Inside facts of stage and screen (August 30, 1930)

PAGk four INSIDE FACTS OF Sf AGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 1930 Picture Reviews ** Previews Shorts By LOU JACOBS “TOP SPEED” FIRST NATIONAL PICTURE (Reviewed at Warner Brothers’ Hollywood Theatre) Over .two years ago, when Joe E. Brown was making his first picture for Columbia, Ivan Kahn, his manager, stated to this re- viewer that Joe E. was destined to become one of the greatest comedians on the screen. We put it down largely to managerial en- thusiasm but after seeing “Top Speed” we must concede that Ivan has plenty of judgment. This is about as funny a pic- ture as could be desired and is made so principally by the antics of Brown. It is an unusually good story for a farce of this sort, has plenty of unique situations, much humor and a thrilling boat race with a lot of clever trick pho- tography. It tells about two broker clerks, who, at the end of their vacation camping out, decided to go to a swell hotel and for one day, swank it properly. There they represent themselves as millionaires and meet a couple of wealthy girls, one of whom’s father is a speedboat enthusiast. The impending race in which the old gentleman’s boat is en- tered is to determine the future of the firm that built the motor. A crooked pilot is discharged and Jack Whiting wins the race and the girl while Joe E. captures her friend. EXHIBITOR’S VIEWPOINT: Insure yourself against accidents from over laughing. One manner of exploitating is to offer a prize for the one who guesses the exact number of laughs this picture draws from an audience, giggles not counting. It is as sure fire a number as can be imagined ii your patrons enjoy humor. PRODUCER’S VIEWPOINT: Mervyn LeRoy should win the rank of ace comedy director by virtue of this picture alone. It has some very difficult sequences which LeRoy handled with excel- lent judgment, never allowing the humor of the play to be neglected for an instant. The photography with its trick features, especially during the boat race, was splen- did, while the dialogue and gags were excruciatingly funny. CASTING DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT: No better cast could be conceived for farcical purposes. Jack Whiting in the lead was most acceptable. He was romantic looking and played with a sincerity that furnished a nice contrast for Joe E.’s clowning. Laura Lee was a good foil for Brown. She has a sense of humor all her own and while pretty, is not afraid to make a grimace if it serves for a laugh. Bernice Claire in the lead was satisfying. She sang in nice voice and looked the role of the debutante to per- fection. Frank Hugh gave a good ac- count of himself as a persistent in- ventor, particularly when he got the chauffeur drunk. Rita Flynn had a small part which she played nicely. Edmund Breeze was en- trusted with the heavy which was played with his usual aplomb while Cyril Ring played the small part of his son. Wade Boteler, Edwin Maxwell and Billy Bletcher completed the cast. Special routines, stage and screen. Tap, toe, ballet, musical comedy, acrobatic, new ‘Heel-It' 1747 N. LAS PALMAS HOUYWOOD.PHONEUE 9986 “GOOD NEWS” M-G-M PICTURE (Reviewed at Loew’s State) If all the musical comedy talkies were as clever as this one, there would be no decline in the stock of the tunies. With the songs in- terpolated in spots where they fit together with an interesting plot, well sustained and cleverly en- acted, “Good News” is good the- atre. The story closely follows the play of the same name and the musical numbers were largely from that work. It is a college story with its motif a football game, a triangle love tangle and lots of pep. The big musical spot is naturally the Varsity drag which is done in a manner that will surely put new life into the old song. The play is full of good laughs, Gus Shy getting most of them, in fact, Gus quite ran away with the picture. His style of humor is droll and unlike anybody we can think of. This is Gus’ first pic- ture but he is certain to be a wel- come addition to the galaxy of satellites hereabouts. There are plenty of pretty girls scattered throughout and a foot- ball game with action, thrill and comedy galore. EXHIBITOR’S VIEWPOINT: You will make no mistake in booking this one, it has every- thing the customers want and much they don’t expect. Its exploitation with college tie-ups now that school is starting and football sea- son coming will make it a cinch to pack your house. PRODUCER’S VIEWPOINT: This picture should help materially to bring back into favor the mu- sical comedy type of film. More