Variety (Aug 1933)

22 VARIETY FILM HE VIEWS IViwdajiA^g^pl 22, J933 PQWER AND GLORY ' j^gwi'li. TiisiBky tirbduetlon ■ and t'ox re leM«. Directed by 'Wl})|ftiQ. k. Howard Oirfclnal «crMii play by_PreBton etureea. CKinier%i Jaweai; Wtttv Iwwe; art^ Max Parker; «outtd, A. -Wli -proUman; musical dfrootlQii, . I^ola De .^^anceewfl. At tb« Gaiety, N.. y., |or. tv»q-a-a<iy run, ll.eo top, fAug.' M. ■ Runtitoe 78 min«. . Tom C|arii«r,'»>...'>•.•.•<<.'4.'.Bpencer Tracy BiClly >i1 f,wt,.Colleen Moore MMwy,,.,. , ,.v.I .Ralph Morgan • ■ Bve. t\ 9 ^ 14*i9*'*»9 f .Helen Vinson Tom Gamer, Jr. Clifford Jonea Mr. BctNen.......Henty' Kolkar Hfeiiry'^ Wife,.......Barali; Padden. 2\>m. <The. Boy).,..Billy O'BrWn Henry iThe . fioy).,. i....... .Citllejt Johnston Mmtg*^ J, Fanrell MacDonald 'Th<e'. PbiXrer sinA the Olbry* will do< business; it bhould dp more than \Khat fwUL pi^bably be Its destined -quota ] of bbxofflee grossage,. but EToaaaee 'and 'narratage*. are a bit too radically apart to insure rela tlve appeal. ThW, I^ask^'s third production for : fa-unique through this .co ined v^narratacre' ~8tyie< oi- cinematut^yr Its treiatment has been cbsummately develo^d; by director W. 'K*. .How- ard aiid ficenariisiC' preMoil Sturged. •Poller ari)^' Glory,' apart from Its .un()iiestlbn6d niche lA I933's cihem^ vajmals . ios a" prestige |>li tttre. ^ill eet tnone^i It's no smash' and Its b'O.' reactlonis may-be spotty, but tqere Is much in It that will .ce.mth£^i4/coitnmerciailattentibi^^ r%(v"lew©r&' Infkeys - and jhlhi^erlinda . :wlll BbbbliB; ' tt^; ftiliJ> «hd that^s^ not' «*ihe T4»; hurti:.- . The«tw^. iQa^or, eiemehts ajsalnst it are'*tne;:o^^. :cl«flcietides; lacking marqujee -;sttehi6!ta!;itod:-.^^tt fact that the the^ijer^tact's !^aii|j;;Ani^he^ on a tragib ihqte. * :ii^.fltv four- prin- cipal ^hai'acteris:':-^ir^ by Spencer; ?Pracyi; WhQ''i)fi(fi^g • never "done better ^'.doll^eh iBiidb'rei . W back lis - iaieitiiigui^Bhed; ' ^ lEI^ gaji, eif-IeirrijCfiectlVfe'iiintci; Bpl^ii Ylri-; son, atliiBr;• befetij;'ri.-'Vr- ' '''I'.^'-v..,; : . As %r"th:6iri!^;riilm jetiSrt? ip»^rth I^a iehdthgr^th«''«^^l^siasti^ ise^ ■the a^d, ■;<!.;Sh<»'$i(rlQg. th^ finale:, the lifj^'^'epiaiiv of your; central"-char- acter H veoKnethlng • ip .!.by • ho means:<'ctasy:-t0j':'djttset^'i^^ film fa!t;e l£'s:il)ci^>ilashl% t^e'llnale .<5Hnch ^at' -th^; b^nntilEgr^:^-'Ihdils- putabl^r'aiitirollmax. t-:,-'-;-- Andsthafs -itrhere ilje ^a^i^tage' comes in. . Balph' Mor^ah Is the; nar- rator* ^detailinir the highlights . in the careeir of his friend (Spencer TTacyjr.. who, ,eyen in death, is muchly..: mallghed. Morgan under- takes !.to .show tliai Tracy, who rfeuieht^ hia • wao Fr tup-v fro mlr^a^ jDoraafeaa iO j ChflifelB^ the prjBside'noirvef^-tt^fiOa^ tycoon^;; D<: Cjigi^vfitry;./was not the bad e^g everybody piilntedv^ He aeguesi that.:. hi^ ^ sirlke-breajdng methodfr -Which co^t .;^any TailrQad. workenpiYeA^iM^ ^o it: that his turning out his first wife (Colleen Moore) in favor of Helen Vinson might have had ex- tenuating