Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1934 - Aug 1935)

12 WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1935 AS I SEE THEM . . . Reviews of New Films By ROLAND BARTON Boxoffice Rating • • • • — G-MEN First National 84 Minutes James Cagney Robert Armstrong Ann Dvorak Margaret Lindsay Directed by William Keighley The old popular gangster film revived, with "Public Enemy" Cagney better than ever on the side of the law. . . . Glorifies Federal agents. . . . Action galore. ... A b.o. bet. "G (Government) -Men" will undoubtedly prove to be a first class boxoffice attraction. Here you have the elements of fast action, gripping suspense and ruthless cruelty that went to make the old gangster films among the most popular screen offerings several years ago. Now, however, it is the policemen, the Federal agents, to be accurate who are presented as the tough, daring, courageous fighters who return two shots for every one from gangland. Warners got the jump on several competitors who are also rushing Federal agent films for early release. "G-Men" contains as much gunplay, murder, cruelty, as ever appeared in any of the gangsters films, but the objectionable feature of creating an aura of reckless courage about the gangmen has been replaced by the glorification of the Law and its enforcers. James Cagney has never appeared to better advantage. He's still the toughster, but with a cerain degree of pleasant restraint that has been lacking in most of his previous roles. PLOT: Cagney gives up an unsuccessful law practice to join the Federal police, in order to avenge the death of a friend shot down by gangsters. Robert Armstrong, his superior, resents the impertinent manner of the newcomer and makes things hard for Cagney during his training period. Cagney falls in love with Margaret Lindsay, Armstrong's sister, but she remains cool toward him. He soon becomes one of the Department's best men and Armstrong realizes his worht, taking him out on all the most important gangster-hunts. He, finally, saves Margaret from being kidnapped and aids in rounding up the most notorious gang in the country. Several of the episodes are obviously taken from recent headlines. John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and several other late, but unlamented, gangdom figures are clearly defined, as are incidents in which they were involved. The timeliness and realism aid it greatly and should be utilized in all advertising. It will click everywhere. ELK. Boxoffice Rating # e ONE FRIGHTENED NIGHT Gold Medal 65 Minutes Mary Carlisle Charles Grapewin Wallace Ford Arthur Hohl Regis Toomey Directed by Christy Cabanne Entertaining mystery comedy about clever old eccentric and his millions. Fast action, eerie effects, amusing comedy and better-than-usual characterization by Grapewin make this engrossing from start to finish. Striking a good suspense tempo in an arresting opening situation, Director Christy Cabanne cleverly maintains the audience's interest thereafter with a combination of shivery mystery in semi-darkened rooms, occasional pops of mirth and a really mystifying, if not particularly original yarn. The whole thing is aided no little by a grand performance from Charles Grapewin, better known by face than name to most movie fans. As the eccentric old millionaire ,Grapewin paints the character deftly and amusingly. "One Frightened Night" makes good use of its material and the unusual photographic effects with flickering candlelight shadows provide more than enough chills to satisfy those who like to be frightened. PLOT: On a fittingly stormy night, Grapewin assembles his three known relatives, family physician and lawyer at his mansion. The object is to distribute his wealth before midnight when a large inheritance tax becomes effective. He bequeaths each of them a million dollars. Then, a lawyer arrives with Evalyn Knapp, who he claims is Doris, Grapewin's long-lost granddaughter. The old eccentric revokes his gifts to the others and gives his entire fortune to the girl-imposter. During the commotion, Mary Carlisle, the real Doris, and her vaudevillemagician partner, Wallace Ford, pop up. After Grapewin agrees to allow the two claimants to confront each other, the first Doris is found dead. Motives being logical, everyone is suspected, but, after a kidnapping and much excitement, the mystery is eventually cleared up by Regis Toomey, who loves Doris. The eerie effects and a particularly effective musical score are aids. Both children and adults will get a thrill and a laugh out of it. The title suggests plenty of ad ideas. It can be sold to at least Average business in the nabes. Boxoffice Rating • • HOOSIER SCHOOLMASTER Monogram 60 Minutes Norman Foster Charlotte Henry Dorothy Libaire Directed by Lewis D. Collins Draggy version of famous novel, entertains only in spots. . . . Dialogue poorly written and dramatic high points weakly directed and acted. . . . Will not do much in cities. Fair for country spots. "The Hoosier Schoolmaster" could have and should have been an inspiring film drama of a gentle youth's victory over ignorance and intolerance in the post Civil War South. The famous book is crowded with dramatic incident and full-blown characterization, but the Monogram movie version somehow misses most of its opportunities. Dialogue is written in naive style. The acting, except for Charlotte Henry's, is below par. The continuity is slipshod and permits the story to drag for long intervals between the few portions that have some action. It is disappointing. PLOT: When the Civil War is over and the armies disband, Norman Foster stops in a small village, where he meets Charlotte Henry, a servant girl. She tells him that they are seeking a schoolmaster. He applies and receives the position, but immediately encounters trouble from the town bully, who is a pupil. Challenged by the bully to a fight to establish supremacy, Fotter makes the ruffian realize the futility of fighting and wins his friendship. Because he is suspected of having an improper relationship with the servant girl, the narrow-minded townsfolk attempt to tar and feather Foster. The bully, who also loves the bounden girl, is finally persuaded by her to rescue her sweetheart, and he is shot and killed in the attempt. The Government soldiers arrive on the scene, save the schoolmaster and announce that the land which had been stolen by the town's leading citizens from the ex-soldiers is to be returned to them. Foster marries the servant girl, to the chagrin of the wealthy belle, who had sought to inveigle the hero. The book was read by many thousands and this should help. There is little to sell. It may do average business in small towns, but its drawing power in cities will be weak. Boxoffice Rating THE SCOUNDREL Paramount 74 Minutes Noel Coward Julie Hayden Martha Sleeper Hope Williams Directed by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur Strictly class. . . . Will appeal only to very limited, intelligent audiences. . . . Production excellent, but it will mean nothing to exhibitors, except in "arty" houses. "The Scoundrel" will in all probability assume its position as one of the most discussed films of the year. An original screen play, brilliantly literate, so highly sophisticated and so intelligently presented, it is certain, by its very excellence, strangely enough, to divide the (Continued on Page Four) 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 0 • • • Means EXCELLENT Plus ( -f ) and minus ( — ) will be used occasionally to indicate slightly above or below the point rating.