Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

295 MOVING PICTURE WORLD “The Perfect Sap” Ben Lyon Co-Featured with Pauline Starke In Amusing Comedy of an Amateur Detective January 22, 1927 BEN LYON’S HOST OF FANS will find that in First National’s “The Perfect Sap,” in which he is co-featured with Pauline Starke, he has been given a different type of role from his usual screen characters. As suggested by the title, which is also the role portrayed by Ben, this is a comedy and the plot concerns a wealthy chap who is ambitious to become a great detective. He studies hard, enlists the aid of his valet a reformed crook, starts to commit a robbery for experience, falls in with real crooks and incidentally with romance and accidentally learns that his sister’s fiance is a master crook, catches him red-handed and exposes him. Carl Laemmle presents “Loco Luck” Starring1 Art Acord Directed by Cliff Smith A Universal picture OAST: Bud Harris Art Acord Molly Vernon Fay Wray Mrs. Vernon Aggie Herring Lambert W. A. Steele Bush Al. Jennings Postmaster George Marion Length — 4,827 Feet Bud returns home during an oil boom to and his sweetheart Molly and Lambert a speculator uses foul means to down him, but Bud wins a big horse race, exposes Lambert, finds oil on the land and also wins Molly. Fast-moving western. RT ACORD’S NEWEST picture for Universal “Loco Luck” is another recent There are a number of fast sequences and some exciting situations such as chases and escapes, as are found in the usual crook play, but the idea has been handled principally from a comedy angle with the amateur accidentally beating the cock-sure real detective who turns out to be a boob. In reality the handling of this story is a comedy burlesque of more serious pictures of its type. Ben, in his elaborate apartment, has all sorts of devices for disappearing and does a lot of queer things in living up to his idea of a great detective. Pauline Starke is excellent as the girl crook who turns out to be a reporter, Ben capitally handles the amateur detective role, with Tammany Young and Charles Craig furnishing considerable comedy as a real crook and a reformed crook-valet respectively. Lloyd Whitlock is O. K. as the gentleman thief and Virginia Lee Corbin attractive as his accomplice. instance in which the usual cattle rustling and bandit themes so familiar in western pictures has been varied by having the action deal with fights over property on which the villain has secretly discovered oil and seeks by crooked means to secure control, the hero of course, preventing this. Added to the fight over the oil lands in this instance is a cross-country race on which the hero depends to win money to save his sweetheart’s property. Of course the villain is his most formidable rival, his henchman steals the hero and locks him in a shack and he gets out just in the nick of time to win the exciting race, expose the villain, and disclose the fact that there is oil on the property. It will be seen that the action follows along familiar lines with abundant opportuni “The Perfect Sap” offers considerable merriment and no little excitement and is real entertainment. First National Pictures present “The Perfect Sap” With Ben Lyon and Pauline Starke Based on play “Not Herbert” by Howard I. Young Directed by Howard Higgin CAST: Herbert Alden Ben Lyon Polly Stoddard Pauline Starke Rutli Virginia Lee Corbin Tracy Lloyd Whitlock Roberta Diana Kane Nick Sam Hardy Stephen Byron Douglas Length — 5,620 Feet Wealthy chap learning to be detective poses as crook, gets in with underworld and succeeds in exposing a society swell courting his sister who is in reality a crook. He also wins a newspaper reporter who has been working with him. Amusing farce comedy. ties for typical western action such as fine horsemanship, fights, villainy, heroism and romance, and it has been punctuated by amusing comedy. Cliff Smith has given this picture good direction so that it holds the interest and should prove satisfactory to the western fans, who demand action rather than originality or consistency of theme. Acord gives a good performance and Fay Wray is entirely satisfactory as the girl. William A. Steele makes an excellent villain and the remainder of the cast give creditable performances. There are a number of very attractive exterior shots. “Loco Luck” Horse Race, Kidnapping and Fight Over Oil Lands Add Excitement to Art Acord Western ALTHOUGH THERE IS nothing in the title to suggest it, “Lightning Lariats,” the newest F. B. O. picture starring Tom Tyler, offers a distinct variation from the familiar type of westerns, for it is a combination of an action western and romantic kingdom melodrama. The plot hinges on the finding of a little lad and a girl exhausted on the desert. It develops that the boy is the real king of a mythical country and flashbacks show the pomp and plottings of royalty which ended “Lightning Lariats” Tom Tyler’s Newest Is Pleasing Combination of Western and Mythical Kingdom Melodrama in his flight to America. He is followed by the villainous Grand Duke’s henchmen, but they are outwitted by the hero and eventually find peace and happiness in the great open spaces. While the motive of the villainy is different, the action of the plotters in seeking possession of the boy and the way he is saved time and again is developed along familiar lines with opportunities for spirited action, sights, chases, etc., of the usual type. Tom Tyler is a likeable hero and Dorothy Dunbar an attractive heroine. Ruby Blaine is satisfactory in the unsympathetic role of the villainess and the other players render effective support. Frankie Darro, his dog and pony and a little negro add amusement and considerable heart interest. Joseph P. Kennedy presents “Lightning Lariats” Starring Tom Tyler Directed by Bob DeLacy An F. B. O. Picture CAST : Tom Potter Tom Tyler Janet Holbrook Dorothy Dunbar Alexis Frankie Darro Cynthia Ruby Blaine Ervin Renard Storme Fred Holmes Length — 4,536 Feet Janet, fearing for the life of the little king Alexis of Roxburg, comes to America and is befriended by Tom, out west. He successfully defeats attempts to secure Alexis and when a republic is proclaimed they decide to stay in America. Western — romantic kingdom drama.