Variety (Apr 1928)

84 VARIETY FILM HOUSE REVIEWS Wednesday, April 1,1, 1928 MOVIETONE ("Street Anger'-feature) / (GLOBE-NEW YORK) ■ Now York; April 0. Robert BGnchley. was a most si'/e- able hJt on Movietone . with. Ins ."Treafilirpr's Report" at the openr Ine Mbnrtfiy or Fox's "Street Anfrol" as the special flhn ; feature anti Movietone ixttachment. IVith the picture running 85 minute;?, it called for a Movietone prelucle that ran. to an interrhission of .10 minutes or so before thg roffular., film corfimcnced. ' . Benchley is a facile' comciTiafi on the scroon, before and while he was talkihg: his humorous report of the LionelyVill© SufCraffe-tte . Club:, or whatever society he is the assistant treasurer of, besides .''Life/'. AnV; nurhber in' the auclience recoj?rnizpcl Benchley seated at the directors' table g-nd bored stiff by a soprano shoutins In his oai'. That's when the lauRhs started, before Benchley . started the. spiel. • . ' That he is. known and his stuff liked became positive. . He is very huhidrotis in the. spefech, and. his previous pantomime was perfectly timed; ratlier reinarkable for ad rare; iriatib critic. Movietone set the Benchley. bit especially well for tho board Introduction with the extras around the table and the p'resldent IntroduCinR' hini. (Moyletone),. If Benohley will routine soitie hiore talka he probably will be a .Movie- tone, regular, with or . without a .mustache. .• . ■ Another feature ,on the /talker is the reproduction of the-colofed show at the Moulin Rpuge, ParlSj although if Josephine Baker-was. then i|n that ■ shoWi. she was fylly. dress^diIt doesn't re quire .mych Imagination to^ realize. wKaf" at' sho^' like that- iri ^•aria.must mean to. visiting or per-: mahent America.ns . there.: . As. the swinging tune stagr.ted for the chorus dance. number,,lt looked and sounded; far .from home.ahd must have been a revelation to. the excitable Frencit A French single, singer also did .a song, in . French,. and looked .good enough tp warrant what tl\e Fox people, have a^iid, .that the^ .talker may. yet becon^e . ah intierriatlbnal booking agent, for plctuife houses and productions. It's worth study- ^J'^S, too, this bit,, for value of stage Vshows oh the wire.' Winnie Lightner did. a number with orchestral accompaniment, of a familiar song, getting little. The talkers don't stand foi^ encores, one everlasting credit. As a . Movietone news reel event la King-George :Vlslting the opening of the Xildyd building In Londoh. The King'and his gxiards drew-up at the building with all. seen at fairly:'close range. ■:• George looked regularly Democi'atlc when shaking hands :as he; did with, several. Rather a nice •tght. • . • ' Another news bit .w^is' the rfecent K. Y.' to Pirls phohlhgi with !Prbsi dent Glfford of the T. & "T. at thi.s .end;. Pretty good looker and . talkier • for. A big: guy at the-hiead. bf' the • biggest business Institution In the ■tJhlted States. . On- "Street Anget" the Movietone Alcely cari'led an excellent . Rbxy- Rapee score, ivith $t. pleasant theme song, "Aiigelo Mia," that Is added to by Charles Farrell and Janet day nor,-the leads of the film, whistling . It throughout. the unreeling;. No sound effects for the feature Were .carried by Movietone, ; With this Movietone program and "Street Atigel," the Globe has pleasing bill, subject to personal opinion on. its..$2 cost. Amazonian armor, niiiklncr a brave show under changing ^..^hts. Aside from tho typical greeting lo Whiteman upon his aiipearanoe, ihtv applause favor wont to the- P.'isquall lirotliors, "the acrobatic trio who demonstrate tlie la-st degree of gym- na.stic style and form, .irfpocialty hit LOEW^S STATE and later a trombone duo. One of the trtimbono players Is ol^acured by tho edge of ti drop and Kvale (Say "Qualley") holds It back dur.