Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesday, December 11, 192» FILM RE V I E W S VARIETY 35 Talking Shorts Snappy Sneezer" (Comedy) ROACH-METRO 18 Mins, Lexington^: New York "Snappy Sneezer/' one of the first THE GLEASONS —"Fairways and CHARLEY. CHASE PATHE 22 Mine.; Comedy Stanley, New York Golf as It is fought by man and ^ ^ wife. Acted by the Gleasons, the idea | Charley ^Chase all-taiking"comedies Is blg-tlme. Rumor and worth any I to be.released, is Al as a two-reeler, house. Credits listed, for production 1 despite the slapstick of the old are J. Joseph Mescole, Robert Fel- school .that has gone Into its mak- Ipws and James Gleaspn. _ ing^ It packs a good-sized wallop, Action Is a married couple match plenty of distributed laughs r*^%Slt* Ihf Gleaso^ri^^ Doubtless this comedy was not club. Against the Gleasons are a produce, most all of the 7?®* "'^^f.n KroSeL Gltason^ W taken on location ^^I^TiROOoll^SSb^s^^^^ only three people outside of. a rieaaon^ S supers. - With Chase arfe less the Gleasons lo^e. "'[^^ Thelma Todd and Anders Randolph, atch Gleason during the K^^^^^. ^ j^^^^^ ^^^^^^.^^ ^At^the 18th it's a tie. Gleason "Snappy Sneezer" apparently gets Blices into a barn and the contractor Its title froni the fact Chase Is a Is In a ditch. It takes about 20 snappy young fellow addicted, to hay strokes for eacli to get out, J)ut the fever, his sneezing . in Bahdolph's contractor wins. At the banquet for face starting most of the old slap- presentation of the cup Gleason la stick. Opening shots establish that handed the $50,000 plumbing con- Chase has become acquainted with trast. Then it Is announced the Miss Todd on a train. He makes a score-keeper had mistaken a seven date with her that; afternoon at her for a one on the contractor's card, home, only to discover later Ran and the Gleasons get the cup. dolph is the girlls father, Gleasons have a rep for acting Short follows with Chase trying married folks In combat, and play to show Randolph how to drive a It for heavy comedy In thia. Banff, new car lie has purchased, and the "DANGEAOUS FEMALES" CHRISTIE-PARAMOUNT 18 Mins.; Comedy' > Paramount, New York Laughing cinch for a pretty good . reason, Marie Dressier. Plenty of dlaloffed by J. Grubb Alexander. Directed hnlf« nnrJ th(» lowpp th«» comcdv the 1''1' AJ*"^ Croslond. Cameraman, Tony Gau- noK& ana tne lOWer ine conjeay ihb -Warner s, .v. T., for twice dally rescue he makes when the girl Is given the wheel with only her. old man aboard. Chase trailed on motorcycle, saving the day and the car, besides the old man's life and GENERAL CRACK (ALL DIALOG) Warner Bros, production and release, star-' ring Jolm Barrymore. Story by George Preedy adapted by "Walter Anthony and A kick in the ?2 run starting Dec. 3. Running time, 07 more they enjoy it pants is still the theatre's best I mins known and liked gesture. This one Prince Christian, Gen. Crack.......... may go around the track a couple of ^^^^^^ „ ...lowoU SiXnan times. Archduchess ..v Marian Nixon Polly Moran also featured* Short Fidelia .Armlda nr«»«?(»ntq thft odd snectacle of the Count HensdorfC ....Hobart Bosworth r^l^t^+f/, T?^i?^ «ia^{nt ctrnlpTh^^^ Countess Cart)la..........Jacqueline Logan energetic Polly playing straight, colonel Gabor Otto Mathleson But any comedienne will And the colonel Pons Andres de gegurola goihg tough up against Miss Dress- Lieut. Dennis....... Douglas Qerrard about comedy values, and how to Qy^gy chlertaln.. ;;Nlck Thompson cash In thereon, would probably CoMrt Lady juianne Johnston slip some other woman a thr^e-year Pieti-o...... .....Gus Schacht studio contract. In this instance it's — all the hokei there is, and. she John Barrymore's most interesting romps. ' production since "Beau Brummel." game thing. So Bu<idy may as well go on a screen tear and smoke a clgaret or do something. Being th» fourth Rover boy has its di'aw- backs as a career. George Abbott's direction and Paiil Liulcas' heavy send this pic- ture across.; Lukas will probably set himself on tlils effort for th« future when the studio boys start looking for a menace with an ac cent. A consistent piece of work under Abbott's guidance. It evi- dently didn't take long for the lat- ter to And out. Having eonsider- able rep as a stage director, not without reason, Abbott has pieced some heat spots into the telling of this carnival story while making