Best Pictures of Last Year

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 323, 7 April 1928, Page 21

Best Pictures of Last Year

Exhibitors and the Critics Differ

The critics chose the following, and in the order of their printing were: “Beau Geste,” “What Price Glory,” “The Way of All Flesh,” “Ben-Hur,” “Seventh Heaven,” “Chang,” “Underworld,” “Resurrection” and “Flesh and the Devil.” And the exhibitors declare these to have been the 10 best, from a business viewpoint; “Ben-Hur,” their only point of contact with the critics: . “The Cohens and Kellys,” “His People, * "The Denny is the star of two; “California Straight Ahead.” “The Better ’Ole.” “Painting the Town,” “Night Cry,” “Rookies” and “The Black Pirate.” One thing comes out rather plainly: the public likes and w'ants stars. Six of the exhibitors’ choices had individual stars and two others had star teams. Four of these pictures came from the Universal studios and two from Metro -Gold wyn - Mayer. Reginald Denny is the star of two, “California Straight Ahead” and “Painting the Town,” which rather puts him at the head of all his fellows.

In none of these pictures is there a woman starred or featured — that is, the exhibitors’ list. Rudolph Schildkraut was starred in “His People,” a Jewish story; George Sidney and Charlie Murray were featured in “The Cohens and Kellys”: Syd Chaplin starred in “The Better ’Ole” as Old Bill: Rin-Tin-Tin, the dog was star of "Night Cry”: Douglas Fairbanks in “The Black Pirate,” a picture all in colour; George K. Arthur and Karl Dane, newly teamed, were featured in “Rookies.” “Ben-Hur” and “The Great Mail Robbery” were without stars. The same condition did not exist altogether in the critics’ choices, which ran more to stories and production—- " The Big Parade.”

“What Price Glory,” “Ben-Hur,” “Chang,” “Seventh Heaven,” and “Un- . derworld,” although : George Bancroft’s i name was used j prominently. Ron- j aid Colman was starred in “Beau Geste.” Emil Jannings is star of “The Way of All Flesh,” and Rod La Rocque of "Resurrection.” but it was

Dolores Del Rio who made the greater hit with audiences. John Gilbert and Greta Garbo were starred in “Flesh and the Devil.” the only case among these 20 pictures in which a woman’s name figures as star.