Hollywood Filmograph (Jan-Jul 1930)

HOLLYWOOD FILMOGRAPH Preview "THE BORDER LEGION" Paramount all-talkie western production. Previewed at the Paramount Studio. Most of the westerns turned out by the cheaper companies in the past were busts, simply because plots, photography and cast were of low grade. As a rule, they exploited one fair actor and the rest were of the correspondent-school type. In many cases the mirror was not held up to nature, and moreover, the celluloid twirling had a sort of light, brownish flicker to it. Very few westerns have ever enlisted our interest. But hold a minute — Paramount, which to our way of thinking celluloids more good pictures than any other studio, has won us over; and its name is "The Border Legion." It's an ideal effusron of its kind, with hardly a weak link in its entirety. The yarn is simplicity itself, the auditor's brow being commendably free of knitting during the easy flow of the sequences. Jack Kells (Jack Holt), after killing his superior officer during the Civil War, escapes to the West and turns outlaw, surI rounding himself with a vicious gang of cut-throats whose daring depredations soon bring upon them the name of "The Border Legion." Kells has his avid eye on a frontier town named Aldercreek where many of the townsmen have rich hoards of gold. determines to raid the place, he night of the foray is tipped t f one of his men, with the re that Jack and his gang (at a signal from the hiding citizens) net with a dynamite reception almost wipes out the villainous horde. Kells and some of his trusties ; , e to the outlaws' camp where tney get wind of Uncle Sam's cavalry activity. Jack then knows that the jig is up, and as he solemnly declares "there's no future in this business," he — but dear reader we will let I you get the thrilling catastrophe at first hand. Holt's sterling portrayal of the bandit, Jack Kells, is the best we have ever run up with in the westerns. The braggadocia, self-conceit, of the ludicrously overdrawn gun man of the dime novel is refreshingly missing in Holt's work, and he rides a horse with the dexterity of a clever jockey. Richard Arlen turned in his usual high-class performance in the part of Cowboy Jim, being particularly convincing in the scenes with Fay Wray, who essayed the role of Miss Randall. Eugene Paullette was excellent as Wells' righthand bower Bunco, with a neverfailing fund of humorous though wise suggestions. Others of the cracking good cast were Stanley Fields, E. H. Calvert, Ethan Allen and Sid Saylor. The combined directorial work of Otto Brower and E. H. Knopf is a deft bit of megaphone handling and we cannot praise it too highly. However, we turn the full battery of our encomium on the camera twirling of Max Stengler. It is a superb morsel of photography from the hand of a master. The plainly intoned gurgling of a running brook where Miss Randall and Jim lean over on their hands and drink Review "WAYS TO STRENGTH AND BEAUTY" Filmarte Theatre. "Plus potent qui plus valet," which translated reads "The stronger always succeeds," a quotation from Plautus. Longfellow also wrote a beautiful poem on Beauty as follows: Beautiful in form and beauty, Lovely as the Day. Can there be so fair a creature, Formed of common clay. These quotations aptly prove that "Strength and Beauty" are necessary in these days of such close competition, when a healthy body is usually coupled with a healthy mind. Both of which are shown at the Filmarte Theatre by the UFA Company of Berlin. This was directed by William Prager and written by Dr. Nicholas Kaufman. It gives a pictorial review of sports, dances and physical culture that develop strength, grace and beauty in the human body. Dr. Kaufman leads us all the way from the savage days and presents us to the pinnacle, when grace and beauty predominated in the Roman and Greek periods. The American athlete has been allotted quite a section of the picture and shows us, in slow motion, the muscles properly used in the human body, by parallel, to the most graceful animals. These Educational films are well worth while and could be advantageously shown to the school children as lessons in health and physical culture. Charlie Chaplin in "Police," one of his earliest and funniest pictures, gave us many a laugh, even though it was one of his oldest, in the Mack Sennett days when custard pies predominated. Here were some of the old-timers in the days before everyone was a star. Mabel Normand at the prettiest is there in all her glory. Mack Swain and Chester Conklin fall around in great shape while Eddie Cline, who is now a famous director, is the bouncer in the dive scenes. Quite a few other famous people of today are seen in minor roles. ARTHUR FORDE. SAM HARDY IN TIFFANY CAST Sam Hardy, one of the season's best known character leads, has been cast by Phil Goldstone, Tiffany's chief studio executive, in one of the principal roles of "Why Marry?" "Why Marry?" with Glenn Hunter, Vera Reynolds, Paul Hurst, Nita Martan and Charles Sellon, has entered production under Frank Strayer's direction. It is a farce melodrama. of its pellucid waters, is the acme of sound and scenic art. If one can beat this photography one sure must go some, and this is only one of its many gems. Here's a western that is sure to go over with a rattle, both in the key cities and in the sticks and Paramount can't possibly toss it off. Review "BRIDE OF THE REGIMENT" With more beautiful settings and background than the "Song of the Flame," but with a plot that rings of sameness, "Bride of the Regiment," the First National operetta based on the story "The Lady in Ermine," by Rudolph Schanzer and Ernest Welisch, misses a few notches of hitting the big picture mark, because the plot is dragged along so badly that one loses interest in the principals and the ultimate outcome in the romance of the melodramatic Count and the none too interesting Countess, and musical comedy Colonel of the Austrian army, who tries to disrupt the love affair of the Count and Countess on their wedding night. A picture of the Countess' grandmother is the main spoke in the story, and is a long time coming into the picture. "Bride of the Regiment" is good to look at, not so good to hear. The comedy in spots as offered by Ford Sterling, Louise Fazenda and Lupino Lane gains guffaws from the natives in attendance, because they offer relief from a tedious plot, and naturally because they work hard to carry the load of the tale as placed in dialogue and sound. Allan Prior as the "Count" offers just fair entertainment. Vivienne Segal is far from being star material. She needs to be photographed from better angles. Walter Pidgeon has done better work, especially in acting roles. Myrna Loy as the famous French actress almost stole the show with her characterization. Claude Flemming and Harry Cording served well in their roles especially Flemming. The additional music which was very refreshing was from the pens of Al Dubin, Eddie Ward and Al Bryan with snappy entertaining dance numbers by Jack Haskell. Ray Harris is credited with the adaptation and dialogue, which wasn't so good. Dev Jennings and Charles Schoebaum photographed the show. It was well done if you ask us. John Francis Dillon directed, and to him goes whatever glory there may be to the picture which is done in Technicolor. i 1 i AL JOLSON SENT HIS OWN CAMERAMAN TO NEW ORLEANS FOR SHOTS IN KY. DERBY You will have to hand the palm to Al Jolson for being a dead game sport as far as wanting his pictures to be a hundred per cent perfect in detail. It came to light today that when he was making "Big Boy" for Warner Brothers he was not pleased with the race scenes, and in order to protect the outcome of the picture he sent his own cameraman to New Orleans to photograph the Kentucky Derby, and what his man brought back will well repay "Al" and the Warner Brothers, for his cameras caught the very finish that thrilled the v/orld v/hen the horses finished neck-and-neck and the winner just nosed out in front. 1 1 i TO NEW YORK Rosa Rosonova is en route to New York for both pleasure and business purposes. 29 Preview "GOOD NEWS" M.-G.-M. all talkie, musical comedy production. Previewed at the Belmont Theatre, Vermont Ave. "Good News" totes an amplitude of dinning synchronization, as put on by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio. In the main, it follows the structure of the well-worn stage exploitation. The music with the exception of some effusions by Nacio Herb Browne (monarch supreme of up-todate real, jazz melodies), suffers an awful biliary attack. The "Varsity Drag" has been shouted and scuffed into a well-earned grave, yet it is used as one of the musical big shots of the production. Hollywood has seldom if ever swung a genuine replica of college life, even to the extent of verisimiltude. Lung-bursting choruses horn in frequently during the twirling, finally ending with the famous Stein Song (the most popular of all nightclub fox-trots), with Rudy Valee at the helm. This song is one of the outstanding hits of the show. The plot, which is too well known to be unfolded here, is of that jerky kind inherent in all musical comedies, and the football finale takes on all the characteristics of an overdone moto perpetuo. Yet, jailor — stay your hand; to those that have not seen the stage version of "Good News," its screen sister furnishes a gripping and hilarious run of laugh-stirring situations that slip unctuously over one's funny bone, and for this very reason we look to see it click at the box office. A fellow named Gus Shy, as Bobby Randall, fairly runs away with the picture and the whole shooting match. His spontaneous manner and oily, unconscious abandon soon win their way into the auditor's heart. Mary Lawlor makes a sweetly demure Connie, but she was hardly given a fair chance by the camera man. Boys — a little more illumination on Mary's beautiful countenance, for she is among those that are featured. Bessie Love dips into a bunch of forced pep as Babe. Her sprightly cuteness is overdrawn and is plastered with a slight veneer of sophistication. Her take-off showed but slight traces of her fine work in the "Broadway Melody." Ukelele Ike, one of the best comedians on the screen, seemed lost among the mimers. We forgive Cliff, for to tell the truth he had little to do as Kearney, apart from his "pessimistic" song. Lola Lane, as Patricia was colorless, and Stanley Smith, as Tommy, was just comme ci comme ca. Dorothy McNulty, as Flo, the Varsity Drag girl, was a 42nd edition of Babe Kane. Director Nick Grinde did the best he could with the material he had to work with, but Percy Hilburn's camera twirling was just a little dull in spots. The peppy, rhythmic swing, and breeziness throughout the film is sure to furnish an hour or so of high entertainment to those that have not seen the stage performance of "Good News." It's one besetting sin is lack of novelty. ED. O'MALLEY.