Variety (Apr 1928)

Wednesday, April IS, 1928 FILM HOUSE REVIEWS VARIETY 99 55th ST. PLAYHOUSE (NEW YORK) New York. April 18, This week's lecture to the en- lightened natives of BBth street Is on hypocrisy. Through the medium of one of Ufa's best general release flops entitled "TartufCe," Mike Mindlin, the canny sure-seat op- erator, teaches the smart New Yorkers, and only smart New York- ers go to the Bure-seaters, that you never can tell, nothing Is on the level, your own grandmother may 1)6 giving your most heloved shirts to the milkman; and other view- noinfs on life usually associated with Variety critic^ rather than op- erators of sure-seaters. The program this weiek opens with a smart pah on Ufa pictures making an obvious pliay for smart- ness with the smart New Yorkers who were divorced from six bits each to enjoy the artistic atmo sphere. ■ ^ . ..^ i Of course this kind of stuff is a pipe with sure-seat audiences. A iBaintly, bible-devouring fanatic found drunk In the middle of the ni?ht In a bedroom with his host's wife, guzzling wine and pawing the naked shoulder of the cold, aloof, beautifully made-up creature. What could be smarter? Ask Milt Gross, Will Hays, Federation of Women's Clubs, the smart New Yorkers. Ask anvone. But not us. Besides, It's one of those play- wlthih-a-play things, and made in Europe, with foreign actors. The height of artistic endeavor. And In the middle of the picture, soon after it begins rather, the male lead suddenly addresses the audience. That's a thrill in itself. Pew audiences in regular picture houses have ever experienced the pleasure of being spoken to, silently •tls true, directly from the screen. If they could only talk back it would double admission prices. How those red-hot bedroom iicenes affected the elderly, outo- cratlc-looklng females, of whom there is a surprising abundance in arty houses, could only be Judged from the hysterical giggles break- ing out in dark corners. Not hard to spot an old frau's cackle. It's usufllly followed by a reproving cough. The youncrer fems remained iipTrioved outwardly, mostly. But. though Its okay with smart New Yorkers, there are some things in the picture which the average, simple-minded picture fan cannot understand. How come the big. heavy, gigantic Tartuffe should stand for face-slapnlng practice from a little man half his size and weight. Tartuffe crouches as low as possible but In spite of all the crouching he still looks powerful enough to put his attacker under his coat tails with one h*»nd and grab the dame with the other. So It seems that even the . high art of the fore!ern producerg has its limitations. Would have been simple to explain away by arm- ing the little man with a box of flrecrackers. a , shotgun, brass knuckles, baby cannon, anything. But mavbe that wouldn't be art. There's another kick for the audience at the finish wheri It Is aeain addressed, this time only in titles. "Do yoxi know who Is sit- ting besifle you?" Is one of . the queries. Some of the bovs took a second look. Several discovpries seems to have been made. It's a verv sociable suggestion, due The balance of the program _ is defiled with diseustinply inartistic Ameri^^n productions Including an Interesting Fox short entitled "Head Hunters of Fcnador." and Hfirry Lringdon in "Fiddlesticks." Won- der how the head hunters wouui feel if thev knew they were being exhibited in a sure-seater on the ~ " "^ame^bill W ALHAMBRA (SACRAMENTO) Sacramento, April 12. Residential neighborhood house still far from being a prontabic venture. Has been open nearly seven months. Business is good week-ends, but week nights are off. Matinees Saturday, Sunday. Wednesday and Thursday with trade nothing to get excited about Outstanding feature is Uzia Bor- mani and his stage band. For the summer months Bermani has rc^ duced the band to 16, but every man is a thorough musician. Outfit rates as one of the best stage con cert bands on the coast. Bermani is a showman and conceives and executes practically all the stage diversion. He is a violinist and pianist. Elaborate stage settings are utilized, with considerable de- tail given to proaontation .ingles .Sta«e--band. i,s..being,Augm,<miM_J?X with the band, soloed. For an en- core Barowski offered a novelty by playing both violin and piano simultaneously. Part of the time he