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

Warner Bros. Present “LIGHTS OF NEW YORK” — First All-Talking Picture aq FEATURES ie Scene from'Lights of New York." Warner Bros. First Hill Talking Picture Production No. 8—Cut or Mat All Players in “Lights of New York,” First All-Vitaphone Production, Artists of Both Stage and Screen When Bryan Foy, Vitaphone director and supervisor for Warner Bros. obtained the players who appear in “Lights of New York,” the first full-length all-talking motion picture to reach the screen, he performed one of the most difficult casting jobs known to stage or screen. As it is absolutely necessary that artists who play in Vitaphone productions possess voices that are trained or adaptable to the new spoken drama as well as_ photographic desirability, the task of testing the players for “Lights of New York,” which Mr. Foy was to direct, presented many difficulties peculiar to the new medium and far different from those of the ordinary silent drama. Mr. Foy saw to it that the entire cast of “Lights of New York” had had experience on both stage and screen. Many, indeed, have attained stellar heights on _ both, while all have achieved prominence in either one or the other. No mat-. ter how great or how small the role was to be, Foy made sure that each actor or actress had had experience before the klieg and footlights. Helene Costello, who enacts the leading feminine role, coming from a theatrical family, had played on the stage previous to her entrance in the cinema. Her voice, like that of her sister Dolores, has a piquant quality perfectly suited to Vitaphone reproduction. Miss Costello’s recent pictures include “Don Juan,” “The Heart of Maryland,” “The Fortune Hunter,” “Husbands for Rent” and “The Midnight Taxi.” Having won success on the stage before turning to films, Cullen Landis, who portrays the lead opposite Miss Costello in “Lights of New York,” also possesses the deep resonance of voice ideal for speaking motion pictures. His camera career includes such productions as “The Fighting Coward” and “On 7 ‘sseno.” yolys. Brockwell, one of the Ymst motion picture stars, enacts aa important part in this innovational screen story. Miss Brockwell played ingenue and character roles on the stage before playing in the silent drama. Among her well-known pictures are “Sunrise,” “The Country Doctor” and ‘“Sevventh Heaven.” Often termed “mother of the sereen,”’ Mary Carr essays another affecting role in which her wide experience on the spoken stage and the silent pictures serve her in good stead. Eugene Pallette, who since his childhood has divided his theatrical time between stage and screen, also enacts with marvelous humor the part of Gene, the barber. It is to be said of the cast that it contains in its entirety more talent than can be boasted of in any picture that has come out of Hollywood in many a day. Legitimate actors who had taken “fliers” in pictures just for the experience, were called back to the screen to appear in parts that fitted them. Wheeler Oakman, Tom McGuire and Walter Percival have all appeared with stock companies and so has Jere Delaney, Tom Dugan and Robert Elliott. One of the tough “mugs” in the night club scenes is Guy D’Ennery, remembered as the suave and polished cad in Booth Tarkington’s play “Clarence.” All of these players are capable of handling any type of dramatic role. As for the authors and adapters of the story for the screen, Hugh Herbert and Murray Roth, they were well equipped for their portion of the work. Both Herbert and Roth have been prolific dramatists. Herbert is credited with having turned out over one hundred and fifty one-act plays which have had successful production on the stages of the legitimate and|{ vaudeville theatres of the country. Roth has been equally successful. “Lights of New York” is now showing at the.... Theatre. Scene from ‘Lights of New York™ Werner Bros.First All Talking Picture Production No. 9—Cut or Mat KITTY LEWIS Hawk Miller Sam Collins Tommy Mr. Dickson A page was added to local motion picture history last night when Warner Bros.’ production of “Lights of New York,” the first all-taiking picture, was flashed on the screen of the .... Theatre. Of course, it was only a matter of time before a picture in which the story would be made clear by the voices of the characters on the sereen would make its appearance and now that it is here one must admit that if it had nothing else to commend it except its sheer novelty this in itself would be sufficient to win great success for it. Before going further into this, however, it must be said that “Lights of New York” has a great deal to commend it outside of its unusual treatment. Its producers in setting out to film an all-talking picture could hardly have selected a better vehicle. As it stands it is one of the most unique and diversified entertainments that has been offered on stage or screen and as such it is to be judged. It contains something of everything and it moves with a speed that is astonishing. It teems with youth. The exigencies of today make the old story of the country boy longing for the opportunities to get ahead presented in the big city seem fresh and new. This country boy and his pal, a barber, are hoodwinked into buying an interest in a ‘shop just off Broadway. When too late they find their shop is but a blind for bootleggers. Ashamed to go back home and face the folks, they stick to become enmeshed in tragedy and stand in danger of their own lives. In the working out of this story one is whisked from the country town to the glitter and turmoil of Broadway. There is the illuminated street with its great crowds, the swarms of people entering the subways, the attractive looking theatres and the motley mob of people hurrying no one knows where. There is a flash of the water front, the bark of a gun and when one gets back to Broadway the newsboys are crying out the extras tellmg of the murder of a policeman by some rum runners. There is the country girl working in a fashionable night club and this gives a great chance for showing, through Vitaphone, the entertainment given in_ these places. This is one of the best things for which Vitaphone is responsible. There is a bit of tragedy in the barber shop and an anxious few moments as the innocents try to cover it up. Of course, everything is made clear in the end and one is gladdened by the fact that the young people are going right back to the country and happiness. | To adequately present such a | picture an unusual cast was neces Eddie Morgan... feces ccecee Molly Thompséne...... Mrs. Morgan... 