Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1930)

Brief Reviews of Current Pictures Photoplavs not otherwise designated are All Talkie •^Indicates that photoplay was named as one of the six best upon its month of review ALIAS FRENCH GERTIE— Radio Pictures — Bebe Daniels and Ben Lvon in crook picture made from Veillers play. "Chatterbox." A comeback for Ben, and Bebe at her best. ^June) • ALL pUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT — Universal. — Remarque's sensational war book, made into one of the outstanding pictures of the year. Powerful drama of war as it really is. {June) .^N'YBODY'S WAR— Paramount.— The Two Black Cro-.e!: join the army, with mildly amusing results. (June) ARIZONA KID, THE— Fox.— Warner Baxter follows "In Old .Arizona" with another fine performance and an excellent picture. (July) AVIATOR, THE— Warners.— Edward Everett Horton is afraid of anything that goes up. Patsy Ruth Miller is the hero-worshipping girl friend. Need a few laughs? (April) BACK PAY— First National.— Too bad it doesn't leave us with pleasanter memories to mark Corinne Griffith's retirement from the screen. (.4 ug.) BAD MAN, THE— First National.— Walter Huston swaggers through this, making it good entertainment. (Aug.) • BAD ONE, THE— United Artists. — Dolores Del Rio as a cafe singer and dancer, teamed with Eddie Lowe, who also sings delightfully, .adventurous, romantic story that you'll like. (June) BEAU BANDIT— Radio Pictures.— Yeh, Rod La Rocque with a Spanish accent again. Doris Kenyon sings beautifully. Old-fashioned Western. (April) BEC.\USE 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) BENSON MURDER CASE. THE— Paramount. — .Another elegant \'an Dine murder mj-sterv. Suave Bill Powell, as detective i'hilo Vance, gets his man. Sec it. (May) BE YOURSELF— United Artists.— Fanny Brice falls for a boxer who falls for a gold-digger. Anotlier "My Man" plot. Only fair. (April) BIG BOY— Warners.— .M Jolson, mostly in blackface, sinps generously and cracks funny gags. Race-track intrigue made into comedy. (Sept.) BIG FIGHT, THE— Sono Art— James Cruze.— Amusing enough. Lola Lane and Guinn Williams, but Stepin Fetchit almost shuffles off with the show (July) • BIG HOUSE, THE— M-G-M.— Inspired by real life stories of prison riots and intelligently produced. Chester Morris and Robert Montgomery cutstanding. (Aug.) BIG PARTY, THE— Fox.— A Sue Carol picture, but tliey handed it to Dixie Lee. Heaps of comedy, some true love antl villainy. (Aprii) • BIG POND, THE— Paramount.— Chevalier clicks again I See him as a poor but romantic Frenchman trying to make good in an American chewing gum factory. Claudette Colbert, and some typical Chevalier songs. (July) BORDER LEGION, THE— Paramount —Jack Holt. Dick Arlen. Fay Wray and Eugene Palktte in a Zane Grey thriller. (July) BORDER ROMANCE— Tiffany Prod.— Worthwhile only because the little Mexican minx. Armida, stars. (A ug.) BORN RECKLESS— Fox.— Maybe the fear of censorship took the thrill out of this gangster lilm. made from the exciting best seller. "Louis Beretti." Eddie Lowe, Lee Tracy and Catherine Dale Owen. (July) BRIDE OF THE REGIMENT— First National. — Sumptuously mounted, Technicolored operetta, but slow-paced. (Aug.) BRIGHT LIGHTS — First National.— All-Technicolor musical extravaganza. You'U like Dorotliy Mackaill and Frank Fay. (Aug.) BROKEN DISHES— First National.— Grand satire on family life. O. P. Heggie the henpecked father. Loretta Young and Grant Withers the young lovers. Full of fun. (Sept.) • CALL OF THE FLESH— M-G-M.— (Rj-viewed under the title "The Singer of Seville") — Romantic story tailored to Ramon Novarro's talents. Ramon sings and acts with charm and Dorothy Jordan is delightful. (Sept.) CAPTAIN OF THE GUARI>— Universal.