Inside facts of stage and screen (August 2, 1930)

PAGE FOUR INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Picture "Reviews " Previews ~ SATURDAY, AUG. 2, 1930 Shorts “RAFFLES” UNITED ARTISTS PICTURE (Reviewed at United Artists) “Raffles” is a very disappoint- ing picture for one who went with the expectation of getting the thrill of the printed and stage versions. Of course it has drawn a lot of favorable reviews but this must be attributed as much to Sam Goldwyn’s indefatigable exploita- tion of himself as a “producing genius” as to any actual merits of the picture. To put it bluntly and_ succintly Ronald Colman seems miscast, the story has been ineptly adapted to the talking screen and it has been produced in very spotty fashion. Colman walks through the pic- ture, using restraint to the point of woodenness. The adaptors have loaded the script with meaningless incidents for what was evidently intended to 'be production value. Much of the dialogue is idle chatter. To those to whom the story of the gentleman burglar is familiar the picture will be extremely dis- appointing. To those seeing it for the first time, it will scarcely be impressive. The fundamental weakness of the 'bringing of this romantic yarn to the screen was the failure to include sparkling action, fast-mov- ing incident, and replacement of such much-needed film ingredient by unimportant dialogue and slow- paced atmospheric business. EXHIBITOR’S VIEWPOINT: Colman in “Raffles” should spell plenty of appeal at the box-office, but don’t be misled into thinking this the “great” picture that it has been claimed to be. PRODUCER’S VIEWPOINT: From the famous “Amateur Cracksman” yarns, of E. W. Hornung and the play by Hornung and Eugene W. Presbrey the di- rection is credited to William mm®* Special routines, stage and screen. Tap, toe, ballet, musical comedy, acrouatie, new ‘Heel-It’ I747N. IAS PALMAS HOtiYWODD.PHOliEUE 998 6 Cameron Menzies and Paul French. Neither treatment nor di- rection is particularly impressive in demonstrating an outstanding grasp of talkie principals. CASTING DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT: The role of “Raf- fles,” while a smart, sophisticated part, does not seem fitted to Col- man’s character, which has been built up (on the screen) as that of a romantic lover. The star’s personal appeal rather than his acting abilities seems to 'have been relied upon to put the film over. Kay Francis gave an effective interpretation as the girl, while David Torrence characterized the Scotland Yard inspector capably. Frederick Kerr and Alison Skip- worth played Lord and Lady Mel- rose and the balance of the cast included Bramwell Fletcher, Fran- cis Dade, John Rogers and Wilson Benge. GIBBONS. PREVIEW ‘THE JAZZ CINDERELLA’ CHESTERFIELD PICTURE Being that happy compound of an interest-holding story advanced by alternating laughs and drama, all most ably directed by Scott Pembroke, and with interest well sustained throughout, “The Jazz Cinderella” is a picture of program class which is certain to please. Pembroke’s direction is highly sym- pathetic, and this quality finds re- flection in a consistency of able work by the cast, which contains such names as Nancy Welford, Jason Robards, Myrna Loy, Fred- die Burke Frederick, David Durand and Frank McGlyn. For a further "punch,” Jason Robards comes forth with a sing- ing voice of very nice timbre, a possession of his which was hith- erto unknown to this reviewer. The story deals with a working girl who is courted by an idle rich scion. But his mother and des- tined fiancee interfere with the course of true love so effectively that at length the little “Cinder- ella” purposely puts herself in the unpleasant position of a thief in order to turn the boy’s affections back into more customary chan- nels. This is the big dramatic mo- ment of the picture, and Pembroke has developed it, as well as lesser dramatic moments and comedy, for full value. EXHIBITORS’ VIEWPOINT: This is a good program booking, insofar as entertainment is con- cerned, moving along with an ef- fective swing which will send them out pleased. PRODUCERS’ VIEWPOINT: Scott Pembroke shows a thorough grip of talkie direction values, and adds another to his list of con- sistent good work. He never fails to develop every situation for its limit in entertainment, and this to- tals a most effective offering. Edwin Johns did the screen story, bringing forth everything there, both in drama and in laugh- getting possibilities. CASTING DIRECTORS’ VIEWPOINT: Jason Robards, adding a pleasing singing voice to his always reliable acting ability, turns in a performance which leaves nothing to be desired, and one fully developed from