Picture Play Magazine (Jan - Jun 1930)

69 A Confidential Guide To Current Releases WHAT EVERY FAN SHOULD SEE. "Lady Lies, The" — Paramount. All dialogue. Intelligent, ,smart, modern picture, free of elocutionary taints. A kept girl refuses to give up rich widower, even if she has come between him and his children. Walter Huston and Claudette Colbert excellent. Fine touches by Charles Ruggles and Betty Garde. "Dynamite" — Metro-Goldwyn. All dialogue. Cecil DeMille's first experiment in talkies brilliantly effective. Moviesque plot, embellished with fine acting and photography and intelligent dialogue, becomes convincing, even if about coal miner and society woman. Kay Johnson's debut perfect. Charles Bickford, Julia Faye, Conrad Nagel, Muriel McCormac, Leslie Fenton. "Big Time"— Fox. All dialogue. An unpretentious picture made charming by its simplicity and the excellent acting of Lee Tracy. Backstage story of hoofer who deserts his wife for blond menace, and their ups and downs. Mae Clarke, Josephine Dunn, Stepin Fetchit. "Hollywood Revue" — MetroGoldwyn. All singing and talking. Highly entertaining kaleidoscope of songs, dances, and skits, with an impressive list of stars. Like a glittering stage revue, with no story, yet not a dull moment. Marion Davies, Marie Dressier, and Albertina Rasch ballet take honors. "Hallelujah"— Metro-Goldwyn. All dialogue. An epic in its true meaning in the portrayal of the ups and downs of a cotton-belt Negro family, as the film reveals the inner life in striking interpretations. There has never been a him like it in the dramatic sweep of a simple plot. All Negro cast directed by King Vidor. "Cock-eyed World, The"— Fox. All dialogue. An explosive, profane, and rather vulgar, but highly diverting, continuation of the amorous adventures of Top Sergeant Flagg and Sergeant Quirt of "What Price Glory?" The war over, new affairs are found to blossom in the tropics. Victor McLaglen, Edmund Lowe, Lily Damita, El Brendel. "River of Romance" — Paramount. All dialogue. An old film made over for talkies, with Buddy Rogers "The Fighting Coward," who refuses to fight, but gets results 'by bluffing. Dueling period of the South. Acting of high order, atmosphere authentic. Mary Brian, June Collyer, Wallace Beery. "Last of Mrs. Cheyney, The" — MetroGoldwyn. All dialogue. Drawing-room drama, whose heroine edges into society to rob her hostess, with tricky and artificial aspects to whole story. Norma Shearer does well. Basil Rathbone, Hedda Hopper, George K. Arthur, Maude Turner Gordon, and several stage recruits. "Dance of Life, The"— Paramount. All dialogue. Taken from the play "Burlesque," backstage life is pictured sympathetically and grippingly. The story of a little dancer who sticks to her worthless husband, a likable clown. One of real backstage pictures. Hal Skelly, Nancy Carroll, Dorothy Revier, and excellent support. "Single Standard, The"— Metro-Goldwyn. Brilliant acting by Greta Garbo, although the story is not an inspiration. Arden Stuart attempts to live her own life freely, but conventional mother love dispels her theories. Nils Asther, John Mack Brown, Dorothy Sebastian, Lane Chandler, Robert Castle, Kathlyn Williams. "Greene Murder Case, The"— Paramount. All dialogue. William Powell with a smoother and greater interpretation of Philo Vance, the popular fiction detective. Strong mystery unraveled to surprising solution, with fine performances and restrained lines. Florence Eldridge, Ulrich Haupt, Jean Arthur. "Evangeline" — United Artists. The familiar poem done with great pictorial beauty and moments of poignant emotion. Dolores del Rio's finest performance since "Resurrection," sincere and infinitely pathetic. Roland Drew and Donald Reed good support. "Wonder of Women"— Metro-Gold w-yn. Part dialogue. Dignified, beautiful portrayal of a genius who fled from his simple fireside to renew his associations with a