Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1927)

Brief Reviews of Current ^Indicates that photoplay was named as one of the six best upon its month of review Pictures ADAM AND EVIL— Mctro-Goldwyn-Mayer — Clever and amusing, with a smooth performance by Aileen Pringle and Lew Cody in a dual r61e. What could be sweeter? (September.) AFFAIR OF THE FOLLIES, AN— First Nat.onal. ■ — Billie Dove and Lewis Stone in an entertaining and ■nappy story of stage life. Honestly I (May.) AFTER MIDNIGHT— Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.— In spite of its modern veneer, just the story of the good girl who never slips from the straight and narrow path. Not worthy of Norma Shearer. (October.) ALIAS THE DEACON— Universal.— A good show, thanks to Jean Hcrsholt who plays a psalmsinging card sharp with fine gusto. See it and enjoy yourself. (September.) ALL ABOARD — First National. — Johnnie Hines goes to the Sahara Desert and saves a beautiful blonde from a Sheik. Some girls wouldn't thank him for that. An amusing comedy. (June.) ALTARS OF DESIRE— Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. — Auntie Mae Murray in a series of soft-focused close-ups. Aunt Mae plays a little Southern beauty, with the help of a kindly cameraman. Isn't that enough? (June.) ANKLES PREFERRED— Fox.— A silk stocking comedy full of runs— and mostly cotton, anyway. Madge Bellamy is a pretty kid and too good for the story. (May.) ♦ANNIE LAURIE-Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.-If you like your Scotch straight, here's your story. Lillian Gish shows unsuspected comedy talents, but it is Norman Kerry who runs away with the picture. (July.) ARIZONA WHIRLWIND, THE— Pathe.— Guess what? A Western story! And a pretty good one, at that. Bill Cody is the star. (May.) *BABE COMES HOME— First National.— Not much of a comedy, but an ingenuous and amusing performance bv Babe Ruth helps it over. You'll like the Babe. (July.) BACK TO GOD'S COUNTRY— UniversalWritten by James Oliver Curwood and set in a beautiful background. Also splendidly played by Renee Adoree and a fine cast. (September.) BARBED WIRE— Paramount.— The romance of a French peasant girl and a German prisoner of war. A sincere story of the war. enacted by Pola Negri, Clive Brook and Einar Hansen. (September.) BEAUTY PARLOR, THE— FBO — A swell series of two reelers, adapted from H. C. Witwer's stories. Worth your steady patronage. (September.) BELOVED ROGUE, THE — United Artists. — John Barrymore makes a Happy Hooligan comedy out of the life of Francois Villon. Just a silly burlesque. (June.) BEWARE OF WIDOWS— Universal.— A halfpound farce all about an impressionable doctor, manhunting ladies and a pretty blonde. The blonde is Laura La Plante and she makes the film worth looking at. (June.) BITTER APPLES— Warner Bros.— Bitter applesauce. An uninteresting dish, with Monte Blue as the hard-boiled hero. (July.) BLIND ALLEYS— Paramount. — Lots of laughs in this one, but they all come at the serious moments. Don't blame Thomas Meighan — nor yet Greta Nissen nor Evelyn Brent. (May.) BLOOD SHIP, THE— Columbia. Mutiny, brutality and murder. A fine performance by Hobart Boaworth. Too gruesome for good entertainment. BROADWAY KID, THE— Warner Bros.— A George Jessel comedy that looks like a convention of old gags. A good performance by Audrey Ferris, a newcomer. (October.) BROADWAY NIGHTS— First National.— Domestic and professional trials of a couple of Broadway hoofers. Not as hot as the title, but Lois Wilson gives a good account of herself. (July.) BROKEN GATE, THE— Tiffany— Wherein the small town gossips again annoy the unfortunate girl and her nameless child. A weepy story for softminded adults. (June.) BRONCHO TWISTER, THE— Fox.— Tom Mix lapses into a conventional Western tale, filled with absurdities and with only a few spectacular stunts to redeem it. (June.) BRUTE, THE— Warner Bros.