circumstances, etc. The climax is. Tracy's suicide upon learning of his second wife's un- faithfulness, with the inference that his own son (by the first marriage). figured in that marital breach. As in ti^.ue life,'Morgan, in re- capitulating ^ the: ejprlsodes of his friend's career, sltllis haphazietrdly from highlight to highlight, in loose and Unrelated fasKi'on, but 'never palling as he presentts his oral evi- dence of his powerful friend's other characteristics. Morgan is the m'eek private secretary %6 the go-getting •rracy, a gentle stooge who worries about the man Who, since their childhood days at the old swimming hole, evidenced' prophetic- marka as a natural born .leader of. men< All these flashbacks are skillfully lntrOdi*£$d. It's never mechanical or -creakily artificial. The montage is smooth and natural.. The camera' Ulu^iOna "With" the" . soft., fadet-oiits •visibly command 'the mind's eye to what Morgan Is-'telurig. to his- Wife iSarah Padden),' ^ ' The 'narratage' is made possible through this device—Morgan and his loving -wife, bpth now bent by years, reviewing the dead man's career. Morpran has just come frOm- the serviceE—even the watchman at the rallropd 'ofllce's buildinjg". expresses himself not sorry about tne' tyfeoon'p' suicide.- Morgan alone diefends him. He also defends Tracy to, his wife •when he reaches the retreat of hls^ home. She, too, bears malice' tO the departed man;- Then the story un- folds in enisodic, flashbacK- fashion. It's well done in every r.e$pect. Casting^ rli^ht down the line is piihchy fOr performance; '■ -Howard's directIo|fi Ig truly unique ah.d-^lis- tinguished. His .favorite" camera- man, Janies "Wong Howe, mapifledts indubitable artistry with the clne- matbgraphy. 'Power and the Glory' _ra,jtjea^ somewhat like its title in the progression of spun"dfllm technic. this picture. *Morning Glory' isn't ah entirely Yiappy fehDi<fe"r6i' het-, but the star-provides a strong per- formance, that gives 4t the :W9.if;ht of stts average n^oney prospeetl ; ' The. Hepburn' glrLiaeseryes better story treatment. ThidOne ig heavy on legit cUisB «jid Iac1t|9 action and sustained conflict. Bdyond that ite Whole.- import is foreign ' to geheraj )tvOf- appe^.- • ' , .^oiy -is at great pains to build .up .the ; charming character of a wpilibred, utterly innocent 'ctOMtttry :iglrl''who, comes to 'Broadway .'seek- ■fhg* foQtlight fame; No 'sooner is thb.. thiqirbughly lovable> figure built to . Gompltiteness in ita ingehvious appeal, than the hapless little Cln derella is dragged through the mud of baclqstage- casual j&mours; This happens liess than, midway of the footagei. and .thereafter the grip of ian. engaging story relaxes fatally. The fate of this bedraggled' Cinde- relia becomes a naatter of indllfer- . enceT 7 "^^^ '. ■ —^— -.The artless child of the village fiiids :horself by accident at 4t pj^y in the! hOiijie; of the great Broadway: ie>rodubei;'i-:^d',:: '.when she takes.--a {rlalgs -too'^hy, .hd accompUiO^eB^ h'er, rdQ^tpSi, : jM» -kiti-: of- «brd.