Variety (May 1930)

Wednesday, May 14, 1930 FILM HOUSE REVEWS VARIETY 91 PARAMOUNT ("Home Wreckers"—Unit) New York, May 9. Three vaude acts, six dancing girls, couple of crates of scenery and props, and the summary of this unit is complete. Economy is crowned king, but as Jack Partineton re- membered to appoint a privy coun- cil of comedy, the parliament of Publlx audiences will probably award "lEiome Wreckers" a vote of confidence. Unit Is chiefly a rewrite on Billy and Elsa Newell's vaude turn. It Is g-ay and smart burlesque of the bashful 90's, when a. bathing suit was cut from the same pattern as a Prince Albert cos.t. For the cliniax, O'Donnell and Blair's collapsing house is used as a big laughing getaway., Previously there Is a series of sc'enes, all con- veyed by drops and strung together on a fragile thread of continuity; The Newells work throughout confi- dently themselves—smooth, affable and popular. :n their bright and easy way An- drew and Liouise Carr exhibit some extraordinary taps. They have an against-rhythm style quite excep- tional. In an era of superabundant hoofing acts they stand out. Six dancing girls are credited to Beverly. Really a very fetching group and a pretty picture In their ~ modern frocks of modish design. Maybe too many people won't no- tice there's only half a dozen. Qual- ity in some measure should balance quantity. With fitting propriety Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Crawford dedicate their concert to spring, using chiefly classicals. It is very interesting to discover the titles of some of - the best known melodies which are filed away In the memory without proper indexing. For Instance, "Hustle of Spring." Pretty safe guess average non-musIcIan couldn't name it, al- though almost everyone would re- call it immediately when played. Paul Ash limited to the pit this week, but making the most of It. For a patriotic finale in honor of the visiting fleet the wide screen showed a flash of a battleship plowing head- on through giant water. It was an electrifying effect and brought the house to a crescendo of applause. Trio of guitar players garbed as Mexicans situated at the fork of the grand staircase to entertain the standees. Sugaring the citrate. "Devil's Holiday" (Par) on the screen. Usual newsreel clips. Biz good Friday night. Warm. Land, in Virginia festival; tales about new footwear for women; talk by Pierre Quesney, 35-year-old French banker; arithmetic stuff by three-year-old Bronx girl; speech over radio in connection with gold star mothers' sailing; and talk by Schmellng, among others, Italy's Duce who seems to crash newsreels every week takes the spotlight exclusively away from his daughter on her marriage, another clip showing himself and his new army. Of foreign matters one of the most interesting is the choral work of a group of primitive Mew Zealanders who chant a catchy tune. Voices and harmony so good as to be out- standing.. Others outside U. S., Bel- gians acclaiming royal family; Euro- pean athletes meeting in Algiers, Impressive but badly photographed in spots; Spanish royalty attending fete In Seville, and Japanese typists in school. Among miscellaneous Items and not so forte Wellesley girls in hoop race and baby gorilla in Philly zoo. Show well routined. Running time, flat 46 minutes. Fairly even division of clips this week, F-M being credited with 14, H-M with 13. Char. EMBASSY (Newsreel) New York, May 12. Variety of material Is most notice- able feature of the new collection of Fox-Movietone and Hearst Metro- tone clips making up 25c. show grinding here. This compensates for the lack of comedy. Ordinarily there's at least one good laugh somewhere in the 46 or 60-minute performance provided. Only a couple of mild ones can be found in the fresh layout of news stuff. Patronage continues to hold up nicely. At 8 o'clock house had standees, with the audience about •qually divided between men and Women. Opening news item the New Jer- sey oil tank fire, covered by Fox- Movietone from the sidelines and the air. Very spectacular shots ' taken of the blaze. Photography and recording from *ir figures, also, in clip following, Hearst-Metrotone this time getting good glimpses of U. S. fleet enter- ing New York and airplane maneu- vers as welcome. An interesting item but one that looks faked is H-M's filming of total •clipse from California, with ex- planation as to how it was done. Moon is seen entirely eclipsing sun, but the scene looks as though clouds <or cloud effects) may be seen, be- hind the sun and moon. That gives it the phoney look. Leading clips