The Film Daily (1930)

40 01 DAILY Sunday, April 6, 19: "Under A Texas Moon" Warner Bros. Time, 1 hr., 22 mins. REFRESHINGLY GLORIFIED WESTERN THAT SHOULD MAKE A REPUTATION AND MONEY. HAS ROMANTIC DASH AND RICH HUMOR. DIRECTED AND ACTED WITH CLASS. Built around the Southwest border of 1883, this Western is so pleasingly different, so skilfully dire_cted and acted, so beautifully photographed in natural colors, and the innumerable conquests of its dashing Don Juan hero unfolded with such natural romantic charm and robust humor, that it should win favor for itself among picture fans anywhere. Frank Fav scores heavily as the slick and fearless roving caballero who is accompanied everywhere by two comical musicians to serenade for his lovemaking whenever he encounters a pretty girl— which is extremely often. Tully Marshall, Noah Beery, Armida, Raquel Torres, Myrna Loy and other popular players make the cast outstanding. The short theme song fits the situations like a glove. Cast: Frank Fay, Kaqiiel Torres, Myrna Loy, Armida, Noah Beery, Georgie Stone, Getrge Cooper, Fred Koliler, Hetty Boyd, Charles Sellon, Jack Curtis, Sam Appel, Tully Marshall, Mona Maris. Francisco Maran, Tom Dix, Jerry Barrett, Inez Gomez, Edythe Kramera, Bruce Covington. Director. Michael Curtiz ; Author, Stewart Edward White ; Adaptor, Gordon Rigby ; Dialoguer, Not listed; Editor, Not listed; Cameraman, Bill Rees; Monitor Man, Not listed. Direction, aces. Photography, excellent. Rin-T in-Tin in "The Man Hunter" Warner Bros. Time, 50 mins. POOR PROGRAMMER OF RUBBER THIEVES. TROPICAL BACKGROUND LENDS LITTLE COLOR TO RATHER WEAK STORY. With a rather drab and lengthened story, some good acting on part of the principals would have lifted this picture from the "programmer" genre. As it stands, a group of comedy beach combers try very hard to rnake up for this failing but only manage to get over a few entertaining bits. The heroine distrusting her agent in the jungles sets out to clear up certain points about her rubber shipments to the U. S. The hero as a beach comber befriends the dog which has escaped from the ship on which the heroine arrived. The hero saves her life while swimming in shark-infested waters and he gains her confidence to assist in bringing about the true facts of her agent. The dog's tribute to the picture is in the form of a messenger. And as for the principals, they give what may be collectivley called a fair performance. Cast: Rin-Tin-Tin, John Loder, Nora l.ane, Charles Delaney, Pat Hartigan, Christian Yves, Floyd Shackelford, Billy Fletcherm. John Kelly, Joe Bordeaux. Director, Ross Lederman; Dialoguer, James A. Starr ; Author, Lillian Hayward ; Adaptor. James A. Starr. Direction, mediocre. Photography, fair. John Barry-more in "The Man from Blankley's" Warners Time, 1 hr., 7 m,ins. A NEW SCREEN BARRYMORE IN A COMEDY OF LIMITED APPEAL. TALKERIZED OLD ENGLISH PLAY A STUDY OF HUMOROUS CHARACTERS. Discarding roinantic and Don Juan roles, Barrymore has tried a new screen impersonation and depicts a polished, sophisticated and intoxicated gentleman. By reason of his intoxication he gets into the wrong house and also into a dinner partv attended by a group of antique-looking individuals. The only bright spot there is a young girl who proves to be an old Barrymore sweetheart. After much comedy around the dinner table, including a (lash of slapstick, Barrymore is tlirown out of the party but returns to claim the girl as his future bride. The story is a vehicle for character studying rather than action. Compared with past Barrymore pictures, it is sexless. Both acting and direction are of a satisfactory order. Cast: John Barrymore, Loretta Young. Director, Alfred Green ; Author, S. .\nstey : Adaptor, Harvey Thew and Joseph Jackson ; Editor, Not listed; Cameraman, James Van dees; Monitor Man, Not listed. Direction, good enough. Photography, okay. "Isle of Escape" tvith Monte Blue, Betty Co7nps<y\ Wa7-ner Time, 1 hr., 5 mir SOUTH SEA DRAMA Ol POOR QUALITY. RECORDInI BAD AND STORY STERE( TYPED TO A DEGREE. SOI GOOD ATMOSPHERE. Again the South Sea Islands serJI as the setting for a film that is dl cidedly second-rate. In the first plaJ it burdens under the handicap off story that has served the films loi| ally these many years. Routine implausible it certainly is, and oni in one or two spots does it real provide gripping entertainment. Oi might even be willing to overloc the plot if the recording were so deplorable. For the most part ti words of the players are unintellig ble. The acting generally is not a high standard. Noah Beery an Monte Blue are the only ones vrV are worth considering. There is soni good atmosphere and a beautiful sh( or two but little else. A man escai ing from a cannibal tribe finds saf" ty in a hotel ruled over by a bul' He goes off with the latter's wif The woman falls into the hands the cannibals. The end finds the tw men fighting to save her. Cast: Monte Blue, Myrna Loy, Bet Compson, Noah Beery, Ivan Simpson, Ja; .