Judge — October 25, 1930 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

ome tite ago John Erskine, the S clubwomen's James Branch Ca- bell, wrote a novel called “Sin- It was one of those daring about two women who shuffle a man between them, cerit, things The movie is even worse than the novel, because after all the shooting is over you discover that the old chastity of the Hays office as- serts itself and one of the leading characters suddenly announces. that you can’t beat real love, while as a matter of fact Erskine’s character did nothing of the kind. The Haysian conclusion does nothing but destroy any sense the plot made up to that point, which, incidentally, little. The title of this great lay epic is “A Lady Surrenders.” There were two ladies who surrendered time after time in the novel; unfortunately the dra- matization fails to give you any reason for their lack of will power. It seems more than silly on the screen because Conrad Nagel is the stalwart husband. I would like to raise the question: Why is there a Conrad Nagel? Dur- ing the past few months every other movie has Mr. Nagel and his face. He seems to be sound in limb and mind, but outside of that and a peculiar ex- pression he is liable to assume at any moment, ind g that he just swal- lowed a large glass of home-brewed ginger-jake, I cannot see any rea- son why produce eem to feel that he is as indispensable to a movie as a butler. Genevieve Tobin is the one bright spot in the show. She is amusing and graceful. Rose Hobart appeared lantern-jawed and utterly at a loss, which probably was the fault of the gentlemen who produced “A Lady Surrenders.” A' OUT a year ago a very tough young man from a local tabloid was sent down to the docks to interview Gloria Swanson, who was returning from one of her husbands. The reporter dis- covered an amiable press-agent on shipboard, and for two or three hours was very JUDGE By PARE LORENTZ they spent their time opening and emptying bottles. The reporter didn’t get the interview, but he did make a friend. He discovered some d: later that the press-agent was in reality a movie executive. The reporter forth- with called on his old friend and was commissioned to write a scenario for Miss Swanson, That is, after the ex- ecutive had outlined his idea of a plot. “The trouble with Miss Sw i movies,” said the great man, * they are too sophisticated. Now I've got: > her a lady detec- tive, see? How's that? And then she’s Marvelous voice. Lady detective that can sing—get it? And there’s one more thing I had in mind—she’s got a lot of swell Paris clothes with her, A lady detective who sings and wears beautiful clothes —how’s that? The reporter staggered out of the office and, he solemnly swears, in two nights wrote a story about a lady de- tective, ete., ete. He did not hear from the executive for several days, but eventually he was referred to Laura Hope Crewes, who at the time w supposed to be Miss Swanson’s liter- Recommended “Dough Boys"—The only good, com: edy of many months. Buster Keaton doesn't sing once, either “Hell's Angels"—The Canadian cen sors said this reflected on the Royal Fiving Corps but what fault it has is not in the Lincoin"_D. W. Griffith and D. A. R version of the great emancipator, Care: fully done, but what of it? “Old English"—A careful portrait ex- cuted by George Arliss. Well done “One Embarrassing Night"—A lady like English comedy with two corking pantomimists making it a good show “Storm Over Asla"—Worth a dozen Hollywood epics by virtue of its in tensity, The usual Russian propaganda with more of a story to help it along. “The Way of All Men™—What once was a bitter plot, emasculated by bh direction and worse acting. Even so, it has a plot, and that makes it a novelty “Young Woodley"—It's a very thought: ful British drama of prep-school life 23 JUVGW is THE MC JY Ls ary adviser (and still may be for all this department knows). Miss Crewes told the young man that he had turned out an interesting piece of work. “The only trouble is,” said she, “it is not sophisticated enough for Miss Swanson.” The reporter is now in Hollywood writing scenarios about lady detec- tives, and Miss Swanson's new movie is about a widow. It is called “What a Widow!” and while she doesn't sing much she does wear those Paris gowns. It is a pretty bad job, even for Miss Swanson, and I think it would have been much funnier if she had stuck to the executive's idea and been a lady detective. There are two funny scenes in “W hat a Widow!" but e for Miss son’s high-keyed squeaking and kittening about the bedroom, It isn’t worth your time, in other words. iss Crara Bow came to town ina M movie called “Her Marriage Night.” I'll wager I can describe it pretty accurately without having seen it, but I’m not going to try. I hope you enjoy it. T. & Spoiters” is around again. The only possible customers who might enjoy this one are the girls who like the broad Cooper shoulders. It is far inferior to the first version, made long before Clara Bow ever left Brooklyn. Not content with long- winded dialogue, the producers in- serted captions as a courtesy to the customers who might have dropped off to sleep. They could have revived the Farnum epic and saved a lot of money and trouble. Kay Johnson is the only professional member of the cast. She takes the shooting in good fun and is at ease with her dumb lines, ere is a rumor abroad that the boys are giving Mr. Hays the works. Maybe we'll get light wines and beer after all. comicbooks.com