Hollywood Filmograph (Jan-Jul 1930)

20 July 26, 1930 Pictures -" Re vie wed and Previewed Preview "THE OFFICE WIFE" Previewed at the Forum Theatre. The erotic vagaries that creep into the offices of 1930 business structures, limited or unlimited, ' are exemplified to a pronounced degree in Warner Brothers' latest contribution to the vocables, "The Office Wife." Larry Fellows (Lewis Stone), a sly old roue of the swivel-chair species, with a peach of a wife to decorate his sumptuous mansion, has a magnetic knack of bringing stenographers into fainting spells when their presumed path to his exclusive favors has been suddenly blocked. We have never seen anything of a loadstone attraction to Dorothy Mackaill's uncovered knees (when we got a peek-a-boo at them in the movies), yet when she designedly flashes them at Larry Fellows' bleached orbs, he falls with a thunderous thud. "I've got to have those knees," rumbles Larry (mentally), and he gets 'em, even though they have to be carted clear down to the tropical delights of dear old Palm Beach, to swing them on the dotted line. Ann Murdock (Dorothy Mackaill) is the shaft of perennial sunshine in Larry's office. His w'fe (Natalie Moorhead), getting hep to his curves, crimps a boy friend for herself. Then complications supervene in these tangled lives, and the satirist seems to have pulled a boner in the denouement when he has the office orchid (supposed to be sixteen) take the full count on Cupid's chin, for the sexagenarian, Fellows. Stone and Mackaill turn in good performances. Both wage warfare with the "mike" at times; Lewis in the early sequences and Dorothy throughout. Miss Mackaill's excellent work is marred now and then with slight lisping, sibilating and tightlipped enunciation. Blanche Friderici, one of the screen's most versatile artists, is a pip in the role of a novelist with mannish propensities. Natalie Moorhead scores heavily as the aggrieved (with a reverse English) wife. She is one of the most fascinating blondes in the vocables. Others that turn in good performances are Joan Blondell, Brooks Benedict, Hobart Bosworth, Dale Fuller, Walter Merrill and John Rogers. Lloyd Bacon's directing and William Rees' camera work were the last word in their respective arts. "The Office Wife" is one of the best satires on the human comedy we have ever run up with. It is put on superbly in every phase of the cinema art. The diamond-tipped dialogue is replete with side-splitting shafts of wit; the situations diverting throughout, and the picture, by and large, one of the most elaborate ever projected by Warner Brothers. Here is a darb that is sure to make the old shekels jingle at all the famous brothers' box offices. Don't miss it, for you are sure to laugh your young and old heads off. Preview "THE RECORD RUN" Previewed at the Belmont Theatre. Giving a fresh impetus to the Iron Men films, which enjoyed considerable of a vogue during the reign of the silent pictures, RKO swings into a synchronizing of the whirling monsters, in the studio's latest audible effusion, "The Record Run." We make bold to declare it is the best railway yarn ever twirled into celluloid. As we sat back in our coign of vantage we gave a loose to the perfect illusion and, for a long spell, thrilled to the rhythmic rumble of the record run. There we sat at the window of the coach, dazzled by the flickering blurbs of scenery that shot past us in the wake of the speeding iron man, who was evidently frightened, as it were, into the highest stretch of celerity by a fancied pursuit of hobgoblins, gnomes and swart fairies of the mines. For us, it was a traveling treat that out-topped the pleasure of the concrete article. The story features Louis Wolheim, Robert Armstrong and Jean Arthur, and each is excellently cast. Dan Thorn (Wolheim) is a hard-boiled, bluff, stolid superintendent of the railway yards. He dominates the men with an iron hand, and is relentless in his aggressive disciplinary methods. At bottom, however, he has a soft spot for Mary Ryan (Jean Arthur), and soon becomes her fiance. Then along comes Larry Doyle (Armstrong). It's love at first sight between him and Mary. An elopement is planned. In crossing a railway track Larry's foot is caught in a frog. In the distance looms the light of the limited express. Thorn, to whom the elopement had been tipped off, rushes up just in time to save Doyle, but is himself hit by the locomotive and almost killed. Only one thing will save his life — an expert surgical operation — an operation that must be performed inside of five hours. Then the record run to Chicago with Larry at the throttle. But, dear reader, we shall leave the thrilling denouement for you at first-hand. Wolheim's Dan Thorn was a sterling bit of work, and the same can be said of Armstrong's Larry Doyle. Jean Arthur was sweetly convincing as Mary. We notice that her enunciation is improving fast. One of the outstanding hits of the picture is Hugh Herbert's tramp portrayal. His subtle comedy is a knockout. It is the classiest takeoff on a panhandler we have ever run up with, and was greeted with gusts of laughter. Others that turned in good performances were Frank Sheridan, James Farley, Allan Roscoe and W. P. Brent George B. Seitz's directing was letter-perfect, and the photography of Karl Struss and John Boyle a work of art in every particular. We have never seen better twirling in its peculiar