Lights of New York (Warner Bros.) (1928)

FEATURES. FO NOT A CHANCE FOR THE CRIMINAL 6. | A Chief of Police The principal reason for the diminishing chances of the criminal in the modern world is the startling advance of science. What chance has any embezzler, holdup man, blackmailer, murderer, etc., with a thousand and one contraptions to foil him. The criminal never knows when the door he jimmies open will sound the electric alarm that will bring the police force after him in a trice. Alarm systems at the foot of bank tellers minimize the chances of a getaway, in case of a “fast job.” The longdistance phone will result in a special reception committee when the burglar alights from the train three hundred miles away. The cable will do likewise if he tries. to dodge by taking the sea route. Maybe, a hundred years ago, a man who took to the tall timbers had a chance to escape. The days that permitted a Jesse James to function are as remote as those that gave free play to Robin Hood and his jolly gang. Now and then some daring outlaw may run riot in the Far West and make a spectacular holdup. And if any man wants to practice banditry and wants a sporting chance of breaking even, he had better betake himself to points in Mexico where that brand of profit-making seems to thrive more or less luxuriantly. For that reason, I consider “Lights of New York,” the picture that precipitated my views on crime before the public, as such an excellent object lesson. It shows the glamour of the tenderloin, but it shows it as a losing battle, with desperadoes, unafraid of whipping out their revolvers and using them, certain that the roundup is to be the reward of all their activities and a pleasant session in some public-supported institution where bars, guards, stripes and privacy greet the man who thought that he, at least, could beat the game. But nobody will go to see it for its object lesson, which is a by-product. People will see this crime picture for the thrills it abounds in. It teems with scenes of excitement, in which the sinister denizens of the underworld come across a rare bird in a cabaret dancer bent on reforming the crook she loves. The criminals are lifelike, the detectives are, too. And the direction of Bryan Foy shows an_ insight into the ways of crookdom impossible to surpass. Remember what I said. Crime doesn’t pay, and the criminal can’t get away with it. The police are always one step ahead of the criminal, and will capture him even if it takes years. They know the criminal better than he does himself, and represent a higher form of human being against which the criminal cannot cope. That is why their percentage of arrests is so high. Why Do They Like to Go to Night Clubs (Continued from column 3) of this country, but in Paris and London as well. There is a bevy of beautiful lithe-limbed girls to dance, a well-drilled jazd orchestra and comedians and vocalists.,to entertain the habitues. Between each number the paying guests leave their tables to dance and add to the general gaiety. In “Lights of New York,” this scene is particular effective and highly entertaining. It is extremely well worked and is said to be absolutely truthful in its reproduction. “Lights of New York” is described as the most novel motion picture on the screen at the present time and as Warner Bros. have produced it the work has novelty Warner Bros. Present “LIGHTS OF NEW YORK”’ — First All-Talking Picture ' Scene from'Lights oF New York" Warner Bros. First All Talking Picture Production No. 6—Cut or Mat GREAT DETECTIVE STORY ON THE TALKING SCREEN Most men like to read detective stories. There is something about a good mystery that is fascinating. Tales of crime have always been popular, even with readers who abhor the crimes described. The great story of this kind is the one the reader feels he must lay down, but cannot, for the reason that it has a grip on him. It is just such a story that is contained in “Lights of New York,” the all-talking motion picture which Warner Bros. have produced with a cast made up of people from every walk of endeavor on the stage, the screen and the concert hall. The story unfolded in this picture is told by the char'|acters themselves from the screen. It is the first big feature picture in which Vitaphone has been used ‘Ito so great an extent. While com SSES BROKEN HEARTS OF BROADWAY edy and tragedy go hand in hand {in real life so does it mingle in the | story of this picture. i! Men who think they are blase THROB IN “LIGHTS OF NEW YORK” to stories of the underworld will First All-Vitaphone Melodrama—World’s Most Unique Entertainment—Now Showing at... . There is probably no more unique entertainment given in any theatre in the world than that which is furnished on the screen. by “Lights of New York,” a complete talking picture produced by Warner Bros. and just released from _ their Hollywood studios. It is said of this picture that it contains everything. It is as fresh as the morning paper at breakfast time and chases laughter with tragedy and back again to merriment. The opportunities for this variety are due to the story. An ambitious country boy longing to make a name for himself in New York goes to the big city with a pal to enter a little business in which they have placed all their money. When too late they find they have been “taken in” by a counle of crooks and that the business they have entered is merely a cloak, or blind, for some bootleggers. The story lands right on Broadway with all its lights and its scurrying crowds and the inebriated swell who always wants to get on the other side of the street. And despite the traffic and the fact that sober people sometimes get killed in the crossing, he always lands’ safely. As_ the story progresses the audience is taken to one of the most popular night clubs in the Broadway district. For all the world the screen audience is part of the club’s gathering. Then follows the complete entertainment as is given in these places. A large chorus comes in to do “The Pirates’ Dance,” there are dance numbers, and a vocalist who melodiously renders some popular airs. In addition to these there are jazz numbers by the orchestra, the whole program being carried out as skillfully as it is ever carried out in the best of these resorts. It so happens that the solo dancer with the chorus is the sweetheart of the country boy. This role is played by Helene Costello, the sister of the gorgeous Dolores, and in it she shows that