The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

November, 1934 241 THE FILM ESTIMATES Being the Combined Judgments of a National Committee on Current Theatrical Films (The Film Estimates, in uhole or in part, may be reprinted only by special arrangement with The Educational Screen) Among the Miiodnn i Henrietta Cowman, K. Cromwell \ (Columbia) Mediocre avook pic- ture, with far-fetched pint and much hokum. K.-deemed only l»> Henrietta Crosman as en- gaging old lady who I ■ n-dibly in- d us housekeeper to crOOkSi ll moved to save boy from their clutches, ami succeeds melodramatically. A Hardly Y Perhaps C Doubtful Barretts of Wimpole Street. The t Norma Shearer. Fredrir March | i MCM i A maater- that belong! among the finest motion picture* ever made, Historical romance to satisfy and delight. Beautifully set, acted, and directed, Foar memorable rotes. Norma's her bast to date. A Joy for the intelligent public. Worthy of the play. A Excellent Y- Mature but good C—Beyond them Charlie Chan in London (Warner (Hand > Another typical Chun picture with the unit) ue and ingenious Chinese detective solv- ing a murder BSM in London and 08 hunting in charming BngHrii countryside. So ma w h al alow-moving, hut suspense is well maintained and Chan lovers will like it. A Good of kind Y—Very food C—Probably Rood Cleopatra <Claudette Colbert. Warren Wil- liam ) (Paramount) Unmitigated De Mille. I.uvbdi, pseudo-historical spectacle, swarming cast, colossal seta, countless trappings, with • ari< attired characters, occasionally impres- sive. Everything dazzles, little convinces. So ■iic that luxury becomes grotesque, his- tory absurd. A—Depends on taste Y -No value C—No Double Door, The I Mary Morris. Evelyn Venable i (Paramount) Sinister atmosphere Mral unhappiness and impending calam- ity in 1910-period melodrama laid in old New York mansion. Relentless, iron-willed older sister dominates family till charming young wife of brother turns tables. Grim, clean. A- -Goodof kind Y Good of kind C-Doubtful Klmer and Elsie (Geo. Bancroft, Frances Fuller) (Paramount) Realistic domestic com- edy, unobjectionable but feeble, about dumb hero who thinks himself important but his wife achieves his only successes. Well-inten- tioned hut clumsy acting, banal dialog, and elementary humor make it a lumbering pro- duction. A Mediocre Y—Harmless C—Hardly Gay Divorcee, The (Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire) (RKO) Frivolous sophistication over unconventional situations but conduct always kept "proper". Heroine, seeking divorce through hired co-respondent in hotel room, meets hero. Much song and dance, some will think too much. Astaire and E. Horton comedy play only real merit. A Thin Y—Doubtful C—No Gift of Gab (Edmund Lowe, Gloria Stuart) (Universal) More glorification of the smart- aleck. Irrepressible, painfully conceited, mouthy street faker crashes into radio, makes great hit, gets too smart, and crashes <<ut till heroine rouses him to spectacular comeback. Vaudeville hodge-podge largely stupid. A—Poor Y—Hardly C—No Have a Heart (James Dunn, Jean Parker) i MGM) Amusing little comedy about ordinary people of real human quality under slangy exteriors. Pathos and sentiment constantly eased by thoroughly laughable stuff from Una Merkel and Stuart Erwin. Jimmie and Jean are an engaging hero.heroine pair. A Pleasant Y—Amusing C—Amaslng Human Side, The i Adolphe Menjou. Doris Kenynn) (Universal) Realistic, mildly amus- ing little problem play about brilliant but un- successful and irresponsible theatrical pro- ducer, his divorced wife and their family. Four children roles and some scenes appeal- ing, but triangle complications make it un- suitable for youth. A- Mediocre Y- Not the beat C—No I'll Fix It (Jack Holt, Mona Harriet (Columbia t Likable, grafting political boss tries to "fix it" for young brother to play baseball despite school rules, but Is balked by teacher-heroine. Reform and mar- riage. Some slapstick and sentimental hokum, but rather unusual plot and devotion of brothers appealing. A—Hardly Y—Fair C—Perhaps Kansas City Princes* (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell) (Warner) Cheap, lively, absurd hok- um about two vulgar gold-diggers chasing "dough" from Kansas City to Paris. The "tough mug" fiance of one adds more crud- ity. Much is silly and ridiculous. As a whole it is low-brow of the lowest. A—Trash Y—Trash C—No Lost Lady, A (Barbara Stanwyck. Frank Morgan, Ricardo Cortex) (Warner) Interest- ing human problem of young-wife-elderly- husband, with very fine role by Frank Mor- gan. Falsified when supposedly fine heroine succumbs briefly to cheap, brazen cad. To hold tone, film needed villain of better qual- ity than the usual Cortex brand. A—Largely good Y—Better not C—No Madame do Barry (Dolores del Rio. Regi- nald Owen) (Warner) Lavish picture, ac- curate and beautiful costumes and back, grounds, showing mad extravagance of Louis XV as prime cause of French Revolution. But