line. "The Record Run's" tempo is fast throughout and the suspense pulsating. It is sure to catch on well with both the young folks and adults. Don't miss it — it will give you over an hour's stretch of grip Preview "MANSLAUGHTER" Previewed at the Paramount Studio. Featuring Claudette Colbert and Frederic March (an excellent pair to draw to), Paramount fares forth with a high-class talkie in "Manslaughter." The yarn is right up to date, deriving its motif from superheated spark plugs, and a society siren whose whirligig brain leads her to step good and hard on the gas, night and day. She is immune from "good morning, judge," through a reckless spreading of sumptuous jewels to conniving motorcycle cops. Finally one of the cops is killed when his motorcycle collides with her speeding car as she turns an impossible angle in the highway. She is indicted for manslaughter, convicted and sent up for a good stretch. Several years of prison discipline completely quells the highgeared spirit of Lydia Thorne (Claudette Colbert), and she emerges with a contrite soul, on probation, materially brought about by the kind offices of District Attorney Dan O'Bannon (Frederic March), who is madly in love with her, and who was principally instrumental in bringing about her conviction. The revulsion from black hatred to the white light of love, in the final sequence, is wondrously depicted by Miss Colbert as she runs madly in the darkness of night after the brokenhearted O'Bannon, shouting, "I love you." We have never before heard the three most difficult words to pronounce in the audibles delivered so beautifully and with so soul-searching a sweetness. Claudette Colbert is superb as the sophisticated, wayward and pampered Lydia Thorne, who scoffs at the conventions of society. Her multiple play of emotions throughout has an insinuating patina of repression that gives an added zest to her dramatic genius. We are almost tempted to place her as the runner-up to Ruth Chatterton, in the highest stratum of the thespic art. Frederic March's Dan O'Bannon discovers this sterling histrion in a character that seems to have been created for him. The portrayal in its variegated moods was absolutely flawless. Irving Mitchell has a splendid speaking voice, and worth watching. Richard Tucker was excellent as Albee, and the decorative Natalie Moorhead sweetly convincing as Eleanore Bellington. We have also words of high praise for Emma Dunn's Benny, and Hilda Vaughn's Evans. No other director could have turned in a better bit of megaphoning than did George Abbott, and Archie J. Stout's camera work was distinctly clever. "Manslaughter" is one of the best films we have previewed in some months, and we are fain to say that Paramount possesses a gem of a boxoffice appeal in it. ED O'MALLEY. ping, fast-fire dramatic situations and is sure to hit the box office hard. Stage Review "MERTON OF THE MOVIES" The performance of Franklin Provo as Merton in "Merton of the Movies" is one of the finest things the Pasadena Community Players stage has seen in months. This clever young chap is so sincere, so pathetic and so funny that an evening spent in watching him is well occupied. George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly have transferred the meat of Harry Leon Wilson's comedy of the silent films into four acts and six scenes, but in doing so they have achieved a rather disconnected whole. In fact, were it not for the splendid work of the characters, the play would be rather dull. The dialogue, for the most part, is far from brilliant. So, to the work of the actors a reviewer must inevitably return. For in this play not one but half a dozen excel. Franklin Provo we have already mentioned. Betty Jenks as the Montague Girl proves herself the most interesting ingenue the Playhouse has seen. Thomas Henry as Sigmund Rosenblatt, the director, is nothing short of a bombshell in the comedy line. The famous Harold Parmelee is impersonated beautifully by Patrick McCann. Beulah Baxter haughtily sweeps through the scenes impersonated by Margaret Tupper. Mr. and Mrs. Jas. N. Hawks, Jerome J. Jerome, Ruth Cherrington and Claude N. Settles are worthy of praise. A score of others fill their parts well. The settings are excellently done by Ruth Burdick, especially the ship scene. HAROLD WEIGHT. 111 Review "PETER THE PIRATE" At the Filmarte Theatre. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Walter Hageler, the latest German film is showing at the above theatre, the home of "foreign films." Rather old-fashioned in its treatment and players, this must be one of the "old-timers" taken "off the shelf" for release. Aud Nissen, Paul Richter, Robert Garrison, Jacob Tielke, George John, Rudolf Rogge and Lydia Polechiana comprise the cast and they all "emoted" valiantly, in the old style. Several remarkable locations at the sea-shore with a rock-ribbed ancient castle were shown. "Lady Killers," a Triangle-Keystone comedy, was shown also but the best thing on the bill was Kinograms "built like a newspaper." One can always enjoy the newsreels. "Asphalt," an Erim Pommer UFA Production, is promised for next week. A notable cast, featuring Gustave Froelich, who will vividly be remembered for his work in "Metropolis." ARTHUR FORDE. i 1 1 Frank Richardson, featured FoxMovietone player, has left Hollywood on a personal appearance tour which will keep him East of the Rockies until September.