every angle. Nancy Welford has a most con- genial role as the “Cinderella,” and she handles her dramatic moments with ease and polish. Of course, her singing is delightful. The big laughs are' furnished by Freddie Burke Frederick and Da- vid Durand, a couple of youngsters whose sparkling and un-self-con- scious work is a true delight. Dorothy Phillips plays the moth- er and Myrna Loy the fiancee, both turning in performances which are most pleasing. Frank McGlyn, enacting an Irish laborer, makes every moment he is on the screen stand out, while oth- ers in the cast deserving special mention include Murray Smith and George Cowl. M. L. ‘THE RUNAWAY BRIDE’ RADIO PICTURE (Reviewed at RKO Theatre) She was a nice girl, eloping with a wealthy young man. They regis- tered at an apartment house, in- tending to get married soon after (a-hem), but they quarrelled and he left her locked in the apart- ment. A jewel robbery—a double murder—a dead body in her apart- ment, which had been a gang hang- out, and the “jools” planted in her purse. She made a getaway, the villains pursuing her, and the cops, too. She holed up in a bachelor’s apartment, posing as a cook. She fell in love with the bach and he with her. Cops and would-be hubby caught up with her and made it look bad to the bach. Her capture by the bandits, a chase, rescue, clinch, and she lives hap- pily ever after with bach, but he, of course, no longer being a bachelor. EXHIBITORS’ VIEWPOINT: Might appeal to some of the wo- men because of the angle from which it is written and treated. There is the wealthy suitor, given the gate because he scorns the ennobling influence of work, and there is the successful young bach- elor who has risen from messenger boy to the heights because of hard work, and so wins her love. Just what that is worth was not brought out. The chasing and he-man stuff will appeal to some of the children. But it is nothing to rave about. It is none too well acted or directed. PRODUCERS’ VIEWPOINT: Obviously taken from a woman’s play (“Cooking Her Goose,” by Lolita Ann Westman) and adapted for the screen by another woman (Jane Murfin); not any worse for that than a lot of other pictures, but it explains the situations and the trend of story thought. Predi- cated on chance, developed on the milk of human kindness and cli- maxed on good luck. Direction is none too worthy of Donald Crisp; it lacks thoughtful study and finish. Title is o. k. CASTING DIRECTORS’ VIEWPOINT: Mary Astor, the runaway bride, o. k. as to type, but with some inconsistencies in her portrayal, due probably to loose direction. David Newell was sat- isfactory as the rich young eloper who got the gate, and Lloyd Hughes was acceptable as the bachelor boy who made good. He was “nice” in the womanly sense, but none too virile for a boy who could beat up a gang. Natalie Moorhead was a combination Zasu Pitts-Evelyn Brent, and got away with it. Edgar Norton, as a but- ler, did about the nicest job of act- ing in the cast. Paul Hurst was a dick sergeant, and the underworld gang were those old reliables, Francis McDonald, Harry Ten- brook, Phil Brady and Theodore Lorch. YEATES. “WILD COMPANY” FOX PICTURE (Reviewed at Loew’s State) “Wild Company” starts out as another “flaming youth” epic and winds up in its last few reels as a moral' preachment, warning par- ents not to let their children run wild. It’s good advice but for the most part very poor entertain- ment, the outstanding item being a very fine characterization by Frank Albertson of the rich man’s son, who well for some shady characters and become involved in a murder case. Hence the title, “Wild Com- pany,” and the story is really pretty tame and conventional stuff, building up to a court room scene, where capable George Fawcett takes the curse off a poorly writ- ten and much too lengthy moral preachment that he is obliged to give in the character of the judge. EXHIBITORS’ VIEWPOINT: Not much in the way of produc- tion and having hardly anything but the preachment angle and its snappy title to put it over. PRODUCERS’ VIEWPOINT: Film demonstrates nothing much but a great regard for the re- cently projected “moral code” and suffers considerably in an artistic way from bowing to the code, with the story apparently a con- A Centralized Music He- partment at the Dis posal of all Producers TTT2TT SYNCHRONIZING SERVICE JlHSOPOlITJN SlUDD HCXLYWOOO Behrendt-Levy-Rosen Co., Ltd. General Insurance Insurance Exchange Building VA 1261 EDDIE PEABODY “The Banjoy Boy of Joyland” V The Proven and Tested Box-Office Builder Personal Direction: Mrs. Eddie Peabody FOX DETROIT V After Three Great Weeks in St. Louis Part of a Series of Special Engagements in DeLuxe Houses V