Variety (Nov 1929)

Wednesday, November 6, 1Q29 FILM HOUSE REVIEWS VARIETY 49 EMBASSY (NEWSREEL) New Tork, Nov. 1. Just 46 minutes of newsreel mat- ter at 2Bc, why not? That 26 cents, III lights on the marquee, had stroll- ers milling around trying to find a means of gaining entrance Friday night. House offlcially opened at 10 the next morning. On a basis of three-Quarters of an hour for a complete show, the. Embassy will unwind Its Foxf and Hearst r"feels about IB times dally. It has every chance of doing something better than breaking even, and, if not, the national publicity for news reels in a Broadway f ront> and novelty angle pays off as far as the officials are concernedi Idea of ian all-newsreel site must burn some of the other lads- not connected with either the Fojt or jEIearst services. Screen news bunch breaks their hdarts turning out fltuflt,' only to see the chaiiT . the-- atres chop It to pieces aiid possibly not use it at all of the de luxe shows or hold back exdlusives for house convenience. ■ Plenty of people drop Into those picture houses display- ing a fairly complete newsreel, of which there aren't, many,; just to flash the current events arid take pot luck on the feature. If ever . coriipiled thie number will surprise. The Roxy, long known as presenting the best edited film news on Broad- way, figures this adjunct as weekly drawing between $5,000 and $10,000. ' That's not an extravagant esti- mate to those who frequent the, in- door stadium. So thiere's no stag- gering reason why th^ Embassy should fall down as a drop-iii' spot on its newsreel policy; linderfltand- ing is that the policy-wlir be to slip any spot news in as it breaks, or as fast as the stuff is turned out, making at least daily changeis,' and perhaps hourly at tlmisB. Getaway program comprises an avalanche of 23 clips, 12 from Fox, which contributes a vast majority of the rieal news items. Other than the Princeton-Navy game and brief campaign 'talks by the Manhattan mayoralty candidates, the Hearst subjects can be classed as library. Editors apparently dropped the Notre Dame-Carnegie Tech clash, a Fox clip which is taking early chances as the boys better cram in all^the fall sport stuff they can for tlie male patronage, and plaster such events, prominently In the lobby billing, besides: In this sport loving, nation such things draw. Another Iniportarit point is that that Fox guy has quit reading the titles for you, a.n idea which was .slowly drivings audiences nuts all over the country. Fox led off with four successive subJectSi following the turbulent Lake Michigan with the salving of public wounds by an optimistic talk on business condi- tions from Charlie Schwab and a follow-up tip that it's okay to buy stocks again, according' to some- body else. Hearst's opening was a fashion, display for the girls with the announcer modestly refraining from niontionlng Bergdorff-Good- man, more, than once. Other Hearst clips included a girl with a pet baby leopard, or a specie of same; Maggie Cline, now 66, warbling the lyric of one of her old-time tunes; Ishbel. MacDonald making a fare- well address to some unseen chil- dren; Lon Young, Penn's grid coach, tipping how he looks over,a candidate; the Hearst Metrotone news unit on its way to South America; French grape picking for burgundy ; good-will chat by •'Wins- ton Churchill, and a few animal im- itations from Mrs. Martin Johnson, who, with her husband, are isubtltled as going to Africa to pick up genu- ine growls, yells and squeals for this reel. Fox offered the stringing of cables- on the Hudson bridge; teaching English to Fiji Island kids (so they'll like talking pictures); a femme discourse against prohibi- tion; lad who blows smoke through his ears; annual flash of the gob- blers for Turkey Day; Mme. Curie honored at St. Lawrence Univer- sity; Indian goat and sheep flocks on Arizona's Painted Desert; Judge Llndsey delivering his will, for rec- ord, by Movietone; tot of three, called the; youngest golfer, and Musr eolini reviewing the Rome police • forc'e. '■-. Editors in charge will have tO give this house more than passing attention. It demands and should get It for the Idea is basically there. And the better the reels . shape up the more of a habit this spot is go- ing to become. Forty-six minutes of film news? A pleasure. For 25c, a bargain, • Sid, ■ Louis picture houses kiss and make up with their stage hands. Mean- while, nobody in Newark will get sore if liowry sticks around. From reports, since Lowry has been on the Branford stage, he's turned grannys into flappero and made 'em like it. That's sometimes called personality. Watching him work Monday night with the Publix "Song Shop" unit, Lowry can be forgiven for using as his billing, VMaster of all Masters of .