The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 162 The Educational Screen THE FILM ESTIMATES Being the Combined Judgments of a National Committee on Current Theatrical Films (The film Estimates, in whole or in part, may be reprinted only by special arrangement with The Educational Screen) Bride of Samoa (Native cast) (Central Films* Travelog showing preparations, tribal rites and ceremonies, feasting, etc., attendant upon be- trothal of young Samoan couple. Parts of real educational value, but the whole is made cheap and sensational by prolonged footage of sensu- ous dancing and suggestive comments by ac- companying voice. A—Poor Y—No C—No Change of Heart (Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell) (Fox) Romantic, sentimental little story of two pairs of college grads seeking jobs in New York and incidentally learning slowly which loves which. Simple, unpre- tentious, often naive, but clean, pleasant and the old Farrell-Gaynor charm is distinctly shown. A-—Pleasant Y—Good C—Little interest Come On Marines (Richard Arlen, Ida Lu- pino (Paramount) Absurd, rowdy stuff about a Marine sergeant, demoted for an unsavory af- fair with a cafe dancer, and consigned to the Philippine jungles. Sensational excitement there in rescue of shipwrecked girls. Much racy dialog and vulgar humor throughout. A—Silly Y—Decidedly not C—No Finishing: School (Frances Dee, Ginger Rog- ers ) (RKO> Expensive school shown up as hypocritical racket, its blase, wise-cracking girl-students busy chiefly with week-end dates in city hotels. Charming heroine enrolls, and progresses from innocence to pregnancy in two semesters. Hero offers marriage for moral ending. A—Impertinent Y—Unwholesome C—No Ghoul, The (Boris Karloff) (Fox-British- Gaumont) Mere horror film for the scare-ad- dicts, about a crazy, human monstrosity who dies and returns from the tomb for vengeance, with grotesque make-up and all stock devices for spine-chilling. Usual semi-darkness and blood-curdling noise throughout. A—Trash Y—No C—No Heart Song (Lilian Harvey) (Fox-Gaumont- British) Light, whimsical musical comedy, con- tinental in manner, hence American appeal doubtful. Accident makes humble heroine pose as long lost love of hero. He recovers and prefers the new-found love. Harvey does hard role well. Clean in plot and dialog. A—Pleasant Y—Doubtful interest C—No interest He Was Her Man (James Cagney, Joan Blondell) (Warner) Cleverly combines gang- ster stuff and realistic humble life, well acted and directed. But glorifies into hero the "smart", brazen, hunted crook, without loyalty or decency, who kills the wayward heroine's one pitiful chance at marriage—till pursuers' guns get him. A—Unpleasant Y—Pernicious C—No Hold That Girl (James Dunn, Claire Trevor) (Fox) Fast, exaggerated comedy-urama witn familiar characters of brash, wise-cracking police detective and incredibly venturesome girl reporter. She finally stumbles on a gang killing which brings on exciting chase and capture of racketeers by hero. A—Hardly Y—Perhaps C—No I Like It That Way (Gloria Stuart, Roger Pryor) (Universal) Heroine making her honest living in a night club—superior to all temp- tation—converts and wins chronic playboy. Heroine is quite convincing, but hero is crude. Most of film merely gay stuff, cheap people and thoroughly unwholesome atmosphere. A—Crude Y— Doubtful C—No I'll Tell the World (Lee Tracy, Gloria Staurt) (Univ.) Rapid-fire comedy of live-wire report- er's running down of story on princess of mythical kingdom in Europe, defeating his press rival at every turn, saving princess from murderous plot and for himself. Much hokum some slapstick, but hilariously amusing. A—Good of kind Y—Very amusing C—Fairly amusing I've Got Your Number (Pat O'Brien, Joan Blondell) (Warner) Fast, exaggerated stuff, with O'Brien in typical role of boastful, con- ceited telephone lineman, flippant, free with women, finally "falling" for heroine. She is innocent tool of slick thieves finally exposed by hero. Much unnecessary suggestive vul- garity. A—Hardly Y—Better not C—No Manhattan Melodrama (Clark Gable, Wil- liam Powell) (MGM) Tense, highly seasoned, finely acted melodrama with two heroes, boy- hood pals, and heroine mistress of one, then wife of other. The attorney dutifully sends his pal, king of gamblers, to chair for murder. Distorted in ethics and actions. Misdirected sympathy and rings false. A—-Depends on taste Y—Thoroughly bad C—No Melody in Spring (Lanny Ross, Ruggles, Boland) (Paramount) Light, merry, rather charming little romance, with rich character- comedy by the experts Ruggles and Boland to compensate for feeble acting by hero and heroine. Good singing, whimsically amusing incidents, Alpine backgrounds. A—Pleasing Y—Good C—Fair Murder at the Vanities (Vic McLaglen, Jack Oakie) (Paramount) Fast, sensational and wildly improbable Follies performance, with elaborate stage pictures, dances and nudity plus—the whole pu nctuated by ardent love