of greatest news ▼alue include among others forest ilres In the east, effectively cam- •raed; Edda Mussolini's marriage, covered in detail; dinner in honor of Police Commissioner Grover Whalen, which Is not so hot with the police ehief a trifle uneasy; sailing for France of gold star mothers; Max Schmellng's return to New York, with the boxer a better actor than whalen; arrival here of Lord Derby, English sportsman, welcomed by Whalen, this giving the head cop the big publicity break all in one show; and transfer of two fierce tigers from boat to Central Park Zoo. . Last mentioned is Interesting but earrled out into too much detail. Edi- tor's note says that these ere tigers seen in last week's real of capture In Malay on Hearst-Movietone ex- pedition. Even pictures trip up Broadway to zoo, with sound trucks In caravan. Scarcity of "vaude" stuff this Week, only two clips In that cate- gory showing up. These are reduc- ing exercises atop Chanln building in New York and whip-cracking routine by an Argentine. Plenty talking in the layout. In- cluding a word or two or more from Mother Jones on 100th birthday; in- terview of Ethel Barrymore by John Anderson of "Journal" (Hearst), In ■Whi;-)! dramatic actress talks and photographs poorly; short talk by Winner of Queen Shenandoah crown PENN ("Color Rhythm"—LTnit) Pittsburgh, May 10. A spotty show that occasionally has. its nioments. It's the familiar lay-out—a dance turn, familiar vaude deucers, a comedy act and dumb act novelty. In this case, it's a balancer. Add to this whatever the m. c. can manage to squeeze in and you have another of those one- two-three units which recur un- failingly. Dave Schooler back again as guest m. c. on second Jaunt around Loew presentation houses and makes him- self thoroughly engaging. Schooler has the class, the' easy assurance of a veteran showman and the Intimate style this mob likes. That they re- membered him here was indicated by a fair hand on his initial appear- ance. He makes only one mistake, canning his versatility a bit too far by sketching on a six-frame easel various comic strip characters. A gifted accomplishment, to be sure, but Schooler doesn't need It, what with his piano playing, hoofing and ability to mix with the acts. Brightest spot In "Color Rhythm" is tiny June Carr, a captivating dan clng comedienne. It's her third ap pearance here within a year, first at the Penn, later at the Enrlght, and now here again. Miss Carr's ec centric style of dancing, more than slightly reminiscent of Cy Landry and something new for a femme, stopped the show, as it always has in this burg, and a burlesqued acro- batic bit with Schooler topped her off in great shape. Somebody's go- ing to discover this gal some day. Small Brothers, three unison tap steppers, open with conventional routine and next-to-shut is Serge Flash, who juggles rubber balls around on his head with paper cones. ''Color Rhythm" Idea Is car- ried out in one Chester Hale routine in which lighting effects give girls' gowns at least three different shades. Nice effect and nice hand, too. David Pesetzkl calls his. overture "Sevllllana," one of those Spanish things in which the long-haired maestro seems to take peculiar de- light. Joseph De Otto continues at organ, Dick Leibert still'"on sick list. Picture "The Divorcee" and mob must have smelled a sensation, for opening biz above average. Cohen. AVALON ("Pleasant" Idea) Chicago, May 8. Carries a punch throughout, this Fanchon & Marco "Pleasant" idea running 40 minutes. Dancing rhythms surge in waves, concluding with a 10-minute mili- tary and eccentric tap routine by chorus of eight girls and men, the Belcher dancers. A departure Is the constant re- frain of classical music set for mod- ern dancing movements, Including "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" and Grainger's "Country Gardens." Opens and continues in a Swiss mountain village with the band of 14 and Cookie, m. c, set on a chalet's front porch, and the rest In gay colored peasant costumes. To complete it, five trained mountain goats have a short routine. Talent comprises June Worth, a long-legged, supple kick and acro- batic dancer who is a burst of speed all the time; Diehl Sisters, comedy team, a small riot with their Spick satire and ridiculous ballet, and two juggling acts, Johnson and Duker, hat-salling team, and Gen. Ed La Vine, the comic who juggles j a heavy ball, a sledge hammer and a crushed-up, cigarette paper. Further comedy In a barnyard routine by the Belcher dancer.s, six girls as farmyard lassies, and the other ten teamed up as prop