it move all the time. That implies a knowledge of superfluous material and a sure scissors touch.; As a matter of ftict, cutting has as much to do with holding this, fllm together as anything else. The way it's been done hints strongly, of Abbott, biit William Shea; listed 8P0RTLIGHT—"Body BuiJdi ng" RCA PHOTOPHONE 1Q Mins.; Magazine Stanley, New York Illustrating how they put muscle the girl's on juvienile bodies at Culver Mill- Besldeis the sneezing, well handled tary Academy. Interesting short in for laughs, and the islapstick with keeping with flrst-run standards. the chronic old boy falling in mud One of the Grantland Rice series, holes and mortar boxes, there is a produced by J;ack Eaton and Ear- beaut of a scene in which Chase nest Cotts. Gets the break of band attempts to retrieve a glove from music during a military drill, and under a mule's tall. ThTs sequence drum and bugle stuff in hiking cleverly . done and' an original shots. Other clips are a workout | stronger on comedy than anything In -rowboats arid a pushball game. AH in dialog. . Culver co-operated extensively in | making thIS( correctly figuring it as exploitation. Banff. CLYDE DOERR and BAND (9) METRO 6. Mins. Lexington, New York ^ A short short, pla,yipg three num bers straight. O. k. for thei average theatre, but far from unusual as ||;^rrieath7* and nothing but filler material. chnwin Clyde Doerr's outfit is made up' snowin of seven saxophonists (including else in the Chase two-reeler. Warren Doane directed "Snappy Sneezer." His most glaring mistake is a few feet beyond the opening when Chase Is revealed with the seat of his trousers'eaten out by a goat, • unltnown to the comedian. Shot shows the white of a shirt tall In bold relief, but when (as a gag) Chase takes off one pair of trousers, fooling everyone who snicker at the sight, there Is an untdrn pair un- " black Thesis is just a mistaken identity Certain to be an important booking gag with the reality twist at the and a money-maker all ovei'. finish. Two old maids quake at the Beyond argument it's a good I as film editor, may also have had thought of a loose convict In the action-crammed melodrama with a a hand in the slicing. Whoever did neighborhood. The new minister Is stellar performance. That it is less it turned In an outstanding exainple also due in the village, so that's it. than a great picture will hot per- of the art. Miss Dressier Is the bold spinster h'apS concern the gentlemen who A simple and ordinary, story is :who'd like the chance.to .vamp, the]make, sell, buy and exhibit films. . on and off in 66 minutes and made tough guy. Miss Moran plays the it is the fortune and also the to Intrigue. Opens on a carnival timid member who .also has her coy curse of Barrymore to have fine legs lot with Jean Arthur as one quarter moments. calling for tight pants. Costuming of a casting act. who rathfer likes Entrance of the man, with the aur ig not objectionable except that it the. youiig "flyer."» Lukas is the dience led to b6lleve it's the clergy- regrettably pointis the whole direction Jealous "bearer," ruthlessly letting man, starts the panic, the high and tempo of the average Barry- the kid dtop at the next show on spot, of which Is a stew by Miss more picture. In "General Crack" the finish of a blind double, the Dressier, as both get tight on peach ihslstence upon the physical person youngster being .inside a sack. , Act brandy, A pushover pleqe of busi- is again responsible for the squan- works without a net. ness for this comedienne, but it's dering of this actor's talent on bed- Nobody can prove anything; but the touches she slips in ahead of room t^yaddle and stenographer's' the: girl knows and to get away the main course which makes it cer- day dreanig. Because of Barry- from .Lukas she hides from_tho tain that this performer is in pit- more's personal performance this train on the next jump, -p^** tures for life. Professionals figure synthetic sex is exposed in its com- brings her to Rogers homestead, to appreciate her even more than plete punlness as the marshmallow. Boy Is a "flyer" and hi« been sent the laity. : of which program entertainments, for to fill the vacancy In the girls Plenty funny when Miss Dressier but not screen epics, are made, troupe. Both are unaware, of the starts to turn on the works for his "Disraeli" Is demonstratirtg that film other's