Variety (Apr 1929)

16 VARIETY FILM REVIEWS Wednesday, April 10, 1928 Talking Shorts MME. MARION KURENKO M-Q-M MOVIETONE 9 Mins.; Sdng* Embassy, New York Chicago Opera soprano raffling oft three numbers and averagine three minutes per warble. Too much. Corking piece of recording backed by a aJghtly set, arid U this Isn't the convlncer ■ on Marlon's pipes there's something wrong wltb' the house wire. The madame doesn't get too high to outdistance the mike, although In one or two spots there's evidence of that Instrument trembling from the vocal pressure. But the tnadame can sing, and for two Instead of three numbers should be most ac- ceptable for the short programs at large. A trill from "Faust," another song and finishing wlth /'X^st Rose of Summer" comprises the camera repertoire. Speaking of the opera, oke. Sid. "ODDITIES OF FASHION" PATHE-RCA PHOTOPHONE e Mins.; Old Movies 44th St., New York Great stiitt. Consists of old nega- tives shot between. 1897 and 1903. Costumes and manners of those or- chid days excruciatingly funny. Synchronized with music and off- screen voice making wisecracks about clips. Fits perfectly. Human interest voltage on this one 1000 per cent Produced for Pathe by Walter Futter. Land. CLARK •nd McCULLOUGH "The Muaie Masters" (Comedy) FOX MOVIETONE 20 Mins.; 44th St., New York More tomfoolery from this Inimit- able pair, Brimming over with gig- gles and like the earlier ones in the series, should please all and sundry. Difters from average talking short Ui telling a running story, using numerous seta and dolbg it ph a larger, more pretentious scale gen- erally. These shorts, must repre- sent a considerable production out- lay. Bound from an auction shop tot- ing a violin and a shot gun, Bobby and Paul are hailed by a butler on the outlook for .musicians tardy in arriving at a fashionable muslcale. They enter the swell hangout and stage a hokum musical recital to the amusement of the audience and the wreck and ruin of the gorgeous set Helen Bolton, looking very spiffy, plays the distressed hostess. Story is credited to the comics themselves and directed by Harry Sweet. Can be featured on any marquee. Land. "THE SWAN" PATHE-RCA PHOTOPHONE 4 Mine.; Idyll 44th St, New York Beauty for its owa sake. Swans floating about serenely majestic upon a placid pond. Lovely photog- raphy developed on green ^tinted stock and synchronized with Saint Saens* familiar and da^ty melody. Introductory caption explains that this melody was withheld until the composer's death In 1921. For dressing a show and adding a touch of the idyllic this one can't be topped. Land. FRANCES SHELLEY VITAPHONE NO. 713 7 Mins.; Songs New York, New York Miss Shelley scores from every angle in this brief, seven-minute talking picture appearance. She photographs attractively, sings well and seems particularly at home in a production of this sort, strumming a guitar and crooning her songs as if they were meant for eact one out front separately. It's the intimate, effective style of the night club floor, impossible If attempted from the stage in person, its only other possible means of ti-ansmlsslon to a large audience be- ing through the talking screen. It is a successful eflort. Photographing as she does in. this lnstan.ce; and with that kind of a voice, this little girl shouldn't be long without recognition in feature length talkers. She measures up to all the requirements some of the companies have spent thousands for in tests. Got the audience here and in this house they don't even applaud the American flag or the President. Uort. FRANK CRUMIT VITAPHONE NO. 727 8 Mins.; Songs Central, New York Personality standout that can go on the preferred list. Crumlt is a well-known vaudeville and produc tlon tenor with a breezy, agreeable style. It's the way he does It, because he doesn't, do much of anything that can be reported. Uses uke guitai- for his own accompaniment Sings a lot of old ones. On one partic- ularly decrepit oaiol he gets into it far enough to start a laugh and then says: "I haven't got nerve enough to sing that." Perfectly timed and swelled the laugh to strong proportions. Having broken the Ice and learned some of the things to avoid. Crumlt ought to stand repetition. Land. Val and Ernie STANTON "Cut VouTMlf « Plee* of Cake" VITAPWNE NO. 2S36 Seng and Comedy; 8 Mine. New York, New York This is not a very strong program addition, though with the diflBc'nlty of arranging p good average bill of shorts at the