oxen. Clever staging and costuming throughout, with the usual F. & M. vividness of attire. On the screen Fox News, "General Crack" (WB). Business at the last show good on a warm spring night. Loop. LOEWS STATE ("Smiles"—Unit) Los Angeles, May 7. Fanchon & Marco Idea this week, labeled "Smiles," has as Its excuse for the handle a jubilant se- lection of opening and closing strains from the orchestra pit. Nothing outstanding In the unit,, yet as a grouping it is better than Its individuals. Runnlne more than 45 minutes, it was well received by an almost capacity matinee au- dience. Unit is built around three acts, with LambertI, comic xylophonlst, stealing the plums. Three Slate Brothers, dancers, were liked. Dor- othy Neville, soprano, was spotted ■in one number, contributing three reliable oldtimers. Closing number used a backdrop of a beach concession crazy town, giving opportunity for a snappy fin- ish with 10 F. & M. acrobatic step- pers, exiting and entering through doors in the drop. Also .for an en- semble entrance down a flight of collapsible steps. Stairway also contributed the curtain chuckle, with LambertI crashing from top to bottom. As usual, the F. & M. unit was colorfully dressed. Chorus of look- ers were handy with the feet, and the 10 acrobatic workers got plenty plaudits for leg stretching and tumbling.- Opening number had all the gals on for fancy footwork to rhythm of tuneful numbers of a decade ago or more. Smile effect was carried out here with balloons, painted with laughing faces, suspended and bobbing grotesquely to the foot- work. Slate Brothers on . next, and clicking with a slow, precise style of foot rhythm. The three boys were called on for overtime. Laughs in the unit were left to LambertI, who did his in one, with chalk makeup and trick evening clothes. His nonsensical patter as a prelude to his numbers, plus real skill with the xylo chopsticks, brought excellent response from tne customers. Dorothy Neville, Spanish arrayed, sang for. her opener "Last Rose ot Summer," following with two oth- ers of like vintage. Her good voice was appreciated, Walter Bradbury in at the finale for a short period of fast stepping. Feature was "The Golden Calf." Fox Intended lights for Jack Mul- hall and Sue Carol, but this house, after a record breaker with "Caught Short," felt that laughs were the order and spotted El Brendel's name out front. Laurel and Hardy com- edy, "The Brat," and Movietone News completed. number, ot the type he sings ex- cellently, and the second a con- nected series of imitations of Eddie Leonard (.without the shuffle), Ed- die Cantor and Al Jolson. Bern- ard's voice was needed to carry the take-offs and Iniprosalon was that with his pipes there is little need for imitations. Besides the unit's 12-glrl line, house added another dozen, that bringing the total of partlclpant.«; to an important number. Specialty acts were Maxlne Hamilton, Arnold Grazer, Lee Wllmot and the Four Kemmys. Hardest punch delivered by the Kemmys, adagio and acro- batic quartet, here before about a year ago. The girl is on for the first half of the turn, when the group resembles many others with the now customary adagio tosses, but when the three boys are by themselves the picture changes to unusual man acrobatics. Nearest thing to a show stop on the bill came through the Kemmys. Maxlne Hamilton, tiny blonde, does a fast kick solo by herself and twice after that leads the chorus. In one of the line numbers the girls were in men's evening clothes In a routine closely resembling that done by an English Tiller line around town a short time ago. Lee Wiley, eccentric dancer, had two chances and made good both times, filling out the short specialty time allotted by presentations nicely. Bige. FOX, B'KLYN ("Black and Gold"—Idea) Brooklyn, May 10. Things are looking up here. May- be a change In management or maybe the shows, although noth- ing currently to steam up extra- ordinary biz. "Temple Tower" (Fox), picture. Is playing day and date with the Colony, New York, latter a Universal house on Broad- way playing second Fox Film in a fortnight. Fanchon & Marco's "Black and Gold" Idea as the stage show, a 35-mInute presentation that sells some extremely flashy mount- ings and wardrobe to good returns In spite of a shortage of first grade talent. It wasn't exactly the show that made the Fox look brighter for the show was about average for the stand. Perhaps the report that for the flrst time in weeks the house, with "High Society Blues," had pulled big attendance. As something to look at "Black and Gold" outdistances the aver- age