Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1927)

December 17, 192 Now We’re in the Air Rough House Comedy Follows in Hilarious Steps of Army, Navy and Fire Department Features 24 A GOOD old-fashioned rough-house, cusn tard pie corned}-. This one will prove as merry a box-office attraction as its predecessors starring this team. If there is nothing startlingly new in the action, at least the old reliable gags have been well-planted, and the good old Elizabethan vulgarities are registered with fullflavored, meaty vigor. There is many a foot devoted to the nearloss of various garments; those, of course, considered most necessary. And a cow’s rear end figures prominently in a gag reminiscent of that similar bit in “The Better ‘Ole.” The entire burden of the fun-making rests with Beery and Hatton, and of these two Carl Laemmle Presents “The Shield of Honor” Story by Emilie Johnson Directed by Emory Johnson A Universal Picture THE CAST: Jack MacDowell Neil Hamilton Gwen O’Day .... Dorothy Gulliver Dan MacDowell Raiph Lewis Robert Chandler Nigel Barrie Mrs. MacDowell C aire MacDowell Howard O’Day Fred Esmelton A. E. Blair Harry Northrup Length, 6,172 Feet Dan MacDowell is retired from the police force because of his age. This inference of having passed the age of usefulness is very saddening to him, but the spirit of serving the force is never lost on him. He is finally instrumental in capturing a gang of diamond thieves, through his son, who sustains Dan's splendid service record. 'j'HE FILM SEASON seems to be at high tide for crisp, “clicking” comedy titles. Many otherwise weak sisters have been helped over rough spots by rhetorical accessories. “Ladies Must Dress” gets this helping hand so well in an undraping scene padded by the remarks of a “dizzy blonde,” upbraiding the sartorial yokelry of a less knowing sister, that it foirly puts the play on velvet for some reels to come. For the rest, the story is just one more MOVING PICTURE WORLD Beery is best in this type of stuff. The remainder of the cast is entirely negligable. Even the bit apportioned to Louise Brooks is such as to permit equal efficiency by any intelligent extra girl. Of which there are many, all rumors to the contrary. The direction is competent when the gags are in progress. But as the picture is little more than a rapid-fire of gag situations, there is nothing in the continuity about which to brag. The production is done in lavish style with a lot of air shots that are impressive for any audience. The titles, emanating from the expert pen of George Marion, Jr. assist greatly in speeding the fun at the proper places, and also in removing any possible curse from situations threatening to be rather broad for the narrow-minded. It would seem that two such exceptionally capable actors and excellent farceurs might be provided with material savoring a little Emory Johnson, who has a strong penchant for glorifying the uniform, holds a cinematic brief in this case for the heroism, the resourcefulness and the general all-around effectiveness of the policeman. Nor does the producer have to depend entirely upon the romantic tradition of the uniform for his appeal, for he has definitely endowed the story with fast-moving action, loads of suspense and very satisfactory melodrama. The excitement of the chase, a never-failing device in action dramas, finds very able representation here in an airplane scene, in which a flying officer of the police force captures a gang of diamond thieves. Then there is that other time — honored lure for suspense — , a fire, which is done with vivid variant of Hans Christian Andersen s parable of the ugly duckling. From the very begining, it is a stolid imagination indeed that doesn’t forsee the end. Nevertheless, there is a down-to-earth quality about the settings in a department store and in a furnishedrooms house, smacking of fidelity to a certain stratum of life as it is lived by the yearning, dreaming hopefuls who will see this film, which should have the way for a welcome reception of it. Virginia Valli gives a facile performance. Lawrence Gray is adequate. The distinguished performances of the rest of the cast will undoubtedly pass muster. “Ladies Must Dress” will clothe the average picture fan with mild pleasure.” — MIKE. less of the ancient Keystone Cops atmosphere. But this sort of slap stick seems sure fire with the mob, so why take a chance? “Now We’re in the Air” will take the receipts for a ’plane ride. — HERB. Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky Present Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton in “Now We’re in the Air” Story by Monte Brice and Keene Thompson Directed by Frank Strayer A Paramount Picture THE CAST: Wally _.... _ Wallace Beery Ray Raymond Hatton McTavish Russell Simpson Grisette Louise Brooks Length, 5,798 Feet Wally and Ray are cousins intent upon getting the fortune of their Scotch grandad, an aviation nut. They become mixed-up with the U. S. flying corps and are wafted over the enemy lines in a runaway balloon. Through misunderstanding they are honored as heroes of the enemy forces, and sent back to the U. S. lines to spy. Here they are captured and almost shot, but everything ends happily. pictorial effort, and exciting interaction. Doroth}r . Gulliver fits in very happily in the love thread, with the handsome Neil Hamilton on the lucky end. Ralph Lewis does his emotional stuff in accomplished style. In fact, the entire cast do a good job. All told, a neat booking for a wide range of audiences. “The Shield of Honor” shines with a boxoffice glow. — HAST. William Fox Presents “Ladies Must Dress’* With Virginia Valli Directed by Victor Heerman THE CAST: Eve Virginia Valli Joe Lavrerce Gray Art Hal'am Ccoley Mazie Nancy Carroll G?orge Ward, Jr Earle Foxe Office Manager Wilson Hummell Mr. Ward, Sr. Will am Tooker Length. 5,599 Feet Eve and Joe are engaged, but Joe cannot help contrasting the drabness of her attire with the dressy clothes of their friends. She overhears him talking of this and breaks with him. Then, with the help of her friend. Mazie, she metamorphoses into a ravishing beauty. Joe is remorseful, but the situation is made more complex when he suspects Eve of questionable relations with her boss. In the end. he discovers she is innocent and that she still loves him. The Shield of Honor Ralph Lewis, Neil Hamilton and Dorothy Gulliver Click Merrily in “Meller” Treat Ladies Must Dress Virginia Valli a Not Too-Uglv Duckling That Does a Quick Change Into a Swan