The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 350 The Educational Screen DL Ditm B^iimaU^ Babes in Arms (Rooney. Garland, and many more) (MGM) Lively, laughable, sure box office musical comedy, exploiting Rooney as universal stage genius. Second generation of actors show parents how. Precocious kids, with elders, can be amus- ing ; alone, can become tiresome. Effect on young- audience psychology a nice question. 10-17-39 (A) (Y) (C) Very good of kind Bad Lands (Barrat. Beery Jr., Andy Clyde) (RKO) The "Lost Patrol" idea scaled down to a grim little Western. Posse of renegades go after Apache murderer, but are surrounded and picked off gradually until their leader alone survives. Reasonable suspense, perils, character interest, but slow depressing action. 10-17-39 (A) Hardly (Y) No (C) No Belladonna (Veidt, Hardwicke, Mary Ellis) (English) Triangle, from Hichens novel, with slumbrous Nile background. Wife of fine Eng- lishman has illicit affair with attractive, ruthless Egyptian, tries to poison her husband. Is thwart- ed by husband's friend (Hardwicke) who gives overdone but impressive performance. 10-24-39 (A) Fair (Y) No (C) No Cat and the Canary (Hope, Goddard) (Para) Old favorite mystery melodrama about attempts of member of family to drive lovely heiress mad. Electric with suspense, hokum horrors, eerie house, secret passages, sliding panels. Hope, as frightened but courageous cousin in love with heiress, adds deft bit of comedy. 11-7-39 (A) Good of kind (Y) Doubtful (C) No Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (Toler. Romero) (Fox) Arch-villain astrologer, house of mystery, weird disguises, black magic, sleight-of-hand, telepathy, blackmail and assorted murders make jittery situation that Chan solves with custom- ary Chinese chatter and suave cleverness. Sus- pense good. Treasure Island figures little. 11-7-39 (A)&(Y) Fair of kind (C) Very excHing Chicken Wagon Family (Jane Withers, Carrillo, Byington) (Fox) Wagon-peddler and his family leave their native rural territory and descend upon New York City, mules and all. Semi-cred- ible adventures, mixing comedy and melodrama, reach happy ending, thanks to friendly cop. Jane good in more grown-up role. 11-7-39 (A) Fair (Y)&(C) Mostly amusing Dancing Co-Ed (Lana Turner, R. Carlson) (MGM) More or less funny story of pretty vaudeville dancer planted in so-called college by Hollywood studio in "dancing co-ed" con- test. Amateurish mixture of pseudo-college antics, elementary comedy, and usual swing music. 10-31-39 (A) Depends on taste(Y) Doubtful value (C) No Double Crime on the Maginot Line (French. English titles) Substantial drama of murder and intrigue involving French officer and German wife, MaKJnot line effective though subordinate background. Plot involved and slow moving at times, but tense throughout. Excellent acting by French officer. 10-31-39 (A) Depends on taste (Y) Hardly (C) No Fifth Avenue Girl (Walter Connolly, Ginger Rogers) (RKO) Discouraged millionnaire, tired of business and abnormal home life, hires girl- companion from park bench to bring family to senses. Improbable, far fetched, but good lines, clever situations, and fine role by Connolly. Ginger misses subtlety of her role. 10-24-39 (A) Good of kind (Y) Doubtful value (C) No First Love (Durbin, Stack) (Univ) Surprisingly mature Deanna, after "finishing school," lives with wealthy aunt and uncle. Disgustingly ex- aggerated picture of blase, selfish family. With servants and police cooperating. Deanna goes to her first dance. Ball scene where she sings and dances, utterly charming. 11-7-39 (A) Fairly good (Y) Perhaps (C) No Full Confession (McLaglen, Calleia) (RKO ) Very good psychological character portrayal by Cal- leia as kindly Irish priest and McLaglen as hard-headed, stubborn roughneck who had killed a man and confesses to priest on point of death. Many tense situations well-acted. Strongly reminiscent of "The Informer." 