^ ing the entire number, so that all (LOS ANGELES) Los Angeles, April 6 An opportunity contest,, aponsoted l^ay Vbe the slide horn player. This by Fanchoh . and Marco In all: cities registers with the Kvale following, on the "VV"eflt Coast circuit, gave a Following in are the Harmony group of 15 amateur girls, picked as Four, girl vocalist; girl pianist, girl . .. . - , ... ipj^g the ^^.''S 1 . ^^^^ and made good. • . Harmony Four takes 'enu. Then the. unit. The.grpund tumbk^^^ "Opportunity Idea," afl routined center of the platform moves to the of . tlic ,iiv n mi by. F. & M., gl^es each, girl a chance footlights. The foursome f.eally ^K^^^K^yVr^k S Vahinch 2 to show what she can do; Some of purveys harmony that Is harmony !v^fr^i, v:,!;?"^^^ have never a]>pearc«^-on All three girls sing a chorus or so, A. ^/««;=^r.f^l\^ ordinai'v a stage bpfore. It may bo thaf one and the solo, vocalist : Ig . pleasing h nn^of of i Kter sha le of v in ; amateur theatricals. . However, ' Freddie Martin. loose-jointed ^n^i ■ r^n1?It%T^l"^T^^ '^^^ conduct theni- oliap-in^ gob's costume, d6es three 'PhL^T, wiVnblv four huriutop but h^f-lvos with liroffsslpnal Animation, or'four comedy dance, routines that it rs^A-suSs^Ion ?f gasps ' '' The plan .of routing these^lrls over very nearly slay . 'eifi. Martin is It is a succes. ba?i . | ^^^^ circuit Is going to be a busmess called, back twice, and, of course, ^, , . , , „ . .getter.. Each girl will be: featured his last Is his best. For the. finale blonde steppers A\eie, a hue m^^ exploited In her home city, and a drop In front of the . elevated for the acrobats. These P'lls do | ^ will be played for as platform goes up, to reveal a piece J ivr.., j«i T nf the clrcuu 13 going lo oe a oua^nesa called, back tv .Mi dred. and.Mur el .L^^^ will be: featured ins last is his ^^^?St« ' Thoi eirls do exploited In her home city, and U drop In fr. . ^\tr.^^^^ of familiar the group will be played- for as platform goes .. wTone in 5uS^^^^^ girls and ^fpappr scenery on which a group fifm i^^^ Of tambourines are painted. The StJmtfc rSnfe^t^^^ l^lsted In this ifroup and their tarn-tops ■ suddenly tear .open and doine mD-5^ cities are Elleanora La -out step the Abbott ballet girls, ?nanfxn?r^ tSeS^^^ In hand. Msiorof a Tmer ff^^^^^^^ Brma Echt, Seattle; Imo- . The girls split up and fill the It rj^the gTacrvannimin^T^^^ Brogdon; Fresno; Norma, Mas- steps on either side of the plat.- fLlI that make^hem^^ r^^^^^ "^^^f^ AUen, form, following a heat bit of foot- For the' flimlc the girls do a tap. Los Angeles; Faye Chads, San work. Up goes another drop to dls- dartce neat .lierformaiicb but pale Francisco; Carol. Hamerton, Oak- close thie Harmony Four playing In alongside of the earlier bit. land; Bemlce Mortimer, Sacra- front of a huge prop tambourine; Ti«ro woffmnn <!nnra.rto sano- twp h^^"^<*I Dorothy Dorsch, Tacoma; other entertainers come out of the huSs^l^tt^np iwre^^^^^^ start going through th^r Silned hhrh nb^^^^ Tourig; Ogden; O^atsy. Xeeper, their paces for a smash exit. The of he? second song a clima5:^t6 an Pasadenei; Jo ;.BaiT6w, Long Beivch, entire unit .was. nicely conceived and of her second song, a cumax to . an I lijuj^^. Kyle. Hollywood. With looked well bnough here, but not so the stage allowed but 40. minutes, it strong as^ at the Oriental.: , •r.V.^ ^„ +1,0 offi.rnr.nY, Q,in I^^^^^^Sary to alternate glrfs for : Uhcle Bob. of radio station tCTW, JTi"^ ^tv^ sfHoM^) h'^ch show so.as to give each one aKras an added attraction. Due to 'S^r-.!^'?SL.