Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1930)

Brief Reviews of Current Pictures 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 ] • 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) FORWARD PASS, THE -First National.— A bright, entertaining film, well acted by Loretta Young, Fairbanks the Younger, Guinn Williams and Peanuts Byron. Doug is one movie football hero who doesn't bring on blind staggers. All Talkie. (Feb.) FOUR DEVILS— Fox.— Talk has been added to last part of F. W. Murnau's good circus film. You'll ht-ar 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.) FROZEN JUSTICE— Fox.— Hot melodrama of the cold North. Lenore Ulric and Louis Wolheim excellent. AH Talkie. (Nov.) • GENERAL CRACK.— Warners.— John Barrymore's famous voice is heard from the screen for the first time in this highly-colored and very entertaining costume drama. John is fine and Marian Nixon heads an excellent supporting cast. All Talkie. (Jan.) GENTLEMAN PREFERRED, A— Supreme.— From cowboy to earl in one badly-aimed picture. Silent. (Sept.) GIRL FROM HAVANA, THE— Fox.— A racy story of gentlemen who prefer diamonds which don't belong to them. Clever cast. All Talkie. (Nov.) GIRL IN THE GLASS CAGE, THE— First National.— The glassed-in girl, incase you wondered, is a theater ticket seller, played bv Loretta Young. Pretty bad. Part Talkie. (Oct.) GIRL IN THE SHOW, THE— M-G-M.— A charming little backstage sttjry, which, for a wonder, isn't punctuated by theme songs and huge stage shots. All Talkie. (Feb.) GLORIFYING THE AMERICAN GIRL— Paramount.— Everyone except ex-president Coolidge had a hand in the making of this — and it shows. But big names aren't enough and even an Eddie Cantor comedy bit can't save this feeble effort. All Talkie. (Jan.) GOLD DIGGERS OF BROADWAY— Warners. — Showing the girls at their pick and shove! work. Noteworthy for its beautiful all-Technicolor treatment and its catchy tunes. All Talkie. (Nov.) GRAND PARADE, THE— Pathe.— A sad little yarn about a boarding house slavey who loves a minstrel man who loves a burlesque queen. Helen Twelvetrees out-Gishes Lillian as the heroine. All Talkie. {Feb.) 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. All Talkie. (Dec.) • GREENE MURDER CASE, THE— Paramount.— Another fine Van Dine murder mystery film, with Bill Powell an elegant Philo Vance. All Talkie. (Sept.) HALF MARRIAGE — Radio Pictures.— Another and duller one about companionate marriage, occasionally redeemed by Olive Borden. Sound. (Oct.) HALF WAY TO HEAVEN— Paramount.— This romantic story with a carnival background is one of Buddy Rogers' best and Buddy crashes through with a virile performance. All Talkie. (Jan.) • HALLELUJAH— M-G-M.— Striking epic of the negro, sensitively directed and spontaneously acted. All Talkie. (Oct.) HANDCUFFED— Rayart.— 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 Dorothy Mackaill. All Talkie. (Nov.) HEARTS IN EXILE— Warners — Gradually it sneaks up on us — Dolores Costello. lovely though she is, is not an actress. A poor picture. All Talkie. (Feb.) • HER PRIVATE AFFAIR— Pathe.— Make it your private affair to see Ann Harding in this exciting tale. She's glorious 1 All Talkie. (Nov.) HIS FIRST COMMAND— Pathe.— A pretty sorry affair with the exception of some spectacular parade-ground shots and William Boyd's new and pleasing talkie personality. All Talkie. (Jan.) HIS GLORIOUS NIGHT— M-G-M.— All talk and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Due largely to the fact that he is required to chatter continually, John Gilbert's first talkie appearance is disappointing. All Talkie. (Jan.) HOLD YOUR MAN— Universal.— Tsch. tsch— and just when Laura LaPlante was coming along so nicely, too. Miss this one. All Talkie. (Jan.) • 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. (Sept.) HOLLYWOOD STAR, A— Educational-Sennett. — Two reels of hilarious satire about a Western star who makes a personal appearance at a small town theater. A bulls-eye. All Talkie. (Jan.) 