■ Cere- nxonies,". His stay here Is a cinch to be profitable. House has un- dergone considerable rehabilitation in the paat itionth, what with a new paint job on the Inside, stagiB ex- pansion and several other sundry adjustments. That stage, in par- ticular, has been a bone of conten- tion because Of Its, petite size. It's still not a giant and its unusual elevation makes it difficult to see anything much further down than the knees. Probably, a fixture that couldn't be remedied. Site is the only house in Newark with : a presentation policy. This week's stage progifam, besides the unit, features ah orchestral produc- tion, "Selections from Faust," which Is tied up with the unit. George Morgehroth, directing, the .25-piece. pit. orchestra, does justice to the ritamber which wOrks In the Dave Gould girls for atmospheric dress- Irig. . Another item of attraction is- Harold RIeder's organlog, with ac- companying commuhity warbling. They sing loud. and lUsty here and ask for more. If no organ specialty, they don't hesitate to. squawk. ' "Song Shop," Frank Cambria piro- ductlon, retains all of its original ingredients with but one phange in personnel, Grace Johnson, soprano, replacing Lenora Corl and David' Darline who originally did a duet. Miss Johnson makes an agreeable appearance^ No talkihg shorts this week. Fox Movietone has four news shots for Its contribution from current events, while "Young Nowheres" (FN) is the top lining flicker. Biz excellent Monday night. BRANFORD ("Sbrtg Shop"—Unit) Newark, Nov. 4. -"""""Ed- Lowry;=-breezing--^in-=with^theo spirit of St. Louis, is making New ark. Lowry, in his fourth week here, is just starting to-do things to these Jerseyites, A break for the locals in that St. Louis is still war ring with theatrical labor factions, otherwise Lowry would still be batoning at the Ambassador there Lowry may hang on in the east for a long time, or catch a train next Week. All depends if and when St. RKO (Preserrttation) Los Angeles, Nov. 1. House revue, more smoot^l than in Some weeks, Is held down to 36 minutes. Charles Irwin, m. c.'ing, has a quiet line of cratiks that reg- ister, but. being handicapped by lack of supporting talent, you get the impression he is slowing down tlie show. V Bud Murray girls open and close the reviie. Opener, is pirate chorus. WoOden leg dance.^is unique. Bud Averlll, iDtroduced as a singing Paul "Whlteman, does a slow ballad, then gets hotter with a pop. Resem- blance to Whlteman is in the m. c.'s Imagination. But Whlteman has a real double, on the bill In the person of Paul Small. Latter comes on as if to make a personal appearance, and trades cracks with Irwin, one pretty raw. After which Ma Belle does a bronzed-up dance with noth- ing to recommend it. Don Cummihgs, spinning ropes, keeps up casual chatter arid overr does the arch looks at the audience, • Johnnie Morris, comedian, work- ing with. Edna TOwne, got laughs. Team woi'k well, Morris's crying kid bit, with the wOman mothering him, getting over strong. Murray girls on in fuzzy wigs and aborigine costumes for a rhythm number, with clicking wooden bracelets. Pathe sound news in ad- dition to the feature, !'Isle of Lost Ships" (F. N.). Hallowe'en busi- ness good. the girls In pink ballet skirts, is weak. Has an effective windup, though, with girls being twirled like cartwheels by their partners. Lam- bert then does his Fanny Brlce "My Man" Impersonation, a wow, and relates his "Cinderella" fairy tale for encore. . Finale has girls built up at the back holding huge rose blossoms, as pretty a finish as any F-M unit has boasted for a long time. Feature is "Thirteenth Chair" (M-i G), and no l-jose seats Hallowe'en night. PARAMOUNT ("Sky Harbor"—Unit) 'New York, Nov. 1. Paramount this week is still cash- ing on "Sweetie" (Par). Holding over, the picture was okay, con- sidering that on Friday's third show the house was absolutely jammed. Two hour and a half-show. Sky Harbor/' Frank Cambria's unit, named after such a place near Chi, was chopped from 44 to 36- minutes after the first performance, speeding it up considerably but leaving a few unplugged spotd. Show is long on color and stagint^. Cambria's perspective carries out a novel scheme of an ascending plane, with Charlie Davis, m.c, and band, piloting-'the