Variety (Jun 1930)

Wednesday, Jiihe 25, 1930 FILM REVIEWS VARIETY 109 TaDdne Shorts «HIS BIRTHDAY SUIT" Comedy . 22 Mins. Stanley, New York P«tha Here's a skit with vaude accdutre- "HOW'S MY BABY?" Comedy 19 Mine. Loew'a New York, N. Y. Educational Here's another of the Jack White tnents that makes even a mu'gg smile productions for Educational release at slapstick because It's done with that owes Its banality and weakness an understanding of the theatre in equally to third-rate material, a all but one phase and that's where rweak cast and poor direction, the director, Philip Tarrnura, Doesn't begin to compare with some muffed. It was at the finish, too. other Educatlonals or the two-reel He shows an audience laughing comedy product, slapstick or other- hllarlously while their clothing* and wise,, of other companies, themselves'are drenc^hed In a the-I White needs a material writer atre. Recording and photography | okay. « ^ ^ , This one is a Gordon Bostock pro- duction aiid Is carft with a couple of kids that look good. BlUy M. Greene, SteVe Mills, Cliff Bragdon and Dr. Carl Herman are principals. Story by Harry Sardllng. About a kid with a new suit on his tirajr to show It oft to grand- mother. Meets his pal and the di- rection shifts to the theatre and a magician. Magician- walking by helps plot Kids get In - free on promise to help him iwith act Rest of scene is In playhouse. Peculiar mixup of character types on stage, and Billy M. Greene plays a stooge which gives a natural for. his fancy falls—and those kind of falls were never before seen in pic- tui-eis. They're great • Anyway the kid gets all mussed and his suit is spoiled, in helping the magician create cakes and take a girl out of a water cabinet LLOYD HAMILTON «Honk Your Horn*' 12 Mint. (Comedy) Globe, New York Edueationaf / Not good. By comparison with Lloyd Ham^ llton efforts in the silent days it's, surprising. Missing, completely are the touches that -once had Hamil- ton just on the threshold of real importance as a screen comedian. Singularly dull In conception, rou- tine and careless In the making, only occasionally funny, "Honk Your Horn" represents, the most perfunctory standards ' in comedy shorts, before or after dialog. Plot concerns the efforts of Ham- ilton to drum up trade for a bank- rupt garage by puncturing tires, breaking windshields, etc., in the neighborhood of the garage. That's comedy routine No. 27. Land. badly or a director who can conjure up a couple of punch laughs when scripts do hot provide them. Ste- phen Roberts, director of this one, apparently went right through the scrlpf as it stood. T. Roy Barnes, formerly in fea- tures; Monty . Collins, a comedian who tries hard but seems to be bad- ly restricted through the material^ and Addle McPhall, who's worth a second glance, figure in the cast While all do poorly in this I effort it may be due to roles, situations and other things. Barnes and his nutty pal, Collins; in early shots are callers on a young lady who, unknown to them, owns a nursery. On learning the gal has plenty of nice "blond babies" in her "school," the two arrange to buy her out so ihey can be teacher, discov- ering the bitter truth latev. Then,, looking for laughs, they try to keep the' kids from crylngr, bathe them and frpm some of those able to talk get a couple wisecracks, ^he chil-. dren speak sa Indistinctly that what they say, if comic. Is lost. Miss Mc- Phall, disguising herself as. from the Child Welfare. Iieague, finally tears off the mask, has her little laugh, and then adcepts Barnes' proposal. That leaves Collins, nuttiest of all, still but in thg,c9ld. A little colored girl comes along, hops onto his lap and for the fade says "I'll be your sweetheart." Char. Hiniatare Renews ''KANDY KABARET" Dancina—Singing 17 Mina. Rialto, New York. Paramount «4 One of those, presentation-idea types of shorts which Paramount was considering for its Publlx units. While fine on the stage, with the proper coloring and lighting, this screen talker in black ^d white is very mediocre. Toung students of the Merrlal School of Dancing, under the super- vision of liouls McDermott do their paces to the snap of an alecky kid m. c. Scenic designs, those of a candy ehop and of the built-up kind fa vored In recent feature revues, too crowded. Theme is also missing, and reaction is a lot ado about noth Ing In particular. WaIv. EDDIE CANTOR "Insurance" 9 Mine. .