Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1927)

24 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 5, 1927 “Roxy” Puts on Snappy Go as Prelude to Ring Drama “The Main Event” Pathe Fight Film Gets Big Hand With Realistic “Roxy” Presentation T X TELL ACTED, capably directed, and re ' ' dolent with the resin of the prize-ring, this photodrama pleased the patrons of the Roxy Theatre, if approval may be measured by the applause following its presentation. The story is no great shakes for originality, but it contains the good old hokum done in an attractive maimer. The idea of a collegiate prizefighter might have been considered farfetched before a youth whose name is recalled as Fidel LaBarba, champion of his class, retired to pursue his studies in a California university. There are other ideas in the story which seem equally improbable — but may not be any more so than the one mentioned. In any event, Director William K. Howard has pieced together an interesting film manuscript dotted with the interest always attendant RIGHT on the nose ! That’s where this one will hit ’em ! In eight out of ten theatres. The two outcasts will be the houses catering to audiences too “genteel” to appreciate sex appeal thrills and laughter. Mack Sennett Presents Daiiline Pollard, Dot Farley and Mack Swain In “The Girl From Everywhere'’ Story by Harry McCoy and Vernon Smith Directed by Eddie Cline Distributed by Pathe CAST: Wilfred Ashcraft Mack Swain Minnie Stitch Daphne Pollard Assistant Director Sterling Hallow-ay Mme. Zweibach Dot Farley Stout Bathing Girl Madeline Fields Miss Anybody Carolle Lombard Sennett girls: Kathryn Stanley, Leota Winters, Anita Barnes, Ardith Grey and Patsy Kelly Length — 3,303 Feet The irritating experiences of a producerdirector of bathing girl comedies is narrated in several sequences in which Wilfred Ashcraft leads the comedy, provoked by Minnie Stitch, Mme. Zweibach, and various characters interwoven in the funny plot. The directors efforts to produce his picture result in a general melee that terminates in a swimming pool. upon youth and love and culminating in a thrilling and well-staged ring batttle, with the hero triumphant through the efforts of the girl. The drama is nicely enacted by all the players. Rudolph Schildkraut, Charles Delaaney and Robert Armstrong doing convincing business as a gladiatorial trio, with Vera Reynolds and Julia Faye supplying the reasons for most of the trouble. “Roxy” put on the show with a regular fight scene on his stage. After about two minutes of fighting, perhaps less, the lights faded and the action was picked up by the picture, which begins with a ring battle. The organist used, “If I Knock the ’L Out of Kelly” as a theme. There is night club stuff, and numerous dance sequences to give a chance for this sort of bally. Play up the fight angle strongest, capitalizing on the mountains of publicity boxing has obtained. The idea of the boy boxing his way through college may be used for additional Ladies, lions and laughs abound. The ladies are Mack Sennett ladies. And for beauty they have the Follies babies looking like old-fashiond tintypes. There isn’t a fan who doesn’t get a thrill when “the lions are loose.” And anyone who can’t laugh with Daphne Pollard, Dot Farley and Mack Swain had better hire out as a window dummy or a cigar store Indian. They started out to make a picture with a story about where the bathing beauties come from. But after a reel, they decided that everyone knows they come from Heaven, so Director Eddie Cline threw away the loud speaker, and everyone has a good time. The audience will join in. It’s all on a movie lot. Mack Swain is the director, a la you-know-who, puttees and all. Dahpne Pollard is the wardrobe mistress. Dot Farley, with those Piggly-Wiggly eyes, is an “imported” star. They’ve lost the story. And who cares? With the ladies, lions and laughs the picture has enough stuff to carry it over any course and bring it romping in a winner. There are some dazzlingly beautiful technicolored sequences showing Sennett’s Sensations attention and may assist in getting talent to approximate the “Roxy” idea of a prolog. “The Main Event” Should Give the Competition a Good Battle. DeMille Pictures Corp. Presents Vera Reynolds In “The Main Event” With Rudolph Schildkraut From “That Makes Us Even,” by Paul Allison Directed by William K. Howard Distributed by Pathe CAST: Glory Frayne Vera Reynolds Regan, Sr Rudolph Schildkraut Margie Jnlia Faye Johnny Regan Charles Delaney Red Lucas Gilbert Armstrong Slug-Nutty Fighter Ernie Adams Length — 6,472 Feet Glory Frayne, cabaret dancer, whose sweetheart, Red Lucas, is a prize fighter, meets his opponent, Johnnie Regan, in her cabaret, and engaes in a little plot to help him lose the fight. Glory discovers she really loves Johnny, and by the twist in the plot, he wins both the fight and the girl, while Lucas and Margie, the latter Glory’s pseudo friend, share their loss together, i in a series of classic poses and whatnot. These are beautifully done, and while the girls hold their poses one glimpses many an eyeful of what appear to be paintings by the old masters. The costumes, so they say, were designed by Mme. Violette. The madame had a cinch of a job. There are any number of novel and catchy effects. All sorts of stuff which offers exploitation and publicity material. And to make it complete, the title writers have climbed right aboard the comedy band wagon with a set of wise-cracking, punning captions that look good for a ha-ha wherever they appear. Daphne Pollard, who has made gargoyles giggle, capers through her role in spirited fashior and extracts a wealth of mirth from the broac comedy situations which are developed. Mac! Swain contributes a comic pantomime. Am Dot Farley, with the nervous orbs, does raon than her bit Among the stars must be in eluded an “educated” cat whose antics an aces. “The Girl From Everywhere” Has a Fin Box-Office Figure. “The Girl From Everywhere” Ladies, Lions and Laughs Abound in Merry Pathe Box-Office Medley Sennett Scores With New Idea in Four Reel Feature Film