Picture-Play Magazine (Jul - Dec 1929)

71 Though stage players continue to invade the talkies, an old-timer jubilantly records some successful adventures in speech among favorites of the silent era. lovers in distress — and there he is at the station, miraculously restored to virility at the moment Mary needs him most. But this is no laughing matter, in spite of my seeming to think so. The picture is beautiful, poignant, and uplifting. Much of it is in dialogue, and while Miss Gaynor at first sounds like a talking doll and Mr. Farrell the masculine equivalent of one, the force and beauty of their acting in time creeps into their voices until they perfectly fit the adolescent characters they portray. Guinn Williams, who is Mr. Farrell's pal in real life, does everything to make him unhappy in this glimpse of mimic life, and does it exceedingly well. Hedwig Reicher, from the stage, enacts Mary's mean mother. To me she is the witch right out of "Hansel and Gretel." That, think, is praise. highest Betty Compson, Grant Withers, and John Davidson contribute expert aid to the success of "The Time, the Place, and the Girl." The Heart of a Housekeeper. The cast of "Pleasure Crazed" is more important than the picture. It consists of Marguerite Churchill, whose beautiful performance is one of the reasons why "The Valiant" was a success: Dorothy Burgess, who was the Mexican siren in "In Old Arizona" ; and Kenneth MacKenna. one of the really-leading leading men of the Xew York theater, whose talkie debut is made in the new picture, though he is not forgotten in the silent "Clothes Make the Pirate," with Leon Errol, some years ago. These are three of the happiest "finds" of the speaking screen, and because of their individual ability the chance to see them together must not he passed by. Miss Churchill's grace, sincerity, and feminine appeal are precious assets in her general equipment, her voice is another, and her hands, quite the loveliest of any on the screen, are again evident. They would he. wouldn't they, unless she had lost them since "The Valiant"? But that is neither here nor there! This time Miss Burgess is no dusky specialist in perfidy, hut a blond wife who is more civilized, though quite as wicked, as she who hetrayed The Cisco Kid. and the actress is just as effective. Mr. MacKenna is quite unlike our standardized movie heroes, whose flashing teeth and piercing eyes supply the expression which conn from Mr. MacKenna s voice. Yet his voice is devoid of any tone that tlashe> or pierces. Instead it plays with the thought he makes audible, and he seems to be thinking before he speaks, so that the spectator first follows his mind and then his lin. . This is not unusual among stage players, but how often have you noticed it among those who speak on the screen?' His role is Captain Anthony Dean, who leases a beautiful place in the country from Colonel Farquhar, a crook, who leaves behind his confederate. Nora Westby, as housekeeper. But Nora falls in love •vith Captain Dean and refuses to betray the hiding place of his wife's jewels to Colonel Farquhar. When Captain Dean discovers his wife's liaison with X'gcl Blain he goes to San Francisco to institute divorce proceedings. With the return of the crooks to force Xora to turn over the jewels, issues become so complicated and melodramatic action so rapid that it is impossible to recount subsequent events. At any rate, you must know that Nora saves Captain Dean from poisoning, and when she is unmasked by Colonel Farquhar as a crook, it makes no difference at all. It's all a wild scramble of melodrama, but it is well played and one's interest is held until the action runs away with itself. Then all one can do is to relax and see how fast things happen. Douglas Gilmore, Campbell Gullan, Henrv Kolker, Rex Bell, and Charlotte Merriam are others in the cast who do well. A Trifle Light As Air. A thoroughly entertaining picture is "The time, the Place and the Girl." Without any pretensions at all. it surprises by a liveliness of story, excellence of acting and constant movement to such an extent that there isn't a dull moment. Really, I don t know how all this comes about. It is a minor mirade. For the story is taken from an ancient musical comedy which held the stage when pompadours, picture hats and willow jilumes were the mode, and it's not rcmarkahlc for originality even when played as well as it is. But the fact remains that a more amusing picture hasn't been seen in a long time. , Perhaps it's because of the absence of music, which would certainly "date" the piece if it were heard. Instead it is played entirely in dialogue of the wise-cracking kind and— well. I enjoyed it. For one thing, (.rant Withers makes his talking debut and emerges with flying colors. It is always gratifying when a player, whose training has come 'entirely from the screen, delivers a fine performance by means of speech. This Mr. \\ ithers assuredly does as Jim Crane, the conceited football player who becomes a bond salesman and easy prey for a scheme his boss has for selling trick stock to the