Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1931)

Red-Hot Notes From Keen-eyed Fans "Street Scene" "Street Scene" is, in my opinion, the finest talking picture Hollywood has turned out. One I intend to see again and again. It is so real and gripping. Thomas F. Ryan. New York City The "Glamour" Tiling There is so much talk about that "glamour" in actresses like Garbo, Dietrich and Norma Shearer. Who says the public is fed up with the "sweet" roles that are played by Janet Gaynor, Dorothy Jordan and Mary Brian? Give us more! E. C. Dahl, Columbia, Conn. It was good news to learn that Mary Brian, who for six years has been Paramount's saccharine standby, is off to Europe in search of sophistication. She is a splendid little actress and I am sure she will make the "glamour" grade. VINCENT BELGARBO, Chicago, 111. Is Clara Finished? I was very much interested in Harry Lang's swell story on Clara Bow in the desert, blonde hair, billowing curves and all. Honestly, I'm hoping for a comeback from the girl, but I really think that maybe she'd better forget the talkies and settle down into a regular home girl — with Rex Bell, if she loves him. Clara had her fling in pictures — and she was a star for five years. The talkies seem to have her licked. Why not recognize it, and try another kind of life for a while, out of the limelight? George Farwell, Birmingham, Ala. The splendid article in Photoplay, "Roughing It with Clara," has tended to increase my admiration for Clara Bow by leaps and bounds. I have never failed to see any of her pictures. She has all the qualities of a fine actress, even though her effervescence is usually misinterpreted. Leora L. Chusett East Pittsburgh, Penna. Your recent account of Clara Bow's temporary retirement was intimate, human and revealing, and, therefore, thoroughly enjoyable. The article gave the reader real insight into the character of the real Clara, and I feel assured that she will come back. Adelaide Burnett. Washington, D. C. What! Another Clara? The other day I saw Peggy Shannon in "Silence," and I certainly think she can take Clara Bow's place. R. Madison, Cincinnati, Ohio I have seen both Sylvia Sidney and Peggy Shannon and, with apologies to both, they are no Clara Bows. Frank Jones, Washington, D. C. Walter Huston tells the family! A big scene from "The Star Witness," now stirring up excited comment from the fan army. Left to right : Huston, Dick Moore, Frances Starr, Eddie Nugent, George Ernest, Sally Blane, Grant Mitchell, Chic Sale and Allan Lane It's an Education The highest possible praise goes to "An American Tragedy." Every boy and girl in their teens should see the picture. It is an education in itself. George Howard, San Antonio, Texas Worth Every Penny! Tuesday and Friday evenings mean to our family what "first nights" do to Hollywoodians. Speaking sensibly, perhaps we shouldn't afford those two dollars and forty cents for our bi-weekly movie; however, speaking for contentment's sake, the sum seems trifling. We've succumbed to cinematic glamour to the extent of refusing to become irritated when minor inconsistencies occasionally appear on the screen. Falling in with the spirit of the picture helps even the most skeptical patron lose the chip from his shoulder. Katherine Hood, Tucson, Ariz. Mostly Cheers These hands are guilty! At least, the picture says so. Lionel Barrymore is being highly complimented for his work in "Guilty Hands," and so is Kay Francis, shown here with him in one of the vital moments of that film Three cheers for Robert Montgomery! He is not only handsome but his acting is superb. I saw "Shipmates" four times and enjoyed it more each time. Dorothy Jordan is the type to play opposite him — not Garbo or Shearer. Ann McMiller, Minneapolis, Minn. Have just seen "This Modern Age" and after seeing Pauline Frederick, I am wondering why she is playing featured parts instead of starring? As an actress she towers over many. She has finish, technique and a warmth in her work which most stars lack. Esther Conxow, Philadelphia, Penna. Do give us more of Claudette Colbert. She is simply wonderful, possessing a distinct charm and exotic personality all her own. Mary Child, San Diego, Calif. Let us see more of that adorable little Dorothy Jordan. I see all her pictures. June Campbell, New Orleans, La. Junior Durkin is a marvelous actor and a genuine boy. Is there higher praise for a boy actor than that? Ethel Marie Helmer, Iron River, Wis. Posey for Sylvia I hope Sylvia Sidney will get the breaks. She is so refreshingly different from the rank and file that, in spite of the fact that she has appeared in only a few pictures, she now holds the place in my esteem which Greta Garbo has held. True, Garbo is different too, but not as humanly so as is Sylvia. Joy Bundenth al, Lansing, Mich. [ please turn to page 93 ] 15