Universal Weekly (1928-1930, 1933-1936)

10 Universal Weekly 1 ‘ECEMBER 14, 1929 Comrades in "All Quiet on Western Front" LEWIS MILESTONE T EWIS MILESTONE is well ■*-' qualified to direct the comrades in Universal’s picturization of Erich Maria Remarque's sensational war novel. A Russian, who received his education in his own country and Germany, Milestone served in the Great War. He knows the war, therefore, at first hand. Milestone studied mechanical engineering, only to desert his career for motion pictures in 1920. Among the important pictures he has directed are ‘‘Two Arabian Nights,” “The Racket,” “New Klondike” and “Garden of Eden.” WILLIAM BAKE WELL Y\J ILLIAM BAKE WELL is ” to play the role of Muller, the boy who carried his text books into the trenches with him and muttered propositions in physics under shell fire. Bakewell was born in Hollywood and entered pictures upon graduation from high school. He played the twin princes in “The Iron Mask,” a feature part in “Mother,” “The Gold Diggers of Broadway” and “On With the Show.” His most recent work was opposite Alice White in a picture called “Playing Around.” Billy Bakewell is one of the most popular of the younger set. SCOTT KOLK SCOTT KOLK will take the part of Leer in “All Quiet on the Western Front” Leer was one of the seven German school boys who went to the front and shared their experiences in Remarque’s moving novel. Kolk was born in Baltimore and went to a military academy and the University of Maine. He taught dancing and was an orchestra and club entertainer before he began his stage career. He played in stork and musical comedy. His first moving picture was “Marianne,” with Marion Davies. His second picture was Universal’s “Hold Your Man.” PIS AYRES & CARL LAEMMLE, JR. T EWIS AYRES received the distinction of being selected to play the role of Paul Baumer, the central figure and narrator of "All Quiet.” Carl Laemmle, Jr., general manager of Universal, and Lewis Milestone, the director, chose Ayres for the leading role with complete confidence that the practically unknown actor would give a magnificent portrayal of the sensitive, courageous Paul. Ayres made Hollywood via Arizona by way of a banjo and soft southern voice. Chance and his good looks got him a small part with Greta Garbo in “The Kiss.” “Broadway” Wins Praise of Minneapolis Critic MERLE POTTER, amusement editor and critic of the Minneapolis Journal, is one of the severest critics in the United States. Praise from Potter is praise, indeed. After seeing “Broadway” at the Minnesota Theatre, Mr. Potter declared that it was a triumph of the screen over the stage. That wasn’t all he said. Here is his comment as printed in the Minneapolis Journal. “Broadway,” the screen event of the week at the Minnesota, is another triumph of screen over stage play. This observer already has seen the Philip DunningGeorge Abbott story of New York night clubs done completely by legitimate players on a three dimension stage, but he confesses he got more thrill, more enjoyment out of the picture than he did on either of the other occasions. All of the dramatic value, all the tenseness of a great story, has been preserved in the picture version and the entertainment has been vastly increased by the introduction of cabaret scenes done against a titanic set that is more pretentious than anything of the sort previously done in talking pictures. Where the stage play is limited to one scene, the film adaptation has dozens. On the stage, Roy Lane, the smalltime hoofer with the big time complex, dances off with half a dozen ladies of the chorus. In the picture he dances out into a mighty cabaret room, accompanied by a chorus of 20 or more, where they do a regular dance routine, while a big orchestra plays the music. The picture has been so cunningly directed these interruptions of the main story detract nothing from its intensity. The story of “Broadway” is generally known. It concerns Roy Lane, his dancing partner, Billie Moore; Steve Crandall, master bootlegger; “Scarface” Edwards and Pearl, his “woman”; Dan McCom, the quietmannered sleuth, and others more or less intimately associated with the life of the Paradise Night Club. “Scar” is killed by Steve and is eventually avenged by Pearl. Steve tries to “do wrong” by Billie and Roy is her earnest but ineffectual protector. Glenn Tryon is splendid as Roy^ giving a truly understanding performance. adding much to its worth by his singing and dancing; Evelyn is excellent as Pearl and Thomas E. Jackson does a studied finished job as McCom. We rate it as one of the four or five best entertainments yet made in the talking field. It has an engrossing story, music, dance, lavish production, resourceful direction and a great company of actors.