Harrison's Reports (1931)

118 “A Holy Terror” with George O’Brien {Fox, July 19; running time, 53 min.) A good program picture. Although the plot is thin, the picture is short, filled with action, and keeps the spectator in suspense. In addition, there are some magnificent out-door shots and excellent horseback riding. One particularly thrilling scene is where the hero, in order to escape his pursuers, jumps with his horse from one side of a chasm to the other side. The hero and the heroine have the sympathy of the audience at all times, as they both display courage and resourcefulness: — The hero finds his father murdered. Certain clues lead him west on an investigation of a man mentioned in his father’s papers. He goes in his aeroplane, but in landing he crashes into the heroine’s home. The heroine was taking a shower bath at that timle and is chagrined. But they become friends. He finds his man, owner of a ranch, but he is absent. An attempt is made on his life by employees of the man lie was hunting but he is always able to frustrate their murderous efforts. Towards the end, the hero comes face to face with his man. He is told by the ranchman that the dead man was not his father, that he himself is his father, having been taken away from him with his mother when he was a baby, and that he had not killed his supposed father, his death having been brought about by the accidental discharge of a gun. The hero is sad, but glad to find his real father, and to get a wife in the person of the heroine. Max Brand’s “Trailin’ ” is the novel from which the plot has been taken. Irving Cummings directed it. Sally Eilers, Rita LaRoy, Humphrey Bogart, James Kirkwood and others are in the cast. Suitable for children, and for a Sunday show. Substitution facts: In the contract, No. 245 is listed as “Wyoming Wonder,” from the story “Alcatraz,” by Max Brand. It is, therefore, a story substitution. “Murder by the Clock” {Paramount, Aug. 8; running time, 73 min.) A fairly good murder melodrama. The spectator is not held in tense suspense as to who the murderers are, for directly after the crime there is a confession. But his interest is held because he does not know who the next victim will be. An intelligent audience might be amused because of the illogical happenings. But it is gruesome and creepy enough to please followers of murder mysteries. There are the mysterious passage-ways, the dimly lit rooms, and even the interior of a tomb. The unusual part of the picture is that the murders are committed by individuals who ordinarily were not killers, but were forced into the killings by the suggestion of a woman who leads them on by making them believe she loves them : — The nephew of a wealthy old woman is made her heir. Tortured by the nagging of his wife, he murders his aunt so that he might get the fortune. But his wife is not satisfied with that. She wants him out of the way so that she may have all the money. A young artist is in love with her. She concocts lies about her husband's mistreating her. By suggestion this young artist chokes her husband. He is brought back to life again. But his wife by means of a mask of the old aunt parades outside his window, and the shock kills him. Philip, the idiot son of the aunt who had died, is led also to believe that he is loved by this woman. July 25, 1931 He kills the artist, and almost kills the woman whom lie drags down to the family tomb. She is rescued by a detective who had been interested in the case. She attempts to make him fall in love with her but this fails. Instead he takes her to the police headquarters. The plot was adapted from the story by Rufus King. It was directed by Edward Sloman. In the cast are Lilyan Tashman, William Boyd, Irving Pichel, Regis Toomey, Sally O’Neil, Blanche Friderici, Walter McGrail, Lester Vail and others. {1931-32 product.) Unsuitable for children, because they will be made nervous. “Children of Dreams” ( Warner Bros., July 25 ; running time: at the Warner Beacon, it was run in 77 minutes; the Warner Bros. Home Office give the time as 83 min. Check it up!) This is a one hundred per cent musical operetta. There is some excellent music in it, but the plot is so thin that it hardly holds the interest of those who look for action in a picture. The action unfolds in the apple orchards of the West, crop time, and deals with a heroine who has a good voice, and who, in order to save her father from serious consequences for having been robl>ed of money entrusted to his care, agrees to accept an offer to study in Europe with the hope of earning money enough to save her father from embarassment. She makes a success as an opera singer. Then follow the misunderstandings between her and the young man she loved, because he thought that now she has new interests in life and that she does not care for him. In the end she goes to him. The material and the music have been gathered by Oscar Hammerstein II and Sigmund Romberg. Evidently it was contracted for at a time when musical pictures were in demand. But it has no place on the program now except perhaps in theatres that cater to cultured picture-goers. The cast includes Margaret Schilling, Paul Gregory, Tom Patricola, Bruce Winston, Charles Winninger, Marion Byron and others. (Not a substitution.) “The Vanishing Legion” {A Mascot-Regional serial in 12 episodes) I dropped into a projection room the other day and saw the first two chapters of this Harry Carey serial and was impressed so much with it that, even though I do not review short subjects, I thought of saying a few words about this one with the hope of helping those who are in the habit of showing serials and perhaps those who do not run them regularly but only when a good one is offered. “The Vanishing Legion” is full not only of thrills but also of human appeal. Little Frankie Darro brings tears to the eyes with his loyalty to his dead father. An appeal is directed to the emotions also by the attachment Harry Carey shows for little Frankie. Rex. the horse, well known to exhibitors and to the picture-going public by his appearance in pictures released by the old Pathe organization, adds considerably to the excitement. There is a fight between him and another horse in the first chapter which, for fierceness, has not been seen in pictures before. Harry Carey’s voice records well ; Harry does excellent work in his sympathetic part. HARRISON’S REPORTS