The Film Daily (1931)

THE Sunday, May 24, 1931 ■a&m DAILY u Hoot Gibson in "Clearing the Range" j Capitol Exchange Time, 58 mins. TYPICAL HOOT GIBSON FILLED WITH SNAPPY ACTION AND GOOD COMEDY ANGLE PLUS INTELLIGENT STORY. This rates an ace Western, with ! Hoot Gibson in his best form keep| ing the action hopping all the way. The story is unusually intelligent and well constructed for a horse opera. Hoot's brother, head of a bank, has I been killed by the cashier when discrepancies are discovered in the latter's books. The audience is let in on the murderer, but so far as the people in the town are concerned, the murder remains a mystery. The criminal becomes head of the bank, and with his crowd, starts to run things in a high handed manner. Hoot Gibson conies on the scene, plays dumb and foolish, while under cover he is riding around the ranges as the dreaded El Capitain, a Mexican bandit. The twists in the story are cleverly handled, and keep the suspense mounting right to the finish. Finally he gets the evidence on the man who killed his brother in a surprise finish. Cast: Hoot Gibson, Sally Eilers, Hooper Atchley, George Mendoza, Robert Homans, Mme. Eva Crippon, Maston Williams, Edward Peil, Jack Byron, Edward Hearn. Director, Otto Brower ; Author, Jack Cunningham; Adaptor, John Natteford; Dialogues same ; Editor, Mildred Johnston ; Cameraman, Ernest Miller; Recording Engineer, L. E. Tope. Direction, snappy. Photography, good. Marlene Dietrich in "Three Loves" Associated Cinemas Time, 78 mins. OLD SILENT GERMAN FILM SYNCHRONIZED WITH MUSIC FALLS FLAT WITH GLOOMY STORY, POOR DIRECTION AND OVERACTING. This is a synchronized version of the old silent German film shown here about two years ago. The theme is typically continental in its sophisticated, unhealthy and depressing philosophy that will have small appeal to American audiences, who are totally out of sympathy with the point of view expressed. The son of a rich steel manufacturer in Germany is on his honeymoon on a train, when he falls madly infatuated with a siren, played by Marlene Dietrich. He hops off the train, and follows the enchantress, leaving his bride. He poses as her cousin, and her husband accepts this lie without question. Then it develops that the other man has killed the woman's husband and is fleeing from the law with her. Follows dreary, tedious and undramatic scenes till the police arrive to arrest the murderer, who shoots the woman. Thus ends the morbid effort, in gloom, with exaggerated action and poor direction all the way. Marlene is the only one who shows anything, but she is licked by the junkv story. Cast: Marlene Dietrich, Fritz Kortner, I'no Henning, Oscar Simma. Frieda Rich,,,l. Karl Et tlinger, Edith Edwards. Director, Kurt Bernhardt : Author, Max Brod; Adaptor, Ladislaus Vaida; Titler. not listed; Editor, not listed; Cameraman, not listed. , Direction, poor. Photography, okay. "Defenders of the Law" W. Ray Johnston Time, 76 mins. GOOD GANGSTER FILM WILL STAND UP EASILY WHEREVER THEY CARE FOR THIS TYPE. WELL ACTED AND DIRECTED. They picked a strong cast for this independent production, and succeeded in doing a first-class job that would do credit to any major company. The story is handled with a certain naturalness, and without a lot of the spectacular hoke that is often employed in gangster films. It has a strong and well knit story that moves to a strong and logical climax. John Holland does fine work as the outsider who comes to a Southern city, joins the staff of the police chief, and breaks up a gang of criminals who horn in from another city. Meanwhile there is a local gang to contend with, and this gives the action a three-cornereed interest that keeps the excitement hopping. Catherine Dale Owen is the girl who is kidnapped by the gang leader, and the windup is a clever duel of wits between the police and the gangsters, with a strong finish fight. As gangster pictures go, this one has plenty to recommend it. Cast: John Holland, Catherine Dale Owen, Edmund Breese, Joseph Girard, Robert Gleckler. Mae Busch, Al Cooke, Philo McCullough, Paul Panzer, Kit Guard, Nick Thompson. Director, Joseph Levering ; Author, Hampton Del Ruth ; Adaptors, Hampton Del Ruth, Louis Heifetz ; Dialoguers, same; Editor, Dwight Caldwell : Cameraman, James Brown, Jr. ; Recording Engineers, Charles Franklin, Neil Jack. Direction, fine. Photography, okay. "Die 3 Groschenoper" ("The Beggars' Opera") Warner