11-7-39 (A) Very good of kind (Y) Too mature (C) No Here I Am A Stranger (Dix. Greene, George. Young) (Fox) Mother leaves drunken husband and remarries for son's sake. Later, in college, son turns against mother and step-father rathei than conceal truth about fatal auto accident. Confused and feeble plot, dialog uninteresting, the few good situations bady muffed. 11-7-39 (A)&(Y) Poor (C) No Being the Combined Judgments oi a National Committee on Current Theatrical Films (A) Discriminating Adults (Y) Youth (C) Children Date of mailing on weekly service is shown on each film. Hollywood Cavalcade (Ameche, Faye) (Fox) Reminiscent panorama of old-time motion-pic- ture personalities and procedures, featuring Key- stone comedy. But historical interest clogged by obstreperousness of dominating, picture-mad di- rector, who loses beloved leading lady, goes hay- wire until advent of talkies restores him. 10-24-39 (A) and (Y) Fairly good (C) Amusing in spots Island of Lost Men (Wong. Naish, Blore) (Para) Mediocre adventure story of man who sets himself up as king of South Sea Island and its population of natives and escaped criminals. Innocent persons escape and Naish is killed by natives. Eric Blore adds touch of humor. 10-31-39 (A) Mediocre (Y) No (C) No Miracles for Sale (Robt. Young. Florence Rice) (MGM) Fast moving murder mystery of profes- sional magician, exposing practices of spiritual- ists, who stumbles upon and solves several dra- matic murders. An eerie seance and various thrill devices add excitement. Robert Young plays magiciannaturally and gracefully. 10-24-39 (A) Good of kind (Y) Thrilling (C) No Hirele Efros (Jewish, English titles) Simple, beautifully produced story of a strong, generous woman whose home and business are taken from her by son's ambitious wife. Family later drawn together by grandson. Character of Mirele Efros exquisitely por- trayed. 10-31-39 (A) Excellent of kind (Y) Mature (C) No Mutiny in the Big House (Chas. Bickford) (Monogram) Strong little prison picture, with historical basis, aims more at conviction than thrill. Understanding chaplain's struggle over h's hard-boiled charges is tense and interest- ing. One very grim "killer" scene outweigh"'' b" human values and real heroism. 10-17-39 (A) &(Y) Good of kind (C) No On His Own (Russian-Eng. Titles') (Amkino> Second in series based on G'orkv's autobiogranhv. Long, sombre picture of youthful struggles of or- phaned boy, meeting much misery and injustice but possessing instinctive feeling for right. Not- able character roles by boy and lovable grand- moth'^r. More episodic than dramatic. 10-24-39 (A) Good of kind (Y) and (C) Too sombre Pack tip Your Troubles (Withers, Schildkraut. Ritz Bros.) (Fox) Farce comedy, with caricatured World War background, about little French hero- ine carrying military secrets to her father, a spy at German headquarters. Songs, Hances. and the nitwit Ritz. bros. lighten proceedings. Distinct- ly new role by maturing Jane Withers. 10-24-39 (A) and (Y) Fair (C) Too exciting Reil Glorv. The (Gary Cooper. Niven. Lee>ds) (U. A.) Grim, thrilling struggle between Fili- pinos, officered by Americans, and treacherous MoroR. Cooper notable as hard, able army doctor who leads and wins fight against savages and chol- era. Gruesome bits, implausibilities. but essential- ly good in technique and characterization. 11-7-39 (A) Fine of kind (Y) Exciting (C) No Rio (Rnthbone. McLaglen, Cummines. Sigrid Gurie) (Univ) Pretentions thriller, strikingly set. about arch-crook. Devil's Island, grursom^ 'ungle sufferings, escape, death, and rival gets wi^e ! Arti- ficial series of sensational situations rather than drama. Hero struggles downward to accid'^ntal death! Gurie's singing adds I'ttle. 10-17-39 (A) Depends on taste (Y) No (C) No Television Spy (Wm. Henry, Judith Barrett) (Para) Lively little tale of public-spirited fi- nancier w^ho backs young scientists' experiments with long-distance television with intent to turn discoveries over to government. Feminine charm- er, plotting to sell plans to European power, is foiled. Fairly good entertainment. 