The Bioscope (Oct-Dec 1931)

18 THE BIOSCOPE November 11, 1931 Merritt (Betty Lawford), lately her best friend, and still an ardent admirer of Frank, now an associate of crooks and a parasite on society. Sylvia is to be engaged to Lord Danforth, who, on arriving, is infatuated with Helen. In preferring Frank’s company Sylvia is involved in his murder the day preceding her wedding. Helen tries to shield Sylvia, but Danforth discovers the truth, and so the impoverished secretary gets the plum of the marriage market. While sensible people will have little or no sympathy with the girl who, despite all the warnings of her guardian, marries under such circumstances, her subsequent unhappiness and final attempt to sacrifice herself for a worthless friend will arouse the sympathies of many. To these the director makes a special appeal in his rather lurid interpretation of the murder, and his colouring of the girl’s character in permitting her to reveal to Danforth the fact that she is a married woman and the gigolo is her husband. Charming Claudette Colbert brings her best efforts to bear on the rather shallow part of the girl : Herbert Marshall, not too well served by the photographer, plays with his usual polish the part of Lord Danforth ; and George Metaxa, whose first screen appearance this is, makes the most of an unpleasant role, in which he sings and dances with good effect. All interiors are finely mounted. ANALYSIS Story and. Dialogue Direction Acting Recording and Photography General Appeal .... 12% out of 20% 17% ,, 20% 17% 20% 16% ,, 20% 15% ,, 20% 77% ,, 100% H. M. “ Waiting for the Bride ” Offered by : Radio. Produced by : Radio. Directed by : William Croft. Length : 5,599 feet. Release Date: April 4, 1932. Certificate: A. Recording: R.C.A. Sound on Film, All-Technicolor production. THE CAST Evelyn Mary Brian Fred Geoffrey Kerr Howard Johnny Hines Margy Marie Prevost Lou Joseph Cawthorn Suitability Light entertainment which may suit as second feature for average halls. The stratagems and indecisions of a mercenary chorus girl, though often amusing, cannot be considered edifying. As the theme, so the production, which must be described as garish. Technicolor, often a blessing, sometimes proves a curse. It is so in this case, for while many of the interiors are extremely delicate and beautiful, the faces of the performers, especially in closeups, offend the eye. The spectator stares, but has not the illusion of watching creatures of flesh and blood. Fred and Howard belong to the love-’em-andleave-’em brigade. Evelyn, a chorus girl, determines to marry the former, knowing him to be wealthy. Tactfully dodging his advances, she invites him to her rooms, having previously arranged with an old character actor to arrive and pose as her father. The old boy asserts his belief they are married, and Fred, with evil intent, acquiesces. Howard unmasks the paternal fraud by making him drunk. Evelyn is ashamed of herself, and there is a deadlock. Ultimately, she confesses, and a gorgeous wedding takes place. Mary Brian does well in a somewhat difficult part. But the best thing in the picture is Joseph Cawthorn’s clever impersonation of the loquacious old Dutchman. Marie Prevost is amusing as the flamboyant and candid friend ; Geoffrey Kerr, who plays Fred, has much personal charm and refined tones. ANALYSIS Story and Dialogue Direction .... Acting Recording and Photography General Appeal .... 10% out of 20% 12% ,, 20% 15% ,, 20% 12% „ 20% 14% „ 20% 63% „ 100% I. J Gene Gerrard and Jessie Matthews in “ Out of the Blue ” a B.I.P. production, just trade shown by Pathe Pictures *“ Out of the Blue ” Offered by : Pathe. Produced by : British International. Directed by : Gene Gerrard. Supervised by : John Orton. Length : 7,862 feet. Release Date : March 21, 1932. Certificate: U. Recording: R.C.A. Sound on Film. THE CAST Gene Gerrard Kay Hammond Fred Groves Hal Gordon Jessie Matthews Binnie Barnes David Millar Kenneth Kove Suitability : Attractive light entertainment for popular audiences. This is a bright and amusing adaptation of the musical play “ Little Tommy Tucker,” by Caswell Garth and Desmond Carter, in which Gene Gerrard played at Daly’s Theatre recently. The plot is both farcical and fragile, with courtship complications of the evergreen type. But there is so much enjoyable wit, pleasing singing and clever nonsense that the show goes briskly in spite of its length and leaves the spectator in the best of spirits. Bill