The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1931)

Thirty-two The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER December; 1931 of the emotional roles assigned to them explained just why they were so prominent in other days, and this quality mellowed by experience contributed vitally to the appeal of the picture, an appeal that kept a great house very silent through a major portion of its running. Among the actors who aided in building this subject were Oscar Apfel as the owner, Purnell Pratt, Robert Elliott, David Torrence, Boris Karloff and George E. Stone. All the honors do not go to the men. There's Alene MacMahon as the secretary of the managing editor, a part that looms big by reason of the feeling conveyed here's a "regular guy." Then Ona Munson is the girl who comes from Chicago to work on a New York newspaper and brings her sex appeal with her. The younger element is intrusted to Marian Marsh and Anthony Bushell, who do well in parts more difficult than those usually intrusted to youthful players. Especially is this true of Miss Marsh, who notably acquits herself in a particularly strong sequence. Mervyn LeRoy is the director of this subject which should be a contender among the ten best of the year, but will never get the vote. It just happens these so honored are determined by employes of newspapers. In all. probability there will be enough of these so instructed as to kill any chance the picture will rank among the major ten. But it is a thrilling subject. PUDGE First cameraman, Jerome Ash ; second cameraman. King Gray ; assistants, Lloyd Ward. Donald Glouner ; stills, Mickey Marigold. ONE of the larger factors in Universal's "Pudge" is its smallest human contributor — in fact, it is difficult to refer to Cora Sue Collins as other than tiny. And tiny she is with her scant four years of worldly wisdom. We here see Cora in her first picture, and somehow or another the us ually questionable privilege of seeing any one in a first picture takes on new significance. For Cora, if you please, is well worth walking a distance to see. She has charm, just how much you must see for yourself. The same remark goes also for the real measure of the very young miss's ability to portray a certain bit of child temperament. Really it would be difficult to suggest any improvement in the portrayal of the elflike waif role confided to her. It's an unusual tale, this strange mixture of comedy verging at times on the farcical and at others on the dramatic. Those who expect that because of the presence of Slim Summerville they are going to witness a broad comedv will be surprised — much — for decidedly it isn't. 'Tis a tale that is tender at moments, at quite a number of them in fact, a quality in the development of which Zasu Pitts is most competent. So she is here as the nurse in a dog hospital unwittingly summoned to take charge of a little girl in a home where hitherto only men have lived. Alison Skipworth as the purveyor of gin is excellent as are those already named. Mrs. Hawkins — or maybe it was Mrs. 'Awkins — with her baby buggy ballasted with bottles of gin contributes to the gayety of the house. The story is of Jasper Jones, who strikes oil and wealth. His escape from the clutches of a matchmaking and golddigging mamma with a worthless son as well as an ambitious daughter is precipitated by the quite accidental entrance into his life of this waif and of the nurse summoned to take care of it. There are scenes of high life as well as of low. Thornton Freeland directs from Dale Van Every's adaptation of Reginald Denny's story, with added dialogue by Robert Keith and Max Lief. You may have to think back a long way to recall Cora's equal in age and screen appeal, and maybe you won't entirely succeed. When Seen Through Feminine Eyes Bv CLARA M. SAWDON THE WHITE DEVIL THE presentation of the German Ufa film "The White Devil" at the Filmarte early in November afforded entertainment representative of the best qualities achieved by cinema in the silent days combined with English dialogue, the latter held subservient throughout to the art of the former. In addition it gave Hollywood a chance to view Lil Dagover, a recent German importation, as yet not introduced to the local screen. The story deals with the Cossack rebellion of 1853 against Czar Nicholas I, adapted from Tolstoi's "Hadschi Murat." Ivan Mosjoukine. a Russian actor well known abroad, is the White Devil leader of the Cossacks. The early portions of the picture give opportunity for many thrilling and beautiful camera studies depict ing encounters and movements of troops through mountainous country, all of them executed with full regard for photographic values. A most spectacular and altogether efficient method of combating superior numbers is employed by Hadschi, the White Devil, when he uses explosives to dislodge a mountainside as the forces of the Czar march through the gorge below. No lover of horses will fail to remember the white mount of the Cossack leader. The perfect understanding between horse and man makes such a thing as capture almost impossible; in fact one camera shot leaves the observer with the distinct impression of having seen a horse literally flying when escape by remaining on the ground seemed hopeless. When the action moves to St. Petersburg spacious interiors of royal council chambers, abodes, imposing statues outlined by moonlight, a blinding Russian blizzard and views of the Russian ballet performing for royalty replace the mountain scenes. Only the four players carrying the major parts are identified. Ivan Mosjoukine is a convincing Hadschi. Lil Dagover portrays Nelidowa, prime favorite of the moment in the affections of the Czar and who, fully aware of the straying tendencies of royal hearts, relies on strategy rather than royal protestations to retain her position as long as possible. Saira, the dancer sweetheart of Hadschi threatened with the attentions of the Czar, is played by Betty Amann, and Fritz Alberty as the Czar demonstrates such marked ability in speaking volumes through the medium of facial expression that even the few short speeches assigned him seem superfluous. Scenes of ballet dancing and ensembles by the Don Cossack Choir conducted by Serge Jeroff contributed their share to a picture of varied entertainment, beauty and appeal — a tribute to the demonstrated able direction of Alexander Wolkoff. RICH MAN'S FOLLY First cameraman, Dave Abel ; second cameramen, Dan Fapp. Ernest Laszlo ; assistants, James King, Art Lane ; stills, Earl Crowley. DISPLAYING every evidence of great care and study employed to achieve an outstanding degree of excellence in adaptation, casting, direction and acting, one can only wonder how the misleading and unsuitable title of "Rich Man's Folly" became a part of Paramount's offering starri n g George Bancroft. Anyone inclined to misgivings because of the name will do well to remember "The play's the thing," because the theme is timely and the treatment unusually forceful. George Bancroft is the dominant, successful Brock Trumbull, worthy fifth in a line of famous shipbuilders. With admirable restraint Bancroft portrays the indomitable will and zeal of the man who has accepted unquestioningly the role of standard bearer for a family tradition. In the Trumbull code sons are all important and women simply the bearers of them. Dawn O'Day is the eight-year-old firstborn of the household who tries so pathetically to share a father's love reserved only for sons. Frances Dee continues the characterization into young womanhood. She makes very real the loneliness and unhappiness of the daughter who loses her mother in childhood, is denied her father's love because of the Trumbull obsession, and helplessly sees her baby brother, labeled at birth as Trumbull the sixth, crushed by the demands of a tradition for which he Dave Abel