Variety (Jul 1930)

16 FILM REVIEWS Wednesday, July 30, 1930 Talkins Shorts •THE LAUREL and HARDY MURDER MYSTERY" Comedy 30 Mina. Capitol, New York Metro Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy again in a hilarious hokum mys- tery, titled after themselves as "The LAurel and Hardy Munjer Mystery." Has to do. with an adv. for the heirs of Ebenezer Laurel. Hardy asks Stan If he's related. Latter doesn't remember, but Hardy fle- nrea they'll'chisel In. Reading of the will is set in a mystery house. AH the familiar eerie hokum dragged into this, and very effective, especially with these dead-pan bufCoons. Ghosts, trap- doors, leering characters, mysteri- ous butler, 'cops, dicks, lightning, gruesome sound effects, . etc., had the customers in shrieks through- out ' It's an all talker and a very funny 30 minutes. Denouement is that it's all a fantastic dream. Laurel and Hardy as a draw in than' one respect as a vaudevillian 'T hemsfelveH in . ahurts ;—'Htia—ytH- -go n a au nn d-6hortrHe-at-leasi only heighten their vogue. Equally susceptible for their foreign-lan- guage dubbing as with former re- leases, and they'll go for it in any language in cny country^ James Parrott directed. Victor recording system employed. Abel. •'GINSBERG fWoM NEWBERG" With Eddie Lambert Comedy 9 Mins. Strand, NewYork. Vitaphone No. 4160 Using a Vitaphone with an out- door locale is worth a ti>y for any exhib, although this short is by ho means a wow. Producers flgurlhg to make them cheap go after the in- door settingd, and in several in- stances have been known to turn down shortff that liad exteriors for that one reason..' This one, so far as. material goes, is old—very old. It was used in the old slapstick silent days and every- where else, but okay here because it's brief'and doesn't run around In circles too much. The photography is limited to close views and the fadeout is a weak climax. Without Eddie Lambert's Hebe chatter it wouldn't be worth much, but he's enough to carry it along. Lambert and a pal get caught try- ing to sneak a free ride and lunch from bne of those real estaters who runs a wholesale excursion for pros- pective land buyers* "When caught, the two turn to^selling property that dbesn't belong to them. When the director has counted a sufflclent number of dupes he calls a halt and Lambert and his pal save their necks by becoming part of a road sign. "HUMANETTES" With Benny Rubin Novelty Revue 8 Mins. Globe, New York. Radio If for nothing else than it is di- versified entertainment, this one can be used on merit anywhere with reasonable certainty. Short is one of Radio's new offerings and is based on the old Bert Levy crea- tions where the actors' heads are spotted"-ever Punch and Judy doll figures. There are four numbers in revue fashion opening with Benny Rubin in Hebrew dialect starting off the laughs with an announcement of what is to follow and then singing a song later and also dancing -with his Punch and Judy legs. Rubin is a natural and makes the short as good as it is. Oi\e number has a boy singing the "Baby Buggy Blues," and another shows what happens to >a Hebe waiter or might happen to him if he refuses to accept the hos- pitality of a tough westerner and not eat a ham sandwich. The fourth brings out tap dancer. Frank L. Newman directed and Ed Conjager photographed. But in one spot the shadow of the string manipulator pulling the arms and legs of the figure is clearly .shadowed, but doesn't hurt. Record- ing good all the way. "THE POTTERS" "Out for Game" Comedy 13 Mins. Strand, New York Vitaphone Nos. 4099-4100 Good outdoor comedy of the J. P. McEvoy order with Lucien Little- field continuing in a quality man- ner the series of which this is one. Okay anywhere. This time Pa Potter acquires a rifle and decides to become a duck hunter. Ma Potter and family help. They go out to the country where Pa's cocksure attitude and Ma's crabbing knocks everything silly, even Pa's ignorance of game hunt- ing. Finale is Pa paying a fine to game warden for ducks accidentally shot by Ma when