Motion Picture News (Jan - Mar 1928)

March 24, 1928 963 The Arizona Wildcat Tom Mix in a Dashing Western (I{<'vi«>w<'«i l»y Kiiyinoiul (iaiily) 'l^'O.M Ml\ rides to fjlory and llic liavcii *■ of Dorotliy Sebastian's arms in this tyj)i(',ally Mexican vehicle throuf^h which ]en<;thy streaks oi' rabid action pierce the story and give it a poweri'ul kick. The story is i)retty slig-ht. It has to do witli a cowboy who raises polo ponies and who is quite a crackerjack at swinging a mallet himself. He gets planted in the midst of villainy, some slick Easterners thinking they can put him out of the way while the big polo game in Santa Barbara is in progress. But, by calling on brawn and the faithful Tony, he escapes the well laid plan to remove him from the scene and jauntily arrives in the nick of time, sweei)ing his (.j)jxnients before him. Yes, it has lots of action for Tom and his horse even though it is a pretty flimsy tale. Tlie polo game is well worth watching as are also the scenes on the ranch when they are breaking in polo ponies. All in all, it is a good western with action, comedy, a virile performance from the star and good looks and simperings from Dorothy Sebastian. It should satisfy. Drawing Power: .Okay for the western clientele. It has the punch, which fact the fans will take cognizance of. Exploitation Angles: Have a polo outfit on display in your lobby. Use tie-up Avith sporting goods store. Feature plentv of stills of Mix and Tony. THEME: Western action drama. Westerner meets the girl of his boyhood days and discovers that she is the prospective victim of a pair of ileecers. When her brother's polo team is on the verge of defeat through the playing of one of the crooks, the boy breaks through a plot to have him put out of the way and arrives on the scene just in time to win the game and save the girl from the crooks. Produced and distributed by Fox Films. Released, November, 1927. Length, 4,665 feet. The Cast: Tom Mix, Dorothy Sebastian, Monty Collins, Ben Bard, Marcella Daly, Gordon Elliot, Cissy Fitzgerald, Doris Dawson. Story by Adela Rogers St. Johns. Scenario by John Stone. Director, William Neill. Almost Human A Novel Theme (Reviewed by Raymond Ganly) HERE 'S a story cast in a novel mold and presenting an unusual theme. Its human part deals Avith a young couple very much in love and its "almost human" part with the role played in bringing them together again by three dogs, the youngest of which tells the story. It is a simple idea, carried out simply and effectively; but many fans will find it boresome as it is not the sort of story provided for the police dog stars but one in which action is lacking to a large extent. There is humor, though, in the dogs' antics and some clever sentences have been put into their mouths which, coming from dogs, are decidedly humorous. But it is quite dead in spots all the same. Several pleasing features about it are: the absence of the menace; the idea is a novel one which took courage to carry out; the story pretends to be just a simple little tale and nothing else. Vera Reynolds and Kenneth Thomson are okay as the young couple and Ci.-iirc McDovscll gives one ol' iicr line performance.-^ a:^ llie aristocratic niullicr <>l the young husband, who cannot bear her new daughter in law. 'i'he dog perfoniiers are all good, better in fact than many of these police dogs who are rivaling the, cowboy stars for stupendous feats and heroics. Drawing Power: Not so good. Standing by itself it is not very strong, although the dogs bark vigorously. Will probably go best into neighborhood houses or houses which feature two features. Exploitation Angles: Concentrate on the leads and name of author. THEME: Drama of two humans and their dogs. The couple becomes separated but the dogs bring them together again. Produced by De .Mille Stiulios. Distributed by I'alhe. Released, December, 1928. Length, 5596 feet. The Cast: Vera Reynolds, Kenneth Thomson, Claire IMcDowell, Majel Coleman, Ethel Wales, Fred Walton. Dogs: Hank, Paul and Trixie. Adapted by Clara Beranger from RiehanI Harding Davis' "The Bar Sinister." Director, Frank Ui-son. The Whip Woman ISot Any Too Strong (Reviewed by Raymond Ganly) T^HIS production shajx's up as average. ^ In its acting and direction it has that note of mediocrity. Estelle Taylor has the role of a Hungarian girl who lashes the at everyone with her whip. Antonio Moreno is the futile hero, a nobleman who has gone to the dogs. Lowell Sherman and Hedda Hopper have, perhaps, the best thespian opportunities of the cast, Sherman as the flippant, polished baron and Miss Hopper as the proud, blue-blooded mother. On the whole, though, the gi-oup is uniform in