Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1934)

38 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November 10, 1934 §HOWMEN*$ REVIEWS This deparfment deals with new product from the point of view of the exhibitor who is to purvey it to his own public Flirtation Walk (First National) Soldier Romance Showmen who desire to sell their attractions should find plenty which is both necessary and valuable to work with in this picture. Given unique and colorful backgrounds of army post, Hawaii and West Point Military Academy, it is composed of practical entertainment and showmanship elements whose merits in creating and satisfying public enthusiasm have been proved. The picture is the romantic story of a soldier boy, tracing his career, crowded with many amusing and appealing incidents, from rear rank buck private to Cadet Corps regimental commander. The substantiating love story accompaniment engenders spontaneous human interest. This quality is given an added appeal by the manner in which romantic and in-lineof-duty conflict is interpolated. Tinged with gay comedy, music both sentimental and martial, the picture also develops spectacle both alluring and thrilling. The picture features a striking Hawaiian ceremonial dance, and at West Point presents many heretofore unrevealed glimpses of dormitory and student activities as well an unusual parading pageantry. Always the show is keyed to a popular pitch. The picture opens in Hawaii. There under the spell of tropical moonlight and emotions that surge in tune to the native dance spectacle, rookie Canary and the general's daughter. Kit, fall in love. Their romance is short-lived, as when Lt. Biddle intrudes upon their almost clandestine affair. Kit apparently double crosses the amazed boy. Hurt because he is accused of inability to understand because he is neither officer nor gentleman, Canary resolves to become both. He wins an appointment to West Point. Several reels are devoted to picturizations of the manner in which the cadets live and are trained. Each year, new honors come to Canary, and they are always a thrill to Sgt. Scrapper as he reads of them in the kid's letters. Marked by many sequences featuring the Cadet Corps on parade, the story moves into Canary's senior year. Again Kit comes into the picture. Seeing her rookie here on parade, the old affection flames again, but even a walk along the Cadet's sparking ground, Flirtation Walk, cannot break down the boy's reserve or eradicate the suspicion that Kit once before got him into a jam. Canary is writing the Senior play. The Corps selects Kit to play the heroine. In many ways the playlet satirizes lightly the KitCanary-Lieutenant Biddle romance. Only when the script calls for a kiss does Canary realize that he's in love. Throwing discretion to the winds, he dashes out to inform the sacred but willing-to-know Kit of his discovery. Found violating the rules again as well as the "officergentleman" tradition, Canary resolves to resign, only to have Scrapper, who has come to see his protege graduate, talk him out of it and to have Lt. Biddle understand that he cannot stand in the way of real love. In title, cast names, story idea and the color and_ fanfare that marks its production there is available showmanship for any type of campaign. Being the kind of attraction that justifies the spending of a little extra monev as well as personal effort to stir up patron curiosity, the more intensive the advance, the better patron response should be. — McCarthy, Hollywood. Produced and distributed by Warner-First National. Directed by Frank Borzage. Screen Play by Delraer Daves. Original story by Delmer Daves and Lou Edelman. Music and Lyrics by Allie Wrubel and Mort Dixon. Dance numbers directed by Bobby Connolly. Assistant director. Lew Borzage. Art director. Jack Okey. Photography by Sol Polito and George Barnes. Supervisor, Robert Lord. Film editor, Wm. Holmes. Technical directors, Colonel Timothy J. Lonergan and Lieut. P. Eckles. Gowns by OrryKelly. P.C.A. Certificate No. 350'. Running time, 85 n'.inutes. Release date, Dec. 1, 1934. CAST Dick 'Canary' Dorcy Dick Powell Kit Fitts Ruby Keeler Sgt. 