Variety (Dec 1929)

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so VAPIETY FILM R E V I E W S Wednesday, December 25, 1929 Tafldng Shorts HARRY LANGDON *'Sky Boy" (Comedy) ROACH METROTONE 20 Mins. New York, New York Laughs are scattered and the -waits between them Bometimes loni?, taking away chances for this to be a wallop two-reeler, Laugh total is fairly high if ndt consistent, however, that and Harry Iiangdoh insuring "Skj' Boy" against flop- page. In his talk Langdon has adopted the same goof style he pantomimed with in the silent& That xnay tend to change his type bf story, for Langdon when talking in his goof way lends slight opportunity for: love Interest, A beaut eoing/nupB over Langdon despite liis' talk would be pretty bard to take. Silent, he was cute. Xet it may be to Langdon's credit that he ad- heres BO closely to his old style In his new talk. They'll just have to pick his stories from a different angle. Langdon is the star of the play- ing trio in Hal Roach's "Sky Boy." fiddie Dunn, comedy heavy, and the blond Thelma Todd support him. Story about a forced air£laxie land- ing in the snow wastes. Langdon. Is a stowaway.- Reverts frequently to the old-time slapstick for gags, such as the fish and hear stuff. A comedy shaving scene gets the howl and is stretched for all it's worth. Some cutting would quicken "Sky Boy's" pace. -Bige. FRANCES WILUANiS and Yacht Club Boys in "On the High C's" PARAMOUNT Musicai-Sonss 10 Mjns. Rialto, New York Twb-in-one subject. Frances Williams in dark.evening dress does an intimate vocal solo in the first part. Naturalness, biggest appeal which is portion Of real screen per- sonality, she demonstrates. In the last half, copping the major riiinutes, the Yacht Glub Boys in interior night hostelry set harmonize with their string instru- ments befor^ and after vocalizing. The duet number, "True l^ue" and Naety Naiicy" are the p-'jaa. All In all a -very, zesiful short, W3.y above humdrum so character- istic of the average offering of this kind. WaJy. ««HRISTMA8 CHEER*' UNIVERSAL 17 Mins; Comedy Commodore, New York A number in the Sunny Jim series from U that, has a few weak moments but on the whole for prod- uct of this kind shapes as playable In the second grade first-runs. Al- though Ideal for this time of the ■year due to thenature of the story, "Christmas Cheer" cbuld he -nsed et any time without looking fiinny, the antics of Sunny Jim and the comedy situations evolved taking care of that. Idea Involved Is kid's hellef In Santa and the difficulties pa ahd ma have in sparing the youngster: the bitter truth, even after a letter he had written to Kris Kringle is ^£cldentally burned up by .father's cigar at the 11th hour^ Groping around in dark, stubbing toes, knocking things o-ver and father's final decision to doU him- self- up as Santa Claus, eoming do-wn chimney and all, pro-vide moot of the laughs, but beist in whole short is Sunny Jinx's i^ght and ittuttering bit when he faces a store Santy and can't iremember what he'd like for Christmas. Sunny Jim, considerably grown out of his "Snookums" days, speaks very clearly thcoughout, making tio bad bones anywhere. Dialog was -written by AI Martin and is vather ordinary. ' At one point ia short a group of seven boys sing Christmas carols working In a street scene with a director. Photography, recording ''and di- rection <by Harold Beaudlne) fair. «THE MERRY DWARFS" DISNEY CARTOON 6 Mins. Comedy . ' Gaiety, N. Y. On the same lines of "Skeleton Dance" and "Spring Fever" Not as good, but almost. Smart and amus- ing enough for any sound house just on the novelty and the relief .from the stream of mediocre singing images the short makers, as a rule, have been presenting. Cartoon outfit is evidently feeling the pinch of finding new routines to fit these classical synchronized scores, bnt a -visit to any vaude or picture house playing stage shows should providie the deisired material through the hoof ers, acrobatic danc- ers and adagio teams. These ani- mated drawings have yet to poke fiih at the poop-de-oop singers, or 'elbow" routines of the hot daiicing choruses which have become stand- ardized by repetition. To delve into the modem era and Its tunes might be ^a bet, unless royalty for use of melodies prevents. Nothing the matter with this Dis- tiey series which Columbia is releas- ing. Their reception invariably out- strips any two one-reelers of. the vaude specie. Used between a news- reel and a following dialog two- reeler here and pretty close