Variety (Jan 1933)

Taesolayt January 24, 1933 PICTURES VARIETY 19 Going Places By Cecelia Ager No General Welcome for Women's Clnbs Passing Judpent on Films Femmes Old and N«w By carefully 'watching Diana Wynyard In 'Cavalcade,' women who hanker for their old spot on a pedes- tal can learn exactly how to climb back. Miss Wynyard shows that such a return mounts hand and hand with a return to the old-fash- ioned virtues. Many of these have been burled with the bustle of the past generation. Miss Wynyard advises dignity, gradbusness, reserve, for the as- cent—mellowed in gentle feminin- ity. Woman's place Is in the home- she's satlsfled, in a home that's well-ordered, a pleasant base for a man's leave-takings for, and returns from, war. Women were worshipped when they accepted their destiny, she recalls, proves It bravely ac- cepting hers. It's a man's world, always has been, always will be, believes Miss Wynyard, the best arrangement for womanhood, anyway. In a man's world femininity Is the important thing. Women win out In a man's world by stressing their femininity, she shows, and so she turns to the costumes of the '90's, an era of hips, bosoms and slender waists. Those princesse dresses had their points, those pompadour coiffures could be delicately winsome, the Jewelry of that period for all Its elaboration Infinitely charming. Not only by her acting, but by the myriad fetching details, of her appearance does Miss Wynyard create a tender yearning for women as they used to be, gen- tle, unselfish souls (in picture hats and feather boas) to be revered. Ursula Jeans, whose lot It Is to represent the modern girl In a pic- ture sold on the superiority of the old-fashioned lady, manages to make her at least aware of what's cricket even If she does libel her style sense and skill with lipstick. Merle Tottenham and Una O'Con- spr are expert, colorful, genuinely amusing as the downstairs contin- gent. Contrasted with their effort- less characterizations. Beryl Mer- cer puffs a little being quaint. Timid Panther Women Nobody need be frightened of Panther Women as Kathleen Burke portrays them. They are really frightened little girls themselves, scared of about everything, but scared most of all of a picture camera. In 'Island of Lost Souls,' the first picture to bring a Pan- ther Woman to the attention of screen audiences. Miss Burke shrinks timidly In corners, albeit with feline grace. There is but one ferocious thing about her—the violent make-up around her eyes. She dresses like any other native of picture tropics. In skilfully draped scarves and beads. Her riotous black hair as- sumes becoming outlines about her gentle face. Island of Lost Souls' maintains that Panther Women have excellent figures; it's hard to tell about their faces, however, for they obscure them with so much make-up. Leila Hyams' wholesomeness has never been so welcome as in this murky island. A clear light of san- ity, she Illuminates the dank pro- ceedings with her good common sense and clean cut Nordic face. Her nice American girl yachting clothes and sports dresses are as refreshing here as her nice normal reactions and level-headed outlook. Roxyettes Inspiring Soldiers The Roxyettes are drilling over at the Music Hall and all's well with militarism. Forty-eight young heroines march out of castle doors, chins up, blipfk boots gleaming, white and gold parade suits polished to spotless sheen. Forty-elgh* young maids march forth in one straight line, strangers to hesitation. They fear no foe, these warlike lasses. They need but march through their amaz- ing routine to first stun the enemy with their precision, next confound him with their flashing maneuvers, and then send him home cheering, vanquished by a spectacle worth going to war to see. The Music Hall Ballet Corps. In •Mood Moderne,' selflessly go about forming a frame for Patricia Bow- mxn, but because they're sO expertly self-effacing, so alluringly graceful in their sequincd tights, the frame becomes Important as the picture. Miss Bowman prances up and down the full stage stairs on her toes, prettily menacing In' black tights, greon F.nrnilnocl tail coat and topper, a cfi:!!!!! -" first mado f.imou.s by T.'iniara C,ova, who still understands best the secret of its extraordinary chlo. The Roxyettes, still under the In- fluence of militarism, return for 'Geisha-Land' red-coated