George K. Arthur Movies

Based on an idea by Will Rogers, the story concerns the efforts by the President of the United States to get the public's mind off the Depression. To this end, he appoints Broadway impresario Lawrence Cromwell (Warner Baxter) to the new cabinet position of "Secretary of Amusement." Wasting no time, Cromwell sets about to nationalize the entertainment industry, organizing singers, dancers, actors and other variety artists into batallion-like touring units. Cromwell is fought at every turn by a cartel of wealthy industrialists, who've been profiting from the Depression and have no desire to see America pull itself upward. Happily, every effort to bribe or cajole Cromwell into giving up his mission is thwarted and the Department of Amusement goes on to help the the country at a time when its citizens most needed it. Among the highlights are an energetic "revival-meeting" musical number by Aunt Jemima (Theresa Gardella), and 6-year-old Shirley Temple's rendition of "Baby Take a Bow." Originally released at 80 minutes, Stand Up and Cheer was edited to 69 minutes for reissue, then to 65 minutes (removing most of Stepin Fetchit's scenes) for television: it was this last version which was computer-colorized in 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After saving RKO Radio from receivership with King Kong, producer-director Ernest B.. Schoedsack relaxed a bit with the comparatively sedate crime caper Blind Adventure. King Kong co-star Robert Armstrong plays Richard Bruce, an American in London who stumbles into the lair of a kidnap-blackmail gang. Playing his cards close to his vest, Bruce manages to get his hands on the "secret papers" that are so important to everyone in the story. He also wins the heroine, the aptly named Rose Thorne (Helen Mack, Armstrong's vis-a-vis in Son of Kong). Of the supporting players, Roland Young is terrific as a dry-witted burglar. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on Dicken's classic novel, this is the first sound version of the oft-filmed tale of a plucky orphan who struggles to survive on the rough, unforgiving London streets. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

While the silent comedy team of Karl Dane and George K. Arthur made some very entertaining films in the latter half of the 1920s (Rookies, for example, was a winner), this feature didn't quite live up to the duo's potential. That said, having Dane play a big, dumb hotel detective and placing the boyish, diminutive Arthur in the role of a bellhop was inspired casting. The two of them are rivals for the heart of Lois, a typist at the hotel where they are working (Marceline Day). There's a jewel thief at the hotel and for all his bragging, Dane can't seem to get a handle on solving the case. Determined to win Lois and show up Dane, Arthur gets on the case himself. Their investigation takes both of them to a strange house miles outside of town which contains trap doors and secret passageways. The thief, who has been posing as a professor of Egyptology, is finally rounded up, and the jewels recovered -- by the bellhop. He and Lois walk off together, leaving the hotel detective -- whose presence has more often hindered than helped -- to suffer the scorn of the cops. There are a few truly amusing moments, most notably when Arthur dresses up as a maid and can't get Dane to stop pawing him. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Although both of their starring careers would be cut short by the talkie revolution, MGM house comedians Karl Dane and George K. Arthur were still riding high in 1929 with such silent vehicles as China Bound. In this outing, the towering Dane and the diminutive Arthur find themselves smack in the middle of a Chinese revolution. Endeavoring to escape, our heroes disguise themselves as "typical Orientals," buck teeth, pigtails, and all (which may be why this film isn't revived very often these days). Polly Moran, who appeared in most of the Dane-Arthur comedies, is back again in this adaptation of a screenplay by Sylvia Thalberg (sister of MGM head-honcho Irving Thalberg). After his fall from stardom, George K. Arthur went into the production end of the business, but Karl Dane was not so lucky; despondent over his dormant career, he committed suicide in 1934. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Circus Rookies was a by-the-numbers vehicle for MGM's Mutt-and-Jeff comedy team of George K. Arthur and Karl Dane. As indicated by the title, our heroes -- this time playing a reporter named Francis Byrd and an animal trainer named Oscar Thrush -- join a travelling circus, where they are put to work as menial laborers. Francis and Oscar are smitten by pretty aerialist Belle (Louise Lorraine), prompting both men to perform some rather foolhardy feats of valor. Despite their monumental stupidity, the boys manage to save Belle and everyone else in the circus when a crazed gorilla (played by cowboy star Fred Humes!) goes on a rampage in a runaway train. Circus Rookies was followed in short order by two more Arthur-Dane epics, Brotherly