The Film Daily (1930)

THE 10 'c&£! DAILY Sunday, October 26, 1930 "The Silver Horde" ivith Evelyn Brent, Louis Wolheim Radio Time, 1 hr., 16 mins. POPULAR NOVEL RATES FAIR SCREEN ENTERTAINMENT WITH FINE CAST AND SOME STIRRING ACTION. The adaptation of the well known Rex Beach novel has been well handled and brought up to date. Louis Wolheim and Evelyn Brent give sterling performances, and the cast throughout is well picked. The story concerns a fight for the control of the salmon run in Alaska, with the villain trying to stop his rival from landing the catch. There is a wow of a rough and tumble fight between Ivan Linow and the hero, and several other scraps to pep up the proceedings. The love interest gets rather wobbly toward the close, with the audience wondering who the hero really is in love with. But the fine trouping of Evelyn Brent makes it sound more convincing than it really is. However, it has the popular elements, and should go over well with the average audience. Cast: Evelyn Brent, Louis Wolheim, Joel McCrea, Raymond Hatton, Jean Arthur, Gavin Gordon, Blanche Sweet. Purnell Pratt, William Davidson, Ivan Linow. Director, George Archainbaud ; Author, Rex Beach ; Adaptor, Wallace Smith ; Dialogues the same ; Editor, Otto Ludwig ; Cameraman, Leo Tovar; Recording Engineer, Clem Portman. Direction, snappy. Photography, good. Ann Harding in "Girl of the Golden West" First National Time, 1 hr., 20 mins. OLD STAGE PLAY OUTDATED AND ANN HARDING MISCAST. THEATRICAL SITUATIONS TOO ARTIFICIAL TO SCORE EFFECTIVELY. They took the old Belasco play and screened it with all the theatrical technique of the original stage play, and it sounds about fifteen years behind the times — and it is. Ann Harding as the proprietress of a saloon in a tough mining town of the '50's is totally miscast. She is still Ann Harding, and gives a finished performance, which makes the miscasting all the more noticeable. The old characters of the stage play rant and speak their high falutin' lines, and at times it becomes laughable in the wrong places to a sophisticated audience. Any modern western can top it for real entertainment and thrills. James Rennie as the Mexican bandit is a fine American type, and he also is sadly miscast. A fine actor, but not for this production. Harry Bannister is good as the sheriff. It lacks the modern touch for the younger generation who never saw the stage play. Cast: Ann Harding, James Rennie, Harry Bannister, Ben Hendricks, Jr., J. Farrell MacDonald, George Cooper, Johnny Walker, Richard Carlyle, Arthur Stone, Arthur Houseman, Norman McNeil, Fred Warren, Joe Girard, Newton House, Princess Noola, Chief Yowlache. Director, John Francis Dillon; Author, David Belasco ; Adaptor, Waldemar Young ; Dialoguer, the same ; Cameraman, not listed. Direction, handicapped by material. Photography, okay. "The Virtuous Sin" Paramount Time, 1 hr., 20 mins. TRITE STORY MATERIAL AND DIALOGUE PUT THIS RUSSIAN DRAMA IN WEAKLING CLASS. SLOW AND OBVIOUS STUFF. Based on a story, "The General," by Lajos Zilahy. Paramount must have dug deep into the files to dust this yarn off. Its the moth-bitten one about the lady who sets out to give all, including her honor, in order to save her husband from execution. Her objective is a war-steeled general who falls for her pronto — and she for him. He releases the husband just before his shooting engagement but sours on the wife for her trick. Hubby, when free, endeavors to kill the general but no such luck. Eventually he takes a sensible view on the situation and agrees to let his wife divorce him. Then there's the happy ending. An intelligent treatment might have helped matters but it wasn't provided. The players struggle the story as best they can but the results remain beyond the realm of real entertainment. The production has been mounted in excellent fashion. Cast: Walter Huston, Kay Francis, Kenneth MacKenna, Paul Cavanagh, Eric Kalkhurst, Oscar Apfel, Gordon McLeod, Victor Potel, Youcca Troubetskoy. Directors, George Cukor and Louis Gasnier ; Author, Lajos Zilahy ; Adaptors, Martin Brown, Louise Long; Editor, Opho Lovering ; Cameraman, David Abel. Direction, weak. Photography, good. D "The Cat Creeps" Universal Time, 1 hr., 11 mint. EXCELLENT TALKER VERSION OF FORMER STAGE AND SILENT MYSTERY HIT. GOOD NAME CAST GIVES IT ADDED DRAWING POWER. Based on "The Cat and the Cai ary," one of the first and most poj ular mystery creepers. The talker version has been given excellent treatment in all respects, with an allaround fine cast containing some names that ought to help the draw. Helen Twelvetrees brings an appealing and attractive touch to the role of the "canary" whom a cousin wants to drive crazy so he can inherit the fortune left by an accentric uncle. Raymond Hackett provides the love interest opposite her. Neil Hamilton is cast as the villainous cousin, while Lilyan Tashman and Elizabeth Patterson are the two feminine relatives who provide occasional wisecracks. Lawrence Grant as the lawyer, Jean Hersholt as the doctor, Montagu Love as another accomplice, Blanche Friderici as the West Indian housekeeper, and Theodore von Eltz as the other male relative, all give efficient performances. Rupert Julian's direction is intelligent and effective. , Cast: Helen Twelvetrees, Raymond Hack! ett, Neil Hamilton, Lilyan Tashman, Jear Hersholt, Montagu Love, Lawrence G^ant Theodore Von Eltz, Blanche Friderici, Eliza \ beth Patterson. Director, Rupert Julian ; Author, Join Willard ; Adaptor, Gladys Lehman; Dialog uers, Gladys Lehman, William Hurlburt Editor, Maurice Pizar ; Cameraman, Jerr> Ash ; Recording