Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1930)

Brief Reviews of Current Pictures CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 ] FLIGHT— Columbia.— The first flying talkie, and good, too. Love and adventure among the living marines, illustrated by Jack Holt, Ralph Graves and Lila Lee. {Dec.) • 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. {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. (Feb.) FRAMED — Radio Pictures. — Evelyn Brent in an underworld story that gets across. Good trick climax. See it. {April) FROZEN JUSTICE— Fox.— Hot melodrama of the cold North. Lenore Ulric and Louis Wolheim excellent. {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. {Jan.) GIRL FROM HAVANA, THE— Fox.— A racy story of gentlemen who prefer diamonds which don't belong to them. Clever cast. (Nov.) GIRL FROM WOOLWORTHS, THE— First National. — That White girl comes through with a snappy number every time and this is one of the snappiest. Watch Rita Flynn, a newcomer. (March) GIRL IN THE SHOW, THE— M-G-M.— A charming little backstage story, which, for a wonder, isn't punctuated by theme songs and huge stage shots. (Feb.) GIRL OF THE PORT, THE— Radio Pictures — Nevertheless you'll enjoy Sally O'Neil's slick performance. (March) GIRL SAID NO, THE— M-G-M.— Whizzes along at breakneck speed. Wild Willie Haines kidnaps the girl he loves, and Marie Dressier becomes amiably spifflicated, as usual. (April) 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. (Jan.) GOLD DIGGERS OF BROADWAY— Warners. — Showing the girls at their pick and shovel work. Noteworthy for its beautiful all-Technicolor treatment and its catchy tunes. (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. (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. (Dec.) 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. {Jan.) HANDCUFFED— Ray art.— Poverty Row at its worst which is pretty bad. (Dec.) HARD TO GET— First National.— Corinne Griffith's excellent silent film "Classified" revived as a far-from-excellent talkie with Dorothy Mackaill. (Nov.) HARMONY AT HOME— Fox.— Want a good, hearty laugh? See this comedy of family life. Wm. Collier, Sr.. long-time stage favorite, makes an elegant screen debut. The girls will go for Rex Bell in a big way. (March) HEARTS IN EXILE— Warners.— Gradually it sneaks up on us — Dolores Costello, lovely though she is, is not an actress. A poor picture. (Feb.) • HELL HARBOR— United Artists.— Lupe Velez in a r&Ie that fits like a Sennett bathing suit. Grand melodrama peopled with descendants of Spanish pirates and an American sailor to rescue the girl. {April) HELL'S HEROES— Universal.— Peter B. Kyne fathered this gritty tale of the desert and Charles Bickford does more than right by the leading role. Very real. (March) • HER PRIVATE AFFAIR— Pathe— Make it your private affair to see Ann Harding in this exciting tale. She's gloriousl (Nov.) HER UNBORN CHILD— Windsor Picture Plays, Inc. — Grimmer side of sex. Sad faces, sad scenes. Excuse us for yawning. (April) 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. (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. (Jan.) HOLD YOUR MAN— Universal.— Tsch, tsch— and just when Laura LaPlante was coming along so nicely, too. Miss this one. (Jan.) HOLLYWOOD STAR, A— EducationalSennett. — Two reels of hilarious satire about a Western star who makes a persona! appearance at a small town theater. A bull's-eye. (Jan.) HONEY— Paramount. — "Come Out of the Kitchen," stage play and silent movie, made into a talkie. Light comedy, pleasing songs. Nancy Carroll and amazing little Mitzi Green. (April) 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) HOT DOGS— M-G-M.— A distinct novelty, this short subject, with an all dog cast, which makes it the first all-barkie. (March) HOT FOR PARIS — Fox. — Good, rough fun, concocted by Raoul Walsh in his best Cock Eyed World manner. Vic McLaglen, El Brendel and Fifi Dorsay — all elegant. (Feb.) HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY— UFA-Paramount. — A real beauty. This simple 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. (Jan.) ILLUSION— Paramount. — Buddy Rogers as a man about town may disappoint the girls — but Nancy Carroll is excellent. (Nov.) IN OLD CALIFORNIA— Audible Film Corp.— Love and hate Under a Spanish Moon (Theme song.) Ho hum. (Nov.) IS EVERYBODY HAPPY?— Warners.— The answer is emphatically "No!" As an actor Ted Lewis is a fine saxophone player. (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. (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. (Jan.) 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 Sally O'Neil and comedy by Joseph Cawthorne. {Jan.) JEALOUSY — Paramount. — De mortuis nihil nisi bonum. It is unfortunate that Jeanne Eagels' last picture should be so unworthy of her artistry. (Dec.) this. KIBITZER — Paramount. — You may have to buy a new vest from laughing after you see Harry Green's comedy is grand. (Nov.) KISS, THE— M-G-M.— The mysterious and silent Garbo, still silent, still mysterious and still Garbo. Sound. (Dec) • 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. (Dec.) LADY TO LOVE, A— M-G-M.— The stage play, "They Knew What They Wanted," made censorproof. Vilma Banky, Edward G. Robinson, and Robert Ames form the triangle. Some splendid acting. (April) [ PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 ] 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 Benson Murder Case, The — Paramountl44 Beyond the Rio Grande — Big Four Film 146 Chasing Rainbows — M-G-M 144 Children of Pleasure— M-G-M 144 China Express, The — Sovkino 145 Cohens and Rellys in Scotland — Universal 145 Crazy That Way— Fox 144 Double Cross Roads — Fox 145 Fighting Legion, The — Universal 56 Free and Easy— M-G-M 55 Gay Madrid— M-G-M 56 Golden Calf, The— Fox 57 Page Great Divide, The— First National. . . .145 Green Goddess, The — Warners 56 Happy Days — Fox 54 Hello, Sister — James Cruze Prod 146 He Trumped Her Ace — Sennett-Edu cational 57 Hideout — Universal 145 His Dark Chapter— Sono Art-World Wide 146 Kettle Creek — Universal 146 Let's Go Places — Fox 56 Light of Western Stars — Paramount. . . 55 Loose Ankles — First National 56 Lovin' the Ladies — Radio Pictures 57 Page Mamba— Tiffany Prod 144 Melody Man, The— Columbia 144 Murder Will Out— First National 145 On the Level — Fox 57 Paramount on Parade — Paramount 54 Royal Romance, A — Columbia 145 Sarah and Son — Paramount 55 She Couldn't Say No— Warners 145 Song of the West— Warners 145 Strictly Unconventional — M-G-M .... 57 Vagabond King, The — Paramount. ... 54 Vengeance — Columbia 57 White Cargo— W. P. Film Co 144 Young Eagles — Paramount 56 10