Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1933)

May 2 0. 19 3 3 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 33 that here is something that is more than entertainment; that it is a vivid picturization of a condition in which they are living. It is not the kind of picture that will stand for direct theme exploitation, but one may look for cooperation from churches, welfare groups and reform organizations. Other than that, depend upon straight merchandising methods. — McCarthy, Hollywood. Produced and distributed by Warner. Based on a story by Islin Auster. Screen play by Edward Chodorov. Directed by Archie Mayo. Photography by Barney McGill. Film editor. Jack Killifer. Release date, June 24, 1933. Running time, 80 minutes. CAST Patsy James Cagney Dorothy Madge Evans Mike Allen Jenkins Thompson Dudley Digges Judge Gilbert Arthur Byron Jimmy Frankie Darro The Girl Sheila Terry Mr. Smith Robert Barrat Smoke "Farina" Joe Harold Huber Mrs. Smith Dorothy Peterson Brandon George Pat Collins Louie Johnston Edwin Maxwell Hopkins John Marston Walters Wm. V. Mong Guard Charles Wilson Butch Mickey Bennett Izzy Sidney Miller Tommy's Father Hobart Cavanaugh Tony's Father George Humbert Johnny Raymond Borzage Charlie George Offerman Tomiiiy Charles Cane International House (Paramount) Comedy Careful showmanship more than anything else is the prime essential in successfully selling "International House" to the everyday type of audience. Primarily it is a gag-inspired, ribald comedy. Action and dialogue are fast and furious. But much of the double-meaning dialogue is of the ultra-risque type that is apt to start censors on the warpath. Constructed along the lines of a mammoth vaudeville show or a musical extravaganza, the motivating story often is side-tracked entirely to permit a lot of unrelated hokum comedy. While the necessary romantic twist is there, it is nothing to speak of. Consequently, comedy is its outstanding characteristic. The radio personalities are rung in by means of a television gag, with the exception of Burns and Allen who run a close second to, if they do not top W. C. Fields in fun creation. Centered entirely in China, the reason for all the foolishness is that Dr. Wong has perfected a television apparatus. Seeking to get from Shanghai to Wu-Wu, Nash gets mixed up with Peggy Hopkins Joyce in sequences that develop rea,ctions along the lines which stories have built up around the Joyce character. Nash is in love with Carol, but he always requires some childish disease — chicken pox or mumps — as he is about to marry her. His efforts to explain to her how he came to be associated with the colorful Peggy provide plenty of laughs. When Nash breaks out with a rash. International House, the hotel, is quarantined. Into this setup lands the hilarious flying Professor Quail, to start his line of maniacal gags that turns the film into a riot of ribald, farcical mirth. Laughs come fast and loud as Burns and Allen do their stuff. More laughs and lots of blushes as Quail starts with Peggy Hopkins Joyce. Not much sense to anything that happens, but plenty of merriment. After Quail has turned the hotel into bedlam, by driving his .'Vustin through it, seeking to avoid Peggy's jealous ex-husband, Petronovich, he flies off with her ; Nash buys Wong's invention ; and peace reigns as the whole thing is made clear to Carol. If you can hit upon the right approach to handle the many risque suggestions, you can sell it as a circus of laughter. Create the impression that it is a landslide of hilarity, fun. In burlesque style play up the personalities in the cast, Fields, Joyce, Erwin, Maritza, Burns and Allen and Lugosi. Using a novel television angle, ring in the radio names for all they are worth. Unless much is cut, the dialogue may present difficulties. Circus it with topical exploitation and intriguing ad copy ; stress the names and the fun and while carefully hinting its ribald color, gloss it over. If you can do that you should have a show that will hand the every-day patron plenty of laughs, yet one that is too strong for children's amusement.— McCarthy, Hollywood. Produced and distributed by Paramount. Directed by Edward Sutherland. From a story by Neil Brant and Lou Heifetz Screen play by Francis Martin and Walter De Leon. Music and lyrics by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin. Photographed by Ernest Haller. Release date, June 2, 1933. Running time, 65 minutes. CAST Peggy Hopkins Joyce Peggy Hopkins Joyce Professor Quail W. C. Fields Tommy Nash Stuart E'rwin Carol Fortescue Sari Maritza Doctor Bums George Burns Nurse Allen Gracie Allen General Petronovich Bela Lugosi Doctor Wong Edmund Breese Sir Mortimer Fortescue Lumsden Hare Hotel Manager Franklin Pangbom Herr von Baden Harrison Greene Serge Borsky Henry Sedley Inspector Sun James Wang Newsreel Reporter Ernest Wood Mr. Rollins Edwin Stanley Cameraman Qem Beauchamp Ticket Agent Norman Ainslee Hotel Clerk Louis