Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1929)

36 Motion Picture News October 19, 1929 Opinions On Pictures The Love Parade Very Sweet Indeed (Reviewed by Red Kann) {All-Dialogue) THE charming Frenchman who made feminine hearts skip a bit faster in "Innocents of Paris" is up to his old tricks in "The Love Parade." You should know that his picture includes the devastating appeal of Chevalier, the brilliance of Lubitsch's direction, the eye appeal of Jeanette MacDonald, recruited from musical comedy, and all of the risque touches that go with a Continental light operetta. It sounds like a picture and is. Chevalier, as Sylvania's dashing military attache, is recalled from Paris leaving many broken hearts behind him. The queen meets him and flops. They marry, but Chevalier is merely the queen's husband. His manner of circumventing an embarrassing situation — for him — makes up the rest of the yarn. Paramount this time reached out for the best. Guy Bolton did the libretto. Victor Schertzinger, the music; Clifford Grey, the lyrics. And, of course, as the basis, "The Prince Consort" by clever Ernest Vajda. Producer and distributor, Paramount. Author, Ernest Vajda. Director, Ernest Lubitsch. Cameraman, Victor Milner. Length, 10.061 ft. Running time, 1 hour, 50 mins. Release date, early in 1930. THE CAST Count Alfred Maurice Chevalier Louise Jeanette MacDonald Jacques, Alfred's Valet Lupino Lane Lulu, Queen's Personal Maid Lillian Roth Master of Ceremonies Edgar Norton Prime Minister Lionel Belmore Foreign Minister Albert Roccardi Admiral Carleton Stockdale Minister of War Eugene Pallette Afghan Ambassador Russell Powell First Lady Margaret Fealy Second Lady Virginia Bruce Woman To Woman Average Triangle Yarn (Reviewed by Don Ashbaugh) (All-Dialogue) JV/T ADE for the feminine contingent— all the J-VA way. A familiar yarn with Betty Compson effectively playing the mother angle. This is the sort of story that producers have been turning out for years with no other idea in mind probably than a direct appeal to women audiences. Against a war back-ground, you find Betty, a French dancer, falling in love with George Barraud, a British officer. They have an affair. It is his intention to marry her, but orders carry him back to front before the ceremony can be arranged. Barraud, shell-shocked, loses his memory, later marries another woman, then meets Betty. The struggle then ensues between the two women, but in the end comes recognition that the child's name must be protected. Betty bows out of the picture. Not a new story, and not outstandingly handled, but satisfactory for the mob. Angle hard for the women. It's fodder for them. The mother angle should be the keynote of advertising copy and by handling the picture in that fashion you may persuade them to come in. Once in the theatre, the picture will prove satisfying. Producer, TifTany-Gainshorough-Burlinpton. Distributor, TiffanyStahl. Author, play by Michael Morton. Scenarist, Nicholas Fodor. Director, Victor Saville. Length, 8,080 ft. Running time. 1 hour, 35 mins. Release date, not set. THE CAST Lola Belts Compson David Compton Georgi Barraud Vesta Compton luliettc < lompton Florence .Margaret ' lumbers Reginald Sharland Davey Gcorgie Hillings Dr. Gavron Winter Hall Taming Of The Shrew DeLuxe Money~Maker (Reviewed by Edwin Schallert) (All-Dialogue) DOUG and Mary in a co-starring vehicle, their first and perhaps their last. A ribald, slapstick comedy with the gags piled on as broadly as you can possibly imagine. There you have "The Taming of the Shrew." To outline the details of Shakespeare's immortal comedy would indeed be gilding the lily. The famous couple adhered rather religiously to the manner of the famous bard. It is true, some efforts were made to improve on Avon's best known son and for that, Doug and Mary will probably hear plenty as soon as the nation's critics take a peek at the picture. But, for practical box-office, it is our opinion that the picture will click generously and loudly. Doug plays the role of the shrew tamer for all it is worth. He outdistances Mary, perhaps largely because the part gives him that opportunity. His performance is at once vigorous and competent. Mary, likewise, does extremely well in a part the like of which she has never previously had. Supporting cast splendid. Producer, Mary Pickford Corp. Distributor, United Artists. Author, William Shakespeare. Scenarist, Sam Taylor. Director, Sam Taylor. Cameraman, Karl Struss. Editor, Allen McNeil. Length, 6116 feet. Release date, Oct. 26, 1929. THE CAST Katherine Mary Pickford Petruchio Douglas Fairbanks Baptista Edwin Maxwell Gremio Joseph Cawthorne