Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1927)

Advertising Section" 117 RECOMMENDED— WITH RESERVATIONS. "Ace of Cads, The" — Paramount. Xone-too-successful transference of Michael Arlen story to screen. Adolphe Menjou is the self-sacrificing hero, Alice Joyce the lady. "Amateur Gentleman, The" — F'rst National. Richard Barthelmess in a dull, spiritless picture adapted from Jcffery Farnol's novel and laid in the time of the regency. Tale of a pugilist's son who aspires to be a gentleman. "City, The"— Fox. Dull film of a once daring and successful play. All about a blackmailing dope fiend. Robert Frazer, May Allison, Richard Walling, and Walter McGrail. "Clinging Vine, The" — Producers Distributing. Another poor story for Leatrice Joy. Silly film, that might have been amusing, of mannish business girl who blossoms into cooing dove. Tom Moore also wasted. "Devil's Island" — Chadwick. Pauline Frederick and a good idea wasted. Turgid melodrama involving the prisoners on the small penal island off the coast of South America, whither certain French criminals are sent for life. "Diplomacy" — Paramount. Only mildly interesting. Adapted from the well-known play dealing with international intrigue. Blanche Sweet and Neil Hamilton. "Fig Leaves" — Fox. Mildly amusing tale, with ancient and modern sequences, of what happens to a wife who cares too much for clothes. George O'Brien and Olive Borden. "For Alimony Only" — Producers Distributing. Unrealistic attempt to show the evils of alimony. Leatrice Joy and Lilyan Tashman are the successive wives of the alimony slave, Clive Brook. "Forever After" — First National. Tepid tale of a poor boy and a rich girl — Lloyd Hughes and Mary Astor — ranging from college football to the World War. "Great Deception, The"— First National. A feeble melodrama of the late war, with Ben Lyon as a supposed spy and Aileen Pringle as the girl. "Her Big Night"— Universal. Laura La Plante in a long-drawn-out film of a shopgirl whose resemblance to a movie star puts her in the way of a thousand dollars. "Her Honor the Governor"— F. B. O. Again Pauline Frederick ably plays a tense, emotional mother role. A melodrama of political intrigue, somewhat too theatrical and heavy handed. "Into Her Kingdom"— First National. Corinne Griffith in a far-fetched film based on the theory that a daughter of the late Czar of Russia marries a Bolshevist and comes to America to keep shop. The Swedish Einar Hansen is the Bolshevist. "It Must Be Love"— First National. Colleen Moore as a delicatessen man's daughter who tries to rise above her hated surroundings. Not as sparkling as her best films. Malcolm McGregor is her hero. "It's the Old Army Game"— Paramount. Starring W. C. Fields. Amusing only up to a point. Louise Brooks is the pert and provocative girl in the case. "Last Frontier, The" — Producers Distributing. The pioneer days again. William Boyd, as a stalwart young scout, and Marguerite de la Motte, as a flowerlike Southern girl, are the pair of lovers. "Lily, The"— Fox. Belle Bennett in a complicated, old-fashioned film of a young woman who sacrifices romance for the sake of her father, and grows old a slave to duty. "London" — Paramount. Dorothy Gish in a feeble film of a soubrette of the London slums who is adopted by a rich old lady. "Marriage Clause, The" — Universal. An unreal, unoriginal film of stage life, with Billie Dove in the role of a star who is torn between a career and marriage. "Michael Strogoff" — Universal. An importation from France, being a melodramatic story of Russia. At times very dramatic, but inclined to be slow and a little dull. "Old Soak, The"— Universal. Supposed to feature a humorously philosophical old tippler, but young romance is given first place. Jean Hersholt is the tippler, George Lewis and June Marlowe the youngsters. "Padlocked" — Paramount. Absurdly improbable tale of a stern, bigoted father whose self-righteousness is the death of his wife and the ruin of his daughter. Lois Moran, Noah Beery, and Louise Dresser. "Pals First"— First National. _ A sentimental, complicated film featuring one of those Southern plantations with a missing heir, the latter being at last discovered in a gang of crooks. Lloyd Hughes and Dolores del Rio. "Paradise" — First National. A mistake from the beginning. Milton Sills and Betty Bronson are miscast as sweethearts in a story that shifts from the Broadway footlights to the South Sea Isles. "Risky Business" — Producers Distributing. Lacks vitality, but has moments of good acting. Vera Reynolds in the role of a girl who wavers between a rich man and a poor one. "Road to Mandalay, The" — MetroGoldwyn. Unworthy of Lon Chaney. Confused story of a repulsive sea marauder of the Far East whose dainty daughter does not know him. Owen Moore and Lois Moran. "Sunny Side Up" — Producers Distributing. Vera Reynolds' first starring picture. A pert waif in a pickle factory rises to wealth and fame as a prima donna. "Take It from Me"— Universal. Not up to Reginald Denny's usual standard. Escapades of a reckless young man who assumes charge of a department store. Blanche Mehaffey is the girl. "Three Bad Men" — Fox. Fine picturization of the West of the '70s, though the plot is thin and slow. Besides the "three bad men," there are George O'Brien and Olive Borden. "Tin Gods" — Paramount. Thomas Meighan as a silently suffering builder of bridges in South America who turns to drink, but is redeemed by Renee Adoree. Aileen Pringle is the ambitious wife. "Under Western Skies" — Universal. Unconvincing film of rich youn<? idler Big Men and Big Books If it's action you want, the thrilling stories of brave-hearted deeds, then ask your bookseller to show )-ou the fine, cloth-covered books that bear the "CH" mark on their handsome jackets. "CH" books cost only 75 cents apiece. 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