Inside facts of stage and screen (March 14, 1931)

Page Four INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Saturday, March 14, 1931 By Ted Price “VIENNESE NIGHTS” WARNER’S HOLLYWOOD Los Angeles Considered from a production angle, this is probably the best class musical to date. Story, technicolor, libretto and vocalization all blend to make it a soothing relief from an overdose of gangsters, sex, free love and week ends without the benefit of a license. With this pic- ture Warner Brothers are releasing a Yv-ell balanced output with a good sense of saturation point at this time, evidenced by this and their “Captain Applejack” at the down- town location. The public will wel- come this operetta and the exhibi- tor will heave a sigh of relief on its release. “Viennese Nights" is intelligently produced. Story and music have been kept where they belong. At no time is human interest and story thread rudely or ridiculously inter- rupted by the dashing lead wailing his sentiments to an orchestral ac- companiment. The writing and di- recting gang out at Burbank used the head this time for results. It will be highly instructive to those in production whose ambition runs to doing it musically. The story has its beginning in the magic city of Vienna, where music and love is the breath of life. A cobbler's daughter is strategically maneuvered out of the idea of mar- rying the man she loves,'and there- with holds his memory in fond em- brace for the rest of her days. It is the story of a niillion women who marry the wrong man. Because of this its appeal should reach from here to the Battery. Elsa, girl of dreams, was por- trayed in her youth, womanhood and the silvery character of the twilight years by Vivienne Segal. The characterization drew widely upon Miss Segal's talent and she met all the requirements, vocally and in make-up. Jean Hersholt, as the crafty and determined father, gave perhaps the best performance of his enviable career: Bert Roach, as a tuba player in the military band and later as a promoter of things musical was convincing, and gar- nered many good laughs. Louise Fazenda, as his -giggling sweetie, gave her role the right amount of butter and hoke to make it stand out. Walter Pidgeon, as the offi- cer and a baron, was admired for both his vocal efforts and poise; quite military withal. Not to be overlooked was the winsome love- liness of Alice Day, who has not been seen in these parts for main' -days. Alexander Cray, youthful, good looking, and a great voice, next to Miss Segal gave the out- standing performance of the piece. —! *- A- / “UNFAITHFUL” PARAMOUNT THEATRE Los Angeles This latest of the Chatterton dramas is neatly and deftly handled as far as John Cromwells end of it is concerned, but it is either ap- parent that he had little to say about the adaptation or a dense fog settles over who gets the major credit for “Tom Sawyer.” The same grade and quality of crafts- manship is not in this picture. That one scene where the menace is elim- inated in a car crash and the faith- less wife emerges from the wreck without a thread of her clothing disturbed is not John Cromwell di- rection. Another inconsistency is the picture's major motivation,; The fem lead ferrets out clandestine meetings between her highly es- teemed husband and her sister-in- law, and to protect a shell-shocked brother she martyrs herself to a married-in-name-only existence with her faithless spouse. Although clev- er otherwise, the misled wife was not astute enough to use incom- patibility to secure a separation and at that in a day when freedom is secured for far less cause. Just one of those obviously manufac- tured plots that reflects no credit on Paramount. This picture, although entertain- ing highly with personalities that everyone likes, does not at any time ring true enough to accept it in a class with “The Right to Love.” Locale and theme appeal are a bit too far withdrawn from the real things.of life for it to develop any health}- word-of-mouth. Casting, though, is heavy with B.O. and the title “Unfaithful"; should exercise a vigorous pull. Paul Lukas .plays-a powerful role and. makes it as con- vincing as the story will permit. Juliette Compton does well with an unappreciative role. For the brief moment he is in the play. Sid Say- lor's smile and personality clicks a hundred per cent. Donald Cook, Emily Fitzroy and Bruce Warren dispose of their assignments with a sure hand. “REACHING FOR THE MOON” UNITED ARTISTS THEATRE Los Angeles The fetching thing about this lat- est Fairbank's picture Was the way the audience warmed to that Fair- bank's personality and voice. They went ga-ga over it. Doug w-as a charmer in' the sileiits and held his spot deservedly in the admiration of his public, but in this speaking role he is doubly appealing. There is a finesse and buoyancy to his IR €1 D and D (RODRIQUEZ BROS.) Skating Narrcls Featured in “LIFE’S MASQUERADE” Prologue San Francisco ttrpiicmii Thanks to JACK LAUGHL1N and ELLIS LEVEY AHMANDA