^-blodded. vlciousnesiBiilhy: all the evidence? in sight:. He'is'^ theretiplbn qual^fi^d tijtr t-at{ngr .;as 4 .;'^.lue :J.ean(i' heaV^.-^^s^ BO it 'com'di» ais i^iheii*. titartUn^: .thti.'t: throughout' .--.hf^fl;;' '.wi^iejiteft .ias-' "a «ehiiai;: l^eherallyllfcjfea,'l!>te'. sort: of ^v;, .arhibi',!ideti&tt--iAlhiBt9«t:^: <^^^^^ the, •fl<«*j*(ri;:":',:;'tt:-:itfo^i)i'<« whethei^' it^fr;-itb---:lwi'i§.';hb1j^^;-;^ of b4ckist&g«~ep a;- <Airt:-e.xp(^eii!j-4!herie: are: iBlementi9>''io|:^th^^^ blehd^^he^e;;:::ajnid;i-.|ttb^^ . cbuj^dn't be' made ■ TOl.;^^ any sort tr«aito(ti)Bti,.v»;;;pn^;i.:mo>^ .lt''ia.' n»jj6jdfflHlnfe^ 'Of .:<^ti»if •.'b;^c,e(?-;::^d fth'elnexir^tt' ife: ^ _jati-:;'hpb^'.-, 'rot •-the'-:'und^rs'tiiidyi-; WhM^j^si^^tame .' ."-fibrt-.: ^h«;h'9g»,tj|ves-th4i-<J!W^^ and" the. jfiet tieisnilitllsiA ju%ble ;bl!: irrij((^tion.s, a di^iaiijijeihtlng. pUiialie!.;.tp fs^fimenital r fa^l^Vriiiiii.jgie • tahriTeadlhg. -gjliajde, ^ai»d. i:itt;--'bom-!to tlie ■■. so'phl^Tilcateer;! with, ••■ ..♦4ste* ;i(:bi*; grim yealjlti^y tO whom V ;ift'i4lMiflii^;. ^ ■r^r----:\y,:u,. ^;M;^:, ; . P^dture has a -wieialC; finish, prbb-- fibly-' de'signed to give it^a sort of' arty quality Instead' bf -the- familiar clinch."- Sugigesfibn. is \ vaguely passed along that she^l get her tnah ^i6i8e^iieissmvits:-.etoty^^^^ picfu'rei, is- \exceUe.i)t ..:ii|i technique. Dialog Is. pciii\ted and terse;' and the Itho.togi^phy-is ^a|^iftc;ent J .:Th ohOrlsKot^that'sha !trlumj(^h1 of'^^ a< elb^up :of; Mia^j Hepburn; diirr Ing an impromptu balcony scene from 'Komeo and Juliet,' getting^ a migted, portrait effect,, .the;-.face trickily ,foregh'bHened'. from-vbelbw' the chin Jeveii ■ ' Ais ...Suggested - before, the^ vital playing 'bf M^lis^- Hepburn. «cii&a..- a long way to cpihpensate lor absence of j broad appeal,.- and a first-rate <Fiippprting;;ca9tjg:lves her invaluable- ooj-operatiph, netably. a fine, intelA- gbht handline of thel male lead :by young Fairbanks ahd a character- istically suave performance ...by Menjou. RUsh^ FAITHFUL HEART Miniatve Reviews .'Power and thi Olory* (Fox). DObuting at \|a on Roadway. Kot 12 but decidedly above average film fare. Pack* plenty of appeal; ev^n with a not toO punchy^ marquee east. 'Mprniho GIbry' (Radio). Sjatharine Hephum vastly su- perioir to thlp bometlmea mis- , dllMicted arty irtory. Star and fine .cast, save a release directed to; the dlserlmluatlhi^ few.. 'Faithful Haarf <Helbert). American verstop of ai pbpr Brltidh fllmv Herbert llarshall'8 name ita msiin ajttU » Captured CWB). To© many pbviqulaiy adverse Inip^leiitiB, chieflty^ Btory» to eham this one up asiri^inifrr , .'Mb.ri frem.:i«4nttrby^ (Vita^-,v 5tftpfi>; - 1^^ title no lie!]?! :in cwllipe a;>picturo which iiH^/petfivtRi. gjet but 6t the W^t>»ini;«l|i8&. Klbel.producUoh Ipr its; type and should please, ;frhe • i||arn«]f' Kiii^ (Princi..: \'^I)v^'v'/¥ii?l^ih'^':p^^ bffeira ^ go0i^-pBbtif«^)phy.rM ' wel)>Mii'^s<oi^^^ though r:{he' li^s0f^p^le ,;l8, ri^tii^'' Ihn^ie'd' ■■"'.,and''^6*!i!y; dfie^ppbiQi wh'ere :i>veir, '^ti;^E(l}edir^v-jiS(^.. .average .l|tadle\ product.