Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1927)

998 Motion Picture News to 01? Currci?tProductioi?s i£^^ "The Stunt Man" (Educational — Two Reels) {Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) LARRY SEMON has a lively comedy in this one, as two-reel comedies go. As usual they crammed it full of action, some of it good and some only fair, but the general average is more than passable. As the title implies, it is made up largely of stunt stuff and it is well done. Semon is the stunt man who is trying to prove to the girl he is a real film hero, as she has declared that is the type she would marry. Among other things he does a jump out of a second story window and a lot of aeroplane stuff, which is all-popular in these comedies just now. He has some good gag material when he gets aloft in a radio guided plane and learns there is a dummy in the driver's seat. The plane is about to be blown up from the ground, and the parachute fails to open as he descends. There is an unique ending to the story, too, for when Larry approaches the girl as the well established hero she has expressed herself in favor of, she flatly turns down his proposal of marriage. There is an abundance of good comedy in the two reels. "Buster's Home Life" (Universal — Two Reels) (Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) BUSTER, Mary Jane, Tige and the pet monkey provide a world of action in this Buster Brown comedy, which has its humorous incidents, most of which are provided by Tige and the monkey. The latter, to cover up some indiscretions of Buster and his gang while they are left in the keeping of the maid, is fitted with a pair of huge shoes, in which he cuts some funny capers. All in all they make life fairly miserable for Hannah, the maid, when she refuses to let the dog into the house. Block and tackle are employed and the kids and their pets are hoisted in through a second story window. They play havoc with the furniture and generally mess up the place, for which Hannah is blamed upon the return of Mrs. Brown. "On Special Duty" (Universal— Two Reels) (Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) A STORY well above the average is this western featurette, with Fred Oilman in the feature role. Oilman in the role of Dave Higsby, Texas ranger, is apparently of the blow-hard type, who enjoys recounting his achievements to an admiring audience on the porch of the local hostelry. While he is doing this Jack Hardy strolls in. This Jack Hardy is not a nice kind of guy ; in fact he's the villain. A false move of his, and Higsby mistrusts him. Each is in love with the daughter of the hotel proprietor. And each despises the other. Hardy accuses Higsby of being a false alarm and challenges him to ride what has been an untamable bronc. Higsby accepts the challenge and succeeds, but as he is doing so Hardy and his gang get away with the $30,000 bankroll in the hotel safe. Higsby gives chase and after some exciting riding knocks off one bandit after another until he catches up with Hardy. A desperate battle ensues, with the usual result that Higsby recovers the bankroll, turns Hardy over to the sheriff and wins the girl. "The Newlyweds' Surprise" (Universal — Two Reels) (Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) THE trials and tribulations of a pair of newlyweds in trying to locate living quarters when burdened with a new offspring are visualized in this lively comedy, whose only fault is the usual one of trying to crowd too much action and comedy into two reels. It would be a better picture if toned down a bit by eliminating some of the rougher knockout stuff. Apartment house keepers do have objections to babies and the newlyweds have considerable difficulty in parking the attractive Snookums. They succeed eventually by sneaking Snookums in in a parrot cage at the same time an old maid is parking her pet parrot in the same apartment house. Of course the cages change hands and the old maid gets the one with Snookums in it, while the newlyweds get the real parrot cage. There is wild confusion when the mistakes are discovered and up to that point there is the chance for a good story. Then they mix up everyone in the apartment house in a freefor-all fight in the hallway and everyone in the course of the ensuing melee gets knocked horizontal at least once. Otherwise there is some good comedy in the picture. "Society Breaks" (Universal — Two Reels) (Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) THIS is just another rough and tumble comedy in the Keeping Up with the Joneses series. It depends entirely upon slapstick and knockout stuff for its humor and it exaggerates too much in all directions. At that, it more or less accurately portrays the comic strip from which it is moulded and that probably is its main objective. As these comic strips seem much appreciated, so too will a picture of this type. The McGinnises go to a social affair at the Joneses, and Aloysius, having trouble with his feet, removes his pumps before starting to dance. He gets into disfavor and