Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1926)

Brief Reviews of Current Pictures AFTER BUSINESS HOURS— Columbia.— Elaine Hammerstein and Lou Tellegcn enact one of those far-fetched domestic dramas. (September.) AMERICAN PLUCK— Chadwick.— She is a princess and he is only a poor American prize fighter if there is such a thing — but love finds the.usual way! (September.) ANCIENT HIGHWAY, THE — Paramount. — A passable story of the timber lands with Jack Holt preventing the villain from jamming the heroine's shipment of logs. (January.) ANY WOMAN— Paramount.— A trite story of the perils of a refined working girl. Alice Terry heads the cast. (August.) ARE PARENTS PEOPLE ?— Paramount.— Daughter reunites her quarreling parents. The daughter is Betty Bronson; the parents are Florence Vidor and Adolphe Menjou. A thoroughly charming comedy. (August.) AWFUL TRUTH, THE— Producers Distributing. — It is awful, at that, and not what anyone would call first-rate amusement. (September.) BANDIT'S BABY, THE— F. B. O.— Fred Thomson and Silver King make this more amusing than the average Western. (August.) BAREE, SON OF KAZAN— Vitagraph.— Just one of those dog stories of the frozen north. Rather mediocre entertainment. (August.) BEAUTY AND THE BAD MAN— Producers Distributing.— A gambler in a mining town plays benefactor to a girl witli operatic ambitions. The grateful prima donna .marries him. Good, if you can believe it. (September.) BEAUTIFUL CITY, THE— First National.— The story not up to the Barthelmess standard. Contains good atmospheric shots of New York's tenement district. (January.) BELOW THE LINE— Warner Brothers.— A splendid story with Rin-Tin-Tin as thrilling as ever. Johnny Harron and June Marlowe are pleasing. (December. ) BEST PEOPLE, THE— Paramount.— An entertaining story of a son and daughter of the hoipolloi who insist upon marrying a chorus girl and chauffeur, believing that love is the only thing. (January.) BIG PARADE, THE— Metro-Goldwyn — See this if you have to pawn your shirt. One of the finest pictures ever made. A thrilling love story against the World War background with John Gilbert and Renee Adoree. (January.) BLACK CYCLONE— Pathe.— Rex, the King of Wild Horses, scores one of the hits of the year. The remarkable acting of the not-so-dumb animals makes this unusual amusement. (August.) BLOODHOUND, THE— F. B. O.— What do you think the Royal Mounted boy does? He gets his man. The man is his brother. And — that's the plot. {September.) BOBBED HAIR— Warner Brothers.— Silly but lots of fun. Kenneth Harlan and Marie l'revost. ably assisted by Louise Fazenda, put plenty of pep in a slapstick melodrama. (November.) BUSTIN' THROUGH— Universal.— Jack Hoxie riding and fighting to save his ranch from a grasping land company. A good Western with plenty of action. (December.) CALGARY STAMPEDE.ITHE— Universal— The best Western in many a day. with Hoot Gibson. Different. Some remarkable riding stunts. (December.) CALL OF COURAGE, THE— Universal. — Art Acord as a lazy cowboy, just for a change. The picture is helped In the dumb efforts of a doe. and a horse, (November.) CALIFORNIA STRAIGHT AHEAD— Universal. — Very ordinary burlesque comedy rescued by the engaging ways of Reginald Denny. {November.) JO CAMILLE OF THE BARBARY COAST— Associated Exhibitors. — Owen Moon and Mae Busch in a new version of the old theme. Not for the children. (September.) CIRCLE, THE— Metro-Goldwyn.— A weak tea society drama that is neither interesting nor real. Complete failure as a translation of Somerset Maugham's clever play. (December.) CIRCUS CYCLONE, THE— Universal.— A pleasant mixture of Western and circus stuff, with Art Acord proving he can ride. (October.) CLASH OF THE WOLVES. THE— Warner Brothers. — Rin-Tin Tin makes another big hit. this time in a beard. A good story, with a few tears, and pretty June Marlowe. (January.) CLASSIFIED— First National.— Don't miss this one. Corinne Griffith, "the screen's most beautiful." proves she can act. in this unusually entertaining comedy-drama of a New York working girl. (January.) COAST OF FOLLY, THE— Paramount.— Gloria Swanson in a modern role. In fact, Gloria in two modern roles — that of mother and daughter. Her work in this picture will be much discussed; so don't miss it. (November.) COMING OF AMOS, THE— Producers Distributing.