played the violin with one hand- and the piano with the other, then using .both hands on either Instru- ihent, and so on. It scored soUdly. For th§ finale the band again. Cy/ Griaves, house organist, one of the best bets of the Alhambrai and has been Introducing a lot of novel- ty stuff with slides. His manipu- lation of . the keys has Won him much recognition In these partis. Screen feature "Let 'Er Go, Galla- gher," with Hyams & Mclntyre and John Miljan featured On Vltaphone. ^ Edvfards. WISCONSIN (MILWAUKEE) Milwaukee,: April 13. Spirit Of the circus hit her© with the Wisconsin's "The Band Wagon." This is another of Eddie Weisfeldt's extravaganzas to give Dave School- er, m. c, a better break. The show was elaborate. Stage set had a hugie red and gold band wagon in the center standing in front of a fancy drop, in the cen- ter of which was painted a huge drum with a girl drummer. Band In parade costume, with Schooler, in white, swinging the baton. Playing the. opening, the band brought on thfe Eight Berrl dancers, cath carry- ing a bass drumi After beating the drums for a chorus; the girls turned them over to step on them and do a neat dance, Billle Gerber, a cute little trick in masculine attire, had the second spot and did Well. This a return for Billle. Billy Meyers house tenor, In next spot. Doyle and Shirmer, in white cow boy outfits, specialized on banjo-uke and harmonica. Close with a yodel number and okay. . Berri Girls brought back in- ring- masters' suits and , go through a prance routine, followed by Gran- dall and Marley. Latter act ishould go big aiiywhere, introduced as from the Pavlowa ballet, their en- trance on toes. Their bumping into one another buffaloes the audience, many taking the burlesque as the real stuff,, but once th«y go . into the goofey toe dancing "the. house Is theirs. Pair went. to two encores and six bows. Schooler did a recitation on ."Uncle Tom's Cabin" to . clever interpola- tions by the band. Stage m. c.'s have used this routine " all over the country. Moore and Paul, burlesque tumbling, came close to stopping the show. "Here They Come," sung by Billy Myers, with a dance by the Berri Girls, closed. Girl on the drop pounds the' drum, after which the drumhead raises while colored pin- wheel lights flash and the wheels and gold trimmings .of the wagon are also lighted for the windup. Art RIchter, organist, tried a new ballad, but It was a bad guess. Thev want Jazz here. "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (Par) and.newsreel rounded out program. Israel HAIGHT (8AN FRANCISCO) San Francisco, April 10, Stage band policy at this strictly residential house on the edge of the Sunset district, just'off Golden Gate Park, has become firmly established. With Wilt Gunzendorfer and his KGO broadcasting band it is click- ing, handily. House is a l,606-:seater, owned and operated by Halrry Sack and Wm. Godfry, associated with T. & D. Junior circuit In several theatre holdings, but the circuit is not interested in this house.. A two a-night policy Is in effect, with, mat Inee Saturday and grind from .one p. m, Sunday. Thirty cents top, .with a dime more for loges. Busines.'5 has been consistently good. Monday night is double-feature nighti screen offerings being "The Gay Retreat" (Fox) and '-The Third Degree." Gunzendorfer band has been cut to six pieces for the sum- mer. With niost of the boys able to double on Instruments, they make up for: tho deficiency In numbers Entire program changes Sunday, Monday and Wednesday for one, two and four-day runs. Band boys are collegiates and a clean-cut, musicianly outfit. Gun- zendorfer. plays almost constantly while directing, either on sax or clarinet. Opening numbers was a pop, with two of the boys injecting comedy by arguing over babies In the audience and Using small mir rors for flashlight effect. This was followed by Hawaiian number, and then into another populair air. Dur- ing latter number Gunzendorfer did \ Excellent * entertainment for neighborhood house, and seemingly appreciated by the customers Healthy gatering on liand. Edtoards. own hall in Hudson, N. Y., all that Hudson could ever expect. Still that unit used up 19 min- utes, not long for a stage show, but plenty here, in fact 19 minutes too lonipr. ■ Picture ran around . 