^;; have had- B'bmf^liciir. t'b db ^ith thili gltuatlon. '^p'J0.:'j::,<'-^''-.h --^-^v-; I. •,6wi(y:.i4.^i^i(^:.or ;iu^ose.- saiQchpiiKe Ihe -j^Lkcr. -^Wa daugM^^.ish^litr«'\Up' 'HjC^ haunt him /:^ey^b^iMt^ndi9f"^ ti^Vthls d 1dbac:<fti hitira dbz$ii'nibre picturea. If w^ext^ Is ba«icait!t^A good pit; tur^ . ft ^naj)^ meap , J^bu/. Wcirner Brothers 'p^ted'utitlon aiiil releaA^. Dirked; by Roy J^el RnUu Bas^ on Sir ]^lUUp <3ibba' novel, •'Fello^ Prleoners' aiid iadapted:'by Bdwatd Cbodordv. • Running time,-72 mlns^. At 6tRM>d, .N. T.i ibeginnlng Aug; 17. Allispn .;. .Iieslie Ho-war^. >lgby. .1»« .9f,t .X>ouglaa .^alcbanko. Jr. lonicafiJTjr* !tat-CoibintfndaAt:-4--.^v. i>7;Mo^ Strogln...,..V..i^ ..John 3lelter. Havenibam^.-i,'.'..'....... Ulp Vaversbam The Adjutant, .y^...«• • t .-^ • t .Frank Relcher' Elsa>> • 4.. ri <4 .•iv««..'..' t Joyco. Coad Martin..k-;',.,..'..:;U..V«.'.t.j.Wmt.A.X.e Malre Od'erandr..'.".;.;;... . Carroll Kalrii' Sgt. Major.Bert Sprotte Blsa's lover. , Reginald FascH Orderly...;. .^^i-,, ..Harry Cording 'THUNDERING TAXI8' GoMiedw 15 Mine. Leew's 175th St. Metro Of the Taxi Boy a series and. de- spite its conventional blapaliek, packing enough rlb-tlchUner to aat- Isfy the averag«L audience; Hab pro- ductioqi value:and. as b result eoes further than:-nutny ahorta- which are plaln^ unadulte^ted alapstibk thrown;together in any old iTashion. A taxi war that enga«;es the e(- forta -of each aide to destroy the other by wrecking cabs or Otherwlae deterring business activity, flgures as background.. comical teann, un- MMed. known as the Tbari Beya. are 'AQUATIC CHAMPIONS* Divino 9 Mina. Projactfoii Robin ■■• " Pi^he> Radio, '^-t Bxcbllent pifiQsentatloi) of ;^what -M, takeS: to xbake a- dlviug oltb^p, diylduai.«u>Ject8 are the i^la cbij^ obmed In, the nioent ''4du^mpion8hipb heild at Jobes Beach, with-^ Georght Coleman not only descrlbtnig the aquatic eiymnaatlci^ but also. poini?<. iii^ out aome deficiencies in-igyiqfiw naatlc form.' Misa Coleman, a tltlb holder hereself,. la additional au- thority for the reel. !this .alow miotion stult is unuau« bn one aide with a bunch of fellow ^ajlyT-^ej^ B . It tetnrdff fTBttieriiift drivara who are iabout aa ooUra* geotta. as'they are,;-.while' the- oppo- gittjoh/ Qii the offensive' ttecauae a cab driver'gbi fresh with: hia Wife, tiicludea: a bunch bt t.ufEs^ ' BijB stuff for thefinish-'a mad chaae through- Calif omib istreets, re- sultih|r. ih. a head-on eolliisloh. Oc- .eurrlng . iHthind 'a hUlldihs ao .that eaba actually : 'did]n?i;; have, to ho emaahbd, camera is^tn wheels and bthor •miacellaheOua auto parte fly- ing; akywiE^. Way in'Which taxis aret uiibbiMzed,s- as In thb-world. warv tirhett.. Parisian cabs -were calleOr prb'^^es .a fresh dash of cbniedy and' hbvelty. Del Xord: dire cted, gftqn. :; »KipM^»^ H0W;*VW6PD'' .