prima donna and his awakening to his true inspiration. Marvelous acting by Lewis Stone, and Peggy Wood ideal as his wife. Leila Hyams the singer. "She Goes to War"— United Artists. Incidental sound. War picture with unusual story and magnificent acting, in which a girl dons her drunken fiance's uniform and goes to battle, and is awakened to real life. Alma Rubens and Eleanor Boardman give fine performances, and the talents of Edmund Burns are brought out. John Holland, Al St. John, Yola d'Avril, Glen Walters, Eulalie Jensen. "Studio Murder Mystery, The"— Paramount. All dialogue. Film studio crime unraveled by gag man and police, with suspense, many laughs, and after suspicion points to five persons, a satisfactory solution is hit upon. Neil Hamilton in leading role gives engaging performance, Fredric March the murdered actor. Florence Eldridge's talking debut. Warner Oland, Doris Hill, Lane Chandler, Eugene Pallette, Chester Conklin. "Where East Is East"— Metro-Goldwyn. Silent. Troubles of a jungle animal hunter, who seeks happiness for his untamed daughter. Lon Chaney as you would expect him, Lupe Velez, and Estelle Taylor in a brilliant role. Lloyd Hughes also at his best. Splendid atmosphere and a picture to see. "On With the Show"— Warner. All dialogue, singing, dancing, and entirely in color besides. Gayety and beauty of musical comedy, with young love of an usher and coat-room girl, with other issues galore. Entire cast does well. Betty Compson, Louise Fazenda, Sally O'Neil, Joe E. Brown, William Bakewell, Arthur Lake, Wheeler Oakman, Sam Hardy, Ethel Walters. "Bulldog Drummond" — United Artists. All dialogue. A melodramatic thriller, with sophisticated viewpoint which makes fun of what transpires. Story of bored ex-war hero, who advertises for adventure and gets it. Ronald Colman vitalized and remade by speech, giving memorable performance, ably seconded by Joan Bennett, Lilyan Tashman, and Montagu Love. "Madame X" — Metro-Goldwyn. All dialogue. Old-time melodrama of mother love superbly vivified by fresh dialogue, modern direction, and superb acting, with Ruth Chatterton and Raymond Hackett as mother and son reaching heights of tear-wringing emotion in famous courtroom scene, where wretched woman charged with murder is defended by son taught to believe her dead. Lewis Stone, Eugenie Besserer, Mitchell Lewis, Holmes Herbert, and Ulrich Haupt. "Valiant, The"— Fox. All dialogue. Grimly uncompromising picture notable for introduction to screen of Paul Muni, whose place among leaders now is unchallenged. Story of murderer's efforts to convince sister that her brother is not himself, but a soldier who died a hero. Marguerite Churchill also fine, and John Mack Brown does well. "Pagan, The" — Metro-Goldwyn. Singing. Treat for Ramon Novarro's fans and justification of all they've read of his singing voice, which is delightful, exceptional. Story of young South Sea Islander's love for half-caste girl. Dorothy Jam's, Renee Adoree, and Donald Crisp. "Rainbow Man, The" — Paramount. All dialogue. An irresistible picture, with finely balanced sentiment and fun, with Eddie Dowling, the stage star, and his young partner, Frankie Darro, in minstrel-show settings. They find Marian Nixon and love and trouble. Dowling is a knock-out. "Divine Lady, The"— First National. Silent. A series of exquisite paintings animated with poetic feeling and a little drama. Lovely presentment of Lady Hamilton by Corinne Griffith and finely modulated Lord Nelson by Victor Varconi. H. B. Warner, Ian Keith, Montagu Love, Dorothy dimming, Marie Dressier. "Alibi" — United Artists. All dialogue. Crook picture, played and directed with distinction. A cop's daughter sympathizes with underworld, marries a crook, but is soon disillusioned in a thrilling climax. Chester Morris, Eleanor Griffith, Pat O'Malley, Regis Toomey supply high lights in action and talk. [Continued on page 100]