Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1930)

Brief Reviews of Current Pictures [ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 ] FAST COMPANY— Paramount.— Baseball stuff adapted from Ring Lardncr's play "Elmer the Great" and garnished with bright lines. Jack Oakie takes the honors and Evelyn Brent is miscast. All Talkie. (Nov.) FAST LIFE — First National. — "Still Life" would be a more accurate title for this melodrama. It drags. Loretta Young is lovely. AU Talkie. (Nov.) FATHER AND SON — Columbia. — Doing right byDad. With the inevitable "sonny boy" motif. Part Talkie. (Aug.) FLIGHT — Columbia. — The first flying talkie, and good, too. Love and adventure among the flying marines, illustrated by Jack Holt, Ralph Graves and Lila Lee. All Talkie. (Dec.) FLYING FOOL, THE — Pathe. — Hit-the-sky melodrama with Marie Prevost crooning a theme song — and howl All Talkie. (Aug.) • FOOTLIGHTS AND FOOLS— First National.— Colleen Moore's best since "We Moderns." She wears mad gowns and wigs and sings French songs with a naughty lilt. All Talkie. (Dec.) FOUR DEVILS— Fox.— Talk has been added to last part of F. W. Murnau's good circus film. You'll hear Janet Gaynor. Part Talkie. (Sept.) • FOUR FEATHERS, THE — Paramount. — The story of a coward's regeneration grafted on a nature film shot in the Soudan. Excellent film, with Richard Arlen fine. Sound. (Sept.) • FOX MOVIETONE FOLLIES— Fox.— Lots of good tunes, swell comedy' by Stepin Fetchit and the good-looking girls that go with any revue. All Talkie. (July.) FROZEN JUSTICE— Fox.— Hot melodrama of the cold North. Lenore Llric and Louis Wolheim excellent. All Talkie. (Nov.) GAMBLERS, THE— Warners.— Well acted story of high finance with a prettv theme song. AH Talkie. (July.) GENTLEMAN PREFERRED, A— Supreme.— From cowboy to earl in one badly-aimed picture. SUent. (Sept.) GIRL FROM HAVANA, THE— Fox.— A racystory of gentlemen who prefer diamonds which don't belong to them. Clever cast. AU Talkie. (Nov.) GIRL IN THE GLASS CAGE, THE— First National.— The glassed-in gal. in case you wondered, is a theater ticket seller, plaved by Loretta Young. Pretty bad. Part Talkie. (Oct.) GIRLS GONE WILD — Fox.— Plenty hot and plenty fast. Sound. (July.) GLAD RAG DOLL, THE— Warners.hokum. AU Talkie. (Aug.) -Mostly GOLD DIGGERS OF BROADWAY— Warners. — Showing the gals at their pick and shovel work. Noteworthy for its beautiful all-Technicolor treatment and its catchy tunes. All Talkie. (Nov.) GREAT GABBO, THE— James Cruze Prod.— A corking dramatic story ruined by the interpolation of musical revue stuff. Von Stroheim and Compson save the pieces. AU Talkie. (Dec.) • GREENE MURDER CASE. THE— Paramount.— Another fine Van Dine murder mysteryfilm, with Bill PoweU an elegant Phito Vance. All Talkie. (Sepl.) GUN LAW — FBO. — A lot of shooting, all in fun. Silent. (July.) HALF MARRIAGE— Radio Pictures.— Another and duller one about companionate marriage, occasionally redeemed by Olive Borden. Sound. (Oct.) • HALLELUJAH— M-G-M.— Striking epic of the negro, sensitively directed and spontaneously acted. AU Talkie. (Oct.) HANDCUFFED — Ray-art. — Poverty Row at its worst which is pretty bad. All Talkie. (Dec.) HARD TO GET — First National. — Corinne Griffith's excellent silent film "Classified" revived as a far-from-excellent talkie with Dorothv Mackaill. All Talkie. (A'ot.) • HER PRIVATE AFFAIR— Pathe.— Make it your private affair to see Ann Harding in this exciting tale. She's glorious! AU Talkie. (Nov.) HIGH VOLTAGE— Pathe.— Stupid and morbid. All Talkie. (Aug.) HOLE IN THE WALL, THE— Paramount.— Confusing crook storv, acted bv a good cast. AU Talkie. (July.) • HOLLYWOOD REVUE OF 1929— M-G-M. — A great big merry girl and music show, with all the Metro people from Gilbert and Shearer on down. All Talkie. (Sepl.) HONKY TONK— Warners.— Story of a night club mamma with a heart of gold. With Sophie Tucker and her songs. AU Talkie. (July.) HONOR — Sovkino. — Interesting because a product of the Armenian studios of the Russian Soviet National Film Company. The leading man is an Armenian John Gilbert. Silent. (Dec.) HOOFBEATS OF VENGEANCE — Universal. — Even worse than it sounds. Rex, the marvelous horse star, has a ramshackle vehicle to pull. Silent. (Oct.) HOTTENTOT, THE— Warners.