-P Kid .Comedy tfl Mine. '■ . Loew'g ;i75th St.: . {Stribtiy of a novelty atamfe With- biil juuch real entertainment val^e iholuded. Klda are cute, as; they .eki^ulate grownupb in^vproductlbn 0$ a ^m,) but aaiae .fi-om that, pli^b the'! pobr " manner Vifi ' %hicb.: theii^ Voices record, the appeal iaflight; : ^ ^^ctioh', starts „ ;Obt\ .at a .basting wihAO-w Where a little girl, .with a beauty content cup,,'gets the ccld shoulder^ and, like imany others try^ ing to crash Hollywood, goes in for .more menial, labor. She's , a scrubwoman, on the set where kid director; yes-m^: and',"act ors'^ arc ««r- ■jaiffl^lns-r-<»""P>iBt^-9»---ri^ BivwlQi Dorothy Poyntoir and.litu Mary- Bbetgar fti their ^litics, whi| bQ .the way tb thb water. .11. " "Vlfottdsbl; edited &hd^ ahou.Id -tfii credit ;'with : the camera 'b^yai - Type of 0(tuff la aWays, iiitereit' hiig; ' eeptf^tally when- i^irtbl iib - thb diving,' . and . handled' .eiqp^fjlly ' .it makes ^'aH -butsiahding' tPbit" -'r<^ fOr any theatre;: ^Ahdi tKoab.ihbU^i ebulppod fbi". ItfagnaiMiiorpe «ah '-iti alrbvd^ ftf' give ' tbia, mprt 1 acrebiiii^ < It ratbs" ih'b : ;entairee^ (BRITISH^ MADE) Saumbnt-Brltlsh .pcodiictlon redubbed by elber Pictures In York. Released In U.' B, by Helber. Features Herbert M^r- Bball and Edna -Best.. Directed by' -Vldtor Savldde. Adaptation / by Victor . Sayille .from a Monckton Hofte stage pleiy. At tbe Mayfalr, N. T., week Aug. 14. Running tlme^ OS mlns. WaVerley. AhgO. ...'.. .Herbert'\MarBhall Bla'ckle..,...,., %,..- Edna' Best Mira OattencombeMtgnon. D'Doherty The iMaJor...... >.'.. v.-. >.Lawrence--Hahray Diana.«.... .Anne Grey Sir Qllbert Oughterson....;AthoIe Ste-wart Abel. MORNING GLORY Radio . production, and release. .. . Stars "Katbnrlrte Hepburn.- Directed by liowell Shennan. ' 'Associate .producer. Pandro S. Bermon. Screen play, Howard J. dreen, from stage play by Zoe Aklns.. Camera- man,- Bert—GIennon; - fllm edltor.--George. Wlcholls; At Radjo City Mualc Hall, weelj 'Aug. 17. Running tline; 70 mine. - =Eva-Lovelace. ; iKatharlne^Hcpbum Joe -Sberidan..,.^. .Douglas FalrbanKs,~Jr; IjOuIs Ea(»ton Adolphe MenJoU JUta Yernonj ;..., i-. .Mary Duncan Hedges........ C, Aubrey Smith Oigolo. i •.Don AlVftradp Henry I<awrence Richard Carle Cbarle? "Van Duzen..: Tyler Brooke' Actlrese...;... .Oeiieva Mitchell A lobby holdout at the Music Hall bpening night testifies to the grow- ing .prestige of Katharine Hepburn, fpr the campaign in the dailies for 'Ajp Interesting experiment arid W<!>rthy '-oi >ck»se examination, bcr cause of that angle.' The film it" self, unfortunately, Is quite bad. ■ 'Faithful Heart' Was made ,ln Lon- !apn',tipme" years ^b!icki "JPhil Meyer bought' 'the ' American rights, and spent .cqhslderable time and money trying; , to .-flx. It up-jCor JJ, S.- c<!>nT sumptioh.'' I'akin'g 'for granted that Americans at large dpn,'t. go for British ynoTilhing of the' la;hguag:e, Meyer came to the decision that .