The New Movie Magazine (Dec 1929-May 1930)

ABOUT THE NEW PICTURES CONDEMNED— United Artists THE personable Ronald Colman and the lovely Ann Harding. There's a combination! Here Colman plays a thief sent to Devil's Island, while Miss Harding is the beautiful wife of the warden. The warden is indiscreet enough to take Mr. Colman into his home as a prisoner-servant — and you can guess what will happen. It does — with Mr. Colman and Miss Harding running away to escape it all. The trouble with this picture is that a grim and tight little tragic has been switched into a kidded melodrama, after the fashion of "Bulldog Drummond." That was a mistake, because it wasn't that soi't of a yarn. You'll like Mr. Colman and Miss Harding, however. IS EVERYBODY HAPPY?— Warner Brothers THIS stars Ted Lewis, the singing orchestra leader, but, for our part, we like him in his briefer specialty given in the Warners' "Show of Shows." This is just another version of Al Jolson's "The Singing Fool." Lewis plays the son of an old Hungarian concert master. When he comes to America the only way he can make a living is to discard his violin for a saxaphone. He is a hit, but the old father is brokenhearted over his boy's cabaret success. Lewis is far from an effective actor but he gets across with a bang when he tosses his old silk hat about and bursts into song in front of his jazz musicians. This is a passable picture. THE LOCKED DOOR— United Artists ON another page of this issue, Walter Winchell tells you about Barbara Stanwyck, when she was a brave little cabaret girl trying to get a chance on the stage. Then see "The Locked Door," in which she is the star. It is an emotional drama built from Channing Pollock's stage play, "The Sign on the Door." It is the story of a young wife who tries to hide one indiscreet but innocent moment of her past. The waster hounds her — and she goes to his apartment. The husband follows, without knowing his wife is hidden in an inner room. He kills the rotter, arranged the scene to represent a suicide — -and goes out, locking his wife in the place behind him. There's a tense moment. FOOTLIGHTS AND FOOLS— First National COLLEEN MOORE'S last First National production--and an expensive one. Colleen plays a little Irish girl who masquerades as a red hot French singing star in order to achieve success behind the New York footlights. At heart, she's sincere and sweet and all that sort of thing. On the stage, Oh, la la! This is a slender story of her love for a weakling, discovered in the nick of time. The background of a great big musical show is not new these days, of course, but it is done lavishly and beautifully, with color photography and massive chorus evolutions. Colleen Moore works hard as the star, dances and sings — and gets away with it nicely. THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES Paramount '"pHE famous old sleuth, created by Sir Arthur A Conan Doyle, is back again, this time in the talkies. Guess who plays him? Clive Brook, no less. Personally, our ideal Sherlock is William Gillette and we will never switch our affections to Mr. Brook, despite his skill of acting. In this picture Mr. Holmes, with Dr. Watson hovering about in his familiar old inquiring way, meets the evil Moriarity in battle once more. He captures him and foils a battalion of dangerous crooks who are tapping international wireless telephone messages for tips on rich loot.