N
SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 1925
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
PAGE FIFTEEN
t
r
The Genius of "The Last Laugh"
by Robert E. Sherwood 1 When the full extent of this1
(Fditor's note: The following ar- frightful fall dawns on the ex-com-
title, reprinted from the February 19 missionaire, and he realizes that heh
issue of Life, is by Robert Sherwood, , will be an object of derision in hisi
the noted critic. It is hoped that a own home-that there will be no more
presentation of "The Last Laugh" will salutes-there appears in his eyes an
take place here at a near date, in expression that might well be stamp-'
'order to allow Ann Arbor to see the ed on every overworked ego, the fear-
picture that has held New York's in- ful, bitter, shaming mark of deflated
terest for such a long time. pride.+
t mil Jannings plays this remark-+
It's a good thing for the movie busi-
ness that Germany wasn't entirely
obliterated in 1918; for German d
rectors, actor , and technicans have
-"}been responsibl, directly or indirect-
ly for eighty percent of the progress
that the films have made in the past
f ve years. The ideas that have come
to us in cans from Berlin have been
startlingly new, definitely advanced,
and, in most cases, genuinely fine.
Hollywood has not always admitted
openly the enormous value of these
ideas, but it has shown the effects of
them in countless ways. -
The actual menace of German
celluloid importations as competitors
of the home-grown products has
"CHA.PLEY'S AUNT'twith SYD CHAPLIN petered out; but we are still at liber-
,?eeased by iwoucEus ojSrRturIn6 corWe. I1ty to live and learn-and we can learn
a great deal from our late neighbors
The filming of the feature farce, arches and windows loomed en all in N Man's Land. Take, for instance,
"Charley's Aunt," with Syd Chaplin, four sides "The Last Laugh"---
the special attraction at the Arcade The occasion for the transforma- Here is a marvelous picture-mar-
Theatre this week, was done on one tion is the duplication of one of the velous in its simplicity, its economy
big stage at the Christie studio in colleges at Oxford where the scenes of effect, its expressiveness and its
Hollywood. of "Charley's Aunt" are laid. When dramatic power. The men who were;
The stage took on a decided Eng- Al Christie visited the real Oxford principally involved in this produc-
lish atmosphere when the quad- early last summer he took dozens tion-Carl Mayer, the author; Emil;
r rangles, gardens and chapels of Ox- of grafiex photographs from every Jannings, the star; and F. W. Murnau
ford University were built. Huge conceivable angle, and from these the director-have demonstrated tha't
gray ivy-colored walls, spaced by photos the sets were built. thought in Berlin is farther ahead
than thought in Hollywood than the
commonplace surroundings, and the intervening seven thousand miles
tale is told with a startling direct- would indicate. These artistshtell a
ness considering that the web of the humble story, devoid of flourishes or
ness frills, and tell it entirely in eloquent
C inem abplot is so slight as to be hardlyss
C i em p lictures; there is not a subtitle in the
Stermed a plot at all. He makes the entire film! Never once is the issue
characters and atmosphere his main in doubt-never once is the issue ob-
_ _- _consideration and the plot very see- scure We see what the characters
The Majestie ondary, and does it practically with- are doing, and we know what they are
fau biefrteisfuout words for there Vre very few thinking; we are permitted to fill in
The feature billed for the first four subtitles. The theme has to do with the whys and the wherefores f
lays of this week at the Majestic the love of two young people plunged own imaginations-a none too exact-
heatre is a Buster Keaton vehicle, into the misery of starvation in after ing requirement.