she bangs gun inad- vertently on groundNn a rage. The daughter helps Pa'b embarrasament by bringinfir in some extra fowl un- lawfully^ bagged, .photography and LULU McCONNELL "Neighborly Neighbors" 17 Mins. (Comedy) Flialto, New York Paramount One yell from the time Lulu Mc Connell gets before the camera, which is about two minutes after this short opens. The old but ever true idea of neighbors is made more ludicrous by the gabby Lulu who doesn't play cards but drinks up and carts home the "best stuff" from the people next door who wanted to be kind. This is a short that no exhibitor regardless of size should pass up. It's a rare funster; one of the best heard and seen in months. Waly. ART FRANK "Or Man Whoopee" (Comedy) 12 Mins. Rivoli, New York Paramount Art Frank is a novelty in more to the sound-screen a new act, and not just one of the old routines re- hashed or "canned" because it had been long since discarded for stage purposes. It's a good laugh short. Act opens in a typical country store with fireplace, hick a.k. loaf- ers, etc., introducing Frank snap- pily as he's mildly Irate over Sally Parker, his niece, having gone nite club. Going to the city and busting in on the- nite club, with- the usual hokulh business about battling '^ith the poatroom girl, things develQp quite funnily. He is corralled by a couple of dames. After reprmianding bis hoch-cha-cha niece, the a.k. shows he can also make whoopee, luid goes into a buck routine wlilch lasts beyond the departure of the guests, the waiters, the musicians, until the anal fade-out. With the porter cleaning up, Frank is still hot- footing it. The nite club stufC Is complete even unto an m.c, jazz band and a Helen Kane imitator. In between, Frank is wise-cracking brightly and originally. Abel. "A PEEP IN THE DEEP" With Clark and McCullough Comedy 21 Mins. ^■ Globe, New York ' Radio Similar In pattern to the usual Clark and McCullough material. About being shoved into a situoi- tion where one of the pair is mis- taken (or a person of note and sub- sequent tomfoolery arising out of the error. The comeilians are good and while some of rhe material is by no means new the stuff is laugh- able. Comedians' rep will carry th(m In the bigger centers but one or two of the gags may offend the unsophlsticates. Much too long anyway. Fifteen minutes would have been plenty. The comics must have done most of the story and directing. None of Ihe ethers (there are about 20) shows any signs of having any- thing to. do. ■ Idea is that Clark is taken for a ship's captain. He must sail for seme kind of a shipping record and he does, doing the world in 35 days to be congratulated after one pas- senger got hungry enough to eat a life preserver while the others complained of starving. HAVANA ORCHESTRA 8 Mins.; Nite Club Rivoli, New York V Paramount First coming to New Tork In April, imported by R-K-O, Don Azpiazu with his orchestra from the Casino, Havana, is seemingly out for all the quick coin; hence, t^ls short, wherein they pack their rather longish act into eight min- utes. That's why it looks like a quickie. With it also goes quite a bit of production trimmings, such as the attempt to parallel the present-day rhythmic evolutions from primitive Cuban sources. This was not as aptly brought out as It might have been. Nor was the rhythmic charm of the ghourds and other native rhythm instruments mlcrophonical- ly caught by the recorders. The short didn't really plumb the possibilities of this unique aggrega- tion. Abel, LEE MORSE Songs 10 Mins. Rialto, New York Paramount Lee Morse sings two numbers in different settings in this. Camera tricks, well known, used 'in tht changes. One of the regular run of shorts thkt can be slipped in as mier. Miss Morse has a pleasing voice and an attempted Bordoni wayj The HARRY LANGDON "The Fightino P«rM>n" Comedy 20 Minutea Tivoli, New York v, Lightweight two-reeler product that saves Itself only through a slapstick fight at the finish and some gags leading . up to that. Passes for laugh end of programs. Action is In the west, with