(Comedy) Rialto, New York Paramount No vaude house hasn't been hear ing for the past three or four years the ones from the coffee and cakers that Eddie pulls in this. Listening to a Rlvoli audience laugh' every other minute, however, would belie any suggestion of tbla being a flop po, even though'an antique themat ically. Apparently Eddie can get as stale as he likes and still they like him. The insurance- doctor does with Eddie all of those things that are so well known, even so well established that folks were giving the answers before Eddie, and then shaking heartily when he substantiated them. Wat]/, •VOICE OF HOLLYWOOD" With Norman Kerry Radio Revue lO'Mins. , Stanley, New York Tiffany Norman Kerry this time is the guest announcer. He spots hls-volce and tone on the even register with out diving into dramatic impersona tlon of a radio announcer, which actors before him have dpne. Then in order but with some Isort of rea son attached he shoves, il^die Quil Ian, Sally Blane, Patsy' l^uth .Miller, "CHILLS AND FEVER" Comedy, Dancing 20 Mina. Cameo, New York Patha Slow and unexciting comedy ma terlal that attempts to extract laughs through placing a stranded autolhg couplei In a deserted hunting lodge that Is suddenly picked out by t high school group to refh'earse cos tume numbers. Too weak to rate consideration for best houses. On noVelty angle, will get by with less dlscriipinatlng audiences than found in keys and better first run. Al Shean, Mary Clark and Evelyn Knapp are featured. The girl, re hea.rslng with school friends at home, decides on the hunting lodge after mother haja been wired an uncle and frau are coming. It seems the uncle hates music, dancing, etc. The unexpected couple get stuck In the rain and take refuge in the hunting lodge, : with everything pointing to it being haunted through the students wearing weird cos- tumes. Illogical, of course, but not Ben .Bard, Pay Marbei and Joe "E _ Brown before the canleite and the making up for that through laughs, mike. All do okay with Brown tak- Dance routines worked into short ing a natural on imitating a kid tell- | incidental to plot structure but o. k, ing a bedtime story. This short all | right with good recording and| photography. Each tells some gag or other while Patsy Miller skips rope In a reducing exercise. Ben Bard's Job Is to do the announcing while Kerry spins rope for Pat Story and dlrtetlon by Arch B. Heath. Both mediocre. Recording fair and photoeraphy same. Char. *HOT FOR HOLLYWOOD" Oswald Cartoon 7 Mina. Loew's New York Universal "THE STAGE DOOR PEST" With Boyce Coomba Comedy, Singing 11 Mina. Cameo, New York Columbia Third rate. Not only la this one slight of ideas but very poorly made Oft moment. for the cartoon as well, with Coombs' special num bers, one with sneezing Interrupting purposely, saving it from sinking "With Byrd at the South Pole" (Par). Far more than authentic film document of great expedition. Paramount has so photographed,' edited and titled this work that technically and thematlcally on par, as well, with the best of Hollywood-made pictures. "Caught Short" (M-G-M). Marie Dressier and Polly Moran at their best and a box- ofnce smash. Boisterous com- edy with sympathetic lights. For all classes anywhere. "She's My Weakneaa" .(R^io). Only so-so. Not for audiences that like a little maturity in their hero and heroine, but okay where high school puppy love is fancied. "Movietone Folliea" (Fox) Rather dull revue. "Dangerous Nan McGrew" (Par), featuring Helen Kane, satisfying comedy release, with Victor Moore prominent in comedy support Chiefly bur- lesque hoke stuff, but gener- ally oke for lafl returns. "Women Everywhere" (Fox) —Jewel among program pic- tures that ^111 draw for any big first run. face remarks by Admiral Byrd, dur- ing which he briefly sketches the trip, after expressing his apprecia- tion to the crew and the happiness of all to be home. Waly. CAUGHT SHORT (All Dialog—Songs) Cosmopolitan froauctton. for M-G-U re-- lease. Marie Dressier and Polly Moran co- starred. Directed by Charles F. Rlesner. Story suggested by Bddle Cantor's g^g book, also called "Caught Short." WlUard Mack and Jos. H. Johnson contributed sce- nario and dialog- ■ Other credits .are: Photography by Leon- ard Smith; film editor, George Hively. Song credits Include "Going "Spanish," by Dave Snell and Raf Egan, and "Somebody" (ballad), by. Roy