-:!!J*^^®f«-^r^««°^Jic' * I chajiw.. Nine, of the group, who his radio popularity he gathered In were on. when this/performance was some wai'ni applause^ Too much: caught, gave ai- creditable" ac count of | thlk about his exp-erience with . the. baihned. Feature, runs 70 minutes, ■The Jesse Crawford organ .num T)er -v\raB given Its fair:allotment o£ themse^lves with several outstand-. kiddles of hTsT-adlb audience afld" time,, and this -week was without ipg. :of thiese, Wanda Alien clicked prolonged lecturb on the dangers :special ornanrient. '.'Humoreske was ^Ith a dance fouUne; Faye Chllds of children being In the streets, the. Intrpductlon, done in a grace- jooj^^ a good bet for the better Business verv . fair. Picture, fully embrolded musical design, and ciasa of prlmas; Norma Masterson "Rose-Marie" (M-G-M). Chauncey "Japansy. new number described as ^as a peach figure, and rotates on Haines, the organist, doing well •the best waltz number since'Spa^^ toes with much ability, and \^.jth community song slides, ish Town'/'served for the.mtroduc- Eieanora !.* Mai Isa tiUehted litUe^'^ tlon of Mrs. Gra-wford at the stage UoWdlenne with a good sen.se of console. : irtugglng. More training—that's all Newsreel cut to minimum all- for this bunch. Paramount except for two Kinogi-am The girls were Individually Intro- clips, one ah Easter bit of a cat duced, alighting from an. oversized that brought up a broOd of rabbits, Ulrshlp,: by'Benny Rubin. For an and some thrilling: views of. a | opening several miniature planes Palmer's seml-anntial revue, called It Is not her best but close to It. Starts like a world-heater with a prolonged ine among the gyps . 60 girls and runhlng at full speed: With an endless .display of cos- Itumes, generous iise of tambourines MOSQUE (NEWARK) Newark, N. 3., April 7. The big house has given up Vita- ^^r^i^ed'-^aiiin^ sl^Ip \o^ing I :^"^„^''^5i;g ^.T^^^ along a choppy sea with a smashing backed by a cloud effect,^ Rutin's Pf lmers se^ """-^ background of wind-swept sky; knethod andvstyle helped in sending |Ws^Ime Ench^^^^ Paramount'^ shots of the Amtree the girls away. In a line number, race in England, by the way, are allied bv clever llehtlne. the group i • r ■ ^Tx^^ fr^SSn^'ca^m^tas sJowed^ySfnt"^^^^^^^ mfrkeS Matter of Itick In posting cameras intelligence. Individually, their rou where the falls, happened or under tines comprised a vaxiety of song, restrictions oyer, there, perhaps. dance and comedy. , _ "Souvenir," Tlffany-Stahl color Rubin managed to find some time and much cheering (used for tbe Classic, programed but not shown at hto step out and tell a few gags first-time: in this manner by Miss .this performahccj and comedy ani- 'whieh clicked. His , few-»eccentric Palmer) trickily introduced, the imated cartoon screened but hot piro-: steps almost prevented anything number had enough to commend It gi-amed. Rush.. | else to follow for. a while. Rubin hut was further enhanced by some is holding down his job with stricUy n<>table solo dancing. Chief in this class -A Bbowmanship. A was dlmlnutnre Myra. Witt, who Stage band got away to. a pob pever seems to gain an Incli oyer her number fealtUring vocal choruses Ave-year-old size. Shel ls an acro- ;frbm several of the boys. It also batic dancer and contortionist of the brought out Murray Peck for a new pret water. Some splenald tumbling ballad. Nice .pipes. Highlight In was done by a taller girl who may FaVch'on T Mkrco" coritrS the show was Babe Morris, half pint have been Dorothea Combs. • ^^^I^iiS S^g^r^^^ rest Of the revue naturally Idea" on week end. But OlHe .Wal BROADWAY : (TACQMA) Tstcbma, April s. ;Preisentatioh this week minus She Wm birought on late but couldn't keep'the pace of the open laofl built nn a «?ta.se show "dedi-l^ad to come back for more. Two Ing but It never sagged below a very lace bunt up a stage show ded - ^j^^ ^^^^ lavish use of cos- oiue knows masic I ^^^jj^^^^^j^g^ j^j^.