Inside facts of stage and screen (February 22, 1930)

PAGE FOUR INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, FEB. 22, 1930 Picture Reviews " Previews b Shorts By A. H. FREDERICK ‘BURNING UP’ Paramount picture (Reviewed at Paramount) Being a story which has been told in more or less varied forms many' times before, “Burning Up” is far from the strongest vehicle which Richard Arlen and Mary Brian have had. It is far from being such excellent entertainment as their “The Man I Love,” being most obvious from a very, early sequence, but dialogue and its di- rection make up for a good deal that the Story lacks. In other words it is an entertaining and very average programmer and nothing more. One sequence is deserving of special comment, among several that are truly delightful. This scene starts with Arlen and Miss Brian .in the. foreground of a night scene, the background being quite dark. They argue, and in the course of their disagreement fade into the , dark part of the picture, nothing being visible on the screen but a little lighting on herbage to one side of the screen. Their voices continue, telling of a little less harsh feeling between them, and then Hashes on a light (obviously coming from the head- light of an automobile) disclosing Miss Brian in Arlen’s arms. The story is very like Univer- sal’s “The. Shakedown,” but not so well thought out. It opens with Arlen and Francis McDonald as a couple of exhibition motor- cyclists under the management of Tully Marshall. Sam Hardy breezes in and suggests a “frame” whereby Arlen will appear as an auto racer who will pay $1000 to anyone who beats him. McDon- ald then will come into town, a contest will be staged and Arlen will throw the race. The payoff is to be in bets which Hardy will entice the villagers into making. All goes well until Arlen meets the daughter of the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce. The daughter is played by Miss Brian and the secretary by Charles Sel- lon,. Sellon, it seems, is the man whom Hardy has induced into making a $10,000 bet. ; Learning this Arlen goes to his conspirators with the demand that they call the race off. But they refuse, and so it turns into a real contest, with Arlen, of course, winning. Happy fadeout of a clinch. EXHIBITORS’ VIEWPOINT: ■This is just average program, which should do its meed of Ar- len-Brian business but with no such word-of-mouth to bolster it as was accorded “The Man I Love.” PRODUCERS’ VIEWPOINT A. Edward Sutherland has very clever direction evident, and he deserves much' of the credit for making this a better picture than the story warranted. Balance of credit for this goes to the dia- loguers, William Slavens McNutt and Grover Jones. But this same duo rates less for the story, which they also did, and for the adap- tation. Camera work by Allan Seigler is up to average. CASTING DIRECTORS' VIEWPOINT: Arlen is again the likeable, everyday youngster, but the lesser chances he has in this picture as compared to. prior offerings will not advance his fan rating any. And the same thing may be said of Mary Brian. Francis McDonald, playing the heavy with an unusual style of delivery, contributes the best work of the entire cast. McDonald’s departure from Hollywood’s rou- tine heavyisms marks him as a chap to be watched and one whom casting directors wil do well to look over, as his style is much more convincing than the usual talkified version of the old screen villains. Charles Sellon and Tully Mar- shall have two congenial roles, which they develop well, particu- larly Sellon. Marshall might have modified his work a triflle to ad- vantage. Sam Hardy also was too sure of his perfection to be per- fect. In this picture he somewhat over-stressed the attributes which he possesses in fuller measure than any other Hollywood actor, and which heretofore have been most striking. All Makes Sold, Repaired, Rented GLadstone 9748 CINEMA TYPEWRITER COMPANY New Portables, All Makes Adding Machines "278 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Cal, MYSTERIOUS ISLAND’ M-G-M Picture (Reviewed at Loew’s State) This picture, except for one se- quence, is non-talkie. But it is all-color and synchronized to a good score. ‘Mysterious Island” is a fan- tastic plunge into strange regions, more nearly like “The Lost World” of several years ago than to any- thing in the current crop. To one who wishes to lose himself in an evening of thoughtless pleasure, the film will appeal greatly; those who like ithe so-called problem plays and domestic or triangle dramas, it will appear futile. This reviewer is in the former class, and got a measure of unmixed de- light out of the eerie doings of the Jules Verne characters. Prefaced by an explanatory note that Verne wrote the story SO years ago before the invention of submarines and radios, and that these instruments in the picture are Verne’s conception of them and not the actuality of today, the picture opens with Lionel Barry- more an inventor who has a sub- marine about ready to launch. His dearly beloved sister is played by Jane Daly, and her sweetheart, a workman in Barrymore’s plant, by Lloyd Hughes. There is also a friend, Montagu Love. Comes the day for the launching and the boat goes down. But Love, who is (present, has ar- ranged to betray Barrymore so that he, Love, can seize the under- sea ships and “conquer the world.” His