3 Detective Crosby... Mr... Jackson... Warner Bros. Present “‘Lights of New York,” First FullLength All Vitaphone Photoplay. Story and Scenario by Hugh Herbert and Murray Roth. Directed by Bryan Foy THE: CAST: ee Fae HELENE COSTELLO Re Cullen Landis See aes Gladys Brockwell eS SS eee Mary Carr Soe oe eee ae Wheeler Oakman oS eee Eugene Pallette eae ca eee Robert Elliott S cjsince ne Slips Or Dugan eae Tom McGuire ee Guy D’Ennery Siainatine acer aa Walter Percival Wee ine ee Jere Delaney sary and this it has. Helene Costello, as the country girl working in the chorus of the night club, gives an extremely gvod performance. It is a role that calls for versatility as well as a variety of emotions, all of which she handles with a sense of art. Cullen Landis is the youngster from the small town, and Mary Carr has the role of his mother. Kiugene Pallette contributes a good bit of acting and so does Wheeler Oakman as the dissolute owner of a night club. All of the roles in the picture are skillfully played. The story of “Lights of New York” was written by Hugh Herbert and Murray Roth and was directed for Warner Bros. by Bryan Foy. It is destined on account of its novelty and its acting to talk itself into favor wherever pictures are popular, and this means everywhere. THRILLS GALORE IN BIG ALL-VITAPHONE MYSTERY ROMANCE Strand audiences are vociferously sounding their appreciation of “Lights of New York,” Warner Bros.’ first full-length all-Vitaphone production, which was written by Hugh Herbert and Murray Roth and directed by Bryan Foy. Helene Costello and Cullen Landis head the all-star cast which in cludes Gladys Brockwell, Mary Carr, Wheeler Oakman, Eugene Pallette, Robert Elliott, Tom Dugan, Tom McGuire, Guy D’En nery, Walter Percival and Jere Delaney. The thrilling and _ intensely human story of “Lights of New York,” has to do with two young lovers who, weary of the home town, seek opportunity for fame and fortune in Manhattan. Landing on pitiless Broadway, the girl, as a night club entertainer, the youth the keeper of—not the innocent barber shop he had been inveigled into buying—but a _bootlegging joint. Then begin the complications which include the shooting of a policeman, the betrayal of the young man into the hands of the police, the strange killing of the night club proprietor, whose taking off is explained by the haggard Molly Thompson whom he has cast off and the reuniting of the lovers. The effect of the human voices— which speak all the lines—is uncannily exciting. “Lights of New York” is some It is vital and should not miss it. AND REVIEWS spt ct SS gc I! SSeS asSaneny 7 ARs FIRST ALL-TALKING PICTURE THRILLS .. . . CROWDS) HELD IN BROADWAY SMALL-TOWN LOVERS MURDER MYSTERY First All-Talking Picture . THEATRE — Warner Bros. present “Lights of New York,” first fulllength all-Vitaphone photoplay. Story and scenario by Hugh Herbert and Mur ray Roth. Directed by Bryan Foy. Cast includes Helene’ Costello, Cullen Landis, Gladys Brockwell, Mary Carr, Wheeler Oakman, Eugene Pallette, Robert Elliott, Tom Dugan, Tom McGuire, Guy D’Ennery, Walter Percival and Jere Delaney. The first actual talking picture ever exhibited—i. e, a picture without sub-titles, wherein all the characters speak their parts, opened last night at the Strand Theatre, and to say that the novelty intrigued the fancy of the audience is to speak with undue restraint of Warner Bros.’ epoch-making departure, “Lights of New York.” Miss Costello, Mr. Landis, Miss Brockwell—in fact, each member of the distinguished cast spoke with quite amazing naturalness. There was an odd pleasure in hearing the screen favorites, like the pleasure of becoming better acquainted with neighbors we have only nodded to. The full-toned resonance of Cullen Landis, the mellow tenderness of Mary Carr— mother to all fandom—the girlish clarity of Miss Costello, the harsh precision of Crosby, plainclothes man, Hawk Miller’s suave villainy —all blended as perfectly as the various instruments in a_ welltrained orchestra, as the gripping melodrama of love, crime and retribution swept up to its terrific climax. More of the story need not be told, than that it concerns a lad who, believing the old home town a dead burg, longs to go to the Big Town. Urging his mother to let him have her savings, he goes to the city to invest in what is supposed to be a barber shop, but what is in reality a blind for bootleggers. His sweetheart has gone to New York and is an entertainer in a night club, whose oily proprietor has shot a policeman—thus implicating both youngsters in a bewildering chain of circumstances which brings them within the shadow of the electric chair. “Lights of New York” is different from anything you have ever seen. It is worth traveling a long way to see—and hear. oo Scene from Lights oF Satan ew York thing new in the amusement world. | Warner Bros.First All Talking Picture stirring. You | Production No. 10—Cut or Mat Coming! “NOAH’S ARK”—Made to Top Any Picture Ever Made!