodrama. * * * MORNING TELEGRAPH—* * * is a snare and a delusion ; a snare because the story's title leads you to believe it's an Ethel M. Dell plot, and a delusion because it isn't. * # • POST—* * * Most of the picture, as indicated above, is not only rather unpleasant but quite uninteresting. Actually, people dying of thirst are probably even more unhappy looking than this trio — but these actors are quite convincing. * * * SUN — * * * The film will unquestionably prove satisfactory, if not overwhelming, for Mr. Gilbert's following. * * * TELEGRAM—* * * I'm afraid that I can't hand "Desert Nights" much in the way of entertainment, and I doubt if even the Gilbert fans will derive much enjoyment from seeing their hero ambushed for five or six reels behind the most disfiguring facial foliage. # * # TIMES—* * * It is a queer string of circumstances that is thrown upon the screen in "Desert Knights," John Gilbert's latest production. But incredible though this adventure may be it happens to be one that holds the interest. * * * WORLD—* * * It is an interesting film worth attending because of the expert treatment which has been lavished upon it by its director, William Nigh, in creating its atmosphere. * * * "A Dangerous Woman" Paramount Paramount, New York AMERICAN—* * * This is as giddy a yarn as has reached the audible movie to date. The dialogue is stilted and the characters go into long declamatory speeches. DAILY MIRROR—* * * is just one of those conventional "white women in the jungle" things. Just a pretty good picture. DAILY NEWS—* * * Director Rowland V. Lee couldn't do more than make a just passable picture of this script. * * * EVENING JOURNAL — * * * It's all about as subtle as a steam-roller. Paramount is apparently trying to make a combination Mae West-Mary Duncan-Theda Bara out of Baclanova; too real an artist to be wasted on such indifferent material. * * * EVENING WORLD—* * • it would have approached nearer perfection had its dramatic potentialities been more adeptly intensified. In other words, the effort is excellent, but it could have been better. The fault, perhaps, lies mostly in the failure of Rowland V. Lee, director to drama tize the double menace in the story — those of Baclanova and Africa. * * * GRAPHIC—* * * were it not for the fact that this product can boast of an excellent cast, the attraction would have little to offer In the way of entertainment value and film merit. * * * HERALD TRIBUNE— * * * A ridiculous fable of a Theda Bara vampire who doomed avery man with whom she came in contact n the heart of equitorial Africa, it is filled with all the combined absurdity of an oldfashioned sex tale and a bad tropical melodrama, and the picture seems much the worst that the distinguished Paramount organization has recently provided. * * * POST—* * * It is not the Russian star's fault, it is the incomparable inanity of the story. It has not been aided by the dialogue writers. The woman's character is almost a degree of offensiveness. * • * SUN — * * * The new wordy movies may add another effective, if usual and third rate, all-talking dramatic narrative to their collection. * * * TELEGRAM—* * * rather a pity that an actress who earned for herself such a fine reputation on the stage as did Baclanova should be running a chance of losing it all in Hollywood by appearing in such silly pictures as "A Dangerous Woman." * * * TIMES — * * * Because of stretches of inane dialogue and curiously unimaginative direction, the current talking film at the Paramount is frequently a target for derisive laughter. * * * WORLD—* * * due to the banality of the setting and plot, the picture is lacking in illusion, and with illusion the most wonderful actor in the world might as well emote before the mirror in a locked room for all the effect his skill will have. * * » Leslie Whalen Goes to Coast Leslie Whalen, eastern publicity representative for the Harold Lloyd Corp. is en route to Hollywood and the Harold Lloyd studios. He was called to California by William R. Fraser, for a conference on publicity and advertising for "Welcome Danger," Harold Lloyd's first all-talking picture. Gill Transferred to N. Y. Milwaukee — Cliff Gill, for the past few years connected with the advertising staff of the Fox-Midwesco circuit in Milwaukee has been transferred to New York, to the Fox Metropolitan chain. Smithfield House Dark Smithfield, O. — Word has been received that the Strand theater is closed and will remain dark permanently. C. W. Smith Buys Clayton House Clayton, Ga. — C. W. Smith, who has been managing the Rabun for several months has purchased the house and will continue to operate it. The house was a unit in the Western Carolina theater chain. Burlington Amusement Co. Formed Raleigh, N. C. — Burlington Amusement Co. of Burlington, N. C, has been incorporated here with an authorized capital stock of $100,000 by J. R. Quails, James F., E. C. and W. L Quails, all of Burlington. New Cleveland First Run Cleveland — Howard Price Kingsmore, general manager of Loew's Ohio theaters, has ordered a change of policy at the Mall, effective July 29, when the second-run split week policy gives way to a first run week stand policy. The Constantly Growing Circulation of THE FILM DAILY is Based Upon a Ten Year Record of a Little Newspaper Giving Big League Service to an Industry of Exacting Readers