Harrison's Reports (1928-1928)

198 HARRISON’S REPORTS December 15, 1928 “The Gate Crasher”— Vrith Glenn Tryon and Patsy Ruth Miller ( Universal ; Dec. 23; 5,597 ft.; 65 to 79 min.) A good comedy. The situations are farcial and the action is fast due to the good direction of William Craft. The hero, a country boy, one of those smart-alecks that are very annoying at times, is impersonated well by Mr. Tryon. This time Mr. Tryon is an embryo detective when he is not working at his job of billposter. With the aid of his own invention, he is able to trace lost or stolen jewelry. He meets the heroine when her car collides with his ; he had been hanging a billpost advertisement of her where she was to act. She was with her press agent and a maid, who had stolen her jewels. But the hero recovers them and the press agent pretends it was a publicity stunt. So that she might get her train in time, the hero takes her in his dilapidated car to the train after a hair-raising race with the locomotive. Later the hero learns that the heroine’s jewels had been stolen and he crashes his way into her apartment where he poses as a doctor when he had been put out by the press agent. He learns that the jewels, which the heroine had thought safe, were really gone. He crashes his way into the theatre where she is performing, and, disguised as a Roman soldier, causes a laugh-provoking disturbance by appearing in the show. The picture winds up with a thrill when the hero, learning that the heroine was to go to a certain cabaret with $25,000, where she would recover her jewels, disguises himself as a monkey man, as part of a circus act. After beating up the gang of crooks, when he had been trapped in a basement, he is almost licked when the heroine, who had summoned the police, rescues him. Both Mr. Tryon and Miss Miller are excellent in the situation where Mr. Tryon breaks into the show. He is good also when he becomes a tight-rope walker and acrobat in his efforts to keep away the gang that had found out he had the jewels instead of the real crook. Miss Miller is good as the upstage star, who at first despised the hero on account of his impertinence and then fell in love with him. The picture is based on a story by Jack Foley. “Phyllis of the Follies” — with Alice Day, Matt Moore, Lillyan Tashman and Edmund Burns ( Universal , Nov. 25 ; 5,907 ft.; 68 to 84 min.) Pretty good for those who like this sort of pictures. It is a comedy-drama, revolving around the efforts of one friend (Edmund Burns), a bachelor, to win away from his friend (Matt Moore), a lawyer, his wife (Lillyan Tashman. There is comedy here and there, and the interest is kept fairly alive all the way through. The direction and acting are very good. Matt Moore, a lawyer, had just secured a settlement for his wealthy client and friend (Edmund Burns) from a woman, who had brought a suit against him for breach of promise. He was lecturing him to be careful in the future, when the telephone rings. Burns answers it and, learning that it was Matt Moore’s wife (LiNyan Tashman), carries on a “sweet” conversation with her. Matt Moore thinks that it was another of his friend’s “sweethearts.” Lillyan Tashman asks Burns to accept her dinner invitation for that night and to tell her husband about it. Burns, instead of telling Matt Moore about it, conceals it from him and sends him to Boston, ostensibly on a business deal, but really to have him out of the way. Lillyan Tashman, having seen through the scheme, invites Alice Day, her friend, single yet, to impersonate her identity, with the understanding that she, Lillyan Tashman, impersonate her, Alice Day. Things go along well until Matt Moore returns from Boston. Then the plot thickens, for the mix-up in identities causes much suspicion, until towards the end when everything is explained. When Edmund Burns finds himself outwitted, he is glad to propose to Alice Day, whom he had learned to love, and who, as he found out, loved him. The story is by Arthur Greger. It was directed by Ernest Laemmle well. “Behind the German Lines” ( Paramount-Uja , rel. date not yet set; 8,254 ft.) The chief feature of this film is the fact that it has been compiled by Germans, and that it shows the German side of the World war. As far as the picture itself is concerned, there are no incidents in it that have not been shown in America before, either in Newsweeklies, or in other films. Most of the picture is authentic, the scenes having been taken during the war. But a great deal of it is an after-thewar reproduction, either at the studio, or in the streets of the cities in Germany. There is nothing extraordinary about the fighting scenes themselves, except when they are viewed with patriotic eyes. The most interesting part of the picture generally is the showing of the German strategy ; by means of diagrams, troops are shown moved by the German Command at crucial moments. They give a clear idea as to the troop movements and as to the results. The battle in Poland between the Germans and the Russians, where General Von Hindenburg had delivered a crushing defeat to the Russians, is shown very clearly. The first battle between the Germans and the French; the overrunning of Belgium by the Germans and the brave resistance the Belgians put up at Liege, are shown interestingly. The diagrams depict almost every important battle during the war. The picture is, in fact, one of diagrams, illustrated by actual or “reenacted” war scenes. Because of the fact that no picture has been presented from the German point of view so far, “Behind the German Lines” may take well. Even those not in sympathy with the German side of the war may wish to see it out of curiosity. “The Border Patrol” — with Harry Carey ( Pathe , Dec. 23; 4,958 ft.; 57 to 79 min.) ll l A fair program picture. This time Mr. Carey, a Texas Ranger, is detailed to detect at El Paso a band of counterfeiters. He succeeds, although the means the producer made him adopt looked childish at times. There is some suspense, and some human interest. Finis Fox wrote the story; James P. Hogan directed it. Kathlyn Collins, Richard Tucker, James Neil, Phillip Smalley, and James Marcus are in the cast. Note: In this age of talking pictures, it is a surprise that no producer has thought of putting Mr. Carey in talking pictures. He has had wide stage experience as an actor and as an author, and has fine delivery. The producer that will engage him will not have to waste his time training him for talking pictures; he is already trained. “The Barker” (PT) — with Milton Sills ( First Nat., Dec. 30; Synchr. 8,500 ft; Sil. 7,095 ft.). Very good, but not a Sunday-School picture. The two heroines are of lax morals, and the hero was living with one of them. Matters are complicated when the son of the hero (barker) induces his father to permit him to get a job in the circus, and falls in love with one of the heroines. The picture has been done exceedingly well. One, in fact, is made to feel as if seeing real people and not mere shadows. The characters talk here and there, in the important situations, and although the words are distinct and the talk good the reproduction is poor, manifestly because of poor recording. At times one can hardly catch what is said. This destroys the illusion somewhat, because one cannot conceive of strong and healthy persons speaking in so low a voice. The greatest interest is aroused when the father finds out that his son, whom he was worshipping had fallen in love with one of the circus girls (Dorothy Mackaill) ; she had been hired by the hero’s “girl” (Betty Compson) to make love to him and to cause him to fall in love with her so that he might cause his father to turn against him (the son) and send him away ; she (Betty Compson) thought that Milton Sills was depriving her of the attention she deserved because of his son. There is a scene between father and son when the father tells the son that the woman he had fallen in love with was a prostitute that grips the spectator. Dorothy Mackaill wins the spectator’s sympathy when she falls in real love with Douglas Fairbanks. Jr., who does excellent work as the hero’s young son. His voice registers well, although it is not brought out so clearly because, as said, of poor recording. It is manifest that the microphone was not placed opposite him while he was speaking. The entertaining qualities “The Barker” possesses have been imparted to it by good direction, and by good acting as well as good talking. The story itself is not too strong, and the atmosphere not so cheering. The plot has been founded on the Kenyon Nicholson stage drama; it was directed by George Fitzmaurice most skillfully. Sylvia Ashton, George Cooper, John Irwin, S. S. Simon, and One-Eye Connolly are in the cast. It is a very good entertainment for adults.