Japanese warriors who, though they strike the grotesquely stylized poses of warrior Japanese prints, yet can be femininely graceful during the tran- sitions. Now Patricia Bowman is a little Japanese doll In a blue kimono, as adept with parasol as with the flutterlngs of Japanese fans. Maria Samson, a full-throated Madame Butterfly, sings her plaintive aria standing forlorn on a Japanese arched bridge, lonely despite the presence of the ballet corps, fright- ened perhaps of their pagoda hats which turn out to be Japanese lan- terns for a forte finish. Those Arliss Ingenues Young women cast as the in- genues in George Arliss pictures lead a circumscribed life. Hemmed In by precedent, pattern, tradition, they dare not be themselves. Their performances are determined by In- violate rules: they must think Mr. Arliss Is a darling dear, they must believe he knows best, they must be volubly grateful for ^Jls kindly In- terference in their love life. Patricia Ellis, the latest out of the mold, exhibits a tiny aberration. Whilst her predecessors have been blondes, she dares to be a brunette. Otherwise Miss Ellis Is a strict con- formist. Even her clothes, in 'The King's Vacation,' remember the others. Maidenly organdies with cape collars, girlish sweaters and skirts, modest evening frocks, proper coverings all. Miss Ellis even adheres to the regulation mar- cel waves for her bobbed hair. She will distract. no one from the Im- portant person In the picture. Marjorle Gateson, playing the lady who Is not quite fine enough to deserve to. be Mr. Arliss' wife, nevertheless makes the most of her opportunities as an Insensitive fool. She is so irood at It, In fact, that she constitutes a menace for a while. She, too, knows how to act, and very well, and that's not sport- ing of her in an Arliss picture. Florence Arliss Is sweet and yield- ing as ever. , She never makes trouble, not Mrs. Arliss. Pemme Reaction to Lupe Lupe Velez doesn't mind a bit If the ladies don't approve of her in 'Hot Pepper.' She suits the'hoys all right, all right. Let the ladles say she's 'tough.' They're Jealous. It takes a lot of strength to be like Lupe. Most girls haven't the vitality. The way she cavorts, explodes, fights, loves, sings, dances In 'Hot Pepper' Isn't acting—It's Miss Velez herself. Girls can't learn to act like that—they've got to be born that way. Might as well go on Imitating Garbo. It won't produce such quick results, but at least they can act tired without really doing anything to get tired. Just contemplating doing a Velez exhausts them. Still, there's a little satisfaction for the girls in the fact that Miss Velez' volcanic energy is so force- ful, it's all her pictures ask of her. She's really an actress besides, a natural, emotional miss. So long as she'll erupt fireworks, however, she'll go on cast as a Latin spitfire In sketchlly written roles till the end, hiding the while a far more lasting, precious quality. It's very sad, but somehow the girls will face It calm- ly. It's coming to anybody who can look and wriggle so fetchlngly In a wreath of coque feathers Instead of skirts. 'Air Hostess' Amours While it won't go so far as to de- scribe to audiences Just what the duties of an air hostess may be, 'Air Hostess' does maintain that what- ever it Is air hostesses do. It cer- tainly plays havoc with their dis- positions. Belligerently Evalyn Knapp in the title role boards planes and alights from them. Furiously she stalks the airports, fuming over her con- stant set-tos with the ground crews. She's not grateful for the becomlng- ness of an air hostess' tailored uni- form nor its Jaunty overseas cap, she's not pleased at the fraternal affection and protection of the pilots and mechanics, she's not thankful when the hero nobly refuses to ac- cept her chiffon pyjama-clad ad- vances and Insists on marrying her instead. No, she just pouts with a too heavily rouged mouth, weeps with too heavily pencilled eyes. Perhaps she's unhappy nwny from her planes; nobody knows, since no- body's given the opportunity to see, save for one brief sequence, if she's any different when she's on the job. Thelma Todd, the rich air-minded villalness with a penchant for trans- Pacific flyers, generously takes care of all the mundane details of her af- fairs, providing the money, the place, and a good three-fourths of the inclination. She begins her