'',Seven Chances". The picture is full war Germany, the trials which they "Th s .
f the- poker faced Keaton fun from meet in evry day life. pome Lastlaugh" is the story of a
1ho novel beginning, through soni The feature for the latter part of a castle in the humble district in which
fseven reels to the hilarious end. A the week "Being Respectable" has a h live becaue he apsto bn he
1uvenile comedy "Goat Gitters" Kin- well known and canable cast with issbecaue he expensive te
grams and a new Eesos fable car- Monte Blue, Marie Prvost, comissionare of ta gorgeousu
Dori will be shown. Billy Glason will Atlantic. H er ogosui
eon ill e shwn.Bill Glaon ill azentda, and,. Irene Rich. The stoy10form, fit at least for an Admiral of the
appear on the stage in an entertain- is written around a respectabl, staid Grand Fleet, and as le passes through
mnent of songs, satire, comic skits, New England family, the Carpenters. di , n hs wa hoe he is
end character studies. who though looked up to as examples awa retful ss y alm . he
"Too Many Kisses", starring RMich- of propriety by the villagers, are in glories in the circumstance
card Dix will play the last of the reality only human. Miss Prevost a)- But the manager of the Hotel Atlan-
wveek. Dix takes the role of a care- pearing with much sophistication has tic notices that the old fellow isn't
free young American, Bob Gaylord, ( the role of Valerla Winsiip. th i quite so spry as he once was; he fal-
who in his spare time is quite a vampire', and Monte Blue is seen as ters when he lifts heavy trunks from
ladies' man. Too many kisses have the unhappy husband. Comedies and the taxicabs, and he is easily winded.
brought him into court time and again news reels will be shown also. So a new commissionaire is engaged.
to answer breach of promise suits, --The unhappy old man is deprived of
and finally his father -disgustedly his uniform, and, as a mark of recog-
ships him off to an obscure village nition of his long and faithful service,
n the Basque country. Here is is given a purely honorary position
usual he falls I love with a beauti- TH EA r E "handing out towels downstairs in the
Tul young Sanish girl and rivals ( r "" i gentlemen's lavatory!
one dark and desperate Julio for her
love. William Powell makes a con-
vincing villain and Frances loward,i
who will be remembered in Para- By Clarce Tapson
mount's "The Swan" dons a black Detroit seems fond enough of
wig and is indeed a lovely senorita. "Applesauce" to merit its remaining C hurches
Richard Dix in "Too Many Kisses' at the Garrick for another week. This
get away somewhat from the con play by Barry Connors, featuring Al-
ventional movie heroes which he has lan Dinehart and Claiborne Foster, Is
peen portraying and shows himself a all about a girl who is undecided be- St. Andrews Episcopal ('Ihureh
comedian of rare charm as he dashes tween two lovers, one a steady, hard- 'h Reverend Robert LeRoy Har-
fiippantly through the story up to the working fellow, whom she has ac- ris, Bishop of Marquette, will deliver
neat climax. An Imnerial comedy cepted; and the other a charmingthe morning sermon, which will fol-
rnd Kinograms complete the screen blarneyer, who in the course of the low holy communion and church
program. The Harvey Revue is billed play wins her over with his apple- school. All high school students are
as the stage attraction for the latter sauce. It is a merry comedy, full of invited to meet at 4:45 o'clock at the
part of the week. briglt cracks, as they say, and typical church for the E. Y. P. A. picnic.
American humo. Bishop Harris will speak again at the
The Arcade Another stay-over is "White Car- student service and supper.
"Charley's Aunt" with Syd Chaplin go", at the Shubert Detroit, Leon
in the title hole will open at the Ar- Gordon's play, which has run for first Baptist Church
"uinnNew York.Mr.Gr "Friendship for Christ" will be the
able part with all the fine fervor that
is his; but it is not to Janings so
nich as to Mayer and to Murnau
that the real credit belongs. For they
have done things with a movie camera
that have never been done before.
Their manipulation of photographic
effects is simply astounding; they
lave used the lens as a great painter
would use a pliant brush that pro-
duces broad strokes or fine lines,
sharp angles or graceful curves. They!
have made a moving picture that is
really worthy o fthe name.
After "The Last Laugh" has run its
legitimate course, a fantastic happy
ending is tacked on, with the implica-t
tion: "For those of you who cannot1
take their- liquor raw, here is a gin-
Wheelblower on Leonard
(Continued from Page Eleven)
self had taught me, I slapped him on
the back with a resounding thump.
"Atta boy, Kid", I announced en-
couragingly. "Nice going."
