Photoplay (Sep 1928)

Brief Reviews of Current Pictures *COSSACKS, THE — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. — Love, sport and murder among the cowboys of Russia. Jack Gilbert is the lure. (August.) COUNT OF TEN, THE — Universal. — Something different in the way of a prize-fight story, with James Gleason, stage star, stealing the show. Charles Ray, too, deserves mention for a good performance. (May.) CREAM OF THE EARTH— Universal— The romance of a week-end butterfly and a shy college youth, beautifully acted by Marion Nixon and Charles Rogers. A Grade A picture. (May.) CRIMSON CITY, THE — Warners. — Drama between a couple of victims of bad luck in Singapore. Lots of action — and you’ll like Myrna Loy. (March.) CROOKS CAN'T WIN— FBO.— Good celluloid gone haywire. Will someone please stop the film crime wave? (August.) CUPID’S KNOCKOUT — Hercules. — Just a fairto-middling comedy, for evenings when you have nothing better to do. (April.) ♦CZAR IVAN THE TERRIBLE— Sovkino. — A really great picture, made in Russia that, in acting and technical excellence, never has been surpassed. A marvellous performance by L. M. Leonidoff. If this comes your way, don’t miss it. (April.) DANGER PATROL, THE — Rayart. — A big wholesome, fresh air drama of the Northwest with three rousing murders. (July.) DANGER RIDER, THE — Universal. — There’s a saving dash of originality in the plot of this Hoot Gibson Western. (July.) DAWN — Herbert Wilcox. — An English production that gives a fair and impartial presentation of the Edith Cavell case. (August.) DESERT BRIDE, THE — Columbia. — Betty Compson, as a Parisian beauty, raises havoc in the Foreign Legion. (August.) DESERT PIRATE, THE— FBO.— Filled with the usual clap-trap of the orthodox Western but made bearable by a plot with some originality and the charming presence of little Frankie Darrow. (May.) DETECTIVES — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. — Karl Dane and George K. Arthur in a collection of gags— and some of them are not exactly spotless. (July.) DEVIL’S CAGE, THE— Chadwick.— No use bothering your pretty little head about the inconsistencies of a plot like this. (June.) DEVIL’S SKIPPER, THE— Tiffany-Stahl.— Lots of meat in this picture, what with slave ships, piracy, mutiny and revenge. Also a remarkable performance by Belle Bennett. (May.) DIAMOND HANDCUFFS — Metro-GoldwynMayer. — Weird story, in three episodes, about the curse of a diamond, probably written about the supposed curse of the famous Hope diamond. Some fine acting by Eleanor Boardman, Lena Malena and Conrad Nagel is wasted. (June.) ♦DIVINE WOMAN, THE — Metro-GoldwynMayer. — How an ugly duckling becomes a great actress. With — goody, goody I — Greta Garbo. And Lars Hanson is a great help. Naturally, you'll go and see it. (March.) DO GENTLEMEN SNORE?— Roach-M.-G.-M — A short farce turned into a panic by the appearance of a real, live gorilla. (August.) DOG JUSTICE — FBO. — But the story is a cruel injustice to Ranger, the canine star. (August.) DON’T MARRY — Fox. — An amusing little romantic comedy that will please the gals. Gayly played by Lois Moran and Neil Hamilton. (July.) [ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 ] :!:DOOMSDAY — Paramount. — Florence Vidor's sympathetic and intelligent portrayal of a farm woman who marries to escape drudgery merits jour attention. (April.) DOVE, THE — United Artists. — Norma Talmadge is starred, but it is Noah Beery's picture, the naughty thief 1 An exciting stage play becomes a rather languid movie. (March.) ♦DRAG NET, THE — Paramount. — Vivid and swiftly moving underworld story with grade A acting by George Bancroft, William Powell and Evelyn Brent. (July.) ♦DRESSED TO KILL — Fox. — A tale of the underworld that holds your attention every second. It’s all action and suspense. And splendid work by Edmund Lowe, Mary Astor and Ben Bard. Recommended. (May.) DRUMS OF LOVE— United Artists.