amours by appearing In black satin swathed close about her, fitted so dexterously It needs only a rhlne- stone necklace for support. She completes them In diaphanous neg- (Contlnued on page 61) Employee's Entrance (Continued from page 12) every opportunity to restore herself in a swell little role, and takes ad- vantage of it. She Invests her part with more than the average featured player on the Warner lot may have given It, as a gal friend of the Iiard- bolled mgr. A part of her job is to go on the make for a store ofhclal who doesn't seem to agree with the man- ager. Miss White contributes a sparkling performance, both photo- graphing and recording excellently. Wallace Ford does the assistant to the manager and excellently, while in hands of Hale Hamilton, Ruth Donnelly and Albert Gran lesser roles are virtually letter per- fect. This Is really a come-back for Alice White on the screen, and she is featured in the billing. - Picture moves from its beginning, includes considerable comedy of an original nature and, technically, In- cluding the cutting,'couldn't be Im- proved upon. Give It preferred play- ing time. Char. The King's Vacation Warner production and release. Directed by John Adolf). Based on story by Bmest Pascal. Adaptation and dialog by Ernest Pascal and Maude T. Howell Asst. director, Ben Sllby. Art director, Anton Grolt. Pho- tography by Jas. Van Tress. Stars Georse Arliss, At Badio' City Music Hall, New York, for week Jan. 1ft. Running time, 62 mlns.' Philip George Arliss Queen Wllhelmlna Florence Arliss Helen Marjorle Gateson Lord CThamberlaln Dudley Dlgges John Kent Dick Powell Minicent , Patricia Bills Joe Thorpe :.0. P. Heggle Count Gouvaln Douglas Oerrard Anderson James Bell Comtesse Helena Phillips Page Charles Evans Amelia Maude Leslie Baron Munsle .......Alan Birmingham Fred Neertaoft Harold MInJu B'arstowe Venion Steele Sgt. Footman Desmond Roberts Story deals In the main with Ar- IIss's desire to quit as king through a latent desire to see the first wife and his kid again. His abdication Is laid open through a revolution. He returns only to find things worse back home, vhere It's now a castle instead of a cottage, than at court, while the queen he had at court has settled down to a simple love. The situations are not particularly unique nor Is the plot woven around the whole Idea of 'King's-Vacation.' It's mostly an hour or so with Ar- liss, the fine actor. Warner gave 'King's Vacation' for George Arliss production rather than punch. It. has also given picture •George Arliss, national draw, but to majority of his followers he won't be missed In stories such as this. Draft of 'Vacation' Is the Arliss name alone, unless an advertising cam- paign can build any lure around the fact the missus (Florence Arliss) Is opposite the star. Admittedly dlfflcult to At Arliss with material, the Ernest Pascal piece bought for him either was not certified screen property or mangled in the studio. Starting in the middle, Arliss gives up a king's Job to return to simplicities of life he knew, before tossed on the throne with his daugh- ter, by now grown to young woman- hood, and his former wife gone snooty. Picture hints and tells of what happened before he became king, which as story matter for screen may have meant much If filmed, and then leaves Its audience to a lot of doubt. Char. Hauptmann von Koepe- nick ('Captain of the Koepenick') (GERMAN MADE) Richard Oswald production and direction. American-Roumanian release In U. S. Star- ring Max Adalbert. Camera, Ewald Daub; Architect, Franz Schrocder. At Europa, New York, on grind. Running time, 96 mins. Wllhelm Volgt.., Max Adalbert Kallenberg Willi Schur A. Wormser Hermann Vallentln Wabschke Emil Wabschke Dr. Obermueller Max^auelstorfT Marie Hoprecht Use Fuerstenberg Prledrlch Hoprecht Fredcrlch Kayssler Mrs. Obermueller Knetha Haac.c Sergeant Klllan Hermann Speelmans Colonel Paul Otto Passport Commissioner Alfred Bclerle President of Police Helnrlcb Schroth This Is the finest German talker to come over In quite some time, despite some obvious faults. It has a charming story, beautifully acted and produced, good photography, pretty general appeal and several selling and exploitation points. It was back in 1906 Wllhelm Volgt lived. Wllhelm. a cobbler with a propensity for getting himself jailed, f;ot an^ry fit hi.M native Oei-m.tny bo- cause he