— Another Western, with Monte Blue and a lot of oil wells. (July.) *CABARET — Paramount. — A swell story of the glittering, sinister Gay Places of Manhattan, with Gilda Gray doing her stuff as a cabaret queen. Gilda dances the Black Bottom. And how! Not for the little darlings but fine for papa and mama. (June.) Pictures You Should Not Miss "The King of Kings" "Beau Geste" "Resurrection" "Chang" "The Way of All Flesh" "The Big Parade" "Quality Street" "Underworld" "The Patent Leather Kid" As a service to its readers, Photoplay Magazine presents brief critical comments on all photoplays of the preceding six months. By consulting this valuable guide, you can determine at a glance whether or not your promised evening's entertainment is worth while. Photoplay's reviews have always been the most authoritative published. And its tabloid reviews show you accurately and concisely how to save your motion picture time and money. The month at the end of each review indicates the issue of Photoplay in which the original review appeared. CALLAHANS AND THE MURPHYS. THE— Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. — Polly Moras and Marie Dressier arc a panic in this slapstick storv of life as it is supposed to be led among the Irish. (September ) *CAMILLE— First National.— The Frail Lady of the last century brought up to date by Norma Talmadge, ably assisted by Gilbert Roland. Hot stuff, in places, but a treat for girls who arc looking for a good old-fashioned cry. (June.) ♦CAPTAIN SALVATION— Metro-GoldwynMayer. — A dramatic and appealing story of a gospel ship, well directed by John Robertson and with a fine performance by Lars Hanson. (July.) CASEY AT THE BAT— Paramount.— A baseball comedy, laid back in the gay old Floradora Days. Another home run for Wallace Beery. This picture gives the baseball "fans" somewhere to go on rainy afternoons. (May.) *CAT AND THE CANARY, THE— Universal.— A swell melodrama, directed by Paul Leni from the Broadway success. Here's something rare — a really good screen mystery film. (July.) ♦CHANG — Paramount. — A thrilling story of the conflict between men and wild animals in the Siamese jungles. It was filmed in the jungles, with native actors. A really fine, worth-while picture. (June.) CHILDREN OF DIVORCE— Paramount.— The title tells the story. Clara Bow makes it worth seeing, helped by Esther Ralston and Gary Cooper. (July.) CITY GONE WILD, THE— Paramount.— Thomas Meighan in a lively meller of the Chicago Underworld. Good stuff. (October.) CIRCUS ACE, THE— Fox.— Tom Mix bursts into a circus and saves the little circus gal from a terrible fate, bless his heart! Good for the children and just as good for grown-ups. (August.) CLANCY'S KOSHER WEDDING — FBO — This IrishJewish nonsense has gone far enough. All in favor say "Aye!" (October.) CLAW, THE— Universal. — Once more the weakling son goes to Africa to make good, amid the cannibals and wild animals. Norman Kerry and Claire Windsor in the leads. (July.) CLIMBERS, THE— Warner Bros.— Irene Rich plavs a Spanish duchess who runs a ranch in Porto Rico. Just another one of those movies. (July.) CLOSED GATES— Sterling.— The war breaks out just in time to save the soul of a wild young millionaire. Johnny Harron and Jane Novak are in it. Fair. (August.) CONVOY — First National. — Those sections of the film that show the United States Navy in action during the World War are great. The part of the picture manufactured in the studio is not so good. (June.) ♦COUNTRY DOCTOR, THE — Producers Dist. Corp. — Sound New England drama and a masterly performance by Rudolph Schildkraut in the title r61e. For discriminating audiences. (September.) *CRADLE SNATCHERS— Fox.— Rougl'. and rowdy. Lock up the kids, but go yourseli 1 it's funny and because Louise Fazenda is in tin (August.) CRYSTAL CUP, THE— First National. — Dorothy Mackaill in the drama of a man-hater that sometimes approaches the weird. Only for the sophisticated. {.October.) DANCE MAGIC— First National.— Just plain tosh — and out-of-date tosh at that. (September.) DEARIE — Warner Bros. — A so-called noble woman becomes a red hot mama in a night club all for the sake of her no-good son. Labelled an epic of mother love. Ouch I Irene Rich and Buster Collier are in it. (August.) [ CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 ] 8