minions torture Barrymore and the sister to make them dis- close his secret formulae, but their efforts are unsuccessful. Meantime the sub comes to the surface, is fired upon and dives again. Hughes emerges in a diver’s suit, and rescues Barry- more, taking him aboard the ship. A false radio message is sent them by Love, purporting to come from the sister. They rise to the surface to rescue her, but are fired upon, disabled and go (jown and down. Meantime a workman, Gibson Gowland, smuggles the sister aboard the second sub and at- tempts to launch it. But Love’s troopers are too quick for him and get aboard in sufficient force to seize control. In desperation, the sister smashes the compressed air machine, meaning the ship can never come to the surface again. The first sub has sunk to the bottom of the ocean, and comes upon a race of undersea men, like human beings in many particulars but grotesque and a lesser breed in brain and life. The sub crew of No. 1 is all dead but four, in- cluding Hughes and Barrymore. These four, seeing the undersea Best Picture And Acting Box In Next Issue Due to the fact that there is almost another full week before the end of the current month, Inside Facts will not issue its regular end-of-the- imonth picture box until the next issue. Pictures to be considered for this box will be “Anna Christie,” “Dance Hall,” “The Love Parade,” “The Rogue Song,” “Not So Dumb,” “Devil May Care,” “Dark Streets,” “No, No, Nanette,” “Wedding Rings,” “The Sacred Flame,’’ “Son of the Gods,” “Burning Up,” “Wall Street,” “The Mysterious Is- land,” “Second Choice,” “Seven Keys to Baldpate,” “The Racketeer,” and other releases which will be re- viewed in the next issue. From this group the best picture will be chosen, the best individual performance for both sexes; best charac- ter performance, both sexes; best heavies, both sexes; best comedy relief, both sexes, etc. Also such pictures as are candidates to be considered for a place among the ten best pictures when selections are made at the end of the year. So far listed in this roll are “Romance of the Rio Grande” (Fox — Alfred Santell, director); “Second Wife” (RKO—Russell Mack, director); “Seven Days’ Leave” (Paramount—Richard Wallace); “Show of Shows” (Warner Brothers — John Adolfi, director). EARLE WALLACE Always Busy Developing Dancing Stars but Never Too Busy to Create and Produce Original DANCE ROUTINES and REVUES That Sell Belmont Theatre Bldg., First and Vermont Phone Exposition 1196 Los Angeles, Calif. MURRAY SL/q^TAG-E associates- Fl_or-< MoRR*T GL ADYS MURRAY 3638 BEVERLY BLVD. — Los Angeles — Tel. DU. 6721 PRACTICAL STAGE TRAINING STAGE TAP DANCING (In All Its Branches) BALLET -SS By SIGNOR G. V. ROS1 people threatened by a huge mon- ster, kill it with a torpedo, and emerging from the sub are hailed by the tribe as mighty saviors. Now sub No. 2 settles close by No. 1, and a party from the former goes to get the compressed air machine from the sister ship. The two parties come upon each other, and Barrymore kills Love, The taste of human blood drives the undersea people to madness and they attack all the humans. But the latter thrillingly manage to escape and again reach the surface. EXHIBITORS’ VIEWPOINT: Being all-color and of a most pleasing fantastical pattern, this picture, properly exploited, should draw. But this will depend large- ly upon the class of audiences to which the house caters. Look it over. Its biggest appeal probably will be to men and kids. PRODUCERS’ VIEWPOINT: Lucien Hubbard, working by silent picture standards, did a good job both in the direction and adapta- tion of the Jules Verne story. There was lots of trickery neces- sary, and it was all done con- vincingly. The technical direction was bet- ter done than the dramatic direc- tion, though the oddities of the picture keep up interest well. CASTING DIRECTORS VIEWPOINT: As silent work is not of great interest these days ; this viewpoint can be passed over lightly. Lionel Barrymore and Montagu Love have one talkie sequence, and both live up to their reputa- tions as seasoned troupers well equipped to meet all mike de- mands. Barrymore is far and away the best thing in the picture. His naturalness scores heavily through- out, and he puts his emotions across excellently. Love makes a good heavy, with Lloyd Hughes and Jane Daly satisfactory in their love interest parts. Gibson Gowland makes the most of his few scenes, while bits are contributed by Harry Gribben, Snitz Edwards and Do- lores Brinkman. WALL STREET’ Columbia picture (Reviewed at RKO Theatre) This is a program story done into a program oicture, well suited to the likes of those who want the movie type” entertainment. It makes no pretensions to those higher realms of psychology which some of the talkies are now going in for, but is aimed purely and simply to hold interest and to en- tertain. And that it does well. . Following so closely upon the recent sensational publicity which Wall Street achieved through its slump and consequent threat of general hardship, the picture has a timeliness which further increases the interest in those who manipu- late prosperity or panic. The story deals with a he-man type of Wall Street manipulator who has fought his way to the top financial ranks by sheer force of determination. Ralph Ince plays this role. Once in his career, at a time prior to that at which the picture