to be-' Ing ^'In" on the title flash.. It doesn't take patrons long to find out, and reniember, for |2>Qr 50c ' Sid. •RED NICHOLS' PENNIES" VITAPHONE NO. 870 Band; 7 Mins. Strand, New York Where they like low down music this short will prbbably stand up. Otherwise just another bahd reeL Outfit is a six-man combination paralleling the old Dixieland Jazz band instrumentation -with the ex- ception of an added guitar-banjo strunomer who also warbles. . Nich- ols leads and blows trumpet. Open- ing number is given a vulgar inter- pretation, Nichols supplying the torrid notes. Hot and good but with the repertoire thereafter cool- ing off. Too much so for this unit Which specializes In steaming up pop melodies. String player fronts twice, moderately, and. Nichols is Joined by two boys fot a muted cor- net trioJ Nichols is at his best when play- ing hot. He should drbp another quarter in the gas meter. /^<<^« (GEORGE PRICE METRO Songi, Talk 7 Mins. Commodore, New. York Below average short in which Oeorgie Price (he is billed here as tiebrge) oilers two pop songs re- lieved by a few bits of comedy that are mild. Does not rank with shorts of this kind now being turned out ^Price Jnas alreadjr made sound "icts for "VKapfione and'^'CbTumhra" ' release. This Is his first for Metro "The One That Loves Tou" and *I*m Mai'cbing Home to You" are the brace of numbers done. First o* k., but the second hardly the type that suits Price, his person- ality and voice. Not photographing any too, well, Prtce and his theatrical style fail to impress deeply. This short is Hub-billed "What Price Georgle?" Char. "DEAD OR ALIVE," with Hugh O'Connetl VITAPHONE NO. 895 9 Mins.; Comedy Sketch, Strand, New York One of Russell Crouse's newsr paper -sketches and- till right if for no . other reason than it gets away from th^ usual singing short. Hugh O'Connell does his familiar drunk reporter. City editor sends his prize stew news hound to find out how seri- ous is the illness of a Wall Street ' financier. Heporter gains entrance to the sanitaritun tiirough mistaken identity, finds the financier's room and both start on a drinking bout, the money man figuring O'Connell a. fellow patient. O'Connell gets back to the offlpe with an exclusive story, photograph, and in the finan- cier's clothes to save his job. Not o-verly strong as entertain- ment, but will stand up because, at least. It's a change. O'Conniell does all' right -with the assignment and figures to make It hold, although a punch somewhere in the running would help plenty. . Two fiimsy sets, edltbrial room and the sanitarium, plus a brief eX' terior outside the latter edifice. Sid. "SANTA'S TOY SHOP" PATHE , 6 Mins: Marionette . Commodore, New York Apparently produced for show- ing around Christmas time, "Santa's Toy Shop," marionette novelty, couldn't very well be played at any other time of the year. ' Theatres failing to book it this year could/ if nothing else sbows up, use it satisfactorily next year, short hav- ing Xmas or pre-Xmas appeal and as such o. k. for average houses. . Saiita Claiis goes to sleep, while making toys in his workshop; toys come to life to do dances, sing,: etc. The dialog, that of children, is for the most part Incoherent, but the tenor solo accompanying a ballet dance passes muster. Sue Hastings manipulated the marionettes and Tom Hogan direc- ted. Recording by RCA Photo- phone. , Char. BENNY RUBIN "Hotsy Totsy" UNIVERSAL Colony, New York Below the average set by previous Benny Rubin Shorts. Tried to ring in a specialty by the star, even sending him into a buck on the counter of. the ticket agency In which this story has him employed. Rubin's ability Isn't given much rope in "Hotsy Totsy." It's a weak short that won't help the pxcep- tional and versatile comic. Bific ^JUNGLE DRUMS" (Color) TIFFANY Lion Hunt; 9 Mine Strand, New York . Interesting from the animal and dolor angle and can talte a feature spot'in a layout of shorts. Is a pie- turJzed -version of * dinner party explanation of the Jungle drum by a big game ^ortsman. Opens and closes on the reoounter. Action shows A^can tribesmen on" an elephant hunt during which the ehiers son is Jdlled by a lion. Sounding of the alarm by drums and the gathering of the clans for vengeance follows. , Thence into the making of a pitfall for the enemy, the chasing of'the. Hon Into , the trap, the killji: and the homecoming celebration. And all the time, the drums. flashes of lions, leopards, a tlg^ff hyena and an elephant. Hepetitious action in the