Variety (Nov 1928)

i24 VARIETY DRY MARTINI ■ ■ ■■-(sound;). /, ;.• .■ •F(i7C proiluctlmi und rcli-nse cllrf^'tctl b>. • Harry B' Arhasl. ', Adapted:. ' Ir^iu ■ J'ohn Thomas' smi-y,. with noiy] tltUriK'. . !?>'"- dhiuviizc'il sii-.n-c by U'>ltnvif>.'l' aji'l. IUM'PP'. ."'^t '. tlio Jtios>%- '-.N. - v., wt.-«k,.6i: .Nov. . «; . luiti-, •. hiiiK IJtiic, 77' miiiii. ' .• •l-:irsa,bi'lh Quiiiiliy...;......., • Freildie' .;Fleti;l»e'r.. .; lilria v..• JjUcHIo-: Uiri'svfcnor......... . . .;W.uioUKiiVjy. .cjuiuiUy.■.. .v.;-. . ..i'dul- iJe iJiUnay.,-......... V Jos'eliU .:.... . ■ • • '• : ijQltbie (jDidoi); . .'.. . . Fpunk,..........;... >.i ..Mrs. Ki-ienlK. Mary Astoj!. MiUt Moor<* Jocclyn - Leo ..StUiy. ,Kl.leis v. . . AUiiiri'; (Jrau ... .'Allie.ri Contl ....Torn .lliukeU.-) .Vlueh : i'm-or iluivollc . Ciii'l.'iy A \ comedy sypposcdly -tiikiuy .• pVace in' i'ai-it»... But tlHH".e'.=i. also. a. .-Pariis; 'liv. acil. prcihably; ligto'oras •Vimui-t furo ■ in. the laLtor sp^t, witU. -.or 'witluVut- sound. ..When. these.,so--. • phisticaic-a.- tries mif^.s . th.cy'.ro uujtc ;ipt to be a Hltle silly>: ' ."PryM^i-i^- ■ ■ tirii'V rivlMses;V ■ ■ . ' F'oi- 77 minutes. ;the boys- either ■ hemX elbuWs ih parlors, or stand UP against air' A-riiericari....t)ar. ,M,«.'aii-. whi.Ie, . .Albert .Gran -Avaddles , aboul •■jfcs'--tl>e .whitx>-halred. • roife: at. his - 'wits', end;, because his ; Brb.^y.n-up - datighler. i.'t ' in. town and lie : .sup- . poaes;-. that he's got to- re.fonn;, But -the child: is so modern she,.runs off to trv compaiuo.nale maiYiage. ^vith^ ;; an . artist*' .and:; father; and young . fncnd have -to; dash to.-the rescue; iiest twift- in the.; pi;cture, is thfit .her ■■ who-^-^^ rmdny conies .ilyiiig through - the ' -door aCteV an ' unseen' .s€!t-to..- wth tlid supposed, heavy, -who . lisn't so . . dastaraivi-. inasmuch .aS. the ; girl • asTkcd' tor the elopement, ..Finishes ■ with tho 'beateh: liero and daughtei sailihg for; home, and: le.a.ylnfr .I'Apa '. to hi.4 ;cocktai,ls ami mi^itress; . . . -. Gran and-Matt .Moore divide the " picture bet^veen t.hem, Hbore doing a: quiet slow indifforG'nt. tp .every- thing . but his .;li.quQi-. :■. Acttially . Gnan ■Stands ; out;-,: ;:A.lber.t;. Contt makes'< it count .\N'hile. h^'.s .in.-front of-' the-- long, hut he hasn't enough footage to oiTfSX^'e^the^Tfdr-nanied duo.' ^ The women are negligible And if somebody doesn't watclv those h^its Mai-y Astor ■ is wearing she-ll be out of any;- picture cal ins'; lior. a- iocale-in^ a /town over. lu,uu^. I'icture might; W-ell be. called a he Girl With the iron,H.at.'^ And whCMV, the mt'n start...nOtix:ihK the. lieud-. geocr. it;s; tough; ;on fUrn: . Ingenws. reason for. it^.^as. Miss Astoi- llings plenty of jtppearimce. aroviml; "lit nothing, could b.e^ s whore -thp^iei; ci.hai)ea^ix.. are eon- "^^S^lly liilory: tijx^ jMyp. Lec. lHXtii ■hini- tit possossiive- •Worft-..8J^reeM pSver Ahan -they^rvi. unloasMng in S iDiotare; :. That^s . ;tbe;. trouble The l^utm^ ni^ver Iveeps. its -pnun.- ike.