75 minutes arid that brings ..ul^ one thing In favor of the .stage show; if the lat- ter is first seen, thon . you know the reason it's there when the pic- ture opens, with booze, college boys and petting parties. But it seen after the pictvu-e, perhaps the relief from the film might recompense a little for the unit. News weekly rah nine; mlhtUes Witli four each from International and Patlic, and on.e or two from Fox. Rather interesting with some shots of the German plane and no tricks to them. Next to closing, after the feature; 'were a couple of very brief Pathe shorts,: that didn't mean a thing. Named on the progra;m"Qdds and Ends," they could haVe been called still moving news, looking as though. Pathe had been persuaded from placing them on the news reel, sending them out. instead .as a spe cial short reel to fool the exhibs. Quite a pleasant organ moment closed the show, , the pit- orchestra opening It with a fast "Raymond" overtvire, then Into, the news reel. Business Monday night at 9, light—weather, fine. CALIFORNIA CALLED UGGARDS (Continued from page 6) president of the Association of Mo- tion Picture Producers, announced that plans had been formulated for the immediate launching of a re- search laboratory for the benefit of all producers and that a technical engineer would be selected to, head the laboratory within a week. Beet- son declared producers would prob- ably:, spend $1,000,6qo a year In re- search work. Othci'- speakers included \Vlilard . B. Cook, piresldont of the Engi- neers; Dr. C. E. K. Mces of the Eastman Kodak Company; Daniel (jlark, president of the American Society of Cinematographers; L, A. Hawkins, executive engineer of re- search laboratory of General Elec- tric Company, and Milton Sills.. All speakers touched on the Im- portance of research to further the development of motion pictures in the field of entertainment. Seven Speakers Following are abstracts of a few of the papers read during the coast sessions, selected for special trade interest In the topics discussed: J. B. Carrlgan, editor of one of the amateur, movie fan publiciEitlons, said a producing company had been formed exclusively for the produc- tion of dramatic subjects in the 16 mm. form,' while the tendency in MIDLAND ("Milady's Fans") (KANSAS CITY) Kansas City, April IB. More "hells," "damns" and "my Gods" on the Midland's stage this week than from any. if not all,^ of ^ Beven nas oiena^u i!??..?'"^^!?"?^. 'I singing of two_ opera and concert , ^. one or two outside acts, sometimes good, sohictimos not so good Currently. Bermani and band cop honors with Vltanhone, Movietone :md strai'^ht R(n'fon fof'ture round- ing out show. Only weak .spot is Leo Friodmand, composer, and Laufcl Nemt^th, sopr.ano, in song and planolog. At that, tcani >yas holdover from preceding week and clicked Avith the pay customers After opening hand number Friedman and Nometh followed in songs. Miss Nemeth soloed a new number, composed by Friedman dedicated to the city, In front of the plush drapes Tasha BarowHki, concert TioHnis STATE (MINNEAPOLIS) Minneapolis, April 14. If th^ current show is any crite rion, the State apparently doesn't intend to lower its entertainment standards because of the hew Min- nesota. An elaborate stage offering supplements other high class units, including "Helen of Troy" (F.. N.), Colorful and snappy stage show was in the form of an overture pres- entation featuring the F. & semble, which takes in a ballet of eight girls, an unbilled dance team, eight singers, and three musicians. Half way through the 18-plece or- chestra's overture, "A Gypsy Fan- tasie," curtain parted to /^veal a gypsy .camp. Lively ballet number preceded a tuneful gypsy love song b^aHenor of-betterahan av^ voice. Passable Apache by the un- billed dance team was followed by ensemble singing , and Instrumental selections by. a violin and niandolln trio. Finale had a punch with the girls In a whirling dance. Under direction of William W- Nelson, guest conductor, orchestra did Itself proud , throughout^ the show. International News paved the way for two well-liked Vltaphone numbers, "When the Wife's Away" and Walt and Gilbert. Then a good offering, an organ number conceived and executed by Larry Goldberg, formerly, of the Gairick. , Called A Trip Through Organland," and dur Ing it Goldberg took the audience on a musical Journey that brought out the Imitative possitaiilties of his in strUment. He reproduced In star tllng fashion the sounds of a loco- motive, a moving train, a symphony orchestra, cathedral chimes, etc. Accompanying slides were clever and interesting. Rare showmansnip 03 well as a high degree of talent. -_:.vAtm.o.splierlS:^pja>lpg^j>recsded t^^ feature. Some really funny bur (SAN FRANCISCO) San Francisco, April 14. Gino Severl's orchestra continues ^^^^^^ ^ Ti^ ?SbUrfwes?