The Film Daily (1935)

DAILY PSriety DAILY yilnv (pAmluaA. Public Hero No. 1 Lucicn Hubbard production for Metro. Directed by J. Walter Ruben. Screen play by Wells Root. Story by J. Walter Ruben and Wells Root. Photographed by Gregg Toland. Assistant director, Hugh Boswell. Musical score by Edward Ward. Cast: Lionel Barrymore. Jean Arthur, Chester Morris, Joseph Calleia, Paul Kelly, Lewis Stone, Paul Hurst, George E. Stone, Sam Baker. Previewed at the Alexander, Glendale, May 11. Running time, 80 mins. Another of the department of justice crook-smashing hero pictures to come off the production ways for preview, but bound to have its share of first showings, Metro's 'Public Hero No. 1' stands up sturdily as exciting b.o. entertainment. It has distinction in direction, superb performances, melodramatic sweep, and in competition with other entries in the new cycle and the inevitable comparisons audiences will make, may be depended upon to remain among the leaders. 'Public Hero' starts off with swift, sinister suspense. It picks up arresting character conflict in a penitentiary food riot and uses as its major news-inspired scenes the recent convict kidnaping of prison board members in the San Quentin break; the wipe out of the Purple | Gang; the Dillinger face-lifting incident, with an accomplice surgeon devoting his genius to mending outlaw / killers, and the final battle with Dillinger when he stalked out of a Chicago theatre to get his requiem of lead. Main dramatic action shuttles amongst four characters, strikingly portrayed. Lionel Barrymore is the renegade surgeon. Chester Morris is the Department of Justice operative. Joseph Calleia plays the number one mobster, and Jean Arthur is his sis ig by him with fanatic loyalty wTT&n she discovers, shockingly, that he is the object of the government hunt. These four roles are wholly distinctive, each a superb portrait in itself. Lionel Barrymore comes close to his top characterization in a tragic kind of clowning as the sodden wreck still capable of pathetic professionalism in saving the lives of the hunted. Jean Arthur shows her capacity as a resourceful and skillful actress in the strangely frank, alternately cajoling and hard girl whose confessed love for Morris develops while he is tracking her convict brother. Joseph Calleia creates a role which for sinister power and unrelenting ruthlessness will stand beside the classic portraits of screen outlaws. His deadly menace is built with but a few spoken lines and the most meagre gesture — a piece of consummate skill. Chester Morris capably fulfils the requirements of the effacing, duty driven hero who helps the crook leader escape prison in order to discover the gang's, cover and identity. He plays with conviction and handles the romantic requirements nicely. Paul Kelly ably represents the Department of justice chief. Lewis Stone as the prison warden, Paul Hurst and George E. Stone as gangsters are effective, and Sam Baker gives importance to a bit as the victim of Calleia's suspicions. J. Walter Ruben has directed soundly and with shrewd appreciation of the entertainment values, progressing the action with drive and balance between the romantic, the comic and the plot elements, and scoring most decisively in guiding the characterizations usually sloughed in this type picture. Story, on which Ruben shares credit with Wells Root, is well contrived knits romance with melodramatic drive for both male and femme appeal. Camera job by Gregg Toland is excellent, and the production values impressive. NUMBER 1 Tops Them A\LL • A MUG HEkO\ gGciet.m service/ 1 FREE! 40 x 60 LOBBY FLASH! Ask your M*G*M Branch for the big ticket 'getting broad* side containing three rave reviews heralding this season's box-office sensation! C i