Inside facts of stage and screen (April 19, 1930)

PAGE FOUR INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1930 Picture Reviews " Previews " Shorts The semi-annual checkup time for Hollywood, the month of June, is rapidly approaching, with much accomplished since the last stock-taking period at the end of the year. Then the possibility of operatic voices was a conjecture; the effect of wide film was a thought for agitaton; and there yet remained to win judgment at the mike the three stellar luminaries, Greta Garbo, Douglas Fairbanks, and Norma Talmadge. In addition, the Radio Pictures of RKO had hardly become defini- tive of the place that studio was to occupy, due to the limited number produced by it up to that time. As Inside Facts will have a midyear issue in June in which detailed surveys of the 1930 ac- complishments, first half, will be scrutinized, only highlights will be touched upon here. In our mid- year issue we will have a discussion of the rela- tive meries of the product emanating from the various studios, their box office and artistic sen- tience, and other phases of picture-making of par- ticular interest to our exhibitor circulation. Addi- tionally we will have features of particular interest to the picture colony, including a name-by-name rating of the work done by all players who have appeared in pictured reviewed or previewed by Inside Facts between the first of the year and the date of the issue. This name-by-name feature was first published in our post-holiday edition last December, and, because of the response thereto, it was decided to make the feature a regular semi-annual department of the paper. The most striking development of the period frnm the first of the year up to the present time lias been the general levelling up and levelling down process which has been going on. The rapid succession of sensations which had started with AI Jolson's "The Jazz Singer" quieted down to a negligible number, being no greater than a nor- malcy for a smimlar length of time in the silent days, which prima facie is to be construed to mean that talkies have settled down to their long stretch of competition on merit rather than on novelty. For outstanding developments during the pe- riod we had the debut of Lawrence Tibbett, and the sensational rise of Marie Dressier to be the comedy queen of the talkies. Miss Dressier had scored well in Rudy Vallee's Radio Picture, "The Vagabond Lover," but it remained for her char- acterization of the drunken prostitute in Greta Garbo's "Anna Christie" to make her sensational, and this she followed by another howl in the William Haines picture, "The Girl Said No," and still another in "Chasing Rainbows." Up to the time of the Garbo picture, Winnie Lightner had appeared to be the premier talkie comedienne, but the field now lines up with these two bunched, Marie leading. Noticeable in this respect is the return of comedy teams, former popularity of which faded even before the silent era ended. M-G-M is putting forth Dressier and Polly Moran as a team, while Warners' "Hold Everything" is gettin gaway heavy due to the teaming of Winnie Lightner and Joe E. Brown. The public is laugh- hungry right now, and all signs point to big* re- By A. H. FREDERICK turns on such tie-ups. It's a wise move to keep together funsters who foil each other well in dialogue. * * * * Of the three stellar debuts during the period, one was sensational, one was what was expected, and the third was disappointing. Greta Garbo's had been the most anticipated of all, and when she brought her alluring deep tones to the screen in "Anna Christie," she lost not one whit of the screen charm and mystery which has kept her at a pinnacle of popularity. Doug Fairbanks, who had in a former picture spoken briefly in introduction, revealed fully a typical Fairbankian voice in "The Taming of the Shrew," and, with the resources at his command to manufacture the right kind of dialogue for him, it is likely he will retain his present place on the screen. Norma Talmadge's first talkie, "New York Nights," was widely ballyhooed on the angle of "at last—the perfect screen voice." This was very poor generalship on the part of the studio, as, no matter how flattering it might be to Miss Tal- madge, it was an obvious over-sell to the public. Her voice and line delivery, as revealed in "New York Nights," was not good. Barbara Stanwyck, playing what amounted to the star role in Columbia's "Ladies of Leisure," turned in one of the most sensationally good per- formances of the period. Miss Stanwyck, who is the wife of that Frank Fay who m. c.'d Warner Brothers' "Show of Shows" and did the lead in their "Under a Texas Moon," revealed a different type of personality, a screen appeal, and a sure- ness of portrayal in "Ladies of Leisure" which should carry her far. Beryl Mercer, who had stolen some good 50 per cent of the acting honors in U. A.'s "Three Live Ghosts," further cinched her right to a place in the foremost ranks of character actresses by her scrub-woman of Paramount's "Seven Days' Leave," from J. M. Barrie's "The Old Lady Shows Her Medals." Another extraordinary performance of the pe- riod was that of Winifred Westover in U. A.'s "Lummox." She did the part to perfection, leav- ing not the slightest question of her ability, but only a question as to how many suitable parts can be found for a woman of the type, in which she shines so brightly. * * * * No studio turned out a 100 per cent record of good pictures during the period, though talkie path-finding apparently had settled down to that level where absolutely worthless ones also are no longer to be expected. M-G-M had the most sensational offering in its "The Rogue Song," introducing the operatic voice of Lawrence Tibbett, far and away the greatest miking voice of any to date. In addition to this picture, M-G-M had no less uf a sensation in the talking debut of Greta Garbo. Box office records fell as La Garbo made her talkie bow, and critics raved. Apart from these two, M-G-M's product so far m 1930, has been mainly good average stuff. The class house releases included a second Ramon Novarro and a second Marion Davies, both of which proved disappointing. With the many ex- cellent voices which have sung since Novarro warbled the beautiful "Pagan Love Song," his voice in "Devil May Care" was not as exceptional as it seemed