starts, he has been bankrupted by another and more gentlemanly- mannered financier (played by Philip Strange). The story opens with Ince making a retaliatory raid on Strange’s holdings, calculated to ruin him. On the eve of the final bout between these two money titans, they meet in a class restaurant, Strange having his wife with him. (Aileen Pringle is the wife.) Ince’s gaucheries are dis- pleasing to the wife, and she po- litely insults him and leaves in a huff. For this Ince crushes Strange on the ’change, and the latter kills himself. Then Ince restores the money to the wife, and, because urged thereto by a friend (Sam De- Grasse) the wife permits Ince to visit her in order that she may get some tip on his future deal- ings, through which DeGrasse’s money-clique can ruin him. Ince becomes great pals with the wife’s young son (Freddie Burke Frederick) and the latter innocently supplies the informa- tion wanted. Ince’s stocks are hammered down and he is ruined, with the wife getting $1,000,000 of the pelf taken from him. He comes to tell her goodbye, adding that he will be back on The Street again after a brief vacation. But she does not want him to go, having learned to love his genuine qualities despite his lack of polish, and fadeout finds them in the clas- sic clinch. EXHIBITORS’ VIEWPOINT: This is average program entertain- ment, with a title and story which should hold business up to the usual returns. PRODUCERS’ VIEWPOINT: R. William Neill did unusually good direction from this story of not unusual trend. He knows how to keep interest sustained, and shows a most commendable aptitude, for getting the best out of individual situations and general cohesion. A good job. Paul Gangelin and Jack Kirk- land did the story and continuity and Norman Flouston the dialogue. All were well done. Camera work was by Ted Tetz- leff. CASTING DIRECTORS’ VIEWPOINT: Ralph Ince is highly convincing and an excellent type for the diamond-in-the-rough he-man. His voice is full and resonant and mikes excellently. He could be developed by adroit cast- ing into one of the screen’s few convincing he-men. Aileen Pringle’s personality has been seen to better advantage than in this picture, but she enacts the role with a sureness, attractiveness and a clear, nice voice, sum total- ing her a most pleasing perform- ance. Miss Pringle should easily establish a good place for herself in the talkies through these at- tributes. Philip Strange has a role which is short, through his early final exit, but in its course on the screen he has a wide variety of emotions to portray, and he does so in every instance for a maxi- mum. Very excellent work. Freddie Burke Frederick plays the child role, and proves him- self a youngster whose versatility covers a wide range, and who can meet all talkie demands with nat- uralness, ease and a troupership which does not put him in second place to any of the adult players. He has a. most appealing person- ality. Jimmy Finlayson does a Scotch role for its fuff value plus, with others doing excellent work in- cluding Sam DeGrasse and Ernest Hillard. “SECOND CHOICE” Warner Brothers picture (Reviewed at W. B. Hollywood Theatre) This one can be written off way on the debit side of the ledger. With a negligible, ultra-melodra- matic story to start with, the final tribute to the finished prod- uct is (or was on the night of review) laughs where heart-throbs and tensity were scheduled, and a general levity at the attempts of the characters, also not intended in the script. Poor dialogue, crude mechanics and artless char- acterizations are to blame. From an exhibitor’s standpoint the pic- ture should be distinctly “Second Choice.” Amid not infrequent though po- litely subdued razzberry from the audience—or at least from that portion of it near this reviewer— the story unfolded from an open- ing showing Dolores Costello as a nice girl from a payment-plan family, and contentedly in love with Chester Morris. Both Chester and Dolores be- long to the wealthy younger set of the city: Dolores is popular: Chester hasn’t any money. Not an entirely new situation for dra- matic interpretation, but stiff one with possibilities. .Briefly introduced thus, the situ- ation changes rapidly to show Chester Morris faling in love with another girl, played by Charlotte Merriam. Result is that Dolores and Chester have words and their happines is ruined. Charlotte, let it be inserted, has a father with money. A week passes and a country club dance is to take place. Do- lores’ mother insists that she go. At this dance, is Jack Mulhall, who has just been jilted by his girl, Edna Murphy. Also present is Chester, and the latter and Do- lores pick up their former quarrel where they left off a week previ- ously. Jack overhears this, and though inebriated as recompense for his being jilted by Edna, ob- tains permission from Dolores to punish her erstwhile sweetheart, man to man. Then comes a sequence with Miss Costello in a health* decline. Flowers and mesages from Jack leave her cold. But her scheming mother urges that Chester is an (Continued on Page 6) BEAUMONT STUDIOS SCENERY Drops, Curtains, Drapes RENTALS Los Angeles, Calif. 400 W. 96th St. YO. 8346 19^-SEASON IOO IN CAST ISON At SAW GABRIEL R.D. Mac Lean as fray junipfro serra EVERYAFTERNOON-EXCEPT MONDAY-Z'* —WED. AND SAT. 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