of this sort and you will receive the blessing of the music pub- lishers. The direction of Edgar MacGregor and Nick Grinde proves them to be adepts at this class of entertainment. The mass scenes were handled with finesse and originality while the comedy an- gles and love sequences had a touch of humaness that was thor- oughly enjoyable. The dialogue, too, was way above par. CASTING DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT: Stanley Smith as the lead was not a happy selec- tion. He was far below convic- tion in both the athletic and love scenes, although his singing was very satisfactory. Cliff Edwards was excellent as the trainer and got a large mead of laughs. Bessie Love as the girl was splendid. Her singing and dancing together with her peppy acting rate her in this picture as high as in anything she has done. Mary Lawler was sweet and pretty as the girl in the case and seemed to know what it was all about. Frank McGlynn as the professor was very good but it is wasting of talent to cast this exceptional actor in parts of this character. McGlynn, if given the opportunity, would be one of the ranking character actors in the industry. Thomas Jackson and Lola Lane in lesser parts were quite satis- factory. THE FAMOUS LILLIAN NEWMAN KIDDIES BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER Now Playing Fox West Coast Long Beach and Santa Ana Thanks to FANCHON and MARCO VILLAGE INN HOTEL MODERN THROUGHOUT Special rates to the profession—Acts playing Pantages, Hollywood—and the Egyptian—will appreciate the comfortable atmosphere. 5724 SUNSET BOULEVARD WRITE, WIRE, PHONE for Reservations — HO. 4735 “EYES OF THE WORLD” INSPIRATION PICTURE United Artists Theatre , Of all the slushy, mushy impos- sible trash to incorporate into a film in this year of 1930 hand this thing by Harold Bell Wright the prize. Wright’s maudlin senti- mentality and improbable plotting went out of style with Laura Jean Libby and it was an error to try and revive it. The story is not pretty, its love sequences are strained and it is the weak attempt of compromising virtue by appearances first and then by attack only to give the hero his chance to come in the nick of time to foil the foul villain. The story is woven around the character of a bold adventuress and social climber who feels sorry in the end. One is reminded that Clara Kimball Young starred in the sil- ent version some fifteen years ago or thereabouts when sentiment and melodrama could excite the girlish imagination. Today the girls are way ahead of this sort of thing. The direction of Henry King was nothing to get excited over. There was nothing new nor un- usual in any phase of it, just old time talk and movement. The dia- logue was as stilted as it is in the book and frequently the phrases were such as are never spoken by humans in this day and age. EXHIBITOR’S VIEWPOINT: If there are any in your com- munity who still admire the works of Wright, they will come to see the picture perhaps but don’t ex- pect much from the current gen- eration who detest this sort of a story. PRODUCER’S VIEWPOINT: There is hardly any excuse for the making of this picture unless it be that it is expected to repeat on the success of the silent. But that had Clara when she was in the height of her success, than which there was no greater at that time. Imagine an unknown try- ing to follow Mary Pickford in a talkie version of “Pollyanna” and you’ll grasp what we mean. CASTING DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT: The casting of this one missed particularly in the leading roles. John Holland was anything but the romantic figure that would turn a good young girl to fibbing disobedience. He was too phelgmatic and showed no anima- tion nor flashes of personality that would convince he could be any- thing of interest to a rortiantic child. Una Merkel was too kid- dish by far. Her piping voice and timid youthfulness lacked maturity. Fern Andra in the Clara Kim- ball Young role was the big sur- prise. She turned in an under- standing performance. She looked the part and read her lines with a suavity and naturalness that was most gratifying. Her portrayal was the high spot of the picture. Nance O’Neil was very disappointing. Her ultra dramatic voice with its stageyness was unfitting to the role of the scar-faced mother. Likewise, the stage technique of the tragedienne is not suited to pictures. Among the men, the best per- formances were given by Hugh Huntley and Frederick Burt. As the heavy, Hugh was fine. His self assurance and matter of fact way of taking his defeat was well done. Burt played