occupation. Carnival for- nlbs, giving it that Gertrude Law- audiences can be exhilarated with- tune teller and the manager b as- rence touch with the dress off one but aphrodlsicals. sistant track the girl down, out shoulder. Finale is the capture of "General Crack" is historical fic- she^ won t go back to the act untn the man by Miss Dressier, the fade- tlon of some novelty dealing with a ] accidentally ^discovering that that ^ out punch not being etrohg enough condition of former centuries when Rogers destination. Which _takej to follow what has preceded, but it Independent and unaffiliated armies the action to a state fair and LUkas doesn't matter. William Watson sold their services to the highest obviously Scheming to give the ne^ gets credit for the direction. Sin- bidder. Genera! Crack sells his nalli- member the same treatment be- tary tactics and following to the cause of Greta. Emperor of Austria who has wars Anti-climax la Rogers outwlttlnB on his hands and wishes to pos- the''bearer" by making a leg catc^ sess the crown of the Holy Boman instead of hand-to-hand at ^ Empire. Crack has married a gypsy ish of the blind "^ouble^somersaul^^^ from chivalry rather than any ne- preventing Lukas^^from^ dropping cesslty, and is the only one who deep him. Soon after t\»*^^2y. hot perceive the essential lightness nian go Into a rough and tumble to of her moral scruples. Going to the the usual finish. ^„^„„,,„ ^^^j. wars and leaving his bride behind .Casting shots f*"® et"*J*"^™lflA' In Vienna, the emperor plays ice- though Gllks might have speeded Recording by Victor satistactory. Jiimself), a banjolst and pianist, photography very fine and voices of Routine could have stood a few | Chase, Miss Todd and Ba"<|,p]ph gn- speclaltles or novelty numbers out- side of what's done In. the third. It's a composition of original music arid not much of a departure there, trifle cut and dried. TWO pop- numbers are "Weddirij of the Painted Doll," best of three, and "If I Had You." Set is simple. Doerr directs• while* playing various saxes, which are on a stand In front of the band.• Recording satisfactory, but cam- era work below average, with print duller than most arid few angles in photography attempted^ Music rhythmic and tuneful. Char. GIOVANNI MARTINELL! Aria from "Martha" VITAPHONE No. 932 8 Mins. . Warners, New York Martlnelll is In sound history as the first artist to record for Vita- phone in 1926. This repeat Is a se- lection froni the opera, "Martha," the setting being the ya,rd before a tavern. As an operatic sample It Is less stirring and Ingratiating than other releases have been, but operatics have never been numerous enough to be commonplace. His singing Is too obviously big league to call for extended . com- ment. He is additionally one of the best known of the operatic "nanies." So that should Insure this one get- ting lots of bookings. Land. MURRAY and OAKLAND "Hall of Injustice" ' Travesty VITAPHONE No. 889 10 Mind. Strand, New York Murray, arid Oakland, from pic- tures and vaude, have made other shorts for Warners. This one is a travesty on the "Mary Dugan" sort of murder case with judge and prosecuting attorney both boy friends to the blonde love nest pro prletor and assadsin. Not riotous but amusing. Carried .to extravagant lengths laughs are obtained by . the hyper- bolic route. Ernest Toung capably presides as magistrate^ : audience . acting as jury. Land. METRO REVUE No. 12 METRO MOVIETONE 20_Min8.; Singing and Dancing ^7 nJ aprGarderiT N*w." Ydr Vaude acts In this two-reeler are the Locust Sisters, Johnny Marvin, Rose Marie Sinnott, George Dewey Washington and Harry Rose, as m. c. Nicely balanced layout riiakes this one okay for the neighborhood grinds. All the songs used- are a year or more old, that automatically bar ring this revue from the better class hou.ses. gle interior the main set. Just Miss Dreissler all the way, and can't miss. (Sid. . » RODNEY FAMILY "3 Diamonds" UNIVERSAL 21 -Mins.; Comedy Colony, New York Fifth of the. scheduled half dozen the Rooneys are turning out for w.