Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1927)

69 in Review latest pictures, in which enyou to the entertaining ones. Lusk Reilly surprises Agerra in the act of forcing his attentions upon Mary M alone. Thereafter, Agerra vows to "get" Reilly, and against his will the latter is forced to become a professional pugilist. On the eve of his big battle with Agerra, Reilly is framed by the champion and sent to prison. On his release, he gets his chance to fight Agerra, and the result is the most thrilling bout with gloves the screen has ever seen, because it has all the authentic details. It doesn't matter whether you like contests in the roped arena or not ; you are sure to like this, and be carried out of yourself by it. The bare plot sounds simple, and it is. But it is human and is enlivened by humor which bespeaks complete understanding of the subject and the people by Malcolm St. Clair, the director. The star gives a fine, legitimate performance. He is always in character. The same may be said of every member of the cast, which includes Jack Renault, the professional heavyweight, as Agerra, and Mary Brian, as the girl. See this film by all means. The Sorrows of Society. As if to make up for the lack of plot in most pictures, "Children of Divorce" has enough for ten ordinary films, as well as a cast of the kind commonly called brilliant, to say nothing of beautiful settings and costumes, and an atmosphere of untold riches. It is going to be popular, even though Clara Bow commits suicide in the last reel. She and Esther Ralston meet as children in a French convent, where their rich, divorced parents have placed them, and there they meet Gary Cooper as a boy. Years later, in New Ycyk, they are all members of the same set, Clara a gay flapper, Esther Ralston her quiet, steadfast friend, and Gary Cooper a rich "catch." The marriage of Miss Ralston and Mr. Cooper is a foregone conclusion, but Clara has no such happy future. She is obliged to reject Prince Budovico, whom she loves, because he is poor, and in a devil-may-care moment she threatens to annex Mr. Cooper unless Miss Ralston marries him quickly. And she does just that — as the result of a wild party. Another lapse brings the characters to Paris, Miss Ralston single and unhappy, Miss Bow married and unhappy, and Mr. Cooper likewise. Even the prince is unhappy. So, if you know your plots,, you can scent impending events which must, even though rather mechanically, bring a ray of happiness into the lives of this quartet. This very condition comes about bv the eventual pairing off of Miss Ralston and Mr. Cooper — but not before a great deal has happened to justify some very good acting on the part of all concerned. In fact, striking performances are the rule. Miss Bow, sounding a deeper note than usual, is always interesting; and Miss Ralston, ideally cast, is lovely enough to take your breath away, as she did mine. Gary Cooper's strong individuality, no less than his admirable acting, makes him a leading man second to Alice Terry and Ramon Novarro, in "Lovers," are brought together by gossip, instead of being separated by it. none, and Einar Hanson, with little to do, Edward Martindel, Hedda Hopper, and Norman Trevor are excellent. The children — Joyce Coad, Yvonne Pelletier, and Don Marion — are real artists. Novarro Fans Please Note. Glad as Ramon Novarro's fans will be to see him again, I fear they will take exception — as I do — to his first picture since "Ben-Hur." "Lovers" is unimportant, almost inconsequential, and quite without distinction as a production, though it must be said at the outset— and it can't be said too quickly — that Novarro's performance is excellent, and he has been photographed in a manner to make romantic pulses quicken. If your mood is philosophical you will agree that half a loaf is better than none, but there is no reason why Novarro should be given less than a whole one. Modern Spain is the locale of the new picture, but little of the color and glamour of that country are included in the production, which is confined to interiors. Except for the sideburns cultivated by almost every masculine member of the cast, the story might almost be thought to be transpiring in Scandinavia. "Lovers" purports to show the danger and cruelty of malicious gossip in linking the name of Ernesto with that of Felicia, the wife of Don Julian, whose ward Ernesto is. Don Julian scoffs at the gossip, but as it gains strength, his belief in the two wavers, and ultimately he fights a duel and is killed — all because of gossip — and Ernesto and Felicia are united in sympathy and, eventually, in love. All this is paced slowly, but without the subtlety to justify it, and it seems to me the direction is wholly routine. Alice Terry is a matronly Felicia and George K. Arthur is briefly seen. Edward Martindel and John Mil j an give expert performances. In the Jungles of Siam. The best animal picture ever produced is called "Chang." Only it is so much more than any other animal picture, however fine, that it is unfair to catalogue it as