Hollywood Filmograph (Jan-Jul 1930)

April 5, 1930 Preview "LADIES LOVE BRUTES" Paramount all-talkie production, starring George Bancroft. Previewed at the Paramount studio. Paramount has now gone and done it with George Bancroft, pre-eminently the greatest portrayer of underworld characters Shadowland has ever exploited. In "Ladies Love Brutes" we have the same wonderful George before us in the person of Joe Forziati, a skyscraper contractor in dear old Gotham, but here the illusion ceases and Bancroft proper, in all his piquant personality, is with Us to the end. As a hero of the make believe, even transfigured by a sinister halo, we have always come to pay votive garlands at the Bancroft shrine. In "Ladies Love Brutes," George's swashbuckling assurance and dominating coolness over yokefellows of his type is bartered for the personation of a character dipping into the tenderer phases of humanity, laced with the softer feeling of love and the sweetness of parental affection. At many moments of the picture, especially toward the end, the underworld hero of yore is called upon to delve into the deeper passions, and in these solemn moments he is hardly convincing. In short, we really believe that Paramount can hardly sell Bancroft to the public in a kid glove, soup-and-fish outfit. Put old Jesse James in a tux, and swing hi minto a Fifth Avenue drawingroom and instantly, Young America would turn thumbs down on him. The yarn of "Ladies Love Brutes" flickers around the Ritzy ambitions of Joe Forziati. The moment he shoulders himself into the hot-house atmosphere he falls for Mimi Howell (Mary Astor), who lends a soft eye to cave-men romantics. Joe's fall is almost fatal, especially after a few months' coutrship, when he feels himself slipping. Then, to cinch a marriage with his society orchid, he has one of his tough minions kidnap Mimi's nine-year-old son, so he can bolster himself in her affections of a heroic return of the kid to her arms. We shall not here divulge any more of Joe's love's young dream, but leave it to the thrill of first-hand audition. In our opinion, Bancroft gives to the part of Joe the very best he has, but we are sorry to say he has been miscast. Mary Astor's Mimi was sweet and smooth, and her voice and enunciation splendid, but we couldn't for the life of us see where she was overly fond of brutes. Frederic March, always clever, deftly handled the portrayal of Mimi's discarded hubby. Stanley Fields' Mike Mendino Was a cracking good bit of Work. ' Others in the cast that clicked Well were Ben Hendricks, jr., Forriki Boros, Lawford Davidson, David Duarand and Freddy Burke Frederick. Director Rowland V. Lee turned out a flawless piece of work from the material he had to deal with, and Stage Review "BROKEN DISHES" Presented by Henry Duffy at the El Capitan Theatre. A comedy by Martin Flavin. Staged by Edwin Curtis. Went . to the theatre thinking that I would not enjoy this play as I don't caie for this type of show but certainly was fooled as it was one of the most enjoyable evenings I've spent in the theatre in a long while. A really fine, amusing play presented by a fine group of troupers. Percy Pollock perfect J band. as Cyrus Bumsted, gave a icture of a downtrodden hus,-Iow that man can use his hands; tie has more acting ability in his hands than many actors have in their whole body. Miss Grace Stafford as the daughter was. splendid. A very natural, appealing actress. She never for a second I overacted even in her big denouncing scene with her mother where many players might have chewed up the scenery (as it was a big chance to do it), Miss Stafford played it in a nice natural tempo. Miss Alma Chester, as the domineering! wife, would make any husband shake with fear. She was grefat because you disliked her in the fir-t act and felt really sorry for her when j;he breaks down and cries in the las'^: act. Melville Ruick gave an exceedingly good performance as the small town lover. The ,' only part that is overdone a little is Thomas Chatterton's. Don't know whether it is his fault or the director's but as the rest of the play is directed perfectly, we'll have to blame1 the actor I guess. He was entirely') too much like the villian in the melodramas of twenty years ago. Lloycl Neal and Thomas Brower gave two. i comedy characterizations that were;' gems. Others in the well-balanced cast were Joan Warner, Helen Kleeb and Donald Campbell. G{i see "Broken Dishes" for an enjoyable evening. BEE VEE. i '. * Review \ "THE GIRL WITH THE BANDBOX" At the Filmarte Theatre At last Russia has given us comedy. Amkino has produced it and wc are surprised. After all the Soviet propaganda pictures which Russia has produced recently, to see a comedy, in which Charlie Chaplin antics are indulged in is a surprise at least. The story is simply that of the Winning of a lottery by the heroine Harry Fischbeck's photography was qommendably tip-top in every particular. We lock to see the prestige cf the Bancroft coat of arms dimmed a, little by "Ladies Love Brutes," but he's sure to come back with the apjiulsive force of a tenth wave when he is shot back into the underworld. ED O'MALLEY. and her final reunion with her lover. Superb photography and unusual