^ ^ And- ^lve' 77. TOihut6s are .on tireiy unneces-saryi «liapes-;aJ^W Jf: those :.light,;.60^minu^e^co.ne^<^ Fbx turns but every so often .ana which '■ never quite make »thc gi auc. behind it; • but lid sustaining P,q^^Ol and no ;f eaunyd iilayer. . ^ ... . I s best point is its synchi'onrzed. aceoitipaniriieTit, eyenrif^oyer;sccjred. cranli.' . Perhaps, tlic -first- tunc tn.t new picture wrinkle ..has; picked up an^l^r mechanical: .^^^^^"^'^"^ at tiWio.<i i.s so good its put- ot; pi o- at ^'"103. i>^^^^. .Where, the ripal with everything ; apparently handledi backstage:.: It was ampll- Hcd excellently here, and Interpreted the moods of the film, with song., but it didn't make the picture. 1 he fact that tlie lilm :"was soundod. pos- \sll)ly hol(l gredter siicnrncancc. for. tiio audience than the. aoumrilselE. ■■ liuje: SHADOWS OF FEi^R (GERMAN MAD,: rJ.'fu proJuction . dist rlhutc.l l.y. -. Klr.st S'ailonal-: - .-.^^crcon ^i'.-f I'.V^.'*"";,; [ Vniile Zola'.s '<vThi>f<'.so.l{.iq.uin. -■ W- i^-. Ion'\n^d Wl-ily lla,.,. i'^-i^^S":*^' ■■■wUk- .of Nov. 4-.. B.unnlriB ^SmO' ,J. Mai'lCrlyiiurfnU .-.H. A. Sfhlcltc^v i.i'harli^s UniTols :\V(>lf(;f4nB. Trllzo.f . . I'aui .-Hon.okPls ....:.:.;,La Jana (SOUNP) First • National : produi'tlpn,-and release S-.. n' ..l.i-..ni20d music «corC. by .AV oaujni will* ."Or.'cn story .-.baaed Pn . J. 1*. M<^F,y")' n..v.<l . Ariv.0 Wliite .ff-atared.. Sni, l"'h.to Vam<J;-anuth. At Strand.. N. 'V,. -week Nov •'v.J5^..Mman«V;>V..;;.^^ .Ijonny -a.^^-^^ Thcrc'so'.Ri'tjulh: •Airs. ■ Rfiqijin ..';......... Jiti u.rorit.. .... •: •».'>v.» Michaud.. . . ......-. •.-. •■• • I'iiiiilile..; i .'.;•«.;-..> V.-. .Crive't...,..: i ..; tiasixiine; ■ his' daughter,.. biit for this country except;: as a last 'resort for . the.'• ;iEiirt .houses. lOnoUgh to' Indicate its'; :cha.ract'er, is. to ;reiat^ that 'it . is Eni Zo^; the man who'wrote; VDHwli'' in . his le ; act ion: Where tne.iij^.^^^ aiid depressing- mood strong that; U ^mp^?^ | - , xf ;^h,i'Rt6rv has J imiTiy •>.-. .> Mtlton .M\la PuK.nn .\Vr. -iJuKun ■ • Mrs:' Dugan portiohlb mustcas: so Strong .t^.it^i^^ of the'story has been Te a nation Kangs "U^'^.^f produced with .utmost tldelityv Add n rhti nd father:, js but , spiuiteun„ 11 ..... ^ a rotund father is: but splutter prbttjfitingly about l^>s dau{^tQt-and c.in't make up .his -mind -^s to whether-; ho actually-means 4^ , . It will li.lv.0 a.qnyless trip aroupi' t-iie big hou.s.es ' regardless; of -the cannec^l- score. ^ "There - Is ; no dialog,. an; -uiicomprbmisihg German reahst. director to the-.greatest ol* Fi-ench liessinniistS - and what shows: on. .the .Kcreeir is dispintlng to-1^ treme Nabbd'V ' but a ; Gei-mah , producer I woUld think of-filming, an epic, of dull, .mean .people Involved in ;-mor- hid'tragedy .aiid then .gilding :the lily 'of: depression by.- dwelling per sistehtly upon the bleakest details 'rhe- explanation of its ever reach- iiig an American 'screen;'probably may:'be; found- in.:the. cluota. system. Therese, penniless- orphan, mar- ■ ' humble / clerk and ;a puny inv£ilid. She spends her vred -. ding hight :irieasuring out his medlT cine. Life , of petty routine wear.