Life — August 9, 1929 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

26 “Dangerous Curves” EGARDLESS of what a critic R might say, a motion picture entided “Dangerous Curves” with Clara Bow as the star is certain to draw a big gate. However, just as a warning to gentlemen who choose their flicker entertainment by titles, we will offer the information — that “Curves” refers to the bends in the highways of life, and has nothing to do with Miss Bow’s physical assets. This latest effort of America’s fa- mous “It” girl will neither aid nor injure her cause among the many thou- sands of fans who comprise the Bow army. The com ¥._ mittee responsible ul for the selection of Miss Bow’s talking vehicles has shown yood judy ment by keeping her far away from the broad A’s, and she continues to display an ability to handle middle-class conversation that is remarkable for one who has had so very little experi- ence speaking lines. In this one Clara takes the part of a bare-back rider who cherishes a sucret passion for Richard Arlen, a handsome but dumb young man who has a steady job with the circus as a tight-wire per- former. Richard, alas, loves his part- ner, Kay Francis, a high-powered bru- nette who raises and lowers his tem- perature at will. It annoys Clara to see this vamp swaying the impression- able Richard, but her friends tell her she is carrying her torch in vain, and advise her to become interested in some fellow who has both feet on the ground. When Richard finds out that he is being two-timed by Kay, he gets tight, which is the worst thing a tight- $oR = 4 z p wire walker can do, and then comes the accident you have been looking for ever since the picture started. After this mishap Richard takes to serious drinking, loses his nerve and quits his job. At this point Clara steps in as reformer and adroitly restores his con- fidence until he is once more able to walk the straight and narrow. Never did we sce anyone become inebriated on such short notice as Mr. Arlen does in the drinking scenes. He downs a couple of fast ones and then is taken suddenly drunk—but. what with the kind of stuff they are selling now adays. .. BN “Cheerio! Mr. Peebles. Godspeed, and remember us to Mr. and Airs. Hoover.” A sequence that does not help the picture in the least presents Miss Bow doing a soliloquy before the mirror in her dressing room. There are very few people who do not appear at a disadvantage when caught talking to themselves, and Clara, unfortunately, is not one of this minority. Mr. Arlen and Miss Francis offer the star adequate support and David New- ell, a handsome newcomer, gives prom- ise of getting somewhere in the screen business. Not long ago Mr. Newell was playing in amateur shows out in Kan- ' by Ha New York Life Pry BHwans } Ss sas City. Special mention should also be made a that grand old trouper, Anders Randolph, who gives a fine performance as the circus owner. If you like Clara Bow you will en joy “Dangerous Curves.” (But speaking of dangerous curves, Clara had better watch the one under her chin.) “Smiling Irish Eyes” Just to prove that Colleen Moore can live up to her name, she is being pre- sented as a talkie star in “Smiling Irish Eyes,” a motion picture that out Trishes the Irish. The players go about speaking the sort of Mick con- versation that was so popular in the musical comedy days of Chauncey Olcott, when an Irishman was not an Trishman unless - he said “whist” every fifteen min utes or so. “There is also a wishing: well in this picture that leads to talk about fairies and banshees—in fact nothing is left un- done to let you know that the characters are all downright whims: cal and folksy. The first half of “Smiling Irish Eyes” travels along at an_ interesting pace, but toward the end it slows down toa walk. As the picture opens, Miss Moore is shown dividing her warm Irish affections between her pet pig and James Hall, a musical lad who spends his time fiddling with and for Colleen when he should be working in the peat-bogs. The bullying over seer catches the three of them making merry together during office hours so he breaks James’ fiddle and declares he (Continned on Page 33) comicbooks.com