the part of the actor father in a real and un- strained manner. His naturalness carried conviction and he looked the part thoroughly. Says: •• •< P. S. — The CELLAR is at Cosmo Street and Hollywood Boulevard . . . between Vine and Cahuenga . . . the phone numbers are GRanite 3 3 8 2 and Hollywood 9 15 9 . . . Parking is free at the lot across from the CELLAR . . . The CHRYSLER and SAM- SONS are there. Thank You. “ANYBODY’S WOMAN” PARAMOUNT PICTURE (Reviewed at Paramount) This film is a concoction of matrimony, including another man and an ex-wife. The story is about a drunken lawyer who mar- ries a chorus girl; he in the maudlin belief that she would make a better wife than his last, just divorced; she in the hope that the match would take her out of the want and despair of her situa- tion. The story constitutes just an- other picture with the work of Ruth Chatterton as the chorus girl its distinguishing mark and the opportunity it affords Paul Lucas an added excuse. Nothing that Ruth has done in pictures equals her portrayal of the harassed chorine. She bleached her hair for the role and her at- titude and reading of the hard- boiled lines constituted a charac- terization that was a gem. Paul Lucas plays the rich man who falls in love with his lawyer’s wife because she has come from the same strata of society and met the same hardships as did he in his rise. Ruth makes her heroine a battling girl anxious to protect her virtue from her husband’s friends. The scene at the supper when she gets drunk inadvertently and creates a scene was unusually well done. A sequence when Lucas makes love to her with her husband ar- riving in time to catch the last words of his wife, ordering his best client out of the house, is per- haps the dramatic high spot of the picture. EXHIBITOR’S VIEWPOINT: This picture will not offend, but will make additional friends for Miss Chatterton and Paul Lucas. It will not cause any particular furor. PRODUCER’S VIEWPOINT: This film is particularly distin- guished for excellent direction which perhaps saves it from utter mediocrity. Dorothy Arzner is de- serving of much credit for what success it attains. CASTING DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT: Clive Brook in the leading role had an innocuous part. Virginia Hammond gave a very good portrayal of the society sister who does not accept her new sister-in-law but is too good of a sport to reject her entirely. Juliette Compton, as the ex-wife was splendid. Her acting had dignity and understanding and while the role was small, she milked it for all it was worth. Others in the cast were Tom Patricola, Huntley Gordon, Cecil Cunningham, Charles Girrard, Sid- ney Bracey, Harvey Clark and Gertrude Sutton. NEWSREEL THEATRE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed Aug. 25) Straight newsreel program with an occasional animated cartoon as a filler is the policy of this house. Theatre does a fair business at twenty-five cents all day. About twenty news shots were presented on the date reviewed, al- though reels are added and taken out intermittently. Show opened with an “Around the World Tour” via Zeppelin, syn- chronized, giving the customers views of strange lands from the air. There’s nothing new in this, despite its being fairly interest- ing. An unusual and realistic scend was that of a battle with a whale, whereby the actual chase between the whaling boat and the mam- mal is shown. Another realistic scene was the digging of a wrecked plane from a gas tank in which it had plunged. Corpses of the flyers were shown, but the reel was sped up to fast motion, to avoid gruesomeness. Other reels—some synchronized and some in the regular talkie— (Continued on Page 13) Behrendt-Levy-Rosen Co., Ltd. General Insurance Insurance Exchange Building VA. 1261 18 Producers have en- trusted their music with us. Such popularity must he deserved. TT57TF SYNCHRONIZING SERVICE .MtrsopourjN Studd. Houywooo, 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. HARVEY KARELS VALLIE SCHOOL OF DANCING 7377 Beverly Blvd. OR. 2688 Associates—Gladys Murray, Lafe Page Ballet Dept.—Mary Frances Taylor PRACTICAL DRAMATICS —and — STAGE DANCING Tap, Off-Rhythm, “Modernized Ballet” and Acrobatic “THE ORIGINAL MURRAY SCHOOL” OF NEW YOKE, CHICAGO AND LOS ANGELES WALTER S. WILLS STUDIO OF STAGE DANCING 7016 HOLLYWOOD BOULEVABD GLADSTONE 8502 PROFESSIONALS TAUGHT BY PROFESSIONALS New Autumn Classes for Adults Start September 3—Tap, Acrobatic, Soft Shoe, Eccentric, Waltz Clog, Musical Comedy, Ballet. Also Children’s Classes. 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 }