Picture-Play Magazine (Jan - Jun 1931)

I Ml* s • A CONFIDENTIAL GUIDE TO CURRENT RELEASES luderuoud & Underwood What Every Fan Should See "Morocco" — Paramount. Marlene Dietrich takes her place among the stars as an individual. Adolphe Menjou returns, though tamed by talkie morals, and Gary Cooper going strong, as member of Foreign Legion. Two cynics find that only simple, fundamental love for each other counts. "Feet First" — Paramount. Harold Lloyd, the hardy perennial, as funny and thrilling as ever. Straight humor, without taint of "sophistication"; no tears behind the smile. Shoe clerk in love tries to win girl by posing as rich play boy, but finds trouble and danger ahead. Barbara Kent, Robert McWade, Alec Francis, Lillianne Leighton. "Tol'able David" — Columbia. Amazing first performance by Richard Cromwell, as mountain boy whose dream of greatness is to drive the mail hack. Three bad men of the hills and a sweet little girl friend are involved. Noah Beery, Joan Peers, Henry B. Walthall. "Life of the Party, The"— Warner. Ordinary story of two Broadway gold diggers, but geared in high, and in Technicolor. Not a dull moment in girls' pursuit of Kentucky colonel. Hearty dose of hard-hitting humor. Winnie Lightner, Irene Delroy, Charles Butterworth. "Doorway to Hell, The"— Warner. Good crook melodrama that has many new touches. Story of young czar of liquor, gang, Lew Ayres, double-crossed in love and racket. Arresting and capitally acted. Robert Elliott, James Cagney, Dorothy Mathews. Poised, mature acting by Ayres. "Whoopee" — United Artists. Technicolor does well by Eddie Cantor and Ziegfeld beauties. Stage success excellently done on grand scale. Story parodies medicine taking for imaginary ills and talk of operations. Large cast from stage includes Ethel Shutta. Eleanor Hunt, Paul Gregory, Albert Hackett. "Her Man" — Pathe. Vigorous, wellconstructed picture of love and hate on the water front, with realistic touches enhanced by subordinating dialogue to action. Helen Twelvetrees, Phillips Holmes. Ricardo Cortcz excellent. Comedy by James Gleason, Harry Sweet. "Abraham Lincoln" — United Artists. Inspired human story of the great American, directed by D. W. Griffith. Walter Huston surpasses his past work, and entire cast is flawless. Remarkable continuity of biography. Kay Hammond, as Mary Todd, Una Merkel, Ian Keith, Hobart Bosworth, Henry B. Walthall. "Outward Bound"— Warner. Oddly arresting picture with some admirable acting. Routine plots and situations avoided, and deals with life after death. Leslie Howard, of the stage, Beryl Mercer, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Helen Chandler, Alec B. Francis. "Romance"— Metro-Goldwyn. Greta Garbo's portrayal of opera singer whose "past" caused her to dismiss the man she loves is great — tender, poetic, poignant. Her every thought and feeling registers. Lewis Stone capital. Gavin Gordon the hero; Florence Lake delightful. "Dawn Patrol, The"— First National. War story without love interest gives Richard Barthelmess, Neil Hamilton, and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., opportunities capitally exploited. Life among Royal Flying Corps, showing hideous actualities of war. Barthclmess's best in years. "Big House, The" — Metro-Goldwyn. Savage picture of life behind prison walls, finely wrought drama depending upon character rather than studied plot. Wallace Beery, sly, hardened criminal; Chester Morris, slick forger; Robert Montgomery, new convict. Revolt of prisoners stirring scene. "Holiday"— Pathe. Well-known play, with good cast. Poor rich girl mopes over having too much money, finally wakes up and escapes from her Park Avenue "prison." Ann Harding, Alary Astor, Robert Ames good. Monroe Owsley outstanding; Edward Everett Horton, Hcdda Hopper. "All Quiet on the Western Front"— LTniversal. Faithful screening of the most realistic novel of World War, with no happy-ending or girl appeal. Strongest film document against war. Lewis Ayres, Louis Wolheim, "Slim" Summerville, Russell Gleason, William Bakewell, John Wray outstanding in big cast. For Second Choice "Laughter" — Paramount. The screen is going too whimsical for words, if this is a sign of the times. A group of the quaintest folk in the world make high jinks. Nancy Carroll and Fredric March brilliant. Glen Anders, Diane Ellis, Frank Morgan. "Cat Creeps, The" — Universal. Yes, it's only "The Cat and the Canary" done in talkies, but well done by Helen Twelvetrees, Raymond Hackett, Neil Hamilton, Lilyan Tashman, Elizabeth Patterson, and others. You know the story of the will and the haunted house.; "Kismet" — Warner. Another warmedover silent, a bit flat, for the cooks slipped up somewhere. The Orient without its old flavor. Otis Skinner as beggar in Arabian night story, with pretty girl, caliph, and all. Loretta Young, David Manners, Sidney Blackmer, Mary Duncan. "Check and Double Check"— RKO. As to movies, also check out for Amos 'n' Andy — Freeman F. Gosden and Charles J. Correll who, like other radio stars, are good for ear appeal only, in their husky arguments about nothing. Good support, including Sue Carol, Charles Morton. Irene Rich, Rita La Roy. "Playboy of Paris" — Paramount. Maurice Chevalier in musical-comedy story, with but two songs. Waiter in cafe inherits money and tries to get himself fired to break contract. Frances Dee, Stuart Erwiu, Eugene Pallette, O. H. Heggie. "Silver Horde, The"— RKO. Melodrama in the raw. Shady lady sets her man up in the fishing business. He loves a society girl, and bad girl is really pure gold, something the films are always proving. Evelyn Brent, Joel McCrea. Jean Arthur, Blanche Sweet, Louis Wolheim. "War Nurse" — Metro-Goldwyn. Sufferings of volunteer nurses behind the trenches, physical and moral. Good work, but short of greatness. Love interest concerns two soldiers, two nurses. June Walker, of stage, makes excellent debut; Anita Page. Robert Montgomery, Robert Ames also good. Zasu Pitts, Marie Prevost. "Billy the Kid" — Metro-Goldwyn. Ki'iil; Yidor directs a Western, and his touch lifts this film, although it is conventional screen stuff, not story of the famous outlaw. John Mack Brown, Wallace Beery, Warner Richmond, Kay Johnson. On "Rcalife" film — good for Westerns. Five mountains instead of three. "Scotland Yard"— Fox. Quaint plot and character names indicate old vintage of this film. Crook takes man's place at head of bank and household, if you can believe that. Edmund Lowe Continued on page 118