^cirsl.h^^^^ field seems to be away from the operated) run house. Severl Is a: outright sales plan and in favor violinist and musician Of note. His of rental systems, mentioning the stage musical programs are always coupon block booking Idea, greeted by lovers of the better things c. Fi ancis Jenkins described In music. Currently, as an adjunct ht,rjgfly appiaratus by which to Lloyd's "Speedy,''the Severi^on- 1^^^^ pictures are to be trans- cert *«3^°{"^*^''"S ^**'^ to the home by radio. ^In First public demonstration ie be- the broadcasting station a moUon Ing had of the Douglas Doubler, re- picture film is passed through A producing device that brings, out transmitter," he said, "which ana- phonographic recordings in two-fold j lyzes each picture into lines by Severl has blended th^ means of a number of lenses reached this town.' Boyce Coombs Iwhich rotates was the offender, having replaced stars, uur^^^ ^,4^ rapidly in front of a lig^t source. Harry Burns since the unit was re- that through means of the The light passing through different' :^ viewed at the Paramount, New York. they are made to appear parts of the picture is of different Benny an^^yestem. dancers, ha^ve musical organization, intensity and is received on a light- also been a^^f** since the^Ne^^ Opening selection Is the "Arioso" Bensitlve cell which sends a corre- ^SZfl^Wt^ vlr^ wX SeS bJfo?e ^'om "PagliaccI," with the words by spondihgly strong or weak electrical f^hls^ouVbTt p&ed. MartlnelU <on record)^and po^close^^ 3^^^,^^ ^ '"p?iL!;?Xn''"s\J'rttd'with 'The SLn"lment''"h'kt w^^^^^^ for'°th; use of a similar disk In the receiver Evolution of Dixie" which brought Pa^^^^^^ j^age is reconstructed for the red-coated iVfidlanders up on^th^ ^ singer viewing." pit elevator. Newsreel followed a^^^^ ^ the drapes. New Color Process Sv^^C%lSft\d'-"^^^ H. Powrle Of the Warner Opening bv the 10 Kaufrtian Girls Mother Use^^ acSSm^ Research Laboratory. New York, 'ailed to^ click, but Bernlce and *he ^^^^^ the fine ^n- described a new color process ob- ^^^'YA ^I^LTt-naniter « lhr&t!Sx^t7eSi^eS^^^^ talnable with an ordinary camera should have been spotte^^^^ in conjunction with specially made So^othv NevllVsa?g n^^^ Very fine lines are printed Fa^r ^5 OJe'Sa^rd Imbert^^^^^ '^"^""^'*^^S,itS7o mHc N'" ^'^^ «»™ photographically and daWcing position, always a delight to^muslc ^^ j^^^ PaeWnor Ball and .Brother, lover^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ thus produced, violin «nd cello. Pleased when Miss Severl s band plays It ^Jj^^'^^'^ly analyze each part Ball directed the. stage band for a fashion. ^ ji^awnraa. i t. novelty number, which included _ some bird imitation*! by Brother BROADWAY Mike. Benny and Western gave »» • their broom and umbrella dance. (PORTLAND, ORE.) but did not create any undue dem- Portland. Ore.. April 12 onstration. Joe Kay and Jiand got | ^ $4,500 vaude program lis be- of the Image into the three color componentis. When this fUm is de- veloped a negative In complemen- tia,ry color results. Ordinary pro^ jectlon equipment is used In ex- laufhs with "Red Ston Signal presented local customers at Fred R. Arther and Elmer Freyer Me," in which «.*rafi1c semaphore ^ Fanchon and Marco, ajgcuggg^ ^aklng "stills," explain- .^^^?,fi;f:^s a^n'SlJ^j; l^'^crc^^ri^^^^^^^ h^^^-^ with th/ncw lighting (in. who told ft numher of English band t^^^^ stories, recited a little and sane. A" ""de Cliff Edwa^^^ Moss and essary again to pose the actors airplane storv had burlesaue flavor. • Starr aerlalist, oc- because no lenses are available fast Finnle broueht all the artists on to ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ program. enough to take stills 8 by 10 while bcreen le^turtj. j^^i^In Ogden. whose organ solos the play action is in progress. 