^ t.umes. all said to have : been de For the screen items Claude signed by Miss Palmer, Is, as always, Riemer, at the organ, rendered some a thing that staggers belief. They pleasing musical interludes m are not only gorgeous and tasteful, straight fashion. but also they are entirely sui ffcnerts. Feature was "The Divine Woman" A gypsy or cupId in her hands is (M-G) with an M-Q newsreel com-r never like any other gypsy or cupld ■ drew!but is marked by an individuality. No matter how stock the character cated to music," .and he dished up several varieties, aided by some song and dance tal- ent» The Crowds turned but, for Wal lace is a big guy here and every body is for him, even the mayor and PARAMOUNT ("Say It Witii Music"—Unit) ^ \ . (NEW YORK) I . New York, April. 8, ^ "What a bre ak P>a th6 gets at the Paramount. With, the first Class A prograni^ picture the concern has turned . out since its reorganization In. as a feature. It falls Into a Paul .■Whlteman week,: and on = top of-that . bbxrOfBce draw, a crisp specialty show working before the stagi^ band. ■Whlteman to draw 'em in on enters talnment guarantee and. a show to please, them, they'll talk about this hew William Boyd feature ;(De Mine's "SkyscrapersV). Whiteihan's presence on the stage overshadows and dwarfs' the John, Muri'.ay Anderson uhiti"Say it With Music/' .until It becomes merely a .. .specialty . bill, ahd^ Its production features are Ignored. More so be- cause it hasn't any prociuetiort feat ures to speak of, except the prcs enoe of 12 . Foster Girls, who. dp an Amazbn march nOmber and pose in the finale. But this usually impor tant item in the presentation unit is .-(inerely perfunctory. The.specialty group probably \verc tnent to be also incidental to the orchestra, but the acts really compel attention. "There are only three In hUmb.er, but for simple, clean-cut sp6clalty mattbr, perfect. . Whlteman centered interest upon two^ principal numbers,_ starting ~^wilh""'OSbWenn^,''rbutlF"u&""by:^ln^ . .struiiiental solos and by a male vocal trio. For a less sentimental aiid more spirited selection the or- chestra went Into "From Monday bh" vfor the .finale; also worked up with vocal bits and business by tho bandsmen', all ifoing into the usual ellibbtate stage picture'for the cur- tain-..' Th'is' had ' th'e f6st^t Girls posed against the brick In'two tier.'.' their sli'angled costumes; simulating H^*^ ^^^'^'^^i^'^u®',., .^P screen, I fjietlng. Opportunity girls "The Crowd" held Interest. A Para-I ^^gln^l^g^ mount, news reel and Christie coni edy completed Tho band opened on stage with Wallace batoning straight, In "Light Cavalry" overture. ' Got over fair but brass weak. OUie full, of pep and happy as he announced the "Two rays of sunshine,"- Gloria Seiterj and Walter Rasmussen^ 11, Seattle kiddies NORSHORE ("Blue Rovu©"—Unit) (CHICAGO) Chicago. April 6 "Blue Revue," unit No. 2 of the They^itdrglicr^d I Paul Ash-Lou McDermott series, rdlviduarnu^mbers it becomes new as she does It The dancing Is almost endless In variety and it. is of the highest type whether ensemble or solo. Much is of course,, toe dancing, but.she In troduced two tap numbers and an orgia.stlc "Varsity Drag'* that was a smash. It is impossible to review the in Markedly beau WISCONSIN (MILWAUKEE) Milwaukee, April 4. Packed houses, despite Holy Week and the mld-slarlng weather seemed to indloate here that Davo Schooler holds the Indian sign as far as m. c. is concerned. The week marked . Schooler's 1,000th performance and the show was his from start to finish. Titled "Klddln' on the Keys." . A. black stage is the first; From the wings the voice of "amusement" (Billy Meyers) and Indirect lighting sho-ws eight piano keyboards with eight paix'S of hands playing. Only the hands arid keyboards are visible. In the-center"^iS a full-size picture of an eminent pianist. The picture la lighted to show' SchoOer In the fl*anie, and he gives ia short dis- course on the piano. Lights up and the full stage has In background a gigantic