Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1928)

2184 Motion Picture News Sound Picture Reviews "Miss Information'' THIS is an exceptionally clever little Vitaphone playlet with Lois Wilson and Edward Everett Horton in the leading roles. Both have good voices for the screen and the story is well worked out. In it Miss Wilson is a stenographer in an up-state New York town and Horton, in a new job with some unscrupulous brokers, is detailed to the town to buy up cheaply an important invention from the widow of the deceased inventor. Norton, seeking information on arrival in the town, asks particulars of Miss Wilson and imparts his plan to her. She convinces him that he is doing a wrong, not paying the full price for so valuable an invention. He phones his firm that it cannot be had for the small sum offered and they boost the price to $10,000. He tells them that the widow is asking $30,000 and will take no less, for which he is fired. Miss Wilson, it develops, is the daughter of the widow. She agrees to marry the salesman and the two decide to promote the invention themselves. — Chester J. Smith. Fox Movietone Subjects Fox is presenting George Bernard Shaw as a Movietone subject. Shaw, a world-wide figure, has been looked upon as one aloof and apart from the crowd. He has refused to visit America and he is not the type to grant audiences to people except those seated in the high places. Yet through the Movietone he reaches the masses — and the masses will accept him as a genuinely friendly man. Through recording his rich voice and capturing his wit and humor and the colorful personality he represents Fox has done as much for Shaw and his writings as Shaw has done for Movietone. The film shows him walking on a gravel path into a close-up and the crunching of his shoes as he approaches is plainly heard. A tall figure and distinguished looking he immediately wins his audience. Then he starts in selling his personality by typically Shavian wise-cracks. In all he's the best Movietone subject that has appeared. And he wouldn't do so bad as an actor since he's gifted with showmanship and a flair for pantomime. The Movietone also presents in its latest program the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace — and this colorful ceremony brought down from medieval times will surely be appreciated. One hears the bands and the commands of the officer and the measured tread of the Guard is a sight which never fails in its appeal. Governor Al Smith also figures in the Movietone through his visit to Governor's Island during a recent carnival. And the first two-reel comedy to be recorded through Movietone, "The Family Picnic," is interesting. But the piece goes back to first principles in its design. Without the dialogue and sound effects it would be dismissed as exceptionally old-fashioned. It shows promise of what will be accomplished in the future. — Laurence Reid. First National Is Reported Negotiating for Photophone T T seems likely that First National will *■ use the Photophone system of sound recording and reproducing in connection with the product to be made for the 1928-29 season. It is understood that First National is now negotiating with R. C. A., which controls the Photophone system, and that the deal will be closed within the next few days. It is said that one of the First National features for the new season has already been synchronized by the Photophone process. The proposed swing of First National to Photophone is attributed partly to the recent connection of Joseph P. Kennedy with First National. R. C. A. is part owner of FBO, of which Mr. Kennedy is also the head. Pathe has also definitely announced that it will use the Photophone system. It had been previously announced that First National would use the Western Electric system under the name of Firnatone, but it is now claimed that the deal with Western Electric was never actually consummated. The agreement is said only to have been a preliminary one. First National made the announcement of Firnatone just previously to the company's sales convention, and at a time when it seemed almost sure that the Western Electric Company deal would be closed. There has been no definite announcement either from First National or from Photophone that the companies are now in negotiation, but it is understood "that this is a fact, and that one picture has already been synchronized or is now in the process of synchronization. L. A. Houses Equip for Talkies Hollywood, June 23. — The success of Warner Brothers' theatre in Hollywood has expedited the equipping of more theatres in the vicinity with talking devices. Loew's State and the Metropolitan theatres, the two largest downtown houses, are now installing movietone equipment. A score of experts arrived here last week from New York and are now busily engaged in equipping both theatres for the influx of "talkies" from Paramount, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Fox and First National studios. A private car containing the experts from the Electrical Research Products Acoustic Department of the Western Electric Company, arrived in Los Angeles, together with all paraphernalia for a complete installation. The projection equipment comes direct to the Coast from Philadelphia and is said to be the last word in talking devices. Rehearsals of the equipment will be held this week and active operation of the theatres with sound and voice pictures will commence about July 7. Only two Los Angeles theatres are so equipped at present — Warner Bros, and the Tower theatre, a 1000 seat house playing to 25 cents top. Warner Bros, prices are 35, 50 and 65 cents. Over 150,000 people paid admissions to Warner Bros, theatre during the short run of "The Lion and the Mouse." It seats 3,000 persons. Buck Jones Production Will Be Synchronized Synchronization of music and sound effects will be an added feature of "The Big Hop," the forthcoming special production starring Buck Jones. The picture is now in production at Universal City and will be the first to be made under Buck's own trade mark as an independent producer. The sound-on-film method of recording will be used. Christie Signs Western Electric Contract The Christie Film Corporation is the latest producer to sign contracts for the use of the Western Electric System of Sound Pictures. The contracts were executed with Electrical Research Products, Inc., subsidiary of the Western Electric. Equipment for the recording of sound in conjunction with the Christie features and short subjects will be installed in the Hollywood Studio of the company. Battle Over Canned Music in St. Louis (Continued from Page 2183) Bafuno who was arrested several weeks ago for passing out handbills in the vicinity of the Astor and Senate theatres calling the public's attention to the fact that the theatres were using mechanical music now has pending in the St. Louis Circuit Court a civil suit in which he asks for heavy damages from members of the police department, the police board and owners of the theatres on the grounds they conspired to arrest him.