Harry Langdon and his banjo aboard a stage coach apparently en route for a cafe jqb. Through pantominio'it is Immediately established he's ' a layoff with no dough and an appe- tite. A few mild laughs are worked up through the way the others are eating on the stage coach and Lang- don's useless efforts trying to bust into a sandwich. By wuy of a hold- up he is left with the coach and drives Into the tough western town alone. A log chain that accidentally gets caught on the firont porch of the saloon and Is picked up lii Laiig- don's hands at precisely the same time the coach starts to move away, tearing down tlid whole porch, star*- ties the onlookers Into flguring here's a superhuman strong man. That porch catastrophe is tlie best laugh. don-tfttempts-a-isongr-banjo- accompanying, and a dance topping, but fails to click. Singing., of ''Frankie and Johnnie" sounds .as double used. Thelma Todd and Nancy Dover support. Neither means : anything in this case. Langdon's voice reg- . isters satisfactorily but the come- dian wisely sticks as much to panto- mime as permits. Char. "CAMPUS CRUSHES" Mack Sennett Comedy 20 Mins. Stanley, New York Educational Possessing a good cast headed by Nick Stuart, MarjoiTe Beebe and Andy Clyde, '.'Campus Crushes" shapes oip as a pleasing sort of its kind,' containing' many chuckling moments. Nick Stuart was an ideal choice for the part of the "fast" collegiate with Marjorle Beebe, who. is the leading vf emme for most of Mack Sennett's releases, shaping up well beside ^im. Big comedy punches are handled by Andy Clyde, who plays the irate father. Clyde is right) at home in these characterizations and were delivered well, especially in the se- quence, where he is left standing for hours in an ice box. Story is one of those youthful frolic aifairs, about thQ collegiate hoy and gal going strong (or each other right off the bat. Husky boy friend of the girl proves to be Just a mama's boy. In one part the Husky b. f. ropes in a-femme im- personator to scare Stuart out of town. Latter scene brought the most laughs. A good bet. "BIG HEARTED" With Harry Gribbon Comedy 16 Mins. Leew'fl New York, New York. Pathe One of Pathe's "Whoopee Com- edies" series. Although not much in effective low comedy, succeeds in holding interest. Gribbon is turn- ing out these shorts in fast order for Pathe. Here he is a natural (or the part. A loving, cooing couple are happy because the next door neighbors moved out. New neighbors move in and immediately Impose on them, using their phon6, borrowing their money, etc. Finally they break in the wttll to make access easy. Neighbor has a house warming and brings his friends into the next door flat, wrecking the place, with the cops pulling in the. innocent couple. When the rowdy neighbor again makes his entrance the cooing husband breaks a club over his head. Gribbon is the Imposing neighbor and his physical build and aggres- sive manner prompted the fun. "HELLO SUNSHINE-" With "Hollywood Kiddies" Revue. 18 Mintf. Loew's New York. Capital Ethel Meglin's school for thea- trically ambitious kids is receiving publicity from these shorts via Mayfair Productions. This is the second showing her kids at work. Though entertaining, it is too long. Should have had about five minutes clipped toward the finish. Usual kidlet revue. Shorts of this nature ~usually liked. nairaress woOld iwiprovfl her per- sonality 100% if it made the bang lens conspicuous. WaJy, "SOME BABIES" Comedy 10 Mins. Cameo, New York Pathe Slapstick slapped together and sloppy moth-eaten dialog tend to make this a fairly stupid below-par short The revival of a baby show with the midget, Bobby Carney, dolnjg a youngste r for the pri a e-money-i^tas- Miniatinre Reviews "Sins of Children" (Metro). Ought to please generally. "Sap From Syracuse" (Par), Adaptation of stage flop made into moderately strong money maker ^nd a better creation on the screen than on the stage. Asset is Jack Oakie. "Raffles" (UA).' E^tcellent Ronald Colmah crook romance. "Golden ■ Dawn" (Warners). All color with songs, too many songs with none outstanding. If operettas are through, that!