Life — November 2, 1928 — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

“Now get in there, men, and remember you're fighting for dear old P. S. 41.” THE MOVIES “The Battle of the Sexes” by D. W. Griffith — evidently y hasn't tried very hard to con- R.E. vert “The Battle of the Sherwood Sexes” into a Great Moral Lesson; so far as I could per- ceive, he doesn't once use the phrase, “down through the ages,” in a sub-title. With the result that this is just about the best all-around job of directing that he has done in many years. The story is the old one about the errant father who gets himself tangled up in a web of blonde hair, from which he is rescued when his brave little daughter steps out and disgraces herself to save the family honor. It is beautifully played by Jean Hersholt; as the ‘gullible Daddy, and by that superlatively vigorous and credible young lady, Phyllis Haver. VOTE FOR ROGERS VOTE FOR SMITH VOTE FOR HOOVER TE! BuT — Sally O'Neil is excellent as the heroic daughter, but for some strange reason Belle Bennett is hopelessly ineffectual in the mother réle; she succeeds only in pro- viding an excellent reason why her hus- band sought the society of an expensive blonde. Mr. Griffith has devised one emphatic and unusual thrill on the roof of a high building. Although it is all done with pal- pable mirrors, it provides the audience with several horribly nervous moments. “The Mating Call” No one can possibly say that the story of “The Mating Call” (it was written by Rex Beach) is trite. It is about as unusual a tale as I have ever encountered on the screen. For instance: when the hero wants a wife, he journeys to Ellis Island and marries the first immigrant girl that the authorities offer him. Later he is seized by the Ku Klux Klan and, by the light of the fiery cross, is mercilessly flogged. I don’t think the modern Klan has been shown before in a movie, the film ‘ople apparently being as afraid of the Rooted Coca-Cola addicts as_ politicians are. Even in “The Mating Call” it is re- ferred to discreetly as “The Order,” and its poor-white-trash members are garbed in black robes. Thomas Meighan gives a fine and ef- fortless performance as the beleaguered hero, and he receives good support from Gardner James, Evelyn Brent and René Adorée. I’m afraid that James Cruze, @ directing the picture, had his mind on his work only part of the time. “Our Dancing Daughters” For some time past I have been nourish ing the secret hope that the jaza made soaked younger generation had vanis from the screen. I communicated By thoughts to no one, as I didn’t want® trifle with my luck. However, it’s all over now. “Ow Dancing Daughters” begins where “Flam ing Youth” and other mild little bedtime stories left off. It is evidently the word in exposés of adolescent unconver tionality—and_ if it isn’ the last wa may I never live to hear the next OM The boys and girls talk to cach others the language of the jokes under the pe tures in College Humor, and they af] on like all (Please turn to page comicbooks.com