presentation, Including the F. & M.'s. With the proper sort of lighting, which It didn't get here, the scarcity of wallopy action might have been less of a factor than It was. For one number the chorus of 12 comes out In gold spangled cos- tumes of extraordinarily rich taste for pop theatre. At approximately the same time a gilded statue of a man, all the while standing motion- less at one side comes to life for a da;nce. Against the Job of painting up and standing for about 15 min- utes or more without swaying or noticeably breathing, the dancing this man performs, must be com- paratively eiasy. With the unit, the house orches- tra, which had previously overtured in the rising pit, switched to the stage. Non-conducting, but sing- ing m. c. Is Freddie Bernard, fol- lowing the long run here of Rube Wolfe, who has returned to the Coast. The big plug on the front now goes to the organist, Bob West, Instead of the m. c. West is doing the community singing stunt in high pressure manner, selling the vocal self - entertainment idea powerfully via coaxing slides and by frequently turning around for personal spiels. At one side of the stage for this week's organ number was a trick thermometer, a light- ing arrangement registering the re- sponse. West has something which may grow at the Fox and the house Is giving him plenty of leeway. Bernard, recognizable as half of a one-time singing team, Bernard and Gary, has two spots for spe- cialties of his own. First a straight j CHICAGO (Presentation) Chicago, May 9, . Ordinary stage show, ''Flapper- ettes on Parade," locally prodiiced. Rides along for 36 minutes, but lacks classy talent. With Joe and Jane McKenna, and Ulls and Clark, two mixed teams, booked against each other and do- ing the principal stuff. It remained a wonder the pacing was not In- jured and a second wonder that Ulis and Clark, the follow team, packed a punch with the audience. Opening Is a collegiate Idea with AInsley Lambert's 12 line girls backing up the Cutler sisters, nice kick and tap team, with precision work and radium effect, finishing with a scarf turn. Background is conventional carnival material, run ning to green arid reds, with the band, led by Al Kvale, set on a terrace. Following, Kvale's bunch of 16 put over a pop medley with good humor, a calliope number with ocarinas and the bandsmen Jump- ing up and down as they put In In- dividual chords, circusing the stunt. The McKennas follow and go strong with the way Jane threw Joe around, and after slapstick be tween Joe and Kvale, the return for a natural finish with their comedy knockabout adagio. After the girls of the line have executed ' a 'collegiate dance' with life-size boy dolls, again backing the Cutlers, Ulls and Clark project the girl's dutch dialect and grimaces to the house. They got high returns the first show with substantially their vaude act; but changed about. Finale Is much spangle and sil- ver, a band drill by the line, with drums, and flood lights, and Kvale's men doing a Sousa while the stage brightens up with a huge back drop of prop drummer girls. With "High Society Blues" (Fox) running 100 minutes, and seven minutes of Par and M-G-M clips, the usual Spitalny overture and or- ganlog were out. Weather extreme- ly warm, but a good house at the first noon show, with the downstairs filled and a good balcony. STANLEY (Presentation) Pittsburgh, May 9. With Helen Kane the big nolso on the stage here this week, house has produced its own presentation, Publlx units laying off to make pos- sible re-routing when Stanley moves up to Thursday opening next week. Present show ■ Is only for five days although Miss Kane will work for one day In next unit show. Presentation labeled "Boop-a- Doop" and an entertaining show that naturally reaches its high spot with Miss Kane's appearance. Only one other act, Dezzo Better, and the chorus Is the troupe that for- merly worked at the Enrlght before that house went straight pictures. Line girls open with conventional routine and band follows with "Stein Song," going into the Walter Doyle parody, "To the Steins," sung In YId fashion by Hymle Graver, band trumpeter. After this eight of the boys out front in grass skirts for burlesque spring dance that went over for laughs. Retter next, getting off to slow start with his chatter, but, as al- ways, winding up In solid fashion with his wrestling bit. Dick Powell, m. c, megs a ballad, then Into a song and dance bit In front of choru.H with Madeline Ward for plca.sant effect. While piano Is be- ing moved on, Powell Introduces Miss Kane. "Boop-a-Doop" girl got rousing