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October 19, 1929
Motion Picture News
37
Opinions On Pictures
The Exalted Flapper
A Fluffy, Lightweight Comedy
(Reviewed by Raymond Ganly) {Silent)
WILL IRWIN'S story is in the light farcical vein and well fitted as a vehicle for Sue Carol. While it has a mythical kingdom background, it is not exactly a royal flush for the box office. Being fluffy, this will fit in best as part of a double feature bill. By itself its draw is dubious and it is for flappers and their boy friends that the picture holds chief appeal.
Sue, as a flapper princess, refuses to marry a prince of a nearby kingdom whom she has never seen. But she falls for him when he is traveling incognito. When the queen, not knowing his identity, has him shanghaied, Sue gets him back to safety with the result that her country and the prince's become stronger allies. The nuptials result, of course.
Its trite theme makes this obvious all the way. Yet it will probably amuse the unsophisticated fan. Good performances are had from Irene Rich, Albert Conti and Lawrence Grant. Barry Norton will probably make the flaps hearts beat a little faster in his role of the prince.
Producer and distributor. Fox. Author. Will Irwin. Scenarist, Matt Tavlor. Director, Tames Tinling. Titler, H. H. Caldwell. Film editor. H. H. Caldwell. Cameraman, Charles Cook. Length, 5,806 feet. Running time, 1 h., 2 mi ns. Release date, June 9, 1929.
THE CAST
Princess Izola Sue Carol
Prince Boris Barry Norton
Queen Charlotte Irene Rich
King Alexander Albert Conti
Marjorie Sylvia Field
Bimbo Mehaffey Stuart Irwin
Premier Vadisco Lawrence Grant
Dr. Nicholas Charles Clary
Old Fritz Michael Visaroff
Madonna Of Sleeping Cars
A Wearisome Foreign Film
(Reviewed by Freddie Schader) (Silent)
THIS picture, made from a novel that was a best seller, is just a long drawn out, tiresome affair that fails to get anywhere, to hold the interest of the audience, or to stack up as a box office bet. The title is its chief asset. It was produced in Germany and is labeled "a Natan Production." Maurice Gleize, who, was an assistant to Murnau on his two productions in this country for Fox, is credited with adapting story and its direction. He has done an atrocious job, except for photography and sets. This story deals with a young Englishwoman of the nobility, widowed and wealthy, who advertises for a male secretary and who "expects everything from her secretary." Then the plot runs off in a long drawn out attempt to obtain a concession from the Soviet to operate oil wells. The secretary, who happens to be a Prince, is thrown into a Russian jail, escapes and returns to England. Finally, the Russian representative who was to obtain the concession and in turn receive the hand of the Englishwoman, fails to come through with his part of the bargain and releases her from her promise to wed.
Producer and distributor, Natan Productions. Author, Maurice Dekobra. Scenarist and director. Maurice Gleize. Titler, not credited. Editor, not credited. Cameraman, not credited. Leriglh, 8,500 feet. Running time, 1 hour, 34 minutes. Release date, Oct. 12, 1929.
THE CAST
Lady Diana Claude France
Prince Seliman Olaf Siord
Varichane Boris De Fast
Irina Mary Serta
Modern Love
Good Comedy Drama (Reviewed by Raymond Ganly)
(Part Dialogue)
UNIVERSAL has a nice little number here, one that's sure to please the majority of patrons. It co-stars Charley Chase and Kathryn Crawford, with Jean Hersholt in the principal supporting role. It is bound to make new admirers for Chase, borrowed from Roach for the role of the young husband whose marriage is almost disrupted when a career beckons temptingly to the wife. This is when the seriious note is struck ; for the most part the picture being gay, winsome and satisfying. Acting, direction, etc., all make for a good comedy bet.
Charley sings a song very well during the course of the story. His personality is ever apparent and he should have no difficulty clicking in features.
Charley's .wife almost goes to Europe with a French designer to advance herself further in the business world, but at the last minute rushes back to Charlie to find that he has sold his firm an idea that brings it out of bankruptcy and gives him a fitting reward.
Exhibitors can well afford to play up Chase. Hersholt, of course, should also be mentioned prominently as well as Kathryn Crawford.
Produced and distributed by Universal. Author and scenarist. Beatrice Van. Director, Arch Heath, DiaIoguer. Albert De Mond. Cameraman, Jerry Ash. Length. 6.501 feet. Running time, 1 hr., 13 mins. Release date, July 21, 1929.