^ the alibi for this one. Plenty of names however, and mostly from legit, with Noah Beery in blackface. "Manslaughter" (Par). Good melodrama. "Shooting StrHight" (Radio) Good underworld of conven- tional type but with Richard Dlx as a gangster, neW to him. Plenty of action and nicely di- rected to stimulate continued interest For Dix fans, okay; for ' underworld—foHowers— eXt- rlght "Good Intentions" (Fox). Upper-underworld . romance with polish, punch, plenty ac- tion! suspense and a fine per- formance by £<dmund Lowe. Out of the general programer class and certain to be reward- ed with grosses as such. A week's guest anywhere. "Dumb-bells in Ermine" (WB). Good for neighbor- hoods. ■ "Law of the Siberian Taiga" (Russian). Threadbare story and a lot of footage wasted. Okay as filler when the regu- lar can of film is delayed. "Young Desire" (U). Pro- gramer suited . to neighbor- hoods. Adapted from^ "Car- nival," produced on Broadway last year and of the carnival lot Holds interest although finish has unhappy ending. "Miracle of the Wolves." (Foreign made). Silent. His- torical picture of an incident in French history. Little com- mercial value for the Amer- can b. o. except the sure-seater arty. a few laughs. Otherwise, nil. "FISH, FOWL and FUN" Rice Sportlight Outdoor Novelty 10 Mins. Paramount, New York Pathe There is interest for most any audiences in this Grantland Rice Sportlight of three huntsmen in ac- tion. Outdoors all the way and with dialog by each player. The campers shoot quail with their sleek pointers, catch a pair of gobblers with a prop gobbler call and snatch some hefty bass out of a clear, cool stream. Outside the hooking of flsh, none of the game Is actually shown shot down, but shown before when living and later when bagged. Toward the close the day's catch is strung out on the pole, the camp cook asking the hunters which they'd prefer for dinner— quail, flsh or turkey. No way to resist a hungry feeling at the end of this one, and that's a lot more feeling than many story and studio shorts provoke. Bige. "SOMEWHERE OUT" Sportlight 8 Mins. Strand, New York Pathe Far and away below the usual standard of the Grantlandt Rice Sportlight series. Photography Is bad and recording of a fellow re- citing a poem not much better. The fact that he also interferes with the more commendable enjoyment of a fisherman singing from a boat on the waters tells plenty what's wrong with this. Only for neighbs. There's no showmanship in re- peating sport shots that have been seen in preceding sportllghts and adding a poem to make it seem dif- ferent. Usual baseball and football shots are shown and the usual placid waters with nothing to back the subject up except a final sing- ing sequence where a quintet of men yodel. Title means nothing and the poem gets no credit from the manner in which it is presented. Pathe Restarts Shorts Hollywood, July 29. Pathe is resuming shorts produc- tion after a three weeks' layoff, and will turn them out at the rate of one a week. The scheduled plan of eight mu- sical shorts has been abandoned, due to public's tenld reaction to- wards music. After making three, no more are planned this year. , Sins of the Children (All Dialog) Metro release of Cofimopolltan produc. yo^i.. .I^'wcted by Sam' Wood from storr by' Slliott Nugent On caet also) end J c Nugent; adaptetlon by Samuel Omltz- dialog, flllott Nugent and Claiu Upnan- camera, Honry Sharp; nim editor. Franlc SuUtvan. Runs 86 minutes at Capitol, New York week July 2S ' Adolf ...l^uls Uann Nick Hlgglnspn ........Robert Montgomery Johnnie ...J. ElUott Nugent Alma L«lla Hj^ms Martha Wagenkampt Clara Blandlck Laura , Maiy Doran Ludwlg PrancjB X. Bushman, Jr. JS« ^'K5'"?o° Robert McWadi Tea Baldwin Dell Henderson Bide Taylor Jj4me« Do?tan Muriel Stokes .jSne Wo5S Dr. Helnrlcb Schmidt LerKohJiSSJ Where Louis Mann as a legit name'is Itnown, as in New Tork, he fully merits the marquee starring' billing as happens at the Capitol for his thoroughly