Turk and Fred Ahlert. Running time, 7^1 minutes. At Capitol, New Tork, week June i20. Marie Jones Marie Dressier Polly Smith Polly Moran Genevieve Jones Anita Page William Smith Charles Morton Frankle Thomas Conlln Johnny Douglas Halg PrlsclUa Nancl Price Sophy Greta Mann Mr. Frisby Herbert Prior Mr. KIdd ....T.. Roy Barnes Mr. Thutt Edward DlUon Miss Ambrose Alice Moe Manicurist Gwen lioe Peddler Lice Kohlmar Fanny Lee Greta Grandstedt WITH BYRD . At the South Pole (Part Dialog) Official photographic record of the Ad- miral Byrd espedltlon, edited, titled and photographed by Paramount,- wnlch releases iSr - - —^— ... edited bjr Bmannel. Cohen. Titles br Julian Johnson. Manny Baer, musical scores and sound eftectr. Wlllard Van Dervere and Joseph Rucker, cameramen. At Rialto, New Torkt beginning .June 19, on grlnfl. Running time. Si minutes. species. This one Is hardly up to what theatre customers expect from a cartoon type which has been Just I lower about a supporting novelty for the Coombs walks Into a dressing short subject field. Here it looks room, defposlts some flowers and, like somebody ran out on biz. As playing a nut, hands the star's agent is onl:- good for nelghb grind. And 1 $1,600 to go on the stage. That per for a cartoon that's plenty said. Synchronization Is okay but action Is next to nil. That's the fault Oswald brings pass from Will Hays to Hollywood for screen test mlts htm to try himself out In song. Irate mother comes In, delivers her ultlmatuni against the stage, threatening to cut the son off from the purse strings, and the "nut" He passes Chanle Chaplin on way pays another $1,600 to get off the and gets 8qu<>lched. Hits the "Pu- stage. trld Pictures Corp.," where the bl^| pest laugh is the dog character do- ing a Benny Rubin laugh. Oswald I Kuates piano tunes and flops on the test. That's the structure and substance of this one. If Columbia and Coombs expected they had something, they guessed entirely wrong. Char. Cutting 30 miles of film down to less than two. Paramount has con- structed of the plcturization of Byrd's expedition a theme that for continuity and perfection of tech- nical detail is in a class With the best Hollywood-made productldns.. It is unUke, as a whole, any previous pictorial story of a visit to Antarctica. "With Byrd at the South Pole", is one of-those pictures which, com- meirclally, may never stop making money and, historically. It Is film- dom'B most enlightening and Im portant contribution to government archives. The assurance of perfect calcula- tion afforded by modem science. In which the radio plays aa imiwrtant a part as the plane which made pos- sible the encircling of the Pole, after the 16,000-mile . jaunt from New Tork, is one of the picture'a most notable features. The visitation exudes such a con- fidence and steadfastness of puri>ose that dangers, which have proven startling and spectacular in several other less fortunate expeditions, are seemingly minimized. Kven in- the flight over the Pole, hopped up by Floyd Gibbons' accel- erated conversation wnlch begins and ends over a period of eight mln utes of running time, the downward camera shows only a field of un- changing, streaky white smoothness, In fact, at no time during the pro jectlon of this film chronicle, does the tremendous peril and risk en- countered really smite an audience, Only bonaflde drama and authentic- ity prevaU. Knowing this the audi- ence can feel with the airplane crew, although they never forget to smile> the same as they can with the boys back in the snowbound shacks of Lilttle America awaiting radio messages. Unlike other expedition releases, the Byrd picture allows little foot- age to be wasted in familiar parts. Only a few m'bments are devoted to a rough sea, and the "City of New Tork" is at the Ross Barrier hardly before It seems the voyage has com menced. While never deviating from the purpose by dwelling on irrelevant matter or minor detail, comedy touches afforded by penguins, whales, seals, huskies and the ex- plorers themselves are neatly knit ted into the cutting. These all af- ford a compact variety of actions, never before so well blended in a picture .of this kind. The photography Is a work of art. Under such trying conditions in- terior shots of the men In their cabins and aboard ship are as fault lessly lighted as though they were expertly Illuminated by studio's sun