Variety (Jun 1929)

Wednesday, June 12, 1929 F I L M R E V I E W S VARIETY t9 KITTY (Continued from page IC) . a tedious lapse with ncne, that the audience merely resent, they must still sit and sulTcr. Action and direction appear to be haphazard. At one moment a woman. In a lawyer's office pulled down her veil. No reason whatso- ever for the action, but suggesting the Instruction had been called from the side line. It looked awkward. Again a taxi driver Is seen to de- lay making change for a woman passenger. No reason for this. It had no 'bearing upon the story and held no comedy, unless for tbo Eng- lish. Other directorial absurdities. Another was two of the principal wonien seen driving In an open car, for no place as it turned out The immediate following scene was one of the women in the car walking down a street holding an umbrfella in a pouring rain. While for a comedy touch in the sound, squeaky shoes. Fade outs had to be on a clinch, once two women, clinching. In air stulT it's the poorest of the poor, made so oC course by the miniatures. In fact, "Kitty" looks as though It had come out of a foundling asylum. Dialog came over well enough, without anything to the talk other than stereotyped phrasing to fit the situation. "Do you love me?" said the girl, and the boy answered, "Oh, so much." Like that. Story is of a boy called to the British air forces and marrying a shop girl before leaving. The patri- cian mother of the boy, to blast the marriage, writes him a fetter his wife has a lover. He* reads it when about to go Into air battle and takes a dive. Returned home a cripple with loss of memory. Ma won't let Kitty see her husband. This goes on for weeks and weeks. But Anally they meet. Tou know he is going to walk again or there will be no finish That's when the dialog starts and It takes him 26 minutes to step. No one stands out in the playing. Estelle Brody. American ingenue, tries hard, without anything or any- one to aid her. The girl was taken profile too much. She's no proflle poser. Make up hardened instead of softening her face. These things keep up until one Is Impelled to in- quire is there no one in England who knows anything at all about making moving pictures? And isn't Miss Brody normally a BENNY MEROFF BreakJmit .; Marks BrpiL Gf^uutdi blonde? And If so, doesn't she look ever. 80 much better blondy than in the dark hair worn here? Miss Brody creates quite some sympathy, seems; smart enough and probably needs but a story or an American dlrect6r. John Stuart, featured, and the juve, nil. His role didn't allow for much and thot little, nothing. Dor- othy Gumming did the hard hearted mama rather well, although the di- rector made her stan,d In an ordi- nary hotel room watching her daughter-in-law's store through opera glasses. English never heard of private detectives, probably. Charles O'Shaughnessy as Ruben, an old handy man, carried a white- black beard that one expected to see a goat hop 01^ of at any tln^^;' ■ E. P. Bostwlck spoke very wfell as the Dr.. and Gibb McLaujfhlin made a likeable grouchy electri- cian. If World Wide picked "Kitty" for America, it had better get another picker. Pictures like "Kitty" should be happily kept at home, wherever that home may be. The quickies on this side can do better in one-third of the time and one-fourth of the cost, no matter what either was over there. Simt. HONKY TONK (With Sophie Tucker) (ALL DIALOG) (With Songs) Warner Bros, production and rt-lea'Je. Vltaphone Hounded. Sophie Tucker ntarrcd. Song!! by Milton Ager and Jacic Ycllcn. MKm Tuckrr'n special dialog by Mr. Yellen. Directed by Lloyd Bacon. Adapted by V. C. Graham Baker from story by Leslie S. Barrows. At Warners, New York. June 4, iwica dally at (2 top. Running time, 68 minutes. Sophie Leonard Sophie Tucker Sophie's Dflugrhier Iteth Llln I.