THE CAST
John Charley Chase
Patricia Kathryn Crawford
Renault Jean Hersholt
Weston Edward Martindel
A. Brunette Anita Garvin
The Saddle King
Average Western
(Reviewed by Raymond Ganly) (.Silent)
THIS has no star pull in Cliff (Tex") Lyons, there's nothing new in its story and the horseriding and fighting are of the ordinary western brand. Therefore, it can be classified as "average." For houses of the grind or neighborhood type. A "revenge motif" predominates the story. His brother murdered by a gambler, the hero gives up his sheriff's badge to trail the killer. He finds him at a camp of outlaws and later aids him to get away after a hold-up. Then when he has him alone he reveals himself as the murdered man's brother. The arrival of the gang prevents him from killing the man, who is led off to prison to pay the death penalty, the sheriff finding romance with the murderer's wife.
"The Saddle King" will pass muster as a Western filler on the same bill with a stronger attraction. Of course, it is okay for a kids' matinee on Saturday A. M.
Lyons has a likable personality but is nothing to write home about in his riding. Neva Gerber gets nowhere with her role of the poor wife while the role of her husband is appropriately drawn by Al Ferguson.
Producer, Anchor Films for state rights distribution. Author, Ben Cohen. Scenarist, not credited. Director, B. Frank Wilson. Title writer, not credited. Editor, Earl C. Turner. Cameraman, Robert Cline. Length, 4,600 feet. Running time, 85 minutes. Release date, Sept. 12, 1929.
THE CAST
Ranee Baine Cliff "Tex" Lyons
Felice Landeau Neva Gerber
Mort Landeau Al Ferguson
Dr. Harvey Baine Glen Cook
Sam Winters Jack Casey
Masquerade
Fair Program Offering (Reviewed by Raymond Ganly)
(All Dialogue)
PRESENTING Alan Birmingham, from the stage, in a dual talker role, this attraction makes a fair programmer for the box-office. It has some fast action, lots of comedy relief and a bewildering sequence of events showing a crook impersonating the hero and the hero impersonating the crook so that Birmingham is kept quite busy alternating between the parts. Outside of this, the picture has not sufficient draw to give it more than rating of four.
A young woman rifles the hero's apartment in search of incriminating papers against her father. A crook, who greatly resembles hero, takes his place after blackjacking him. The girl, as well as the audience, is soon at a loss trying to dope out whether the hero impersonates the crook or the crook is impersonating the hero. It ends, of course, with the crook going to jail and the girl and hero to the altar.
Producer and distributor. Fox. Author, Louis Joseph Vance, from his story, "The Brass Bowl. Scenarists and dialoguers, Frederick Hazlitt Brennan and Malcolm Stuart Boylan. Director, Russell I. Birdwell. Cameraman, Charles Clarke. Length, 5.674 feet. Running time, 1 hr., 5 mins. Release date, July 14, 1929.
THE CAST Andy Anisty 1 Dan Maitland J ,„..,.
Alan Birmingham
Sylvia Graeme.".'.'.'.'.'.' Leila Hyams
Blodpett Clyde Look
Joe Hickey • J. Farrell MacDonald
Bannerman Armyd Lucy
Andrew Graeme George Pierce
First Reporter John Breeden
Second Reporter Jack Pierce
Third Reporter. Pat Moriaritjr
Fourth Reporter Jack Carlisle
Light Fingers
Crook Drama Is Fair
(Reviewed by Raymond Ganly)
(Part Dialogue)
SO-SO film entertainment is this drama of a crook's redemption. Dorothy Revier and Ian Keith make a team of fair box-office strength, but the story well nigh licks them. This one was evidently turned out as a programmer and, as such, just eases in.
Until he met the girl whose father's jewels he intends to steal. Keith had never any qualms about his trade. But the girl sets him on the right path and Keith recovers the jewels when they are hooked by his erstwhile companions. Promising that he'll hereafter stick to the straight and narrow, the chastened crook becomes the successful suitor for the girl's hand.
Dorothy Revier is competent as the girl Keith is suave and cool after the manner of the gentleman crook but Tom Rickett's is the best of the other minor roles. Joseph Henabery s direction is lukewarm. Grind house material.
Recording has been well done, the voices of Keith and Revier coming through nicely. Keith 3 stage training stands him in good stead in the talking pictures.
Producer and distributor, Columbia. Author and scenarist. Jack Natteford. Director, Joseph Henabery. MaWuer Jack Natteford. Editor, not credited. C SS., Ted Te.zlaff. Length 5,700 fee. Running time, 1 hr., 2 mins. Release date, July 29, 1929.
THE CAST
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