retires to the kitchen, where he is appreciated by the serving maid for his ability as a Oiarlestoner. He feigns illness when discovered by the Mrs., but fails to make good and is subjected to the usual beating at the hands of his better half. "Sailors, Beware!" (Pathe-Roach — Two Reels) (Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) HERE is a two-reeler which, if patterned after, should serve to popularize the short comedy field. It has a pretty nifty little story with plenty of opportunity, for slapstick comedy, which, however, is largely eliminated to the betterment of the picture. There's a bit of slapstick here and there, but it is of a better type than usual and is really humorous. The action of the story and its situations make for most of the comedy, however, and Stan Laurel in the featured role puts it over in great shape. Stan is the hard boiled taxi driver. He carries Anita Oarvin and her midget husband, disguised as an infant, to an outgoing steamer. Stan and his taxi, unknowingly is hoisted on the steamer. In the course of the trip the midget purloins a number of valuable jewels and hides them in his teddy bear. Eventually Stan reveals the "baby" as a hairy-chested midget when, on instructions from the ship captain he is ordered to give him a bath. The stolen property is returned and the crooked pair are shown up, after an abundance of good wholesome comedy that would be appreciated in any house. "Saxophobia" (Universal — One Reel) THE saxophone wins over the ukulele in this short comedy in which Arthur Lake is featured. It is the usual riotous comedy of this juvenile series. Arthur's rival with Mary Marsh has made a hit with his uke, so Arthur pawns his flivver and buys a saxophone. His father will not tolerate it, so Arthur throws it out the window and into the cart of a junk man. The pawnbroker hastens to Arthur's house and oft'ers him a large sum for the return of the saxy, so Arthur's entire family gives chase to_ the junk man. The saxy is recovered, and vvith the proceeds Arthur purchases a man sized saxy. There is not a great deal to enthuse over in this one.— CHESTER J. SMITH. "The Human Fly" (Pathe-Cartoon — One Reel) "^"OTHINO more than a series of animated -'■^ drawings, is this one of the Aesop's Film Fables series. There is little of comedy to it and nothing in the way of a story. It shows the subject flying about in airplane stunts with various devices attached for propulsion. One of the latter is an electric fan. Al Falfa is plunged through barns and in and out of all sorts of obstacles. It's hard to get a chuckle out of any of it.— CHESTER J. SMITH. "A Battle Scared Hero" (Universal-Gump — Two Reels) (Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) T IKE many of the other short comedies of ■'— ^ the day aeroplane antics figure largely in this one of the Andy Oump series. Whoever started this aeroplane rage in an effort to develop laughs should be sharply reprimanded. A few of them succeeded, but enough is plenty. Andy is the victim in this one, which, as usual, is shot to pieces in flight, and, also as usual, the parachute fails to open with Andy Otherwise the tale has to do with an airplane gun which Andy has invented and which he is about to demonstrate to a committee in his home. Immediately before the demonstration and unknown to Andy, Billy Butts loads the gun. The committee arrives and the demonstration proves disastrous as the gun explodes, bringing down Min, who at the moment was in the act of taking a bath. "A Gold Digger of Weepah" (Sennett Pathe — Two Reels) (Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) THE recent gold rush situation in Weepah provides the atmosphere for this rough and tumble Sennett comedy, which is good for a number of laughs. The cast is a good one, including Billy Bevan, Alma Bennett, Johnny Burke, Matty Kemp and Andy Clyde. Billy, whose past would not bear too close inspection, is now a temperence advocate, happily wedded to a 300 pounder, who is intensely jealous of him. The gold rush brings Alma, an old sweetheart of Billy's, and now a successful "gold digger." Alma and Billy become involved in all sorts of compromising situations, brought about by a sackful of rattle snakes brought by a prospector. Billy all but loses his home as some hilarious complications develop, but it all ends happily. "The River of Doubt" (Fables-Pathe— One Reel) THERE is some better material in this cartoon subject than has characterized the majority of recent issues. A touch of lively comedy here and there brings recollections of some of the earlier efforts of these cartoonists. It's a jungle picture along the Amazon, where the dinosaur's neck is used as a spring beard by monkeys and birds, and the young birds are fed hippos by their adoring parents. Thomas Cat and old Al Falfa inv.^de this jungle for photographic purposes. They are attacked by the wild cats and various denizens and have a real lively time of it, with Al getting the worst of it. This is the best of these subjects shown for some time. — CHESTER J. SMITH.