Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1930)

Brief Reviews of Current Pictures ■^Indicates that photoplay was named as one of the six best upon its month of review ALOHA HAWAII— All Star.— Unusual production based on Hawaiian legend. With native cast in Hawaiian settings. Silent. (Aug,) • ARGYLE CASE, THE— Warners.— Fascinating mvsterv story with a swell performance by Thomas Meighan. All Talkie. (Aug.) • AWFUL TRUTH, THE — Pathe. — Delightful lna Claire in a sophisticated drama. Excellent support by Paul Harvey. All Talkie. (Oct.) BACHELOR GIRL. THE— Columbia.— Dull love triangle, but nicely acted by Jacqueline Logan and William Collier, Jr. Part Talkie. (Sept.) BEHIND THAT CURTAIN— Fox.— Well done but rambling mystery melodrama well acted by Warner Baxter and Lois Moran. All Talkie. (Sept.) BEHIND THE MAKE-UP— Paramount.— More backstage melodrama, but different and real this time. Hal Skelly is a restrained Pagliacci and Fay Wray and Kay Francis are good. All Talkie. (Dec.) BIG DIAMOND ROBBERY, THE— FBO.— Cowboy Mix in a fast and thrilling one. Silent. (July.) BIG NEWS— Pathe.— Another, and obvious, story of an unhappy young reporter, with pleasing work by Bob Armstrong and Carol Lombard. All Talkie. (Sept.) BIG REVUE, THE— All-Star.— All-singing and toddling juvenile extravaganza featuring the so-called Ethel Meglin Wonder kids. If you like to hear ten-year-olds singing about moonlight madness you'll like this. All Talkie. (Nov.) *' BIG TIME— Fox.— This is closer than a brother to "Burlesque." but it's darned good. Dialogue is bright and Lee Tracy and Mae Clarke make the story convincing. All Talkie. (Nov.) BLACK MAGIC— Fox.— Another priceless title gone wrong. South Sea life — and very dull, too. Sound. (Oct.) • BLACKMAIL— Sono Art -World Wide.— A few like this excellent phonoplay will put British producers among the leaders in the talkie race. All Talkie. (Dec.) BLACK WATCH, THE — Fox. — Extravagant melodrama of India, which just misses being one of the best. All Talkie. (Aug.) • BROADWAY— Universal.— The original and best night club melodrama. In spite of its grandiose settings, the story will get you. And some good acting. All Talkie. (Aug.) BROADWAY BABIES— First National.— Alice White as a chorus cutie at her best to date. Fred Kohler steals it as a big beer and booze man from Detroit. All Talkie. (Sept.) • BULLDOG DRUMMOND — GoldwynUnited Artists. — Great melodrama, intelligently produced and with a fine performance by Ronald Colman. Don't miss it. All Talkie. (July.) CALL OF THE CIRCUS, THE— Pickwick Prod. — Worth seeing because it proves that Francis X. Bushman and Ethel Clayton can still act. Otherwise nil. All Talkie. (Dec.) CAMPUS KNIGHTS— Chesterfield.— Life in a fashionable boarding-school — as it isn't. Don't waste your money. Silent. (Aug.) CAREERS — First National. — More intrigue and scandal in a white colony in Asia. Pretty good. All Talkie. (Aug.) CHARMING SINNERS — Paramount.— Well acted and intelligent drama. All Talkie. (Aug.) CHASING THROUGH EUROPE— Fox.— Sue Stuart and Nick Carol (our error!) seeing Europe witli lipstick and camera. Sound. (Oct.) CLEAN-UP, THE— Excellent.— A noble newspaper fellow cleans up the bootleggers. Not bad. Silent. (Aug.) CLIMAX, THE— Universal.— Jean Hersholt good as an old maestro in a picture of music, love and music lovers. All Talkie. (Sept.) • COCK EYED WORLD, THE— Fox.— Further disagreements of Sergeants Eddie Lowe Quirt and Vic McLaglen Flagg, with Lily Damita the chief trouble-maker. Highly seasoned. All Talkie. (Oct.) COCOANUTS, THE— Paramount.— Filmed version of the Marx Brothers' musical show. Some hilarious moments. All Talkie. (Aug.) COLLEGE COQUETTE, THE— Columbia.— Another picture of college life as it ain't. There ought to be a law. AH Talkie. (Nov.) COLLEGE LOVE— Universal.