\ckroyd, Nina Quartero, Duke Kahanamok Rose Dione. Director, Howard Bretherton ; Author, Ja' McLaren ; Adaptors, Lucien Hubbard. Grubb Alexander; Dialogucrs, Lucien Hu bard, J. Grubb Alexander. Direction, so-so. Photography, good. "City Girl" 7uith Charles Farrell, Mary Duncan (Part-Talker) Fox Time, 1 hr., 7 mins. FAIR DRAMA WITH THE WHEAT FIELDS AS A BACKGROUND. UNORIGINAL STORY RESULTS IN WEAK PRODUCTION. This film will never do for the more intelligent type of audience. It has one of those stories that are aimed at the sentimentality in a person but never quite reach their mark. There is something about the production that makes it appear as though it had been produced some vears ago — so antiquated is the technique resorted to in the development of the plot. Some times the film becomes annoying with its obvious attempt to wring sympathy out of the audience and in many instances there is a false ring to it. The story is a highly fictitious thing. A Wisconsin farmer sends his boy to Chicago to sell his wheat crop. There the lad meets a waitress and marries her. The stern father will have nothing to do with her. But finally through fortunate circumstances she succeeds in winning him over. The suddenness with which the old man is won over makes for an unconvincing ending. Rates as fair entertainment. Ca-st: Charles Farrell. Mary Duncan. Dnvid Torrence, Edith Yorke, Dawn O'Day, Tom Maguire, Dick Alexander, Jack Pennick, Ed Brady. Director, F. W. Murnau ; Author, Elliott Lester ; Adaptors, Berthold Viertel. Marion Orth ; Dialoguer, Elliott Lester ; Cameraman, Ernest Palmer. Direction, all right. Photography, good. "The Last Dance" with Vera Reynolds and Jason Robards Audible Pictures, Inc. Time, 1 hr., 14 mins. SWELL LITTLE STORY ABOUT A DANCE HALL CINDERELLA AND HER PARK AVENUE PRINCE. ACTING OF PRINCIPALS, DIRECTION AND RECORDING EXCELLENT. Here is an independent production that towers above the average in point of substantial story, sustained interest and suspense, clear recording, fine performance by Vera Re\nolds and Jason Robards, and gener ally good direction at the hands o Scott Pembroke. The tale concern a lower East side dance hall hostess who pretends to be engaged to a rich Park Ave. vouth and actually wmds up by marrying the lad. Plenty of human interest and comedy are distributed along the route with the heroine's Irish mother, idle father and smarty kid sister provid ing a familiarly amusing domestic background. About the only disturbing note is an anti-climax in the form of a breach of promise suit frameup at a point where the happy ending is logically expected bv fih fans. Cast : X'era Reynolds, Jason Robards, George Chandler, Gertrude Short. Harry Todd, Lillian Leighton, Miami Alvarez, Linton Brent, James Hertz. Director, Scott Pembroke; Author, Jack Townley : Adaptor, Not listed ; Editor, Scott Himm; Cameraman, M. A. Andersen; Monitor Man, L. E. Tope. Direction, ;,rood. Photography, satisfactory. William, Haines in "The Girl Said No" M-G-M Time, 1 hr., 32 mins. A SURE WINNER FOR LAUGHS, WITH WILLIAM HAINES MORE COCKY THAN EVER. FINE CAST. TONIC FOR THE BOX OFFICE. William Haines plays his usual type of role in a comedy that has all the marks of a great box-office success. Not of late has a film providing such boisterous fun come to the screen. The picture might have been a still better piece of work had it been toned down a bit. Sometinies its noisy humor gets on one's nerves, while its pace is so feverish that one is left somewhat dizzy when it is all over. Haines would have gained in his performance through the exercise of a little more restraint in his acting. Though he is a riot in the part of a cocky chap who won't take "no" for an answer from the girl he loves, the actor is far more pleasant to watch and listen to in his less noisy moments. Much of the story is far-fetched. Leila Hyams is every bit as good as the star. Marie Dressier is a wow in a small part. Cast; William Haines. Leila Hyams. Polly Woran. Marie Dressier. Francis X. Bushman. Jr., Clara Blandick. William Janney. William V. Mong, Junior Coghlan, Phyllis Crane. Director, Sam Wood ; Author,, A. P. Younger; Adaptor, Sarah Y. Mason; Dialoguer. Charles MacArthur ; Editor, Frank Sullivan : Cameraman, Ira Morgan. Direction, crnnd. Photography, good. I Jack Mulhall, Alice Day in "In the Next Room" First National Time, 1 hr., 9 min. FAIRLY ENTERTAININ( MYSTERY COMEDY-DRAM, FROM STAGE PLAY OF SAM NAME. RATES AS ORDINAR PROGRAM FARE. With all the essential elemeffi that go for the making of mystei stories crammed into this talker, tl film however loses a good deal « punch because of a jumpy contin ity. Despite this handicap directc Eddie Cline has turned out a fair? good piece of entertainment with thi assistance of team work on the pai of the cast. Alice Day and Jacj Mulhall are convincing in the prir cipal roles. Robert O'Connor blundering detective agpears through out the story as comedy relief, an registers quite well. Dialogue i spots is poor. Plot revolves abou the mysterious mansion of an antiqu dealer and involves his daughter, newspaper reporter, boot-leggin! butler and a death dealing cabinet The story works up to a slight! different climax than usual, am should please mystery • fans. O. 1( for average house . Cast: Tack Mulhall. Alice Day, Robei O'Connor, John St. Polls, Claude Allistei Aggie Herring, DeWitt Jennings, Webst* Campbell, Lucien Prival. Jane Winton, Crai furd Kent, Edward Earle. Director, Eddie Cline ; Authors, Eleanr Robson Belmont, Harriet Ford ; Adaptc Harvev Gates : Dialoguer, James Starr : Ed tor. Not listed: Cameraman, Not listed Monitor Man, Not listed. Direction, good. Photography, go