The Film Daily (1930)

10 1 Ina Claire and Fredric March in "The Royal Family of Broadway" with Mary Brian and Henrietta Crosman Paramount Time, 1 hr., 8 mins. SPARKLING COMEDY WITH A KNOCKOUT AMUSING PERFORMANCE BY FREDRIC MARCH. EXPERTLY HANDLED IN ALL DEPARTMENTS. This talker version of the stage hit, in which Broadway's leading stage family is travestied for a fare-thewell, is about as choice a piece of amusing entertainment as the screen, or the stage, has to offer. With Fredric March looking almost more like John Barrymore than Barrymore himself and mimicking that star's supposed characteristics for a flock of robust laughs, the action of the story gallops at a gay clip. Dashing and audacious mockery, clever lines and a story that is dramatically human despite its bombastic make-believe, combine to make the production consistently fascinating as well as richly humorous. Fine performances are given by Henrietta Crosman, Ina Claire and Mary Brian. Cast: Ina Claire, Fredric March, Mary Brian, Henrietta Crosman, Charles Starrett, Arnold Korff, Frank Conroy, Royal C. Stout, Elsie Emond, Murray Alper, Wesley Stark, Hershel Mayall. Directors, George Cukor, Cyril Gardner ; Authors, Edna Ferber, George S. Kaufman ; Adaptors, Herman Mankiewicz, Gertrude Purcell ; Dialoguer, not listed ; Editor, Edward Dmytryk ; Cameraman, George Folsey ; Recording Engineer, C. A. Tuthill. Direction, Smart. Photography, Excellent. DAILY Sunday, December 28, 1930 "Charley's Aunt" with Charles Rugglrs, June Collyer Columbia Time, 1 hr., 32 mins. HILARIOUS TALKER VERSION OF FAMOUS STAGE AND SCREEN VEHICLE. CHARLIE RUGGLES A RIOT, AND AL CHRISTIE'S DIRECTION A BIG ASSET. In its talker form this grand old veteran of the stage, also done silently by Syd Chaplin, emerges as a continuously amusing and lively farce comedy. For those who have never seen it in any version, it should prove a veritable scream. Charlie Ruggles, in the role of the supposed aunt who is inducted into service as chaperone for his two college chums and their sweeties, handles the pivotal role in grand style, getting loads of comedy out of the complications that ensue. The story itself is a foolproof sure-fire affair, constructed solely for broad entertainment purposes and so designed that it hits the spot wi'.h all classes. On top of this it has been given an a'1-around fine supporting cast. Direction by Al Christie, who produced the picture for Columbia, is snappy and punctuated with plenty of added comedy values. Cast : Charlie Ruggles, June Collyer. Hugh Williams. Doris Lloyd, Halliwell Hobbes, Flora LeBreton, Rodney McLennan, Flora Sheffield. Phillips Smalley, Wilson Benge. Director, Al Christie ; Author, Brandon Thomas ; Adaptor, F. McGrew Willis ; Dialoguer, A. Leslie Pearce ; Editor, not credited ; Cameramen, G. Peterson, Harry Zech. L. Rowson ; Recording Engineer, R. S. Clayton. Direction, lively. Photography, ' fine. Marilyn Miller in "Sunny" First National Time, 1 hr., 17 mins. GOOD MUSICAL COMEDY WITH AN INTERESTING STORY AND GOOD CAST. This Ziegfeld stage success, sans show girls, is very well adapted to the screen. Marilyn Miller's tuneful voice and twinkling toes are much in evidence along with some genuinely good comedy by Joe Donahue. Miss Miller as Sunny, an English circus performer who has ministered to "the boys" during the war, accidently becomes a stowaway on a sh'p bound for America. Also on board is Lawrence Gray, the man with whom she is in love but who loves another. Joe Donahue, one of the boys, is also a passenger. Without a passport, Sunny realizes she cannot land in the U. S. so she marries Joe for convenience and later disposes of him, to find that all is well between Lawrence and herself. Cast: Marilyn Miller, Lawrence Gray, Joe Donahue, O. P. Heggie, Inez Courtney, Barbara Bedford, Judith Vosselli, Mackenzie Ward, Clyde Cook. Director, William A. Seiter ; Authors, Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern j Adaptors, Humphrey Pearson, Henry McCarthy ; Dialoguer, Humphrey Pearson ; Editor, LeRoy Stone ; Cameraman, Ernest Haller. Direction, Excellent. Photography, Fine. "Under Suspicion" with Lois Moran, J. Harold Murray, J. M. Kerrigan Fox Time, 1 hr., 6 mins. WEAK STORY OF NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE WITH SONG NUMBERS THAT DON'T BELONG. SCENIC BEAUTY IS ITS ONLY HIGHLIGHT. In addition to its superficial story, which is so makeshift and simple that it carries little drama or suspense, this production has been augmented with some vocal numbers which are uncalled for and thereby add to the general weakness. It's a Northwest Mounted Police yarn, with J. Harold Murray as the oppressed hero and Lois Moran as the heroine. Exceptionally fine scenic background is about the only real merit of the picture, although an airplane rescue, in which Murray saves his sweetheart's father from a forest fire, carries a fair punch. Outside of that, the action is largely obvious, dealing with the efforts of villains to harm the hero, who is supposed to have a war record that isn't so good on account of shielding a young brother. But with the aid of the heroine everything is made to come out all right. Cast: Lois Moran, J. Harold Murray, J. M. Kerrigan. Erwin Connelly, Lumsden Hare, George Brent, Marie Saxon, Rhoda Cross, Herbert Bunston, Vera Gerald. Director, A. F. Erickson ; Author, Tom Barry ; Adaptor, same ; Dialoguer, same ; Editor, J. Edwin Robbins ; Cameraman, George Schneiderman ; Recording