himt. perhaps, but the animals hold it together. Only nine minutes, synchronized, score by RCA, and very much okay. Sid. "THE MUSIC SHOP," with Dick Henderson VITAPHONE NO. 3413 Sonii and Talk 15 Mins.; Strand, N. Y. If"air enough short with Dick Hen- derson's prop line, "Joke Over," working up to sa-tisfactory. snickers. His - voice has always been good^ choice: of songs being the problem. For this iefCort his opening eemi- ballad isn't particularly satisfactory Henderson is Bnglish and a vet vaudevilllan. Set is a music shop with the comedian behind the coun- ter from behind which he emerges to perform after a few extras, have dribbled in as customers. GagS in the mpnblog are in and out quips- figuring to click at one performance and as likely to flop at the next show. But the average is sufficient to make the gamble in booking worthwhile. ,^ Comedian is -doing two songs, the second a comedy ditty roundly smacl^ing of British origin and serving its closing purpose. Stibject may be somewhat loner, between the talk and the slow ballad, but can be checked as about able to make the all BOilnd house grade.. Sid. SALLY MARTI NEL1.I VITAPHONE No. 944 Operatic 9 Mins^ Winter Garden, N. Y. Lone short used at this house ahead of "Salljr" (FN) opening night. Just another of those oper- atic things, despite the prestige of the tenor. It wasn't so long ago that pic- ture houses used certain types of reels which came to be known as 'chasers." May be kind of rough to. class liartinelU as such, but neither the arias here unfolded nor the action hold* Musical excerpts and scene, are from "II Trovatore.'^ A woman and another man assist. Good looking set. Meant nothing at this house. Warner's. short booker doesn't be- lieve in intriguing an audience -with cbmedy, drama, or novelty. Always singing. Hasn't anybody some in- fluence with this guy? : Bid. ''PURELY CIRCUMSTANTIAL" EDUCATIONAL 18 Mins.; Comedy Commodore, New York . This two-reeler must take a back seat, all of .the efforts of Lupine Lane and his supporting cast to in- ject laughs into the slapstick farce flopping almost as hard as all the pratt falls resorted to from begin- ning to end. What few laughs transpire are aroused by the p. f.'s and other pantomime, very little comedy being .carried in the dialog. Short is built around the adven- tures of newly weds who, on arriv- ing in their hotel room, are Icidded Into believlnig they were not actual- ly married, whereas they wsre* Stanley Blystone and Betty Boyd support Lane -without giving out- standing performancest Lane, for some time in silent comedies, speaks -with a marked English accent, al- though the part'doesn't clearly in- dicate that this is called for. . Direction by Henry W. George; recording by RCA Photophone. Char. (ALL DIALOG, With Songs) (Color) PJi-st NaUonal ppoductlon ai>4 releM«. SUrrine Marilyn Miller, -with Alexander Gray. Joe. K. Brown anC Pert Kelton i»- tured. Adapted Irom the musical comeay of that name. Jerome Kem'e original jwore, AddiUooal numbers "by Al ]>ttbia «nd Joe Bttrjte, Dance numbere ctagefl by.,J^"y Ceballoa. Plrected by John Francis vniva, irith-DeT JennlngB and C. E. ScBocnbanin cameramen. OrchfStra, ander direction «t l«o Forbeneteln. Screen version by walae- mar Young. At the Winter Garden, New Torlt. ior fZ twice dally nm, Pec. 23. Hunnins time, 100 .mine. Sally Marilyn Miller Blair Farrell.. Alexander Gray Connie,.,-................i..J'0O B. Bro-wn Otis Hooper ^T. Boy^mea Ro$le. • -^^I^v,?* J**" "Pops" Bbendorff.. ..^...TvrA Sterllne Mrs. Ten Brocfc......Maude 'rum«!r„<3?',V2!? John Farquar. .....>.........B. J. BatclilTe Boue. ...........i..... .Jack'.Duay Marcla Koia. Lane Basel* Ballet AUDIO REVIEW PATHE 6 Mins.; Scenic Lexingtoo, New York Thi-ee different episodes in this Pathe Audio Review, but all highly interesting and, , by virtue of their appeal, considered aa desirable for filler. First is capture alive of a leopard in India; second a talk and demon- stration by Leon Theremin of his new electrical musical instrument, the Theremin; and the third, an ^pacho^dance-by.