Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1928)

* Indicates that photoplay was named as one of the six best upon its month of review Brief Reviews of Current Pictures ABIE'S IRISH ROSE— Paramount.— The preat and original IrishJewish comedy, played by a hkeable cast headed by Charles Ropers. Nancy Carroll, Bernard Gorcey and Ida Kramer. If this aoesn't amuse you, you are in the minority. (Aprtl.) ACROSS THE ATLANTIC— Warners.— A war and aeroplane story that furnishes routine entertainment. (February.) ALEX THE GRE.\T— FBO.— The funny adventures of a countrv bov who comes to New York to "Press his pants with the Flatiron building." With "Skeels" Gallagher. (May.) ALIAS THE LONE WOLF— Columbia.— Bert Lytell returns to the character that made him famous ten years ago. .A crook story, well told, agreeably acted and safely presented for the family. (January.) AMERICAN BEAUTY— First National.— Billle Dove has her fling at playing a modern Cinderella. Frothy but nice. (December.) APACHE RAIDER, THE— Pathe.— Leo Maloney gets all hot and bothered about a few stolen cows. (Hay.) BABY MIN'E— Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. — Karl Dane, George K. Arthur and Charlotte Greenwood in an old farce, dressed up in new gags. (February.) BARE KNEES— Gotham.— Proving that the flappers are not as bad as their big sisters. With Virginia Lee Corbin and Jane Winton. (May.) BATTLE OF THE CENTURY. THE— MetroGoldwyn-Mayer. — More than three thousand pies were used in one sequence of this two reel comedy. A burlesque on the fistic doings in Chicago. (January.) BATTLES OF CORONEL AND FALKLAND ISLANDS, THE— Artlee.— An authentic record of two big naval engagements between Germany and England. The picture tries to be a "Potemkin" — but misses. (May.) ♦BEAU SABREUR— Paramount.— Not another "Beait Geste," but a thrilling and picturesque tale, neverthekss. You'll like Evelyn Brent. Gary Cooper, William Powell and Noah Beery. (March.) BECKY — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. — Again the jxxiT working girl goes on the stage. A light, routine comedy brightened by the antics of two Irishers — Sally O'Ncil and Owen Moore. (February.) BEYOND LONDON'S LIGHTS— FBO.— The young master gets familiar with the second girl and the result is a battle between the high hats and the lower classes in dear old London. (May.) BIG CITY. THE— Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.Lon Chaney and Betty Compson re-united in a crook «tory in which Lon prove.s that he needs no trick make-up to make him a fascinating person. (March.) BIG NOISE, THE— First Nation.nl.— Concerning a city election. And just about as interesting. (May.) BIRDS OF PREY— Columbia.— Prisdlla Dean goes in for a little ladylike banditry. The results arcn t thrilling. (December.) BLACK FEATHER. THE— Wm. Pizer.— Very odd mystery drama with what is known as a "society background. " Some of the characters seem a little demented. (May.) BLONDE FOR A NIGHT. A— Pathe-De Millr.— A light domestic (arce made agreeable by the cheering presencrs of Marie Prevost. Harrison Ford and T. BLONDES BY CHOICE-Gotham.-The adventures of Claire Windsor, as a beauty expert, in a community of women with "plenty of sex but no appeal.' Not bad. Mortimer! (December) BODY AND SOUL— Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.— Should a surgeon kill his wife's boy friend? Even the acting of Aileen Pringle. Lionel Barrymore and Norman Kerry can't enliven this cheery little problem. (December.) BODY PUNCH, THE— Universal.— All the makings of a good picture and some ring stuff that %vill go big with the men. You'll like it. (May.) BOY OF THE STREET, A— Rayart— Wherein a little brother reforms a crook. Young Mickey Bennett makes the sentimental yarn agTeeah]e.(January.) BRANDED SOMBRERO, THE— Fox.— Buck Jones plays Buck Jones in a conventional picture that is only enlivened by a good fight. (March.) Pictures You Should Not Miss "The Big Parade" "The King of Kings" "Beau Geste" "Sorrell and Son" "The Circus" "The Last Command" "Love" "Abie's Irish Rose'' "The Trail of '98" "The Patent Leather Kid" "The Noose" "Speedy" As a service to its readers, Photoplay Magazine presents brief critical comments on all photoplays of the preceding si.\ 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 con cisely 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. BRASS KNUCKLES— Warners.— More crooks re'?,■:";• i''""''s';" t'"! sweet presence of Betty Bronson. With Monte Blue and Bill Russell. And rather good, at that. (January.) BREAKFAST AT SUNRISE-First National.I.ively httlr French farce about one of those trick marriages. Deftly played by Con.stance Talmadge. The children will prefer Tom Mix. (December.) BRIDE OF THE COLORADO, THE— PatheDe Mille. — Starring the Grand Canyon of Colorado. And what a great, big canyon it has grown to bel Nice scenery, but the picture offers little story interest. (May.) BRINGING UP FATHER— Metro-GoldwynMayer.— Rolling-pin humor built around the characters of the comic strip. Polly Moran and Marie Dressier are funny. (April.) BROADWAY MADNESS— Excellent.— Proving that people who go to the deuce on Broadway always reform at the first whifl of country air. (December.) BRONCO STOMPER, THE— Pathe.— It is Don Coleman's turn to outwit the villains in this Western. Some good pictures of a rodeo. (May.) Malcolm McGregor. Eddie Gribbon Putti and ZaSu Pitts are the members of an excellent cast. (January.) BURNING DAYLIGHT— First National. — An exciting tale of gold rush days that makes splendid entertainment. You'll like Milton Sills and Doris Kenyon. (April.) ♦BUTTONS— Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.— A sea story, with Jackie Coogan as a cabin boy on a big ocean liner. A real thriller with gallant work by Jackie. For the whole family. (December.) BY WHOSE HAND?— Columbia.— Those doggone jewels are missing again. The result is the usual ga-ga crook stuff. (March.) CABARET KID, THE— Peerless.— Made in England and France, with Betty Balfour, the Belle of Britain, as its star. Some good scenes but a disconnected story. (January.) CAME THE DAWN— Ha! Roach-M.-G.-M.— Max Davidson and Polly Moran have some bad moments in a haunted house. A short comedy, but funny. (May.) CASEY JONES— Rayart.— "Come all you rounders if you want to hear." Simple melodrama with Ralph Lewis as the brave engineer. (February.) CHASER, THE— First National.— Harry Langdon and a lot of gags— some of them too rough to be in good taste. Don't cry if you miss it. (A pril.) CHEATING CHEATERS — Universal. — Fun among a lot of unusually agreeable crooks. With Betty Compson and Kenneth Harlan. (February.) CHEER LEADER, THE— Gotham.— This time the cheer leader rushes in and wins the game for dear old Alma Mater. All right, if you still have a taste for college pictures. (March.) ♦CHICAGO — Pathe-De Mille.— A shrewd satire on the lady murderess, beloved of the newspapers. And Phyllis Haver. Grown-up entertainment. See it. (February.) CHICAGO AFTER MIDNIGHT— FBO —Ralph Ince in a vigorous melodrama built around the sufferings of another one of those innocent crooks. (March.) CHINATOWN CHARLIE— First National.— Johnny Hines cuts down on the gags and builds up the plot, and the result is one of his best pictures. (May.) CHINESE PARROT, THE— Universal.— Who swiped the pearl necklace? The mystery is well sustained and the Oriental backgrounds are interesting. And .Sojin does a real Lon Chaney. (January.) [ CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 ]