— John Boles and Laura La Plante in a story of the birth of the Marseillaise that just misses being a thrilling picture. John sings superbly. (June) Do Not Miss These Recent Pictures "Anna Christie" "Song o' My Heart" "Journey's End" "The Divorcee" "Ladies of Leisure" "The Devil's Holiday" "All Quiet on the Western Front" .As a sen-ice to its readers, Photoplay Magazine presents brief critical comments on all photoplays of the preceding six months. By consuUinR 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 rime and money. The month at the end of each review indicates the issue of Photoplay in which the original review appeared. CHINA EXPRESS, THE— Sovkino.— Foreign rough stuff, but tremendously exciting. Action occurs on a fast train in China. Silent, (May) CLANCY IN WALL STREET— Edward Small Prod. — The recent stock market debacle is material for gags. It's a comedy, (.■\pril) COCK O' THE WALK— Sono Art— World Wide.— Pretty sad affair, in which Joseph Schildkraut does his worst. Myrna Loy attractive. (June) COHENS AND KELLYS IN SCOTLAND— Universal. — When, and if you see this, you'll know where to send them on their next trip — one way! (May) COMMON CLAY — Fox — Interesting dramatic talkie from the old stage play, with a "Madame X" type of plot. Constance Bennett stars. (Sept.) CONSPIRACY — Radio Pictures. — Bessie Loves talents are lost in this. Reminds us of the senior class play I (Sept.) COURAGE — Warners. — Charming picture about seven interesting youngsters and their extravagant mother, well played by Belle Bennett. Leon Janncy fine as Bill, the youngest. (June) CRAZY THAT WAY— Fox.— Bubbling comedy about two lads in love with a blonde who loves another. Joan Bennett wears beautiful clothes beautifully. (May) CUCKOOS, THE — Radio Pictures.— Nonsensical musical comedy featuring comedians Bert Wheeler and Robert U'oolsey. Check your critical goggles and prepare to laugh uproariously. (June) CZAR OF BROADWAY— Universal.— A not-sogonil imitation of that fine picture. "Street of Chance." Not bad. if you haven't seen the original. (June) DAMES AHOY— Universal.— Glenn Tryon in a smart-cracking sailor r6le. But the dialogue writer didn't feel funny tliat day. (April) CAUGHT SHORT— M-G-M.— Marie Dressier and Polly Moran. rival boarding house keepers who play the' stock market. Anita Page and Charles Alorton are young lovers. Good, rough fun. (June) CHASING RAINBOWS— M-G-M.— This ninetyninth carbon copy of "The Broadwav Melody" is Sleasant enough. Bessie Love. Charles King, and the loran-Drcssler comedy team. (May) CHEER UP AND SMILE— Fox.— Good comedy drama, with Arthur Lake. Dixie Lee and the vampish Baclanova. (July) CHILDREN OF PLEASURE— M-G-M— All about a song-writer's sorrows. Noteworthy only lor LawTence Gray's singing of two hit numlHTS and the swell work of Wynne Gibson, a new screen face. (.May) DANCING SWEETIES — Warners. — Grant ;.i..,-. ..„A c.,« /-..-^i ;« .. story of that much dis ....... .J and Sue Carol m a snuy tn m cussed "first year" of marriage. (July) DANGEROUS NAN McGREW— Paramount.— Proving that mere "cuteness" doesn't make a picture. This one needs a story. Helen Kane is Nan. (Sep:.) • DAWN PATROL, THE— First National.— Xarv a woman in this. Barthelmess. Doug. Jr.. and Neil Hamilton in powerful war picture with tlirills a-plenty 1 (Sept.) • DEVIL'S HOLIDAY, THE— Paramount.— Nancy Carroll in emotional drama, giving the h'-st perforinance of her career I Directed by Edmund C.oulding, who made "The Trespasser." (July) DEVIL WITH WOMEN, A-(Reviewed under tlw title "On the Make ")— Fox. — .A McLaglen formuli picture, with Vic the usual swaggering, lovahl' bully. Mona Maris is lovely. (Sept,) • DIVORCEE.THE— M-G-M.— Don't missthis. Norma Shearer great. Chester Morris gives swell performance. Fine direction, gorgeous clothes. (June) DIXIANA— Radio Pictures.— Everett Marshall from the Metropolitan Opera adds voice and personality to a charming operetta. B«be Daniels at her best. (A ug.) DOUBLE CROSS ROADS — Fox. — A gang of thieves and a mess of machine guns. But Robert Ames as the boy and Lila Lee as the girl decide to go straight. Entertaining, at that. (May) PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 ]