Motion Picture News (Mar - Apr 1926)

1836 Motion Picture News The Nut-Cracker (Associated Exhibitors — Six Reels) (Reviewed by Frank Elliott) HERE'S one that should add to the joy of the nations. And, incidentally, it will help put Edward Everett Horton up another notch in the ladder of popularity for here he equals his work in "Ruggles of Bed Gap," putting over a thoroughly enjoyable portrait of a hen-pecked husband, who like the proverbial worm turns. The feature is packed with laughs. They start when Eoratio is discovered with another woman by his wife. They .-on tinue as the hero under the assumed name of Pete Peters of Peru, pretends loss of memory following an accident, saunters into ;i broker's office and cleans up by buying the lowest-quoted -lock on the board. They grow louder as Pete holds a reception which is attended by his wife whom he falls in love with hut keeps up his new role. Then conic the hilarious climax in which the wife deter mines to make Pete "come out of it," and has him kidnapped and rushed off to his former home where three surgeons await him. THEME. Comedy. Hen-pecked husband pretends loss of memory, waxes rich, is pursued by other women but again falls in love with wife. PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS. Horatio's dash from home and his awakening in hospital. His lucky strike in broker's office. The arrival of wife and former employer at his sumptuous apartment. The chase. The kidnapping and near-operation. EXPLOITATION ANGLES. Put on saxaphone contest. Tie-ups with music and book stories. Play up Edward Everett Horton, Mae Busch, Harry Myers. DRAWING POWER. Suitable for average hou.se. Will please most audiences. SUMMARY. A good, clean comedy well acted and attractively mounted. Has more than its quota of laughs. Winds up with a whirlwind finish. Good film entertainment. THE CAST Horatio Slipaway Edward Everett Horton Martha Slipaway Mae Busch Oscar Briggs Harry Myers Isaac Totten Thomas Ricketts Julia Totten Martha Mattox Saki George Kuwa Hortense Katherine Lewis Author, Frederick S. Isham. Directed by Lloyd Ingraham. SYNOPSIS. Horatio Slipaway is henpecked at home and abused at office. He flees from home. He is injured by street car. Awakening in hospital, he is given S500 to settle case. He pretends he has lost his memory. Gives name of Pete Peters of Peru. He takes a flyer in market and wins fortune. Takes apartment, furnished a la Peru. Eventually discovered by wife. Threatened with operation to restore memory, admits he's Horatio. Happy reunion ensues. The Nut-Cracker (Associated Exhibitors) PRESS NOTICE "LJ" EADED by Edward Everett ■*■■*• Horton and Mae Busch, an all-star cast will appear on the screen, commencing in "The Nut-Cracker," an adaptation of Frederick Isham's famous story which is replete with excruciatingly funny situations. With Horton as the hen-pecked and unhappy husband of Miss Busch, in a gingham apron and with a sharp tongue, the picture begins its hilarious unreeling. Mae didn't appreciate hubby until one day he became rebellious, left home, was struck by trolley, pretended loss of memory and went through the hoax with the most unexpected and mirth-provoking results. You bet in the end Mae did appreciate him. CATCH LINES You'll find him living everywhere — this mild, meek, peaceable person who wants to be left alone with his innocent hobbies — and is kept in torment by a wife I Mae Busch, featured in "The Nutcracker," an Associated Exhibitors' release. The Non-Stop Flight (F. B. O.— Six Reels) (Reviewed l.\ M. T. Andrews) IT was inevitable that one of the most colorful incident of current times should find its way to the screen. Accordingly, we have here the famous Non-Stop Flight of the U. S. Navy giani seaplane, PN 9, from San Francisco to Hawaii. Emilie Johnson wrote a story of drama and adventure into t he great ocean passage, and the plot is not altogether plausible or commensurate with the main theme, which deserved more dignified treatment. Alter an exceptionally tine first reel, where the director shows flashes of -kill in introducing characters, the action slackens. However, the big rescue -ccnc and fight with Chinese coolies, plus the heart-gripping opening and smashing climax sustains fairly good interest throughout. Knute Eriekson give a virile, convincing characterization of the Swedish captain Boh Anderson, a the Swedish mechanic on the l\\ !•, almost steals acting honors with Iiin comedy. THEME. Melodrama. Story of adventure is woven into Non-Stop Flight of U. S. Navy seaplane PN 9, dealing with Chinese smuggling and love affair. PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS. The excellent photography and fine characterizations by Knute Eriekson and Bob Anderson. Fast action and thrills. The fight with Chinese coolies off the California coast, good subtitles. Satisfactory climax. EXPLOITATION ANGLES. You should be able to obtain co-operation on picture from Navy posts. Refer to newspaper publicity given the flight. Stress thrill stuff. DRAWING POWER. Suitable for neighborhood and smaller houses. SUMMARY. Offers remarkably fine views of the famous Non-Stop Flight executed by Navy seaplane PN 9. Weaves in not particularly strong romance, but there are enough melo thrills to keep the interest alive. Will please average fan. THE CAST Lars Larson Knute Eriekson Anna Larson Marcella Daly Eric Swanson Bob Anderson Marie Larson Virginia Fry Jack Nevers C. Ogden Jan Johnson Frank L. Hemphill Pilot Skiles Ralph Pope Author, Emilie Johnson. Director, Emory Johnson. Photographed by Gilbert Warrenton. SYNOPSIS. Captain Lars Johnson returns from voyage, finds wife missing, supposes she has eloped. Bitter against world, he turns smuggler. Twenty years later U. S. seaplane makes forced landing on island. Crew finds old man and Larson's daughter, Marie. Nevers, second mate, falls in love with Marie. Latter is claimed by Ah Wing. Fight with coolies follows. U. S. submarine comes and rescues all white people. The Non-Stop Flight (F. B. O.) PRESS NOTICE »rp HE Non-Stop Flight," dealA ing with the recent worldfamous voyage of U. S. Seaplane PN 9, and offering a story rich in romance and melodramatic thrills, will be shown on the screen of the Theatre Skiles Ralph Pope, star of "The NonStop Flight," an F. B. O. production. The narrative deals with a Swedish sea captain, who supposes his wife to have deserted him for a lover, is embittered against the world, turns smuggler and is the unconscious means of* delivering his own daughter, of whose identity he is unaware, into the power of Chinaman Ah Wing. The seaplane makes a forced landing on an island. Second mate Nevers falls in love with Larson's daughter Marie. A fight with collies follows and a rescue achieved by a U. S. submarine. CATCH LINES An epic of Old Ocean, offering some of the most remarkable and realistic views ever filmed 1