Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1927 - Feb 1928)

The Screen in Review 63 than Polly, nor one pulsing more fully with life and reality, every heartbeat of which you feel is sincere Gertrude Aster, as a hardboiled dancer in the dive, balances comedy with iniquity in her usual competent fashion. "Shanghaied"' has got "It" — if you don't demand a society background and prettiness in the pictures you prefer. Meighan Fans, Take Notice. Thomas Meighan has a substantial picture in "We're All Gamblers," thanks to a credible story and good acting, both better than in "Tin Gods" and "Blind Alleys." The vitality and swiftness of the proceedings are easily traceable to the direction of James Cruze, as well as numerous deft touches of characterization. Meighan is "Lucky" Sam McCarver, a contender for the heavyweight championship, who is run down by a society girl's car and incapacitated for further work in the ring. However, he is fully able to operate a night club and continues to meet Carlotta AscJie, of Park Avenue, and regard her as unattainable. A New Year's Eve shooting brings the picture to a climax and opens the way to mutual understanding between Sam and Carlotta. This bare outline of the story naturally gives no idea of the excellent detail which enlivens the picture, nor of the spirited acting of Cullen Landis, as Sam's brother, and no hint of the wellbred distinction of Marietta Millner, as Carlotta. Meighan fans will not be disappointed in this. A Naughty Little Girl. Something new in mother love is seen in "The Joy Girl." Mary Alden polishes the toenails of Olive Borden, who is Jewel Courage— get the name, please — her daughter. It wouldn't be polite to comment on the strange state of affairs which makes it necessary for one of the finest artists on the screen to render this service to one of the least. It is just one of life's little ironies. The picture is otherwise out of the ordinary, too. Jewel, who lives on the fringe of Palm Beach, is a shining example of how a girl on little or nothing a year can wear the latest styles, mingle with the rich and marry a millionaire — without displaying a single redeeming quality. But for that matter the villain of the film, who is also out to better himself financially through marriage, succeeds in doing so after he has committed bigamy without being punished for it. All in all, "The Joy Girl" is an eye opener. Incidental to these twisted ethics. Jewel is attracted to a chauffeur who is not reall}' a chaufifeur, but a millionaire trying to escape mercenary ladies. .So our practical little Jewel refrains from throwing herself away upon a man who merely loves her. But she lends an eager ear to the next man she meets, whom she believes to be a millionaire, but who is really a chauffeur. When Jewel marries him you cannot but think it serves her right, especially as she went to great lengths to make him think her wealthy. However, she is put to no noticeable inconvenience and is finally rewarded by the willingness of the millionaire to lead her to the altar. "The Joy Girl" is brazenly immoral and Jewel the most unsympathetic heroine ever seen, though handsome dresses, spacious rooms, and glittering motor cars do their best to veneer the sordid story. Neil Hamilton is the young man of fortune who chooses to become a chaufifeur for a lark. His ingratiating manner and underlying humor succeed in capturing all the sympathy and most of the interest. Fun in the Orient. Quite the most diverting comedy Douglas MacLean has had in a long time is offered in "Soft Cushions," an intelligent satire on the Oriental spectacle. It is gay, original, colorful, with no straining after gags and horseplay, and its titles are brilliant examples of how to be amusing without resorting to the easy impudence of wise-cracks. Furthermore, it has a lovely girl named Sue Carol for the heroine, whose fresh beauty and winsomeness indicate tliat she will be heard from in large measure from now on. Her career will, in a manner of speaking, surely rest on soft cushions hereafter. [Continued on page 92] "The Garden of Allah." "Mockery." "Hula."