Engineer, Al Protzman. Direction, fair. Photography, excellent. "Land of Midnight Sun" (Silent) Norwegian American Line Time, 1 hr., 5 mins. INTERESTING TRAVEL PICTURE THROUGH THE SCENIC SPLENDORS OF NORWAY. FOR SPECIAL AUDIENCES. A very interesting trip by motor car is conducted through Norway, and it will please all travel-lovers, but hardly rates as popular entertainment. The trip starts at the capital, Oslo, and proceeds northward to the glacier country, showing some marvelous scenic views of the fjords, snow-capped mountain peaks and the waterfalls. As views of Norway are seldom shown, this one will prove very instructive by dislosing Norway as a highly developed country with modern roads winding through the most difficult mountain country, modern villages and cities, all contrasted with the ancient landmarks. The views of the old villages are especially interesting, presenting houses and churches that have stood for hundreds of years in a remarkable state of preservation. Historical interest is added with shots of ancient battlefields almost 1,000 years old. Visits are made to the homes of such celebrities as Ibsen, Nansen, Grieg and many others. The print is pretty spotty on this showing caught, but the photography from a scenic standpoint is fine. The titles are very complete and descriptive, and the film is free from advertising. "The Love Kiss" Celebrity Pictures Time, 1 hr., 11 mins. NICE LITTLE PROGRAMMER OF A COLLEGE ROMANCE THAT WILL PLEASE THE FLAPPERS WITH ITS LOVE INTEREST AND COMEDY. As college stories go, this one will hold up with a story that gets away from the usual sappy college stuff, and presents a real love story told very interestingly, and with some good human interest bits. It also carries a good proportion of comedy. Olive Shea as the girl is a good-looker, and with more experience should go far. She has a personality and real charm. The story involves the dispute between two girls in the boarding school over a handsome professor, who pays little attention to either of them. They make him the subject of a bet as to which one will get him to kiss them first. The prof discovers the bet, and gets riled, and takes it out on Olive, making her miserable and the subject of kidding from the other girls. Finally it works into a real romance, when the prof discovers Olive is really in love with him, and he finds himself feeling that way, too. The girls will go for this one. Cast: Olive Shea, Forrest Stanley, Joan Bourdelle, Alice Hegeman, Donald Meek, Terry Carroll, Rita Crane, Berta Donn, Sally Mack. Director, Robert R. Snody; Author, not listed ; Adaptor. Harry G. Smith ; Dialoguer, the same ; Editor, not listed ; Cameraman, Dal Clawson, Walter Strenge. Direction, Satisfactory. Photography, Good. Buck Jones in "The Dawn Trail" Columbia Time, 59 mins. VERY GOOD WESTERN WITH INTELLIGENT STORY WELL DIRECTED AND ACTION AND SUSPENSE TO THE FINISH. This is a showman's picture that carries a punch with some very unusual directorial touches for a western. The director stages some very dramatic and suspenseful bits such as you seldom get in westerns. In addition, the story is well knit, and is not just an excuse to hang the riding and fighting sequences on. Buck Jones under proper direction shows himself one of the best of the western stars, and gives a bang-up performance. The story deals with a feud between the cattlemen and the sheepmen. As sheriff, Buck Jones is placed in a tough spot in being forced to arrest the brother of his girl for shooting a sheep man. Works up to a tense situation with a pitched battle about to be staged between the opposing factions, when the problem is solved in a most unexpected and dramatic manner. A picture that grown-ups can enjoy. Cast: Buck Jones, Miriam Seegar, Charles Morton, Erville Alderson ; Ed LeSaint, Charles King, Hank Mann, Vester Pegg, Slim Whittaker, Charles Brinley, Inez Gomez, Bob Burns, Robert Fleming, Violet Axzell, Buck Conner, Jack Curtis. Director, Christy Cabanne; Author, Forest Sheldon ; Adaptor, John Thomas Melville ; Dialoguer, same ; Editor, James Sweeney ; Cameraman, T. D. McCord ; Recording Engineer, Bruce Piersall. Direction, Very good. Photography, Excellent. Bob Steele in "Headin' North" Tiffany Time, 58 mins. GOOD ACTION WESTERN WELL DIRECTED WITH BOB STEELE WHOOPING IT UP SO THE KIDS AND REGULARS WILL LIKE IT. This one follows the usual western story routine, but director McCarthy, who also wrote the story, manages to pep it up with his original treatment. It opens with a fist fight between hero Steele and the son of the ranch owner, who objects to this stranger working on the ranch. Bob licks him, and then they become fast friends. Bob discloses that he is being sought for an express robbery by the marshal, and is searching for the real culprit who has headed North. Disguised as an acting team, they finally catch up to the heavy, and are just in time to pin it on him for another robbery. The marshal overhears the confession, and everything is in the clear. Steele handles himself well, both in fighting and riding, and there is enough excitement to satisfy the western bugs. The kids will go for it. Cast : Bob Steele, Barbara Luddy, Perry Murdock, Walter Shumway". Eddie Dunn, Fred Burns, Gordon De Main, Harry Allen, Gunner Davis, S. S. Simon, Jim Welsh, Jack Henderson. Director, J. P. McCarthy; Author, same; Adaptor, same ; Dialoguer, same ; Cameraman, Not listed. Direction, very good. Photography, clear.