present time it wiU do as a flller, Val and Ernie Stanton are dbing what looks like a mixed vaudeville set in this record, without regard to picture house requirements, and it doesn't olick fully for that reason. Nut comedy chatter doesn't rate ' laughs, and a good deal of it is too familiar as well as dull, i The boys are strong in th e vo cal ' 'aepartmen"l;'siralgKr and otlierwigef and score easily with Imitations and instrumental numbers. One of them plays the uke and for the flnlsh the other accompanies on. a mouth organ. Attractive quality of voices, added to iefCectlve Style of comedy delivery; indications that this team couldn't miss with a revised comedy routine. Mori. MILLER and LVLE8 (8) M-G-M MOVIETONE 12 Mins.; Comedy, Dancing New York, New York This is a colored' male combo of high type, delivering the kind .of lackadaisical, 'good-natured humor that is usually laugh-provoking. In style Moran and Mack resemble this team not a little, even to the extent in which the drawling threats are carrie.d out by the taller of the two men. ■ TMs particular presentation is not outstanding or even as strong as it should be to warrant a satisfactory spot. ' Subject IS' built up around a little skit enUtled "The Mayor of JImtown." -The' new mayor, finding himself In the position merely through chance, starts off by getting every- body tO' salute him, including six stenographers in the offices, and an office boy. When he starts on the chief of police the trouble starts. The boys don boxing gloves and flght it out as a hoofing number. Suffering from lack of comedy chatter. A better; more closely knit routine would spell success. Mori. TIM McCOY FOX MOVIETONE 10 Min8.j Songs and Talk Gaiety, N. Y. Screen cowboy hero revealed as a singer of 'range songs. Handles two cowboy-ditties nicely in a light but melodious voice, but subject is killed off by inane talk. Scene shows . group of cowpunch- ers gathered around camp fire. They're riding the herd into Sho- shone to be shipped. Tim arrives from his riding trick and there Is much kidding and chaffing back and forth. All hands are "riding" an elderly cow hand about his affairs with women. Presently Tim, apropos of noth- ing whatever, breaks into one of those doleful cowboy laments and sings four verses. More chaffing and he does a livelier tune, also plenty .long enough. They talk more about what they'll do when they get to the settlements, and that's all. Aim was to convey an atmosphere study of cowboy life. Instead it's just a movie time killer, except for the Incidental Interest of finding a dumb flicker hero a regular song- bird. That could have been accom- plished in much less time and cer- tainly could have been made better entertainment. Jtuah. X. COUGAT and GIGOLOS (11) VITAPHONE NO. 2299 12 Mine.; Band Brevoort, Brooklyn Cougat, violinist, formerly accom- panist to Caruso, has assembled an eight-piece band constituting a highly skilled, well-drilled group whose stirring numbers are topped only by Cougat's solo efforts. All stringed Instruments, no brass, with an Impulsive, decided har- monica undertone which gives it a bizarre novelty which Is pleasing. .Following one or two band num- bers is a songstress, in Spanish, who scores strongly. After more instru- mental numbers a tango team - ap- pears briefly, the band accompany- ing. Good support for any weaJc short program in need of bolstering. Mori. "MICKEY MOUSE" POWERS CINEPHONE 9 Mins.; Disney Animated Cartoon Strand, New York Another of the "Mickey Mouse" series captioned "The OjMry House," from Walt Disney's. eartoonlstic shop. The opery Idea provides for a stage presentment of vaudo bits effiectively-aoundedr^-Sound-accom- paniment has made the cartoon strips much more valuable. And the comedy point intended is more! de- cided in the building. Some funny stutc here, especially the piano number which has the In- strument given the real planner synchronization, surprising in com- parison with former silent strips, Mark. HAPPINESS-BOYS M-G-M MOVIETONE 8 Mins.; Comedy Songs Embassy, New York Vet pair, who have played every- thing, now add the screen to the curriculum. Billy Jones and Kr- nest Hare, tenor and basso, blend comedy'lyrlcs and figure to be par- ticularly effeotive in tlie' sticks, hrick Grinds credited with the direc- tion of this short, which has a mite of production behind It. Entrance is via cab and horse with Jones on the box. About three songs, one the apto horn melody -which Cantor also