spots. Blinding snow during and after blizzards; building of a snow hut over the Byrd plane; sounding the Barrier during the long winter dark ness with flares for Illumination second airplane on a scouting tour being temporarily torn from Its mooring and crippled by storm— these are a few of the thrill high lights in addition to the big flight Bathing In a dish pan; reminiscing about home; conversing with the pelicans and a study of dogs, are among many human interest points. The picture is brought up to the present by about 10 minutes In pre Here is comedy for the mob—and not x>nly for the mob—and a gold mine. ^ All that has been reported of the picture in advance falls short of the reality. It is the apex of the career* of this pair of sublimated funmak- ers. At the Capitol the evening of the opening day. typical humid June night, capacity- ruled—a tribute to the team and an indication that a foreword of what was in store had circulated among the fans. Observation above that the picture is not only for the mob comes.from the production's usual quality., It has hbke, It has comedy that some times becomes horseplay, but'it also has consummate playing that give it the touch of sympathetic' humor which is as distinct from comedy as a clown is distinct from an eloquent pantomimist. Here are a couple' of characters In. relations and Incidents that are often bblsierous, but some how never vulgar and always vivid- ly hitman. The Broadway picture house^and that goes down the line—has not echoed in months to such solid laughter, spontaneous and vibrant, that no follower of the theatre trade can mistake. Polly Smith and Marie Jones run boarding houses on the same street and are afflicted with small envies and Jealousies, but at the bottom great pals. They fight and wrangle and do each other favors for most of a lifetime, punotuating kindness wJth conflict Polly gets info the.isto'ck market and makes money, %hlle Morle la the cautious player. "Them Wall street shat-ks won't get her.' Mean while Marie's daughter and Polly's son, back ffom ■ college—^nothing drab about these boarding house landladies, they do pretty well by hard work and economies that would be mean if they weren't so human—^fall in love. In one of their.fights the two old girls unintentionally break up the youngster's romance. Out of re venge Marie, smarting under Polly's patronizing, manners, plunges in the market herself and is able to stage a grand splurge- at a fashionable resort out of the winnings. Here the two old girls come to gether and their efforts each to out rltz the other is a carnival of high comedy blended with robust fun making of the true "vaudieVille' quality Into a riotous mixture. In the.end the young people are brought together, and for the finish Marie and Polly have Joined hands in the firm of "Jones & Smith, Rooms and Board." Finish Is a bit that's a pip for surprise. Marie and Polly are at work In their boarding house kitch en. There comes a summons from another room. Polly puts down her cooking and exits with a nursing bottle, on the line, "Grandma's com ing," while Marie goes on with her kitchen work. Presently Polly calls in "It wasn't the bottle, and Marie, with business of folding the infant lingerie, exits with "Orandmrs coming," for the fadeout A picture with fine humor, vigor ous fun, not a sloppy sentimental gesture or a hoke appeal, but one that is warm and human and often almorst tender if you are alert enough to catch the shadings. Credit for everybody In the work, but vol uptuously so for Marie and Polly. Two songs are neatly Interwoven Once Marie, at a party in her daughter's honor, consents to sing an absurd lyric, "I'm going Spanish Now." and a little ballad sung byi Charles Morton, Polly's son.at the same party. The song is mediocre, but the side business of Polly and Marie sitting side by side In the boarding house parlor and beaming with motherly pride touched with hostility makes the little ballad as good as an aria. Picture is alive with. great bits. There's the small-town sport with a habit of carrying around pocke,t K.trlcks, who is displaced in the girl's affections by Polly's son. There's a rowdy gag of the old gentleman boarder, who crashes in his bath- robe Into the party to demand from Marie the key to the bathroom. "And I'll give you the quarter .in the morning." RusTu SHE'S MY WEAKNESS (All Dialog) Radio Pictures production