didn't think he was getting While Independent film producers are complaining that the women's clubs reviewing are not looking at their pictures, certain of the major companies regard the whole matter dubiously, some even saying they would rather have civic cluba ig- nore, or even condemn their own product. Film executives of long experience in exploitation note that club en- dorsements in the past have not materially helphed the gross on any of their pictures. The feeing here is that when clubs get behind a pic- ture the public smells propaganda and stays away. Present movement, the doubters feel, should get at least three months' trial before a conclusion can be recorded. They admit that with one opinion from 12 of the largest organizations in the U. S. of their kind, including the YWCA, things may work out dirferently. Still they doubt. Indies have only one slant. Not- ing that none of their pictures are included In the first preview list their cry is that they arc being frozen out by Hays. In major producer quarters this declaration is met with the rejoin- der that if indies would go to the trouble of arranging for women re- viewers to see their product, It would be passed upon the same as all other screen material. a break. A uniform, he decided, makes a man. So he bought a cap- tain's uniform. Volgt donrtfed it and took a walk. EveryMihere ..e was saluted and accepted. He met a couple of squads of soldiers and ordered them to fol- low him. They did. He marched them to a nearby village, into the City Hall, arrested the mayor and the treasurer and had himself a field day for one day. Later, of course, he confessed and was sent to Jail. But he got away with his stunt, the whole world laughed at It, the Kaiser pardoned him from Jail and he was a national hero. That whole story is put on the screen in this film. As handled here, it's not comedy, it's pathos. And about the first film that takes pathos and carries it through, with all Its laughs and tears. Cameraman Is largely responsible for the quality of the picture, pho- tography being exceptionally fine, and not even spoiled by the English title imposition. Acting Is splendid with Adalbert's Voight exceptional. Americans will lose a good deal of the nuances cf dialog besides pos- sibly being annoyed by the slow tempo which the film, of necessity, has to eniplay. Kauf. Vi Som Gar Koksvagen ('Back Door Users') (SWEDISH MADE) Sv.ockholm, Jan. 8. Produced by Svensk Fllmlndustrl. After a book by a well known Norwegian authoress, Slgrld Boos, wife of UTilted Artists' manager In Norway. Star. Tiitta Uemtzen (Mrs. Ernst Rolf), and a cast of stage players and amateurs. Story is about a society girl who in a dispute over how to make a certain dish takes a bet that she knows enough about cooking to support herself during a year by working as a kitchen maid. The story has many good points, the dialog is cleverly written, good photography, and a surprisingly lively tempo all through the picture. Tutta Berntzen Is a very cute and clever little actress, dancer and singer, and talks English better than most foreign picture stars in Holly- wood. This Is by far the best Swedish picture turned out this season. Now in its fourth week at the Red Mill in Stockholm, with tickets sold out In advance at every performance and playing simultaneously In some 26 towns in Sweden. THE BIG PAYOFF Mascot production. No release credited. Directed by Beebe. Based on Peter B. Kyne's story, 'Pride of the Legion.' In cast: Luclen Llttlelleld, Ralph Ince, Bar- bara Kent, J. Farrell MacDonald, Glenn Tryon, Sally niane, Victor Jory and Rlnty (dog). At New York, Globe, beginning Jan. IT. Running time 70 mlns. This is a gangster picture made by an Independent, according to the dictates of the Hays Code. And It Is an entertaining, excellently di- rected and well knit Job that will make money in the program class. The story Is essentially a build-up for the police. As such It goes to extremes. In the opening sequence, an ofncer is shot three times at close range and then goes up with a bottle of nitroglycerine. Next frame has the cop coming out of a hos- pital as though he had been a visi- tor. Despite occasional Implausibllitles of this kind, including a more glar- ing one when a lone patrolman rounds up a gang' in its own hang- out, the story moves swiftly and commands audience attention. There are some good car crack- up.s, reminding of 'Scarface.' Shoot- ings are numerous enough, as well as chases. Picture Is well cast and reveals Ralph Ince as an exc<'llent type for gangster roles. Luclen Llttlftjleld as the old slioe- maker who befriends hum.'in dere- licts the same as women adopt stray cats, Is sympathetically po.sed. Of the known names in the cawt. J. Farrell MacDonald I.s the only one which might he rallf-d a 'i-lr-.