Moving Picture World (Sep-Oct 1927)

248 MOVING PICTURE WORLD September 24, 1927 Timely Reviews of Short Subjects Edited by C. S. Sewell “The Stunt Man” Educational — Two Reels Larry Sernon, star of short and feature length comedies, is starred in this two-reeler produced by I. E. Chadwick. It is a burlesque of movie making with Larry in love with a girl who determines to marry a movie star. To win her, Larry gets a job as a stunt man doubling for a female star, but as the director is his rival, the stunts go blooey and Larry takes some pretty hard falls. He eventually lands in a radio controlled plane that is to be blown up with a dummy. Surviving the explosion the girl turns him down anyway. This comedy is made up largely of exceptionally rough and tumble slapstick and will probably please fans who like this form of entertainment. There are a few ingenious situations but most of the gags are of a familiar type. Larry wrote and directed this two-reeler in addition to being the star “Sailors Beware” Pathe — Two Reels With Anita Garvin, pictured here, in the leading feminine role, Stan Laurel is the star of this Hal Roach comedy which rates as a good slapstick offering. Stan is cast as a boob taxi driver whose car with him in it is accidentally hoisted on a tr^ns-oceanic steamship. He is forced to work his passage as a steward and succeeds in unmasking a pair of clever jewel thieves. A novel touch shows the woman, played by Miss Garvin, aided by her husband, portrayed by a midget. The midget dresses as a baby in order to aid her and disarm suspicion but the scheme goes blooey. There is a lot of chase stuff and farce comedy mixups. Oliver Hardy, Frank Brownlee, Lupe Velez and Viola Richard are included in the cast and Hal Yates directed. “The Human Fly” Pathe — One Reel OLD Farmer Al, Paul Terry’s cartoon creation tries flying by hanging on to a chicken, and then by using an electric fan. Before he is through he lands in a plane, tumbles down in front of a goat, is butted onto a mule and kicked through the roof landing in his own home. It is a moderately clever and amusing cartoon. “Pathe Review 39” Pathe — One Reel ESPECIALLY interesting is the first of a few series entitled “Words and Music By — ,” which pictures well-known song writers and composers of jazz and performers, including Harry Von Tilzer, L. Wolfe Gilbert, Grace La Rue, Sophie Tucker and Cortez and Peggy. Other sections shows novelty necklaces and other jewels painted on attractive flappers, and a color section illustrating the ponciano haw and other beautiful Hawaiian flowers. An excellent number of the series. romance is fiance sees “All For Uncle” Universal — Two Reels In the second of the new “Mike and Ike” series ‘suggested by the Rube Goldberg cartoons, Ike is preparing to get married but his broken up when his him holding a baby that a woman has left in his care. Faced with the loss of his fortune as he has no wife, he gets Mike to pose as the lucky girl and they visit the rich uncle. All goes well for a time but unkie finally learns the truth and kicks them out. The humor in this two-reeler is of a familiar type but Francies Corby has directed it so that it advances at a good speed and the result is a slapstick comedy of average amusement value. Charles Dorety, pictured here is Ike and Charles King is cast as Mike. There is also an attractive girl in the case who is not identified. “Off Again” Educational-One Reel Jack Lloyd, pictured here, is cast in this Cameo Comedy as a meek husband who is married to a woman whose former sweetheart, a prizefighter, sends words he is coming to lick friend hubby. Of course, Lloyd seeks to dodge the fighter and ends up by running into him on the bus at the seashore and various other places. Just as things are darkest, he is saved by the fact that the fighter is vamped by a quartet of bathing beauties. Up to the series standard from a standpoint of laughs. Betty Boyd appears as the wife, and Wallace Lupino as the fighter. Robert Dillon directed. It is a rough and tumble slapstick with several rather cleverly devised situations. “The Salmon Run” Fox — One Reel THIS is one of the most exciting and interesting of the Fox varieties, although the subject has been treated several times before. The salmon industry of Canada and the Columbia River section is pictured in detail with excellent pictures, some in slowmotion, showing the home-seeking salmon leaping up small waterfalls. “Dazzling Co-Ed” Universal — -Two Reels In the newest number of “The Collegians” series the central point of the fun develops when the sophs give a class hop and the juniors precipitate a young riot by capturing the sophs, stealing their costumes and taking their places. Of course Eddie Phillips poses in George Lewis’s costume. He tries to make it appear that George is responsible for the theft of the dean’s portrait, but is caught in the act. There is more fun of a familiar type when someone brings a box of ants to the classroom. Lewis, pictured here, is featured with Dorothy Gulliver as the girl in the case. It is a breezy offering that should like the earlier numbers appeal especially to the younger generation, although the fun is not as sponstaneous as usual. “She’s a Boy ” Educational — Two Reels In his newest starring vehicle, Educational’s diminutive comedian. Big Boy, is cast as a war orphan who is found by a hardboiled Yankee oldier and eventually adopted by . rich profiteer as a playmate for lis little girl. It is an amusing omedy with plenty of human inerest and should please not only he kiddies but the grown-ups. fhere is considerable war stuff, vith Big Boy in the trenches and imong the battle ruins and a num>er of gags showing the havoc he •aises by his mischievousness in he millionaires home. The comedy moves at a good pace and 'anks well with the others in the series. The subject ends with Big Boy stopping traffic when he finds his old buddy as a traffic cop. Robert Graves appears as the profiteer and Stanley Blystone as the buddy. “When Greek Meets Greek ” Universal Two Reels The laughs in this issue of the Gump comedy series grow out of the fact that Andy, portrayed by Joe ‘■rf w . Murphy, is mis taken for a noted wrestler, who has offered a prize for anyone who can throw him. Nearly everybody takes a hand, but fate aids Andy in devious ways, and eventually, on a soapy floor he succeeds in throwing the champion and winning the money. A supposedly haunted house with various kinds of strange things happening also figures in the fun. Fay Tincher, as usual, appears as Min. The idea which forms the basis of this two-reeler is a fertile one for comedy situations and has been used effectively, so that this ranks as one of the most ingenious and amusing of the series. “Twenty Legs Under the Sea” Fox — Two Reels As an enterprising publicity agent who stages an international swimming race to pep up a “dying” hotel, Richard Walling has the leading role in this Imperial Comedy. The plot revolves around a diamond garter used to lure the contestants. It is stolen by a dog and eventually won by the woman who owns it, when she easily outdistances the experts in swimming to catch the mutt. There are some moderately amusing gags, chases and slapstick and quite an attractive display of bathing beauties headed by Jean Lorraine. The picture moves at a snappy pace and should please patrons of the average theatre. Robert Ray directed with Eddie Grainger assisting. “Wise Guise” Educational-One Reel HERE IS ANOTHER instance of exceptionally clever gag stuff in a Felix the Cat cartoon. Felix poses as a wise guy to impress his sweetie and with the aid of a fish wins a swimming race, but he finds, that his own shadow is his rival for the girl. Try as he will, he cannot lose his shadow but finally he insists on her choosing between them and she takes the real article.