He smiled, showing that three-quar-
ters full set of teeth that made him
in such demand with the cinema
kings. You know, just between this
writer and you, the other quarter
was knocked out by Ever Hammer
in a battle replete with thrills and
gore. What's there now is false, but!
of course this is a newspaper confi-
dence.
"Who. in your opinion is the bestI
lightweight in the game today?"
Benny looked pained.
"What a foolish question," he com-
mented. "I'll take on any man in -
the world weighing 135 pounds, pro- -
vided I get $3,000,043.50 for a guaran-
tee and 92 per cent of the gate re-
ceipts, not to mention complete rights
to the motion pictures of the boat,
training expenses, a house and lot.
and three all-year passes to the Metro-
;)olitan. I guess that shows that I'm
a real fighting champion when I want
to be. Tell the public that and they'll
see that Benny Leonard, the Irish
slugger isn't one of these champions
that won't fight unless he gets a lot
of dough for doing it. My demands
are modest and I want to fight, but
WHATEVER IT
WAY OF RADIO
HAVE IT.
MAY BE IN THE
EQUIPMENT, WE
LYNDON and COMPANY
719 North University Ave.
RADIO!
RADIO!
RADIO!
RADIO!
si. i
ger-ale chaser." This added conclu-1t t odn m
sion does not affect the main picture they ain't good enough for me.
in the least, for it is actually no part I ae he rete oncher
of it. why he had retired from the fight
I understand that the happ nig ame.
I mdestn Geran thepy fending at"Why, it's life this," he flung back
twas made i Germany solely forthe at me. "I can't stay happy and keep
benefit of possible An rican audi- in training at the same time and I'd
nces--a gesture of contempt, and a1 rather be happy. Now, you read of
justifiable one. When Rex Ingram i how Nurni lost a race because he in-
,produced "The Prisoner of Zenda" lie !cluded one slice of veal too many in
ended it as Anthony Hope ended it - his knife and fork drill one night.
with a parting of the lovers. But ex- Well, that's me. I love pork. I eat
hibitors complained at this so vocif- it three times a day, seven days a
erously that the parting was removed., week, but if I eat it when I'm in
The same thing happened in "Where training I'm no good for fighting.
the Pavement Ends," another Ingraml'And rather than give up my pork, I
picture, in "Blood and Sand", and in gave up the ring. See?"
"Tess of the D'Urbervilles." There you have it, readers; the
I am not trying to argue that the real, inside, confidential dope on why
happy ending is inartistic; such a Benny Leonard quit the ring.
contention is absurd, as various class- "What do you think of Sid Terris?"
ical examples would instantly prove. I asked, in an effort to find out from
But I do argue that the happy ending j Benny what his opinions were on the
isn't, or shouldn't be, essential. It is foremost contender for his deserted
i
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A. C. BARTH
TAILOR
619 E. William St;
, _ ,
:.
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q1
Men
tiy
r. T I
forced upon those who try to writet
for the screen and its influence is
dangerously bad: it makes for ob-
viousness and for that product of a
rubber stamp which is known as
hokum.
Evidently all movies (to be success-
ful) must dissolve into a roseate sun-
set, with the pleasant announcement
that all is well with the world. But
is. it? I've hea-tr d(ifferent.
throne.
"Terrible," agreed Benny at length.
"His screens well, but his continuity's
awful."
"How do you like the movies?"
"Ah--I love my art---it is my life."
Read the Want Ads
Modeled in genuine
black and.brown
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$1.
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GOLFERS-
i
ti
.1",
° R UBY Inc.
Playing privileges for
$16:50 from now on to
students
June 20;
Come out and try the course at
our nominal greens fee of $1.00.
