The Film Daily (1930)

Sunday, October 19, 1930 DAILY "Just Like Heaven" Tiffany Time, 1 hr., 10 mins. NICE PROGRAM NUMBER FOR FAMILY TRADE WITH PARISIAN STREET ATMOSPHERE AND FINE WORK BY ANITA LOUISE, WHO HAS THE STUFF. This is a quiet little offering that has nothing spectacular, but gets over a lot of human interest angles, and with a sweet and pleasing love story. It concerns Tobey, a Parisian street vendor with ambitions to save his money and run a pageant He meets Mimi, a little waif with a dog circus, and falls in love. Then comes the death of her granddad, and the hero takes her under his protection. There are many scenes that are suggestive of "Seventh Heaven" in treatment and atmosphere, but the director might have done better if he had developed his story along original lines, for it has the elements that appeal to the pop crowds. Could be tightened up by judicious trimming. But at that it is an entertaining number, with Anita Louise looking like a real find, for she has the looks and can act, sing and dance in a very creditable manner. Cast: Anita Louise. David Newell. Yola D'Avril. Gaston Glass, Thomas Jefferson, Mathilde Comont, Albert Roccardi, Torben Meyer, Emil Chautard. Director. R. William Neill ; Author, Adele Burlington; Adaptor, the same; Editor, Charles Hunt ; Cameraman, Max Dupont." Direction, fair. Photography, good. "Brothers" Columbia Time, 1 hr., 18 mins. SURE-FIRE ENTERTAINMENT WITH ACTION, THRILLS, COMEDY, SENTIMENT AND SPLENDID TREATMENT. Bert Lytell, supported by Dorothy Sebastian, William Morris and capable troupe of first-rate actors, does a fine piece of work in the talker version of his dual-role stage success. The picture has been admirably handled in every respect and Director Walter Lang deserves a hand. The story revolves around twin brothers who have been orphaned and subsequently adopted into two different homes. One goes to a wealthy home and becomes a dissolute lawyer. The other becomes a heart-of-gold songster in a speakeasy. Their trails cross on some of the lawyer's dirty work. Latter gets in a jam and his brother is slated to take the rap. The lawyer defends him, breaks under the strain, the adopted father finds out about the boys, and there is a wow of a surprise finish. Cast: Bert Lytell, Dorothy Sebastian, Win, Morris, Richard Tucker, Maurice Black, Frank McCormack. Claire McDowell, How ard Hickman , Francis MacDonald, Rita Carlyle, Jessie Arnold. Director, Walter Lang ; Author. Herbert \shton, Jr. ; Dialoguers, Sidney Lazarus Stuart Walker; Scenarists, J. T. Neville. C R. Condon ; Editor, Gene Havlock ; Cameraman, Ira Morgan ; Recorder, Russell Malm gren. Direction, splendid. Photography, splendid © Presentations © By JACK HARROW BR "Billy the Kid" M-G-M Time, 1 hr., 30 mins. COLORFUL AND ABSORBING WESTERN BUILT TO PLEASE BOTH ADULTS AND YOUNGSTERS. EFFECTIVELY INTRODUCES "REALIFE", WIDE SCREEN PROCESS. Wide screen pictures are advantageously shown in this drama which provides beautiful scenic shots. The one flaw in the photographic end of the picture is a night sequence which was so dark when this reviewer caught the show that the audience whistled and hissed, thinking something had gone wrong in the projection booth. A friend of Billy is bumped off by a law-breaking sheriff and his gang and the desperado sets out to avenge him by gunning them all. Much gun-play enters into the story, which is nothing particularly new but is garnished with excellent story and directional touches. Billy is eventually trapped, escapes, kills the final member of the gang and makes his getaway, with his sweetheart following. Beery gives a swell performance which makes him high acting man. Although he doesn't look like a killer Brown does a good job with his part. Rest of cast fine. Cast: John Mack Brown, Wallace Beery, Kay Johnson, Karl Dane. Wyndham Standing, Russell Simpson, Blanche Frederici. Roscpe Ates, Warner P. Richmond, James Marcus, NcUon McDowell, Jack Carlyle, John Be.ck, Margucrita Padula. Aggie Herring. Director, King Vidor ; Author, Walter Noble Burns; Adaptor, Wanda Tuchock ; Dialoguer, f Laurence Stalling* ; Editor, Hugh Wynn;; Cameraman, Gordon Avil ; Sound Recorder, Douglas Shearer. Direction, splendid. Photography, geneally good. "Soil" (Silent) Amkino Time, 1 hr, 2 mins. DULL SOVIET PROPAGANDA PICTURE WITH GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY AS ITS ONLY REDEEMING QUALITY. IS LIKELY TO STIR OPPOSITION WITH ITS SPRINKLING OF SACRILEGE. The one thing that can be said in favor of this film is that it is excellently photographed. There is no pretense to a plot of any sort. It portrays the always one-sided