affair, jealous mistress, three murders and a dumb detective. Comic little maid does the only real acting. A—Depends on taste Y—Better not C—No Ninth Guest, The (Donald Cook, Genevieve Tobin) (Columbia) Highly artificial mystery- stuff that becomes wholesale murder melo- drama. Eight guests are locked in penthouse for party planned by one of them for killing the other seven. Series of suicides and mur- ders. Some clumsy comedy helps little. A—Mediocre V No C—No Once to Every Woman (Ralph Bellamy, Fay Wray) (Columbia) Exceptionally fine "hos- pital" picture, with appealing romance be- tween worthwhile people, and intensely inter- esting role by Walter Connolly as old doctor superseded by his young protege. Notaole portrayal of modern hospital with strong character values and human comedy. A—Very good Y—Very good C—Little interest Poor Rich, The (E. E. Horton, Edna May Oliver) (Universal) Entertaining farce-com- edy with character interest, clean humor, ro- mance and some slapstick. Horton and Miss Oliver clever as penniless cousins who return to deserted ancestral home and entertain sup- posedly rich nobility under false pretenses. Amusing for any audience. A—Amusing Y—Good C—Amusing Show-Oft", The (Spencer Tracy, Madge Ev- ans) (MGM) Talkie version of well-known stage hit revolving around good-natured brag- gart whose egotism and showing-off get him into trouble, until some unexpected breaks achieve happy ending. Light, breezy, clean and human comedy. Tracy handles role ably. A—Amusing Y—Good C—Amusing Sadie McKee (Joan Crawford, Franchot Tone) (MGM) Joan does good work in meai- ••>cre and artificial story. As cook's daughter she first loves and is betrayed by a spineless youth, then marries drunken millionaire whom she reforms, and finally finds true love with prim lawyer, her childhood playmate. A—Fair of kind Y—Unsuitable C—No Social Register (Colleen Moore, Alex. Kirk- land) (Columbia) Elementary stuff with ri- diculous situations, labored attempts at comedy and some very bad acting in trite story about struggles of the rich boy and the worthy chorus girl to marry. His mother struggles to prevent it, but she loses finally. A—Poor Y—Poor C—No Stingaree (Richard Dix, Irene Dunne) (RKO) Incredible but highly colored, tuneful romance, with Australian bandit-hero who stumbles on poor girl and makes possible her operacc success in Europe. She then scorns rich mar- riage to return to her still hunted and un- regenerate outlaw. A—Depends on taste Y—Entertaining out doubtful C—No Such Women are Dangerous (Warner Bax- ter, Rosemary Ames) (Fox) Baxter fine as too- popular author, infatuated himself over a worthless woman, pestered by a pitifully am- bitious little girl whose delusions lead to her suicide and his near ruin, until his loyal sec- retary's intelligence and charm dawn upon him. A—Interesting Y—Probably good C—Beyond them The Thin Man (William Powell, Myrna Loy) (MGM) Distinctly different detective-murder- mystery, in jocular mood, with hero retired and living happily with rich wife, till baffling murders call back his master hand for solu- tion. Sophisticated dialog, smooth acting, du- bious ethics, incessant heavy drinking by hero and heroine. A—Depends on taste Y—Very doubtful C—No Thirty Day Princess (Sylvia Sidney, Gary Grant) (Paramount) Light, fanciful romantic- comedy about a struggling little actress hire.i to impersonate princess of impoverished myth- ical realm on g.x>d-will tour of America to obtain loan. Amusing and suspenseful com- plications. Lively, wholesome stuff. A—Fair of kind Y—Good C—Good if it interests Trumpet Blows, The (George Raft, Adolph Menjou) (Paramount) Reformed bandit, still hunted, would refine crude brother, bull-fight- er and supposed college graduate. Both he- roes love heroine, one wins her. Much sex, he-man talk, bull-ring doings, picturesque sets, no discernible ethics and no character change. A—Unconvincing Y—Unwholesome C—No Upperworld (Warren William, Mary Astor) (Warner) Trite and unconvincing domestic drama with implausible characters. Husband, railroad magnate, neglected by socially am- bitious wife, turns to kindly show girl. Melo- dramatic complications include two murders, for which hero is tried and acquitted. Recon- ciliation with wife for happy ending. A—Hardly Y—No C—No Viva Villa (Wallace Beery, Fay Wray) (MGM) Hectic melodrama and riotous bur- lesque of pseudo history, showing Pancho Villa as reckless, brutal, stupid guerilla thun- dering through Mexico righting wrongs. Deaf- ening, reeking, preposterous most of time, but with moments of real humor and char- acter appeal. A—Depends on taste Y—No C—No Whirlpool (Jack Holt, Jean Arthur) (Co- lumbia) Emotional melodrama of carnival- owner who, supposedly dead, finishes 20-year jail term and becomes gambling king. Fine scenes with new-found grown-up daughter very human and appealing, until he is forced to murder and suicide for sake of her and her mother. A—Rather good of kind Y—Doubtful C— No