Movie Age (1927)

SEPTEMBER 10, 1927. PAGE 23 SHORT SUBJECTS Spice of the Box Office It M If . M ■ K ^ 1.1 At Ease Educational — Two Reels STAR: Lloyd Hamilton. The two-reel comedies have turned to the army for its themes. In this one Lloyd Hamilton struts his stuff with all the awkwardness of a rookie. He strolls into a citizen training camp where he is given a mis-fit uniform. He gets in bad with the general and the top ser¬ geant and they all make life miserable for him. The scenes in the awkward squad are riots. At last he seeks re¬ fuge in an airplane and finds the gener¬ al in the front seat. The plane starts up and neither can drive. The general jumps with a parachute, but Lloyd loses his and lands on top of the general’s parachute. When they land, Lloyd is fired. A Short Tail Paramount — One-Reel. This Winkler comedy concerns a dog — in fact, the dog is the only player whose face is seen in the entire picture. The remainder of the cast is seen only from the head down, the feet playing the most important part. It’s a novel little skit that should please the kids. It tells how a boy buys, loses, and then regains his dog. The Newlyweds Build Universal — One-Reel The rampages of Snookums cause the Newlyweds to be ejected from their happy home. They look for an apart¬ ment but are unable to find a land¬ lord who is willing to admit the young tornado to his house. They purchase a portable bungalow which they erect on their plot with many difficulties. When they are finished Snookums saws away the supports and the house see-saws from side to side. They manage to re¬ pair the damage. Their first night’s rest is broken by a great downpour of rain. In the morning they find to their astonishment that the cheap house has shrunk like a ten dollar suit. A Half-Pint Hero Educational — Two Reels Star: Lupino Lane. Opponents of slapstick will have to break down and confess that this is funny. Slapstick runs all through, but why not? Lupino Lane and his brother Wallace are firemen in this picture, and both are fond of the same girl. Each tries to exhibit his heroism, but each time Wallace gets the upper hand and it looks as if he is going to be the win¬ ning Romeo. But when the girl’s house catches fire, it is Lupino who dashes in to save her, and then all the glory is heaped upon the little fellow. Rushing Business Universal — Two Reels. Another episode in “What Happened to George.” George starts out to a fancy dressed ball in the garb of a policeman. When a desperate bandit escapes, the police push George into the service, believing him to be a real policeman. To avoid further excite¬ ment, George poses as a dummy in front of a clothing store. The bandit, want¬ ing a police suit, steals George, thinking him to be a dummy. But when George finds himself in the bandits home, he turns hero and captures the convict. Mum’s The Word Fox — Two Reels A fresh young fellow who is in the habit of flirting follows a pretty young gilr to a department store, where, in his effort to continue the flirtation, poses as a clerk and waits on her. The house detective arrests him and takes the masher before the judge who hap¬ pens to be the girl’s father. The judge sentences the youth to walk the streets with a “masher sign” as a penalty. Later the judge gets into a predicament when he enters a wrong apartment. The masher happens along just in time to save the judge from public scandal and the two come to an agreement to keep both instances quiet. Pathe — Two Reels. Love’s Languid Lure Star: Ben Turpin. Sennett always has had a passion for making comedies with the rural char¬ acter who is cheated from his love by the city slicker. Ben Turpin is the country lad who works in the country store and loves pretty Peggy, who also works in the store. Along comes the villain from the big city. He gets Ben into a game of cards and cheats un¬ mercifully. At last the slicker takes the girl and leaves Ben alone. Not quite as fast moving as former Sennett comedies but it should please. Holly-Nuts Educational — One Reel This is one of the Curiosities. It is really a visit to the Hollywood studios where all types of aspirants to screen fame are seen. There’s the fat man and the thin woman, the child star, the char¬ acter men, and the extras. It’s a good side show picture and one that should please. The Small Town Sheriff Pathe Fable — One Reel The usual Aesop “crew” is again in evidence here. Our farmer friend, A1 Falfa, is a “snoop” after bootleggers. As sheriff he raids a drug store speak¬ easy, and immediately partakes of the liquor. He then becomes a target for the detectives who chase him into the clouds, into the water, and various places before he eludes them. The Dancing Fools Universal — Two Reels Charles King and Charles Dorety, known to the screen as “Mike and Ike, They Look Alike,” have the feature roles in this bit of wholesome nonsense. The two boys, as usual, are evading the landlady who is seeking the overdue rent. They have dates and difficulties arise which almost makes them fail to show up. But they dodge the landlady and at last meet the girls; one is very tall and lean, the other very fat. They go to a tough cabaret where the orches¬ tra leader conducts his band with a gun. A prize is given for the roughest dance. Mike and his fat friend take off the honors. With Love and Hisses Pathe — Two Reels Here is something that is a little broader than an evident satire on citi¬ zen’s training camps. Facial express¬ ions rather than situations and gags contribute to the humor, and in this line of delivery Stan Laurel and Jimmy Finlayson can take a lot of punishment. The point that is most apparently made is that wars can get along without these particular heroes, whose topmost dis¬ tinction in this free-for-all conflict, is to capture a pullman car on the way to camp. Oliver Hardy makes things easier on the eyes.