Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

48 Motion Picture N e zv s November 8 , 1930 verse the situation and grab off a few of the harem beauties. The talker was over footage in preview form, but with considerable editing will be speeded up. Murray and Sidney do their usual stuff and are okay. Vera Gordon and Kate Price fit in well as the wives, and the direction by Vin Moore is satisfactory. Strong musicals and semi-serious shorts needed to complete the program. Produced and distributed by Universal. Directed by Vin Moore. Story by Vin Moore and Edward Luddy. Photographed by Hal Mohr. Length, release date not determined by distributor. THE CAST Mi Ci 'hen George Sidney Mr. Kelly Charles Murray Mrs. Cohen Vera Gordon Mrs. Kelly Kate t*rice Windjammer Thorn Frank Davis Sheik Llnyd Whitlock Guide Nick Cogley Chief Ed. Kane Beyond the Law (Syndicate Pictures) Pretty Weak (Reviewed by Charles F. Hynes) OX A double feature bill this can get by, but it needs plenty of help. It lacks the rapid fire action patrons expect from a western. Louise Lorraine is the outstanding member of the cast and does the best work. Frazer is miscast as a western player. Direction is just fair. The action takes place on the border between California and Nevada, where a bandit chief rules the country-side, presumably with the undercover aid of the sheriff. He harrasses a rancher and his daughter and son, until the rancher finally leaves for the capitol to get state aid. A happy-go-lucky wanderer, Robert Lraser. and his pal are held up by one of the bandits, but secure employment on the ranch, where he helps frustrate the rustlers until the troops arrive. The troopers' songs give this a touch o f color and the battle between the troops and the outlaws is effective. Xeeds comedy support. Produced and distributed by Syndicate Pictures. Directe:! by J. P. McGowan. Story by A. G, A. Durham. Photographed by Frank Newman. Length. 4.930 feet. Running time, 50 minutes. Release date, Aug. 15. THE CAST Dan Wright Robert Frazer Barbara Reingold Louise Lorraine Ted Jinimie Kane Jack-Kiiite Lane Chandler Reingold Wm. Walling Brand Charles King Jack Slade Edward Lynch Mnnty George Hackathorne Lieutenant Franklin Farnum Stone Robert Graves Wunder to Discuss Academy in Lectures Clinton Wunder. executive manager of the Academy of M. P. Arts and Sciences, arrived in New York on Monday for conferences on Academy affairs. He is to address a gathering at Kansas City on Nov. 16, in the first of a series of speeches before civic leaders throughout the country. Other speeches scheduled are: St. Louis, Nov. 18; Memphis, Nov. 19; Omaha, Nov. 21; Des Moines. Nov. 20 or 22: Minneapolis. Nov. 23 and 24; Milwaukee. Nov. 25; Chicago, Nov. 26. Projection Training School Head Aquitted Seattle — Charges of grand larceny against Jay E. Holmes, agent for a motion picture projectionists' training school and organization, were dismissed in this city last week by Justice of the Peace John B. Wright for lack of evidence. Holmes was alleged to have induced prospective projectionists to enlist in his school by telling them it was affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and had contracts with leading local theatres to furnish them with his graduate students. Both of these charges were denied by the defendant. Several witnesses were introduced to prove that Holmes had assisted them in obtaining employment after they learned the projectionists' trade, and they also denied that Holmes had enrolled them under false pretenses. Publix Changes Mind, Reopening Detroit House Detroit — Sudden decision on the part of the Publix-Michigan officials in Detroit resulted in the re-opening of the State Theatre Thursday. The State closed its doors a week ago Friday without advance notice, word now being given out that the closing was for purposes of "renovation." A lower admission scale is to be effective under the new policy of one-week runs. "Doorway to Hell" is the first attraction. Paramount Adding to Stage Show Houses Detroit — Report that stage shows are to be eliminated from the Publix-Kunsky theatres, the Michigan and Fisher, where they are now important parts of the program, are absolutely without foundation, according to N. M. Piatt, Detroit district manager. Piatt says the organization is now adding to. rather than decreasing, stage resources. Daab Goes West Hy Daab. publicity and advertising chief for Radio Pictures, leaves for the Coast Saturday to take a peek at "Cimarron" and other pictures newly completed or nearlv so. This, by way of preparation for advertising campaigns which will launch them in the trade. Cutting Havana Reference Washington — Pathe is deleting all reference to Havana in "Her Man." following official Cuban protest that the film presented the city in a false or derogatory light. Educational Contracts Renewed Hollywood — Contracts of Charlotte Greenwood and Bert Roach have been renewed by Educational. Cut Laye Opus Hollywood — Samuel Goldwyn took another look at the Evelyn Lave picture the other night after 3,000 feet of film and several song numbers had been removed and the result was a faster and better piece of entertainment. Evelyn Laye is a great bet and shows great screen possibilities as a commedienne. She possesses a marvelous voice and her acting is of the best. The comedy antics of Leon Errol were not cut any and are decidedly mirth provoking — the limber-legged comic stealing many scenes from a talented cast. The story is of the Cinderella type and the picture will meet with approval if sold as a comedy, rather than a filmusical. CROUCH Short Subjects Racket Cheers i S iinictt — Educational') Plenty of Laughs 1V/IACK SEXXETT directed this comedy. ■"■^-1 It is up to his usual high standard. The trouble encountered by Andy Clyde and his wife. Daphne Pollard, when they buy a rum running yacht, provides the basis for many clever and amusing gags. This comedy is okay for any bill. Most of the story, if there is a story, deals with a running gunnght with the coast guard. In order to stop Andy and his friends on the yacht, the government agents call out the whole navy, planes, subs, warships and all. Stock shots are used of these, but they fit well into the talker. Charles Irwin and Marjorie Bebe as the rum runners add some good comedy touches, but Clyde and Pollard take top honors. Running time. 22 minutes. The Crystal Gazer ( Columbia ) Laughs Galore EDDIE BUZZELL, as a Hindu crystal gazer, foretells an impending divorce, the story following with Eddie the sympathetic judge. There are plenty of laughs at the expense of the husband, but the finai twist proves a wow. Then the crystal shows the old hokum of a miniature golf salesman (Buzzell), misunderstood by a jealous husband, who throws him out of a high window. Then the old gag of Eddie coming back for his rubbers goes over big despite the fact that this gag had been done hy the late George Le Maire in "The Dentist" and others. Pulling a Bone ( Paramount ) Starts Slow; Then Builds BURNS AND ALLEN are featured in this piece of nonsense built up around a chap with a bone in his throat. As you expect, he has a merry time trying to have someone believe him first, and secondly to help him. Some of the gags arc old and a lot of them new — to this reviewer, at least. Not much sense to it, but after a slow start, this one builds. Worth a play. Directed by Howard Bretherton. Running time, 10 minutes. Humanettes (RKO) Novelty Angle FAILS miserably in its weak attempt to be humorous, but for sheer novelty there are sufficient twists to pass muster with average neighborhood audiences. Out completely for the de luxe stands. A dull and uninteresting story prevents the intended laughs. The skeleton dance is splendid. Running time, 9 minutes. ( Short Subject Reviews arc continued on next page. ) United Artists Plans To Star Walter Huston Walter Huston is being groomed for stardom by United Artists. He had the title role in "Abraham Lincoln." Huston arrived in New York yesterday from Toronto. Jannings Stays in Berlin Berlin — Emil Jannings will not return to America in the near future for talkers, for the player has signed a new contract with Ufa for a third picture.