musical ship. Flam- boyant introduction, with scrim et- fect, fades to screen where a news- reel shot of a Zeppelin is flashed, while the stage plane soars through cloud effects until it lights up. From there the idea goes to the straight and narx'ow, with the line- up of specialties running the gariiut of usual picture house talent. In dressing the layout the pro- ducer apparently forgot what to do with a group of eight girls who Sit around three quarters of the way doing nothing, then just exit still doing the same. Femmes come in very briefly at the finale for a flash. Charlie Davis does his announc- ing straightaway and keeps to the. background more than necessary, Cleo Floyd, aero-Russian stepper, starts off with a neat and fast rou- tine that should end before it does, CoUette Sisters are a breezy ad- junct, clipping off some cute harr. monies and waltz .turns besides providing a nifty eyeful in their abbreviated flimsies. Dovetailing from this to Jimmy Ray's demoniac eccentric leg work brought a lonely outburst. Ray's rubbery style., of hoofing. has lifted him from floor shows to productions In a couple of years, and picture housing it considerably in between; Here he begged off with a speech. Nick Lang and Fred Hughes, ari- Qther harmony team, are worked in plausibly enough. Lang, who for- merly teamed with George Voelk, Is not happily attired In wop char- acten As he's strictly a warbler, and a good one, he should stay that, way. Next best bet In this unit is Herschel Henlere, madcap musi- cian. Bringing up the rear Henlere got a load of laughs. Corking ivory tickler, this boy, with a rjeniarkable arrangement on a medley of old ana- new, tunes. This number-alone is enough. Finale is a subdued flash in the foreground but bizarre in the back with a femme mount in tableau style. J^sse'l^niAvforJrwR goes it alone at the organ, substan- tiating what Is already known. Par sound news completes the pro- gram with five items mainly culled from the library, using the wide angle'lens for the last sequence, an army plane exhibition show^Bir an eight-man parachute jump. "Thi-s doesn't look so good from the first tier due to the balcony side line. ROXY . (Presentation) • New York, Nov, 1. Simplest stage dress the Roxy has had in months is used effectively, efforts and color being concentrated in the dances and costumes of the performers. Series of four stage specialties are snapped into 24 min- utes' of constantly changing and ap- preciative entertainment. Maurice Baron has accomplished a gOQd blend of Georges Bizet works for the orchestra. Featuring in the arrangement is the composer's out- standing writing, "Agnus Dei." A stage number called "Autumn Leaves," with Vm Roxy. Ballet corps, tells its story in 16 minuted, High- light in sets is that of lovers sitting on ascending crescent moons before this riuriiber curtains. Dancing is perforriied alfalnst a dark back- ground throughout, except for the change to full when prop tree i."3 augmerited by a rock, backed by white strip with blue floods on the rear wall. Beatrice' Belkirt trills successfully through. "Polonaise," getting some exceptionally good quality, and res- onance In the high upper register that this composition takes. . Her background is a French window, height of ■ stagCi worked into a Vel- vet curtain. "Chiffonier" repro- duces on the Roxy stage like a mag- nified corner of a boudoir. Russell B, Markert's 32ettes appear as so many carelessly strewn nighties un- til they spring from the big bureau,' Rainbowcd like so many stuffed boudoir dolls they prance prettily, adding to the color blaze with a sudden flash of pink scarfs released at the wrist. In "Barcarolle" a human Nile boat is accomplished by the cloaking and postures of the ballet corps; Orig- inal and one of the shows biggest applause getters. Roxy chorus, at same time, s;ng selections from "Tales of Hoffman." "Love, Live, and Laugh" (Fox), screen feature, and newsreel had Fox and Hearst clips. Walv- LOEWS STATE ("Idea in Green"—Unit) - Los Angeles, Nov. 1. Teamrwork, tuhefulriess and eye- appeal. No outstanding individual work, but with the unit carrying Eddie Lambert as an interpolated act it has all the persoriillty it. can use, Lambert is the kick of the show for a third of its 60 minutes as playing here. Irish note dominates the opening In songs and dressing. First six minutes have eight boys grouped in front of the green scrim singing Irish folk tunes and pops with Irish angles. Six colleens do a step or two to fit. After a "Peg o' My