CHIROT COLORATURA SOPRANO Week of Marefi 6 handling of the spoken lines that registers deep. Fie gives dialogue a warmth and sparkle that enhances his personal value, immeasurably. The story , of ‘Reaching for the Moon" is nothing to wake the folks up out of a sound, sleep about. It is a far-fetched thing even in its most lucid moments, but the writer was forced to dabble in the realm of the extremes to give Fairbanks his proper medium of expression. It was woven for the purpose of getting laughs, and that is exactly w-hat was accomplished. Starting off in a brokerage office, Doug manipulates a battery of tele- phones in the approved or imagined big business manner. Belie Daniels, wealthy scioness, just for a gag, breaks into his exclusive presence and yanks him out of a lifetime of celibacy. Through his valet's, Ed- ward Everett Horton's; promptings and instruction, fie is taught the tricks of making love and bids bach- elorhood fare-thee-well. Most of the laughs are in Fairbank’s trying to follow out Horton's instructions. There is a nance sequence that goes for howls and collects ’em without a let-up. Bebe Daniels does the chief fem support, and creditably. Photo- graphy and sound is maximum for quality, the recording of the Fair- bank's voice particularly good. Background technique stands out in the scenes aboard the ocean liner. A very good picture and shouid build Fairbanks following to ad- vantage. “CAPTAIN APPLEJACK” WARNER’S DOWNTOWN Los Angeles A sensible laugh melo, this pirate ancestor opus, and timely withal. With most of the celluloid output sworn to love without honor these recent weeks, this hidden treasure thing is a healthy injection for the congested area. One might call il "Treasure Island” with long pants on, which will or should broaden its appeal. It is a rambunctious, rois- tering, boisterous answer to every grown-up's dream, to live the days of bold freebooters, and stand on the chest of doubloons- holding a bloody knife in the teeth and a skull in the left mitt. This thing rollicks and burlesques through a good hour of hilarious danger and thrill, with no attempt to conceal the facial bulge which indicates the tongue in the cheek. This is in the last word riotously healthy screen fod- der for those who enjoy adventure and mystery with a big laugh every few minutes. Exhibitor should welcome “Cap- tain Applejack,” arm flung wide. He can post his notices on its ar- rival in his neighborhood in two di- rections: At the juvenile and the oldsters. Everybody will like it. A penned-in son of an old and wealthy' family, whose resources are on the decline, has suddenly de- cided to sell the castle and venture forth in search of romance and thrills. A prospective buyer turns up in the shape of Anna Valeska, an adventuress, who sirens her way into the scion’s affections. Anna, however, is no other than a gang- ster's moll left handing it for a fnap that tells the location of a vast treasure in the castle. The scion finds the map before the oth- ers and learns that it was scrolled by none other than his own an- cestor, a Pirate Chief. Believing that he has inherited the piratical boldness of his great- grandsire, he proceeds to defend the treasure. How he outwits the gang of thieves is capably portrayed by John Halliday, who carries the big- gest part of the acting assignment along with Kay Strozzi, playing the seductive vamp from Chicago. Sup- port is capable whenever the assist- ing players have an opportunity to do their stuff, which isn’t often. Halliday dominates the action with Strozzi. The story is an original stage play by Walter Hackett, dialogued and dapted by Maude Fulton for the screen. She did a smart job of it, and along with Hobart Henley’s brainy direction, it is a worthwhile piece of entertainment merchandise. “FLAME OF LOVE” FILM ARTE THEATRE Los Angeles (Reviewed March 9) A plot worn past the point of ac- tive service, unless caught from some new angle, stilted dialogue, situations that got no one—least of all the open-minded customers— anywhere, and an assortment of ac- cents purporting to he Russian, combined to make "The Flame of Love” a weak and vacillating flick- er that finally sputtered but at the end of the requisite number of reels. Anna May Wong and George Schnell were worth watching de- spite the picture. A Grand Duke wants a little Chi- nese gal, a Lieutenant loves her, she loves the Lieutenant. Her brother shoots the Grand Duke without waiting for his legitimate cue. The censors, with their omni- potent scissors, left not so much as the talkie equivalent of an asterisk to indicate that the psychological moment for such a shooting had occurred. The Duke pardons the brother just before the lady comes to give herself (body, not soul) to him. He lets her go witfiout a leer or a chuck under the chin when she promises to leave her lover and the country—and that’s all. Anna May Wong was fascinating in the ancient and inscrutable Orien- tal manner. Her voice is expres- sive, and she deserves a better