10-24-39 (A) and (Y) Good of kind (C) Perhaps These Glamour Girls (Lew Ayres. Lana Turner) (MGM) Improbable tale of taxi-dancer, attend- ing college house-party at hero's drunken invi- tation, telling off wealthy sociali<fces. stealing the show, and reforming playboy. Breezy well- liquored romancing by overdrawn, unconvincing characters, in supposed college setting. 10-24-39 (A) Mediocre (Y) and (C) No The Roaring Twenties (Cagney, Bogart) (War- ner) Prohibition embodied in career of benevo- lent lough, who returns from war to changed world and no job. Turns racketeer. Backs blues singer but loses her to friend. Tragic ending. Striking photomontage and newsreel commen- tary connect episodes. 10-31-39 (A) Very good of kind (Y) Doubtful (C) No They Shall Have Music (Jascha Heifetz. Mc- Crea. Leeds) (UA) Appealing picture, full of technical flaws, but rich in character interest. human comedy, finest music, and social "lift." Idealistic music school saves little slum hero and is saved in turn. Fine child orchestra. In- timate close-ups of Heifetz's playing. 10-17-39 (A) Good (Y) & (C) Excellent Three Waltzes (French, English titles) (Yvonne Printemps, Pierre Fresnay) The well known actress in triple role as famous dancer, her daughter and grand-daughter, in three succes- sive love affairs, only the third successful. Yvonne's dancing and her real age are handi- caps. Very French in tone and manner. 10-17-39 (A) Fair (Y) Hardly (C) No Thunder Afloat (Beery, Morris) (MGM) Beery as heavy-drinking, hard-hitting. buU-headod •^ea skipper joins navy for vengeance on German submarines. His insubordination and fearless heroics make comedy and thrill. Glorifies anti-German fighting spirit in Great War. 10-31-39 (A) Good of kind (Y) Good of kind (C) No Torpedoed (H. B. Warner, Noah Beery, John Cromwell) (English) Lumbering story, confused by dizzy montage, of Britain's suppression of South American war crisis. Incessant riots, shooting of civilians, clumsy bombardments. British navy furnished the Royal Oak for torpedo climax !(The picture's only distinction.) 10-31-39 (A) Dull (Y) No (C) No $1000 a Touchdown (Joe E. Brown. Martha Raye) (Para) Utterly nitwit farce with no re- mote relations to reality. Idiotic doings in crazy college by football team under harebrained coach. Plenty of vacuous laughs over unobjectionable twaddle and wild slapstick. Sort of nonsense travesty on previous college travesties. 10-17-39 (A) Inane (Y) & (C) More or less funny Two Bright Boys (Cooper, Bartholomew) (Univ) Melodramatic story of small-time English gam- blers, father and son (Freddie), involved in ruthless oil promoter's scheme to wrest prop- erty from plucky Irish boy (Jackie) and mother. Violent complications, ruthless destruction of property. Two fine bov roles. 11-7-39 (A)&(Y) Very good of kind (C) Exciting When Germany Surrendered (World War Docu- mentary) Grim, informative, authentic excerpts fmm c.tficial films by eight nations, on destruc- tion and brutality of war. Czar, Kaiser, Wil- son. Clemenceau appear. Gruesome killings and mutilations. Well-meant, pitifully ungram- matical anti-war voealogue. 10-31-89 (A) Good of kind (Y) No (C) No Witness Vanishes. The (Edmund Lowe, Wendy Barrie) (Univ)Quiet. puzzling little murder mys- tery that starts well, holds suspense, but gets a bit confused by becoming over-intricate and under-explained. Series of vengeance murders at newspaper headquarters solved by outside reporter. Feeble romance woven in. 10-17-39 (A) Hardly (Y) Fair (C) Hardly