Heart" number, the second line ponies slip on for a whoopee-Irish ensemble. Moran (Moran and Wcst ton) first does a soft-shoe acrobatic- dance in front of the ensemble, then goes into a slow motion flirtation with Miss "Weston, which clickis. Lahibert gives the piano a nine- minute massage, and guffaws from the start. Way. Watts and Miss Arminda take the spot, the boy with .ukclele -.crjoonlng..jind:.ihe^£iil -Stc p- ping; Georgie Stoll has his musi- .clans do imitations of various lead- ers,.such as Whlteman, Vallee, Ted Lewis, etc. Kid doing Peabody, with banjo, was best, Stoll gets laugh.s at the finale with a trick mustache impersonation of his predecessor, Rube Wolf. Number to. be "My . Wild Irl.sh Ilo-se," with the boys as pieirota and METROPOLITAN (Presentations) Boston, Nov. 3. Publlx Birthday Party at this ti,- OOO-seater for its fourth anniver- sary proved a clever bit of exploita- tion. House was nearly mobbed opening night with five shows scheduled dally for the rest of the Week. Biz due to the publicity plUg, the whole thing being engineered by Manager Larry Bearg and ''Bud" Gray, publicity director. Unit is one. of Jack Partington's and. Opened cold, here a couple of weeks later than the true anni- versary, date. Nut is heavy arid aftier it plays' the Brooklyn Par- ampurit, and possibly one or two other approximate anniversary dates, it Will probably be pruned and sent over the circuit. Barto and Mann topped every- thing. Their low comedy wrestling and acrobatic dancing brought them back from the dressing rooms for the first time in Met history. Rcr mairider of the bill included A, Rob- ins; Vivian Pay, dancer; Stone and Vernon Adagio Foursome; Helen Yorke arid Virginia Johnson, vocal; Lee Brothers, comedy dancers; Stevens arid West, piano; Six Scln- tillatirig SyncOpators, bi-ass sextet, arid Fred Evaris' Girls. Rubinoff, guest conductor, was given an augmented orchestra with Arthur Geissler i:i-the pit to leave him free as a hai2»ljftked m. c. Spe clal orchestration featured various renditions of "St, Louis Blues" with the Gershwin "Rhapsody" as the blow-off. Feature film was "Sweetie" (Par). Met put over Its Birthday Party by sheer publicity. Libbey. ENRIGHT Pittsburgh, Nov. 1. In any other town but this one the arrlvar of a neV m, c, is just that and no more. But in this burg, more m-. c. Conscious than ever be- fore, it's an event.. House starts running teasers on the new arrival three weeks before he arrives, 24- sheets go up" all over town a few days later, big .splurge .made in dallies, luncheons thrown in his honor and he hogs the billing from his opening until, after a while, it's a toss up whether there's a pic- ture booked or not. And with all the fanfare and blowing of trumpets preceding his arrival, the poor m. c. finds .himself a local. hero and has a lot to live up—or down. This week Jay Mills, sonjgwriter, makes his debut here, replacing Dick Powelll who moved downtown to the Stanley after eight months on this spot... Mills is youth- ful, works fast, has a good announc- ing voice, and knows how to put across' a song In a half-lyrlc-half- recltative voice. Led the band In a couple of numbers, sings, and works a bit of crossfire with one of the acts. They seemed to like him here and he wisely plugged Powell plenty, which went over big with mob since Powell's' a national hero in this district. Mills works bet- ter with acts than any of the m. c.'s around here. Show only avei'age with Pearl Twins, announced as last picture house appearance prior to joining "Greenwich Village Follies," and Bill and Harriet Hutchins. Both turns well received. Enright Rock- ets had that squat dance lifted, from Busby Berkley and pulled it In great style. First time ever seen around here. It clicked. Picture, "Girl from Woolworths" (FN), but it mattered little since it was the m, c. they came to see. Slosser's organlog, Pathe. sound news and a Pathe. review, an old one, rounded out bill. Biz good. CoJien. PENN ("Jazi Clock Store"—Unit) . Pittsburgh, Nov. 1. Unfortunate that Nat Nazarro, Jr., had to jump in suddenly as m^. c. in a unit like "Jazz Clock Store." Show sadly lacked In talent and material, Nazarro, rushed in for Monday opening after Teddy Joyce closed suddenly Saturday night, managed to score on his dancing. Sent here to fill In temporarily, Na-. zax'ro inay remain indefinitely. Unit hasn't a thirig to recom- mend It except, possibly Pa^l Klrk-: land on a ladder. Bob La Sailed featured comic,, is hot the kind of comedy these presentations need. Jim RentcK delivered an old time buck and wing and Tiffany Twins were Only ordinary in. a tap dance. Bard and Avon' warbled ineffec- tively, assisted by a Fred Evanis ensemble. Whole thing might have been saved by a solid comedy purich, but it never showed up. , Picture "Saturday Night Kid" (Par), Leibert's. 