Love and All at Sea, each film cut from the same formula cloth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Wickedness Preferred was another of MGM's popular Lew Cody-Aileen Pringle star vehicles. This time around, Cody is cast as novelist Anthony Dare, while Pringle is his efficiency-expert wife Kitty. When their money runs out, the Dares set up housekeeping in Central Park, which is fun for a while but gets awfully tired awfully soon. The marriage is briefly threatened by the arrival of blonde vamp Baby Burton (Mary McAllister), but Anthony and Kitty ultimately decide to give their union a second chance. The opening title of Wickedness Preferred says it all: "Marriage is like a cafeteria. You take the first thing that looks good and pay for it later." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This Marion Davies vehicle was loosely inspired by the career of Gloria Swanson. Davies plays would-be starlet Peggy Pepper, who arrives at the gates of MGM Studios with her dad Colonel Pepper (Dell Henderson) in hopes of becoming a great dramatic actress. Instead, she a scores a hit as an ingenue in the slapstick comedies starring the effervescent Billy Boone (William Haines). As the audience rocks with laughter during the preview of Peggy's first film (no one is more enthusiastic than her director Harry Gribbon), she sits in sullen silence, insisting to Billy that some day she'll invoke tears instead of laughter. This doesn't seem likely, inasmuch as Peggy can't even cry on cue (her director is forced to peel onions outside of camera range to achieve the desired emotion), but the tenacious young actress finally manages to win favor in dramatic roles. Inevitably, this causes a strain on her budding romance with Billy, and the couple slowly drifts apart. Now the unchallenged Queen of the Cinema, Peggy -- billing herself as Patricia Pepoire -- prepares to marry her oily leading man Andre (Paul Ralli), but mischievous Billy disrupts her fancy wedding. She angrily tosses Billy out of the house, realizing only when it's too late that she's still in love with him. But in the final scene, the hero and heroine are accidentally reunited on the set of a WWI picture directed by King Vidor (who also directed Show People). Two versions of Show People are currently available for TV; the "stretch-framed" Kevin Brownlow-David Gill restoration, with a new orchestral score by Carl Davis, and the original MGM release version, outfitted with a lively music and sound-effects track. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Even without the benefit of sound, The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg seems to be inundated by Franz Lehar's unforgettable songs. Director Ernst Lubitsch fashioned a gloriously schmaltzy, delightfully artificial rendition of the 1924 Lehar opera, which in turn was based on the 1902 play In Old Heidelberg. Ramon Novarro plays the title role, an ever-carousing young monarch who falls in love with ebullient barmaid Norma Shearer. Fully willing to forsake his crown for her sake, Novarro chooses duty over love when his country is threatened with revolution. He tries to let Shearer down gently, but it is clear that she will never quite get over her summer romance. Such is the genius of Ernst Lubitsch that the 1927 version of Student Prince seems a lot more alive and far less dated than the 1954 Technicolor remake. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Winsome Lois Wilson stars as The Gingham Girl in this cinemadaptation of the popular musical comedy of the same name. Wilson plays Mary Thompson, the sweetheart of small-town wise guy Johnny Cousins (George K. Arthur). Hoping to strike it rich, Johnny heads for the Big City, while the more level-headed Mary opts to remain in her own back yard. Starting a cookie-baking operation in her kitchen, Mary's burgeoning business is financed by city slicker Pat O'Day (Charles B. Crockett), who has designs on our heroine. Meanwhile, Johnny returns home, evidently having failed to make a dent in New York. In an astonishing and thoroughly unbelievable climactic twist, Johnny turns out to be a representative for a big-time cookie manufacturer, who offers Mary an enormous amount of money to sell her business. She does, whereupon Mary and Johnny settle down for a blissful -- and wealthy -- marriage. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Another of William Haines' sports-oriented vehicles, Spring Fever casts the star as lowly shipping clerk Jack Kelly. Falling in love with heiress Allie Monte (a young Joan Crawford), Jack bluffs his way into Allie's country club, posing as a champion golfer. By the time he realizes that Allie loves him for himself, Jack is inextricably committed to representing the club at a $10,000 golf tournament. Based on a play by Vincent Lawrence, Spring Fever proved beneficial not only to the ascending stardom of Bill Haines, but also to the burgeoning career of Joan Crawford. The film was remade and slightly musicalized in 1930 as Love in the Rough. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide