Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1928)

April 21, 19 28 1273 well as the stylish crook, hut the role is a comparatively small one. The direction of the picture seems unusually pood. Drawing Power: It is a story of jazz, crooks, prison and other elements that have their appeal to picture house patrons, and being well acted should prove a good draw in any type house. Exploitation Angles: Elinor Glyn's name and the title will suggest ways of exploitation, as will the jazz and the prison angles and the popularity of the leading players. THEME: Son of wealthy and socially prominent family weds daughter of poor taxi-driver as result of wild jazz party. He is disowned by father and the youngsters are inveigled by a clever crook to unwittingly return stolen jewels and receive the large reward for him. She is captured, sent to jail and while there gives birth to a son, which is taken from her and her marriage annulled. She is freed and returns on the night of her former husband's second marriage. In distraction she drives off at the wheel of the wedding car and plunges over a cliff to her death. Produced and distributed by First National. Released March 4, 1928. Length 6,625 feet. The Cast: Sally O'Neil, Alice White, Donald Reed, Larry Kent, Lowell Sherman, Norman Trevor, Eddie Clayton, James Farley, Rose Dione, Tully Marshall, Margaret Livingston, Jack Eagan, Kate Price, Mary Foy, Iona Holmes. Story from Elinor Glyn's ''The Man and the Moment." Adapted by Tom Geraghty. An Alan Dwan production. Directed by Joseph C. Boyle. The Adorable Cheat Fair Society Drama (Reviewed by Chester J. Smith) fT,lllS first Chesterfield production under * the supervision of Lon A. Young tells a story that has often been repeated and sometimes in a more entertaining manner than this one. It is altogether too slow moving and its climaxes are unconvincing; then too, the incidental action is so stereotyped that the tale is almost entirely without suspense. It is too easy to foresee the culmination of the tale. Lila Lee is starred in the picture and to her credit it must be said that she is as winsome as ever and she does well in a role that gives her little opportunity to display anything but her winsomeness. She is just a sweet young society girl, very much in love with the shipping clerk in her wealthy father's establishment. She is the adorable cheat because she goes to work as assistant to the shipping clerk under an assumed name and without the father having knowledge of the fact. All of which means little or nothing to the story except that it gives her the opportunity of inviting the shipping clerk to a week-end party at her home, where the real action take place. The cast is a fairly well balanced one, but everything about the picture is so commonplace there is little chance for any of them to show real ability. Cornelius Keefe is the young lover and is as attractive in the role as is Miss Lee. The rule of the others are rather insignificant, but capably handled. Drawing Power: It is neither better nor worse than the general run of these pictures and should do fairly well in the neighborhood houses. Exploitation Angles: Lila Lee is probably the best bet you have along exploitation lines. THEME: Daughter of wealthy manufacturer falls in love with his shipping clerk and unknown to her father gets a job as shipping clerk's assistant under an assumed name. The romance ripens and he is invited for a week-end party to her home, where her weakling brother through heavy gambling losses, rifles the father's safe and suspicion is turned' on the shipping clerk. He proves his innocence, wins the place of the wealthy man's general manager and also the girl. Produced and distributed by Chesterfield .Motion Picture Corp. Released April 15, 1928. Length, 5,400 feet. The Cast: Lila Lee, Cornelius Keefe, Burr Mcintosh, Reginald Sheffield, Gladden .1; Harry Allen, Alice Knowland, Virginia Lee. Director, Burton King. Supervised by Lon A. Voting. Story by Arthur Hoerl. Edited by Lee Anthony. The Little Yellow House Oodles of Appeal Here (Reviewed by Raymond Canly) MR. AVERAGE FAN will enjoy the homely appeal, the situations familiar to ordinary folk that are to be found in this story by Beatrice Burton. There is sentiment — mother love, a sudden death, a yearning lover — that at no time is maudlin or far fetched. The simple little tale it has to tell has been invested with a naturalness, a fervor that is close to the heart of Main Street. Thousands of families experience trouble in such a guise as is presented here. Many a fan, then, will not look with askance at the story. Exhibitors are out to please the average patron. Here's the type of story that will turn the trick. "The Little Yellow House" does not