Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1929)

O ctob 19 29 1263 Opinions On Pictures Points West Regulation Western (Reviewed by Raymond Ganly) (Silent) THE usual cut-and-dried Western, this time enlivened by the amiable Hoot Gibson, with Alberta Vaughn lending her presence as the helpless heroine. Hoot's following (and that includes thousands of small boys who are dying to see Western thrillers in this day of the talkies and find the supply all to short) will find his latest vehicle of the usual strength, it being equipped with an assortment of fisticuffs, treachery in the dark by the villain, mad riding and all the other ingredients that go to create the illusion on the silver screen of life as it was lived in the day of the real cowboy. So this one should satisfy the bunch that like the horse opera. What's the use of telling the story? Let it suffice to say that Hoot gets his man and wins the girl, by fair means, of course, all the foul methods being exhausted by the villain in his efforts to escape the young cowpuncher whose role Hoot plays. Produced and distributed by Universal. Director, Arthur Rosson. Story by B. M. Bower. Scenario by Rowland Brown. Titles by Harold Tarshis. Released, Aug. 25, 1929. Footage, 5,491 feet. THE CAST Cole Lawson, Jr Hoot Gibson Dorothy Alberta Vaughn McQuade Frank Campeau His Nibs. Jack Raymond The Mother Martha Franklin Parsons Milt Brown Steve Jim Corey "Boyhood Memories" (Pathe Sound Sportlight — One Reel) THOSE memories of delightful boyhood of which Whittier sang are delved into by Gramland Rice and this Sportlight is rich, therefore, in winsome appeal. Any man whose youth was spent in the country will appreciate the gambols of a group of boys on a summer day when natural buoyancy and the joy of living called them to the ole swimmin' hole, invited them to a game of mumbly peg and initiated them into all the other attractions of boyish sport. This Sportlight, enhanced with music, the conversation and snatches of laughter of the boys indulging in various games, is a sure thing in any theatre, with quality enough to enter the top-notch houses and to secure for it an appreciative response. It is one of the best Sportlights to make an appearance. And as this series has been particularly high in standard, calling it "one of the best" means a mouthful. — Raymond Ganly. "Follow The Leader" (Pathe Sound Sportlight — One Reel) NOTHER film extract from the portfolio A> of Grantland Rice whose supply of sport shots never seems to need replenishing. This time, with the aid of music and voice, the authority in the sporting world whose column is syndicated and commands a vast battalion of readers every day, gives his attention to the activities of kids in the water. His swimming shots were taken at Silver Springs, Fla. ; Culver, Ind. ; Coral Gables, Fla. ; Stillwater, N. J. It's good fun, with everybody having a good time. This sound Sportlight should brighten any program. — Raymond Ganly. Young Nowheres A Great Human Interest Talkie (Reviewed by Freddie Schader) (All Dialogue) RICHARD BARTHELMESS has undertaken a role and characterization in this picture that is entirely foreign to any that he has presented in any of his pictures in the past few years. It is so decidedly human and compelling in its appeal that it brings memories of his role in "Fury." The picture isn't one that cost a fortune to make, for the greater part of the story, but the star and Miss Marian Nixon, his leading lady, are the only two concerned in the action. But it's a picture that is going to give a lot of people in picture theatre audiences over the country a sob in the throat and a tear dimmed eye, and that always spells box office. A Saturday Evening Post story by Ida A. B. Wylie is the foundation for the film. It is the love tale of a night elevator boy in an apartment house and the maid of all work, who attends to the apartment of a bachelor in the building. Both are orphans, both are lonely, and the diffidence on the part of each in approaching an acquaintanceship is almost pathetic were it not for the comedy element that is permitted to creep in. The story opens with the arraignment in the Night Court of the young couple on Christmas Eve. They had been discovered in the apartment of one of the tenants in the building during his absence. His unexpected return and his accusation that they were using his rooms to carry on an affair brings