Judge — March 5, 1932 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

JUDGE JUDGING THE - MOVIES By PARE LORENTZ noct the time Mr. Woollcott and engaging in his pet tricks in“The reel comedies are getting worse and bundled himself in old lace and Hatchet Man,” but I'm sorry such a — worse, except, of course, for Walt Dis- cried lovely tears over Charlot, nice restraint could not have been ex- — ney's ly Symphonies, which con- the little clown; about the time the — ercised in something better. This old tinue to be as good as anything the Spengler of the East, Mr. Seldes, dis- Belasco play seemed unreal, far-away movies ever have given us. There covered the seven new arts, including and as dated as a Times editorial. was a time when full-length comedies } the movies, about the time newspapers — After all, the Chinese don’t just throw — didn’t try to be anything else but put office-boys to writing serious hatchets. They don’t shut their eyes funny, Now they have to include gang movie criticism, the profound theory and pull the triggers and then, murders and jungle pictures. I'll crept into the minds of the new-born caught in their own backyard, they wager this column against a week's critics that motion pictures should don’t run. If you don't believe me, box-office receipts, t a whole- move. Struggling against such odds ask the Japanese. Somebody must be hearted slapstick burlesque like “The as Clara Bow and John Gilbert, fight- holding those forts, and I can’t help Spite Marriage,” “Hands Up,” or any ing bravely against the box-office suc- but think that the real war the boys of the of silent days, would bring cesses Which the producers flaunted in are putting on diminishes the value of | more nickels and enthusiasm from the the face of their critics, these fast- a lot of hocus-pocus about Chinese nation than a freight load of “Silent aging gentlemen continued, from time chambers of commerce (i. e., tongs). Witnesses” and “Prestiges.” to time, to express this theory. After Wellman secured some fetching sets some years, a few directors imported for his piece, and Loretta Young is so AS further evidence of the paucity from Germany or imitating the Ger- charming and beautiful, I suggest of humor in a grey world, I gi mans, began to give out interviews in they make her Chinese hereafter no you a line-up of pictures under way which they expressed the thought that matter what she pl in. “The culled from a copy of Variety. “T’ he a motion picture should move. Play- Hatchet Man” is not exciting. Diree- Crowd Roars,” wrights, imported to Hollywood, cx- tor Wellman has a gift for making pressed the thought that dialogue was — exciting pictures, and I hope they give not everything. After all, a motion him something worth while next time. picture should have i Finally even producers were con- pox’r know where-Greta Nisse vinced. Perhaps a motion pi should move. As a result every ty and the The Fereavon case,” “Love “Shopworn,” “Man in Her South of Rio Grande,” n Trail's End,” “One Hour With You,” ture has been, but she is still worth see- “The Miracle Man,” “Dancing in the ing after her retirement. “The Silent Dark,” “Disorderly Conduct,” “After tor worth a megaphone now takes a Witness” has one great weakness, and Tomorrow," “Wanted — A_ Million- camera and swings it from set to set its name is Lionel Atwill, who com- aire,” “Texas Gun Fighter,” “‘V in an earnest desire to make pictu bines the worst features of Walter tling Dan,” “Hotel Continents move. Unfortu y the mere move- Hampden and H. B. Warner, which landed Saunders,” “Police 4) ment of a camera from face to face or sa new low in combinations and which Pioneers,” “Lost place to place does not constitute ac- almost makes it impossible for me to Squadron,” “Girl Crazy,” “Polly of tion, “Union Depot” and all the send you to see Miss Nissen. The the C us,” “Are You Listening? | other pictures modeled after “Grand show is hardly a mystery play, but it Those pictures are all finished, and, F Hotel,” now on their way tothe screen moves along nicely. But where did of course, the title probably will be are full of trick shots, the camera they find Atwill? More important, changed to “Her Man,” “His Woman” 4 flits from place to place, and we have — why? and “Her Sacrifice,” so you won't buy 1 i what the boys used to call flowing pic- anything under false pretensions. You ) ee tures. I am pleased to see this triumph [’s sure I speak for sixteen million may think something in that list is go- | ; of art over sordid commercialism, but people, and whether I do or not I ing to be funny. It gives me a hi H i ] I have a postscript to add to this first — think it time to again repeat, Why not ache just to think about them. ] principle of movie direction. Not only some comedies? I have been told i should a picture move, but it should — there are no comedians in Hollywood. HAVE put whole groups of people na have some place to go. That should With the exception of Charles Butter- to sleep expressing my resentment | Bai be enough to keep the boys worried worth, Roland Young, Buster Keaton, against the plays, the smug compla- | | for another ten years. John Barrymore, and a few fellows cency of Mr. Philip Barry. I ie like that, Ican agree. But I have been resented his plays because they show H Dimcren Wertman deserves a nice told “Monkey Business” made money. writing skill, because I think he is al? ‘ gold star for preventing Mr. Rob- Furthermore, I never saw audiences worth resentment. His “Tomorrow and hie inson from heaving through his nostrils more eager for amusement. The two- (Page 27, please) ft Bis = in 22 comicbooks.com