Judge — January 5, 1929 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

JUD GE ven readers of that erudite mystery author, S. BE Van Dine, must put up with an amateur dete tive who drops his g’s all over the place and who remains calm and informed under the most trying conditions. It seems to be an unwritten law that no normal character shall appear in any form of mys- tery story. Butlers, who under any other circumstances would go about their business with little or no comment, inserted in a mystery play become shifty-eyed, don rubber heels, and sneak up behind guests: whispering strange epigrams and biting them on the cars, Normal people under abnormal circumstances heighten the effect of the supernatural but, with the exception of Tod Browning, the Hollywood who understands or ¢ ce is no director in ares enough about the difficulty of creating an ecrie atmosphere on the sercen to work carefully While it was not intended to be anything but a comedy, “The Haunted House” might just as well have been a tragedy because there was no way for the audience to determine what it It had one scene in which the piano in the gurret, supposed to be. a masked man played which is a duplicate of a situation in “The Terror,” an earlier and funnier mystery movie, and it had dozens of rapping hands and clanking chains, but after the first five minutes these devices became monotonous as merry-makers. The story followed the familiar paths of the for- tune left in a lonely house by a crabbed Uncle, and the efforts of his family to locate it. There were many ends scattered about the weird corridors that were never collected, the author, Owen Davis, presuming no doubt that as it all turned out happily a missing character wouldn't be noticed. Neither very funny nor mysterious, “The Haunted House” is nothing to look forward to seeing. loose WAS ve I Mark” James Cru disappointed to discover that “The Red was an’ exceedingly dull picture, because directed it and I traveled across town with every idea of spending a contented hour or two at it. time on his own with the Some Cruze tried producing movies 1, I presume, of freeing him- id self from the box-office demands of the producers. If “The Red M rk” is any insignia of the type of thing Mr. Cruze would do unfettered, then put him I. It isn’t crudely done by any means, but it is so long and dull you, early in the evening, wish dire futures for the angelic heroine and her unfortunate lover. The story and setting are unusual: love on a French } isiand, and the grim life of the inhabitants reminds you of Les Misérabl A MAJORITY theatres held over last wee , so there is very little to report on The only other picture IT saw was “The Cireus Kid which has many situations from all the previous circus pictures. “It is another one of those hook movies of sawdust life, and not a v story, at that. of the story- y good Explanation—In the December 8th issue of Jenar this reviewer found occasion to criticise an act of the movietone news that was related to the recent disaster to the steamship Vestris. We attributed this produc- tion to Fox interests and referred to “The Fox movietone news” and “the Fox Company.” We are dvised that the act was not a production by the Fox interests. We are glad to make announcement of this fact and to express regret that we associated the name of Fox with the act which we criticised. The Movie Guide (Two pertormances daily shows. Consult Gaily papers for theatre changes.) “Alias Jimmy Valentine” (Astor) — , but William Haines mai Very li “The Singing Feo!’ (Winter Garden) — timental of pot, Jolson puts this oxe wer in good fashion, (Continuous shows.) “hie Cireus"—Reprosented of sir and love. More air th else, all the thought being of the mother variety. “The Cameraman” (Terminal, very funny, dialogue, fortunately. “The Barkers (Central)—Worth see- ing, despite Milton Sule Brook “laterterence”—All-talking and very lyn)—Not his best, but it's Keaton, dull, despite the good acting. that should be enough. “My Man” (W, )—To be re “The Cireus Kid"—Revi viewed, ime. “Docks of New York"—IWe list this because it is still better than the ordinary program “The Patvie fas the last to surpass it “The Red Mark” —Reviewed in this iasue. ‘Show People” (Keyntone)—See it by all means. A great director using Marion Davies and William Ttaines to good advantage. “The Wedding March” —Voo Strobeim looking very lustful usder the ap Terrible —This one may go down movie- be hard “Excess Baggage’—A\ good “Hasnted House” issue. “His Private Lite”—The st pearly as anemic as Mr, Menyou aj Very bad. Reviewed las "A German picture Soin ,, but sincerely and ‘White Shadews"—South Sea pho tography more than worth while 21 comicbooks.com