Universal Weekly (1920, 1923-27)

16 Universal Weekly December 10, 1927 “A Hero for a Night” Rings the Bell With the Trade Paper Reviewers LAST Tuesday, Universal held a special mid-day preview for the newspaper and trade paper representatives of Glenn Tryon’s latest comedy film, “A Hero for a Night.” The audience rocked with laughter and justified Carl Laemmle’s predictions about his comedy find. This is Tryon’s second starring vehicle, and is even funnier, so say the critics, than “Painting the Town,” the first which won him a high place among screen humorists and a long term contract with Universal. Chester J. Smith, in Motion Picture News, writes: “Occasionally there comes along a comedy that gets away from the slapstick and knockabout stuff and advances some real humor in the way of situations, gags, hokum, or call it what you like. Such a one was Glenn Tryon’s ‘Painting the Town,’ which brought him a long term contract with Universal. They said then it would be difficult to get Tryon material to match up with ‘Painting the Town.’ “Well, they have dug up material in ‘A Hero for a Night’ for this newlv-made star which matches his last vehicle, and, if anything, goes it one better. And Tryon more than lives up to all the nice things said about him following his last effort. He has the personality for this type of comedy, he is chock full of gags that add spice to the picture, and he undoubtedly has a keen sense of comedy values. “In ‘A Hero for a Night,’ Tryon is much the same type as he was in ‘Painting the Town.’ He is a fresh guy, almost to repulsion, but he makes you like it. And in connection with his taxicab he has some inventions again, which are worked bv the mere pressure of a button from his driver’s seat. A button is pressed and there is revealed a compartment supplied with skates, obviously to prevent walking back home. In another compartment is a veritable makeup shelf. “Tryon is ambitious to become a flyer and participate in the trans-Atlantic race, but he has no backing for the flight until the arrival at the watering resort of Samuel Sloan, wealthy manufacturer of shaving soap, and his beautiful daughter, accompanied by a male secretary and a nurse. “The secretary and the nurse are plotting to ruin the elder Sloan in the stock market at the same time as Tryon is endeavoring to win the beautiful daughter, Patsy Ruth Miller. It becomes necessary for Sloan to arrive back in New York the next morning to prevent utter financial ruin. Miss Miller enlists the services of Tryon and his aeroplane and the trio set sail. When aloft, they are apprised by Tryon of the fact that he has never before been in the air and has gained his knowledge through a correspondence course, which has not yet included how to land. “In the absence of a knowledge of navigation Tryon sets a course which This jolly Christmas one-sheet is available to hibitors of the special holiday release of Oswald Comedy, “Empty Socks.” carries him over Newfoundland, the Irish coast, into France, across the Balkans and into Russia, without any of the trio knowing just where they are. Eventually forced down in Russia, the title tells you they must be in the Bronx, as no one knows their language. The success of the flight saves the Sloan fortune. “Incidentally the titles are about as snappy as have been seen in a comedy for some time and add much to the effectiveness of the picture. They presume at one time, because of the number of roads beneath them they “must be in Rhode Island.” The combination of Miss Miller and Tryon is a happy one and the work of the entire cast, including the monkey, is exceptionally good. “Drawing Power: Should go exceptionally well in any type of house. Exploitation Angles: The popularity of the star and Patsy Ruth Miller; the trans-Atlantic flight.” The Motion Picture World adds its favorable comment: “Glenn Tryon. in his initial starring vehicle for Universal, takes this uproarious burlesque on aviation, hurls it aloft to high altitudes of hilarity, twists its propeller to an unbroken array of gags, flaps its wings into continued realms of mirth, and makes it hum with action throughout. “Good old hokum of the most fundamental order gilds the scene and Tryon’s unfailing smile and ‘village hecker’ mannerisms guide the plot. The crowd took to it and roared its approval. “The story is pure farce, with overtones of sly, satirical digs at the epidemic of trans-Atlantic aviation which seems to have caught aspirants to world-wide fame in a demon clutch. Glenn sails along in an irrepressible momentum of gaietv and imperviousness to difficulties which is contagious, to say the least. To be sure, the material, from a story standpoint, is pure nonsense, but of that entertaining kind which gives patrons a good time in the theatre. “No opportunities for playing on the susceptibilities of the dear old public have been overlooked, at one instance a large portrait of Lindbergh ( Continued on page 40) ex the