The Moving picture world (November 1925-December 1925)

December 5, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 461 Carl Laemmle Says: "We'll make more comedies than ever. I am convinced that every theatre-goer wants to laugh, and we intend to offer our patrons happiness and joy to as large an extent as possible." ■ — Statement from the President of Universal Pictures Company on his departure from Los Angeles, last week, en route to his New York office to inject his inspiring personality into the campaign for National Laugh Month. "The Fighting Dude" (Educational — Comedy — Two Reels) LUPINO LANE shows to excellent advantage and adds to his laurels both as a comedian and an acrobat in this the second of his series for Education. He appears as a poor little rich man who is almost too languid and lazy to breathe. He calls on his girl and finds his rival to be a popular athletic he-man. Lane determines to win out and goes to a gymnasium for a course of training. Believing he is fit he chalenges his rival and is licked to a frazzle. He goes in for more training and finally in a private fight knocks his rival out and wins the girl. This is a fine snappy, scrappy comedy chock full of laughs. Lane s acrobatic comedy when he enters the gymnasium and gets in everybody's Way is a corker and entirely different from the familiar handling of such scenes. His first tryout with the gloves is a regular scream. He seems to be so ignorant of boxing technique that when he learns the ropes his work comes as a surprise. Lane certainly takes a lot of hard knocks and uses his acrobatic ability to advantage. He is a finished artist in his work and gets the most out of every situation. A corking good comedy that will cause a lot of genuine laughter, and should convulse any audi ence. — C. S,. Sewell. "Marionettes" (Educational — Color Fantasy — 1,200 feet) PRODUCED entirely in color photography by the Technicolor process and directed by Henri Diamant Berger who is handling her feature productions, this reel featuring Hope Hampton is a little gem. The story is a fantasy about a troupe of marionettes who are changed by a good fairy into human beings and warned that one wish will change them back to puppets. Miss Hampton as Columbine finds happiness in the love of Pierrot until she listens to the promises of the Court Jester to lavish wealth upon her. She is contented for a time, but again meets Pierrot and together they decide that rather than live without love they would prefer to be marionetted again. This film not only is one of marvelous beauty but the little story and the manner in which it is presented is delightful. It should please both young and old and charm the lovers of the beautiful and artisiic. A judicious selection of color in the fittings, sets and costumes makes the scenes unusually artistic and effective and Miss Hampton is certainly beautiful to look at. Should go over big in almost any house. — C. S,. Sewell. "Felix the Cat Tries the Trades" (Educational — Cartoon — (One Reel) HUNGER causes Felix the Cat to hunt for a job. The first ad he answers is for some one to mind the baby. The little fellow cries so much that Felix throws up the job and tackles a contractor. Through a ruse he causes the workmen to leave and when the boss ' says he needs nine workmen the cartoonist obliges by materializing each of the cats' lives, making nine Felixes. Finding they are tricked strikers hurl bricks which the cats jockey into position and the building rises like magic. Felix collects his wages and the others disappear. The usual wealth of imagination here and comedy touches that are clever and amusing. — C. S, Sewell. "Santa Claus" (Kleinschmidt — Fantjisy — Two Reels) A STRIKING novelty for the holiday season is offered by Captain F. E. Kleinschmidt, the Arctic explorer. This tworeeler, in addition to being especially appro priate for Christmas, is absolutely unique from both story and production standpoints. First, here is a Santa Claus story actually filmed in the polar regions where Santa is supposed to have his home. Children will get an exrta thrill out of seeing this genial old gentleman on his home grounds and the striking views of the arctic will be enjoyed by the grown-ups. There are intensely interesting scenes of polar bears, an enormous school of walruses and a tremendous herd of reindeer in their native haunts, and beautiful color shots of glaciers. A big point that will delight the kiddies is the fact that it answers their question as to what Santa does the remainder of the year. There is a charming little story which shows his workshop with his gnomes and elfs making toys, while Santa looks through a telescope and' keeps track of the good and bad boys writing it down in a big book. He is also shown, visiting his friends, the Eskimos, who hang up their stockings just as we do, and then talking with Jack Frost who beautifies the world with his ice crystals. But the crowning triumph for the little ones comes when Santa is shown with his reindeers starting out on his round of Christmas cheer and actually going down chinmeys. Young and old of all classes should enjoy this picture and it ought to be a riot with the kiddies. — C. S, Sewell.