Judge — November 13, 1926 — page 22: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

JUDGE HERE is always something about I the Hollywood touch — that renders the attempt to repro- duce “smartness” of atmosphere in the movies a little ridiculous. Some- times it is merely a hint of awe in the approach, as reflected in the sub- titles and in the choice and behavior of some of the minor personnel of the cast. This is the case with ‘The Ace of Cads,” starring Adolphe Men- jou. LT can’t quote the subtitles. but they introduce you to a dratna of London life involving a few officers of the Guards and their ladies with the implication that you are now in very top-lofty company indeed. Menjou and Norman ‘Trevor and Alice Joyce, who have the principal roles, take it down the list of players you will calmly enough, but as you pro notice an increasing tendency to act like ushers at a “function.” The plot of the picture is too lack- ing in plausibility to merit criticism, but Adolphe Menjou does his finished job in it regardless. The suavity and deftness of his performance make it a joy to watch, A rranes Thy it was the British who 4 & won the war, thanks to Old Bill But you won't begrudge him or them the credit when you see “The Better ZZe Dwoor i a > ud a x *—Colleen Cinderella Moore “Good and Naughty — Pola as comedienne De Mille melodrama The Amateur Gentleman” Lillinn Gish at her best Horry Langdon ditte. Melodramatic tragedt T lost ne hat! Now theyll catch me and PU hang.” Ole"; you'll he too busy trying. to moderate your vulgar guffaws. May he it was a touch of St. Vitus’ dance or second childhood, but never at at movie have T laughed with such perilous abandon as during the scene in which Old Bill and Bert, imper sonating the fore and hind parts of a horse respectively ige their touch nefit- of their bud tlely old-fashioned slapstick. Nevertheless, when that horse of the dual personality backed up too close to the blacksmith’s f just as the flame responded to. the hellows. T lost all control. Tf you should be suffering from a weak heart amit vay oat this point ing act for the | dies. [U's despe or cold sores or boils on the nec would turn Safety first! Syd Chaplin gives a splendid per formance as Old Bill. ‘The only fault Lean findawith it isa slightly too “knowing” air, somewhat like Ches ter Conklin’s, as if Old Bill half sus. pected his own cleverness. I'm not sufficiently familiar with other im personations of Old Bill, or with the type, to say that this is not in charac- ter. But for me it has a tendency to blunt the fine edge of farce. Harold Goodwin, as the more inne- cent Bert. seemed to me a little nearer (Continued on page 31) comicbooks.com