^here mustbe ,a. :cleftr-,c,ut line, .drawn, between Americans' and HJng-' lishmen in" film 'speech^ -go. he ^dubbed in a, ne-ytr .American Epund track. )- It's - too . bad that Meyer picked a-poor picture tor, the'trial; as under this circumstance the ex- bojc office. If it shows anything at all, it's that ho amount of fixing takes the curse off a bad picture. . in prpdu&tibh -Work Meyer is'^lso' none too fortunate. Film is badly cut and only .fairly well dubbed. Also his New Tprk actors talk -with b; slight English accent. It works ;out badly two ways.' The British ;trade-pr6ss-is -Incensed at.-the. au- dacity of dubbing' 'America' for JSlltlabispeechj ji'ndj.pgl.nts with, dis- dain . to . even' Herbert' IffjifsTiaH's' .voice l>eing substituted. And from the etandpoln t of the a verage To ri- kee customer it is undeniably a bad film. Best, selling angle, to the film, of course, on this side is Marshall. But he's far from a good actor here. Almost unbelievable, but it's true Miss Best ie better, but also over* acts throughout. .Direction may 2nd' Qrdei*Xy'.'^..'iVt'•'...•..Hana 'Joby An Ordinary program war story that the, cheaper griiiid audiences usually "likes With -ciatst and mount'- ihgs designed for- highest quality, ibox-'offices arid: big; take. Such", a parbdoz in .prbductlbn presents, a liribtty problem' In grojss decipher- ing;.'.; It is riOt.ia: woman's picture nor is it the type" that' v^rill appeal to ;i)ieh' who dem'arid logic on the screen. At best - its eanilngs shape up a,s spotty^ or' ijbr the . places where names mean everything and heavy- exploitation is cleverly applied. ': 'Captured''cannot be..coniSldered In the same breath with, '20^000' and ^Fugitive.' This haa Certain action and brutality .biit lacks the publicity value and stbry-sincerity possessed by the earlier two. Make-believe suffuses 'Captured.' The .-.cast director and set.builders '^cbuidri't circUm'vent.''"that . -definite quantity .which.falls to: knit '.audi-< ence attention because the' Viewers feel that thematic insincerity.. Even while in. a prison dungeon there's something that doiesn't .strike thb gruespriie kneU. And when the ne-w priisdn coriimandant, Ehrllch, discovers Allison, an English pris- oner, is an old- Oxford classmate, the story .bllo'ws them, to be. too. friendly and' the actlOn, in a few feet, all. too soon, permits the prlis- oners' to. playv.aTourid ahd - live . In cottages ''of morning glory brid rambler roses order. The-escape is.stirring,-if not even careleslSily analyzed.' AlUsOn sits in the guard's tower and, exposed to bullets' fifpiri" ail: sides, mows! down isiriglehandediy'most of the German .garrison -Whilevver 200-rpf his fel' low prisoners ride away in" planes. There Is virtually no thoroughly jsustained suspense, the story In. ac- -tibn-and:uaiaLttg-te legraphiriig any in -. tended climatic point a- reel or so in advance. Douglas Fairbanks Jr., as Dlgby, Is allowed almost iriimediately to show .that he has something on his niind when he meets Allison,. (Les- lie Howard), in the -prison -canip. That there can be np chance for dr- curit^pectiOn, a few prior feet have exhibffced Allison- studyins._a_iphoto_ of ms young wife. This role-is a lyit: part- played by Margaret Llnd-. say. ' ■■^■^-r'-^WulVr^'^ GENE SOLOW STAYING ON Wame?' Brothers hittve renewed Gone Solow, writer, for'another six- month period. Solow went out' last year frprii New York legit on a three-months' paper. SiiftlLQ^l tyar 'Trtarr provefe ^tog tcr ■ ■work/ the scrub gJH~ls • - -con' bcrlpted. She I00k$ like a find, but after the premiere*of the finished: picture at the Chinese, of -which shots- are-ciit into- short, shels - pro- nounced a flop. Befbre the premiere the newly fnade star .snubbed .hec.ieadinjg man,, atter it he comes tc her" rescue, and that's that so so far as the roman- stlc ■ interest Is colpcemed. i Could the voices of. the ehildreri. be heard plainer,, no doubt the short's, value wbuld be double what It is .^ow. Char. 'LOOSE RELATIONS' Andy Clyde Farce 19; Mine. Rbxy, N. Y. ' Educational "^ Gagged farce en "the visiting mother-in-law theme with a lot of surefire stuff, even to. the chase business of 1907. Gags do npt al- ways fit in, but fairly well matchedj though terribly Pld. Mother of Andy Clyde^s wife' comes to visit them. He ^ets in -her -bad .irraces^. IShe .chases him arid a huge crowd gathers to watch the fight. Much below present par, in spite of one or two gOod bits. Chic. 1 ■ . ^. ■ * r-' V... ipbinedy'-'^ ^ ., :rK- " W-.: Piirmtfiwnii' H^^i X*' . .'• ;'< , Parpm'eurtf,.' ■''■.-■:'--.■'"'f;. -. Two^irbeier ■coihedy; matter ' fbl-* iowihg: ft / cbhveiHibualv fpctttenn Hbids interest t^oughbut 'but: lalib iq/shnjce out. any thirier bU'i^A liiiid laughs in its-:!? iDiliiiite's' oi;A#u>)ntbg^ time, ' Will "pass '^u&te!r ;^i^h^ever played, tliat*B ^hout -alJj v J-'y^. Material'.included .aitnatlii>h9>>buUt around - a, ciolidubtor' whck'S^^.ent^'i' taining^ hislr. auperintendeQ^ ^perlor and latt^r^js . brider a. di^i^ type whose':, -flrst husband ' vw'as ssUd ticket-taker. •. ECCorta- 'of!' the' con-, ductor. to keep thiis info' from leak- ing out provide: the-.background for laugh tries, 'mostly -via the . familiar old- slapstick routed ;NothIng par.? ticularly original a,nyw.here . itt thb' i ^lidhey; JColi&ilXeflt^ UtuTBuscIt; are amongn9ko£>e"'ih- thja-"- CasL All are worthy of better jfltia* terial.. Toler makes - the^ ibost ot What, wasi.'harided him., arid :m.or« than anyorie^ else' keeps short from failing down completely. He can be very fUnhy at times. Ohar. 'THE NO MAN' Huflh O'Connell Cbtnedy; 17 Mine. Strand» N. Y. Vitaphone 7126 Shapes up as . ha-vin^l coiM vsomo money. There are numierous danco speblaities in it, each with different setting and costuming rtoiglng from blondes to Spanish a^d Japanese But it is very loosely-hinged; in Set it hits off abruptly bn tangents be jerked back, when the audi- ence has about lost track of any. motive, to the bit part' played by Hugh O'Connell in a theatrical pro- ducer'9 ofllce. . ^ Short also is in that' class of glorifying American industry. War- ners don't seem to caro how or when they cut in newsreel materiaL This time it's' about big timber and the sa-w niilli •w'lth ar sOlo about .ThO^ Song of the Saw* to bqot. All of which strikes one as utterlyincon- gruous. Wtuy. Man from Monterey Scbleslnger production and Vltagrapli rer lease^ , Stars John Wayne. . Features Rutb Hall. XiUls Albeml, Dbnald-Reed.