^ Jean Gllmore, Beth's friend.. Audrey Ferris Froddle Gilmore George Duryea Jim Mahlon Hamilton Cafe Manager John T. Murray /"yihH €mU 4M<i- VomnB Bach USTE Sophie Tucker is "Honky Tonk" and because of that with lier songs, must draw in the regular picture houses. If Sophie can't, her songs can, and both will. Perhaps not (2 for songs only, as per scale at War- ners. Warners picked Sophie because she can sing songs. It was Harry Warner who did the picking. None of the remainder of th^'VV<i>''>er bunch could see Soph lo- a 'tiiUker. So Harry is right, no^* rl^ptep, through standing flnn'a|tabiil^;'tlie judgment of many. ^ " ' i' '- - Not only is Soph okay In'itilB pIC' ture but she will '|fe'ttftt -'Kune-'Jii many more where: irtw: 1^ Jitiig songs as good ae tliQBe in "Aonkr, Tonk."' sTnce/^Utv4««r atM-aiKfc Yellen seem ab^e to, ^vrito WDi^-^to^ Soph as they !lwT0 l)^.j(be jm^ comblnatlon'Iooke.4'U* :W V6 on "the screen fo/ a .Ibhe; li^Uil^,-] . In taclOliiff So^l)'iMl'<it>flt^timer on the/Bh^ tjtie. WarjaevM not wantio \66xl ber uBv 8o]ili''is given a stniple; Idiotic atdryr, but one she can/plsy. as a first tlme^. It's bet- tc^for Sopta.'&nd the Warners to be n)pie and l^otlo.Qie first time than .-/flop for all- time./ Saving Soph here mafees. heir good there. This lilcti^ U ttad but the judgment and £!oirtk great "Honky ^oni(" is another nlte 'Cl,abbeF. SbpMe Leonard Is the star entertainer.' 0he has a daughter finishing abroad. When the little girl coiUeaJiiack a big girl now, she 'llnlflheK off her mother. Daughter BOyv. Ma shouldn't be doing things Uke thlB. meaning singing songs for stews. ' How daughter happens to kliOW/'is almost the plot. Rest of the ■nto/fif Is Ma getting squared and 84\Hirlng. : Didn't daughter know Ma was working her head off keeping drunks quiet so baby could get the Con- tinental finish? No. Nobody knew, It was a secret shared only by Mah- lon Thompson as the headwalter in the joint. Jim was pretty strong for Soph and kept that way too, after the grownup daughter hove into sight. Jim must have been wlsied up. Jim used to take Soph home at seven in the. morning, to her apart ment, h%ve a cup of coffee and go to his own house without kissing her. Proper? Scheme of the story Is to white wash all nite club hostesses, if they need washing. Much of this stuff Is mushy in its thick sentiment. But Soph is even protected through those portions by having her own dialog written by the same Jack Yellen, Probably an Innovation in talkers for a special material writer (talk) for one person, but Sophie knows her Jackie. Sophie's "Red Hot Mamma," as al- ways, pipe. "Some of These Days" another. Those arc Soph's always sure shots. "Good Man to Have Around" ballady hit, for all of these songs are hits—otherwise they wouldn't be on the screen. "Little Bluebird" sounds peachy and for among the best sellers, while "Don't Want to Be Thin" Is another snappy comic. "Take Off Your Mask," a number leader required for the story, but "Dying to Love" another Soph sock. Maybe one or two more songs, ^ou become so absorbed in Soph ■when she's singing, like Marie when she's dancing, that you forget every- thing. As for Soph on the screen for the first time, she'll surprise you. The Madam is there. Her singing voice aces and her speaking voice far be- yond expectation. In fact for a first time. Soph Is beyond expectation all of the way. With Lloyd Bacon, the director, doing nn awful lot in the way of protecting and presenting Soph. If Mr. Bacon doesn't get the credit he deserves, he stiU deserves It. The closeups of Soph are elegant. They brought the girl right into your Inp and you knew it was Soph; that voice and that face. It seemed to ease up Soph too, even when not singing, for she was at ease. While with the light acting called upon in all but one tense scene with her daughter, it was do handled by the dli-ector that Soph had no stretch to grow nervous. Support, too, very nice In action. All deferred to Soph. No one tried to steal at her expense or inex- perience. Looked splendid and worked out well. Mr. Hamilton and Lila Lee were away In the lead in playing. Georgre Duryea had a harj role as the snippy snob, made more so when he had to turn over. And Wilbur Mack stuttered. He wasn't programmed, but he stut- tered. When he stuttered this pic- ture had to' go over. The Warners may have discovered the talkers, but Tommy Dugan made the stutterers. Mr. Mack got the best laughs out- side of Soph's lyrics, other thaii when Duryea got a bump on the bean in the Joint for calling the star entertainer " a cheap dame." An interesting picture to the show business as bringing out how a per- sonality may be made to stand out lllotwithstai)ding. In .the talkers. 