the hitherton drab night elevator boy to the defense of his girl, with the result that he is not only charged with unlawfully entering the apartment but with assault as well. The tale of the struggles of the two principal characters is supposedly related by the boy and girl, and advances stage by stage until the day that she was taken to the city hospital and placed in a charity bed suffering from pneumonia. It was on Christmas Eve that she was permitted to go home and the boy believing that the tenant of the apartment was still in California, has prepared a small tree and a little spread for his beloved. They are in the midst of this when the owner returns, discovers them and has them arrested. After the story has been told the charges are dismissed and one of the tenants undertakes to give the pair a start toward a future. Barthelmess is really great and Miss Xixon does a w-onderful piece of work. Bert Roach and Anders Randolph both contribute worth-while performances. Mr. Roach's souse bit proves to he particularly entertaining and laughable. Produced and Distributed by First National Pictures. From the story by Ida A. R. Wylie. Adapted bv Bradley King. Directed 'by Frank Lloyd. Length, 6021 feet. Running time, an hour and four minutes. Released, Oct. 20, 1929. THE CAST Albert Whalen Richard Barthelmess Annie Jackson ._ Marion Nixon Mr. Jesse Bert Roach Cleaver Anders Randolf George Raymond Turner Brunette Jocelyn Lee Disraeli Great Historical Romance (Reviewed bv Freddie Schader) (All Dialogue) Tp OR the second time George Arliss ap■*■ pears on the screen as the star of his former stage success "Disraeli." The latest occasion is a talking version of the play and it is the first of the historical romances to be brought to the audible screen. The performance that Mr. Arliss gives is in itself sufficient to bring a big box office return. Arliss is a type of actor that does not hit one right between the eyes on his first appearance, but as he proceeds with his characterization he grows on one, until finally he has his audience completely won. That is as true on the screen as it was in the theatre. Time and again on the opening night the conclusion of a particularly strong scene in the play was rewarded by spontaneous applause. It was the sort of applause that was given because of a piece of business well handled and dialogue well delivered and not tendered to the players because it was a first night audience of friends of the production management. Mr. Arliss was superb and in his support there were a round half dozen performances that are worthy of more than passing mention. They were given by Joan Bennett as the youthful Lady Clarissa, Doris Lloyd as Mrs. Travers, Anthony Bushell in the juvenile lead of Charles (a young man who incidentally should be heard from in the future in talking pictures), Florence Arliss in the role of Lady Beaconsfield, David Torrence and Ivan Simpson as the rival bankers. The others in the large cast of players necessary to portray the historical play all contributed effectively toward making the picture a splendid success. But to Alfred E. Green must go a full measure of credit for the splendid manner in which he, by his skillful direction, transferred to the screen the vital elements of the play and story. It was a difficult task and although the earlier scenes move from one to the other in rather abrupt manner, one sees as the story develops, that this was necessary in order to plant effectively a background for what was to come later. Despite the fact that "Disraeli" is a historical romance there is more than sufficient picture value in the production to make it decidedly entertaining for all. Produced and Distributed by the Warner Brothers. From the play by Louis N. Parker, adapted bv Julian Josephson, directed by Alfred E. Green. Length, 8,044 feet, running time, an hour and twenty-six minutes. Release date, indefinite. Silent version also. THE CAST Disraeli George Arliss Lady Clarissa Pevensey Joan Bennett Lady Beaconfield Florence Arliss Charles— Lord Deeford Anthony Bushell Lord Probert David Torrence Hugh Myers Ivan Simpson Mrs. Travers Doris Lloyd Duchess of Glastonbury Gwendolen Logan Potter Charles E. Evans Mr. Terle Kyrle Bellew Bascot Jack Deery Count Bosrinov Michael Visaroff Foljambe. Norman Cannon Duke of Glastonbury Henry Carvill Dr. Williams Shayle Gardner Flookes Powell York Queen Victoria Margaret Mann