did - for the screen, given a lift here by a\qulck shot of thb horse expressing dis- gust Both men in corresponding attire to' the street set and vehicle using full views for the entrance and comedy exit, not a breakaway. Light, entertaining and showing some thought Recording is smooth and should certainly - delight the rurals. They liked It here, .too, with the name of value because of the long commercial radio plug' under the "Happiness" title. Bid. PATHE SOUND NEWS RCA PHOTOPHONE 6 Mins. Jefferson, New York Three clips, but average. bettor than average for this service. All topical, newsy afid interesting, on photographic and oh sound side. New Commander takes over army post of JFort Jay, N. Y. Predecessor administers the oath of allegiance before the garrison drawn up in re- view, and the band plays. Brief ad- dress by ne>v commander, . ■ Start of Bunion derby from Now York is a bit belated. Freshened up by brief humorous remarks by C. C. Pyle, who tells of the long grind and adds that everybody will hoof it except himself. Glfford Plnchot, former .Governor of Pennsylvania, starta oiC on a trip to the South .Seas commissioned .by the Smithsonian Institute. Shown aboard his trim clipper-like schooner with his Children conipan- ions. Talks of realizing on old dream and tells of his plans. These three shots are genuine and. the release is free from appearance of having been faked from silont records, sound added afterward. Rush. MUTT and JEFF FOX MOVIETONE 11 Mini.; Animated Cartoon Gaiety, N. Y. First of dialog arrangements for a cartoon series and a screaming bit of fun. in Fisher's best rowdy man- ner. Done here In connection with premiere of Fox's "Christina." Mutt and Jeff go to rest in a haunted house. Mutt puta one over on Jeff by covering himself with a sheet.. Jeff gets hep to the decep- tion and bums.' Next time a ghost, confronts Jeff he can't be fooled. He offers to shoot craps. Here'rs a jtanlc. Jeff slides the bones, which take on legs and do a buck and wing before they settle into the seven natural, cleaning the ghost, which is a real spook this time. Goes Into chas^ with Jeff and Mutt yelling in terror and fleeing from spooks and ends In an owl lunch where Jeff tries to spend the ghost's money, only to have It turn to spook dougn and float away. Unrestrained burlesque and very funny. Rush. TOPICS OF THE DAY RCA PHOTOPHONE (PATHE) 6 Mins. Jefferson, New York Surprise, innovation for this fea- ture, which formerly was the pro- jection of printed gags. Now they use the same frame, but the center is vacant until 'there appears in it the ^eal actors who impersonate characters and they speak the lines 'of the gags. Here 14 gags were delivered In six minutes and brought steady laughs. Gags are shot swiftly. Here's a sample. Two men leaning over a checked board. Straight—Pat, you ought to pull down the curtains when you kiss your wife. Pat—"Why? Straight—1 saw you kissing your wife last night Pat—The laugh's on you. Ha ha! I wasn't at home last night I went to the lodge. Material excellent for this release and registered. Never more than two people concerned, in a gag and they are delivered quickly and ef- fectively. Immeasurable Improve- ment over the old printed dud, and capable of building oh the sound novelty and sparkle of material. A AND P GYPSIES (10) VITAPHONE NO. 783 7 Mins.; Musle Central, New York Radio band faivorite but like others before it meaning little on Vita- phone. . These band shorta are cemned principally for the benefit of smaller'towns. where,-it-may..be~pra^ sumed, this rielease virill dieliver sat- isfaction. It's a moderate size band leaning to strings in instrumentation. Boys garbed in accepted idea of the way Gypsies dress. They celebrate the Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, Should be sold oh their radio rep. Numbers average without' an out- standing sock. Land. FOX MOVIETONE NEWSREEL No. 27 A, B and C* 27 Mins. Projection Room, New York High liglit is series. Of views of the Foch funeral ceremonies in Paris, 6 minutes, the shota being repeated Identically in all three reels. Rest of the material thus is much reduced for -variety. ■.. A "' /■ . . Starts with the Foch' funeral. Cor- tege moves up Chomps Elysees to a position at the Arc de Trlomphe beside tomb of the Unknown Sol dier. Camera angled to abow fias- draped catafalque : in foreground and vista through the arch to stater ly tree-bordered boulevard. Misty weather gives eerie effect to smash- ing- bit of photography. Camera picks out notable person ages for closeups. Including Persh Ing, President Dountergue. Good variety of views of mardiing men, British grenadletq ii^th the tall bushies, French troops .'wlth.