Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1929)

792 Motion Picture News Opinions On Pictures The Madonna Of Avenue A Hokumized Tale For Dolores (Reviewed by Raymond Ganly) POOR Dolores, sweet and innocent, suffers and suffers in this story of a gal and her bootlegger sweetheart. After traversing a regular vale of tears, our heroine's weary feet at last find happiness, even though her mother did bump herself off for no particular reason. The Warner Brothers should change Miss Costello's name to Dolorous if they intend to deluge her with tear-jerking roles. For every smile that the wistful one wears she must atone for with at least half a dozen tears. "Madonna of Avenue A" is not hot box office. This weepy sort of stuff, constantly handed the pride of the Costellos, won't improve her standing at the b. o. After a while, if this keeps up, she will be strictly identified with one type of role. Which makes a star's light pall. Dolores is a shy young thing at a girls' boarding school, who has been placed there by her mother whom she thinks is a perfect creature but who is really the mistress of an East River dive. A young bootlegger sees the girl, falls for her and eventually (?ets her drunk on board his vessel on the night of a raid. Attempting to escape during a fusillade of shots, the girl is nabbed by the dicks and discharged from school when the horrified matrons hear of her plight. Going to Avenue A in Isew York, the girl discovers the mother's secret and, although heart-broken, marries the young bootlegger. The mother has her new son-in-law framed, because she considers her daughter's marriage a mistake, but wlieii she learns that her girl is with child she insures herself for $10,000 to pay a lawyer to get the bootlegger out of jail and then makes her exit by swallowing some poison. The bootlegger is saved and the gal at last catches up with happiness. The entire spinal column of the story is hokum, pure and unadulterated. It is spruced up with constant renderings of "My Madonna," which Grant Withers in the role of the bootlegger warbles to his school girl. If Grant really sang the song, then he needn't feel jealous of John Boles and the other boys with the caroling voices. Although Old Lady Hokum has been sneered at before but has brought home the bacon, nevertheless this production, which is one hundred per cent her own, is no great shakes. It lumbers along with unconvincing development and a climax that just wilts trying to appear plausible. And in this day and age of bootleggers, where would you find a girl as dumb as the school lass depicted by Miss Costello? She makes of her role the best she can and those yearning eyes grab their share of sympathy. Withers is the breezy confident young bootlegger, giving his part the necessary masculine twang, although he doesn't talk like a liquor rat. The role of the mother was entrusted to Louise Dresser and capable actress that she is, the part vibrates with the mother love appeal — until she is required to take the poison. Produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Story by Mark Canfield. Scenario l)y Ray Doyle. Cameraman, Byron Haskin. Director, Michael Curtiz. Released, June 22, 3929. Footage, 6,461 feet. THE CAST Maria Dolores Costello Slim Grant Withers Arch Duke Douglas Gerrard Georgia Morton Louise Dresser Monk Otto HofiFman <Iu.s Lee Moran They are already commencing to buy: THE END OF THE WORLD as seen and heard by ABEL GANCE Adapted from the book by CAMILLE FLAMMARION Sound film with portion for a triptych (triple-width) to be projected with ordinary apparatus. SOCIETE L'ECRAN D'ART 15, rue du Bac, Paris Dir. V. Ivanoff Speedway Reviving Wally Reid^s Stuff (Reviewed by Don Ashbaugh) {Sound Version) UTILIZING the famed Memorial day races at Indianapolis as background, M-G-M has brought the world of roaringracers to the screen again. The sound vogue is not alone responsible, as a most interesting tale has been woven about the romance of throttle pushing. William Haines headlines an excellent draw cast which also boasts Anita Page, Ernest Torrence, Karl Dane and John Miljan. In this day of speed and sports events the picture should prove a B. 0. bet. Those who crave thrills will find plenty of them in the last three reels of the picture as the speed demons whirl dizzily around the huge brick oval in their mad defiance of death. Two excellent accident shots, which have been incorporated into the picture add extra thrills. Both mishaps are of the breath taking variety with the cars turning over and tossing the drivers out into space. There is the customary romance with Haines winning the girl, Anita Page, at the end leaving the dire villain of the piece, John Miljan, in the cold. Torrence is cast as the veteran driver who adopts Haines. He teaches the youth the art of piloting a roaring car. Dane is the mechanic, and creates several good laughs. Haines is depicted in his usual role as a swell-headed and conceited youth. Prior to the race, he has an argument with his foster father, and deserts to drive another car in the race. When the race starts, Torrence is barred from driving on account of a weak heart. Haines, ditched by the owner of the other ear, swings in to drive Torrence's machine. Far in the lead, he allows Torrence to take the wheel for a winning finish. As a dramatic picture of any weight, "Speedway" is pretty light, but for thrills and speed it will be stamped as mighty acceptable entertainment. The combination of Haines and other featured names in the cast, plus the racing angle, should make this an excellent attraction in any spot. Produced and released by M-G-M. Story by Byron Morgan. Adapted by Byron Morgan, Al Block, and Ann Price. Titles by Joe Farnham. Directed by Han-y Beaumont. Photographed by Henry Sharp. Footage, 7075 feet. Release date, Sept. 7, 1929. THE CAST Bill Whipple William Haines Patricia Anita Page Jim McDonald Ernest Torrence Dugan Karl Dane Lee Renny John Miljan Mrs. McDonald Eugenie Besserer Waitress Polly Moran Reuben Mamoulian, stage director who recently completed direction of "Applause" for Paramount as his first talking picture, is now dividing his time between editing and cutting the picture and rehearsing a road company of "Porgy" to be sent out soon by the Theatre Guild.