'have been attracting favorable e. Huso and C. E. Ives, of the comment, opens with his Interpre- jjastmah Company, explained a new STRAND I tation of "Rhapsody in Blue." Gg-' ^ h^ easv on the eyes "Speedy." (Par) (NEW YORK) New -Yorkj-April 16; may be corrected. N. D. Golden. U. S. Bureau ot their name on, called "Mad Hoiir," jlowed to a great^hand ^^King ^ Domestic Commerce^ in picture form. Through that, big draw In town. B^^^^^^ picture foreign - onal having the at- a combo POIl^Tl"'"''^^^-^^''^^^^ mosphere of youth, some- one J^^Vni S bit palm Europe our. _ thought the. Btage unit^ should go L^^"'"! am? FryT' next, hit with \ m to much aboVe 21,000, and added kiddie too. and it is kiddlsh or any- I ^Moss^^^^^ Starr. 390.OOO seats to the total. He Galled Joe Plunkett's "Rah, Rah on the trapeze, electrined and Cliff touched briefly upon foreign legls- Fr?fic."^t^ difflcSu to beS that Edwards tled^ the show lation against American^ producj Tu"* T^^n^iufiftr knot. A few of his gags can siana , „.,,-^ ti,e Far East and losQuo classical dancing by Johnny Wiltianus and Jerry Stone, one of them in feminine costume, reaped a deservM harvest of laughs. Six of the ballet girls in Grecian tunics represented a living frieze similar to tho one which .comes to life In tho picture. ^ ..^, , A dandy buy for 60 cents, but busl ness continues far under par, due largely to the Minnesota. Net for the Theatrical Press Rep resentatlves' fourth annual benefit In the Rivoll April 6 will be about $7,000, It Is e.stlmated. 1^ . ^ V «r,iv machine by which film negatives organisrtTpTay\lfis^l"^^^^^^ be duplicated from the single ?S?%SiS:_tS^f^Seturns^ that expert picture house producer knot. K".' }l;!ft rnK'oTne'a' e'n^'erlSlS: %^feo,ed with a „oveIt, num; ning everything on the bill died feature, with not much of a house.to die be- and added that the Far East Latin America offered great poten- tialities for development. Cohen. fore even ait nine, iso that "Mad Hour" titles are running nowadays for the foul line Instead of the box olfice. And picture house audiences are becoming educated TIVOLI (NEW YORK) . New York, April 13. A film grinder SO close to Madi- son Square Garden it could become Fd?\"'£unk bimig'^wUh*?^^ Ian" annex" without /disturbing the S^„?' ^.^,VrJl ,ViL"^„ ^^rnnn n/r.ked subwav work on. Eighth avcnue. girls looking like a group. picked fi'om=-a-dancing-:-school -.frQm..jLhfiir_ work and they didn't work much. Al Gale, featured on the billing with capital letters. Is a boy who sang two pops, wildly waving and clap- ping his hands while doing it. He could have sung one or none. After that the. Maryland Col- legians (New Acts), supposed to be 12 college boys from Baltimore, with .Louella Lee In song and dance in front for one number. Utter waste of time and effort. Every- thing about the act. Including the ensemble finale, looked and sound- ed home made, and If not amateur- i.sh at least that Impression should be removed. A nice act for the subway work . This hou.se Is one of_^the Consoli- dated AmusementTETnterjirTses llnltS and, no doubt, one of its best money makers. ' , '■ ^ Theatre has a gallery and seats about 2,500. Thursday night (April 12) there were several rows of sta,ndees waiting for seats around 10 o'clock. Boxomce twang is 30 cents, which Is tilted a dime on the week-end. ... Tivoll has been showing a belter grade of pictures and trailers indi- cate more to come. A seven-piece orchestra ofilclatcs and there are alternating organists. None of the music dispensers are billed. Or- chestra works hard and sA nif-'ht takes very little rest between plc- tureij. .. . ,, ^ No effort is made at presentation or musical ensemble. House la pretty strong on the double feature thing. This night, between "Cohena and Kellys in Paris" (U) and "Ther Little ,Snob" (W. B.) there were shorts Including "Children of the Hun" (Ufa). . ^-="Tlvoli7=in-other ^years^-has-tried more of a play at an orchestral pres- entation and also has had vocal soloists appear. In the neighbor- hood.s, dose to Times Square, the small admish fee and the two fea- tures s»H»m to attract faster than any other kind of. entertainment. Even a former splash of neighbor- hood hallyhooing and special stuff flopped. So the Tlvoll now sailB along with the straight picture gag and makes it pay. ,^ ^ - ^. It is the neighborhood belief that the fans looking for class stage trimming can get It by stepping over to Broadway. afarfc.