Motion Picture News (Jan - Feb 1926)

1010 Motion P i c t u re News Luck and Sand (Artclass Pictures— 5000 Feet) (Reviewed by George T. Pardy) A RAPID-FIRE action Westerner in wliich Leo Maloney stars, aided by a dog and horse that can do most anything but talk straight United States, although they certainly •create the impression that they converse in a language of their own; and the combination is a winning one. Mr. Maloney, by the way, assumes a double burden in this instance, as he is director as well as the leading player, and has acquitted himself creditably on both counts. The picture makes no pretence of shaping out a subtle plot, the story starts right off with trouble in the air, a killing, an innocent man suspected and the hero on the warpath to straighten matters out. Which he does satisfactorily to all concerned except the bad guys, who get what is coming to them in strong doses at the close. ^ THEME. Western. Jim Blake intervenes to save brother of girl he loves, when former is unjustly suspected of murder. He also clears his own name and gets his reward. PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS. The fast, well-sustained action, melodramatic punches and love appeal. Hero's self-sacrifice. Scene in which he proves villain guilty. Killing of Captain Harris. EXPLOITATION ANGLES. Advertise as brisk Western melodrama, with lots of physical action, strong love interest. Play up star, horse and dog. Mention Miss Hill. DRAWING POWER. Should please wherever they favor fast-rolling Westerners. SUMMARY. Good regulation Westerner, delivers some forcible melo punches, has the necessary romantic lure and happy finish. THE CAST Jim Blake Leo Maloney Roy Wetzel Homer Watson Lois Wetzel Josephine Hill Roy's Mother Florence Lee Sanger Leonard Clapham Sheriff Roy Watson Captain Hams Hal Gilbert Author, Ford Beebe. Director, Leo Maloney. SYNOPSIS. Captain Harris, railroad civil engineer, is killed by Sangster and Foote twro crooks who try vainly to bribe him into telling where new line is to run. They escape with Harris' map. Jim Blake is unjustly suspected. Sanger wishes to buy land owned by Wetzle family over which road is to be built. Refused, he has Roy Wetzle arrested on murder charge. Jim, in love with Roy's sister Lois, rescues the brother and proves real criminal's Jim and Lois are happy. guilt. Leo Maloney. star of "Luck and Sand' an Artclass release. Luck & Sand (Artclass Pictures) PRESS NOTICE T EO MALONEY, daring -*— ' Western star, with his famous trained horse and dog. Flash and Bullet, will appear in "Luck and Sand," a sterling western picture which will be the main screen attraction at the Theatre on . The story deals with the murder of the head civil engineer of a railroad by a couple of crooks, who throw suspicion on the brother of the girl loved by the hero. How the latter runs down and convicts the real criminal, is told in a series of flashing adventures that hold an audience spellbound. Leo Maloney and his fourfooted pals win instant sympathy. Josephine Hill a fascinating heroine, supported by a great cast. CATCH LINES How a railroad brought strife to a peaceful valley, a tale of greed, crooks, murder, romance! The Traffic (F. B. O.— 5175 Feet) (Reviewed by George T. Pardy) THERE'S more human interest and sympathetic lure and less lurid melodrama in this production than was offered by "High and Handsome," the other policeman hero picture starring Lefty Flynn as a two-fisted, strenuous member of the force. Also the comedy element is developed and maintained to a much greater extent. The result is a feature which registers as an entertaining program attraction, it gets the laughs continuously, has considerable romantic and sentimental appeal, the latter increased by Lefty's kindly guardianship of a little boy slum waif who has much to do with bringing the lovers together. Thrills are not lacking, however, the big punch scene being a whopper, with the hero executing a spring from an auto to a runaway bus cariying his sweetheart and a bunch of kiddies, which he succeeds in halting on the verge of a towering cliff. THEME. Comedy melodrama. Traffic cop at seaside resort saves runaway bus from plunging over clifT, wooes and wins wealthy girl. PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS. Meeting of hero and heroine. Flynn's convivial seance with sweetheart's father. Romantic development. Runaway bus scene at close. EXPLOITATION ANGLES. Bill as policeman hero picture with good comedy, fine sympathetic touches and swift melodramatic action. Feature Lefty Flynn. DRAWING POWER. Good program film, suitable for average house. ■ SUMMARY. Another bright comedy melodrama with big, handsome cop for hero. Moves smoothly, has lots of action, sentimental and romantic appeal. THE CAST Joe Regan Lefty Flynn Alicia Davidson Kathleen Myers William Radcliffe Davidson James Marcus Marmalade Laidlaw Ray Ripley Mrs. Davidson . Adele Farrington Harvey Phillips Nigel Barrie Tapicoa , Raymond Turner Jerry Murphy Himself Author, Gerald Beaumont Director, Harry Garson. SYNOPSIS. Joe Regan, traffic cop, falls in love with Alicia Davidson at a seaside resort, squares her wealthy father, but gets in bad with Mrs. Davidson. The Davidsons take several children on a picnic trip in a bus. The driver loses control, the bus heads for the edge of a cliff. Joe appears in the nick of time, springs from his own machine to the runaway and stops it on the verge of disaster. He wins Alicia. , The Traffic Cop (F.B.O.) PRESS NOTICE BIG, athletic Lefty Flynn scores again in another "policeman hero" picture, "The Traffic Cop," which comes to the Theatre on . This is a bridght and breezy comedy melodrama with romantic interest strongly developed, in which Lefty appears as the guardian of a little boy waif he has adopted, and while at a seaside resort, wins the love of a wealthy contractor's daughter. The production is rich in humor values as well as sentimental lure and winds into a tremendous thrill climax, when the hero halts a runaway bus in which his sweetheart and several children are riding, on the verge of a precipice. Kathleen Byers, James Marcus, Nigel Barrie figure in important roles. CATCH LINES Laughter, thrills, romance, Lefty Flynn, star of "The Traffic Cop" Flynn in one of the greatest roles of his an F. B. O. production. career!