Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

294 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 22, 1927 “Finger Prints” Louise Fazenda Stars in Crook-Detective Comedy Melodrama That Is Amusing as Well as Thrilling Follow ixg a long and successful career in featured roles, Warner Bros, is offering Louise Fazenda as the star of a creepy and amusing comedy-melodrama “Finger Prints.” This story is one of the type like “The Bat” and “One Exciting Night,” in which strange figures, mysterious disappearances, weird and unexplainable happenings, trap doors, sliding panels and other trick paraphernalia is used to build up thrills and a spooky atmosphere and bewilder the spectator. But in this instance there is an exceptionally strong element of comedy, in the persons of a boob' sheriff and a “dumb” ser J. G. Bachmann presents “Exclusive Rights” Based on story ‘‘Invisible Goverment” by J. N. Wilson Directed by Frank O’Connor A Preferred Picture CAST: " harton Gayne Whitman Catherine Lillian Rich Mae • • • • Gloria Gordon Mack Raymond McKee Flash Gaston Glass Hostess Grace Canard Boss Charles Mailes Bat lames Bradbury, Jr. Length — 6,087 Feet To force the new governor to abolish vapital punishment, the political boss has the governor's friend framed for murder, fhe scheme fails when the governor by dramatic methods saves his friend and secures a confession implicating the boss. Tense crook melodrama. THE LUXURY AND GAY, sophisticated life of Paris and Monte Carlo form the background of First National’s “The Masked Woman,” featuring Anna Q. Nilsson. It has an absorbing story of the attempt of a Turkish roue to capitivate the wife of a physician, and how the faithful wife is so thoroughly compromised that even his husband doubts her. The story itself is a common enough one in motion pictures, btit the treatment given it by Director Balboni, the acting of the vant girl. This has been carried out to such an extent and the laughs injected so often into the thrills that many patrons will view it as a burlesque of more serious productions of this type. Strengthening this idea is the fact that no serious attempt is made to straighten out all the loose threads of the plot or identify the characters other than to disclose that both the comedians are secret service operatives who have been on the trail of the gang. Louise Fazenda, in a congenial role is excellent and thoroughly amusing, it is one of the best parts she has had in some time and John T. Murray gives her able support as the sheriff and the other roles are well handled. Whether you take it seriously or as burlesque, “Finger Prints” is absorbing, exciting, amusing entertainment that should register with the majority; a clever combination of thrills and laughter. A DAPTED FROM A NOVEL “The InW visible Government,” the Preferred Picture “Exclusive Rights,” unfolds a story of the extreme length to which corrupt political bosses are purported to go in their attempts to dominate honest government officials and force them to do their bidding. The plot hinges on the effort to force the governor to reprieve a murderer before he talks and incriminates the boss. Another murder is committed and the governor’s pal is framed but he does not weaken and it comes out alright in the end. This story of crime, the underworld and politics, develops into tense melodrama with suspense maintained to extreme lengths with a gruesome touch by showing the lad going to the death chamber and the light actually announcing the execution, which proves to be a ruse. This climax loses much artists and the splendid backgrounds made it stand out as replete with real entertainment and interest. The biggest scenes show a bevy of beauties visiting the Turkish roue in his apartment. They are extraordinarily striking. Ruth Roland, the former serial star, excels in these as a comedienne. In fact, the picture boasts of plenty of excellent comedy. Miss Nilsson’s work is finished and Holbrook Blinn scores as the evil baron. Einar Hanson is good as the physician. Charlie Murray and Gertrude Short, besides Miss Roland, figure largely in the fun-making. The sets of this picture and the beautiful girls in it will amaze, the story, though obvious, will satisfy, and the comedy will go over big. Warner Bros. Present Louise Fazenda in “Finger Prints” Based on story by Arthur Somers Roche With John T. Murray and Helene Costello Directed by Lloyd Bacon CAST: Dora Louise Fazenda Homer Fairchild John T. Murray Jacqueline _ Helene Costello Coroner George Nichols 31 other Blalone Blartha Blattox Bandoline Kid Frank Pangbom Bleduff ..Ed Kennedy Andy Norton Warner Richmond Length — 7,031 Feet Both the secret service and other members of the gang seek to discover stolen money hidden by Andy Norton. They meet in Mother Malone’s house and after a series of mysterious and comic adventures the gang is rounded up and the loot recovered. Thrilling mysterious melodrama with abundance of hilarious comedy. of its force because the governor’s action does not appear entirely plausible and the scheme of the boss to have him superseded for failure to pardon the lad does not ring true. The action of one henchman in coldbloodedly shooting to death an innocent man, and another henchman drowning this chap in a bathtub to stop him from squealing is unusually morbid. Gayne Whitman, as the governor, Lillian Rich as the girl, Raymond McKee as the lad who is framed and Charles Mailes as the boss, head a large and competent cast. “Exclusive Rights” is exceptionally lurid and sensational melodrama. First National Pictures presents “The Blasked Woman” With Anna Q. Nilsson. Holbrook Blinn and Charlie Murray Based on play by Charles Mere Directed by Balboni CAST: Diane Delatour Anna Q. Nilsson Baron Tolento Holbrook Blinn Dr. Delatour Einar Hanson Andre O'Donahue Charlie Blurray Blimi Gertrude Short Dolly Green Ruth Roland Length — 5,442 Feet Baron Tolento inveigles Diane Delatour to his home but she escapes. Her husband learns of this and when the baron dies suddenly he accuses her of unfaithfulness. Another woman clears up the tangle and Delatour forgives his wife. Interesting society drama. “Exclusive Rights” Bachmann Offers Large and Competent Cast in A Sensational Melodrama of Crooked Politics “The Masked Woman” Anna Q. Nilsson Featured in a Colorful Story of Sophisticated Paris and Monte Carlo Life