>'their tattered standards; Italian units with feathered bats. All accom' panled by funeral dirges by bands of aU'^natlons, sounds of hoof-clat- ter -and .thud of marching feet Finale Is revival of Marshal Fteh making speech to American legion- naires during their vislli to Paris two years ago. Oeisel, camera; WooUey, sound. Elaborate -record of wedding of Crown Prince Olaf of Norway and Princess Martha, niece of Swedish king. Progress of •-royal pair through crowded streeta with banked up mobs cheering wildly. Close-ups of wedding pair as they leave church. Squires, camera; Mann, sound. Annual blooming of Cherry blos- soms along the Potomac at Wash- ington. Procession of sight-seers and brief speech by member of Jap- anese legation. American flappers pos« In' frames of flowering branches and invite the world to visit the spectacle. Lillis. camera; Young, sound. B Foch funeral shota repeated; Views at spring opening of racing season at Bowie track near Balti- more. Brief flash of crowd on lawn and then switch to finish of race, with excellent record of anguished voice of fan urging his choice on. Never failing kick of thundering hoofs as gee gees flash by. Young and Williams, sound; Llllls and \Valdron, camera. Novelty 'for the femmes In style display by Chinese belles. Editorial note on screen explains that no. high caste Chinese girl has ever before appeared before camera. Here a niece of Alfred Sze, diplomat, acta as lecturer, while principal model is daughter of Tong-Shao-yi, pre-' mier under Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The flap lecturer is a rave for looks a'hd talks with fascinating awkward- ness, explaining how the Oriental belle tries to combine western and eastern modes, retaining the best features of both. Maybell, camera; Helse, soun<l C Three minutes in addition to the Foch funeral views. Opening event at the New York Velodrome, show- ing fqst shota at Georgettl, United States bicycle speed champ, beating Hopkins In a motor-paced 10-mlIe competition. Roar of motorcycle and maneuvering of racers for top of banked track Jn preparation for sprint are interesting features. Hammond, camera; Walz, sound. Second lesson in how to manage an aeroplone. William Winston, of- ficial of Curtlss service, explains use of ailerons to bank machine on turns. He gives demonstration by means of a machine at rest on the ground, by working the ailerons during running talk. Rush. CODEE and ORTH "Stranded in Paris" VITAPHONE NO. 2798 9 Mins.; Comedy Skit Strand, New Yxrk Not one continual laugh here, but Intermittent laughter that hinges en- tirely on the way an American tour- ist, heavy with Jack and loose with its distribution, falls for a sob story In Paris. Ann Codee and Frank Orth start the short with talk In a Paris railway station, where Orth changes a $1,000 bill. A few laughs on Miss Codec's French Instructions to Orth, and Orth getting his money exchange bawled up. A change .to a restaurant has Orth hearing another woman, a Phlladelnhlan, tell of being penni- less, and Orth slips her the bank- roll. Camera did some splendid work and th<! recording was almost fault- less. None of the word exchange was lost, and Miss Codes in partic- ular made her words stand out. Mark. LOCUST SISTERS (B) M-G-M MOVIETONE 6 Mins.; Songs Lexington, New York .-. Eflnv-ftuattst, „iK!th A-flifth at the piano for the number, doing six minutes of uninspired vocalizing. All wrong on makeup, appearance, formation, delivery and selections.' Material is decidedly flat and falls to get any deflnlte results owing to the musical arrangement. For the second number the girls line up In one row, Umltcd possibilitlea. 'Mori THE DESERT SONG (MUSICAL-DIALOG) (Light Opera) Los Angeles, April 9. Warner Brothers present the ilrat Vlta- Ehone light opera from rouelc by Big. Rom< erg! ^book T>y Otto Harbaoh, Laurence Schwab, Frank Mondel and Ogcar Hammer. Btein 2d; dIrMted by Roy Del Ruth. Sce- nario adaptation by Harvey aates. Camera- njan, Bernard: McQIII. Film editor, Ralph Dawson. World premiere at Warner -Broth- era' theotre, Hollywood, April 8. Runnlns time, 125 minutes. The Red Shadow ..John Bolea Margot Carlotta King Snean. Louise Fazenda Benny Kid. Johnny Arthur Oeneral Blerbeau ,Edward Martlndale !.??''5.'