The Film Daily (1930)

THE 10 <^£ DAILY Sunday, August 24, IS . "Hell's Angels" I 'nit< id A rtists Time, 2 lux., 15 mins. MIGHTY SPECTACLE OF AERIAL SIDE OF WAR, AFFORDS TREMENDOUS BOXOFFICE ENTERTAINMENT. Superlatives which are ordinarily extravagant may be justly used in describing this picture, particularly the sequences made in the air. It has tremendous production with a cast which is splendid throughout. ; The love theme, which ends early in the story, is not missed because the events transpiring are so awe-inspiring that they minimize a conventional treatment of the subject. Plot concerns two brothers, one idealistic and strong, the other a weakling, who enlist in the Royal Flying Corps. The older is excellently played by James Hall. Ben Lyon, doing the weaker brother, is superb. Jean Harlow, as a fickle lady, has plenty of s. a. and looks. Cast: Hen Lyon, James Hall, Jean Harlpw, John Darrow, Lucien Prival, Frank Clarke, Roy Wilson, Douglas Gilmere, Jane Winton, Evelyn Hall, William Ii. Davidson, Wyndham Standing, Carl Von Haartman, K Schumannlleink, Stephen Carr, Pat Somerset, William Von Brinken, Hans Joby, Lena Malena, Lawford Davidson, Joan Standing. Director, Howard Hughes; Authors, Marshall Xeilan and Joseph Moncure March ; Adaptors, Howard Estabrook and Harry Helm; Dialoguer, Joseph Moncure March; Dialogue Director, James Whale ; Chief of Aeronautics, J. B. Alexander ; Editors. Frank Lawrence. Douglas Biggs. Perry Hollingsworth ; Cameramen. Gaetano Gaudio and Hairy Perry; Monitor Man, Lodge Cunningham. Direction, splendid. Photography, an achievement. "Ladies Must Play" Columbia Time, 1 hr., 10 mins. PLEASING MELODRAMA AIDED PRINCIPALLY BY THE GOOD ACTING OF THE PRINCIPALS AND WELL HANDLED DIRECTION. Dorothy Sebastian is the chief attraction in this number and she performs her work very well. Neil Hamilton, as a stock broker who turns marriage broker, puts over a neat performance. Natalie Moorhead is seen to advantage as a hostess and popular society woman. In the story, the heroine is fed up with working for a living and is taken under the management of her boss and broken intqf Newport society to marry some vfeAlthy man. Hamilton, failing in his Mtock brokerage business, agrees to 10 per cent commission if he lands her. He tries, in an amusing manner, to get a good looker with about 30 million interested in her. Hut an adventurer with only alt' ait one million rescues her as she is about to drown and thev fall in love. On the eve of her marriage Dorothy confesses that she loves her broker instead. Cast: Dorothy Senas ian. Neil Hamilton, Yatalie Moorhead John Holland. Harry Stubbs. Shirley Palmer, Pauline Ness. Director, Raymond Cannon; Author, Paul Adaptor, Dorpthj Unwell: Dialoguer, Foe Swelling: Editor, Gene Milf ord J Cameraman. Joseph Walker ; Monitor Man, EdHirnds. Direction, line. Photography, fair. Gt orge A rlias in "Old English" Warner Unix. Time, 1 hr., 30 mins. STAR MAGNIFICENT IN A FINELY-DRAWN CHARACTER STUDY BASED ON BROADWAY STAGE HIT. FOR SOPHISTICATED AUDIENCES. Based on play by John Galsworthy. Alfred E. Green again comes through with a painstaking piece of direction. The story is more stage in character than screen. It deals with an old shipping company official who finds himself in a tight financial fix. He staves off his creditors crying for his bankruptcy and makes provisions for his grandchildren through a somewhat unethical deal, brfth sequences affording Arliss acting opportunities which he accepts completely. Finally, upon the verge of an expose of his last shady deal, the old gentleman, drinks himself into a peaceful death. In the