« ^i... Universal. Fair for the average I man while* a^dlshonored'offl^^ I ^P the camera a little to Slow tl|^ tirely audible at all times. Char. CLIFF EDWARDS (Ukelele Ike) METRO 6 Mins. Lexington, New York Worthwhile short, and good as filler iot most any program. It Is trief, running only five minutes, yet giving more entertainment to the minute than many twice Its length. -Cliff Edwards blacks up for this short and Is in front of a silk drop, singing "Half Way to Heaven" and "Good Little Baby," splitting the two with a half-minute gag that scores. Practically the entire short is taken in close-up, "with Edwards photographing well and putting over his numbers with uke accompani- ment In a very showmanlike man- ner. Of two numbers, second Is the best Voice reproduction good and print unusually clear. Char. "TOOT SWEET" RCA PHOTOPHONE 20 Mins.; Comedy New York, New York Lloyd.Hamilton in this two-reeler that holds enough hoke comedy to satisfy a neighborhood grind. Alfred Moulding directed it nicely, working In*" lots of gagSj mostly long bur- lesque released. Hamilton buys a second-hand breakaway car and picks up a Frenchy dame, who steers him to a night club, where the gyp is put on. When the girl sees her boy friend, an apache dancer in the take 'em joint, on the make for another/ girl she starts breaking, up the place. Wind up has. the girl going into a clinch with her boy friend, wM*> Hamilton, the chump, lis aired, after paying the bill for the wreckage. Lena Malena and Will Hays are in support, capably. "AND HOW" with Ann Greenway VITAPHONE No. 22 5 Mins. Warners, New York • Very short girl and music spec- tacle in technicolor with Ann Green- way solo singer hardly prominent (enough to rate billing. "=^'Witlr=color,--laugh--blt=-and-:flash;- okay program dresser and spicer. One bit of a Jewish settler buy- ing Manhattan Island from the In- dians with the.Indian chief finally picking up Yiddish dialect for the blackout saves this one from being a cipher. Probably cost something to as- semble thi.s one, although a guess might be that It's a left-over bit from a Warnor £ull-lr>nE:lh revue, i Land. As In the previous Rooney sub- takes him but a few minutes to clean BarnUm-RinglIng circus's pririclwl jects the family angle, Is ^kept in- I up ^hV most "complYca^^^^ had most oj Pf®. tact. But holding them. too close Uional situations He rides half ture femmes doing Blary Duncan* to plot doesn't seem necessary as across Europe with 500 cavalrymen the week the big show/was In Lo« their primary offering Is dancing fortunately discovers his Rus- Angeles Jast summer. - ^ .. ^ and clowning. ^ / sian adversaries In the Jriidst of a - Miss .Arthur does W^SiSw In this one Pat, Sr., harks back old-faahloned debauch with Interest in the case In a soft,, husKy to his father, giving a coupje .of 5?°?up°^ca?tXrfJ impressions of the latter that few SggJ^SaSfStlons of the cinema looking Kl^^who. g|ven a^chan^^ if any of the present generation L,artv nnirit A few exnert thrusts, slip in a little more cS. a,, may oe will remember. Parlor set Intro- Kfes and side-lwloes^^ Other cast sup- duces the family separately at a E^"*®^' control the^^^^^^ ?ort Is able, future audiences un- gay party In which . Marlon loses r^^f^"^®^^^^ gj^ any doubtedly picking out Nester Aber, k three diamond bracelet. Older nerformancT nartlcularVw^^^ of as Sogers' kid brother, because of Pat goes on a tear to find the SfiJS*"*'^^ lines tossed him and the way jewels, jamriilng himself up and m^jtlo"^ handles t^em. Rogers as prj- landing m jail where his Identity *; if some company cares to ex- vlously J^^^^^^^^^'lL ^^XJtlZl saves him. ploit her. Lowell Sherm-an Is prob- 8H?ary Buddy, highly excitable Pat, junior, leaves off hooflng to |[^,iy gecond for honors. Marian | when In combat. ■ Nixon Is okay but hot at ping; nrst JJ^nston^'^'SSd^othe^^S'^JIi In "but" a I angirwhile'haVlnff a distant rela- wopden shoe stuff on a table, then [jj^j;^^*^^'^^^^ ^" "^"^ | tlonshlp to_the story. ^But^houseii sticrto W soni othe^^^^^^^^ her Title ^^""^ ^.^^T ing around aimlessly. The elder to cover up the carnival Pat does all the stepping; first 1?^"-* .J^cqueime i^ogan, juianne 11^^^,^ ^ ^j^^^^^ clog in whiskers' disguise and lastly his imitations of the first Rooney. No credits are screen-glven 'or Pjaylng "Ha« Way to K sound. It Is generally a smooth and w-on't have much to worry ^^Jii^.