break. George Schnell, , as the Grand Duke, was impressively real, managing with intelligence and sin- cerity to create a regal Russ at- mosphere. John Longden was handsome and British in the part of Lieutenant Boris. Mona Goya, female heavy, agonized about, flaunting a highly disagreeable ar- ray of posturings, vocal dissonances, and an irritating personality. Percy Standing was an overly arch and in- sinuating commandant, and J. Ley- on gave a mildly impressive per- formance as the brother. The film is a British Elstree pro- duction, directed by Richard Eich- berg and creditably photographed by Henry Gartner. Vi “BEHIND OFFICE DOORS” RKO HILL STREET Los Angeles Congratulations to RKO and Radio are in order. Flere is one of the finest programmes the Gower Street organization has turned out yet. It is one of the best examples of smoothly coordinated intelli- gence that has reached the RKO screen in many, many moons. Direc- tor and adaptionist have selected from a more or less dubious story the one motivation and characteri- zation that gives its transfer to the screen maximum entertainment and appeal. And their judgment of val- ues was as unerring, as though they had been lettered and pointed out to them. All credit for this splen- did piece of work goes to Melville Brown and Carey Wilson, and it is hinted here that if Radio has a par- ticularly tough assignment on their hands it would do well to turn it over to, the Brown-Wilson duo. After what they accomplished with “Private Secretary” now “Behind Office Doors” they can be relied on to handle anything, no matter how complicated, and guarantee to get the most out of it. There are two boys who know values. * “Behind Office Doors” is the story of a stenographer who tips and guides a paper mill salesman into leads and angles that make him a big shot in the industry. The gal does this because she loves him and all she gets is thanks in return. She sacrifices fun and passes up whoopee, preserves her self respect through it all, even when a mil- lionaire playboy tempts her to the gaudy path. .And .not until the man she sacrifices and works for en- gages himself to a daughter of so- cial prominence and wealth does she head for an illicit week-end at Atlantic City. Then, on the verge of. surrender, she discovers she can't cheapen herself. Presentations FOX San Francisco There was an hour and forty minutes of stage and orchestral show at this Saturday midnight performance. Augmenting the us- ual program was a section done by A1 Pearce and his Happy Go Lucky gang from ICFRC, credited with the extra draw for this show. Pearce's show ran the best part of an hour, and though you’d think the customers Would finally get tired they applauded all the way through for their aerial favorites. Radio show had A1 and Cal Pearce, Norman Neilsen, tenor; Edna O’Keefe, novelty singer; Monroe Upton, comedy monolo- gist; Charlie Carter, carbon copy of Chevalier; and Tommy Harris, who came near the end of the of- fering and stopped it cold with his Jolsonesque warbling. A1 Pearce rn.c.'d throughout. Henry Starr was sandwiched in between the KFRC artists and also did mighty, mighty well with his singing and pianoing. Walt Roesner and orchestra did “Song of the Rivers” as an over- ture, arranged by Earl Sharp. While Joaquin Garay was on a va- cation Eddie Bush’s Trio (formerly of the L. A. Biltmore) did “Little Things In Life”, and “Body and Soul”; encoring with an Hawaiian number and encoring agUn with “Just a Gigolo.” Boys were im- mensely popular. Funeral March of the Marion- ettes was the dance fantasy, well done by the mixed men and fem voices. Preceding the radio show Ar- manda Chirot worked in one to coloratura soprano a Spanish num- ber and seconded with, “Estrel- lita.” Great hand for her. Closing, episode featured Edna Covey with, her burlesquing of a toe dancer. Drew great laughs throughout, and with the -voices, built up a neat and well accepted closer. Picture was “East Lynne” and business okay. Bock IF your name appears in this column, Inside Facts recommends you to the attention of picture pro- ducers. FRANK CRAVEN GUY KIBBEE LEO LINHARDT EFFIE AFTON JAMES BUSH BETTY FARRINGTON JUANITA WRAY BILLIE VAN EVERY ARNOLD GRAY in “THAT’S GRATITUDE” El Capitan Theatre JANE and KATHERINE LEE AL K. HALL AND JR. RKO Hillst reet BLOCK AND SULLY “OF Man Rythm” FERRY ASKAM EDDIE LAMBERT RICHARD POWELL JANICE JOYCE GEOKGIE HARRIS “Paris in Spring” Just finished an extended engagement at the Seattle-Paramount Theatre HERMIE KING LOEW’S STATE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed March 12) The big thing here Was Vic Ince and his greater Loew’s State band with Vic selling the “'St. Louis Blues” a la trumpet of the bog-me- down soul-swaving vintage that isn’t being imitated anywhere—and along with that he directs an or- chestral accompaniment to the newsreel that sure adds a lot to the (Continued on Page 5) ! ‘‘MUSICAL MASTER OF CEREMONIES’ Opening a return engagement at the Fox-Oakland March 19 th