and ralejuM. Featuring Sue Carol, Arthur I.ak«, Wil- liam Collier. Sr.. and liUClep. LlttlefleW. Directed by Melville Brown, from J. Woltwr Ruben's adaptation iSt the' plajr, "Tomiar, * by Howard Lindsay and Bertram Roblnaoru Cameraman, Leo Tover. Supervised by Henry Hobart. Others In cast: Alan Bunce^ Walter Gilbert and Emily Fltzroy. At Globe, N^ Tork, week June 20. Running tlrtie, 70 minutes. Fair entertainment involving tha love problems of a couple of quite childish adolescents, impersonated by Sue Carol and Arthur Lake. These leads are cast and played from five to eight years younger than written originally in the play, 'Tommy," a moderate stage hit on Broadway three seasons ago. - Needless to report those five to eight years make all the difference between bibing reasonably adult and . fust a couple 'of sappy kids that haven't discovered Freud. That the human fiavor and plausibility oC the play are sacrificed to give em- ployment to a couple of contract actors may be Just another typically Hollywood fumble. There is. however, some diversion tucked away in the footage. Eilough laughs and sufficient regard for pace and action to avoid yawns. Naturally the Broadway showing In the Globe. Radio-controlled, has no significance. Nobody particularly rates special mention. Land. HUNGARIAN NIC^TS (Silent) (GERMAN MADE) Aafa Films (Berlin) production, with ne release, here, credited. Directed by Victor JansOn. . Story by Guldo Kreutser and-sce- nario by. Ftans Raaeta. At th« SStta . St. week .Jane 7. ' Running time. 8S minatea. Kalman -BartiA.,........WUhelm Dlegelmaa llonai his daughter.;....D^ia)r D'Ora Capt. Sartok, hek>heir.........Hahs'StuBw« tileut. Bezerldl. :. .Harrr Haidt Col, Rekocsl,. AlexiuiderMurskt Coraly. his wife..- Ltl Dagover Zoltan. servant. ;..Vett Harliim No reason for A .thing like this, here or abroad. It's a prize -winner for wasting raw stock. Poor in everjr department, except the camera work. — Subtitles are In English and O^r* man, but better had been in the for- eign language aloi^e, since the tran«- lation' credits ah Insipid, cast With using the same kind of Conversation. Ninety per cent of the action la tranled On mob scenes In dance halla and bunches drinking.. Alwaye tho number, la bo great that ybat therd is supposed to be of the stpry thread is allowed to show only periodically. It is the longest roundabout 'war to the aomestlc triangle that the captain's affair with the colpnei'ii wife is llttle^uore than of bit Impor- tance. Wafy. MOVIETONE FOLLIES OP 1030 (Sengs—Diafog) _Fox production and release, IMrected by Benjamin Stoloffi with story and dialog br William K.-Wells. Titles of songs: "iVeel That -Certain Feeling Coming On," "I'tf Like to Be a Talkie Picture Queen/' "I Am Bashful When It Comes to Love. Derby Day," "Cheer Up and Smile Every Day." At Roxy. New Tork, week June 20. Run- ning time. TO minutes. Alex Svensofi - Bl Brendel Vera Fontaine Harjorle WKIte 3eorge RandaH.... Frank Richardson 31orla De Witt Noel Francia ponrad Sterling WllUam Collier, Jr. Mary Mason Miriam Seegar Marvin KIngsley Huntly Gordon Lea Hubert Paul NIcholMh Ifald Tola D'AvrU Hybrid rich boy—^vlrtuou^ choirua girl meller and a hedge podge oC musicals revue stuff. It Is the strangest combination ever seen on^ the screen; a combination that isn't but seems to be the aftermath of some great Juggling room. What- ever it is. It is a poor picture that evidences no excuse for its budget except for a few clowning sequences. Chiefly high school appeal. Other- wise the hope for this Is in EI Bren- del's name out front Starting off and continuing for half the footage along stralght-laced third rate indie lines. "The New Movietone Follies of 1930" suddenly remembers its title and Conrad Sterling decides to make his actress friend. Mary Mason, keep that date by hiring her company to give a Sunday show on his estate. In these roles William Collier, Jr., and Miriam Seegar are as listless aa the story and direction are flat and bromldlc. Before the happy ending the usual choral and hoofing num- bers. None of the glrllea is of the smart and brisk type, resplendent In several other picture revues. Theme songs are worked in on a one-two basis. Nearly every one la the cast bad something to solo. Not one lingers, except the suggestive- ness of the Ijrrics in two. Bl Brendel, as Svenson, Swedish (Continued on page 115) TURN TO PACEiR