-3 u"pon"Ticr and, as~if^iVTTKCTretrted-Tby- this cast, It also wears . upon- the audience. : ' ... .. . Therese ' falls . a conquest to :,,tho Anq IX :ni.i»uj;- ^"•"/'^^-^^^""n ebic of 1 robust' good-for-nothing . Laurent in. :theVremote;|t^nds as.^,^pic oi -^^^ ^^^g j^e^ h^isbahd;^ mur l.l«.,../^4r^i^• T?nBSia or tPC lOOWp. .... '"-^"^ -. .. ^l-i.-l BONDAGE (GERMAN tyiADE) (SOUND) l^chS m^nrioh ^^^^^^ - Clerk and m^mM^^^t^^:^^' ^ ' """" :;-.Wnnlng. U■»le,^ TO'..minutes,. . - ■ ■ Little: in this fOr ,-the average AmSSiHExhibitor;: But:probal)b: soTt Picklngi for -the high-hat htits. ?u^l l^^Wht stand up;under:bi ling In' "Show Girl" ; the titles come first, 'rhere's a Jaugh in every other, one tha.t*s a real laugh. Alice White •Is- a close second since she handles the role well, ;RockinE hoitie: at the same time' plenty of that s.a. that gets the boys. ;: \ - „ ' Then the yarn, a bit of expose on how the tabloids ire' supposed to spend money for their circulations, coines in. Either version; sound pt- silent, spell well for .First National s boxotnce. ■ - '. ... -■ ,; : The family and the pietty blonde diiughters of the fat liiama and the scrawny ddd, put over,-iyen by Kate Price rind Jimmie Finlayson, start out in the usual' way at. the-.suppc|' tablc\ There the characters are in- troduced by pert ; titling, Alice's intro as the danie who "looks hot but keeps cool,"- starts oiffi the.:cQm cdy. ^ - . - .-• . ; -V . Another sUb gets a roar; This, de scribes location: ."Brooklyn.-; Like an; elephant's rear end.. Big, but unimposihg." ;. :; , - ., Charles DelanCy- as the tabloid cub who takes advantage of a jeal- ous spick dander and a sugar; daddy to give his baby a play and" the paper nn exclusive serial, rates close to Alice 'in honors. From .then on how some well known publishers .tised to o^ay swindle sheets regard- less of the facts and figure;s,..fmishes the yixrri... - ■,,.' -■ Applause, a couple of night club solos; and soni.e chorus:;WOrk com-- prise .the on ly, sound exclusive^ of the 'mu.^ie more The added value in the Crawford name at present shoUld ht lp. Lease tops the cast for aiJi<ear- ance, phptogl'aphy and, depot initnt in a limited and familiar role H© Ibdks good, and; strong eaougli tor better things. '. .: .■•' '-. ; , Story . is . that' of - fwp brother^ separated in:.their youth, following art attack on the farhily Svag(in. by" a, mixed Indian and renegade pitrty. liacli Of the Ixoya has a star, tat- tooed oh his chest. One of tlu.-.boya e rinii.yau.. .. bocomes a.fearless.ranger While th© l .kute i'ricc Mother : grows -.up - to be.-a notcirloua ' ■ ^ ' band it; Both make :a .play for the same: girl, uhn;atui:ally coy :.and too girlish for anything but a we.sterri; the Solitaire 'Kid firigllly hn-Cling dea.th: in the' flames; of a raging forest; fiJfe;. ' Forest fire is.-: an .excoUont. ? fie« quence, while the struggle prvLod- .ing;, 'it: is aVspVa : realistic pif-ce o£ : woirk.- -■' .. ' - ' - Mori. ......Chiirlea Delanoy ...:,. UlcUard TiicHcr • i,...Gwcn .-"Leo ..:. Jlmmie ; Flnlnyaon LIGHTNING SI^EEO FBO production imd ■■release. ■ 'Hubert North • Bradbury,. : director. .. Bob... .Steele Btari-od.'. Cameraman, PfUrasvKc. Cast;' WHl -Welch, Mary Mabcrry, I>urry Munlock. At Stanley, 'New .