Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1934 - Aug 1935)

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1935 AS I SEE THEM . . . Reviews of New Films By ROLAND BARTON BOXOFFICE RATING We have been requested by many exhibitors to use some simple system of indicating our rating of the boxoffice value of the films reviewed below. The "point" system of evaluation, at best, can give you only an arbitrary estimate of a picture's drawing power, so we urge you to read the entire reviews. Some pictures are particularly suitable for certain types of audiences and this must be covered in the detailed criticisms. • Means POOR • • Means AVERAGE • • • Means GOOD • • • • Means EXCELLENT Plus ( + ) and minus ( — ) will be used occasionally to indicate slightly above or below the point rating. Boxoffice Rating • • • • LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER With Gary Cooper, Franchot Tone, Richard Cromwell, Kathleen Burke, Sir Guy Standing Paramount — 110 Minutes One of the best MOTION pictures since the advent of the talkies! It gallops across the screen with the vigorous, dramatic sensation produced by a charge of cavalry. Finely etched emotional moments endow it with a basic nobility. The comedy, unstrained as it is, nevertheless is uproarious. In short, "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" is comprised of all those elements that make for vehement, irrepressible entertainment. It stands as the most attractive boxoffice bet of the season, and this reviewer will be mightily disturbed if it does not reach new depression-years records in many spots. The story principally concerns three young members of the British Bengal Lancers of India. Gary Cooper is the veteran of the trio. Franchot Tone, a flip, but«courageous, newcomer. Richard Cromwell, the weak son of the commanding officer. Sir Guy Standing enacts the role of the commandant with an understanding that wins for him the honors in a cast that is close to perfection throughout. He regards his duty above all else and, consequently, treats his own son harshly to make it evident to him that he may expect no favors. Cooper and Tone are constantly engaged in razzing each other and, while their tactics are not as boisterous as those of Flagg and Quirt, they are much funnier. Cromwell is abducted by the chief of a rebel tribe, who anticipates drawing the youth's father and his regiment into a trap when they follow. But Standing refuses to risk his regiment to save his son so Cooper and Tone, who have been selfappointed guardians of Cromwell, desert and make their way into the camp of the enemy, looking for Richard and, incidentally, the ammunition store house of the insurrectionists. The events that follow their capture are hair-raising and thrilling. The three are tortured by having bamboo splints forced under their finger nails and then set afire. How they escape in time to explode the arsenal aiid save the approaching regiment of bengal lancers provide some of the screen's real heart-stopping moments. Gary Cooper is killed, while the commandant's son redeems himself by a display of courage. "Bengal Lancer" flows fast and unceasingly from start to finish. The action scenes are surcharged with excitement. Touching pathos mark the infrequent encounters between the unbending, soldierly English commandant and his gentle bewildered son. The feud of wits between. Cooper and Tone bring more laughs than many more strenuous efforts. It is excellent for adults and children, and for any type audience. Boxoffice Rating • • WHITE COCKATOO, The With Jean Muir, Ricardo Cortez, Minna Gombell, Ruth Donnelly Warner Bros. — 72 Minutes Although "The White Cockatoo" has little to distingu.sh it from countless other murder-mysteries that have come out of the Warner studios, it does contrive to hold the interest throughout. Sympathetic performances by Jean Muir and Ricardo Cortez aid materially. The plot is somewhat involved. Jean's parents have been separated, the mother living with Jean in a hotel in France, while the father has resided in the United States, a son living with him. Jean's brother is coming to France to deliver Jean's portion of their father's estate. The owners of the hotel are a murderous man and wife, who plan to kill Jean and substitute another girl in her place to collect the inheritance. Cortez, also a resident in the hotel, falls in love with Jean and protects her. The brother is murdered, but Jean is saved when Cortez traps the plotters. All the usual ingredients of chilling mystery are employed in this job. Shadows, screams and the like are inserted at strategic moments to curdle the blood of the fans. Where they like mystery and murders, this will be reasonably successful. Just fair seems a fair summary of its worth. Boxoffice Rating RUNAWAY QUEEN, The With Anna Neagle, Fernand Graavey United Artists Release — 72 Minutes This British item is going to be most difficult to sell to the American public. It has not one name that is even intelligible to Americans. Its intended romantic-comic story has been told much more aptly upon at least a dozen previous occasions. And, briefly, it is pretty unappetizing fare to place before an audience in this country. While the two stars are capable and attractive enough to satisfy, the production has so many rough edges that their talents are largely obscured and dissipated on poor material. Fernand Graavey, particularly, is a handsome chap and an adept comedy performer. With a new name and an American cameraman he could easily be developed into a popular star. The story commences farcically. An American sales girl is informed that she has inherited a throne in a mythical kingdom. Meanwhile, a comical revolutionary organization is planning a coup d'etat. On the day of the new queen's coronation, the rebels seize control and the queen flees, even before she has had an opportunity to sit on the throne. She seeks solace and quiet in sunny Italy and who should come there also, but the handsome young president of the newly declared republic of the revolutionaries. Of cou c, they fall in love, only to learn that one is the queen and the other the man who had chased her from her rightful throne. But, as matters go in mythical kingdoms, the people demand their queen and the republic is overthrown. The queen is reclaimed and the handsome president is sentenced to death. The queen decides that since her position is insecure and the people may want to nave a republic again soon, it would be sensible to reprieve the president and marry him, so the peopel may have a queen when they choose to have a monarchy and a president when they prefer a republic. The idea was a good one and a laughauie farce might have been the result, but it was bungled by the inevitable love-and-disillusion sequence that occupies the greater portion of the film. It will flop miserably at every boxoffice in this country. Boxoffice Rating • BEST MAN WINS, The With Jack Holt, Edmund Lowe, Bela Lugosi, J. Farrell MacDonald Columbia — 68 Minutes This is a commonplace melodrama, suitable for action houses only. Deep seas divers, two pals, one becomes a policeman, the other joining a smuggler's band; the clash of duty and friendship; the conflict of two men in love with the same girl. You can probably readily recognize the elements of a typical meller, and that is exactly what they compose. Holt and Lowe are divers. Lowe, in striving to rescue his pal during a dangerous accident undersea, loses an arm. Edmund cannot continue his work, of course, and Jack gives it up to become a policeman. Edmund has too much pride to accept aid from his pal, so he falls in with a gang of jewel smugglers who require a diver to assist them in plying their trade. Holt discovers Edmund's implication in the thievery and is torn between duty and affection for his friend, duty winning out, as it so often does. He apprehends the smugglers one day just as Lowe has sent up a container of jewels from the seas below. Realizing that Lowe's life is in danger, Holt dives to bring him up, but Edmund commits suicide by slicing his air tube, and that leaves Jack free to wed the girl both men had admired. The names of Holt, Lowe and Bela Lugosi mean much to action picture fans and they will be satisfied with "The Best Man Wins." It contains nothing objectionable and is therefore suitable for children. PE_Nj! Dependability Lowest Prices Let Us Quote On Your Next Requirements 309 N. 13th St., Phila. RIT. 3273 THEATRE EQUIPMENT CO. THEATRES WANTED! 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