^^J""^^ credited wjth^the | ^,Q^pgtg„t ^,^,^^5^^ garrymo^^^^^ do all right Heaven*' about, jsrid. direction "MANDALAY" Song Sketch PATHE 11 Mins. Cohan, New York Starts out like voice to the screen for the first ' time and doing It well. Gaudlo's photography is first class. Tech- nicolor coronation scene in a Cathe- dral uses the wide screen and Is a helpful flash. SOUTH SEA ROSE another (ALL DIALOG, with Songs) Fox pruductlon and release, starring nore Ulrle. Allan Dwan credited aa pr»- 'General Crack" Is engrossing and | ducer and dlrector, .From jjlay by Tom 'What I exciting. It looks like money both Price Glory," and .winds Up as a male quartet rendition of ."On the Road to Mandalay," With the barl- lorie siriging of James Stanley, who has S0I6 billing and the little story running through it, the short Is an average entertainer. The riien are British soldiers in an outpost on the army trail to In- dia. The Kipling outlook is as- I ways, and will satisfy generally. Land. Half Way to Heaven (ALL DIALOG) Paramount. production and release. Star rlnff Buddy Rogers. Directed aiid adapted , _ ^ by George Abbott from H. L. Gates' "Here ^l"'® QumP Comes the Band Wagon." Cameraman, Maid.,....,. . qiimed A rookie la lauehed at In I Alfred Gllks, W. H. sound track. At Tavern Keeper sumea. a rooKie is laugnea at in p^^^^^^^ j,^^ y ^^^^ ^ ru„. cabin Boy. his excitement to leave for India. kjiDg tithe, 06 mins. Mrs, .Nott. Three veterans, finally leave with Ned Xee...,...,..,Charles (Buddy) Rogers ^''jf^f_*=|2oeN^^ him when the blood in their veins Greta Nelson , i.....Jean Arthur" j^Jg'aiie'3 Uncle, bids them go. The jungle call forces S"'^"'t,v;'*""**'"""*' *"£tVi„\vU~ them to walk out.on the pretty hAr- l^^^^^f^l'/^^^^^^^^^^^ maid. . Mrs. lice : ...Kdna "West Fade-ins of a symbolic woman [Eric Nestor Aber during the singing jcheaply han- dled'. JBioe- \ If this picture falls short of set- Cushlng, with dialog by Elliott Lester, Scenario by Sonya l«vlgn. Songs by Jj. Wolfe ailbert and Abel Baef, Haroja Rosson, photography. W. W. Statr, sound. Settings by W. S. Darling and costumes or Sophie Wachner. At the Roxy, ..N. T., weelc of Dec. 0, Running time, 0» mins. _ Rosalie Dumay, •. • •^""5f^,Hl,S Captain Brlggs Cbarles BIckfor4 Dr. Tom WlnSton Kenneth MacKenna Hackett.....• •F*^'L^5o«»™« Sarah • •. Elizabeth Patterson aaran..,.,.. Tom Patrlcbla Ilka Chasa George Macrarlana Ben Hall Daphne PoJlard: .., .Roscoe Atea .Charlotte Walker ..Etnlle Choutard Program feature possessing the • -aS^"* Yhfi I elements of wide appeal and word- of-mouth advertising. Last-men- tioned fact will likely concern Le- norO Ulric's performance. ^ Comedy and the one song, tuneful. ting box offices on Are. neither, will ^..^ ^ „ , it burn up the managements of I j^Qyj"p'|[,^" jj;ig"pigture"o^^ same. Unreels as normal Program p^Q^y^^j^jj^ ig fair despite a few- material with the Rogers name ami technical shortcomings and the ob- pull seeingJt through for satlsfac-I yjQ^g non-synchronlzatlon of the theme song when a South Sea na- TITTO RUFFO METRO 6 Mins. Lexington, Now York Only average, with less appeal tory receipts, „ * , 1 viic»»»c ov..b «. »— — than in most operatic tenor shorts But Buddy Rogers should take a jg photographed doing the num. due to number used. Meyerbeer's few nilnutes, off and check up on ^ j, , a flash and could advan- "L'Africaine." selection less suited himself. Well on his way to be- ^ ^^^g^ •'^^ » to Tltto Ruffo than some he has coming Americas Little. Lord g^^^.^ ^^ suited to Miss Ulric as a .done^for:^M-a3-M-.and.-Cther_-_com.-^^.^^^F^ panies. . no flstic battle ^ith the heavy at when brought to staid New Eng- More production value to short, the finish can offset the Impression j^n^'s chores In the midst of a pack however, with a male chorus back- of some 5,000-odd preceding; feet, hiue-nosps who think her shame- ing the Metropolitan tenor, and the Too much shy stammering may " oi"*- -» scene a rather elaborate ship set. soon start to slip that femme fol- Pwuffo wears a nondescript costume, lowing elsewhere. A number of with an Indian head-dress part of male patrons will now only sit in it. During long pauses in the num- attendance upon him according to ber he walks across the set. the gh'l in hia pictures. If kids can Shots are mostly long one.s. cut the apron strlng.s of mamma.s Pholoirraphy and recording fair. boys in high or prep school, film Char. audiences can eventually do the ful, Miss Ulrlc again has an oppor- tunity to do her stuff. She dOes, and how! Tom Patrloola, Ilka CJhase, Daph- ne Pollard, Robcoe Atea and otliers are alHO in, but it's always Miss rU'Ic. Ilcr best soencs arc aboard (Continued on page 39)