background of the picture there runs an indistinct love story involving the attractive Betty Lawford, the granddaughter The English dialogue is frequently difficult to follow. An unbilled girl playing an Irish servant displays personality in a bit. Cast: George Arliss, Leon Janney, Doris Lloyd. Betty Lawf ird, Ivan Simpson Harrington Reynolds, Reginald Sheffield, Murray Kennell, Ethel Griffies and Henrietta Goodwin. Director, Alfred E. Green; Author, John Galsworthy; Adaptors, Walter Anthony and Maude Howell; Editor, ()7n"TTarks; Cameraman, James Van Trees, Direction, sympathetic. Photography, okay. "On Your Back" with Irene Rieh Fox Time, 1 hr., 12 mins. GOOD MELODRAMATIC FARE THAT SHOULD APPEAL TO ALL AUDIENCES. IRENE RICH OUTSTANDING. SUPPORTING CAST ALSO FINE. Principally because of Irene Rich's characterization, this story rates as good entertainment for all audiences. In the neighborhood houses and outlying districts it will go over strongest due to the sympathetic angle of the mother plugging through her years to make life's pathway an easier one for her son. Raymond Hackett is capital as the offspring. With H. B. Warner, Marion Schilling and Ilka Phase an able supporting cast is rounded out. The story concerns a yflressmaker who works hard and rises from a gloomy store on the East Side to Fifth Avenue, all for the sake of her son. Each move she makes is determined by a cut of the cards, but her last one isn't. That is her consent for her son to marry an innocent chorine. It is a meaty subject for the working class type of audience. Has many good exploitation possibilities with the gown shop angle. Cast: Irene Rich, H. B. Warner, Marion Schilling, Raymond Hackett, Ilka Chase, Charlotte Henry, Wheeler Oakman Rose Dione, Arthur Hoyt. Director, Guthrie McClintic ; Author, Rita Weiman ; Adaptor, Howard J. Green; Dialoguer, Howard J. Green ; Editor, Frank Hull; Cameraman, Joseph August; Monitor Man, Alfred L, Von Kirbach. Direction, good. Photography, fine. "The Storm" with Lupe Veler: Universal Tune, 1 hr., 20 mi1 NEW VERSION OF SILEh SUCCESS STILL GOOD E TERTAINMENT. LUPE VELI1 DOES NICE WORK WIT FINE CAST. DIRECTION EFFICIENT. Sound effects and talking s quences has added greatly to tj new version of the stage play ' Langdon McCormick. Instead a raging, wind-swept fire as in t! silent issue, an avalanche is subs tuted to good effect. Lupe Vek broken accent fits in nicely in tl French Canadian setting. Scenes riding the rapids in/ a canoe, tl avalanche and e^te/ors in gener add color and su.vense to the pi ture. Lupe sings one song. ] evading the mounted police f( smuggling, Lupe's father dies of shot and leaves her with two frienc in a cabin in the wilds. William Bo> falls for her. Paul Cavanagh als wants her. When the snowston comes up, Boyd almost kills h| friend who has gone into Lupej room against his orders. Later he I saved from an avalanche by Cav anagh, who resigns to leave tb, lovers to themselves. A fine ca; does very good work. William W\ ler's direction is capital. Cast: Lupe Velez, William Boyd, Pa Cavanagh Alphonz Kthier, Krnie S. Adam Director, William Wyler ; Author, Langdt McCormick ; Adaptor, Charles Logue ; Di loguer, Wells Root; "Cameraman, Alvi Wyckoff. Direction, fine. Photography, very gooi "What Men Want" Universal Time, 1 hr., 5 mins. FAIR DRAMA BASED ON THE USUAL TRIANGLE. GOOD NAMES IN CAST WILL HELP, BUT ACTING AND DIRECTION ARE UNDISTINGUISHED. The title is the main thing in favor of this melodrama and it should be stressed, together with the cast names, in selling it to the public. Pauline Starke is somewhat miscast and has a tough time