red piano with Schooler's name- on the; base- board. The orchestra^ in red and white, Js In front, ■ and Sch »oler, - at the. piano, sings a heat paraphrase on "Hello Cutie;" . sketching his seven months' engsigem'ent ^at the Wisconsin. The chorus -helps him. out with a neat dance, and then the regular show Is on, Lang and Vogt hold, the opening spot. Big and, small fellow with great pipes. The two go'over big. Alice Weaver has the second spot. Alice dances on her toes and does some endurance stuff that got much. She is a neat trick with long hair and a-, flashy smile; /'Together," ar- ranged by Glen Welty ot the Wis-'. cpnslh staff, is the "band number, with Billy Meyers, tenor, sliding in .a ich.orus. The arrangement is . o^le-ver—and-Sohooler-takes the piano— with resultant dpplause; Colemajii Gbetz, In an 'eccentric make-up, "gets the house. He-opens with "Dolores" and then goes. Into a lingo with Schooler that stops the show. With . misfit clothing and -a red nose, GJoetz has an act and his - line is now. He sings. "The Oil Gang .of Mine," with a rap at Sin- clair, Doheny,.Fall and Webks, that goes big, swinging in the "Tba Pot." Another laugh from Gootz is his" ■ piaraphrase of "Souvenirs," using the Tunney-Dempsey fight as a, background. Berrl's Eight English ■ Rockets do neat drunk dance in time with, 'Show Me the Way to Go Home," with each of. the girls doing' a bit.. Chorus is .well trained and liked. .. A platform with a piano and, a woodland scene' is slid on for Schboler to play "The Three Trees,'* The . old stunt, got ■ something, €is "Three Trees" has . not been heard here in so lbng. It is hew. Bernard and Pick, closed. The raale-has a pair of rubber legs that put hi-m. over with a bang. Femmo is. a looker^ can dance passirigly W^ell and has stage presence. . The blow-oflC brlngft Schooler back to the piano, playmg:a combi- nation of Walter Donaldson hits. Berrl girls -walk out "on the keys on . the set piano and do a. dance, the keys lighting f f om the bottom. Tasty finale and new. ' Art Rlchter, ■ house organist. In another comeback this week, having a new stunt to make the audience sing while he plays. A jazz wed- ding arrangement starts Rlchter off, and after several choruses he swings into "Auf. Wiedersehn," which the Germans of ■ Milwaukee sing with a gusto. Another German favorite, "Schhltzelbank," brings but the voices, and. he swings into two pop numbers to close. Stunt got results the night show was caught. "The Heart of a Follies Girl" and newsreelS ended program, . • ' Isr.aeV. cleverly and got the house. These produced at the Oriental, Chicago, Uiful was "A Ballet Dancer's Dream kids^ If not rushed too hard, .have is real entertainment. Caught at of ^Ife In the Springtime," which a future. They also tango, apache the Norshore tho unit was not gjjowed a yellow tree against a black and- bing some.While- Mae Mur=^ nearly so-strong M ray was at Fifth Avenue, Seattle, ifs birth, but nice entertainment gown of yellow and silver. Cupids they were cute in "Merry Widow" nevertheless, A weakening feature 1 ^nd loves and sprites exquisitely cos- is Lew Jenkins, vocalist, who sings ^tumed were added. Another scene the .introductory, songs m the unit s Uuddehly introduced the formation waltz burlesque New song tohiposed by Wallace, , rtnSnfne- turn entitled "Willow.s," has tuneful °P2v ?