Movie Age (1927)

SEPTEMBER 3, 1927. PAGE 23 SHORT SUBJECTS Spice of the Box Office Cows is Cows Universal — Two Reels The villages of Piperock and Paradise are still at each other’s throats in this two reel comedy Western. When a chal¬ lenge is sent to Piperock for a fight, somebody jabs Pee Wee Holmes with a pin that makes him suddenly stand up, thereby indicating he is willing to fight. Groomed for the event as the “pride of Piperock”, Pee Wee enter the ring knowing little about fighting. The Paradise scrapper knocks Holmes all over the place, until Holmes head hits his oppenent’s head which results in a knockout for Paradise, and Piperock’s fighter is aclaimed the hero. Queens Wild Educational — Two Reels Estelle Bradley as the Bride takes a dual role — that of herself and her twin sister. The Bridegroom experiences ex¬ treme difficulty because the Twin keeps coming into the room and he can’t tell whether or not it’s his wife. The Twin starts flirtations with the Bridegroom which arouses the anger of the Bride. The Bridegroom lets the Twin pet him, thinking she’s his wife, and then the wife beats up on both of them. But the matter is soon straight¬ ened out and things get back to nor¬ malcy. The Flag Metro-Goldwyn — Two Reels. Here is a two-reel historical drama made entirely in Techni-color. Its main idea is to trace the history of the flag and it is done in a pleasing manner. A romance is threaded through it in order to give special interest. A British officer steals through the American lines to visit his wife who is about to become a mother. He hides in the folds of the American flag in the home of Betsy Ross where Washington discovers him and grants his liberty. Love ’Em and Weep Pathe — Two Reels. Mae Busch is seen as a little gold digger who takes delight in breaking hearts. When she learns that mar¬ ried men fall the hardest, she starts to pick on an old friend. The former friend tries to bribe her to quit but Mae wins out. It will please. Dumb Belles Educational — Two Reels STAR: Billy Dooley. The cousin who operates girls’ semi¬ nary the best for one day will inherit the school. Billy’s cousin, a teacher, is the principle’s pet. Billy, a sailor, comes ashore to run the school. He plays games instead of teaching and the gymnasium turns into a dance hall. The cousin gets him to ring a fire bell which Billy thinks is the school bell. When the fire department arrives, Billy fights the wiremen off with a hose. The sailor is finally ousted but he starts an open air school across the street and all the girls leave the semi¬ nary to join Billy’s school. A lot of slap-stick in this, but the fun is good. On Furlough Universal — Two Reels. STAR: Sid Saylor. Sid and his sergeant don’t get along. Each doesn’t know that the other is in love with the same girl. When Sid gets a furlough in France, he picks up a load of war trophies and starts down the road to meet his girl. He drops her picture which the sergeant picks up, and the secret is discovered. The sergeant follows Sid to the meeting place where a chase takes place in which Sid emerges the victor. Chase stuff with new angles and good comedy situations. A Wolf in Cheap Clothing Fox — Two Reels. Jerry’s girl is hard up because her father, a medicine vender, can’t sell his wares. Jerry, disguised as girl, hits a hammer over the feet of some passersby at a fair, which brings business to the old man. His trick is discovered, so Jerry turns a zoo loose and the people are chased all over the grounds. This act brings plenty of business to the father, and Jerry and his girl find every thing in harmony once more. Scents and Dog Sense Pathe — One Reel. A Grantland Rice sport picture in which fox hunting is the central idea. There are some good shots of bird hunt¬ ing in the south. Some scenes in Utah showing the shooting of sagehens are especially interesting. Under the Bed Universal — One Reel. STAR: Charles Puffy. A great deal of action is crowded in¬ to this single reeler. Puffy is patiently waiting for his wife to return to the apartment from down town. A pick¬ pocket, disguised as a woman, seeks pro¬ tection in Puffy’s room, and kindhearted Charley hides him under the bed. A bride who lives next door is being pursued by a savage father, and she seeks refuge in Puffy’s room. Puffy hides her under the same bed. Then comes the wife pursued by a mo¬ torcycle cop. When she finds the two women under the bed, a three-cornered chase takes place until matters can be explained. Up in Arms Educational — Two Reels. STAR: Dorothy Devore. Dorothy’s father is an inventor of a new type of airplane and her two suit¬ ors are candidates for taking it on its first flight. On the auto ride to the field, the dumb driver nearly wrecks the car. At the field Dorothy’s foot gets caught in a dangling rope and the plane takes her up by her feet. The driver of the car gets caught in another plane. There is a parachute jump, ex¬ citing stunts in the air, and situations that are funny. There’s no plot, but the hokum will get the laughs. “By George” Universal — Two Reel. George comes face to face with the beautiful Blanche in an auto smash-up and falls in love at first sight, but he learns that she is engaged to the crafty Jack Dalton. To be near the girl he hires out to her mother as chauffeur. Blanche hates Jack and loves George. Dalton forces the screaming girl into the car and orders George to drive them to the justice of the peace. When they are on the road a detective comes look¬ ing for Jack Dalton, who is wanted for bigamy and many other crimes. A fran¬ tic chase follows. George leaps from the car with the girl, leaving Dalton in the runaway automobile which craches into a cliff and explodes, blowing Dalton sky high and then landing him in the arms of the cops.