Harrison's Reports (1930)

134 HARRISON’S REPORTS “One Embarassing Night” {M-G-M, June 21; running time, SHJ min.) Occasionally the characters find themselves in some situations that are mirtli provoking, but for the most part the picture is dull. Also at times, because of the all English cast, who speak with a decided English accent, the talk is not intclligablc. The story becomes involved and one tires of seeing apajama-clad girl rushing through the house in order to avoid people, but meeting and shocking them, nevertheless : — The heroine is put out of her home by her step-father late at night and as she is clad only in pajamas, she seeks shelter at the first house she comes to. This particular house was to be occupied by a newly married couple, the husband arriving there first and his wife in a few days. After hearing the girl’s plea to permit her to stay there until morning, the occupant of the house decides to let her do so. He receives an unexpected visit from his sister-inlaw, a prying gossip, her husband and the hero (his cousin). While there the hero discovers the heroine and they are immediately attracted to each other. 1 he visitors finally leave the house, but the hero, very much interested, returns the next morning for an explanation from his cousin. Upon receiving the explanation, he decides to help the heroine in every way possible. The housemaid, however, discovers the young girl there and immediately rushes to the sister-in-law of the occupant of the house, who in turn telephones her sister to come right home because of her husband’s “indiscretions.” The wife arrives but everything is finally adjusted and explained, and the hero and heroine leave together. The plot has been taken from the stage play “Rookery Nook” by Ben Travers. It was directed by Tom Walls, who also acts the part of the hero. He is assisted by Ralph Lynn, Winifred Shotter, Mary Brough, Robertson Hare, Ethel Coleridge and others. Note : It is a substitution. See analysis in the August 2 issue. I may add that it was brought into this country, I believe, under the title, “Rookery Nook.” The picture has just been shown in this city, at Loew’s New York, a third rate house. “Dancing Sweeties” (Warner Bros., July 19; running time, 60 min.) Only a fair program picture. The story is weak and there is nothing unusual in the way of photography or of acting. There is one scene that is particularly unpleasant ; it is where the hero and the heroine, having married after a few hours acquaintance, go to the hero’s home to break the news to his parents. The way in which his father greets them and the hatred the hero and his father show for each other is most distasteful. In short, it is an ordinary story, dealing with ordinary people, in a very ordinary way : — The hero and heroine meet in a dance hall and' win a cup in a waltz contest. A couple were to have been married there that evening, but at the last minute they decided not to go through with it and the hero and heroine take their place. For this publicity they are given a home completely furnished. They are happy for a few weeks, but the hero begins to tire of home life and is restless to be back in the old life again as it meant more to him to win dance cups than to do anything else. The heroine has more of a domestic nature, but as she wants to be happy goes back with him to the dance hall. She cannot dance the intricate steps that are being done and the hero decides to dance with his old partner of the dance hall days. The heroine, infuriated, leaves for home ; the hero follows her, and they patch up their quarrel. The heroine later discovers that the hero had been lying to her and that he had gone to the dance hall again without her. They quarrel and part. After a time they meet in the dance hall again, and become most unhappy when they see each other. They both leave the place and each one, without the knowledge of the other, goes back to the old apartment they used to live in. They discover each other there and the hero begs to be forgiven and tells the heroine he has tired of the old life. They become reconciled. The plot has been taken from the story by Harry Fried. It was directed by Ray Enright. In the cast are Grant Withers (hero,) Sue Carol (heroine,) Eddie Phillips, Tully Marshall, Edna Murphy, Sid Silvers and others. The talk is clear. August 23, 1930 “V/ay Out West” — with William Haines (M-G-M, Aug. 2; running time, 70 min.) One cannot say that too much thinking was done in the conceiving of the story, but the picture entertains just the same, as one could judge by the fact that the audiences continue laughing, at times roaring, at the Capitol, in this city, where it is shown. The action is fast enough to hold the attention of the spectators, while the jokes do their work on them. The story deals with a hero whom some cov/boys take to their ranch to work out the money he had cheated them of With his crooked roulette wheel at the side-show in a circus, where he was a spieler. At the ranch he is mistreated by every one. The heroine, who with her brother owned the ranch, falls in love with him. She makes an effort to instill courage into him, even to the extent of telling him that he is yellow. One day the cowboys are absent and the hero decides to leave the ranch. The heroine is so heart-broken that she lies down on the ground to cry. A rattlesnake bites her and the hero, hearing her scream, returns, puts her in the automobile, and rushes her to the Indian reservation nearby, where the medicine man treats her. In the meantime, the brother is told by the servant girl that the hero had run away with his sister. He goes after him. In returning to the ranch with the heroine, the hero loses his way in the sandstorm that had arisen suddenly. While the hero is trying to find the road, the brother comes upon the machine and, finding his sister alone and in agony, takes her back to the ranch on his horse. The cowboys search for the hero and locate him in the Indian dwelling. They chase and shoot him. But the brother, who had learned from his sister how brave the hero had been, rushes back and saves him from harm. He consents to his marrying his sister. The story is by Byron Morgan and Alfred Black ; it was directed by Fred Niblo. Leila Hyams is the heroine. Polly Moran, Cliff Edwards, Francis X. Bushman, Jr., Buddy Roosevelt and others are in the cast. The talk is clear. (Silent values, good.) “Moby Dick” — with John Barrymore (Warner Bros., Aug. 30; running time, 76 min.) Gruesome at times, fantastic at others, yet in all this is excellent entertainment. It is thrilling in its sea episodes, especially during a terrific storm, gorgeous in photography, with a charming love interest. Barrymore, as the reckless, half-crazed whaler, Ahab, appears in one of his best roles. One of the most gruesome parts is where Ahab’s leg is bitten off by the whale and, in order to prevent poisoning from setting in, a red hot iron is applied to the wound by a member of the crew. The other is when Ahab finally gets “Moby Dick,” the whale, and jabs the spear into it repeatedly with the blood spurting all over him. The screen is enlarged on two occasions during the sea episodes with good effect : — The hero, a whaler, returns to his home town and there meets and falls in love with a beatuiful young girl, who, too, is charmed with him. She promises to wait for him until he returns from his next whaling trip. During that trip, in an encounter with a whale, he loses a leg and when he returns the heroine is so shocked that she runs away from him. She later sends the hero’s brother to tell him that she regrets what she did, that she loves him just as much, asking him to come to see her. The brother, in love with the heroine himself, tells the hero a somewhat modified story, leading him to believe that the heroine does not love him. In disgust, he leaves that very night on another trip and swears revenge on “Moby Dick,” saying that he will not return until he gets him. The heroine, suspecting that her messenger must have told the hero an untruth, says that she will wait for him no matter how long it takes. The hero acquires a wild, fantastic reputation because of his crazy notion to land “Moby Dick.” After several years, he finally does land the whale and returns to his home town. He and the heroine are reunited. The plot was taken from the book of the same name by Herman Melville. It was directed by Lloyd Bacon. Others in the cast are Joan Bennett, Lloyd Hughes, May Boley, Walter Long, Nobel Johnson and Virginia Sale. 'The talk is clear. Note : This stor}' was put into pictures, in silent form, by Warners once before, under the title “The Sea Beast.” It drew large crowds.