Bros. Time, 97 mins. HEAVY GERMAN DIALOGUE ADAPTATION OF OLD ENGLISH CLASSIC HANDICAPPED BY CLUMSY STORY AND DIRECTION. This is a German production adapted from the old-time opera by the Englishman, John Gay, dealing with the 18th century racketeer who works with a horde of beggars in London, and has the police and populace standing on their ears. But the production is only a shadow of the original work, missing the spirit of the opera entirely. The racketeer, a dandy, has the thieves rob right and left to furnish him with the necessary things for a handsome wedding, including even the wine and food. Then a banquet in the hideout, and a series of incidents involving the efforts of the chief of police to capture him, and a three-cornered contest with the head of the thieves, who resents the racketeer's power. Works up to a big mob scene, with the beggars breaking up the coronation procession of the Queen. It's all a wild jumble, poorly motivated and directed, with some good atmospheric scenes and acting far superior to the muddled and long-drawn-out and tiresome story. Cast: Rudolf Forster, Carola Neher, Fritz Rasp, Valeska Cert. Reinhold Schunzel. Lotte Lenja, Vladimar Sokolov. Ernst Rusch Director, G. W. Pabst; Author, Bert Brecht; Adaptors. Baida, Laina. Balazs; Dialogjuers, same; Editor. Hans Oser; CameraWagner ; Recording Engineer, A. weak. Photography, spotty. ' man, F. A. Jansen. Direction "Jede Frau Hat Etwas" ("Every Woman Has It") Paramount Time, 67 mins. GERMAN VERSION OF "HONEY" IS VERY WEAK OFFERING WITH DRAGGY STORY AND LITTLE COMEDY. This German production has little of interest to American audiences, and for the German speaking population it rates poor alongside most of the other Teutonic imports. It is an adaptation of "Honey" in which Nancy Carroll appeared in this country more than a year ago. Tells of a brother and sister who rent their home to a rich widow, her daughter and fiance. The comedy is supposed to develop from the fact of the brother and sister falling in love with the daughter and the fiance, respectively. But the comedy is forced and mechanical, and everybody overacts except Trude Berliner, who plays the role of the sister. Direction is pretty terrible, with draggy. heavy scenes that kill any chance for the comedy situations. "The photography is exceptionally bad for a Berlin studio, where fine work is generally the rule. It's pretty much of a loss for the average American audience, or for a German-speaking audience, for that matter. Cast: Trude Berliner, Kurt Vesperman, Army Ann, Willj < levi i . Gurl Lillien, Ida Perry, Karl Harbacher. Director, Leo Miltlei ; Authors, A. E. Thomas, Mice Duer Miller; Adaptor, Charles Roellinghoff; Dialoguer, Charles Reellingliol'f; Editor, same; Cameraman, Ren* Cus sart. Direction, poor. Photography, bad. "Monsters of the Deep" Talking Picture Epics Time, 57 mins. DEEP SEA FISHING ADVENTURES PRODUCE NOVELTY FILM CARRYING PLENTY OF THRILLS THAT WILL PLEASE SPORT LOVERS. This film rates as a novelty chiefly because of the fact that it is an honest and straightforward picturization of a deep sea fishing trip that six events exactly as they happened without any attempt to dress it up theatrically. When the thrills come. they are natural, and carry the kick that only realism provides. It might be classified as a specialty newsreel, for that's what it really is. These boys on the fishing schooner are real deep sea fishermen, going after whales, sharks, stingrays and other monsters of the deep. The adventures will certainly delight the heart of all fishermen, and all outdoor sports lovers. Once they hooked a tiger shark by mistake, and vou haven't seen any fighting fish till you see this one. Finally they go after a monster devil fish, that was infesting the Mexican waters and scaring all the natives, who were afraid to put out in their boats. The capture of this vicious looking sea demon furnishes as many thrills as a gangster picture — and far more realistic. One of the gents on the boat describes the events jn a matter of fact way. which makes it more realistic. Cast: Just the members of the fishing expedition. ..Director. Nat Spitzer ; Editor, Grace Mc Kee ; Cameraman. Jack Draper. Direction, satisfactory. Photography, good. of Paris, London arid the Rivivrin. Rooms single or en suite, being Cental Park and Imi a momenl from the city's amuaemenl and business sectors. Personal Direction «f S. GREGOR1 Tayloh