Ube
UNIVERSITY GOLF CLUB
4nmth State Street South of Ferry Field Phlqe 1198 4
12 NICKELS ARCADE
- ANN ARBOR
CHICAGO
- DETROIT
. --
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ca te fa Ie aEndy or talwEe is run. oy #rLU dt a le u . . vvua " it
The farce opened originally in Eng- himself is playing with this company. subject of the morning sermon,
land thirty-three years ago and has ' Thqstory is pretty generally known, which will be given by Dr. Arthur L.
played almost continuously ever j in fact the play was presented here Wilkinson. Church bible school will
since. The screen version naturally some time ago. It is a testimony to be held after the morning worship.
permits greater latitude in settings. the awful influence' of the hot coun- j Student classes under the direction
Syd Chanlin puts himself in the front tries, the west coast of South Africa of Dr. Waterman and Mr. Chapman
ranks of comedians and retains the to be exact, upon a man who is not will meet at the same hour in the
comedy spirit throughout the length used to them. Only one woman is in guild house. Students will meet at
of the film. The simple story of a the cast. Her name is Annette Mar- the guild house at 5:30 o'clock for
college boy who assumes the part of gules and she plays the rofe of Tan- student friendship hours. The devo-
an elderly aunt in order to help his deleyo, the half-breed siren who helps tionaldmeeting following'will be con-'
friends win the girls they love is the sun along in the complete devas-d>yMissLula Anderson, the
told in an amusing and refreshing tation of Witzel, the hero of the piece, topic for discussion being "American-
manner. Ethel Shannon will play the whom Mr. Gordon does very well, if ization Opportunities." New officers
lead opposite Syd Chaplin, and two t the response of the audiences this will be installed at this meeting. }
.old favorites, lLucien Littlefield and week have meant anything.
'Alex B. Francis are numbered in the At the New Detroit "No. No. Nan- IFtI5t Methodist Chureh
supporting cast. Syd Chaplin after ette", the "I Want to Be Happy" and The pastor's topic for the morning
his brother's rise to screen popu- "Tea for Two" musical comedy, worship will be "Life's Attitudes."
larity, devoted himself to managing makes a return apearance. The book The regular program in student Bible
the business of the family, and only of this is by Frank Mandel and Otto classes will be resumed. The annual
recently returned to the screen as an ,Harbach, the lyrics by Irving Caesar election of officers will take place atj
actor. The comedy for the week will and Otto Harbach, and the music by this meeting of the Wesleyan guild.
be one of the "Pacemakers" series in Vincent Youmans, all well-known mu- Bennett Avery and Carlton Currie
which H. C. Witwer attempts to por- sical comedy writers. When the will lead the meeting. Dr. Lynn HI.
tray college life. This one, "Ile who i show played here earlier in the sea- Hough of Detroit will give a talk on
Gets Rapped", will feature Alberta son, Cecil Lean and Cleo Mayfield the subject of "Dauntless Leader-
Vaughn, George O'Hara and Kit I were featured, but this time Louise ship.
Guard. The outstanding attraction Groody and Charles Winninger get
cf the episode is a great football their names in black type. First Congregationjal Church
game. Kit Guard and Al Cooke who "Meet the Wife", a play in which Reverend ,Jump will deliver the
will be remembered from the tele- Mary Boland appeared last fall at the morning sermon on "The Plea of a
,phone series will play the principal Garrick, holds the stage at the Bon- Pacifist." A junior motion picture
I-'
01 "J'L
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VICTOR RECORDS
They'll set your feet a-stepping and your body swaying!
means don't fail to hear them! At Grinnell's, of course!
13y 'all
Warm weather--sunshine
Sparkling eyes--
Fashion, frills and thrills--
Are you ready for the fun?
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At the End of the Rod--Fox Trot
Waring's Pennsylvanians
Born and Bred in Old Kentucky-Fox Trot
Waring's Pennsylvanians
'When My Sugar Walks Down, the Street-Fox Trot
Waring's Pennsylvanians
Everybody Loves My Baby-4Fox Trot
George Olsen and His Music
One Stolen hiss-Fox Trot
International Novelty Orchestra
11eart Broken Strain-Fox Trot
Benson Orchestra of Chicago
The Only One for Me--Fox Trot
Paul Whiteman and Orchestra
Lucky Kentucky-Fox Trot
Paul Whitemnan and Orchestra
Sob Sister Sadie-Fox Trot
The Original Memphis Five
Throw Down Blues-Fox Trot
The Original Memphis Five
0, Katharina!-Fox Trot
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