trying to put over a part that is not very well suited to her. Barbara Kent and Ben Lyon do not\nrake their performances stand ouV The direction likewise lacks distinction. Plot concerns the familiar framework of two girls and a man. Leading a carefree life, Pauline Starke falls in love with Ben Lyon and leaves the man who has been paying her bills. Everything is hunky dory until her younger sister comes home from college and the eternal triangle takes form. Pauline loses out lo Barbara Kent in the end and takes the rap like a major, returning to her bill payer after a hard-fought battle for Lyon. Cast: Pauline Starke, Ben Lyon, Barbara Kent, Hallam Cooley, Robert Ellis, Carmelita Geraght j Director, Ernst l.acmmle; Author, Warner Fabian; Adapters. Dorothy Yost Jack Clymei : Dialoguers, Dorothy Yost, Jack Clymer; Cameraman, Roy Overbaugh. Direction, ordinary. Photography, fair. "The Matrimonial Bed" Warner Bros. Time, 1 hr., 38 mins. SMART FRENCH COMEDY THAT SHOULD CLICK. THEME PRESENTS LOTS OF LAUGHS AND ABLE CAST PUTS IT OVER. An abundance of laughs and a touch of pathos in this one for those who like variety in their film menu. Acting of the principals is largely responsible for putting over the theme. The players come through in fine fashion. Having lost his memory in a train wreck, Frank Fay is posing as a hairdresser, and when he visits his former wife's home, he is recognized. A doctor friend brings him to and he forgets what has taktfh place in the last five years. Hi's former wife has remarried, aiidl^o has Frank. In his original state of mind the things that happen are seemingly funny until the raging husband of his former spouse tells him the truth. Learning that the doctor cannot bring him back to his recent past, they fake the procedure and Fay goes through the ordeal so that Beryl Mercer may be happy. The whole story takes place within three hours. Cast: Frank Fay, Lilyan Tashman, James Gleason, Beryl Mercer, Florence Eldridge, Vivien Oakland Arthur Edmund Carew, Marion Byron. Director, Michael Curtiz ; Authors, Yves Mirande. Andre Mouezy-Eon; Adaptors, Seymour Hicks. Harvey Thew ; Dialoguer, Harvey Thew ; Cameraman, Dev Jennings. Direction, good. Photography, good. Greta Garbo in "Romance" M-G-M Time, 1 hr., 16 mini, A GARBO SMASH HIT BASEI ON A POWERFUL LOVI STORY. STAR TREMENDOUS IN PRODUCTION WHICH WILL PACK 'EM IN. Based on the Broadway succes of some years back in which Dori Keene starred. It reveals a new Garbo — a Garbo in which sentimen and beauty predominates over se> allurements. Her performance iwholly sympathetic and real. Playing an Italian opera star, her dia logue at times early in the story isomewhat difficult to understand but it steadily improves. As a lady with a colorful past she falls in love with a young New York clergyman back in the years of gas lit streets and buggies. When she discloses her previous years, he breaks with her but finally returns with a desire to marry her. Realizing that such a marriage would be impossible, she refuses. The story is told by the clergyman when an old man, the cut-back system being used. As an old friend of the star, Lewis Stone gives a performance which is exceptional. Gavin Gordon does well as the minister. Cast: Greta Garbo, Lewis Stone, Gavin Gordon Elliott Nugent, Florence Lake, Clara Blandick, Henry Armetta, Mathilde Comont and Countess de Liguoro. Director, Clarence Brown ; Author, Edward Sheldon; Adaptors, Bess Meredyth, Edwin lustus Mayer; Dialoguers, Bess Meredyth, Edwin Justus Mayer; Editor, Hugh Wynn: Cameraman, William Daniels; Monitor Man, Douglas Shearer. Direction great. Photography, A-l.