Vincenot Chinese Girl (cigar counter) Bo-Ling Peggy's maid Etta Lee Girl Bell-hop Bo-Ching Chorus Queen Lona Andre Chorus King Sterling Holloway Rudy Vallee, Colonel Stoopnagle and Budd. Cab Calloway and his orchestra. Baby Rose Marie. Show Business (MGM) Fair Comedy Zasu Pitts and Thelma Todd in one of their Hal Roach efforts which has its comic moments, principally as the result of Miss Pitts' general clumsiness and stupidity. The girls are offered a part in a show and ordered to reach the train in an hour, with their pet monkey. Their efforts to get there, their faculty for annoying the show's star and driving its manager to distraction form the body of the comedy. Miss Todd supplies the face and figure. Miss Pitts the "dumbness" and the two contrive to make this reasonably amusing. — Running time, 20 minutes. V Loose Relations (Educational) Entertaining The old gag of mother-in-law visiting her daughter for the first time and meeting her new husband. Andy Clyde putting his best foot forward in order to do the right thing, always gets in wrong. The collapsing bed which traps the dowager is good for plenty of laughs as are the sequences in which the big dog figures. Finale is a knockdown, drag-out battle between Andy and the mother-in-law, attended by all the neighbors, which is given the atmosphere of a world's championship prize fight. Moves fast, has plenty of laughs and should prove good entertainment. Running time, 18 minutes. — MrCarthy, Hollywood. A Room Mates (Universal) Weak Comedy Two college boys, double-crossed by the same girl, vow bachelorhood, then marry, and fall into the error of a foursome honeymoon which .turns out disastrously. Wrong rooms, other men's wives and the like serve for the supposed comic excitement, but there is little real comedy in the subject. The performances are for the most part insipid. — Running time, 20 minutes. comedy. Those who are particularly fond of that variety, however, may find a few laughs in it. Marie Provost and her friend plan to surprise their husbands, one of whom is Bert Roach, with a tonic cocktail, but before the husbands arrive, the girls have sampled the drink, with unusual results. An old maid aunt of Bert's comes around looking for trouble, takes a drink, and causes more excitement. Henry Arnetta, as the apartment house owner, aids in the comedy — and the noise. — Running time, 19 minutes. Hip Zip Hooray (RKO Radio) Laborious But for a situation or two the story and action are cut to pattern almost as exa,ctly as the lingerie abundantly displayed by the models in the salon. A pair of handcuffs do their best to keep the story connected, but the best is not so much. The intended comedy in the indoor chase falls short. It concerns the befallings of the Governor's husband, his sheriff pal and Slippery Magee, who gives all in turn the restriction of the handcuffs at strategic moments. Harry Gribbon and Tom Kennedy are the leads. — Running time, ISj^ minutes. Wild People (MGM) Color Revue There is lightness, a certain amount of entertainment and a certain amount of silliness in this comedy-musical short subject. A commendable and effective addition is the use of Technicolor, with excellent results. In a setting of cavemen and women, supposed to be broadcast to civilization, a chorus of boys and the MGM dancing girls go through the revue routine with enthusiasm, thereby lending liveliness to the subject. — Running time, 20 minutes. Runaway Blackie (RKO Radio) Only Fair More than the mechanics of having cartoon characters turn to making orchestras out of tableware, typewriter keys and whatnot is required in pen and ink comedy now that "everybody's doing it." In "Runaway Blackie," Aesop's Fables, the one elevation above routine is the windup — and literally so — with the chained convicts wound up on a huge roller by the jailer, for their night's sleep. — Running time, 7 minutes. A Lad an' a Lamp (MGM) Good Comedy The Our Gang youngsters are always appealing and in this subject are up to standard. Hearing of Aladdin's success with the magic lamp, they proceed to find and rub diligently every lamp they can find, with indifferent success, until sudden, and amusing complications develop when a theatre magician and a stage monkey become involved. The juvenile patronage will get a great kick out of the comedy, while the adults will be roundly amused. — Running time, 17 minutes. U. A. To Release "Samarang" United Artists will release "Samarang" (Out of the Deep), tropical romance produced by B. F. Zeidman. The film was the result of an expedition to Maylasia by Ward Wing, director, and his wife, Lori Bara, who wrote the story. Pick Me Up (Universal) Noisy There is too much noise and alleged slapstick in this to make it a generally pleasing Detroit Exhibitor Dead William J. Wiggins, 52, prominent Detroit exhibitor, died suddenly of a heart attack at his Detroit home last week. He is survived by his mother, his widow, four sons and two daughters.