Coverdale (“ Uncle Bartholomew ” of the B.B.C.) is blessed with a dulcet voice which enchants the two daughters of Sir Jeremy Tucker, who live with their father at Knaveston Towers. Introductions are followed by love. Angela and Bill become engaged, to the distress of imbecile Freddy. But the mercurial Bill transfers his affections to Tommy. Piqued, she departs to Biarritz and sings at a luxurious hotel. Bill distinguishes himself as a drummer, but is arrested. Ultimately, sunshine follows cloud, all getting the partners they desire. The success of this sparkling, but unintellectual, production is due to the talents and over-brimming energy of a large and experienced cast. Gene Gerrard, who impersonates Bill, is always in the limelight, likewise Jessie Matthews. Towards the close a Russian princess and a French detective illuminate the picture with the spirit of burlesque. The staging is artistic and the recording excellent. ANALYSIS Story and Dialogue Direction .... A ding Recording and Photography General Appeal .... 12% out of 20% 10% „ 20% 16% „ 20% 15% „ 20% 15% „ 20% 68% „ 100% I J. “ Caught ” Offered by : Paramount. Produced by : Paramount.. Directed by : Edward Sloman. Photographed by : Charles Lang. Length : 6,100 feet. Release Date: May 26, 1932. Recording: Western Electric on Film. THE CAST Lieut. Colton Calamity Kate Winslow Jard Harmon Curly Brandon Goldie Sergt. Weems Scully Richard Arlen Louise Dresser Frances Dee Tom Kennedy Martin Burton Marcia Manners Sid Saylor James Mason Suitability : Will do well where Westerns are appreciated. Incidents in the lives of various romantic figures who stood out in Western history have often found expression on the screen. This latest deals with the famous — or infamous — Calamity Jane, the Amazonian cattle rustler and law breaker, but the story here recorded of the finding of her long-lost son, now an army officer sent to arrest her, is both obvious and unconvincing. Interest is vested solely in what must have been a dynamic personality, but Louise Dresser, who interprets the role, is not that. Too often she allows a cultured tone to creep into her speech, and seldom does she portray the harddrinking specimen with acknowledged power over the men that the original character certainly possessed. In the saloon which Calamity runs, and from which she controls her cattle stealing forays — which, by the way, are not shown — are a bunch of women whose scanty attire would put to shame a Ziegfeld leg show. One of these girls, Goldie, is in love with Curly (Martin Burton), who brings the law down on the community for shooting a cattle owner, a crime in which he is aided and abetted by Calamity. A detachment of cavalry arrives, headed by Lieut. Colton (Richard Arlen), who is soon made aware of Calamity’s participation in the murder by Goldie, who turns king’s evidence to save Curly. Colton falls in love with Kate (Frances Dee), a new arrival, who finds herself unable to follow the ways of her less fortunate sisters, but who, nevertheless, wins some sort of affection from Calamity. A few ill-spoken words from Colton to his lady friend leave us in no doubt as to the trend of events, and when he falls into a trap laid by Calamity, it comes as no surprise to find that she has discovered the son she has not seen since childhood. Through Kate she allows him to escape without revealing her identity, and in the absence of the troops, who have made no inquiries though perfectly aware of their commander’s enforced disappearance, makes her getaway. In an absurd finale, Kate makes an impassioned plea to Colton before all his men to allow her to go, a request to which he apparently accedes. Action takes place almost exclusively within the precincts of the saloon. All the cast are good, with Richard Arlen effective as the officer. ANALYSIS Story and Dialogue Direction .... Acting Recording and Photography General Appeal .... 12% out of 20% 15% 20% 16% „ 20% 18% „ 20% 14% „ 20% 75% „ ioo% H. M. *“ Rynox” Offered by : Ideal. Produced by : Jerry Jackson. Directed by : Michael Powell from the story by Philip Macdonald. Length : 4,237 feet. Release Date: Not fixed. Certificate: A. Recording: R.C.A. Sound on Film. THE CAST Stewart Rome Dorothy Boyd Leslie Mitchell Edmund Willard John Longden Charles Paton Sybil Grove Suitability : For audiences appreciating thrillers of its type. The firm of Rynox is in difficulties, but Benedik, the chief, assures both his partner and son that