Inside facts of stage and screen (September 6, 1930)

PAGE FOUR INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, SEPT. 6, 1930 Picture Reviews - Preview s - Shorts By LOU JACOBS “OLD ENGLISH” (Reviewed Warner Bros. Theatre) Hollywood Perhaps no other actor now be- fore the public could have given even a close approximation of this character of “Old English,” than George Arliss. The entire play is a character study, a combination of shrewd villainy and love. The screen version of this Gals- worthy classic does not follow close- ly the stage play, although it adds little to it other than an occasional change of scene. The plot has been maintained in the main, but some of the charac- ters have been switched. For in- stance, the big scene in the last act of the play between Pillan and Hey- thorp has been given to Ventner, who did not gain any sympathy for himself, justified as he was, as did the scene originally played between the two old men. The story of the old rascal who, in order to provide for the children of his illigitimate son, puts over a deal to milk a corporation of which he is the head, and gets revenge upon a straight laced spinster daughter by breaking the news of his extra-martial though youthful affair. The big moment in the play, and that for which all is built, is the scene in which “Old English” eats and drinks himself to death. It is one of the finest bits of acting ever performed upon the screen and should add lasting glory to the fame of Arliss. EXHIBITOR’S VIEWPOINT: This will pack them in without effort. The drag of Arliss' last two pictures as well as the merit of this one, should keep the house packed for a run. PRODUCER’S VIEWPOINT: A1 Green did a very nice job in co- ordinating the scenes of the play wtih the work of Arlis s without obtruding. His work was largely technical, as most eyerything cen- tered about the star. The angles and movements were well studied and timed and the picture was not permitted to drag even though the action was slow. This picture would not be accepted from any other artist than Arliss. The problem is, considering this is the last of his greatest modern contributions to the stage, what can be found for his next that will equal “Disraeli,” "Green Goddess” and “Old Eng- lish”? CASTING DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT: Next to Arliss, Ivan Simpson gave quite the best performance. His was a character as definite as that of “Old English” yet decidedly different. For old men of English pursuasion, Simp- son is en excellent bet. Betty Law- ford was particularly appealing as the girl. She is very pretty and sweetly charming in the youthful role. Leon J.anney showed much personality as the boy, in his limited opportunity. Doris Lloyd was excellent as the designing daughter-in-law with a voracious maw for money. She played with a wistfulness that made one feel sympathetic for her penury. Harrington Reynolds was effective as the secretary. Reginald Sheffield as the boy with an inclination to foppishness, gave a consistent per- formance. Murray Kinnell as the attorney with an inclination to blackmail, played a virile role with a convinc- ing agressiveness. Ethel Griffies as the straightlaced and prudish daugh- ter with a nagging disposition was very effective. Henrietta played a sweet Irish maid very well. Write for our initial issue of I ‘‘The Band Wagon,” a pub-1 lication in the interest of mu- | sic in motion pictures. \ZT1 SYNCHRONIZE service Mhrokxihn Siudio 4 Hoilywooo “ANIMAL CRACKERS” PARAMOUNT PICTURE (Reviewed at Paramount) Fans, who have been educated to scream at the Marx Brothers, got a great kick out of this picture. It is without rhyme or reason so far as plot is concerned, but provides the boys a great opportunity to ex- ercise their proclivity for wise cracking and slap stick. Such as it is, the thread of a story deals with the search for a lost oil painting, which has been twice copied, once by a young girl and again by her sweetheart. The orig- inal is brought to a house party for exhibition by a noted art collector, and it is replaced by a copy. Harpo Marx hears of the switch and steals the original. Harpo perhaps is the most pic- turesque—meaning motion pictures- que— of the team. His pantomime is expressive and flawless. Groucho is the explorer, had much opportunity to twist his language into some funny puns. His was a goofy part, and kept his admirers in a panic of laughter. Chico, as the Italian, was a great foil for Groucho, and put in his gags at the proper moment for his share of the giggles. The younger brother played the lead, and was quite attractive in his appearance and work. Lillian Roth as the heroine made much of her opportunities which were limited. She looked sweet and stood well under the rough stuff. EXHIBITOR’S VIEWPOINT: This is a laughing show constructed for no other purpose than to amuse and entertain. It fulfills its pur- pose. PRODUCER’S VIEWPOINT: It is another adaptation of a stage musical revue, and while musically it adds nothing to the literature of the muses, it is a killer for pain judging from the side shaking of the customers. Victor Herman had an unen- viable job, keeping the nonsense co- herent, but he struggled manfully and with excellent results. He is deserving of many encomiums. CASTING DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT: It is difficult to get a line on the possibilities of this cast, as things move so fast and so crazily that perhaps no other picture will ever ask these folks to act similarly. Those who played parts were Margaret Dumont, Richard Grieg, Edward Metcalf, Katheryn Reece, Margaret Irving, Louis So- rin and a bunch of others. “CALL OF THE FLESH” MGM PICTURE (Reviewed at Loew’s State) This picture, originally called “The Singer of Seville” is a very enter- taining story of Dorothy Farnum, and gives Ramon. Novarro an op- portunity for the full scope of his winsome personallity and excellent voice. The play is built up to the climax of Novarro singing, “Vesta La Jiuba” from Pagliacci which he does in truly grand opera style. The plot tells of a singer in a cantina in Seville, who accidentally meets a runaway girl from a con- vent. He falls in love with her and takes her to Madrid as his house- keeper, along with his singing teacher, a passe opera singer who has been preparing him for grand opera. They are betrayed by a former sweetheart of the boy who was his singing partner at the cantina and the brother of the girl arrives to take her back to the convent. He lets the girl return, and sings the opera with his heart breaking. Pin- ing for his beloved, the former sweetheart gets a change of heart and brings the girl back to him. EXHIBITOR’S VIEWPOINT: This picture will please everyone. In it, Novarro shows himself the logical successor to Valentino both from a standpoint of ability and ap- pearance. His love making and the nearness of his moods are given full scope while his splendid voice was never shown to better advant- age. Women will go wild over this picture and men will likewise enjoy its fine humor and well developed plot. Village Inn Hotel MODERN THROUGHOUT Special rates to the profession—Acts playing Pantages, Hollywood—and the Egyptian—will appreciate the comfotrable atmosphere. 5724 SUNSET BOULEVARD WRITE, WIRE* PHONE for Reservations — HO. 4735 ( PRODUCER’S VIEWPOINT: This picture, directed by Charles Brabin shows much familiarity with European customs and manners. Scenically, it is excellent, containing some very beautiful shots from un- usual angles. "The photography is marvelous, particularly when the foreground in sharply defined and the background subdued in a smoke fog. It has a technicolor sequence in a theatre that is well placed and the singing fits well and is well done. CASTING DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT: Ramon Navarro is perfectly at home as the singer, the part was cut and measured for him as by a skillful tailor. Dorothy Jordan was very pretty and appeal- ingly sweet as the girl. She has a splendid voice which showed to good advantage in her one song. Renee Adoree was thoroughly satisfactory in the heavy . She played with a dash and fervor that showed she was perfectly familiar with her character. Ernest Tor- rence gave one of the best perform- ances of his career as the singing teacher and also sang upon two oc- casions in a splendid bass voice. Nance O’Neil played the mother superior of the convent, and while the part offered no action, it pro- vided her with an opportunity to render some excellent reading. Legit “A CUP OF SUGAR” VINE ST. THEATRE Hollywood (Reviewed Sept. 1) The return of Dorothy Mac- kaye to the local stage was something in the nature of a triumph. A packed, friendly audience greeted her and her first appearance early in the first act was the occasion for an ovation. Her nervousness was evident, the uncertainty of her reception right in Hollywood where she is best known called for a heroic sort of courage, but she found an audience altogether sympathetic and within a few moments was entirely at ease and in the midst of a performance that showed the exquisite talent she possesses was not dimmed by her long layoff. Lynn Starling created an excep- tionally clever vehicle in which Miss Mackaye is appearing. Star- ling’s flair for naughty, nice farces has never been seen to better ad- vantage. Replete with bright lines and unique situations, this bedroom farce is not at all offensive, al- though quite a bit unconventional. Its story is not new. It is the tale of two married couples not en- tirely satisfied with each other. It is the