she possesses much versatility. “Lights of New York’’ is a pic ture without a sub title, its whole story being told by the voices of the characters on the screen. It can easily be imagined that the claim that it is the most novel and find in seeing this picture that they are mistaken. There is one scene in particular that is as nerve-racking as anything that has ever been devised. Policemen looking for a murderer have an appointment at a barber shop at ten o’clock. A few minutes before ten the dissolute owner of a night club enters the shop, has an argument with the young fellow, who is one of its proprietors, and is shot down from behind. It is plain that the youngster, who has the sympathy of the audience, will be accused of the crime. He must get away. What can be done with the body? With his partner he lifts the body into a barber chair and as he leaves by the back door, in comes the police to find the barber preparing to shave the “customer.” And while he strops the razor the barber keeps up a running fire of comment to the dead man with the hope that the policemen will get tired of waiting and leave the shop. A more tense, or nerve-racking scene has rarely, if ever, been shown on stage or screen. Warner Bros. have given this picture a great cast. One of the scenes takes the audience to a Broadway night club, wherein is given through the medium of Vitaphone, a program such as is seen in the best of these places in New York. “Lights of New York,’ Warner Bros.’ first full-length all-Vitaphone production written by Murray Roth and Hugh Herbert, directed by unique entertainment in the theatre of today has a good deal of justification in fact. “Lights of New York” was written for Warner Bros. by Murray Roth and Hugh Herbert. The cast includes Helene Costello, Cullen Landis, Mary Carr, Gladys Brockwell and many other favorites. Bryan Foy directed. Now showing at the Strand. Why Do They Like to Go to Night Clubs To the man to whom New York is merely a name, but who has a pretty fair idea of what the big city is like from what he has read about it, there is wonder why people flock to the so-called fashionable night clubs. He has read that the average night club is a place to be visited only by people who have no regard for the value of money. Not so long ago, in the trial of some notorious. gunmen, one of whom went to the electric chair, it came out in court that the gangsters were frequenters of the clubs and were known and welcomed for their generosity to the entertainers. The leader thought nothing of giving the cigarette girl a fifty-dollar tip. It is a fact that a twenty-cent bottle of ginger ale is marked up to two dollars in some of these resorts and why anyone should freely pay the price is too much for some people to understand. — Bryan Foy and featuring Helene Costello, Cullen Landis, Mary Carr and Gladys Brockwell, is now showi . > Theatre. ing at the.. _ One thing must be kept in mind in discussing prices in night clubs, however, and that is that someone must pay for the elaborate entertainment that is given for the edification of the visitors. There is an intimate touch given in these entertainments that makes a great appeal to certain people. They are in close touch with the _ professionals furnishing the show and this is what they like. An illuminating and interesting feature of “Lights of New York,” the first all-talking motion picture, which Warner Bros. have produced through the medium of Vitaphone, is one of the most recherche clubs catering to night life in New York. In this club scene there Scene from ‘Lights of New York is shown the exact type of | Warner fros.First All Talking Picture entertain which is most popular not only in the night resorts Production No. 7—Cut or Mat R NEWSPAPERS Selected by HELENE COSTELLO Low-Spirited VY “On leaving, his host had pvt some of the still hot punch into his thermos flask ... but he lost it. He felt beaten.”—Australian Journal. No wonder, after losing his punch.—Smith’s Weekly (Sydney). Nothing in Its Place “Well,” said the ultra-modern young mother, “it’s time to make the baby’s bedtime cup of malted milk. Where the devil did I leave that cocktail shaker last night? Or was it this morning ?”—Detroit Free Press. When to Begin “The right time to begin your Christmas Saving Club is—not next year—not next month—not next week.” — Adv. in a_ Bridgeport (Conn.) paper. But, as Irving Berlin has so lyrically put it, always.—New Yorker. Courtesy to Patrons Irate Hotel Guest (phoning to office)—Say, whatsa big idea? Somebody’s running up and down the halls and I can’t catch a wink of sleep. Apologetic Clerk—I’m very sorry, sir, but, you see, we have no control over the fire department.— California Pelican. LOOK-AND-LISTEN PICTURE-MAKING While the first multiple-reel allVitaphone feature with Helene Costello, Cullen Landis, Gladys Brockwell and Wheeler Oakman in the all-star cast was being made at Warner’ Bros.’ Hollywood studios, it was necessary for technicians in as many as ten different rooms to keep in constant communication with each other. These rooms were scattered at various places over the thirteenacre lot, but were kept in touch with each other by a special telephone system and a system of lights, bells and buzzers. While the “take” was being made, a reproduction of the sound was heard in three different rooms. Cameramen shut up in _ their sound-proof booths heard it by means of headphones as did the executive in his office. The whole system which preserves the image and sound in a _ perfectly synchronized state is connected electrically. When it was desired to make a take, a general signal was sent out by -Director Bryan Foy. When each unit had replied “ready,” the sound-proof doors of the stage were locked, and a whistle was blown for silence. The director turned a switch which gave a signal to the control room and tk system began to function. When the dials indicated that everything was running properly, a light for which he was watching flashed and the director signaled his actors to start. When the action, which was limited to ten minutes or one thousand feet of film on a “take” was completed, the director flashed his signal and the system stopped. Its various sections reported to him immediately on the results of the “take” from their point of view. “Lights of New York,” first fulllength all-Vitaphone production, now showing at the.... Theatre. | Coming! ‘““NOAH’S ARK’’—Made to Top Any Picture Ever Made!