'Scrapper' Thornhill Pat O'Brien Oakie Ross Alexander Spike John Arledge Lieut. Biddle John Eldredge Gen Fitts Henry O'Neill Sleepy Guinn Williams Gen. Landacre Frederick Burton Chase John Darrow Eight Ball Glen Boles Broadway Bill ( Columbia) Comedy-Drama Although the title suggests otherwise, this is a different kind of race track picture. As it combines drama, romance, lively and colorful comedy and packs a potent but unique heart appeal, it's a fresh story of a man, the horse and a girl. Full of that atmosphere, both realistically and by illusion, that has made horseracing the sport of king and commoner, it builds to a vivid action race sequence and then crashes to a_ tragedy — a great horse breaks his heart to win and with honors befitting a hero is buried on the track where he ran his epic race. Though the picture does a lot of fooling about to reach its objective, it seems to have the peculiar quality that makes for popular attractions. There is action and color for the men folk, and it possesses a novel romantic angle that no smart exhibitor will overlook. Dan, although very much in love with his wife_ Margaret, has little desire to be just a cog in the industrial domain of the small town tycoon, J. L. Higgins. Rising in rebellion, he takes to the road with his horse, Broadway Bill, and Whitey. An old race track man, he knows his way about. Broke, he runs into his old pals the Colonel, Happy and others. In their relations the comedy sequences are concentrated. On his first test, Broadway Bill, unused to the ways of the track, runs away. In stalling off feed bills, caring for sister-in-law Alice, who sympathetically follows him to the track, Dan and Whitey have a hectic time. Pathos, tinged with comedy, first is inserted, as rain seeping through the miserable stable roof gives Bill a cold on the eve of the Derby. Heroic measures, plus the application of a little mind over matter theory, bring the horse around. With the excitement of far-flung pool room betting interpolated, in which a gag to get money is inserted by the Colonel and Happy to drive the odds on Broadway Bill down, the stage is set for the race. This is a classic of action. Fighting for his head against a jockey in league with the gamblers. Bill just manages to nose out the gamblers' favorite — to somersault over, dead. The memorial services portrayed in a sincere and sympathy-stirring manner, the picture shifts back to Higginsville. Margaret has divorced Dan. Higgins has sold off his enterprises. The family is gathered for one final meeting. Rocks crash through the windows, Alice is the first to know it's Dan, and dashes out to him, to be quickly followed by her father who at last sees in Dan the kind of fellow who makes life worth living on the open road with a pair of new horses. This picture promises both pleasing entertainment and some new and diff'erent showmanship possibilities. It's the kind of attraction that should be circused. — McCarthy, Hollywood. Produced and distributed by Columbia. Original story by Mark Hellinger. Screen play by Robert Riskin. Directed by Frank Capra. Photographed by Joseph Walker. Produced by Harry Cohn. Running time, when seen on Hollywood, 105 minutes (to be' cut). Release date, to be determined. CAST Dan Brooks Warner Baxter Alice Higgins Myrna Loy J. L. Higgins Walter Connolly Happy .• Lynn Overman Colonel Raymond Walbum Whitey Clarence Muse Edna Margaret Hamilton Eddie Morgan Douglas Diunbrille Margaret Helen 'Vinson Henry George Meeker Arthur Jason Robnrds Mrs. Early , Helen Flint Mrs. Winslow Helen Millard Rube Harry Holman Henchman Charles Levinson Henchman Ward Bond Judge Edmund Breese Pop Harry Todd Joe George Cooper Colhns Charles Wilson Whiteall Paul Harvey Baker Edward Tucker Dan s Jockey Frankie Darro Student Tour (MGM) Musical Comedy-Drama W'ith comedy the predominant element, plus music, a chorus dance number or two, romance and action in a crew race, this film presents lively and entertaining screen fare, with its appeal apt to be general. A new melody, vocalized by the principals, may be reproduced over lobby amplifiers to attract pedestrian attention. That comedy is to be emphasized in the selling is clearly indicated by the fact that Jimmy Durante and Charles Butterworth have the leading roles, sharing with Maxine Doyle and Phil Regan. The basic idea of the story has an element of showmanship novelty. The college crew wins a big race, and is eligible to compete with an English crew provided the members pass their course in philosophy. LInable to do so they take the trip anyway, the professor accompanying them as a way out of the difficulty. With Butterworth as the professor of philosophy, and Durante the crew's trainer, becoming roommates aboard ship there results the greater part of the film's considerable comedy. The college atmosphere is readymade for the younger set among the patronage, while the comedy offered by the two leading players is the appeal to the older folks, while the general appeal may be indicated in the musical aspects of the film and the chorus numbers. Regan is stroke of the college crew which is preparing for a trip to Europe for a race, part of the trip to be a student tour around the world. The hitch is the philosopy course, under