-Vork,. one day,- Oct. 30. Ktmnlng tlnie, about tfO nilriutes.f: SU^ ?*SKOURAS BROTHERS |linBfl#XADOR ^' : ST. LOUIS. A^O - West Coast Theatre, Long Beach Dir,r- FANCHON and MARCO Michigan Vaude Mgrs. Ass'n ChaHie MACK .nooklrtt? tho .nieist cxtcnsty.e circuit of Vaudeville ntid preBenttviloiy, >tn.e^ aires bfciwecrt Now York:and Chicago Michigan THeatre Bldg. ■; ' DETROIT : Rt'flndnrj Acta. Write or Wire' bleeding Russia ^he. l^oO's Not till the finish is there a i,est°on Pf what might- have been done with the same stpry by any. 1^ S. prPclucer... The.charge of, thp ^eafkntry on the: <i^\.^<^T;^^l mansion and thoir battle, with .a. SS- cSssacks would have beoii eSorated intb. sonvethmr b^^^ it involved suspense and Previously tlie Countess resorted to SSkS^^to^ frevcnl: her son's mar- S^ip a s&f but th^ son 1^ fused to marry the rQignmg.Prince s daughter and hit the Prince ov^r With an;uncM^ eet the girl of his heart, but the Prince refused to sig.n a -paper that Sd have severed her forced mar- riage to one of the serfs and cpn- Sv^ ■ wifh ;tlic- Ct^tess to bamsh the lowly pair to Siberia. But the uSiS^queered that .arid caused ti?e dea^th^Pf the girl's .™rJJ^-Se husbarid. so the Prince's slgnattaro Surthecosf^ry;to the. ^^t^^rc^^^^ Ji^s?s of 'the poor .peasant girl an<i 1 the Gounte.is' son. - ■ . ^ ■ ' -' That -tale. ;TVould ^W^e been right In the litp bf BarryiViore and ;Cos- tello or .Gilbert and GarbP, All berforming honors In Bona age'' are copped by Heinrlch-George as the ,philosopher-,drunkar.d^ who kindly weds mie. Countess son.s^gal ••■to save her -for hirn,'; ;. He^ ;lPP^^ to have evi1..fittcntion on that.red- ding night,.but airhe does is tp say good-night and ;sleep outside, by the fireplace- The; girl later squares it with; the Countess* ^pn^by, ex--, plaining "We: lived; as. brpther and ^istefr^ an^"«ea^en is .jnyv^udgo.. maven didn't show in the 1'''^, _ Titles stilted and badly written. Majority ot settings are extoriorsi; a monoy-savlrig d:eyice; that liickily dPCs hPt seem, out of place in tliis '"sev^al shots of - toilei^s plowing are from ; xhc 'ground up,, with,.the Characters outlined by the skyman- seemingly wprking- on a r.idge. a. lia, is recalled as first prominently vU'ed in ''The- BiR rarade,'*. but still a good .shot and a pretty pnci . / ■ The sound accompa,niment for "Shadows" at the BRth Street is intra;tPnc. It's; on the dlslt prin- okay. Reporters who^spprt iiigh-ppwered cars and play around, the Governor's, daughter, and are 'acrob.ats as well,. seem a' little far-fetched, even on the' -'screori.' But VLightnirtg :ypecd'* iias 'cm, as -well fiis a poor. cast, and a stpry tiiat is meant to hum, but achieves. Jnpriotony • even for the i'inds:: : - ; ■■■'■■•■ The .Governor; -who wouldnt shape up so well as a PPOd butler, iigurcs a reporter. Bob . Steele,, non^ smoker and di:ihker/£ts an .exGellont bet ;for' his daughter. Bob - go^^s to Work in light knickers and his city editor h.a;s ~thf ;s?etrUp pf a corner in a fa.shionable worhan's cltib; : The bad' mixn. has a brpther .who is. Sl.ated for the .chair,; so. he gets a jpb in tho GovCrnprla garden, The