'Wbereaa the same personality would ba.ve died standing up in the silent^. ,' Stme. CONSTANT NYMPH (BRITISH MADE) (Silent) Oalnsborouffb (Bngllsb) production. DIs trlbutor over here not named. Adapted by Basil Dean and Margaret Kennedy from Miss Kennedy's norel of same title. Pro- duced by Mr. Dean and directed by Adrian Brunei. Ivor Norollo and Mabel Poulton -featured. At Uttio Carnegie Playhouse (sure seater), . New York, week June 9. Running time, 80 minutes. Tessa Mabel Foultor. Lewis Dodd Ivor Novello Sanger George Helnrlch Pauline Dorothy Boyd Tlorence Frances Dabic CLIFF CRANE DANCING COIMEOIAN rRTROFF's vvrr "jtore" Indiana, Indianapolis WILLIAM HOBRIS NAT KALCHEIH ELHANOR AND COLL FRATCRPn nivjEBS In Fanchon Sc Marco's "CONTRASTS" Idea rhATDKED »A>Cl^8,a,„, Angeles. June 13 In the lobby of the Carnegie Little Playhouse, one of those freaky sure-seaters on- 57th street, where the ping pong and date 'em up room are worth more than the $1 admis- sion, a reproduced poster of an Eng lish trade film paper says "The Con stant Nymph" was chosen as the prize moving picture ihade in Eng- land last season. If so, or anywhere near, why do not the English throw up their hands? This one silent hasn't a living chance over here. It would be tedious as one-half of a double bill in a 15c .grind on Canal street. New Orleans! The English are so slow in their picture making. Besides which this is silent. Fne opportunity here for sound as the story revolves around composers, with the juvenile made a famous composer-to-be, con- ducting his symphonic orchestra on the screen to the music of a three- piece band in the Carnegie's pit. Oh, boy! But that didn't murder the pic- ture. If anything did, it was the photography. No lighting, no camera work, nothing; just a dull passing through a series of slow scenes. And such scenes! Drawn with a brosidness that could only have been aimed tor school children Intelligence. 1 ■ It seems almost a pity In New York, viewing these pictures, and since Tllley for some reason un- known here has stopped giving the English slant for reviews in Variety, to believe that If this kind of picture, along with "Kitty," is the best of the British mades, why they, should be sent abroad to ruin what- ever reputation the English might retain as picture makers it these were kept in England. ' That"Basll~DCTm's'-name--l3'--at- tachcd to "The Constant Nymph" and Gainsborough as the producing firm, Willie entitled to considera- tion, cannot alter the tacts. Story is of a hoydenlsh group, children of a great composer, who dies in his studio in the Austrian Tyrol. -Later his most hoydenlsh daughter also dies. In between the picture died. AH of the charm pf a usual tale of this kind on the screen has been spoiled. No attraction is left. If not the direction, it is the photog- raphy, and if neither, then the actors, excepting Ivor Novello. Mabel Poulton as Tessa, the llttio hoyden, who should look about 15, looks often 25,-and again 35. She has a libel action against the cameraman and make-up' man. [Frances Dable gives an even per- formance as Florence, but it is wasted in the rabble. "The Constant Nymph" played on Broadway on the stage and was a success. The stage may have gotten the spirit of the script, but this screen utterly lost that most im- portant factor. The last reports on stock, selling in England said the great British public is holding $93,000,000 in pic- ture stocks. May heaven preserve them! This kind of picture, making never can, unless for Britain, only.