— D. W. Griffith tells the Paolo and Francesca legend, but spoils it by changing the locale and by overloading it with pageantry. Mary Philbin branches out with lots of IT and Don Alvarado gives a good performance. (April.) EASY COME, EASY GO — Paramount. — Richard Dix as the innocent partner of a crook. A bright, fast-moving comedy and Richard’s best in months. (June.) END OF ST. PETERSBURG, THE— Sovkino.— What the Soviet wants you to believe. St. Petersburg destroyed by trick camera angles. (August.) ■ ESCAPE, THE — Fox. — An ancient melodrama that should have been allowed to rest in peace. With Virginia Valli and William Russell. (May.) EXCESS BAGGAGE — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. — Vivid and realistic picture of stage life. See it. (August.) FAITHLESS LOVER, THE— Krelbar.— The dam bursts again. But aside from that, this is just a lot of mediocre celluloid. (May.) FALLEN ANGELS — Universal. — Norman Kerry drags through some gloomy doings in the role of a man who must play dead. Interesting but hardly cheerful. (May.) FANDANGO — Educational. — Lupino Lane in a hilarious burlesque of all the Spanish pictures ever produced. (June.) FANGS OF JUSTICE — Bischoff. — A regular old home week of hokum. (May.) FASHION MADNESS — Columbia. — Once more the frivolous debutante is dragged off to the woods by the he-man hero. Claire Windsor is the girl this time. (June.) FAZIL — Fox. — Proving the sheiks make bad husbands. Torrid necking in the desert. Not for the kindergarten class. (August.) FEEL MY PULSE — Paramount. — Bebe Daniels is terribly annoyed by William Powell and his rum gang. But Richard Arlen comes to her rescue. Fairly good, but not up to Bebe’s standard. (April.) FIFTY-FIFTY GIRL, THE— Paramount.— Bebe Daniels inherits half a gold mine. It turns out to be a gold mine of laughs. James Hall is her leading man. Recommended to your kind attention. (July.) FINDERS KEEPERS — Universal. — Laura La Plante, who deserves a better fate, wastes her talents and charm on a lot of trite gags. (May.) FIRE AND STEEL— Elbee.— Hot yarn of steel furnaces, with the young inventor, the jealous foreman and the girl. Ho-huml (June.) FIVE AND -TEN CENT ANNIE— Warners. — This one starts good but goes goofy. However, Louise Fazenda is a show in herself. (May.) FLYING COWBOY, THE— Universal— Fun— and lots of it — on a dude ranch. With Hoot Gibson. (July.) FOOLS FOR LUCK — Paramount. — W. C. Fields and Chester Conklin in a comedy that is only fairly funny. (June.) FORBIDDEN HOUR, THE— Metro-GoldwynMayer. — Ramon Novarro is at his best as the princeat-play. The story of a king who gave up hife throne for love. And Renee Adoree is in it. You’ll like this one. (July.) FOREIGN LEGION, THE— Universal— A follow-up on the popularity of “Beau Geste.” If you are just frantic for Legion stories, this is your entertainment. With Norman Kerry. (April.) FORTUNE HUNTER, THE— Warners.— Syd Chaplin messes up a good comedy. Why people stay home. (March.) FREE LIPS — First Division. — Virtue triumphant in a night club. Just another one of those pictures. With June Marlowe. (July.) FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, THE— Universal.— Reviewed under the title of “Graft.’’ Wherein a newspaper reporter, bless his little heart, tries to clean up the big city grafters. Interesting performances by Henry B. Walthall and Lewis Stone. (April.) FRENZIED FLAMES— Ellbee.— For the boys— of all ages — who like to chase fire departments. (May.) FRESH EVERY HOUR— Universal.— Reviewed under the title of "The Prince of Peanuts.’’ Nutty farce with Glenn Tryon. (April.) GATEWAY OF THE MOON— Fox.— Dolores Del Rio gets coy in a South Sea Island picture. This star should keep her clothes on. (March.) GIRL HE DIDN’T BUY, THE— Peerless.— Light story of a Broadway love affair with an original twist to the plot. (August.) GIRL IN EVERY PORT, A— Fox.— The romantic adventures of a deep sea sailor, played by Victor McLaglen. And very funny, too. (March.) GIVE AND TAKE — Universal. — A silly story but made-into good entertainment by the expert comedy performances of Jean Hersholt and George Sidney. (July.) ♦GLORIOUS BETSY — Warners. — The romantic story of Jerome Bonaparte and Betsy Patterson of Baltimore. Tricked up with a happy but unhistoric ending. Mildly charming, and decked out with Vitaphonic outbursts. Dolores Costello starred. (July.) ♦GODLESS GIRL, THE— Pathe-De Mille. — A vitally interesting and vivid story told with all the force and power Cecil B. De Mille could give it. Incidentally, it takes a poke at reform schools. This is a real picture with splendid acting by Marie Prevost, George Duryea, Noah Beery and Lina Basquette. (July.) GOLDEN CLOWN, THE — Nordisk-Pathe. — Even Denmark has a clown who laughs to conceal a broken heart. Turgid foreign drama with a fine performance by Gosta Eckman. (July.) GOLDEN SHACKLES— Peerless— You can’t see the picture for the plot. (August.) GOLF WIDOWS — Columbia. — Comedy drama built on one of the terrible consequences of country club life. With Harrison Ford and Vera Reynolds. (July.) Photoplays Reviewed in the Shadow Stage This Issue Save this magazine — refer to the criticisms before you pic\ out your evening's entertainment. M a\e this your reference list. Page A Ship Comes In — Pathe-De Mille Ill Baby Cyclone, The — M.-G.-M 114 Barker, The — First National 54 Battle of the Sexes, The — United Artists . 56 Broken Mask, The — Anchor 112 Code of the Scarlet — First National 112 Cowboy Kid, The — Fox 113 Craig’s Wife — Pathe 55 Devil’s Trademark, The — FBO 112 Dugan of the Dugouts — Anchor 113 Family Picnic, The — Fox Movietone. ... 57 Fangs of Fate — Pathe Ill Fightin’ Redhead, The — FBO 112 Fleetwing — Fox Ill Forgotten Faces — Paramount 55 Four Walls — M.-G.-M 54 Gang War — FBO 113 Page Gate Crasher, The — Universal 113 George Bernard Shaw — Fox Movietone . . 57 Greased Lightning — Universal Ill Green Grass Widows — Tiffany-Stahl .... 1 1 2 Heart to Heart — First National 56 Heart Trouble — First National Ill His Rise to Fame — Excellent 112 Hot News — Paramount 114 Just Married — Paramount 56 Ladies of the Mob — Paramount 56 Lights of New York — Warner-Vitaphone 57 Lion and the Mouse — Warner-Vitaphone. 57 Little Wild Girl, The— Hercules 113 Love Over Night — Pathe 57 Man from Headquarters, The — Rayart.. 112 Mysterious Lady, The — M.-G.-M 56 No Other Woman — Fox Ill Page Obey Your Husband — Anchor 114 Painted Post — Fox Ill Polly of the Movies — First Division .... 1 14 Power — Pathe 54 Prowlers of the Sea — Tiffany-Stahl 113 Say It with Sables — Columbia 112 Skirts— M.-G.-M 114 Speed Champion, The — Rayart 114 Stop That Man — Universal 114 Three Ring Marriage — First National. .114 Top Sergeant Mulligan — Anchor 113 Trail of Courage, The — FBO 112 Undressed — Sterling 114 While the City Sleeps — M.-G.-M 57 Whip, The — First National 56 Woman Disputed, The — United Artists. . 55 13