Hollywood Filmograph (Jan-Jul 1930)

HOLLYWOOD FILMOGRAPH Preview "RENO" Sono Art All-Talkie Production. Starring Ruth Roland. Previewed at the Belmont Theatre. You gotta hand it to "Speed" Borst, the wideawake, hustling manager of the Belmont Theatre when it comes to dishing forth excellent previews. Last Saturday night he turned loose "Reno." and it went over with a bang. If this old, trick memory of ours has not gone into low, we believe that the last time we ran our glimmers over Ruth Roland, in a picture house, she was singing "On the Trail of the Lonesome Pine." Well, we felt very much like that gloomy old pine last Saturday night as Ruth flashed onto the scene singing "As Long As We Are Together." Imagine our agreeable surprise when we leaned a charmed ear to her sweetly-modulated voice. And then her talking voice — it was excellent; and her acting— it was sympathetically in harmony with that of an aggrieved woman taking the rattlers for Reno to throw off the yoke of an overbearing tyrant, bent on bringing misery to all that came within the hearing of his surly voice. Ruth as Felicia Brett wins out in the long run against Alex Brett, finely played by Montagu Love. The story is a little draggy in some of the early sequences but peps up excitingly toward the end. The dialogue of others, at times, finds Miss Roland in sort of listening static spells, especially when the tempo in the opening episodes runs into a ritardo. But these shortcomings can be easily remedied. Throughout the entire story, Ruth depicts the varing emotions of a desspised wife and doting mother with a repressive charm that speaks volumes for her success in the talkies. She has a sweet manner of delivery that quickly wins its way into the auditors' hearts, and her melodious enunciation is one of the most pleasing we have heard in the audibles. She has poise, grace of allure and a smile that is infectious. We regard Ruth Roland as a welcome addition to the vocables. Sam Hardy as J. Burkly, a Reno wisecracker, came through with his usual high-class performance. Others of the excellent cast were Kenneth Thomson, Judith Voselli, Doris Lloyd, Emmett King. Douglas Scott and Virginia Ainsworth. Crone's directing and Jackson's photography were tip top in every detail. We look to see "Reno" click well at the box office. With a little cutting and brushing up it should furnish a good hour or so entertainment. Newlyn's Beautypeel (Patented in U. S. and Canada) A.Hollywood product — 10 years' success — creates Beautiful Complexions ^-th'e safe me.thod^money back guarantee— ..an absolutely Painless and Harmless non-acid lotion — (not a mask) — :that-'.acts like magic in less than a week — makes you look 10 years younger — Home treatment that eliminates blackheads, freckles, pimples, liver spots, wrinkles, enlarged pores, tan, acne, muddy and oily skin — "unmasks your hidden beauty." TRIAL COSTS NOTHING Write for Newlyn's Beauty Pamphlet and Sworn Proofs NEWLYN LABORATORIES, Ltd. Dept. J-102 6038 Hollywood Boulevard HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. Review "WORLDLY GOODS" Trem Carr All-Talkie Production. Previewed at the Fox Wilshire Theatre. "Worldlv Goods" is one of the best yarns that Screenland has projected in some time. It was adapted from Andrew Soutar's novel and is just chock full of gripping episodes and breath-holding suspense. It has all the elements that make for a super film. The blind-man feature in the picture has been treated with superb dexterity. "Worldly Goods" depicts the checkered life of a war profiteer, accused of crimes of commission and omission; haffled at almost every turn of his cherished ambitions; suffering all the pangs of unrequited love, and yet at bottom, a man of sterling worth and high principles. We shall not spoil the interest of the auditor by revealing the pulsating catastrophe, but will leave it to be seen and heard at first hand. James Kirkwood was splendid as John Tullock, the profiteer. He cleverly wove a cumulative interest into the misunderstood nabob's acts, and rose to thespic heights in the thrilling finale. Merna Kennedy was sweetly alluring in the part of Mary Thurston. Ferdinand SchumannHeink's delineation of the blind soldier's star-crossed life was smoothly persuasive, especially in the closing scenes; and Shannon Day's Cassie was cleverly hit off, her work being particularly noteworthy in the attempt to win Tullock's affection. Eddie Featherstone as Jimmy made a dandy buddy to his blind pal, Jeff. Director Phil Rosen's work was consistently high class throughout, and he is worthy of major studio assignments, and Kirkpatrick's camera twirling, especially in the aerial sequence, was that of a master mechanic. The incidents dovetail smoothly into one another and are arranged with a keen eye to cumulative interest. "Worldly Goods" should have a big box office appeal. In our opinion it is almost a second "Seventh Heaven" in heart appeal. Larry Darmour. who produced the picture, should be commended for grabbing so excellent a photophone vehicle. ■f i i MACK SENNETT COLOR FILM COMPANY, LTD Formed for the purpose of making a special color process for motion pictures, a subsidiary of the Mack Sennett Corporation was granted last Friday permission by the state corporation department to issue stock with a par value of $78,000. The stock, according to the permit, will .be issued in 780 units, each with a par value of $100. The company is capitalized at $225,000. The process, it "was "announced, will have four pastel shades, all clearly defined, than those available in the usual color film. The process, it is said, will he made available to the entire industry. Technical experts of the company have been working for some time on the process until, it was said, it now requires only 24 hours to print a picture in color, whereas