- Simfs, Studio Murder Mystery (All Dialogue) Paramount production and release. Frank Tuttle tor story, adaptation, dialog and direction. Victor Mllnor, cameraman. In cast: Nell Hamilton, Chester Conklln, Warner Otand. Florence BIdrldge, Guy Oliver. Western BIrctrIc recording. At Purnmount week June 0. Kunning lime, 02 minutes. "Studio Murder Mystery" is tho perfect picture hamburger, with odds and ends on the Paramount Hollywood lot cooked, prepared end all but served by the versatile Frank Tuttle. Few sets 1iad to be built and ev.en electricians were cut low on time by not having to move lamps and paraphernalia during shooting. It the company budget figures were revealed they probably wou^d hurt the pride of many an indie econo- mist. With all the hoke in the. iStory. and comedy situations . allowed to brew over into things dramatic; with all of the conve'ntional - script swerves .and a lowly .gag writer solving the mystery while convers- ing to himself over a phone—^th'e thing holds enough Interest and suspense specks to get by as a fair programer. Major credit for holding the thing together goes to Warner \6land. Continental, matjner, deep, volpe, dark appearance and real ability are the Oland assets. . A young, man rehearsing a mur- der sequence under Oland's guidr ance'flops at it. -Within foiir'min- utes' worth of running time, he Is threatened with 'actuvl .killing by the director, the wlf^,' the girl friend and the latter's brother. A lot of people.^viil like the stu- dio stuff. Camera takes; in a couple of s'ets, some Paramount , streets and something that looks like B. P; Schulberg's sanctum. Chester Coiiklin, who gets a play in the l>illlng, essays only the bit part of a gateman who writes as many figures on a pad as there are close-upn of clocks and watches In the padding—and there are a lot. Waly. SHE GOES TO WAR (10% DIALOG, WITH SONG) Insplral.lon production (or United Artists release. Directed by Henry King. Eleanor Boardman starred;' Jobh>Holland leod. Frcm the Rupert Hughes Btory, adapted by Mmc. Fred Do Grascc. Photography .by TonlO Gaudlo and . John Fulton. Titles by. John Monk Saunders. ITieme song, '.'There's a Happy Land," by Harry Akst. Associate producers, Victor and Edward Halpcrln. Runnlnii time. 67 minutes. At RUolI, New York, week June 8. Joan Eleanor Bonrdman Tom Pike John Holland Reggie Edmund Uurns Rosic Alnrin P.ubonn Bill Al St. J< hn Knlle Glen Wsltora Tom's Mother <.Mar«arct Kcildon Tvetlo Yola D Avrll Joan's Aunt Bvelyn Hnll Joan's Maid DIna Smlrnnvn Major Auguslino Borgntn Major's Wife Yvonne Starke Matron of Canteen Eulalle Jensen Major Cnpt. H. M. ZIor Top .^rgennt Edward Chandler r.ady Iloftes') Ann Warrington Knitting Ladles fOrctchen Hartman [Florence Wl« A war picture with special refer- once to the feminine angle in story material and treatment. Topic is probably outmoded but the new twist gets it out of the rut Splendid casti excellent sentimental appeal: Qualifies for first run and week stand de luxes on the strength of its names. Will please mildly generally and probably', enjoy good word of mouth reports by women. Wen managed battle stufC and some fine sentimental - passages in- volving Alma Rubens and' several appealing w^men character types. What Henry King has done In his production is to strip the glamor from war as it touches women workers at home and in the field. Picture has a certain "literary" quality, that.helps to make It smooth entertainment, but at the same time robs it of sincerity and strength. Hughes is a prolific and -Slvi11ed.-magazlne. flP-Mn n mnligr . Tlnlg material is first' class itiagazine Stuff, but it's a long way from notable writing. Directorship of high order and fine acting get the full value and a little more out of the matter supplied. Spoiled daughter of wealth goes to. France In search of glory and adventure, and balks at the rough ,' (Cohtlniied on page 31) '7 See in ^Variety"* CHARUE^MELSeN that RUDY VALLEE Is credited with starting the "slow-motion'* dance craze. I wonder how many band leaders will dispute this claim out In Callfornin, where the so- called "slow-inotlon" dancing has been In vogue for years. • • « that SIC. ROMBERU and OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN, 2d. have signed with WAR.NERS. MILTON DOUG- LAS (the singer, and not the M. C. by the same name), who was with me my first three weeks in Pitts- burgh, believes