THE SCREEN; An Imaginative Crook. (original) (raw)
Advertisement
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.
- March 26, 1928
Credit...The New York Times Archives
See the article in its original context from
March 26, 1928
,
Page
TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers.
About the Archive
This is a digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them.
Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions.
Lon Chaney goes through his latest photoplay, "The Big City," without a twisted limb or any facial disguise. He appears as a crook, a man of imagination, who enjoys outwitting other thieves almost as much as he does running his fingers through a pile of glistening loot. This production owes its direction and possibly its origin to Tod Browning, who is in his element when presiding over an underworld story, especially if Mr. Chaney heads the cast."The Big City" begins at a swift gallop and ends at a lazy lope. The first half is filled with ingenious ideas, with surprise following surprise, but when Mr. Browning attacks the reformation of the leading gangster he permits the pace of his story to slacken until it becomes slightly tedious.After a few flashes of this yarn it looks as though the Chaney-Browning combination had turned out a companion picture to "The Unholy Three." Mr. Browning depicts a night club in full swing, with two dancers, black hoods covering their heads, and soon these dancers whip out pistols and threaten the patrons of the place. It is not long before money and jewelry have been collected, and Mr. Browning elects to show some of the gems hidden in a dish of spaghetti, with the crafty "Chuck" Collins (Mr. Chaney) explaining this part of the evening's haul. Subsequently a couple of handfuls of pearls are seen in a cardboard box, and a guileless girl, taking them to be imitation, calmly sews some of them on a gown."Chuck" Collins had heard of "Red" Watson's scheme to rob the night club, and he employs the same tactics as Watson had outlined, only he sees to it that Watson's underlings are gagged and bound in a safe place. Hence, Watson imagines that his stunt is eminently successful and to cover suspicion concerning himself, he willingly parts with his own belongings. Watson's rage can easily be imagined when he discovers that "Chuck" not only has the valuables of the people at the night club, but also a few of his own possessions.Marceline Day figures as the unsuspecting "Sunshine," who while working in a shop for Collins never for an instant thinks that her employer's dealings are shady. She is at first most exasperating to Collins, who is aided in his robberies by Helen, a pretty girl who tones down her looks by spectacles, and "Curly," a young man who eventually decides that "Sunshine" is quite attractive.Collins is severe with his colleagues. When "Curly" rebels, Collins knocks him down and "Curly," having a sense of humor, explains to Helen that "Poppa had spanked him," When Curly tries to embrace "Sunshine," it is Collins who again punishes Curly, and then Collins finds himself affected by "Sunshine's" blind sincerity and faith.Mr. Chaney has considered carefully what Collins ought to wear. This crook has a penchant for stripes, both in his suits and his neckties. Mr. Chaney's performance is excellent, but, through no fault of his, the latter episodes are hardly convincing. Marceline Day is admirable as "Sunshine." Betty Compson gives a capital performance as Helen and Matthew Betz is splendid as Watson.There are several diverting numbers in Boris Petroff's stage contribution, "On Parade," but the doggerel rhyme uttered by Walt Roesner and one or two of the men in his orchestra, is more irritating than entertaining.