^,oii of a boat by the girls with outlined Al Kvale, m. .c at the Norshore, silver sails and tones of misty blue has. his band work behind a blue and Silver that faded out. Amusing scrim, with a silver-streamer oyer- Uyras a yama yama man brought In lay.: Jenkins comes out of. the U boat made of one golden smile to wings before the scrim and sings startle a large group of dancers an introduction for a series of song and dance duos. Girls from the ballet, neatly costumed, in blue, comprise the duos. One of the girls carries a placard bearing the title Th girls are mostly in their early teens with a large group younger and a few older. Apparently about 125 to 150 took part. And In all th melody . and catchy w-^ords. Audi encQ liked It, Freddie Marcus sang, as Wallace accompanied on piano .Young Marcus, also, sang "Cloe" with feeling, and with his rich barl -tone voice, driamatiC : Instinct and personality that is not bad, looks like a winner The band in peppy i&7.7, number, "1 Scream," got some laughs, Wal lace carried trays of ice' cream, wime nor uu-rLiier uuus ji oil ui. i .r- ^ ^ - cones to the audience. Band mem- ^nce interpretlnrthnumber Th"s ^ bers sang, or tried to, and with a goes on uAtll the entire ballet is a w "ZmeS^ ^ jolly strut in front of the' band, fined up - \l • ^^^^^^^ ^ate. The show Wallace batoned , to encores. . . The singer is a ^obd idea, but the p'^^J.^JiIT/er Smith played the org.an "Som6_ ''drama'.' pronounced wrong man is on the Job. Uo screened songs most efllectlvoly r^r^:?^^S "V °^ As the girls, exit In a neat little; while C, Henry Earle, tenor, sang li skit'Tal.s ■ whercv Marcus wails he dance, tlte scr.tm and rtbbohs roll the dark from the Elevated colon lS| going to die and. hopes Wallace back to reveal Kvale and his band. J.nade at the left. Real punch to will arrive before too late. When The orch and performers are in organ and song. The excellent or Wallace comes, Marcu.s confesses ^ W Orchestra is spread full .chostra under the leadership .,tlieft3,^.wpJieatiag, i--....^** \.*c\ — ... , i_ . _ _ . . . ^ (jWallace nesss. . "r AVallace my wife and I forgive you, dear I leading down'fromVbo'th sides fb News reel ran 15 minutes and had pal that s. why. I poisoned you! prom purposes. much of interest. It ran twb Klnoti, Audience slow but then roared. Cully and Claire are first up. five Foxes, a Par, a Pathe, and an Wallace next on console,."Among CUlly with a banjo and Claire with Mi-G-M. Notable was a striking My Sbuvenin^i," a.s only he can a uke. They sing, play and yodel, Klho of an English steeplechase, but play; then selections from ''roet making a good presentation team, two horse races in" one film 1."^ one and Peasant" blending in .wilh full Next is an orchestra feature, with too many. The feature was "The band, for finale. Trcv. 1 the spot picking out. a violiu trio, ' Noose," Aasliru LOEWS MIDLAND ("Tick-Tock") (KANSAS CITY) Kansas . City, April 6, "Tiek-Tock," presentation at the Midland,ris-the :first-of7the eastern units to reach this house'under, the new policy between Loew and Pub- Hx. " Production Is "hy Boris Petroft and Is above the average seen here tiie past few weeks. Outstanding Is the -work of the 12 Rasch girls and the singing of Helen .Yorke and Joe Maxwell. Since the unit -was re- viewed by .Variety at the Capitol,' New York, in February, Morton and Mayo have replaced. Al and Qussle Blobrii, and Joe Maxwell Is here Inr s'tead of Frohman and Gary, Scen- ery and effects the sarne as the New York appearance." Standard "Caprice de Itiallane" was the selection of the 27 Mid- landers in the. pit under leadership of Joseph Kline. Boys took a bb-w. Next the news which was followed by Billy Wright at the console. "Hobbies" was the title with a lot of comedy slides and/verses, Joe Kay, Midland^s.new^ m,c, was presented by Harvey Speck (Bayes and Speck) who made a clever lit- tle introductory.' = TThe=Rasch--glrls='in"a^—winding- up" dance were first and offered a neat routine of toe stuff. They were a relief from the bare legs bf the u.fual dancing choruses. Joe Maxwell and his double voice and dressing stopped everything. Band's special number had extra verses and no-veltle.s. ^ Feature picture. "Sporting fJoods" rPar). f!n1ire bill rated good by the cu.stomcra. . Hughes.