The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

March, 19}} Page 85 THE FILM ESTIMATES Being the Combined Judgmenta of a National Committee on Current Theatrical Filins (The Fitm Estimates^ in whole or in part, may be reprinted only by special arrangement with The Educational Screen) Broadway Bad 4 Joan Blondell. Ricardo Cor- tex t (Fnxt VirtuuuH choru»-Kirl mnlher. with had reputation, wins xtardom from HrandaloUM liiviircf. Con vert» her jri ft-Jewelry into caah for truHt fund and acrepts Btiifma in court to save her child's future. Joan Blondell Kood in ralher mediocre story. A—PosBibly Y—Unauitable C—Not for them Cavalcade (Diane Wynyard. CHve Brook) (Fox> Great motion picture material irreatly presented. Poiicnant history of sreat events in la«t S3 years and their effect on true Eng- Ii»h periple. Merely tensely human episodes, with little dramatic connection, vividly por- tray mx-ial heroism and the outraiceoua trafc- edy of war. A—Notable Y—Excellent C~Good but heavy Child of Manhattan iNancy Carroll. John Boles I (Columbia) Taxi-dancer heroine ia mL-.trt'ss of sociiilly prominent millionaire, who ofTtTs marrinire when child U born. Baby di«*s and heroine nobly runs away to arrange for tlivorce, but hero find» her in time for happy endini;. Largely false and improbable. A Hardly Y—By no means C—No Deception (Leo Carrillo) (Columbia) At- tempt to cash in on the crookedness of the **wre:4tliniE icame." Eiasy appeal for follower* of the pri7.e-rin»r. with ringside Rntclish. cheap romance of cheap people, and very violent and convincinK wresLlinK bouta. A— Hardly Y-Iietter not C—No Employees' Entrance (Warren William, Lo- retta Youns) (First Nat*l I Hard, unscrupulous head of Department Stt>re well played by Wil- liam. He preaches "take "em and leave *em." Heroine gets job by visiting his apartment— iroes aRnin after she has married a decent chap. Sex kept thoroughly in foreground. A—PoMibly Y—Pernicioufl C—No 42nd Street (Warner Baxter. Bebe Daniels) (Warner) fiood musical comedy drama, with striking ensembles and notable trick photog- raphy, well arte<l, directed and cast. Back >tajre life made interesting and glamorous. Much wtsei'racking, drunkenness, and very tray romance. Some sincerity and much so- phistication. A— I>epend8 on taste Y—Better not C—Not for them Hallelujah. I'm a Bam (Al Jolson) (U. A.) Rollicking, human picture with Jolson engag- ing as the non-working, much-singing Ontral Park hobo, intimate friend of big politician. Both being unknowingly in love with same girl brings complications, and pathos. Rhymed dialog painful at tiroes. A—Rather good Y—Amnslnc C—Amaalnff Handle With Care (James Dunn. Bootn Mal- [^►ryt (Foxi Inndefiuately written and directed. ^low tempo, thin plot, and El Brt-ndel's com- - <iy work feeble. But uttery clean, whole- -iime picture, with much human interest, -warms of children, engaging hero and hero- ine, and notable work by child actor, Buater I'helps. Fine "family" stuff. A Fairly amusing Y--Amaaln( C—Very good Hard to Handle (James Cagney. Mary Brian t i Warner) Fast, peppy story of high- powered, unscrupulous but engaging young pn>moter — fake advertising, quick profits — good warning against fake publicity, but bad example of advertising ethics. Free of hex aave a vulgar one-night affair lugged in. A—Lively Y—Doubtful C—No Ktnv of the Jangle (Buster Crabbe. France Dee I (Para.) The "Lion Man." physical Apollo and mental child, reared by lions in their native wilds, is captured with them for cirrij'*. Charming Frances Dee retlcn-ms him. Hirhty incredible but largely wholesome and tu';thliily exciting. Much animal interest. A—Bather good Y—Entertaining C—Mostly very good Estimates are given for 3 groups A —Intelligent Adult Y—Youth (15-20 years) C—Child (under 15 years) Bold faced type raeana "recommended** sational come-back to win waif, rare and wife. A Hardly Y—Hardly C—No Ladies They Talk About (Barbara SUn- wyck( f Warner) The beautiful, hard, notor- ious heroine, pal and moving spirit among l>ank bandits, adored by young reformer, does term in jail. Prison life and inmates shown picturesquely and amusingly. She planned vengeance upon release, but married her adorer instead. A—Perhaps Y—Better not C—No Lucky Devils (Bill Boyd. Dorothy Wilson) (RKOi Picturizes Hollywood activities of the stunt-men who risk their necks for $50 a week. Obvious exploitation, with thrills and romance carefully worked in. Some human- interest attained. But acting is mediocre and dialog crude. A—Hardly Y—Fair C—Very exciting Laxnry Liner (George Brent, Zita Johann) (Para.) Showy but feeble story. laid on board great ship during Atlantic croAsing. supposed to give cross-section of life from first to third cabins. Interesting for background and travel atmosphere, but the "life" consists mainly of conglomerate of sex affairs. A—Mediocre Y—Unwholesome C—No Parachute Jumper (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) (Warner) Merely