An Imaginative Crook.THE BIG CITY, with Lon Chaney, Marceline Day, James Murray, Betty Compson, Matthew Betz, John George, Virginia Pearson, Walter Percival, Lew Short and Eddie Sturgis, directed by Tod Browning; Boris Petroff's stage production. "On Parade," with Walt Roesner, Kendall Capps, Charles Rozelle and others; overture, "Cavalieria Rusticana." At the Capitol Theatre.A gay and dashing picture, entitled "Red Hair," is now occupying the Paramount Theatre's screen. The auburn-haired, violet-eyed Elinor Glyn furnished the story and the Titian-haired, browned-eyed Clara Bow contributes the stellar performance. It is a frivolous tale, with episodes about as likely as finding a sympathetic taxi-driver on a rainy night after the theatre. But its cheery nature makes it something far better than Mrs. Glyn has written for years and years, and it is also the best picture in which Miss Bow has been featured.The director, Clarence Badger, has worked out his scenes in a neat fashion and he is aided in creating laughter by the captions of George Marion Jr., who now and again springs a line that is really humorous. To some extent this is a tale of a red-haired Lorelei Lee. "Bubbles" McCoy may spurn money, but she permits her three middle-aged admirers to know that necklaces, anklets, bracelets and even gowns are acceptable presents. Her vocation is that of a manicurist in a barber shop, but she is able to take a vacation when she chooses. Her trio of admirers follow her separately to the seashore. They have lied to each other as to where they were going, but when they meet it is the survival of the fittest. They race out to the raft in the ocean where the youthful form of "Bubbles" is enjoying the sunshine. No sooner have these panting swains reached the girl, than she plunges into the water, leaving the three men waiting to regain their breath.No picture story is complete without a young man and as a rule this individual should be connected with the other characters. The three middle-aged men in this case happen to be the guardians of Robert Lennon, and while objections are made to Mr. Lennon taking "Bubbles" as his bride, when this young woman, who is said to be possessed of a "dynamic and vibrant charm, like many red-haired girls," takes the guardians to task they are impelled to admit that she's just the wife for Robert.In one of the amusing episodes, "Bubbles" succeeds in falling into the water just as a steamboat is leaving the dock. Robert's hat is partly the cause of the trouble, and therefore Robert dives to the girl's resoue. Eventually the girl is hoisted aboard the vessel and Robert finds himself on the dock. He shouts to "Bubbles" to tell him her telephone number, but the boat is too far away.As in "The Garden of Eden," there is a sequence where "Bubbles" returns all her presents. This leaves her with no alternative than to seek refuge in a lily pond, and to add to the decoration scheme. Miss Bow wears one of the lilies over her Titian hair.In another passage, the three guardians are perceived waiting outside a restaurant in the pouring rain. They are waiting for "Bubbles," the light-hearted creature who did not have time to telephone them. One of them, being tired of getting his feet wet, ventures:"Let's go, for after having seen one rain drop, you've seen them all."There is a charming splash of color in one of the early episodes, which gives one a good idea of the actual hue of Miss Bow's hair.Other Photoplays.Al Jolson in "The Jazz Singer" is now on view at the Roxy."We Americans," an adaptation of the play of that title, is said to have its première at the Colony Theatre on Wednesday evening.Richard Barthelmess in "The Noose" is at the Mark Strand.At the Hippodrome the film attraction is "Skinner's Big Idea," with Bryant Washburn.James Cruze's production, "The Covered Wagon," is at the Fifty fifth Street Playhouse."Square Crooks" is at the Broad way."Adventures in Pygmy Land" and "Crainquebille" are at the Fifth Avenue Playhouse."The Trail of '98," is at the Astor; "Czar Ivan the Terrible," is at the Cameo; "Uncle Tom's Cabin," a the Central; "Wings," at the Criterion; "Simba," at the Earl Carroll; "Two Lovers," at the Embassy; "Four Sons," at the Gaiety; "Mother Machree," at the Globe; "The Gaucho," at the Rivoli; "Sunrise" and Movietone reproductions, at the Times Square; "Tenderloin," a picture play with Vitaphone??? scenes, at Warner's; "The Legion of the Condemned," at the Rialto; "The Heart of a Follies Girl," at the Brooklyn Strand, and "The Devil Skipper" at the Keith-Albee Momart.
Youth Is Served.RED HAIR, with Clara Bow, Lane Chandler, Lawrance Grant, Claude King, William Austin, Jacqueline Gadson and others. Written by Elinor Glyn, directed by Clarence Badger. "Nevin Melodies," with stage settings: Sigmund Krumgold, organist Jack Partington's stage offering, "Hey! Hey!" with the Gibson sisters, Jack Powell. Frank De Voe and others. At the Paramount Theatre.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Advertisement