go in for action, melodrama and live-wire heroics. It is more of characterization and every-day incident. Not soon will you forget Emmy (Martha Sleeper), petulant and somewhat selfish; or Pop Milburn (William Orlamond), nearly all the time gloriously soused; nor Ma .Milburn (Lucy Beaumont), his tired and patient wife; nor Grandma Pentland (Edytlie Chapman), the cross and stern grand-parent. The acting front all hands is good. Leo Median's direction is responsible to a great extent to the homely appeal of which the picture smacks. Drawing Power: A good picture which will draw well. Exploitation Angles: The average man and woman will find it recognizable. Use a toy house for your lobby display and have it glaringly yellow. Tell your patrons it's an appealing film. THEME: The story of a family, chiefly about the girl, who despises her home and regards it as a hovel. After she has lived away from it for a time and discovered that her love for luxury had aimost spoiled her life, she returns to her mother well satisfied to accept the love of a staunch admirer. Produced and Distributed by F I! 0. Released, April 24, 1 !»•_'*. Length, (i.4(i:i feet. The Cast: Orville Caldwell, Martha Sleeper, Lucy Beaumont, Wm. Orlamond. Edward Peil. Jr., Freeman Wood, Edythc Chapman. Story by Beatrice Burton. Adaptor, Dorothy Yost. Continuity by Oha>. Kerr. Cameraman, AJ Siegler. Director, Leo Median. The Crimson Citj Okay us Program Fare (Reviewed l>> Hawnond (»anlv) MELODRAMA in the dive of Singapore, an Englishman on the road to degradation, a Chinese girl who lifts him up, scheming Orientals — all these details and more have been welded together to form a moderately entertaining story. The acting of Matthew Betz, of .John Miljan, of Anna May Wong aids considerably in making effective the scenes of scheming and plotting, of degradation and sacrifice with which the picture is plentifully stocked. The scenes dealing with the water front dive of "Dagger" Foo (Matthew Betz) have been directed with vigor by Archie Mayo. Naturally, they are the most interesting of the story, but the figure pervading them — the lonesome little Chinese girl, Myrna Loy — is not effective nor does she ring so true. Miss Loy has the sloe-eyes, the exotic features which, it would seem, would make her well suited for her role. However, she is strangely unemotional. Betz is first-rate as the scheming dive-keeper, while Miss Wong, with what little she has, proves that she is a capable Oriental miss when it comes to acting. Sojin, in a minor part, is quite effective. With its knife-throwing, its strong Oriental atmosphere, and many menaces, "The Crimson City" is a fairly strong story with which to attract the fans. Drawing Power: Okay for houses catering to lovers of melodrama. Exploitation Angles: Create an Oriental atmosphere in your lobby. Carry out a campaign or ballyhoo which has a strong Chinese flavor. THEME: Melodrama in which Chinese girl saves Englishman from clutches of Chinese dive-keeper. The Englishman thinks he is wanted by the police so he dodges his own kind, and avoids the English girl he loves. However, he is freed of guilt when the real party confesses, and is reunited to the white girl when the Chinese miss renders him a valuable service. Produced and Distributed by Warner Bros. Released, April, l!»_>s. Length, Six reels. The Cast: Myrna Loy, John Miljan, Leila Hyams, .Matthew Betz, Anders Randolf, Sojin, Anna May Wong and Richard Tucker. Story and scenario by Anthony Coldeway. Director, Archie Mayo. "Slippery Head" ( Educational — Two Reels) (Reviewed by Raymond Ganly) JOHXuW ARTHUR is the extremely dumb and forgetful hubby, and Lucille Hutton, his impatient wife, in this Tuxedo comedy written and directed by Norman Taurog. The latter has not succeeded in waking the star up and giving him a snap and dash— at least not quite as well as Harry Sweet, who made of "Visitors Welcome," a recent Arthur vehicle, something fast and comical. The type of comedy that forms the bulk of this newer piece is best described as rougbhouse. They break everything in sight. One scene, showing Arthur entertaining with a violin, while Jack Miller accompanies on the piano, turns out to he a veritable slam-bang, slapstick affair. Arthur becomes entangled in his music stand, his hands become enmeshed in fly paper, bis feet become encased in violins, his general aspect is awry. His accompanies! fares no better as he, too. unfortunately falls inside of the baby grand and emerges with a mass of wire and an aspect <>f disorder. This rougbhouse type of comedy has found favor with audiences in the past, and it will probably collect a share of chuckles when it is flashed on the screens of neighborhood and similar houses for which it is best suited.