reporter naturally. knows- ^yh•at it's nu cAiinioiYc I all ahbut and turns gangster.: ■SyritJhrorri'^at-ion-—H't^ie^ cier-.by her :lpver. It is the shadow of : remorse - and .fear that, prompt them first ta w'ed and then tp hate each: other to the -Prtint of inutoi^.i murder impulses..: Ultimately -thev. both take poison.' v., ; ^ ,,: . .:. All that is. dreary and morbid; in this narrative has been played up by the director. It .would be-a terrify- ing -worlt' exciept that its act.prs are. so bad they -never drive .the .story home. No such cpllectipn of frUmpy women players and: no such group of stuffTshirted males have been assembled since :the. ;begi.nning3 .of flicketa.. A picture thai miRbt hjiye delivered a' morbid. Rhock;.:under tins treatment, accomplishes: nothing but deadly boredom. - ^ ;:; ... , Film has some: good German tri civ cainera work'and some of- the.back- trrouhds convey a good deaVof som- bre atmosphere, .but; the; wretched acting and the drab story^ put these technical merits, at nought, :^ Abso- lute' zero as .. a . commercial ^ in America. ^ - . ' ■; m^^:,: ^::^:;yi:;.-TENvb^ .i^ ; , That SKooic-the-World ■ " : (RUSSIAN MADE) . : Amklno production and relcftac. l^'i:e<:t;jf 'tiy S. M. Elsensteln., ;Pl)otoKr!vphy, by. TiftV No other credits given. At J.ittle CarneRle riayhouae, New-: York. . Week Nov, -2, Running time, 75 minutes. MONIQUE'S FAULT ; ; ; (FRENCH MADE) ; ' ■'■ Paris, Oct. 21* This comedy draima is gppd in iru-ts;' . Maurice Gleize, producer.. It is ' tiiko'n' f r'oin a: f ormei- vbest sellct-' bv "riulby,. a lady .nb.velist . hew do- ceased,' . and cohstitutiss.; a .wprthy iVrst half; .What-.,is; .the., fault., o Mohique?. Di-vulgiriff state secret once inore;: ■ . . - '. ;Mauriac,: before gbihg: pn a fPr^ cign mission;. cphfides - spme secret military plans to his wife, >Ionique,. for safe keiepiti^, During-t.he. plght, their:child, Jacques, is taken ;ill aiid is: attended by a foreign' doctor, who:' conii:e;nt.s ;t6 save-the boy pri cpndi: lion Monlciue: pei-mits him " to :ex- amine-the plans. She dpes so, and ^naturally regrets:.-whcn .;it. is' ..toe late. ■ Suspicion ■ fjills. on Maurica holding a . .high ;-po.sition.;;With -. th*' geve.rnment con tractors, and to save her husband's, honpr she cen- fesses hier pwn- treachery. Friendf- go for the'real criminal, who shobt.« himself.: Picture .should find a. mar ^ ket in.smaU houses. Sandra Milow, finbff ;is- charming, .and; simple as the erring wife.; Victor: Vina plays the;: ■hushand:,:and...Ji:u.doff Jvloin. imper.- .sonates. the doctor: • Kendroic.' ' trvihg to ipop the girl in ^ a balloon a/rives,: with Bob right bn , the tail tope, even. the 'sleepy. Stanley- aliidi- once, where a negro porter has: to keep the boys awake, - Show; their; ten.sity in loud cackles.: Tremendous Hit! Personality Singer and Dahcer: HEII) QY ^ Third Consecutive Week COLONY THEATRE NEW YORK CITY tlinnks to BKN ItERNIlj . Under rersonal ManaBC.nu'nt LOU IRWIN, Inc. 1560 BroadVway . • :■;■■' Tlils RussipLn film aroUsed protest last summer 'when Artliur I?ammer- st^in tried.to book it into.his.P.rbaa-: way. theatre, fplipwing : St,: Petersburg.!; ; At : tlia^^ Av as-^abelled-ra^; So Viet JAUsiiia:-:pi:?:P-^ iiga;nda and the censors refused:, to allow, it tb be-.sh6wri...