The Moving picture world (May 1926-June 1926)

May 22, 1926 Moving Picture World 327 Reviews of Little Pictures with a Big Punch "Shore Shy" (Educational — Comedy — Two Reels) THIS IS ONE of the best Christie Comedies that we have seen in a long time. It is reminiscent of one done by the Christies a couple of years ago. Billy Dooley, as one of nature's saps, has the leading role and is a scream. Frank Roland Conklin gets credit for a good story and William Watson for excellent direction. Other players in the cast are Natalie Joyce, Maud Truax, Lincoln Plumer and William Irving. Dooley has shore leave. His uncle and aunt, wishing to make him feel at home, do everything the navy way. The house is decorated, the waiters do the hornpipe, the table rocks, the hammock overturns. Poor Dooley, who looked forward to a change from the ship, has a terrible time, particularly when kerosene from a ship's lantern gets in his food. The crowning disappointment occurs when he has to box a tough pugilist, and he returns to the ship so happy that he "could kiss a marine." There's a lot of fun crammed into the two reels and the subject should keep any audience in constant screams of merriment. The story is good, the gags excellent and Dooley surpassingly funny. — Sumner Smith. "Don Key" (Pathe — Comedy — Two Reels) THIS HAL ROACH two-reeler features Stuart Hdlmes, Jimmy Finlayson and Vivien Oakland at the head of a cast which includes Max Davidson, Tyler Brooke, "Spec" O'Donnell, Jackie Hanes, Jerry Mandi and Frank Butler. Grover Jones and Hal Yate9 directed. Davidson is a movie producer seeking a good scenario before his company goes broke. After he has thrown thousands of mss. into the wastebasket, an author shows up and reads his script, which this comedy enacts for the audience. When he has been persuaded to take the air, another* author shows up and is shot on the spot. This subject is a novelty, generally amusing, and at times especially humorous. It ought to please. — Sumner Smith. "Painless Pain" (Universal — Comedy — Two Reels) WANDA WILEY has the leading role in this Century Comedy directed by Edward I. Luddy. A dentist is madly in love with her, but bashful. Business is bad and Wanda gets a hunch. A tough guy beats up men on the street, knocking all their teeth out, while Wanda distributes advertising matter. When they arrive at the dentist's office he is out. Wanda dons the uniform and gives some gas so that they float around the ceiling. The others' aching molars are secured to individual ropes that connect with one big rope, and Wanda gives this the necessary yank. My word, how the money rolls in I It's good fun all the way through, with Wanda very easy to look at. — Sumner Smith. "Canary Islands" (Fox— Variety— 827 Feet) OPENING with a shot of a canary in a cage which is pictured as longing to return to its homeland, this reel introduces a variety oi views of the Canary Islands which are interesting as well as instructive. The making of famous Madeira embroidery, the growing of bananas, a section where no rain has fallen for three years and all water is brought in by camels, views of the harbor of Santa Cruz, which is a coaling station for trans-Atlantic liners, are among the subjects covered. — C. S. Sewell. "The Optimist" (Universal — Comedy — One Reel) WHEN FAT Charles Puffy, star of the Blue Bird Comedies is late for his own wedding, the prospective bride agrees to accept the rival, who plans to cinch matters by keeping Puffy away. He only succeeds in making him still later. Puffy accepts the situation and agrees to act as best man. In the meantime they have accidentally gotten in the wrong flivver and the owner has the rival arrested for theft, so Puffy takes back the ring and marries the girl. A slapsick number of average amusement value. — C. S. Sewell. "The Wild West" "Say It With Babies" (F. B. O.— Cartoon— One Reel) HERE IS ANOTHER instance of clever and amusing combination of cartoon work and photography. Cartoon Walter Lanz has Dinky Doodle and his dog in an encounter with Indians who invade the stage, coach and even pull the mules inside. They capture the pair and take them in a tent, but Dinky throws them out one by one and the dog gets the chief's headdress. Finally, in revenge, the Indians chase Dinky back to Lanz' studio and scalp him of the only hair he has on his bald dome. There are several laughs in this number, which is one of the best of the series. — C. S. Sewell. "An Alpine Flapper" (Pathe — Cartoon— One Reel) IN THIS Paul Terry-Aesop's Film Fable cats, dogs, pigs and mice are having a splendid time sliding down the Alps. George Goat shows off on skates before his best gal — as goats will — when along comes a villain wolf in goat's clothing to steal the gal. George pursues, wins her back and is smothered with kisses. The drawing is very good and the gags are fair. — Sumner Smith. K 0 0 K K 0 0 K READ IT rlOEIZONTAloS, VERTICAL IT MEANS IIU BEST THE MAX FLEISCHER "OUT OF THE INKWELL" CARTOPN CREATIONS/ WWCU AttUSE MILLIONS./ ANY WUKKE EVERY WHXRl (Pathe — Comedy — Two Reels) GLENN TRYON, Eva Novak, Martha Sleeper, "Babe" Hardy and Jackie Haines are the players in this Hal Roach comedy. Fred Guiol directed. It possesses some snappy fun, and because babies figure largely in it, women particularly ought to like it. Glenn cares for parked babies in a department store. Not having authority to spank, he suffers when they wax mischievous. A baby is left behind and Glenn slips it into an auto owned by newlyweds living next door to him, causing them all kinds of trouble. When it rains the baby promptly seems to swallow the key to the flivver and it has to be pushed home. Then, of course, the kev is found. — Sumner Smith. "Somebody's Wrong" (Educational — Comedy — One Reel) THIS CAMEO COMEDY was directed by Jules White and presents Cliff Bowes, Hazel Newman, Louise Carver and Glen Cavender. It is a travesty on the cook problem. This cook bosses the household and refuses to quit until frightened by a mouse. Then friends call for dinner. Cliff impersonates a waiter but is discovered. The cook's husband pays an enraged call, the household is thoroughly smashed up and the guests depart in a huff. As the story indicates, it is all broad burlesque. The subject has good comedy values and should please. — Sumner Smith. "Playing the Swell" (Universal — Comedy — Two Reels) IN THE NEWEST Century comedy in the series in which she is starred, Wanda Wiley is cast as a penninless writer who tried to bluff her way and play the part of a swell. She meets a good-looking chap and pretends to own a motor car which turns out to be his. In driving it she wrecks a bunch of other cars. He forgives her and takes her to a swell gathering where she proves the laughing stock by her gawky and ill-bred actions and home-made costume made out of lace curtains. He again forgives her and asks her to be his wife. The action follows along familiar lines, but there are several smiles for the slapstick fan. — C. S. Sewell.