argument of class struggle from the Soviet angle and has as its big punch the arrival of a modern tractor in an agricultural village. A commisar is killed due to the jealousy of a landowner who, because he owns land, is regarded as quite an evil character. The Commisar is then buried in the 'modern' manner and this is used as an opportunity to direct a flock of jibes and lampoons at religion and God in such a manner as to that it is sure to be looked upon as grossly sacriligious and consequently offensive to the big rank and file of moving picture theater fans. Cast. S. Svashenko. Director, Alexander Dovzhcnko ; Author and Adaptor, the same; Cameraman, Danil Demutzki ; Titler, Shelly Hamilton. Direction, bad. Photography, excellent. PRODUCTION OVERTURE GETS ROXY APPLAUSE Highlighting the stage portion of the Roxy entertainment this week is a production overture labeled "Americana," arranged by Maurice Baron. Expressive of the development of America the music is accompanied by appropriate bits on the stage. An Indian dance, with a warrior prancing around on a huge drum in the orchestra pit, and braves doing their stuff on the big platform proper, opens the presentation, which winds up with a sort of ballet mechanique, descriptive of the mechanical age. Wilma Miller, Louis Scheerer, Harry Losee, Anne Fleming:. Grace Eastman, the Roxy Ballet Corps and Roxy Chorus stage the show along with Market's Roxyettes. "A Music Box," in which Patricia Bowman, Leonard Massine and Nicholas Daks appear, is an artistic dance number with the performers representing decorations on the box. A pretentious offering is "The Glow Worm," through which the familiar piece is played and the ballet works. An unusual effect is produced by miniature lights in the ballet skirts. The cast comprises: Helen Sada, John Gurnev, the Roxy Ballet and Chorus. In "The Sewing Kit," the players appear from a sewing box and represent various impliments. 29 Theaters in Ohio Return to Operation (Continued from pane 1) dusky, Ohio; Youngstown, Cameo, Victory. Of the other houses closed the past summer, the following 14 have been dismantled: Akron, Arcade, Victor; Bellaire, Olympic; Celina, Fayette; Cleveland, Boulevard, Lakewood, New Empress: Hamler, Allen; Marion, Oakland; Ravenna, Strand: South Amherst. Auditorium; Spenrprv'lle. Princess: Toledo, New Elk; Youngstown, McGuffey. Not exhibiting pictures any longer are the Grand Opera House and Lvceum, Canton: Rialto, Elvria: Odessa, Malvern; Opera House, Sandusky. The majority of the houses which have remained closed are the small theaters in the rural districts. These theaters, which had been drawing patronage from their immediate vicinity, have not been able to compete with the larger, up-to-date sound houses in the larger centers. Sound pictures have created critical audiences, and the business gravitates to the houses which offer the best pictures and the best sound reproduction. NANCY CARROLL, VALLEE STAND 'EN AT PARANOUI At the last moment thev adc Rudy Vallee to the stage bill at I Paramount, featuring Nancy Cam and the result was that they w< standing 'em up in the lobby hours. Boris Petroff designed I show, called "Putt, Putt," just give an excuse for the setting ol minnie golf course, which does mean a thing. Frankie Jenks, if are not mixed up in the names the program that doesn't g you any information, is the w comedian. However, he was goi regardless of his name. He has good line of patter with a girl, a then goes into a funny rope act tl had 'em roaring. Rudy was thi with his band doing his warbling, a acting as m. c. to introduce Nar Carroll with a good stunt. Nar is seen on the screen in her dressi room, and she talks to Rudy on I stage. He reminds her that she 1 an appointment at the theater, a she says she'll rush right over fr< the studio in Hollywood. She bre. in breathless through a dummy pai screen. Good entry, and no\ Nancy stole the show, singing 1 "My Sweeter Than Sweet" numb She also led the orchestra with so: good comedy gags, and wowed '< with an imitation .pf Vallee. A pep show, that will line them up all we Specializing in Acoustics Kendell and Dasseville, New Y( engineering firm, is specializing acoustical service. The compa does not handle any sales, but ai lyzes conditions in imperfect th ters and makes the necessary c rections to equipment already stalled. Ticket Company Changes Nam Keller-Ansell Ticket Co. is < new name of the reorganized Wo Ticket & Supply Co., with he; quarters at 723 Seventh Ave., N York. AMALGAMATED VAUDEVILLE AGENCY Attractions for Picture Theatres Standard Vaudeville Acts 1600 Broadway. New York City Phone Perm. 3S80