— Rod La Rocque, as a big diamond man from South Africa, and Jetta Goudal, as a Russian princess in a Cecil B. De Mille romance of the Riviera. (November.) AS a special service to its readers, Photoplay Magazine inaugurated this department of tabloid reviews, presenting in brief form critical comments upon all photoplays of the preceding six months. Photoplay readers find this department of tremendous help — for it is an authoritative and accurate summary, told in a few words, of all current film dramas. Photoplay has always been first and foremost in its film reviews. However, the fact that most photoplays do not reach the great majority of the country's screen theaters until months later, has been a manifest drawback. This department overcomes this — and shows you accurately and concisely how to save your motion picture time and money. You can determine at a glance whether or not your promised evening's entertainment is worth while. The month at the end of each tabloid indicates the issue of Photoplay in which the original review appeared. COMPROMISE— Warner Brothers.— A good east. Irene Rich, Pauline Garon and ('live Brook, in an inadequate story. Fairly entertaining. (January.) CYCLONIC CAVALIER. THE — Reed Howes. the star, is handsoim — but that's about all. A melodrama of one of those South American revolutions. (November.) CYRANO DE BERGERAC— Atlas— A commendable film version ^i Rostand's great play, made by B French company, and excellently acted by Pierre Magnier. (September.) DARK ANGEL, THE— First National.— A love story of the War, beautifully and touchingly produced by George Fitzmaurice and wonderfully acted by Yilma Banky and Ronald Colman. You'll want to see it. (November.) DAUGHTER OF THE SIOUX, A— Davis Distributing.— Neva Gerber and Ben Wilson in an Indian story that may amuse the children. (.Ycr.) DESERT FLOWER. THE— First National.— Colleen Moore's unfailing vivacity saves it from being just another one of those Cinderella tales. (August.) DON Q. — United Artists. — Douglas Fairbanks stages another great show. It.has beauty, adventure and thrills. It's one of the* treats of the year. (August.) DRUSILLA WITH A MILLION— F. B. O.— It = hokum but it's good hokum and splendidly acted t>\ Mary Carr. Be sure to take a handkerchief with you. (August.) DURAND OF THE BAD LANDS— Fox— Plenty of action with Buck Jones, but weak on story. Marion Nixon is a pleasing heroine. (December. ) EAGLE, THE— United Artists.— Rudolph Valentino in three fascinating roles, a Russian lieutenant a bandit and a French tutor. Pretty good Valentino fare. YilmaJBanky is lovely. (January. | EVERLASTING WHISPER, THE— Fox.— Tom Mix fans will like this. Others won't. Old stuff with draggy action. (December.) EVERYMAN'S WIFE— Fox.— Marking the welcome return of Dorothy Phillips. Otherwise, just a trite domestic drama. (August.) EVE'S SECRET— Paramount.— Wherein the Duke educates a peasant girl and marries her. Another version of Pygmalion and Galatea played by Jack Holt and Betty Compson. t.4u£«.sf.) EXCHANGE OF WIVES. AN— Metro-Goldwyn. — Two couples flirting madly with the dear old marriage tie. Good entertainment. Lew Cody, Creighton Hale, Eleanor Boardman and Renee Adoree shine. {December.) FAINT PERFUME— B. P. Schulbcrg.— Faint is right. A jumbled movie-ized version of Zona Gale's excellent novel. (September.) FIFTY-FIFTY — Associated Exhibitors.— What happens when an American roue marries a French dancer. Lionel Barrymore and Hope Hampton are in it. (September.) FIGHTING DEMON. THE— F. B. O.— Only the very gullible will like this one. Richard Talmadge dashing through impossible melodrama. (August.) FIGHTING HEART, THE — Fox. — George O'Brien as a prize-fighter in a fairly entertaining human interest story. The fights are great. (Nov.) FINE CLOTHES— First National.— A subtle and human story ably acted by Percy Marmont. Lewis Stone, Alma Rubens and Raymond Griffith. {October.) FLOWER OF THE NIGHT— Paramount.— Jo Hergesheimer's special story for Pola proves a dud. Negri fans will like parts of it. (December.) FLYIV THROUGH— Davis Dist. Co.— Al Wilson, the stunt aviator, provides a flock of thrills and entertainment. You'll like it. (December.) FRESHMAN. THE — Associated Exhibitor.— Harold Lloyd's comedy of college life is so funny that it defies description. It's the liveliest and the most youthful comedy now on the screen. (September.) GIRL WHO WOULDN'T WORK. THE— R. P. Schulbcrg. — The hardships of a working girl are the b. tsis of the plot. Good work by Marguerite de la Motte and Lionel Barrymore. (October.) GOLDEN PRINCESS. THE— Paramount— A charming story of California in the days of the gold rush. Betty Bronson is the heroine. (November.) [ CONTINUED OX PAGE 14 ]