Engineer, C. Roy Hunter) Direction, Keen. Photography, Good. "Today" with Conrad Nagel, Catherine Dale Owen Majestic Time, 1 hr., 20 mins'. MODERN AND SOPHISTICATED STORY EXPERTLY DIRECTED WITH CONRAD NAGEL GIVING FINE PEFORMANCE. FINE, CLASSY ENTERTAINMENT. Here is a production from an independent that can hold its own easily with the general run of current product from the big factories. It has direction, acting, story punch and fine sets. Adapted from the stage play of the same title, it is a strictly modern story of the recent Wall St. crash, and what happens to the wife of one man when she is forced to face poverty. Conrad Nagel gives about the best performance of his career. He has a meaty part, and he sank his teeth in it and delivered the goods. It has been expertly directed by William Nigh, who builds the drama tensely and quietly to a terrific final wallop. He has handled a delicate theme beautifully so that no one can take offense. The wife is lured by another woman into trading her charms for the luxuries her husband cannot afford since the crash. A picture for intelligent audiences, but not family trade. Cast: Conrad Nagel, Catherine Dale Owen, Sarah Padden, John Maurice Sullivan. Judith Vosselli, Julia Swayne Gordon, William Bailey, Edna Marion, R. Thornby, D. Demareat. Director, William Nigh ; Authors, Abraham Schomer, George Broadhurst ; Dialoguers, thff same; Adaptor, Seton 1. Miller; Editor, nol listed; Cameraman, Jimmie Howe, Direction, expert. Photography, excellent. Hoot Gibson in "The Concentratin' Kid" Universal Time, 57 mins. GOOD VEHICLE FOR THE WESTERN STAR. PLENTY OF COMEDY MIXED WITH FAST ACTION. SHOULD PLEASE. A story that was written to order for Hoot Gibson, giving him plenty of opportunity to do the things his fans like. There is a generous sprinkling of comedy with the villainy being soft pedaled. Departing from the usual western formula, a troupe of girls in a touring company is introduced, forming the background of the story. Hoot has fallen in love with the voice of a radio singer, and makes a bet with one of the cowboys that he will marry her. She comes to town with the troupe, and Hoot meets her without knowing she is the girl of his dreams. The action comes with the efforts of a cattlerustling crowd to make a cleanup while everybody is at the show. Hoot stages a one-man campaign and outwits the marauders, and, of course, wins the girl. Pepped up with sufficient action and comedy to please the fans. Cast: Hoot Gibson, Katlirvn Crawford, Duke R. Lee, James Mason, Robert E. Homans. Director, Arthur Rosson; Authors, Harold Tarshis, Charles Saxton ; Dialoguer, Harold Tarshis; Adaptor, the same; Cameraman, Harry Neuman. Direction, satisfactory. Photography, clear. "Murder" British International Pictures Time, 1 hr., 32 mins. ^EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD mystery"t H RI L LE R HANDLED NICELY THROUGHOUT. WELL ACTED AND DIRECTED. This B.I. P. film, taken from the mystery story, "Enter, Sir John," by Clemence Dane, has been carefully handled from the adaptation by Alma Reville straight through to the final technical steps of presenting a first-class picture. It is an unusually clever and plausible mystery story approached from a new angle Murder is committed in an English roadshow company. An obviously innocent girl is convicted because she cannot remember what happened at the moment of the murder, which took place in her room. One of the jurors is convinced of her innocence, but lacks the supporting evidence to hold out against the rest. After the sentence is passed he investigate^ and brings out a wow of suprise finish. The picture should be a wonder in any house and, in this case, it is a pleasure to give our British confreres a hand. Cast: Herbert Marshall. Norah Baring, Phyllis Kenstam, Edward Chapman, Miles Mander, Esme Percy. Donald Calthrop, Esme v. Chaplin, Amy Brandon Thomas. Tovnson Powell. Marie Wright, S. J. Warmin'gton, Hannah Jones. Director, Alfred Hitchcock; Author, Clemence Danes ; Adaptor, Alma Reville ; Editor, Emile Iuelle; Cameraman. J. J. Cox; Recording Engineer, Cecil B. Thornton. Direction, Excellent. Photography, Good "War Nurse" M-G-M Time, 1 hr., 20 minsl DIRT AND HORRORS MIXEI INTO NIGHTMARE VERSION OF WAR. ULTRA-SOPHISTI CATED, SMUTTY AND GENER ALLY DISGUSTING MELODRAMA. This sort of stuff may go on Broad way but as picture material it's outdefinitely. It's the type of talker tha will not only keep the kiddies ail home but also the adults. The dia logue needs fumigating at time; Weak stomachs will do acrobatics a some of the hospital scenes. Th action of whatever story the pictur provides is almost exclusively mot vated by sex. War nurses who hap pen to see this opera of sin and suj gestiveness are likely to have an in pulse to assault the exhib who plaj it. It's no ballyhoo for their hone and conduct during the war, a though it does portray them as gei erally courageous. To repeat a li1 tie, the story is microscopic, principally concerns two nurses wr: get the wrong impression that a pai I of soldiers are interested in the ' purely from a standpoint of lov One gets bumped off and the othi sterlizes his interest into conventioi al love. Cast superior to roles. Cast: Robert Montgomery, Robert Ami Tune Walker, Anita Page. Zasu Pitts, Mai Prevost. Helen Jerome Eddy, Hedda Hoi per, Edward Nugent, Martha Sleeper ai Michael Vavitch. Director, Edgar Selwyn ; Author, Anonf' mous ; Adaptor, Becky Gardiner ; Dialoguer Becky Gardiner and Joe Farnham ; Editc William Levanway; Cameraman, Chart Roscher. Direction, not motion picture. Photograpr good.