— "The Collegians" elaborated and improved. Lots of fun. All Talkie. (Aug.) COME ACROSS— Universal.— Just a round-up of discarded movie plots. Part Talkie. (July.) Pictures You Should Not Miss "The Cock Eyed World" "Hallelujah" "Hollywood Revue of 1929" "The Dance of Life" "Bulldog Drummond" "The Broadway Melody" "Alibi" 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. CONSTANT NYMPH, THE— Gainsborough.— Englisti production of a fine novel, told with taste and intelligence but badly photographed. Silent. (Aug.) • DANCE OF LIFE, THE— Paramount.— Hal Skelly and Nancy Carroll in an all-talkie made from the famous backstage play, "Burlesque." Grand. (Sept.) • DANGEROUS CURVES— Paramount— Clara Bow in tights in a love storv of a small circus. Richard Arlen does well. All Talkie. (Sept.) DARK SKIES— Biltmore.— Old time yarn of "East Lynne" vintage. Terrible. All Talkie, (Nov.) DARK STREETS— First National.— One of the first dual roles in the talkies. Jack Mulhall plays an honest cop and his gangster twin and Lila Lee is his (their?) gal. All Talkie. (Dec.) DARKENED ROOMS — Paramount. — Unimportant little comedy-drama with an O. Henry twist. Neil Hamilton scores but Evelyn Brent is again sacrificed to an unworthy vehicle. All Talkie. (Dec.) DAUGHTER OF HEAVEN— All Star.— Nicely done Chinese picture, with Lady Tsen Mai, prominent in "The Letter," in lead. Silent. (Sept.) DELIGHTFUL ROGUE, THE— Radio Pictures. —Rod LaRocque gives such a superb performance as a villainous pirate that the heroine marries him instead of the hero I All Talkie. (Dec.) DEVIL'S CHAPLAIN, THE— Rayart.— Adventures of royalty in America. Fairly entertaining. Silent. (July.) • DISRAELI — Warners. — Introducing George Arliss to the audible screen in one of his most brilliant characterizations. He's grand. All Talkie. (Dec.) DOCTOR'S WOMEN, THE— World WideJust forget this was ever made. That's what its producers would probably like to do. Silent. (Dec.) • DRAG — First National. — Dick Barthelmess shines in a quiet domestic story, with Lila Lee a sensation in the film. All Talkie. (Sept.) DRAKE CASE, THE— Universal.— Tense murder melodrama. Noteworthy chiefly for the late Gladys Brockwell's fine performance in the leading role. All Talkie. (Nov.) DUKE STEPS OUT, THE— M-G-M. — Lightweight but amusing story of the romance of a cultured prize-fighter. Part Talkie. (July.) • DYNAMITE— M-G-M.— Stark drama, full of suspense, bringing to the screen two splendid players, Charles Bickford and Kay Johnson. All Talkie. (Oct.) EMBARRASSING MOMENTS — Universal. — Reginald Denny in a farce that manages to amuse in spite of its hoary plot. All Talkie. (Sept.) • EVANGELINE— United Artists.— Beautiful and touching film version of one of America's best-loved poems. Worth your while. Sound. (Aug.) EVIDENCE— Warners. — Bewhiskered drammer of circumstantial evidence in the divorce courts. But Pauline Frederick is swell and so is the rest of the cast. All Talkie. (Dec.) EXALTED FLAPPER, THE— Fox.— A princess turns flapper and upsets royal traditions. Frothy but funny. Sound. (July.) EYES OF THE UNDERWORLD— Universal.— Old-fashioned movie thriller. Silent. (July.) FALL OF EVE, THE— Columbia.— Rowdy farce of the buyer who comes to the big town to make whoopee. Ford Sterling, Patsy Rutli Miller. All Talkie. (Sept.) FAR CALL, THE— Fox. — Piracy in the Bering Sea. Plenty of action for your money. Sound. (Aug.) m • FARO NELL— Paramount-Christie.— A reviewer's dream of what a two-reel talking comedy should be and usually isn't. Gorgeously acted burlesque of the old-time Western thriller with Louise Fazenda in long yellow curls. All Talkie. (Dec.) • FASHIONS IN LOVE— Paramount.— Adolphe Menjou with a French accent. Amorous and amusing farce. All Talkie. (Aug.) I PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 ]