.'vv •••• Jack Pratt Sid EI Kar Robert B. Guzman' Hosae....... otto HofTman aementinc Marie Wells Paul Fontaine ....John Mlljan Bebel. Del Elliott Amra Ilyma Loy SlnglDg chorus of 100. Taking another step forward In the talking field by . doing an oper- etta, following, the stoiry in detail and getting in.-the entire musical score, and. compositions, 'V^arner Brothers have < another box office winner. With the timeful melodies being warbled throughout the screen ' version thete is little doubt that the mii8lo.may..1oie more entrancing, and seductive, from the box office angle than-the acting,-the stage show did repeal-after repeat on account of the tunes.' Now, with the excellent synchronization of the tunes and« the splendid 'voices of John Boles and Cslrlotta King carrying the iniijor melodies^ It Is not unlikely that k^peata will come in on the screen version too. The story follows the stage script religiously.. It. is not what might have been accomplished had picture license been taken, to which it would lend itself easily. The only depar- tures from the actual stage scenes are tor those scenes naivated In dlalc^,'. such as the riding of the Riffs and desert perspectives. ' Story started off rather slowly with ilie .unfolding of the Identity of the red shadow by himself to his two. faithful followers. ' A bit com- pllcaited in the imfolding of the love angles of Pierre as .the shadow was kiiown to his family, but straight- ened Itaelf out after the picture-had rim for an hour. From then it ran along smoothly ^nd with suspense, displaying a number of gorgeous scenes in which chanting was the principal Ingredient. . Through it all there is little of ther'rqmantic on the screen as the 'principal players were chosen more .for . their voices than for ability to -act screen roles. Nevertheless, they carried the story through credibly and got in a few dramatic moments. The most dramatic scene with Mar- tindal'iitnd Miss Loy feeling their parta is the general sending the troops to capture his son. Again with the return 'of Pierre and- the lifting,of sadness from the father's hesirt to the "I Love You" song, sung by Boles to Miss King for the flnaie. Mr. Boles and Miss King do ex- ceptionally well on the screen and though they may be more convinc- ing on the stage, their conceptions of 'the. film characters are sincere and not flavoring of saccharine. Ar- thur as Benny Kid exceptional. Aided by Miss Fazenda he sup- plied the ' lighter momenta. Jack FtaXtAa the pasha most convincing as w^ll as disclosing a useful bari- tone voice for the screen. Marie Wells as Clementine, the Harem vamp, did a nifty bit with Guzman and Hoffman also doing okay. Picture cost nearly $600,000 and though the opening last night had. $6 -tab, looks with starting on sec- ond day of grind to be sure fire at the box office. Work of Del Ruth shows deft- ness and tact in holding down sit- uations and still telling a coherent and comprehensive story. Record- ing and photography excellent with color shots, though' few, well chosen, especially the one of Boles leading the Rlffts across the desert and- chanting the love song. With this new departure in the films looks as though the way has been paved for more of the oper- ettas . which can always meet fa- vor in the key centers and the' provinces. "The Desert Song" should be a bo:i office mop up. Ung. ALIBI (DIALOG) Roland West production. Distributed by United Artists. Story and dialog by Mr. 'West and C. Oardner Sullivan, based on play, "Nightstick," by John 'Wray, J. C. Nugent and Elaine -Sterne CArrlngton. Cameranan, Ray Jane. Musical aeon by Hiigo RlesenCekl, No featured players. Opening, April 8 at iilh Street, New York, at top. Running time, BO minutes. No. 1066 (Chick Williams)...Chester.Morris Buck Bachman Harry Btubbs Daisy Thomas Mae Busch Joan Manning Eleanor Qrlffltb' Toots Irma Harrison Danny McOann Regis Toomey Brown.. Al Hill Blake James Bradbury. Jr. Soft Malone Elmer Bnllnrd Trask Kleman Cripps Pete Manning Pumell B. Pmtt Tonuny Glennon i ..Fnt O'Mnlley O'Brien DcWItt Jennlnt's Qco. StnnlslnuB David....Edward Jennings SIngetaJn.Theatro-..t.*,..;...,!!- ^ Virginia Flohrl, Edward Jardon . Jolt-packed crook melodrama In dialog. Lots of reliable excitement, de luxe production values and gen- eral audience satisfaction. Can probobly check respectable, $2 runs in a few spot.s, and when .Ti-.-Ivlng In the regular change pnrloi'.s ought to (Continued on page 23)