jazz tempo, burlesque comedy, character exaggeration largely nullify historical value. Suggest!veness carefully veiled. A Depends on taste Y—Doubtful C—No Marie Galante (Ketti Gallian, Spencer Tra- cy) (Fox) Notably good mystery about catch- ing of international spy by secret service of various nations, saving Panama Canal and averting world war. Charming little French heroine, innocently Involved in grim situa- tion, furnishes solution and much audience enjoyment. A Very good of kind Y—Good of kind C—Very exciting Million Dollar Ransom (Mary Carlisle. Phil- lips Holmes) (Universal) Drunken son ar- ranges to be kidnapped by reformed ex-jail- bird to keep his own mother from marrying a worthless gigolo. Underworld complica- tions threaten success of plan but all is solved at death of jailbird, notably well played by Edwin Arnold. A Hardly Y—Hardly suitable C—No Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (Pauline Lord) (Paramount) Excellent production, re- flecting genuine atmosphere, sentiment, humor and pathos of famous story and the great human appeal of its heroine (delightfully played by M iss Lord) with her fi ne example of cheerful philosophy and courage in ad- versity. A—Excellent Y—Excellent C—Sad but mostly fine One Night of Love (Grace Moore, Tullio Carmfnati) (Columbia) Absurd title for musi- cal picture of quality, with fine music and much human interest. Temperamental hero- ine is raised to operatic greatness by domi- nating maestro, notably acted by Carminati. Bit overdrawn, some needless sophistication, but mostly wholesome and enjoyable. A—Very good Y—Mostly excellent C—Probably good Outcast Lady (Constance Bennett, Herbert Marshall) 1MGM1 Sensational, artificial, un- convincing story of English heroine from disreputable family tangling things badly for hero's highly respectable family, and sowing endless suffering along her checkered path. Fine acting chief merit in this screening of Mich'ie] Arlen. A—Depends on taste Y Unwholesome C—No Redhead (Grace Bradley, Regis Toomeyt (Monogram) Wayward-son hero plans with heroine of rather checkered past to marry and force big payment from his irate but shrewd father as price of divorce. Father's unexpected reaction leads to thoroughly whole- some activity by the pair and final happiness. A—Hardly Y—Perhaps C—No Return of the Terror (John Halliday, Mary Aston (First Nat'l) Fairly engrossing mur- der mystery, effectively concealing killer's identity to end. Usual confusing angles, with settings and atmosphere designed for maximum thrill. Fine performance by Halli- day a satisfying feature. A—Depends on taste Y—Perhaps C—No Six Day Bike Rider (Joe E. Brown) (War- ner) Feeble rehash of Joe Brown's previous antics, with plot too slipshod and incidents too improbable to be very amusing. Rural, conceited hero wins hilariously absurd bike race and the heroine. Laughable for minds sufficiently vacant. A—Stupid Y—Hardly C—Perhaps She Was a Lady (Helen Twelvetrees, Don- ald Woods) (Fox ( V irtuous heroine from lowly start climbs upward through such ex- periences as circus girl, night-club hostess, dodging advances from cads, snubbed by snobs, but finally wins out. Family, wealth, social position played up as chief ends of life. A- -Mediocre Y—Better not C—No Stolen Sweets (Sally Blane. Charles Star- rrtt) (Chesterfield) Shipboard romance of wealthy, incognito heroine and poor but ir- repressible hero. In New York father ob- jects, hero over-rules, and steals heroine on eve of marriage to another. Disinherited. they will build own success. Some action too bizarre to convince. A Mediocre Y—Harmless C Little interest Their Big Moment (Slim Surnmerville, Zasu Pitts) (RKO) Elementary crime story in which vaudeville fakir's troop tricks occu- pants of country estate into revealing mur- der secret. Dialog and acting poor. Slim and Zasu Pitts in roles too different from their one type. Feeble comedy, harmless but inane. A—Dull Y—Harmless C—Hardly Two Heads on a Pillow (Neil Hamilton. Miriam Jordan) (Liberty) Young lawyer and wife wrangle endlessly. Separation helps lit- tle for they meet again as opposing lawyers in court. Artificial plot, but light treatment keeps it from being depressing. Cheap title for undistinguished and unimpressive stuff. A M ed ioc re Y—No C—No Wagon Wheels (Randolph Scott, Gail Pat- rick) (Paramount) A Zane Grey western, showing in much detail the Missouri-Oregon caravan trait. Heavy villainy by Monte Blue makes plenty of Indian-fight complications, and the popular song figures throughout. Rather better than average western for ita realism. A—Hardly Y—Good of kind C Good of kind Wake Up and Dream (Russ Columbo. June Knight I (Universal) Mild little comedy of two men and girl, vaudeville actors, starving their way (despite endless eating scenes with Henry Armetta as comic) to ultimate plenty when hero, of slight acting and singing ability, wins tremendous success on musical screen. A—Ordinary Y—Fairly good C—Little interest