Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

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358 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 29, 1927 Timely Reviews of Short Subject Productions By C. S, Sewell “On Guard” (Pathe — Serial) Made from a story written by Robert P. Glassbury, a major in the United States Arm}-, and with military scenes and details secured by the co-operation of the army, including the use of soldiers, guns, tanks and other implements of warfare, Pathe is offering an exciting military mystery serial with Cullen Landis in the featured role. Judging from the first three episodes this ten-episode chapter play should prove a hit with the serial fans, for it has all the dash, action, romance and thrills and in addition the glamour and excitement that goes with military scenes. The “plot” concerns the intrigue of a band of international spies to get valued secret information. In carrying out their plans they not only have planted their men in the army and bribed a confidential lady clerk, but the ringleader also persuades a chap who is about to commit suicide to join the army under a false name under the promise that he will be called upon to. do nothing dishonorable. His suspicions are early aroused and with the aid of a patriotic girl he begins to work to outwit the spies. The early episodes are exciting and thrilling. The story is constructed so that the interest and intrigue continues to mount with each episode. The first shows the meeting of hero and heroine, introduces a mysterious masked horseman, whose actions, in familiar serial fashion, add to the suspense. Chapter one ends with the girl and a double-crossing plotter falling into the water. Chapter two shows the spies’ plot to blow up a magazine with the hero rushing in to save it. Chapter three concerns the kidnapping of the girl, her rescue by the hero in a deserted house, and ends with a fall down a cliff. These episodes all take place around a fort used by the artillery and it is promised that later chapters will take the spectator into even more exciting surroundings. Cullen Landis is thoroughly likable as the hero, while Muriel Kingston is an attractive heroine. Walter Lewis is excellent as the leader of the spies. “Zoo Logic” (Educational — One Reel) CARTOONIST SULLIVAN has hit upon a novel idea that is very true to life in this Felix the Cat cartoon. The animals in the zoo kick at being prisoners. Felix tells them they are better off and proves it by setting them free. The hippo is arrested for violating a traffic law, the leopard is robbed of her coat and the lion and elephant are gypped in a cabaret. They are glad to return to the zoo. An exceptionally clever and amusing number. “Youth and Beauty” (Universal — Two Reels) As in the previous issues of this Universal series of “Gump Comedies,” Joe Murphy as Andy Gump continues to live up to his reputation of continually doing things that get him in bad with his wife, Min, played by Fay Tincher. The pair go to a mountain resort and the fun is built around a novel idea. Min falls in a so-called Fountain of Youth and her dress shrinks so that she discards it and with disastrous results tries to get home in a barrel, resulting in considerable display of lingerie. A little baby puts the dress on and Andy seeing her believes that the fountain of youth has worked and Min has shrunk. After trouble with the kid’s parents, all is straightened out and Andy gets his. “Thanks for the Boat Ride” (Universal — Two Reels) While W a n da Wiley is the nominal star of this issue of Stern Brothers “W hat Happened to Jane” series, A1 Alt, pictured here, really has the principal role and furnishes the greater portion of the comedy. The pair elope on a boat after haying trouble to get a license and then A1 loses his ticket and has to evade the captain. Finally he poses as a maid, vamps the captain, gets a peppy snapshot of himself in the captain’s arms and “persuades” the captain to marry him to Wanda, promising to keep mum. A fast moving combination of slapstick and farce. “Bruce Scenic Novelties” (Educational — One Reel) There are two bruce subjects on this split reel. The first “Steamer Day,” picturing the arrival of a steamer in Hawaii is an interesting scenic but lacks the striking pictorial beauty of the usual Bruce subject. The most interesting feature are the native boys diving from the upper decks as the steamer leaves. The second section “Tropical Twilight” represents Mr. Eruce’s work at its best. It is not only artistic but of marvelous beauty. “Break Away” (Educational — Two Reels) Built around an ^ Joycej pictured i here, in the oppo site role, is an exceptionally jbright, fast-moVing and amusing comedy. Neal is putting on a play and his prospective father-in-law, who hates the theatre, sends words he is coming to see Neal’s new home, so Neal with the aid of the actors, uses the stage sets to construct a house. His backer appears on the scene and there is a lot of good comedy in the manner in which first one part of the house is taken on the stage and then brought back, while the girl is trying desperately to keep her father from seeing what is going on. Eventually the trulh comes out and when Neal is offered a big check for a play based on the housemoving stunt, father is satisfied. “Dear Season ” (Educational — One Reel) Bud Duncan, who several years ago played opposite Lloyd Hamilton in comedies, is the leading funmaker in this Cameo Comedy which deals with the mishaps of a party of motorists who accidentally invade a girls’ camp. All sorts of accidents happen to the flivver and there is a series of amusing complications involving the two husbands, the girls in the camp, a tramp that steals the food, an artist, and the camp chaperone. Many of the gags are familiar, some are new, and they should appeal to the fans. “Wisecr ackers” (F. B. O. — Series) Built along similar lines to one of his earlier and highly successful series, “The Telephone Girl,” and sponsored by the same releasing company, F. B. O. is now offering a new series “Wisecrackers” from the pen of H. C. Witwer which should duplicate the former success with screen patrons. If memory serves us rightly, Mr. Witwer has used the same character names for the two girls, with Lorraine Eason and Thelma Hill capably handling the parts portrayed previously by Alberta Vaughan and Gertrude Short. Miss Eason is exceptionally pretty, and talented as well, and Thelma Hill, who has a character comedy role, has also proved her ability. Featured in the cast, and furnishing a continual round of laughs with their own inimitable style of clowning, which has proved so popular in several F. B. O. series, are Albert Cooke as a boob hotel detective and Kit Guard as an equally blundering bell-hop. Rounding out the principal players is Danny O’Shea, the hero, who has a pleasing personality. The opening spisode, “The Artist’s Brawl,” in troduces the characters and shows the two girls getting jobs as telephone operators during a strike, while the hero becomes a waiter. He falls for Lorraine and after a snappy fight with a rich chap loses his job. Chapter 2, “Turkish Howls,” deals with the arrival of supposed East Indian nobility at the Hotel St. Moe, including a flirty rajah. Another scrap results, and it turns out that the rajah is an imposter. The third episode, “Love at First Fight,” introduces a conceited pugilist as trying to get fresh with Lorraine, and Danny’s chance comes when he substitutes for the regular opponent. These three chapters promise well for the series. There is plenty of action and good comedy. The situations and characters are thoroughly up to the minute and the stories are bright and peppy, justifying the title. An amusing set of sub-titles adds considerable to the fun. We predict that the majority of patrons are going to like “Wisecrackers.”