^: ■:: ;; :: ; : :Mike; Mindlin; 'was ;ablp:. ;to :got: it past the ' reviewing; .board for .-'its American ■pretnicre.at- lii.'^ new ritzy stirc seatei;. In pvA'si-Ont foii^m it .can ■harm IIP one and :is likely to prove uUay-'in the art .filin houses. . ; Kisensteih, thc.vyouhg Uus.sian di- rector, with all the'resources of .the Soviet placed -at his command to rihii the evlpnts .pf tlie .lO his.tprioal October dfiys . -whirls -procodcd the o<-elMhrow -Of the :Kpr,eMsky govern- ment in Russia, soon after, the Czar luid heen deposed, - has ■fallen fat- short in his efforts to create an outslaiHling screfii rCctird. ' -TJsing no .scenario or' story- for guidanct;. he - has hu-roly strung.. ,..togi;lhe.r a 'series of news reel shuts rif. various ccmimltteoR inVihtv Hvissiitn .ui)i-i.sJni;: To (ine not; .fnrniliiir;\vnh lyUssi.aii. evcnls ini>n\e(liat<vly prior tc) IhP .fur- mat ion - of the; Kin-.lrt-: cov.r'nniK'.nl this flicker 'wtin't hi.vlp innch. : IIim-" ;>tid there T<3is'niR('pin. ha.^- hit _ w,hat (Hicnces of^rusiiiiig.. lrO!,ip;i.and .ri."l • ing::peas;ints aro rap;ibly liaTidlciT Mis skill in plckin.tr' tyix-s lo ii.la'y. Un; jil'irts • of Kercn-.<ky, ..f i'ol.«ky pTi.l .T.Cnin as well' as .minor :lj'g.tircs .olv;i. '\Vbi-thy. .y . ■ rhotograiihy by Tim., nrn.'-sl.'in;; haven't much use for a front nvHiii - kor) holhing exceT>lloii.rl, ino.M m tlie shots? being ri-f'.«'r(l<.:d. Willi slrtl - nes .m the for<'g»'ound. - Fi.ir tiiP: nvcragi' inovincr. nictiir'- oiitron "Ttm I')ay.s".win be nine days LAW OF THE RANGE .. -Meti-p-Ooldwyn-Mayer- .. production . 'and; relbas-e directed ,by -William .Nigh. ; From stor.v by Norman Houstdti. Screen ndapta- tlon 'ti>> :Blchard • Schayer. - StarHnpr Col. Tliti ■ MoCov,' Jotin Crawford - foatured; tltlc.-s by Robert ' TlopUlns; Cnst InV-ludos Ittex I.efi-sci. Itodll IVo.sinff. and Tenen- Ilol'tz. At tlTo Columbu.s,' N.V Y.. Nov: ;5,- K-S- 'orte K.-vir of double feature pr.oer.-tm. Itutinlhp tlrlie, ;-*.')• :mlnutcs.. ; . - ■ SINGING BAN JOISTS . Nowwith FANCHON and MARCO'S >UP IN the AIR" IDEA -"^Exhibs-and-others-thirsting for a- knowlcdge of range: law wiU .likely be- disapiMjinted in this :piclure as ah expoaition of th.at. phase of-life, .iiut aS -45 . mihUtea pf:wes at- mo.sphere. ' riding. ; :shp6ling . ^ind ngKtingi it holds its owri: : ;. :. Prom the; practical or; :finanCial pplnt of -view it: .seems . almpst too expensive: to make riiere ..AvcstemM oh tills scale comsidering the: de- pleted market awaiting- prbtluct of this type.. It hiirbors..; a - strong, highly satisfactory cast, ■with /Tini McCoy,- Joan Crawford and Rex Lease in the .principal assignments AL LYONS -AND- •• ■-..: Fc'hturcd. Ift . FANCHON aiid MARCO l''.;;; .: :- JDEAS'^^^ ■'. i;o-mV'S • STAT-*i: -'bl'EA.™ .:; ioS-ASCEl-KS- :-;:■;:.. INDEFiNITELY JESSE CRAWFORD ORGAN^^^^^^^^ PARAMOUNT THEATRE "^^vt";rr^~_Tis^^ .: ■ w WEEK OF NOV. 3rd "SONNY BOY" . ' (De Sylva, Brown & Hendei^son) "THERE'S A RAINBOW 'ROUND MY SHOULDER" (Irving Berlin, Inc.)