story of “So Long Letty,” “What’s Your Husband Doing” and innumerable others, but no plot can be hackneyed W'hen it is charmingly told. This one tells of two neighbors, both married to architects. One of the women has become obscessed with the Freudian theory of sex and psycho-analysis. She is convinced that her timid husband has a neu- rosis and prescribes for him a wild sex affair with some other woman. The wife next door is one of the trusting, borrowing kind. She trusts her husband and borrows sugar from her neighbor. She learns that her hubby, who has been hav- ing nightly business meetings with one Joe Rogers, has had in reality no business deals, but Rogers is a B. B. B. Says: • • mm P. S. —- The CELLAR is at Cosmo Street and Hollywood Boulevard . . . between Vine and Cahuenga . . . the phone numbers are GRanite 3382 and HOllywood 9159 . . . Parking is free at the lot across from the CELLAR ... The CHRYS- LER and SAMSON are there. Thank You. woman he is having an affair with. She determines to step a bit her- self. So, with the timid husband, she spends a night in a hotel in Atlantic City. When they return home, both the other husband and wife are dis- tracted. The outraged hubby makes a great show of his moral upright- eousness when a female client of the timid husband arrives and proves to be the Joe Rogers of the former. The final curtain finds all for- given. On this opening night, there was considerable evidence of nervousness on the part of most of the cast. The first act dragged; in fact, many of the scenes were set at top slow a tempo which a bit of trimming and speeding will soon remedy. The play is filled with hearty laughs and is really one con- tinuous giggle, bright lines fol- lowing on funny situations in rapid profusion. Dina Smirnova, who plays a Rus- sion actress, was unfortunate in having her name omitted from the program, but she made the error more conspicuous by turning in as neat a bit of quality acting as has been seen in many moons. She looked entrancing and held the stage alone for about 20 minutes before making an exit to thunder- ous applause. Dorothy Mackaye was splendid as the abused wife. She displayed several beautiful gowns and showed herself a comedian of real stellar merit. Lorin Raker played the timid husband who entered into the escapade with her. He is a very likeable little chap who knows his acting. He had most of the mas- culine responsibility and was en- tirely capable. Kathryn Givney as the wife with the sex fad theory gave a very good performance. She was vehement and sincere and very effective in her scenes with her husband and the doctor. Douglas Gilmore, a nice looking young chap, gave a light and airy portrayal of the philander- ing hubby. Charles Moore, a colored bell- boy, was excellent. He is the typical southern darkey and read his lines for plenty of laughs that were not strained for. Maurice Bierre, as a French waiter, also obtained his share of the giggles in a very nice characterization. Boyd . Irwin played a small part in the first act. Both the settings were ade- quate and fresh looking and the direction of Charles King very satisfactory. “CANDLE-LIGHT” BILTMORE THEATRE (Reviewed Aug. 27) A charming little comedy of man- ners called a “harlequinade” by Siegfried Geyer adapted by P. G. Wodehouse. Quite naturally, Wode- house set his locale in England, so it is the story of an English prince and his butler and of a French parlor maid and her mistress. Only three characters really count, that of the prince, played by Reginald Owen; the butler, played by Alan Mowbray and the maid, capably portrayed by Eugenie Leon- tovich. The prince tells his butler that he would like to be democratic, and gets his chance when the telephone fines are crossed and his butler in- vites what he believes to be a grand lady to call when the prince is away. He represents himself off to be the prince and the lady says she’s a baroness while in reality she is the maid of a baroness with whom the Prince is philandering. The prince arrives and grasps the situation unknown to the butler, dons the butler’s coat and passes himself off as Joseph, much to the consternation of that servant. The husband of the baroness arrives to have a show down with the Prince over his wife, has a scene with the Behrendt-Levy-Rosen Co., Ltd. General Insurance Insurance Exchange Building VA 1261 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 VALUE KARELS 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 YORK. CHICAGO AND LOS ANGELES WALTER S. WILLS STUDIO OF STAGE DANCING 7016 HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD GLADSTONE 9502 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 Theatres THE STATE, SYDNEY Producers Desiring Originality WRITE or WIRE —Permanent Address: INSIDE FACTS, Los Angeles—