The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1932)

Thirty-two The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER August, 19S2 the bride. Leila Bennett blacks up for the screamingly amusing maid and George Meeker is the small town fresh young thing who aims to make good in the city. That recently elected head of Fox who shares with his patrons a weariness of pictures by Hollywood for Hollywood, by inference pictures by Hollywood for Broadway, will get a rise out of "The First Year" which should mean a bouquet for those responsible for its screen reproduction. And as sure as you are a foot high this simple, wholesome tale of a small town will stand 'em up on Broadway at that. THE OLD DARK HOUSE By Fred Westerberg First cameraman. Arthur Edeson ; operative cameraman, King Gray ; assistant, Jack Easan ; stills, Roman Freulich ; sound, William Hedgcock. THERE is something very refreshing about a good spooky picture like "The Old Dark House," Universal's latest contribution to witchcraft. When you see the stranded motorists in this picture come to the old dark house at night seeking shelter from the storm and Boris Karloff opens the door and frankensteiningly speaking does his best to send funny little shivers up and down your back, then and there you leave your cares (if you have any) out in the sleet with the wind machines and overhead sprinklers. Aside from having a shuddering good time those who enjoy fine characterization for its own sake will be amply repaid in this story adapted from the noved of J. B. Priestly by Ben W. Levy and directed by James Whale. Boris Karloff as the mute butler whom everybody fears is going to find some hard liquor about the premises that will cause him to run amuck, and who does find some eventually, injects sufficient menace to keep things tingling throughout. Melvyn Douglas plays the part of a whimsical beloved vagabond so dear to the British heart (the story is laid in the wilds of Wales). One can see that Douglas, in common with most Arthur Edeson handsome leading men, likes to play whimsical roles. The hearts of the feminine fans should go pitter-patter. Lillian Bond, who as Margaret, a chorus girl, has something of the air of Katherine Cornell about her, is blown in by the storm in the company of Sir Porterhouse, an English meat eater, played by Charles Laughton. Since the death of his wife Sir Porterhouse likes to take a girl out once in a while just to be seen with a pretty woman. That is what the girl tells Douglas later on, and it must be true because these two derelicts on the sea of life find a haven in each other's arms without a qualm. Gloria Stuart as a young married girl and Raymond Massey as her husband complete the roster of refugees. These two have the rather thankless roles of spookees or recipients of spookery roles. The four members of the family that inhabit the old dark house, played by Eva Moore, Ernest Thesiger, Bremer Wills and John Dudgeon, give an enthusiastic and finished performance in their respective roles of sister, brother, mad brother and aged father. The camera work by Arthur Edeson is finely attuned to the requirements of the story. The shadows are rich and black yet never completely lacking in detail. The faces are superbly chiseled to reveal the play of emotions. Here and there only does Edeson descend to mere prettiness in a close-up and the result seems quite flat by comparison. Some evidence of the conflict between the traditions of the screen and those of the stage can be seen. Early in the picture we are shown a storm in true cinema fashion including a landslide for good measure. Later, inside the house we have to imagine the storm aided and abetted bv such stage devices as the sound of thunder and panicky dialogue. It would be interesting to hear a good discussion on the relative merits, let us say, of one "Egad, we are doomed!" nronounced with sufficient fervor by a capable thespian as against one landslide put on by a well organized miniature department. The picture ends quite abruptly. In reality the story does not really stop at all but the screening of it does. The urge to construct an epilogue in one's own mind is irresistible, for not until the characters are laid away one by one in their final resting place does one feel content to say FINIS. When Seen Through Feminine Eyes By CLARA M. SAWDON THE French satire "A Nous, La Liberte" (Liberty For Us) presented at the Filmarte early in July has an especial appeal for Americans because it is based on an institution or practice which has had its full share of publicity in this country. Mass production is represented as the villain of industrial life that encourages slavery and kills individual freedom or initiative, but the treatment is never heavy or serious. Laughter and music attend it all the way through. Emile and Louis are two convicts planning to escape. Prisoners are shown making toy horses, each man playing his individual part in the construction of the toy and endlessly repeating the same operation. Other glimpses are given to show the monotonous round of routine and discipline of prison life. Then comes escape for Louis with the assistance of Emile, who unfortunately is captured and returned to prison. In the industrial world Louis gradually works his way up until he finally becomes the proprietor of a phonograph factory doing business on a large scale. Again we see long lines of men working as mechanical cogs in an industrial enterprise where day in and day out each man performs the same operation over and over again. Louis in his search for personal freedom is enslaving his employes as relentlessly as did the old prison system. In time Emile is released from prison and circumstances bring him to the factory of Louis. We then have the enslaving influences of love and society intermingled with the industrial theme until the two ex-convicts escape from it all, starting over again as two happy vagabonds with everything a total ioss except their regained liberty. In the roles of Emile and Louis, Henry Marchand and Raymond Cordy remind one constantly of Charlie Chaplin. Their clowning leaves the same after taste of sadness and wistfulness. Although the dialogue is in French the players have so perfectly mastered the art of pantomime and the direction of Rene Clair is so understanding^ skillful all language barriers have been overcome. The result is a rare achievement in film entertainment involving as it does a preachment on a very serious subject but delivered with a laugh and a chuckle as the foibles of human nature are trenchantly, even though it also be good naturedly, held up to ridicule. TOM BROWN AT CULVER First cameraman, Charles Stumar; operative cameraman, James Drought; assistants, Martin Glouner, John Martin ; stills, Mickey Marigold ; sound, Robert Pritchard. TITLES are frequently snares of deception, but Universal's "Tom Brown at Culver" tells the whole story of this picture, which is simply a detailed exposition of Tom Brown's supposed experiences as a cadet at a military training academy. The major portion of the picture deals with Culver showing cadets at drill, at mess, in the gymnasium, in their dormitories, at chapel and on the campus with the entire personnel of Culver Military Academy taking part. There is a cast of sixteen players consisting mostly of bit parts. Slim Summerville gives an amusing portrayal of a lunchroom proprietor who never tires of telling his custom Charles Stumar