-ii'-r.'i M.'icDonald or'c-iii)i''f^ n-'i- min- ' uie of the running lime. W'uly. VAMPIRE BAT Phil Ooldstone production; Majei^tlc re« lease. Directed by Frank Strayer. Lionel Atwlll and Fay. Wray featured. Story by Edward T. Lowe, who also made adapta- tion and wrote dialog. Photography, Ira Morgan; fllm editor, Otis Garrett. At Win- ter Garden, New York, week Jan. 20. Run- ning time. 02 mlns. Dr. von Niemann.... Lionel Atwlll Ruth Bertln Fay Wray Karl Breetschnelder Melvyn DouRlas Oussie Schnappmann Maude Eburne Kringen George E. Stone Herman Glelb Dwight Frye EmIl Borst Robert Frnzer Martha Mueller ; Rita Carlisle Gustav Schoen Lionel Belmore Saucr William V. Mong Shiver picture, well enough done but coming along too late In the cycle to figure in the money. Flock of good screen names may get the subject casual attention, but doubt- ful If they win draw enough to make the probably expensive cast pav Its own v.ay in such a subject. Theory upon which It was appar- ently written and made was that it 'Frankenstein' and 'Dracula' devel- oped into money pictures, it ought to be a simple matter to repeat by combining the best chills of both Into one. Like a lot of studio theo« ries. It doesn't work out. Grave-yard-at-mldnlght cycle has passed like any number of given cycles. Couple of other cycles have come and gone, the lawyer vogue for one, since the horror craze was at Its peak. So a painstaking and well-made production misses, de- spite no little technical and acting merit. Idea here was to weave a story about a series of German villagers found murdered and bereft of blood and the only clue two tiny Inci- sions In the throat at the jugular vein. Villagers with their supersti- tions jump to the belief that the human vampire (these things al- ways happen In Germany on the werewolf tradition) Is materialized In the person of a half-witted peas- ant boy, whom they hound to death. When the mysterious killings go on, a police inspector from the metropolis decides to start his in- quiry In the home of the local doc- tor. Sure enough. It turns out he Is the terror, draining the victims' blood to keep alive some sort of liv- ing organism he has created. Thus there Is the horror side of the 'Dracula' Idea and also the pseudo- scientist angle of 'Frankenstein.' Affair has plenty of chills, worked up with the usual tricks of vague figures moving a* out in night shad- ows, howling dogs, chiming of mid- night church bells, diabolical echoes of laughter, and eerie soughing of wind outside. Now the fans know all those tricks and at this late date they're shock-proof from such de- vices, be they ever so well done, as they are here. Picture is neatly played, and why shouldn't it be, with a cast that has Lionel Atwlll as the scientist, Mel- vyn Douglas as the inspector, and Fay Wray as the romantic Interest? Atmosphere Is skillfully manipu- lated in accordance with the estab- lished pattern, and throughout the technical production is of the first order, lacking only originality. Rush. THE RACING STRAIN Irving production; Maxim release. Fea- turing Wally Reld, Jr. Directed by Jerome Storm; r>ui>ervised by Willis Kent. Cast: Dickie Moore, Paul Fix, Eddie Phillips, Otto Yoma, J. Frank Glendon, Phyllis Bar- rlngton, J. Farrel MacDonald. Ethel Wales, Mae BuHi-h, Lorln Baker, Jimmy ISurtIs, Kit Gunrd. At Loew's New York, one <lay, Jnn 17, on douhe bill. Running time, 08 mlns. Implausible auto race story In which a 16-year-old boy with an In- herent dread of racing autos, due to having witnessed his father's death in a race, hops Into a car and wins a clas.slc against seasoned drivers. Added to this Is the trend away from the racing story, due to overuse. Result is a story that can .solo in the middle grade houses, but will 1)0 much safer in double billing. Chief Interest lies In the effort to l)f in.'r y.iiincr Wrtllace Reid into the t\pi' ('T wtm-.v in whl''!! hl.s father (rontiiiurd on iiage 21)