^Isoldo and -AlexiSp of Montmartre, in a native settingr The Apache dance is one of the most effective ever seen. When caught, a w6man in the audience remarked: "That isn't a dance it's • a torture." Nicely edited, attractively shot and handled. Obar. "Saily^* will cbtne pretty close to being the convincer to the studio mob that tiey can throw the adap- tations of musical ishowS In the al- ley, write their, own and turn out hetter plcturef. That's the Warner- idea anyn'ay, and maybe "Sally" In- stigated . the thought. It's a good program picture and easily sets Marilyn Miller for future film work, but other than its production back- ground and star, "Sally" is quite a way from being a smash. Trouble seems to be that the stu- dio took the stage script not only seriously, but literally. Like putting a pony in a corral^ when It has the whole pasture to romp in. Result is that the opening half hour is so deadly that the. film never fully re- covers,- and the fourth, reel lacks speed. By that time It's too late. The situation then solely rests with I^SB Miller plus magnitude and taste in the settings behind her. One of these, a iBunk;en garden sup- posedly attached to one of those Long Island estates, Is gasp provok- ing. In fact, the color combinations and the production constantly im- press.. They've got to because' theire's not much action or comedy. As laid out Pert kelton is com- pletely throttled. T- Roy Barnes only occasionally nickers, Joe E. Brown isn't exactly the type, and Ford Sterling is the outstanding comic Indi-vldual. So, summing it all up, "Sally," as a picture, smacks of being a bit old- fashioned. Enough to prevent be- coming a hold-over feature in the regular film houses. For single Weeks it won't have any trouble do- ing business, and will probably get away to a big holiday send-off at tlie Garden. After that ifs some- thing else again, with, the last two weeks in January -figuring to define its f 2 career on Broadway. Story of "Sally" has been done 18 different ways. It's always "Sally." Which also may. be an angle on wiiat's • the matter. From the screen's standpoint Colleen Moore's silent version of the same piece equalled this edition because It had action and laughs. That goes de- spite sound and color. Alexander Gray here is merely a juvenile -with a voice. Amidst vari- ous hues he Impr'esses as colorless, possibly the fault of the script—but there it Is. - Interpolated tunes added to the original score do not listen as im- portant. They've^ shot Miss Miller from gingham to a bridal veil, Including some sort of a boudoir arrangement in which she is about the last word. And this girl has been easy on the eyes since stepping on a stage. She's vocally doing the same songs better tlian whien in the show, be- cause her voice has improved, and she hasn't had to woi-ry about new dance routines, for -this is a'>new clientele. They've about let her-use her own judgment on numbers, evien "Mecca" is in, and no harm done because all her dances are good. Perhaps the high point Is. the con- ventional boy number which Larry Ceballos, having found out -what a camera's for, has given a eteat exit. This routine is nice work all the. way, with that finish topping off. Miss Miller is lioldlng up her dance with Joe Brown alone, and her ap- pearancje will get both the -women and the men. That's tlie main thing they Were talking about strolliiig out. Complimentary to the camera- men, too, the photography only spasmodically having that out-of- focus effect. Sound recording Is good throughout. First National hasn't anything to worry . about in. that it has Miss Mllleiv tied up for the .next four years. And you can bet her next picture will be better than this cel- luloid entree. The main thing "Sally" lacks as a. picture is Leon Errol. Sid. Charles Sellon, Lew Kelly and Larl-y Steers to "Moran and Mack In the .CB. T." (Par). Cast of "Strictly Business" at RKO studio includes Rod LaRocque, Doris Kenyon, Charlej^ B._M^^^ Geoi'gcTJuryea, TTm Dpnlin, Charles Brlnely, Rftrnoy Furey, Bill Pattoh, Kenneth (7ooi)or, Bob Erickson, Bon Corbett, Andrew Juragy. Robert Emmet O'Connor for "Framed," Radio. Konnetli Thompson to "The Song Writer," M-G. Wlllard Mack writing an orlglnoT for Buster Keaton, M-G. . Fox have borrowod Louisic Fazen- da from P. N. for "Illgh Society niuoH." DEVIL MAY CARE (ALL DIALOG^ With Songs) MetrO-GoJdW5-*-May€r prodncUon and r«« leaee. Bamon Nwarro KtMjrei. D. r Uiy Jordan and Marlon Barrl* <»u<ured.' Plrected by Sidney FraalcUn. Musi? byi Herbert etothari and lyrlca by ClifToni Grey. Plalos by Zelda. Bears. stag* direction by Clifford Brooke. Scenario by HanB Kraly . from the Blchard Schayer adaptation of a French drama, "La Bataill* Pea Pame«.'? Froeramed aa mueical ro«' mance. At Astor, Ne^r Tork, Pec. 2a (Sunday) at |2 top on twice dally run. BuQnlns time; 110 mlntitet. jijaan(i.,..ff't''."***"^*^oon Novarra L«oxnle. ..........<.•<«•*•- •'^■"othy Jordan LoulEe....,.»