at the time of his first sound picture, nor is he a particularly effective talker. Marion Davies' second talker was "Not So Dumb," a typical Davies vehicle directed by King Vidor, who was mentor of some of Miss Davies' best silent pictures. The film served to prove that Miss Da- vies is among those who, excelling in pantomime in the silent days, have lost ground under the changed standards of more restrained delivery now in vogue. Paramount has had no such outstanding sen- sations on its program as "The Rogue Song" and "Anna Christie," but its general high level of entertainment brought it up to where general averages of the two studios are about the same, M-G-M's supers included. Of course Paramount^ like the others, had its weak moments, the most woeful of which was the Ziegfeldian "Glorifying the American Girl." Offsetting this and a couple more of the not-so-good ones, however, were such good entertainment as "Street of Chance," "The Love Parade," "Seven Days' Leave." Fox's best picture since the New Year has been "Romance of the Rio Grande," a follow-up on "In Old Arizona." Whether due to the trouble over the Fox control or not, Fox activity toward numerous A-l pictures seemed to slack up for a while, and the first run Fox houses set over to get their releases from M-G-M. RKO's Radio Pictures were just so-so during the period, with "Hit the Deck" the only signifier in the March of the Titans, as promised. They had an artistic triumph but a box office flop in "The Case of Sergeant Grischa." But apart from that was the extreme mediocrity of "Tanned Legs," Dance Hall," "The Delightful Rogue," etc. Warner Brothers put out in the ne plus ultra in lavish revues in their "Show of Shows," but apart from this have failed to come across with anything startling. Their late release, "Hold Everything," has a double-barreled draw in the laughs promised by the Winnie Lightner-Joe E. Brown comedy team and in the chance of seeing Georges Carpentier do his ring stuff. All box office. Except for the Richard Barthelmess pictures, First National sticks pretty close to a general level. For good measure in recent months, it had Marilyn Miller, and Marilyn and Dick did vir- tually all the elevating of the F. N. program. * * * « With the way things are stacking up these days, exhibs should be 100 per cent more careful than ever before as to whose programs they book. As June is a verdant month for contracts, Inside Facts will issue its mid-year number in that month to give such guidance as it can. LLOYD FIGHTS FIRE Harold Lloyd and several promi- nent guests leaped up from their dinner one night last week to stage an impromptu and non-movie fire fight. A stubborn blaze, that started from an incinerator in the rear of Lloyd's expensive Beverly Hills home, occupied the distinguished party until Beverly Hills fire-fight- ers arrived to do battle. Damage was estimated at $5000. MASQUERS REVEL SET The Masquers announce their an- nual public revel for the El Cap- itan Theatre, Hollywood, Saturday night, May 10, at 11:30 o'clock. Details of program are not yet made available. BEAUMONT STUDIOS SCENERY Drops, Curtains, Drapes RENTALS Los Angeles, Calif. 400 W. 96th St. YO. 8346 DIRECTOR SANTELL'S WIFE GIVEN DIVORCE Mrs. Ruth S. Santell now pos- sesses an interlocutory decree of divorce from Film Director Alfred Santell. The decree was granted last week by Superior Judge J. S. Gans here after a dramatic climax to what started as a sensational marital separation battle. Mrs. Santell, very near the verge of collapse, several times, during the trial, 'Suddenly closed her eyes, while the director's attorneys an- nounced an agreement had been reached for a property settlement and that they would present no evidence. Under the agreement, it is under- stood, Mrs. Santell gets $12,500 in cash, in addition to $20,000 and $500 monthly alimony for five years, agreed to when the pair separated 18 months ago. SAN FRANCISCO. April 17.— Jack Kay opens this week as master of ceremonies at the Lido Cafe. Kay doubles on instrumental music, sings and dances. GEORGE and FLORENCE BALLET MASTER AND MISTRESS Formerly 68 Successful Weeks Producing Weekly Changes in Australia's Largest Theatre THE STATE, SYDNEY Producers Desiring Originality WRITE or WIRE Permanent Address: INSIDE FACTS, Los Angeles FILM ROW By FRED YEATES C. N. Peacock, manager of the L. A. Paramount exchange, left this week on a vacation automobile tour of Yosemite. His wife and boy are with him. * * * The <boys of the United Artists exchange, including the boss, are mysteriously out of town. Rumor hath it they are in San Francisco, but a wall of impenetrable silence incloses their activities. Dirty work at the Golden Gate? * * * Universal reports all quiet on the western sales front, with some joy in camp over the gains in newsreel showings, which it is said have quadrupled in the last so-and-so weeks. A class house showing is expected in downtown L. A. within two weeks. * * * The boys and girls of R-K-0 are readying for a big convention for May 18. This will iaclude salesmen of the Western division, and exchange managers from all over the country. The boys are gathering up phone numbers and the girls are practicing their best cupid's bows. * * * Hugo Strickland, . sheik of San Francisco's film row, visited our Angelic city Monday and Tuesday to confer with Division Manager Brown of the local Tiffany forces. Brown is just back from New York, where he attended the opening of "Journey's End." They are all set in the big burg for a year's run—says he. * * * George Caldaras, local exchange manager, reports biz active, and says the Tiffany franchise plan is working wonders. Everybody happy. * * * Columbia's division manager, Jack Tillman, left Saturday for an extended tour of his territory. By auto. They report being busy— very. GEORGE— HICKMAM BROS. —PAUL COMEDIANS and WRITERS Yes, We've Trouped With Medicine Shows, Burlesque, Minstrels, Circuses, Biggest and Best in Vaudeville. And not forgetting our own big Musical Comedy Success, "WHO STOPPED THE FERRY BOAT?" Our telephone number is GRanite 1S5S. 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. S\SUu MURRAY Mi] SCHOOL^5TA&E (Associates) Gladys Murray Lafe Page 3636 BEVERLY BLVD. — Los Angeles — TsL DU. 6721 PRACTICAL STAGE TRAINING STAGE TAP DANCING (In All lis Branches; BJLLET^SSSSSy By SIGNOR G. V. ROS1