- Directed- By Ma'cK V. Wrlgbt. Story" and SofWStf play, I^esley Mason; -camera. Ted HcCord. Produced by Leon Schlesstngen Sid Rogell, asat producer. Cast In'cludca FranclsJFoid; KlnA Quatero, liSfe McKee, LUUan Xelgb- ton, Charles VThUtalcer. At Loow's New Vork, • N. Y,i ono day., Aug. 15, on double bill. Running time, G6 mine. Western style prbdUction, though on a generous financial, scale, bnd the Spanish land grant theme lur stead' of .the modern,.'cow. puncher stbryi More production: ifyoiiey yields a better produced yarn, and. the scenarist has kept this story ■ni<vulnfjL--aLt_iipBBd. Weak point is the dialog, frequently fiat, with a couple of lines which should not be in a story intended largely for Juyor nile appeal. . Photography excellerit and sound above average. Some of the players, Including John Wayne, a bit ill at ease in the Spanish costumes, but Wayne most- ly wears the riiilitary field uniform -of- '48. Ruth—HalL-Js. a^charmlnt. leading:, woman, with Nina .Quatero in and out for a bit. Chief hit is X;uIs""Alberrii"lC§"a""l3ri;ray^^^^v^ A smooth comic who handles a fe- male disguise with excellent taste. Ldfayette McKee is a dignified Don and Francis Ford also doing good ■\, .rk, with Donald Reed handicapped by stilted lines as the riiearice. Land grant idea hq.s been used repeatedly, but still ^eems to serve as subject matter. Well handled here. Ohic. BLARNEY KISS (BRITISH MADE) British A Dominion production and P""" dpal releaa*.. F6iituree Tom Walts, Anna CfriBV. "Dlrwsted by Tom Walls; Story, by A. R. Rawlinson. Cast: Robert Doujjlas, W. O. Tiay^ J. A. O'Rourko, Geo. BM'tt'' Robt. HoietonV^^rHaideo Wright. .Porotby Tetley, Zoo -Palmer. At the bid Row. N. Y., week . Aug. Ifi. Running time, w mlns. Although the title fits the story, this is not an JErlsh yam but a tale of an IrishmajQ in London. To ovw- stress it 'aM ah Irish drama in ad» - Vertislrig Would be iniudicious. Only a single" Irish episode, the story moving to London where it remains. It is fairly well produced effdrt of a young Irishman whose gift of gab 'hnpp»ness._ "brings -hlm^—eventual According tO report this film ran .12 weeks in Iioridon. Just why is not apparent from the picture as offered at the Roxy, though some of the drops may have been due to faulty cutting over. here. The sound is average to excellent, and the pho-: tography asks no favors. Settings are expensive and tasteful, but the acti6n~"Ju1riTps~too much. -Herberts Wilcox is,credited Avilh the supar- JVision,=^^^~,:...^=^...=.^^_^ Story starts off deliberately enough, but as the climax nears It picks up' acceleration too rapidly. Either it was shortened, with the cutting all done in ..the last twp reels, or the device was deliberately resorted to to gain swiftness for the- climax.- It stills runs 70 mimites, too long, so it is probable that the (Continued on page 40)