previously it took a week or 10 days. Review "PARDON MY GUN" Pathe Studio— E. B. Derr Production. Western All-Talkie Comedy. Previewed at the Belmont Theatre. "Pardon My Gun" is by far the funniest all-talkie western we have ever previewed. It just sparkles with ludicrous episodes and situations throughout, keeping the paid customers in a continual uproar of merriment. Added to the humorous side of the picture are the wonderful rodeo stunts of Frank and Tom MacFarlane, the cleverest youngsters of their type on the screen. They do everything on and off a horse, but twirl him around their fingers. The musical background is furnished by the popular Abe Lyman and his cracking good orchestra, all togged up in cowboy trappings, with a few chaps thrown in. Abe has his orchestra dovetail in smoothly with the celebrations indoor and outdoors, and also in the barn dances we find Ida May Chadwick, a delight in a rural dance. Little Mona Ray, who furnished the feminine laughs in the pictures, proves a treasure trove in the effervescent character of Peggy. Sally Starr is the personification of vivacity as Mary, reminding one at times of Clara Bow. Robert Edson turns in a splendid performance as Dad Martin. George Duryea makes an excellent Ted, the hero who gains Mary's hand when he rides the winning horse in a match race. Harry Woods as Robert Cooper, the villain, portrayed the character to a nicety, and Lee Moran as Jeff was extremely funny in his comedy stunts throughout the picture. Others who turned in good performances were Dorothy Vernon, Ethan Laidlow, Harry Watson, Stompie and Lew Meehan. Producer Derr has made no mistake with this comedy. It should go over fine at the box office. Director Robert Delacy has apportioned the tempo with a deft hand throughout — there is not a dull moment during the projecting. Edward Snyder's camera work could hardly have been improved on. Betty Scott wrote the original story and Hugh Cummings is sponsor for the photoplay. "JUST IMAGINE" One is always interested about what the players do but we think that Buster Keaton, that comedian who makes us laugh at his sadness, has a hobby that is certainly interesting. Buster has a stream in his back yard, an almost unheard of thing in California, where streams are usually underground, but Buster's stream is artificial, and in it there are hundreds of trout. Just imagine, you disciples of Isaak Walton, getting up early in the morning and just getting a nice fine trout for your breakfast. But that's not enough for Buster, he must have quail, so he has had constructed an enormous enclosure where hundreds of quail live happily. So should Buster ever get to the point where he can't "make 'em laugh any more," he has trout for breakfast and quail for dinner so that he only has luncheon to provide for and there are so many of his admirers who will buy the odd lunch. It's the least important meal anyway. Preview "HOLIDAY" Pathe Studio. Produced by E. B. Derr. All-talkie, starring Ann Harding. Previewed at the Belmont Theatre. Oh, that we could live our lives according to the native urge of our souls — oh, what a desideratum!! A bas with Gradgrinds. A bas with their rule of three and daily parceling out (inches and feet) of their circumscribed world programs. A bas with the trammels of exigent conventions, especially when they check the sallies of sterling hearts prompted by yearnings dearest to them. And herein we have the motif of "Holiday." Linda Seton (Ann Harding) rebels at the exacting formalities imposed on all under the palatial roof of Edward Seton (William Holden). Her sister Julia (Mary Astor), however, swings with father. Along comes Johnny Case, who falls hard for Julia. Johnny totes a latent bunch of Linda's spirit, but doesn't stress it until his engagement to Julia. Then old man Seton flies off the handle. When he tells Julia that Case will never amount to anything, she hangs up on her betrothed. Then Case beats it to a liner, ready to sail for Paris. Linda, looking upon Johnny as a treasure trove, bursts forth with all the gayety and abandon of a released butterfly, and flying to the pier on the wings of Love, sags into Case's arms just as the gangplank is pulled up. In the early sequences Miss Harding gives a superb etching of Linda's soul-free whims. She subtly and gradually works up her portrayal to an outbreak of comical fervor in the final scene, lacing the effort with a highly diverting slant at slangy eloquence. The contrast between Linda's smoldering disaffection, in the early part of the yarn, to Seton's rigid rules, and her unfettered sally of freedom in the finale, was hit off with wonderful histrionic finesse. Mary Astor's voice rang clear and true in her excellent limning of Julia's fast and loose temperament. Mary shows steady improvement in the talkies, especially in the more delicate phases of her art. Edward Everett Horton was a scream as Nick Potter, amply furnishing forth the comedy flavor to the story; and Robert Ames came through nicely as Johnny Case. Others in the high-class cast that turned in good performances were Hedda Hopper, Creighton Hale, Monroe Owsley, Mabel Forrester, Hallam Cooley and Audrey Forrester. Edward H. Griffith's directing was expert in every angle of his art, the best he has ever done at any studio, and Norbert Brodine's camera work was tiptop throughout. The packed house was highly pleased with the picture, and most of the postal cards received at the studio, treating on "Holiday," were enthusiastically effusive as to. its merits. It should prove a wow. at -the box office. ED. O'MALLEY. . If You Think Enough of Your Clothes to Pay High Prices for Tailoring, Don't Have Them Ruined by a Machine But See The Garden Court Tailor Where All Work Is Done By Hand 7024 Hollywood Blvd. HO. 1622 Pressing, 75c Cleaning and Pressing, $1.50