backgrounds, in which much snow and ice predominate. Anna Stenn is beautiful to look at and her eyes are marvelous and I. Koval Sambroski in the title roles are funny, although somewhat of the slapstick days. We are glad to see a touch of humor out of the Russia which we have been reading about in the papers in which churches are destroyed BUT as I always said, I believe little I read and only half of what I see. Gloria Swanson is shown in an Ince production, "You Can't Have Everything," and in this case they had neither story or direction. Gloria should see herself less than ten years ago and realize the magic strides that have taken place in that short time. The slow motion picture in the news reel of the actual goring of a Matador by a bull are interesting and especially as there are no serious results. This theatre is always interesting anyway and I enjoy seeing the new ones as well as the old ones. Next week the great and unusual picture, "In Dalarna," and Jerusalem filmed in the actual locations and with a great cast, including Lars Hansen, Eva Hedquist, ona Mortense, Jenny Hasselquist and other artists. ARTHUR FORDE. i i i Review "THIS NEW DOPE" At the Theatre Mart It's nice to know that people are striving to help others in this materialistic world and more especially as the moving pictures are getting so thoroughly commercial. The very fact that Friml, that incomparable composer of operettas, left Hollywood in such a hurry recently, owing to the powers that be, cramped his artistic aspirations. This, however, is just leading up to the efforts of the people at the Theatre Mart trying to give us something different. "This New Dope" is a romantic and realistic revue of Hollywood. The story is by Mme. Katinka de Justh Baross who also staged the play. She is well known from her many successes abroad and in New York. A succession of tableau give us a revue of an artist's struggle in Hollywood. Molly Perez as Vera Franz gives a rare portrayal of the girl from abroad who has been led to believe that the artist's goal can easily be reached here. Thimas de Grafferich as the man is virile and delivers his lines beautifully, while Adele Watson, that well known comedian of the films, gives us what we all need, that touch of rare comedy. The cast is large and each one is sincere in their efforts. To Kenneth Steiner, the general stage manager; his valuable assistant, Frank Keller, and even to the ushers one feels a spirit of welcome and camaderie which we all love so well. An enthusiastic audience greeted the players and workers. Altogether a much to be commended effort and merits the approval of all. ARTHUR FORDE. Preview "CITY GIRL" F. W. Murnau part talkie and silent production. Made at the Fox Studio. Previewed at the Belmont Theatre. "City Girl" is one of those cinema effusions that gives one a whiff of the big wheat fields of Minnesota. Over against the big sea of undulating stalks is set a background of sordid avarice in the narrow, crabbed life of Farmer Tustine. No one can imagine what aim he has in life in his tight, peppecorn sphere of existence. He is a Gradgrind in everything his killjoy mind is intrigued. Why the big fellow above puts the breath of life into these miserable wretches is beyond the ken of reason. His little daughter Marie, just entering her teens; a wild, care-free fairy of the mig open spaces, frolicking unthinkingly all day through the lush fields, is one of the objects of his heartless persecution. From his room he sees her pluck two stalks of wheat and weave them into a crown to place on her head as a fancied "Queen of the May." With i uncontrolled fury he bears down on her like a maddened ogre; tears the garland from her head; upbraids her sharply and orders her into the house. Then he rushes to the Bible and pores over it with stolid fervor. • About this time he is harvesting a bumper crop and sends his big boob son Lem to Chicago to sell it. Lem falls for a lunch counter siren; marries her, after selling the wheat at a loss, and brings her back to the farm. Here she undergoes insults and mental tortures from Farmer Tustine and one of his hired hands named Mack. Lem and Kate are about to be ordered from the farm, when the girl's wit and presence • of mind suddenly saves Tustine's entire crop from the fury of an impending rain storm at night. We leave the exciting and surprising denouement to first-hand observation. Charles Farrel gave a smoothly natural interpretation to the character of Lem, and Mary Duncan Was excellent as the city girl, especially in the closing sequences. David Torrence's Farmer Tustine was a masterpiece of unrelieved gloom and stubbornness. Adequate performances were turned in by Edith Yorke, Dick Alexander and Dawn O'Day. The film was half silent and half talkie, the audience much pre-1 ferring the vocal sequences. F. W. Murnau directed with a deft hand and we have words of high praise for the twirling of Cameraman Ernest Palmer, but we are not strong for the picture. A tone of depression courses through the entire story and clings to one, even when the illusion vanishes in the outer air. It is small town stuff and can hardly hope tc curry favor with the Key City boxoffices. ED O'MALLEY. i i*