Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1927)

September 30 , 19 27 1001 The Boy Rider Deep and Exciting Melodrama (Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) FOR real deep melodrama of the type that sets the customers cheering as the posse rides up, this one wfould be hard to beat. It has all the necessary elements. First of all there is the fourteen-year-old boy-star, Buzz Barton, wlho seems to have all the accomplishments of the older Western stai's, and to be just as heroic. There is a generous mixture of intrigue, love and adventure, with incidents of the dramatic type following one another so closely that the suspense is almost continuous. Of course, the story cannot be taken too seriously. It is one of those inipossible Western tales where injustice is about to ruin the hero and the villain is about to triumph, only to have the atmosphere suddenly clear into a happy ending for all but the villain. This young Buzz Barton seems destined for extreme popularity wherever the Western has an appeal. And his pinto pony will share his popularity with him. They are a good team for this kind of stuff. The youngster seems as skilled in the saddle as any of them. He has a pleasing screen personality, the mannerisms of a real cowboy, and he has not yet reached the point where he tries too hard to act. Tlic Cast: Buzz Barton, Lorraine Eason, Sam Nelson, David Dunbar, Frank Rice, IVilliam Ryno. THEME : Western melodrama terrific battle with the bandit of boy who escapes guardian, member of bandit gang, meets up with former partner of his dad and the two become pals. They aid in capturing the bandit gang, who are bent on destroying the girl and her PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS : The wild riding of the boy-star to save the girl. The gang. The suspense and the swift action. EXPLOITATION ANGLES: The age and skill of the boy her. You can safely bill it as a Western replete with thrills. The terrific struggle on the brink of the cliif to save the girl. DRAWING POWER: Good wherever the Western is liked. Produced and Distributed by F B O. Length, 4,858 feet. Released, October 23, 1927. Light satiric comedy is to be found in "One Woman to Another," rt Paramount feature. Lightning An Improbable Tale, But Interesting (Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) A PECULIAR mixture of big city night life and Western is this tale that revolves partly around an intelligent horse, a couple of cowboys and a couple of show girls. It goes into the field of all three of them for its action, and it comfis out with plenty of it. The horse is first seen in his environment, when he triumphs over a vicious outlaw horse. The girls are next displayed at their night club, or whatever it is, in Chicago, and there they meet the cowboys, who fall hard for theim One of the girls is on the square and the other is not. The latter gets the roll of the cowboys, who return disappointed to their Western range. Then, to bring the quartet together again, the girls get an engagement in Salt Lake City, to whicli point they must go by airplane to be on time. The plane is forced down on the desert where the boys are sheltered. The girls wander into the cam'p of the boys and, after being u{)braided for their Chicago actions, are faced with the threat of sei-ving as the cowboys' squaws. They make their escape, only to run into a fierce desert sandstorm in wlhich both are overcome, but are rescued with the assistance of Lightning, who has finally been conquered by Cuth Stewart. The cast is an exceptionally good one, and the roles are well enacted, particularly that of Jobyna Ralston, as one of the show girls. The Cast : Jobyna Ralston, Margaret LiiAngston, Robert Fraccr, Guian Willianis. Pat Harmon. THEME: Western in which The airplane sequences. The two show girls meet two cowboys, deceive them, are punished when later they meet on the desert, but are saved in a terrific sandstorm and all ends happily. PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS: The sand storm on the desert. The cabaret scenes. photography. EXPLOITATION ANGLES: The battle between the wild horses. The Zane Grey story from which the production was made. The sandstorm. DRAWING POWER: Should go weU in any but the largest houses. A dog's intelligence is the means of righting a wrong in "Jaivs of Steel" a Warner Bros, release. Produced and Distributed by Tiffany Productions, Inc. Length, 6,049 f^'^^ Released, September i, 1927.