-•«•».••.•»•••••• .Marion Harris PeGrlgnon...,.«.»«..««....-i'fJobn. Mlljan Napoleon......... ^. .>"Williain Humphrey .Groom...i...«r ••».•■•... ..George I>avls Gaaton.k..'^ ..«..Clifford Bruce An average good' talker in the better class of hearrspecials now ■ being , turned but and a. -very good product for its star, Jtamon Xo- varro, but not a $2 film, for any ex- tended Broadway run, nor is. it a hold oveif prospect in-the regular houses. The qualification to the last two is if Novarro can draw %Z anywhere in sufia^cient numbers to make a decent tun, which Is doubt- ful in this picture and if his follow- ing is strong enotigh from the masses to anywhere equal a, house record or draw enough to keep the picture for two weelcs In one house, . also doubted for .the same reason. The extra attx-action In "Devil May Ca.re" is the music by Herbert Stothart and a high grade of lyrics by Clifford Grey. Mr. Stothart has composed three of his fou^ numbers for lilting notice anywhere. Es))ecl- ally Is the march song melodious, as sung by a soldier mob and again ay 50 horsemen while galloping into and out ot sight as against the 20 Texan rangers with the "Ranger" song who got off their horses to sing It in "Rio Rita." While the "shoe" songr here is attractive for Its lyric and again for the smooth manner In which that has been biiilt tii> for a real "number" in this comedy drama. The love song which may he called the theme song is also catchy. An actual ensemble number in color Is tried for In a brief scene, wheire the only kick in it has been lifted from Fox's "Sunny Side TJp." That Is the bit of the girls dancing at the water's edge with their sha- dows inverted under the -water and the fountalned curtain for the fin- ish of It Color here Is too briefly shown to be of any -value and it is the single time color Is employed. Color's maker is not named.' Direction goes In fits and staits but mainly well executed. Pai-tic- ularly does the 'picture start fast with a well handled crowd of iJJapoifeon's guards singing hini fare-well' as he departs for Elba. This beginninjg Is too swift for much of the slower mush stuff late? setween the young couple and others. While the cutting .goe3 along with no Visible mar, there could have been quite some more for better speed. This may be ac- complished when cuting down for the regular houses. Some of the Warlike action recalls the meller- dramas of the old days:- A duell- ing bit in a bedroom Is a painful part of this. Novarro sings well,, -with an ac- cent, the only accent of this French- character cast He is also singing the four numbers. Novarro sang "The Pagan Love Song" only in "The Pagan." He handles the well written dialog nicely, and Zelda Sears has Written commendable di- alog of a different nature through- out Though she did supply Marion Harris with ian over-supply of the same quality talk, all aimed to let the audience and world know Miss Harris* heart had gone bust, be- cause Ramon loved another gaL That did not surprise the audience as much, as it did Miss Harris. Miss Harris may have been cast for this picture to help work out a contract. She seemed In a strange role for this popular song singer and had b,ut one song which wasn't and- won't be popular, llev make up looked odd,, although perhaps that was in tlie Kfapoleonic period, period. Casting excellent otherwise, with Dorothy Jordan having a large and playing part . The girl handled it capably, considering tiiat Novarro was always walking into her bed- room either when she was asleep or awake. Nothing developed in the bedroom scene excepting most of the . plot and Novarro picking up Miss Jordan in her night clothes. When she ran away after he had taken her out of another bedroom, she still had her bedroom clothes on. The-.final vle-vv was the couple seated alongside a lake late at night side by side, and the girl still lightly enoTigh dressed to have caught plenty of pneumonia. John Mlljan and Clifford Bruce fit their roles without exertion and Wllliftm Htmiphrey i.<?n*t the .^.■.njgolegn^^,othegs' -ha\^-.i7Cf.iv-iUja. Napoleon is just as good. Comedy is had through situations and dialog, mostly .the latter and Novarro'a light comedy style in talk and action. One of the best soone-s and with a laugh brought about by dialog is Novarro ag.iin at the l>ed- room .door, but this tline ih? girl won't let him in. He kisst a her that aftex-noon when they wtout riding and she thought hi' ' he butler. Miss Jordan got the l . on (Continued on page 26)