Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1931)

SAVES YOUR PICTURE TIME AND MONEY The Best Pictures of the Month THE SMILING LIEUTENANT DADDY LONG LEGS A FREE SOUL SMART MONEY YOUNG DONOVAN'S KID THE VICE SQUAD THE LAWYER'S SECRET The Best Performances of the Month Janet Gaynor in "Daddy Long Legs" Warner Baxter in "Daddy Long Legs" Lionel Barrymore in "A Free Soul" Norma Shearer in "A Free Soul" Paul Lukas in "The Vice Squad" Edward Robirson in "Smart Money" Jackie Cooper in "Young Donovan's Kid" Maurice Chevalier in "The Smiling Lieutenant" Claudette Colbert in "The Smiling Lieutenant" Miriam Hopkins in "The Smiling Lieutenant" Charles Rogers in "The Lawyer's Secret" Elissa Landi in "Always Goodbye" John Barrymore in "The Mad Genius" Evelyn Brent in "The Mad Parade" Norman Foster in "Up Pops the Devil" Will Rogers in "Young as You Feel" Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., in "Chances" Regis Toomey in "Kick In" Casts of all photoplays reviewed will be found on page 136 it DADDY LONG LEGS— Fox AFTER the welter of "gun operas" and pictures that reek with sex, "Daddy Long Legs" comes to the screen like a breath of sweetness from a spring meadow. Janet Gaynor, as the spunky orphanage kid, Judy Abbot! , and Warner Baxter, as the confirmed bachelor who adopts and then falls in love with her, make a remarkable team. Both are charming. This is the wistful, sweet Janet you have always known. Here is a role that seems just suited to her. The silent version, which Mary Pickford did so many years ago, was one of her greatest pictures. But the talkieversion is much better. As a stage play it was one of Ruth Chatterton's great successes of the theater. There are no sex problems, no cocktail drinking — just a great, fine, refreshing dash of sentiment and human interest. You'll love the scenes of Janet and the rest of the little orphans. Una Merkel and a new lad named John Arledge, with Southern accents that would make Stepin Fetchit sound like a Yankee, get plenty of laughs. Encourage producers to make such pictures by patronizing this one. You will get your money's worth — and plenty more. The children will love it, too. -k YOUNG DONOVAN'S KID— Radio Pictures AND now it's Richard Dix's turn to essay a gangster thriller — will there never be an end to these? But this one points a nice moral lesson and it's full of punch. It's from the Rex Beach story, "Big Brother," once made as a silent picture. However, that won't interest you as much as the fact that seven-year-old Jackie Cooper, the screen's new child wonder, steals this picture right from the star's nose. Dix gives a fine performance, however. Jackie is magnificent as the gangster's kid. He'll make you cry again — and laugh, too. There is plenty of excitement in this, and plenty of suspense. Altogether, it's a swell show. Don't miss it. ft THE VICE SQUAD— Paramount BESIDES being something you'll enjoy, this is a picture you'll think about. Don't be alarmed. It isn't a problem piece, but the situation is tremendous and everyone's attitude is understandable. You know why the characters played by Paul Lukas, Kay Francis and Helen Johnson behave as they do. You forget they are actors playing parts. The story concerns the life of a gentleman, forced to become a stool-pigeon, who discovers a way to happiness, but sacrifices that happiness upon the altar of ethics. It's a real plot and not one of your wishy-washy yarns. The starring role was built for William Powell before he went to Warners, but Paul Lukas leaves nothing undone in it. Kay Francis, Helen Johnson and Esther Howard are excellent. 61