'organlog, overture with Breeskin In pit, Charlie Chiase comedy and Metrotbne, sound news completed. Biz capacity down- stairs. Cohen. AVALON (Presentations) Chicago, Nov. 1. Joe Roberts, banjo player, cops honors at the Avalori this week. Hot stuff, accompanied by Charles Craft and His Merry Makers. Rest of the bill peaceful. Two clever monks, La Bella Pola & Co., do a 'head stand, play an organ and dance, Marley " and Dorothy, in an eccentric number, give great promi.se. Later, when ■$llcjL00|Tie^ back fox- a .st^ra ight dance routine, only fair. ~^v^.^^==^:=^^ House chorus works hard, but can't impress, . Entire stage show is well dressed with Hallowe'en scenery and trim- mlng.s. Band music good, "Her Private Affair" (Pathe), with "Big Time Charlie" (Pathe), Fox Movieton**, and Al Jolson trailer complete .show. CAPITOL ("Dresden China"—U nit) New York, Nov. 1. . Two more rixinutes and the'show would be .exactly three houi*s long. "Plight" (Col), a long featurer and stage unit, "Dresden China," on for 47 minutes,^ nearly 10 more riilnutes than necessary. For first time in any deluxer on Broadway, Yascha Bunchuk opens the orchestra assignment by con- ducting frorii the screen. While this is a novelty, it is nothing else. Bunchuk is framed on the regula- • tipn size screen and conduct's.mu- sician groups as though he were standing in his usual spot. Toward finish of overture, hfe steps out and concludes conducting froni small platform between pit and stage. Once or twice plenty. News Included two clips from International and one from Metro, and Par. Stage shows now carry* credit for Louis K. Sidney, uMlr whose supervision they are pro- duced. ' 'TDresden- China" was. de- . vised and staged by Chester Hale, whc^e forte shows in .the fine dance numbers as well as the general effective flash. Unit's background and material a decided departure. A costunie affair of resplendeht beauty, "Dresden China" delivers a kick on prettiness alone, with first fullstage set re- vealing a flne flash.. Costuming is of the days when fops were Very foppish. Even men in the orchestra have been made damdles, Walt Roesner among them. Augmented cast, with two acts, Perry Corwey and team of Dorothy and Harry Dixon, both of comedy type, doing well. Dixon team, does comedy adagio. Corwey does regu- lar vaude turn, with a whiskey bit that's a pip. Patti Spears appears several times, and, on one occasion, builds UP a Roesner orchestra Iteha, with a violin bit. Smith and Jolly, team with- above average pipes, -ap- pear- singly and also in production nuriibers with Bflss Spears, Toward end, Carels and Rasche,. with two unbilled assistants, do an elementary adagio. Finale very cir- cusy, but swell with Hale Girls (24) turning out a neat routine while balance of 32 decorate background. RI ALTO New York, Nov. 1. Rialto looks set for another good run with the Joseph P. Kennedy- produced United Artists release, Gloria Swarison in "The Tres- passer." The picture, looking as much like a certain gross getter as any pic- ture in New 'York on a pop-priced grind run in the past year, opened Friday night with a premiere at- tended by the star. She appeared on the rostrum at conclusion of the feature. Miss Swanson, stunning in a golden wrap, said a few nervous ' words of thanks. An applause re- . Gcption, la.stlrtg over a minute, said more than the new talking star pos- sibly could.. She twiddled her thumbs like a dumbfounded child-^ but what a kid! Nothing else on the bill besides . the feature and a newsreel. Par- ' ariiount sound, but plenty of show In the picture's 90 minutes. News runs 10, holding at least oneviliot that's worth half a dozen .average shots. That is the vle^ from all angles of a group of army parachute jumpers in action, Applause that sounded like an encore at the Pal- ace. ■ ' . • -. Natiu'al curiosity, over Miss Swan- .son's advertised ,personal appear- ^nce^blpckedjhe entire bloclt ,from 42d to 43d, opening" riTglift^uri^dre'dir^ were forced to cross the street in order to pass, which won't hurt film or hou.?o cither. While again.st others now runi ning, "The Trespasser" could cinch a $2 run on Broadway, appears an intf^lliRf-nt move to play is here at (Cc>ntinii*;d on patTf 06).