the sun rises and .sets with "OSCAR the second." Perhaps WARNBRS feel the same: . • • * that the NAT. BROADCASTINO CO. has paid 'WMAO (CHICAQO) 1100,000.00 for the contract of AMOS 'N ANDT. That's a lot of money even If they did. From what I heard of AMOS 'N ANDTi they are worth more, and I hope they got part of the purchase price; the same as those ball players we read about, but can't say for sure; • • * that WILL MAHONET is still on page 3. • • • that FOX Is dickering for CO^. I.UMBIA. Wonder If that will make HARRY COHN of COLITM- BIA buy a few more "white" ROLLS ROYCES. -Wonder what ho did with that little French "bug" he brought back from PAREE a few years ago. • • • that BUDDY ROGERS of PARA- MOUNT Is going to M. C. for B. & K. in Chicago. Looks like a nat- ural. Reminds me in "CLOSE HARMONY." BUDDY and his band only played one short little number after the curtain went up and then the curtain came down, and right away the presentation was over and Buddy was a hit Shortest plc^ tiire house presentation I ever heard of. Wonder what town that was supposed to be in? <- - • • • that EQUITY has deciareu "Equity. Shop" for picture people. Wonder how .'it will turn out? Wonder somebody doesn't start a Master of ° Ceremonies Union? For what? • • • that "VARIETY" Is going to put out a PARAMOUNT-PUBLIX ^B' sue soon. Reminds me that it was POBLIX that brought' me. East', from California and started me at the STATE in Detroit, am) tbbn wanted me to sign a long-term con^ tract with a cut in salary,. which enabled me to work for HARRY CRULL In Newark, and that I have been with STANLEY now for nearly two years and-am Signed up with them until next April at more money than I thought was really- paid M. C.'s, even though I had read' about It when I was on the.- coast for FANCHON & MARCO. • • • . that "VARIETY" says the "fans'' like me in Pittsburgh and that my singing Is nothing to rave aboUt» but that my delivery Is. Thanks; This "delivery" business reminds me of the time I sang "SPELL OF THE BLUES" for IRVINO BER- LIN In MAX WINSLOWS office, and after hearing the song IRVINO said that he could not sing a song like that, becau&e It took too mui» of "this," patting himself on ,-the chest, .so that makes me a chesty singer. Wish IR-VINO would write a few more songs that take a lot of "this." We singers without voices need them, because the theme.Bong< •nowadays are all right It they are plugged a lot during the plctui^; but as solos most of them are ap« plauso-gettlng^as^ blackout. thnt 'Warners' "ON -WITH TAB SHOW" got a great notice. • • • that BENNY MEROFF Is still breaking all records at M.^RX BROS.' GRANADA and MARBRO THEATRES. • • • that FANCHON & MARCO'S first eastern unit got a great notice, even though readlnt; between the lines the reviewer rnme In with a chip on his shoulder. • • • • that WAR.'^EKS are building four . new houses In New York. 'Who knows maybe some day I'll yet p|ay on Broadway. My only appearance on the Big Stem was at the EARL CARROLL, and everybody know^ that that theatre Is on Seventh ave- nue. Just my luck. • . .* • that AL BELASOO, the M. C. who alternated with me between the STANLEY. J. C, and the BRAN-' FORD, NEWARK, Is. "unit^ing" for Keith. ■ Wonder how EDDIE' MOHAN'S unit is coining along? - • • ■ • that SID SILVER is teaming with BARANOPP for vaude. On his -first picture house date with me here in Pittsburgh SID proved a nat;ural and the "bellrs" were there. • • « that.WILLIE EDEI/STEIN Is Vlce- pres. oC LYONS & LYONS, and thiat the latter bill tliemeelves "In association" with the former. • • • that the 18-day diet qeems to be till that the women on the bill arc talk- ing about, but I wonder how many will follow It. Looks good, and I am going to cut It out for my wife (IRMANETTE), who weighs 115, but is worried lest she gain a pound. • • • " tTaT~"SCA"NITAT:S"-T;loBca~Tr-10Ber- In Chi. Figure that out It you can: that HELEN ICANB was forced to take out her song In which she tears thei buttons off the vest, while innumerable Dersonallty girls have .used It on M. C.'il ' That's like making JOLSON stop singing "SONNY BOY." SO LONG