that they are for the most part too passive and reserved. The scene is a little Hungarian village. The girl is called the whip woman because she repulses the advances of all men attracted by her prettiness. She even knocks senseless the hero with the butt of her whip, but after she has nursed him back to health she comes to love him. The plot follows the usual trend when the hero thinks his girl has been untrue and has run off with the baron. They do not find out the truth until the girl has suffered much and the hero has again become dissolute. Drawing Power: The names of the four featured players give it a better than fair pulling strength. Suitable for second run and average theatres. Exploitation Angles : Publicize the Hungarian atmosphere and feature the whip prominently. Play up the names. THEME: Heart drama. Hungarian peasant girl succors a dissolute nobleman, who is about to commit suicide. He finds a new interest in life in the person of the girl. On their wedding day, the man's mother intervenes, with the result that the village baron, a friend of the mother, persuades the girl that the marriage would hurt her lover. They do not come together again until both have been miserable for some time, but they overlook caste and finally wed. Produced by Robert Kane. Distributed bv First National. Released, Februarv, 1928. Length, 5,087 feet. The Cast: Estelle Taylor, Antonio Moreno, Lowell Sherman, Hedda Hopper, Julanne Johnston, Loretta Young. Story by Forrest Halsey and Leland Hayward. Director, Joseph C. Boyle. llic Baltics of (JoroncI and l^alkland Islands .in ilxcfllriil I'irtnre (l(r>ieMril In lta> nioiiii <^anly) A .M i'lKICA.N exbibilors entertaining the •^»' nlea that English j»ictures are not for tliem will be suri)rised, we imagine, by this line exami)le of pictiin; making. It in really a inolion picture, the (ilm having a throb and sweep as it marclies Hteadily and forcefully along. It's all told by the camera, this story of how the British suffered a naval disaster during the late war and of how they came back with typical British bulldog tenacity and dealt thr-ir foes a death blow. A stirring record, one to stir the blood. Created with the co-operation of the British Admiralty and Navy League, the realism of the newsreel only rivals the scenes of the naval struggles in which all rlie glamor of battle is vividly recorded. One portion, introduced by the title, "The Effort," pulsates with activity as it shows the British preparing to avenge the defeat of Coronel. They shape a ship before your eyes. The scenes prior to battle are also stuffed full of excitement. The film, really, is educational to the man in the street, showing, as it does, the gunners taking the range, how the whole ship works like an efficient organization. It is a British picture and they have dealt courteously with their late enemies, as the latter are not portrayed in a wicked light. The camera work is excellent. When all is said and done, it is an unusual picture. There's no love making in it and this fact may mitigate against its pulling power, as manj' women will find it empty in that respect, but it is crammed with action and men and boj's will enjoy it to the full. Drawing Power: Poor, as it is foreign made. Exploitation Angles: Promise them a good picture, a vivid account of naval battles. Tell them that 37 battleships were supplied for the production by the British Government and that thousands of men were loaned also. Tell them it is something out of the ordinary. THEME: The naval clashes between the British and the Germans at Coronel and Falkland Islands during the World War. Produced with the co-operation of the British Admiralty and Navy League. Distributed here by Artlee Pictures (S. R.). Director, Walter Summers. "Ride 'Em, Plougliboy" (Universal-Cartoon — One Reel) FT' UN about a barn-yard is frustrated by the untimely arrival of a cyclone in which Oswald, at the moment, in the act of milking a cow, is hurled for miles and miles, but instinctively hangs on to the cow, which in the course of the journey is converted into a flying machine. Walt Disney, the cartoonist, has injected a lot of fun into this one, the characters of which are the various denizens of the barn-yard. Fortunately for Oswald he is in the act of milking the cow with the arrival of the cyclone, which flits about the barn-yard sucking every living thing into its vortex. It finally hits Oswald and the cow, with Oswald hanging on for dear life. They have a speedy journey, and are about to be plunged into oblivion when Oswald conceives the airplane idea and the cow carries him to a safe landing. There is a lot of good comedy in it.— CHESTER J. SMITH.