Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1930)

Brief Reviews of Current Pictures Photoplays not otherwise designated are All Talkie ^Indicates that photoplay was named as one of the six best upon its month of review ACQUITTED — Columbia. — Underworld drama with a real punch. Sam Hardy is more amusing than ever. (Feb.) AFTER THE FOG— Beacon Prod.— If you like relentless drama about cruel husbands and martyred wives, you'll like this. (Jan.) • ANNA CHRISTIE— M-G-M.— The Great Garbo talks — and remains great! A faultlessly directed picture with superb characterizations by Garbo. Charles Bickford, Marie Dressier and George Marion. (March) APPLAUSE — Paramount. — When this is good, it's verv, very good and when it's bad it's — you know. Helen Morgan, in a r61e which does not take advantage of her unique talents, does some brilliant work none the less. (Jan.) AVIATOR, THE— Warners.— Edward Everett Horton is afraid of anything that goes up. Patsy Ruth Miller is the hero-worsliipping girl friend. Need a few laughs? (April) BARNUM WAS RIGHT— Universal.— Miss this one unless you're one of those people old P. T. was talking about. (Feb.) BATTLE OF PARIS, THE— Paramount.— Gertrude Lawrence, stage favorite, doing none too well in a trite musical comedy. Snap into it, Gertie, and show 'em what you can do when you try! (March) BE YOURSELF— United Artists. — Fanny Brice falls for a boxer who falls for a gold-digger. Another "My Man" plot. Only fair. (April) BEAU BANDIT— Radio Pictures.— Yeh, Rod La Rocque with a Spanish accent again. Doris Kenyon sings beautifully. Old-fashioned Western. (April) BECAUSE I LOVED YOU— Aafa Tobis— Interesting because first made-in-Germany talker shown in America; 65 per cent dialogue, German, of course. Part Talkie. (April) BEHIND THE MAKE-UP— Paramount.— More backstage melodrama, but different and real tfis time. Hal Skelly is a restrained Pagliacci and Fay Wray and Kay Francis are good. (Dec.) BIG PARTY, THE— Fox.— A Sue Carol picture, but they handed it to Dixie Lee. Heaps of comedy, some true love and villainy. (April) 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 o\ds singing about moonlight madness you'll like this. (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. ( Nov.) BISHOP MURDER CASE, THE— M-G-M.— Murder a la Mother Goose, with Basil Rathbone Philo V anting this time. Plenty of thrills. (Feb.) • BLACKMAIL— Sono Art— World Wide.— A few like this excellent phonoplay will put British producers among the leaders in the talkie race. (Dec.) BLAZE O' GLORY— Sono Art— World Wide.— One of those leopard pictures — it's spotty. Some of the spots are good and some are bad. Eddie Dowling shows a nice personality and a good singing voice. (March) BROADWAY HOOFER, THE— Columbia.— You'll like Marie Saxon, musical comedy star, in her first talkie. A stimulating back stage comedy. (March) BROADWAY SCANDALS— Columbia.— Version No. 999 of Love Behind the Scenes — with music. A new lad named Jack Egan looks like Buddy Rogers ana sings nicely. Carmel Myers glitters as the vamp. (Jan.) BURNING UP — Paramount. — Your money's worth in entertainment. A neat little comedy with some thrilling racing sequences and that admirably natural actor, Dick Arlen. (March) CALL OF THE CIRCUS, THE— Pickwick Prod. — Worth seeing because it proves that Francis X. Bushman and Ethel Clayton can still act. Otherwise nil. (Dec.) CAMEO KIRBY— Fox.— The famous old romance of a river gambler revived gracefully but not excitedly. J. Harold Murray sings well and Stepin Fetchit sings. (Feb.) • CASE OF SERGEANT GRISCHA, THE— Radio Pictures. — Stark, compelling drama with a war background. An important picture, although too drab to appeal universally. Chester Morris is a magnificent Grischa. (March) CHASING RAINBOWS— M-G-M.