Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1927 - Feb 1928)

62 The Screen in Review "Soft Cushions. "The Drop Kick. " "For the Love of Mike." "We're All Gamblers." This is not true to criminal psychology or statistics, but it fits into movie fiction. A great deal of talent and skill have been used to make it seem plausible. More important still, the proceedings have the ring of authenticity, which isn't surprising when you are told that Ben Hecht based his story on a gang shooting that took place when he was a reporter in the city where machine guns are used to combat criminals. Clive Brook plays a role that one doesn't associate with his usual suavity — that of a derelict porter in a saloon, who becomes the protege of Bull Weed and is nicknamed "Rolls Royce." Next to Bancroft in toughness and sincerity is Fred Kohler, as his rival, "Buck" Mulligan. Evelyn Brent is Feathers, the girl who causes most of the gun play. The picture is splendidly lighted, suspense is prolonged to the nth degree, and altogether it is far above the average — if you don't look below the surface. Mocking the Conventional. Either you will like Lon Chaney's "Mockery" very much, or not at all. To me it is one of the best pictures of the new season. A storjr of the revolution in Russia, it has neither top-heavy sets nor huge, surging crowds. It shows instead the effect of the revolution upon an isolated group. Credit for the unusual story and its thoughtful development belongs to Benjamin Christianson, who wrote as well as directed it. You feel that he firmly insisted on honesty of treatment, and perhaps savagel}^ fought to keep hokum out of it. The result is that "Mockery" is brilliantly acted, and the atmosphere is more Russian than if a million tons of snow had been used. But there isn't a flake — or a sleigh — in the entire picture. Lon Chaney is Sergei, a dull-witted, plodding peasant, who is persuaded by a lady to escort her to a distant town. Reaching safet}', she rewards Sergei with the job of servant in her household— and promptly forgets him, for she is Countess Tatiana. Sergei cannot comprehend the situation that makes it impossible for her to notice him. His slow, sodden mind even fails to grasp the significance of the love scene he witnesses between Tatiana and a cavalry officer. Then a more intelligent servant pours into his ear the doctrine of revolution. The peasant is made to believe that he and the countess are equals. He tries to force himself upon her when the Bolsheviks are ransacking the house, and Tatiana lies to save his life. Then he is left as her special guard. While performing his duty with doglike devotion he is shot by the revolutionaries. Dying, he sees Tatiana and her officer embrace. Again it is unrequited love for poor Mr. Chaney. All this is set forth with perfect credibility 'by Mr. Chaney, Barbara Bedford, and Ricardo Cortez, Miss Bedford in especial succeeding in portraying an aristocratic girl without recourse to ermine or glittering tiaras. Mack Swain and Emily Fitzroy are convincing as Russian profiteers, and Charles Puffy equally so as the plotting servant. Unpretentious, But Good. This month's surprise picture is "Shanghaied," with Ralph Ince, Patsy Ruth Miller, Gertrude Astor, and Alan Brooks. It comes as a surprise because it is a program film, yet is honest, straightforwai'd, fairly innocent of hokum, and downright good. Many a feature picture, played up to the skies by false advertising, hasn't the pull of this one. One of the reasons is that "Shanghaied" was written for the screen and therefore does not represent the misguided labors of a scenarist trying to fit a novel into a place where it doesn't belong. "Hurricane" Haley strolls into a water-front dive intent on amusing himself. Polly catches his fancy and Crawley, the boss, uses this circumstance to drug Hurricane's drink and rob him. The seaman hates Polly for the decoy he thinks she is. He abducts her, dancing dress and all, and throws her to his crew. Out of this situation — not extraordinary enough to blaze a trail on the screen — comes a closely knit yarn in which suspense, the development of character, and the stead)' progress of a stor}' take their rightful places in achieving an interesting picture. The acting is excellent. Ralph Ince is Hurrica)ic to the life. As for Patsy Ruth Miller, she has never had a role more effective