We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
exploit (I am not sure exactly what he does) which is very well staged. As with most M.G.M. pictures, there is too much Dunning intermixed with authentic photography, and the length needs trimming by at least a third to keep its pace. P. R.
THE STRANGER'S RETURN.— This corn-belt epic is an important contribution to a real movie renaissance that is taking place in American cinema. Such films as State Fair, The Man Who Dared, and The Stranger's Return are shaping a naturalistic movie. We can forgive the tradition of movie dramatic values that has ruined the story, and the introduction of Miriam Hopkins, for the real virtue of attempting to record the people of the Middle West. King Vidor has controlled the mannerisms of the stars to this purpose, and despite the false notes in the story, Lionel Barrymore's patriarch is a sound piece of character drawing. The Stranger's Return is a sincere attempt to portray the lives of normal people, but box-office values and movie traditions have been too strong for the director. The old symbolism of Vidor is here, but he is not the man who directed The Crowd. The racket has been too tough for him. The value of this film is the courage of the producers in choosing a social theme. It is a real victory when Hollywood deserts the plaster walls for the fields and homes of Iowa. D. F. Taylor.
BITTER SWEET. — The film demonstrates more clearly than the play that Noel Coward had little art to prostitute. Ideas and ideals are both cheap and tawdry. As an example of direction before the sound camera escaped from the camera booth it is excellent. Songs are sustained on one set-up for the complete tune, and a variation on long shot and close-up is even denied us. But the settings and photography do deserve praise. Fred Young's camera work is comparable to that of Lee Garmes in its velvety blacks and graduated half-tones. Particularly noteworthy is the delightful lighting of faces. Sets (L. P. Williams) and costumes (Doris Zinkeisen) are lovely in their suggestion and reveal a very close co-operation between art director and cameraman. For the definitely imaginative camera work and setting Bitter Sweet marks a real advance on anything yet produced in England. D. F. T.
TWENTY-SIX COMMISSARS.— This belongs to the historical school of Soviet films, and in subject and technique may be classified with The End of St. Peter sburgh, Ten Days, and Potemkin. Against a background of oil derricks and sand dunes, the film tells of the
48