sensational picture about two care-free super-brave aviators who leave the Marines, hunt jobs, and meet the down- and-out heroine. Thoroughly spiced with cheap sex stuff and rum-running by air. before hero finally settles down. A-^Mediocre Y—Certainly not C—No Rasputin and the Empress (The Barrymores. Diann Wynyard. Rolph Morgan* tMCiMt Ex- cellent historical picture, true in major fea- tures, about Russian myalty. the Great War. ami the sinister Rasputin's great role therein. Si>lendidly acted, thrillingly entertaining, with some very violent scenes. Only defect, Ras- putin is made over-melodramatic, wholly re- pugnant and unhuman. A—Notable Y—Very strons C—Too strong Robbers' Roost (George O'Brien) (Fox) An- other Western of usual ingredients, such as cattle-rustling, frontier romance, violent he- roics and beautiful scenery. Morally unob- jectionable and adequately thrilling to satisfy those who hunger for this sort of thing. A—Hardly Y—Good -C—ExcHing Secret of Madame Blanche. The (Irene Dunne) (MOM ( Fairly convincing story, well acted, with Irene Dunne as young chorus- girl and finally old hostess in a dive, having remained decent throughout. Long-lost son— finally reunited. Many charming scenes but several questionable. Lionel AtwiU does fine role. A—Fair Y—UnsulUble C—No So This Is Africa (Wheeler and Woolsey) (Columbia) Perhaps crudest and craziest hash to date by these "stars." Burlesque African exploration with burlesque sex stuff which i-) cheap, vulgar and ridiculous. Humor stale, dialog stupid, plot idotic. taste ribald. Not even good "box office." A—Trash Y—Trash C—No Speed Demon (William Collier Jr.) (Colum- bia) Speeii-boat-racing melotlrama. lively thriller, full of hokum, in which hero \one» race and girl through drinking, adopts a waif, loses him to gangsters—but finally makes sen- State Fair (Will Rogers. Janet Gaynor) (Fox) Homely, human, appealing picture of country life. Mostly wholesome entertainment, as devoted family of four set out for joyous week at the Fair, with prize hog and mince pies. But for "punch." son and daughter crassly deceive loving parents to achieve clandestine love-affairs, one very dubious. A -Good of kind Y—Mostly fine C—Mostly good Tf»pase (John Barrymore, Myrna Ley) (RKO) Masterful work by Barrymore as French chemistry professor, sincere, honor- able, credulous. Tricked into lending his name to spurious product, he learns truth, leaves school and cynically turns tables on the dishonest politicians. Continental mis- tress in cast, but no objectionable actions. A— ExceUent Y~If mature, good C—Beyond them 20.000 Years In Sing Sing (Spencer Tracy) (First Nat'l) Realistic, prison life baaed on Warden Lawes' famous book. Tracy is big shot prisoner who expects favors but gets none. He learns better and finally gives his life for another. Lots of toughness and crude romance. , A—Perhaps Y—Perhaps C—No Vampire Bat. The (Lionel AtwiU. Fay Wray) (Majestic) Fantastic tale of mysteri- ous murders, supposedly by vampire bats, un- til half-mad doctor-scientist ia revealed as murderer, seeking human blood for his ex- periments. Usual scare effects agreeably ab- sent, but ghoulish murderer becomes- known too early and interest wanes. A—Hardly Y—Perhaps C—No Private Jones (Lee Tracy) (Universal) C^mic war picture, rather second rate on the whole but much of it amusing. Tracy good as brazen, irrepressible private. drafted against his will. Old mother dying and sister in power of lecherous old bo 1:1, make him willing to go. but he is a rebel to the end. A- Hardly Y—Perhaps C—Hardly What I No Beer (Buster Keaton, Schnoszle Durante) (MOM) Crude, ribald, stupid hash of stale gags and familiar slapstick which tries to play up the near-at-hand return of legal beer. Probably poorest Keaton picture to date. Benighted attempt at amusement. A—Stupid Y—Poor C—No Whistling in the Dark (Ernest Truex. Una Merkel) (MGM) Good, well-acted light com- edy from the stage play with Truex as star. Mystery-story writer and his fiancee fall acci- dentally into power of gangsters. Forced t^ devise a murder as price of freedom, he still savas the victim. Cheapened by supposedly necessary bed-nx>m scene. A—Amusing Y—Doubtful C—Hardly Wild Women of Borneo (Travelogue) (Tele- vision Co.) Some interesting shotA of animals and of primitive human life and customs in Borneo wilds. Made in 1931. now re-edited, patched, with naive vocal accompaniment added. Much obvious faking, and the public- ity attempts sensational appeal which is cheap and false. A—Mediocre Y—Perhaps C—Hardly Woman Accused. The (Nancy Carroll. Gary Grant) (Para.) Another society "drama" wherein heroine with scarlet past murders for good cause her racketeer ex*sweetie—then goes on "boat trip" with sweet young lawyer, who saved her from chair, as pre-wedding honeymoon. Usual "moral" ending as would be expected. A—Depends on taste Y—Unwholesome C—No