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.) HOT FOR PARIS— Fox.— Good, rough fun, concocted by Raoul Walsh in his best Cock Eyed World manner. Vic McLaglen, F.l Brendel and Fifi Dorsay — all elegant. All Talkie. (Feb.) HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY— UFA-Paramount. ■ — A real beauty. This simplt rural tale is exquisitely directed and superbly acted by an ace-high German cast. Sound. (Nov.) HURRICANE — Columbia.— This old-fashioned sea yarn seems new and stimulating midst the present crop of talkie-dancie-croonies. It's a clean cut and convincing thriller and Hobart Bosworth is just elegant. All Talkie. (Jan.) ILLUSION — ■Paramount. — Buddy Rogers as a man about town may disappoint the girls — but Nancy Carroll is excellent. All Talkie. (Nov.) IN OLD CALIFORNIA— Audible Film Corp.— Love and hate Under a Spanish Moon (Theme song.) Ho hum. All Talkie. (Nov.) IS EVERYBODY HAPPY?— Warners.— The answer is emphatically "No !" As an actor Ted Lewis is a fine saxophone player. All Talkie. (Jan.) ISLE OF LOST SHIPS, THE— First National — Scenically this fantastic melodrama is a triumph; conversationally, not so hot. Noah Beery, Jason Robards and Virginia Valli handle the leads well. All Talkie. (Jan.) • IT'S A GREAT LIFE— M-G-M— A riotous comedy of the life of a vaudeville sister team as portrayed by the Duncan sisters who ought to know. Rosetta and Vivian deliver snappily and Larry Gray clicks again. All Talkie. (Jan.) IT'S EASY TO BECOME A FATHER— UFA.— The German idea of a funny farce about an American girl running wild abroad. Silent. (Sept.) JAZZ HEAVEN— Radio Pictures.— If your resistance is low you may be touched by this sentimental little tale about a song writer and the girl who helps him make good. Pathos by John Mack Brown and Sallv O'Neil and comedy by Joseph Cawthorne. All Talkie. (Jan.) JEALOUSY — Paramount. — De mortuis nihil nisi bonum. It is unfortunate that Jeanne Eagels' last picture should be so unworthy of her artistry. All Talkie. (Dec.) JOY STREET— Fox.— Oh, how the kids carry onl Younger generation stuff and possibly you'll like it. LoisMoran, Nick Stuart. Sound. (Sept.) • 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 still 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. All 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. (Sept.) [ PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 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 Anna Christie— M-G-M 54 Battle of Paris, The— Paramount 101 Blaze o' Glory— Sono Art-World Wide. 101 Broadway Hoofer, The — Columbia. ... 101 Burning Up — Paramount . . 56 Case of Sergeant Grischa, The — Radio Pictures 54 City Girl— Fox .56 Courtin' Wildcats — Universal 101 Girl from Woohvorths, The — First National 101 Girl of the Fort, The— Radio Pictures . 101 Harmony at Home — Fox 57 Hell's Heroes — Universal 57 Hot Dogs— M-G-M 101 U Page Last Dance, The — Audible Pictures . .101 Laughing Lady, The— Paramount 55 Maid to Order— Jesse Weil Prod 102 Men Without Women — Fox 56 Night Ride — Universal 101 No, \To, Nanette— First National 54 Painted Angel, The— First National. . . 57 Parade of the West, The— Universal . . .101 Party Girl— Tiffany-Stahl 101 Phantom in the House, The — Continental 102 Rampant Age, The— Trem Carr 101 Roadhouse Nights — Paramount 55 Rogue's Song, The— M-G-M 55 Page Royal Box, The— Warners 101 Sally — First National 56 Second Choice — Warners 101 So This Is Paris Green — ParamountChristie 57 Street of Chance — Paramount 56 Talk of Hollywood, The — Sono ArtWorld Wide 102 They Learned About Women — M-G-M 56 Tiger Rose — Warners 57 Undertow — Universal 101 Wasted Love — British International. . . 101 Wild Heart of Africa, The — Supreme. .101 Woman Racket, The— M-G-M 57