Grumio Clyde Cook Hortensio. Geoffrey Wardwell Bianca Dorothy Jordan The Virginian Class A Attraction (Reviewed by Red Kann) OWEN WISTER'S famous story is familiar clear around the country. Here you get it, right down to that memorable "Smile when you say that" line. Made almost entirely outdoors, Victor Fleming has injected into his treatment the glamor and the appeal of the open spaces. The story concerns cowpunchers, their liquor and their women. Gary Cooper, lanky and long, gives an air of realism to his part which, of course, is another way of remarking he is a good trouper. We take it for granted the recounting of the yarn itself is unnecessary. The kick — when The Virginian and Trampas — played in grand style by Walker Huston — shoot out to kill carries a fair degree of suspense, hut not what you might expect. Something went wrong some place here, with the result that the picture, while good, just misses being outstanding. At that, it will draw principally because of Cooper. Mary Brian, it should be said, does excellent work. Producer and distributor, Paramount. Author, Owen Wister. Scenarist, Howard Estabrook. Director. Victor Fleming. Dialoguer, F. Paramore, Jr. Cameraman, J, Roy Hunt. Length, 8.717 ft. Running time, 1 hour, 36 mins. Release date, Nov. 9, 1929. THE CAST The Virginian Gary Cooper Trampas Walter Huston Steve Richard Arlen Molly Wood Mary Brian 1 nele II ugbcy Chester Conklin ii"' U iggins Eugene Pallette Judge Henry E. H. Calvert Maj Taylor Helen Ware Nebrasky Victor Potel Shorty Tex Young Pedro Charles Stevens Evidence Strong Programmer (Reviewed by Red Kann) ASSEMBLED in this one picture is a cast of unusual merit. Much better than the story it had to counter with. Pauline Frederick, as the mother in the case, does splendid work. Always a good actress, Miss Frederick here does much to maintain that reputation. Likewise, William Courtnay, Conway Tearle. Lowell Sherman contribute much to the acting standards and Freddie Burke Frederick, a lovable blonde boy who is new to us, gives a charming and clever performance. The story itself concerns a narrow-minded husband whodiscovering his wife in an apparently compromising position files suit for divorce. He practically ruins her life and keeps it ruined until Sherman, the heavy, returns from the East to conveniently deposit a written confession in mother's hand and then dies. Comes reconciliation and there you are. Despite its shortcomings, this is strong program stuff. It carries a very definite appeal for women and it is to them that that advertising play should be directed. Producer annd distributor, Warners. Author, based on stage play, "Divorce Evidence" by J. Du Rocher Mac Pherson. Scenarist. J. Grubb Alexander. Director, John Adolfi. Dialoguer, J. Grubb Alexander. Cameraman, Barney McGill. Length, 7,152 ft. Runnine time, 1 hour, 20 mins. Release date, Oct. 5, 1929. THE CAST Myra Stanhope Pauline Frederick Cyril Wimborne William Courtenay Harold Courtenay Conway Tearle Norman Pollock Lowell Sherman Harbison Alec. B. Francis Kenyon Wimborne Freddie Burke Frederick Mrs. Debenham Madeline Seymore Peabody Ivan Simpson Native Girl Myrna Loy Innkeeper Lionel Belmore Mr. Antonio Carillo, The Bright Spot (Reviewed by Red Kann) {All-Dialogue) ANEW personality in talkers is promised in "Mr. Antonio." However, and unfortunately so, that promise is never fully realized. Leo Carillo, long a theatrical barnstormer throughout the land best known for his apparently never-ending appearances in "Lombardy, Ltd.," demonstrates here that he has the stuff, if the vehicle thrown around him would give him half an opportunity. "Mr. Antonio," however, fails to do that. Against a stagey, unreal and more or less careless production Carillo struggles manfully. The opposition is plenty, but even as it stands, the picture will please because Carillo and his charm dominate. The skimpy story concerns an Italian knight of the road who hits a purist town and, through an unimportant chain of circumstances, saves her home for the girl he happens to learn to love. Pretty shoddy story, indifferently produced. Carillo deserves a better opportunity. If he gets it, the stage wilt have then contributed another personality of importance to the talking screen. Producer and distributor, Tiffany-Stabl. Author, Play by Booth Tarkington. Scenarist and dialoguer, Frederic and Fanny Hatton. Director, James Flood. Cameraman, Frnest Miller. Length, 6,978 ft. Running, 1 hour, 18 mins. Release date, not set. THE CAST Antonio Camaradino Leo Carillo June Ramsey Virginia Valli Milton Jorny Frank Rcicher Mrs. Jorny Eugenie Bcsserer Earl Jorny Franklin Lewis Joe Gareth Hughes