professional per- formance sustains a rather "heavy" and not altogether hew theme in great style. Where the legit Mann is more or' less an' unknown quantity in the sticks hid individual perform- ifnc'e will soon establish him and rate him in short order. on the screen as the American Emll Jan- nings. As a picture this will click 'generally. —-— "Sins of the Children" is one ot those Janningsesque things and re- mindful of Jannlngs' "Way of AH Flesh" in spots. .As the sacrificing and loveable German father whose children are his car^ and worry from cradle to maturity, Mann motivates the ac- tion through all human emotions, relieving Its tragic tenseness with telling shafts of typical Louis Man- nish facial humor. The picture may not, start ofC auspiciously, but that title for one thing is a nifty for the gate; cer- tainly a vast improvement over the original working title. "Father's I>ay," or its more' recent name. "Richest Man in the World." ■ With all its domestic and paternaN centrality of purpose, there are de- mentis of romance, a dash of sex a;nd human-interest ingredients to make this one appeal. It is almost a human document, of oiu^elves. The average patron will perceive ia this some more or less personal parallel in his or her own parental relations, and from this the family ti-ade will boom. Mann is. Adolf Wagenkampf, oh the threshold of.. economies-oppor- tunity with A bitildiQiB. and to«||^;)|ti- vestment pr,o;).osl|^M^ but at ihd meit moment' turnet^Qigpiihl to )inder«^te a two years''-<!d'nT&IesceniBe. in a dry climate for his boy,-Ludwli?.''^ His- partner-to-T be. Robert,, Mo Wade, later becomes his principal creditor and derides Mann as a financial failure. « Mann in, this scene sustains a somewhat miaudlih situation by spiritedly telling the banker that He is the richest man in the world, rich In his children and their mu- tual love and'affection. Sam Wood's canny padilft. the smart acting and no little credit to f'rank Sullivan for his film editing, have combined favorably for the box office. Amidst an avalanche^ of crook mellers, attempts at sophisticated drawing room plays, almost literally transcribed from the stage, "Sins of the Children" at least is something that is natively filmatic—if one may term it that—in theme. It's native celluloid timbre, remindful of the old pre-talker school when pictures ' were pictures for the two-bit trade and not aimed at $1.50 logo pat- ronage. TVIann will probably be long- termed by Metro on the strength of this. He won't be the easiest to write for. Like Jannlngs in the " silents, he may be even a greater problem but Mann will be worth it and will carry himself furthest with this than perhaps all his years In legit. He's an actor. The balance of the cast is well proporttloned with perhaps Henry ' Armetta as Tony outstanding in character. Not mentioned above are the child players, - Philippe de Lacey, Gordon Thorpe, Betsey Ann Hlsle, Evelyn Mills and Edwin Mills. * Abel. SAP FROM SYRACUSE Paramount production and release. Di- rected by A. Edward Sutherland. Jock Oakle starred, Story adapted from the play of same natane by John Ray, Jack ODonnell and John Hoyden. Screen ver- sion by Gertrude Purcell. Cameraman, Larry Williams. Interpolated song credited to Edgar W. Harburg, John Qreen and Vernon Duke. Running time 70 minutes. At Paramount, New York, week July 29. Littleton Lboney Jack Oakie Ellen Saunders OInger Rogers Hycross Granville Bates Senator Powell George Barbler Nick Pangolos Sidney Rlge* Flo Goodrich Betty Starbuck Dolly Clark Veree Tteasdalo Captain Barker J. Malcom Dunn Bells Bernard Jukes' Henderson Walter Fenner" Hopkins Jack Daley Play was a definite flop on Broad- way at $3, but the screen version looks like a good bet at the box of- fice, principally on the strength of Its vigorous comedy, a style of com- edy that is bound to go better with the film audiences than with the legit customers, and its lead. Jack Oakie. —Tfarotlg hout, th e-eomedy-ls-the-flral- consideration. Looney, the Innocent conspirator in a case of mistttken