Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1938)

6 %depefuUHt EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN 'DOCTOR RHYTHM' Rates • • • generally. Hollywood Preview ENLIVENED BY BEATRICE L ILL IE Paramount 81 Minutes Bing Crosby. Mary Carlisle, Beatrice Lillie. Andy Devine, Rufe Davis, Laura Hope Crews, Fred Keating, John Hamilton, Sterling Holloway, Henry Wadsworth, Franklin Pangborn Directed by Frank Tuttle Beatrice Lillie is the outstanding attraction in this new Paramount musical. Returning to the screen after a lengthy absence, the noted British comedienne gives every evidence of becoming just as popular with film fans as she is with New York and London theatre goers. DOCTOR RHYTHM is best when she is on the screen. Its tendency to lag is overcome more than once by her appearance in a howlingly funny comedy scene. Otherwise it is only mildly entertaining. The Crosby name will lure good audiences, but Miss Lillie is the one they'll talk about. Story opens at the zoo where three school chums, Crosby, Devine and Rufe Davis hold a reunion. Next morning it is discovered that Devine's hangover and encounter with a seal prevents him from handling his assignment as bodyguard to Mary Carlisle, so Crosby functions in his stead. The girl is in love with Fred Keating, gambler, and according to instructions from Miss Lillie, her aunt, Crosby is to prevent their marriage. This he does after various difficulties, finally winning Mary for himself. Crooner Crosby does his usual effortless job. His songs are few but all are good. Miss Carlisle is merely decorative. Andy Devine's priceless scene with a seal deserves an Academy Award. Laura Hope Crews foils for Lillie. Keating lends a suave note to a shady character. Support is excellent. Tuttle's direction is too slow for this type of musical. His work is below par. AD TIPS: Feature Crosby and Lillie. HANNA (Hollywood) 'THE SAINT IN NEW YORK' SNAPPY MELLER FOR ACTION FANS Rates • * for action houses. Hollywood Preview RKO 71 Minutes Louis Hayward, Kay Sutton, Sig Rumann. Jonathan Hale, Jack Carson, Paul Guilfoyle, Frederick Burton, Ben Weldon, Charles Halton, Cliff Bragdon Directed by Ben Holmes This is much too implausible to convince most moviegoers — but youngsters and avid action fans will enjoy it. It's a "Bulldog Drummond" type of yarn that moves swiftly, with our hero constantly engaging in narrow escapes from terrifying odds. "The Saint" performs his feats in even more reckless style than the famed Drummond. Only let down comes at the climax, which fails to explain lucidly some of the situations. Nevertheless, this is eminently good action fare which will get fair returns where exploited enough to comensurate for the lack of known names. Hayward is the "Saint," a modern Robin Hood, who is urged to come to New York by Frederick Burton to help the police wipe out a gang of racketeers who control the entire city. Hayward succeeds in killing off members of the gang one by one. There remains only the big shot, who is betrayed by his girl friend, Kay Sutton, and revealed to be Burton himself. When his identity is discovered, Bur ton is killed by Hayward, but not before a bullet ends the life of Miss Sutton. Hayward does well in the title role, carrying it off with ease and charm. Miss Sutton is an exceedingly attractive girl, but a novice actress. Best supporting player is Jonathon Hale, who scores as the Saint's policeman friend. The direction by Ben Holmes is consistently punchy and speedy. AD TIPS: Feature the "SAINT" as a new action hero. Exploit the yarn as the story of a man who singlehanded wiped out gangdom in New York. HANNA (Hollywod). 'ZAMBOANGA' GOOD NOVELTY FOR DUALS Rates • • as dualler; better for art houses if exploited. Grand National 63 Minutes Native Moro Cast Directed by Eduardo De Castro Photographed by Wm. H. Jansen on Islands of Sulu Sea Musical Score by Edw. Kilenyi This is a very beautifully photographed and interesting subject which can be used to good advantage alone in arty spots and as a novel dualler generally. Properly exploited, it should prove a good boxoffice stimulant. Lives and customs of the primitive people are shown in detail, providing unique entertainment. What begins as a romantic love idyll in a land of tropic beauty soon develops into a battle between two tribes, one of which are 'women raiders,' capturing beautiful Moro maidens as victims while the men are away diving for pearls. Of course, the right side wins and the villain is sent to a drowning death in the rapids and the film ends with a wedding ceremony for the reunited lovers. One striking scene shows a native crushed by a huge snake. There are many, many shots that are really photographic gems, including native dances, pearl diving, underwater shots, etc. There is absolutely no nudity or suggestiveness. Direction is good, photography lovely, and musical score effective. PIX. 'RADIO FOLLIES' WEAK R ates • as dualler. Alliance Films 60 Minutes Helen Chandler, Will Hay, Clifford Mollison, Teddy Joyce and Band Directed by Arthur Woods This English musical will hardly make a dent over here. The production is OK, but material is so awfully, awfully British and ENGLISH MUSICAL dull! A couple of fair songs, several cumbersome dance routines that smack of the early Warner "done with mirror" effects, and some mighty unfunny comedy are the ingredients of RADIO FOLLIES. It will serve merely as a dual bill filler. The thread plot has Will Hay as director of a large radio station. The programs are terrible, according to Mollison, upstart in the complaint department, who falls in love with Hay's daughter, Helen Chandler. Hay gives him a chance to make the programs more popular, but Mollison is stymied by the head of a theatre trust, who will not permit his contracted artists to go on the air. At the last moment Mollison and Chandler round up all the help in the broadcasting station, to discover that they all have hidden talent. The televised broadcast is a tremendous hit (with the screen audience!). PIX. MORE REVIEWS ON PAGE 8