reception. First num- ber with Powell, and then she goes It alone on song -from her new pic- ture, "Dangerous Nan McGrew," following with song hlta from CAPITOL (Unit "Enchanted Forest") New York, May 9. Regardless of the fact that th4 -show hero Is a long way from bel'nff the be.st the Capitol ever had. Its box oifice potentialities are good. Strength of the draw lies in th« main and almost entirely in the feature, "Divorcee" (Metro), a good program effort adapted with con- siderable liberty from the Ursula Parrot novel, "Ex-Wife." "DI- voreo" is as nearly a good title as "Ex-Wlfo." Picture runs 80 minutes, which seems a good deal. This uncom- monly long footage has tended toward shortening the stage show to 21 minutes, a little less than Loew's figured on trimming the units to allow for playing of some of Metro's own two-reelers. A Chai-ley Chase comedy, pro- duced by Hal, Roach for Metro gobbles up 20 minutes and is one of the best shorts thus far pro- duced by Roach. A short like this, as apparently assumed by Loew's, lends great variety to the shows. Units were to have been cut to around 30 minute, this week belncr exceptional because of the loner feature. Although a pretty production and less vaude-like than units have re- cently become, with Its basis in- volving more dancing than any- thing else, "Enchanted Forest" . is not strong entertainment. Stage band is missing entirely and comedy is conspicuous by- Its absence, the best part of the Ar- naut Brothers act, that containing the laughs, having been given the go-by. Arnauts do the love-bird scene which is quiet comedy, but have apparently been told to cut the material which leads up to this. Arnauts got over nicely but not as they do in vaude houses when audiences are responsive. Unit opens on a beautifully staged and lighted scene represent- ing outdoor atmosphere, with Ches- ter Hale girls in unique poses that suggest swans. An adagio number by Hilda Butsova and Leon LivofC emerges from this novel settlnK Later on Miss Butsova ezeOuiUli a toe number of unusual grace, mastery of technique and a routine that is somewhat different. LivofT, following her, does a Russian type of dance but It's next to nothinir when the flash it Is enveloped In is disregarded. Coloraturas have lately become very scarce around picture houses, but In this unit one gets her chance.. She is Louise Bave, possessor of a* rich, cultured voice that reaches anywhere In'thls house. Over very nicely, proving primaa have not been retired altogether by the changing public taste. Leading to the flnale, the well- trained Chester Hale girls do give flgures that have a touch of volup- tuousness. Unit Is simple in a tasteful way and having no outstanding talent costing big dough is probably one of the most economical produced by Loew's, Arthur Knorr conceived and staged it. Overture by Cap Grand Orches- tra, with Yasha Bunchuk conduct- ing in his accustomed graceful manner is a collection of Roasinl tunes, well blended, Newsreel material Includes clips of both Hearst-Metrotone and Fox- Movietone. Ohar. UNITED ARTISTS (St. Pets.) Los Angeies, May 9. Current bill at this spot on the local Broadway contains two hours of pictures, six minutes ot organ { music and four minutes of screech on a machine called the Theremin. Science ain't so grand if that's mu- sic. Gaylord Carter, house organist, is decent enough to apologize be- fore wiggling his fingers at the tonal rod, but apologies don't help. Four minutes may not amount to anything in a lifetime, but If there's 2,000 people In the house It amounts to five days, 13 hours and 20 min-' utca of wasted human time per show. Crowd at the performance reviewed failed to get excited be- fore, during or after the demonstra- tion. Feature Is Dolores Del Rio In "The Bad One" (U.A.) running 71 minutes. Short stuff is a Sennett golfing comedy, a Chinese talkerlog by Tom Terries, an Aesop cartoon, and Paramount sound news. Four minute trailer for the" next attrac- tion is stuck in the newsreel, as is the Publlx policy. Eight ,e^ps of news altogether, the most' en- tertaining being Will Rogers at the unveiling of the Pioneer Woman statue. Final clip is a plug for florists on Mother's Day, "Sweetie." Clicked all the way and mob reluctant to let her off. Joe Kdden at the piano. Dave Broudy's overture, a Mother's Day thought labeled "Lul- labies," in which the sleep-baby- sleep songs from all over the world are projected and Bemle Armstrong winds up the musical end with organlogue. / Picture, "Man From Blankley's,'* and biz despite sweltering weather virtual capacity. Cohen.