— (Reviewed under the title "The Road Show.") Another one. Bessie Love Pagliacches over Charlie King as in "Broadway Melody." Polly Moran. Marie Dressier and Jack Bennv are funny, but even so it's just another — oh, you say it. (Jan.) Pictures You Should Not Miss "The Trespasser" "Rio Rita" "Sunny Side Up" "The Taming of the Shrew" "Condemned" "The Virginian" "Paris" 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. CITY GIRL— Fox.— Originally begun as a silent picture ("Our Daily Bread") by Director F. W. Murnau. Gets off to a powerful start, but turns talkie and collapses. Charlie Farrell and Mary Duncan are fine. Part Talkie. (March) CLANCY CAUGHT SHORT— Edward Small Prod. — The recent stock market debacle is material for gags. It's a comedy. (April) COLLEGE COQUETTE, THE— Columbia.— Another picture of college life as it ain't. There ought to be a law. (Nov.) • CONDEMNED— United Artists.— A beautiful and thrilling story, crammed with action and romance. You'll like Ronald Colman's sophisticated yet appealing portrayal. And Dudley Digges, Ann Harding and Louis Wolheim are grand. (Jan.) COURTIN' WILDCATS— Universal.— "Hoot" Gibson tames a Wild West shrew, modern version. Mildly entertaining. (March) DAMES AHOY— Universal.— Glenn Tryon in a smart-cracking sailor role. But the dialogue writer didn't feel funny that day. (April) DANCE HALL — Radio Pictures. — Arthur Lake is grand as the youngster who haunts the local dance hall where Olive Borden, in a blonde wig, is a hostess. Amusing. (Feb.) DANGEROUS FEMALES — Paramount-Christie. — A hilariously funny two-reeler. And why not, with both Marie Dressier and Polly Moran cavorting in their best manner? (Feb.) DANGEROUS P A R A D I S E— Paramount.— Taken from Conrad's South Sea yarn "Victory." Begins well but goes astray. Dick Arlen and Nancy Carroll good, as always. (Feb.) DARK SKIES — Biltmore. — Old time yarn of "East Lynne" vintage. Terrible. (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. (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. (Dec.) DELIGHTFUL ROGUE, THE— Radio Pictures. — Rod La Rocque gives such a superb performance as a villainous pirate that the heroine marries him instead of the herol (Dec.) • DEVIL MAY CARE— M-G-M.— A moving picture that both moves and talks. Swift and colorful romance, with Novarro giving one of the finest performances of his career and Dorothy Jordan and Marion Harris scoring heavily. Some swell vocalizing. (Feb.) • DISRAELI — Warners. — Introducing George Arliss to the audible screen in one of his most brilliant characterizations. He's grand. (Dec.) DOCTOR'S WOMEN, THE— World Wide.— Just forget this was ever made. That's what its producers would probably like to do. Silent. (Dec.) DRAKE CASE, THE — Universal. — Tense murder melodrama. Noteworthy chiefly for the late Gladys Brockwell's fine performance in the leading r61e. (Nov.) DUDE WRANGLER, THE — Mrs. Wallace Reid Prod. — A bang-up Western comedy done magno cum gusto. C hildren can safely take their parents. (Feb.) EMPIRE BUILDERS, THE— Carlsbad Prod.— An unintentional burlesque on "TheCovered Wagon." But Tom Santschi — remember him?— proves he is still a real he-man actor. (Jan.) EVIDENCE — Warners. — Bewhiskered drammer of circumstantial evidence in the divorce courts. But Pauline Frederick is swell and so is the rest of the cast. (Dec.) • FARO NELL — Paramount-Christie.— A reviewer's dream of what a two-reel talking comedv should be and usually isn't. Gorgeously acted burlesque of the old-time Western thriller with Louise Fazenda in long yellow curls. (Dec.) FAST COMPANY— Paramount.— Baseball stuff adapted from Ring Lardnet's play "Elmer the Great" and garnished with bright lines. Jack Oakje takes the honors and Evelyn Brent is miscast. ( Nov.) FAST LIFE— First National.— "Still Life" would be a more accurate title for this melodrama. It drags. Loretta Young is lovely. ( Nov.) [ PLEASE TURN TO PACE 10 ] ■