— Hilarious farce comedy. You'U like it. AU Talkie. (July.) HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY— UFA-Paramount. — A real beauty. This simple rural tale is exquisitelydirected and superbly acted by an ace-high German cast. Sound. (.Vop.) IDLE RICH, THE— M-G-M.— Literal translation of the stage play, "White Collars." with good acting. AU Talkie. (Aug.) ILLUSION — Paramount. — Buddy Rogers as a man about town may disappoint the girls — but Nancy Carroll is excellent. AU Talkie. (Nov.) • INNOCENTS OF PARIS — Paramount. — Inconsequential plot made delightful by the charming personality of Maurice Chevalier. All Talkie. (July.) IN OLD CALIFORNIA— Audible Film Corp.— Love and hate Under a Spanish Moon (Theme song.) Ho hum. All Talkie. (Nov.) IT'S EASY TO BECOME A FATHER— UFA.— The German idea of a funny farce about an American gal running wild abroad. Silent. (Sepl.) JEALOLTSY — Paramount. — De raortuis nihil nisi bonum. It is unfortunate that Jeanne Eagels' last picture 'should be so unworthy of her artistry. AU Talkie. (Dec.) JOY STREET — Fox. — Oh. how the kids carry onl Younger generation stuff and possibly you'll like it. Lois Moran, Nick Stuart. Sound. (Sepl.) • KIBITZER — Paramount. — You may have to buy a new vest from laughing after you see this. Harry Green's comedy is grand. All Talkie. (Nov.) KISS, THE— M-G-M. — The mysterious and silent Garbo, still silent, still mysterious and stiU Garbo. Sound. (Dec.) KITTY — World Wide.— First foreign-made picture to be synchronized with talking sequences and music. Good entertainment against a beautiful English background. Part Talkie. (Oct.) • LADY LIES, THE — Paramount. — Magnificently acted and staged drawing room comedy. Walter Huston and beautiful Claudette Colbert are stunning lovers and Charles Ruggles is a delightful drunk. AU Talkie. (Dec.) • LAST OF MRS. CHEYNEY, THE— M-G-M. — Norma Shearer as a charming and wily lady crook who plies her trade amongst Britain's bluebloods. All Talkie. (Oct.) LAST PERFORMANCE, THE — Universal. — Conrad Veidt as a magician in a much over-acted and over-directed film. Part Talkie. (Sepl.) LAUGHING AT DEATH— FBO.— Bob Steele, the Western actor, in curls and ribbons as one of these mythical princes. WhoopsI Silent. (Sept.) LIGHT FINGERS— Columbia.— Nice balancebetween action and dialogue in this melodrama about a gang of jewel thieves. All Talkie. (Nov.) LOVE DOCTOR. THE — Paramount. — Richard Dix's last picture for Paramount. Dix and June Collyer are pleasing. All Talkie. (Nov.) • LOVE PARADE, THE — Paramount. — SparkUngas Burgundy. Director Lubitsch conquers light opera, and Maurice Chevalier conquers all. Jeanette MacDonald is a treat to the eyes and ears. AU Talkie. (Dec.) LOVE TRAP, THE — Universal. — Laura LaPlante. with little help from Neil Hamilton, proves that chorus girls are good girls. Part Talkie. (Sept.) [ PLEASE TURN TO PACE 16 ] Photoplays Reviewed in the Shadow Stage This Issue Save this magazine — refer to the criticisms before you pic\ out your evening's entertainment. Ma\e this your reference list. Page After the Fog— Beacon Prod 98 Applause — Paramount 98 Broadway Scandals — Columbia 98 Condemned — United Artists 50 Dulcy— M-G-M 50 Empire Builders, The— Carlsbad Prod . . 99 General Crack — Warners 50 Glorifying the American Girl — Paramount 98 Half Way to Heaven — Paramount 52 His First Command — Pathe 98 His Glorious Night— M-G-M 53 Hold Your Man — Universal 99 Hollywood Star, A — Educational Sennett 52 Page Hurricane — Columbia 98 Is Everybody Happy? — Warners 98 Isle of Lost Ships, The — First National 53 It's a Great Life— M-G-M 52 Jazz Heaven — Radio Pictures 98 Lone Star Ranger, The — Fox 98 Long, Long Trail, The — Universal 98 Love, Live and Laugh — Fox 98 Marriage Playground, The — Paramount 51 Navy Blues— M-G-M 53 Nix on Dames — Fox 98 Paris — First National 52 Return of Sherlock Holmes, The — Paramount 98 Page Road Show, The— M-G-M 98 Romance of Rio Grande — Fox 51 Seven Faces — Fox 53 Shanghai Lady — Universal 53 Shannons of Broadway, The — Universal 53 Sins of the Cradle— Goodwill 99 Skinner Steps Cut — Universal 98 South Sea Rose — Fox 52 This Thing Called Love— Pathe 51 3 Sisters, The— Fox 98 Vagabond Lover, The — Radio Pictures 52 Venus — United Artists 99 Whispering Winds— Tiff any-Stahl 98 13