The Film Daily (1938)

~#* DAILY Wednesday, October 12, 1938 :< Ik SHORT SUBJECT R6VICUJS .v :< "Declaration of Independence" (Historical Technicolor) Vitaphone 18 mins. Fine Timely Drama A very dramatic and timely subject, dealing with the historical incidents connected with the session of the Congress in Philadelphia that led to the issuing of the Declaration of Independence. The sequence of events has been given dramatic license to a certain extent, but only in the interest of good suspense and colorful incident. The main historical facts are followed. Cesar Rodney, the Delaware delegate, is back home at the time that Thomas Jefferson has been assigned the task of drafting the Declaration. The stirring incidents involving the swinging of the majority of the Congress to the side of the Revolutionaries are handled deftly, building to fine patriotic fervor. The deciding vote of Rodney is necessary, and he is seen in a "Paul Revere" ride dashing to Philadelphia with a relay of mounts to get there in time. The Tories try to block his journey, but he eludes them. John Litel as Thomas Jefferson does as fine a job as he did in the role of Patrick Henry in a previous Historical Technicolor. The rest of the historical characters are well portrayed, especially that of Benjamin Franklin. Directed with fine dramatic tempo by Crane Wilbur. Here is a timely short that carries a strong patriotic message at this critical period in world history. "The Ugly Duckling" (Technicolor) Disney-RKO 9 mins. Here's a Peach The Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale translated to cartoon language emerges a delight to the ear and the eye. A mother duck is hatching out a brood of ducklings while the father, in modern style, paces the lake shore. Something goes wrong, Among the hatch is a white one with a voice totally unlike the others. The whole family immediately disowns him. Life is thenceforth just one hard knock after another for him . . . . even a decoy turns her back on him. Finally, when things look blackest, he comes on a white swan and her brood. He discovers he is a cygnet, is readily adopted and loved by the mother swan. He gives the high-hat sign to the duck family as he swims happily by. Though the story concerns only the feathered folk, this Disney short is fused with real feeling and pathos. Pixie Land Universal 7 mins Fairly Amusing Imagination, and the appeal thereto, are the crux of this short which opens in a woodland setting with the Pixies, who take care of flowers, as the players. Among those diminutive folk is an inventor, Slap-Happy, who has concocted a secret formula fluid to make big things small and vice-versa. He tries his discovery on a flea which is populating a dog. The insect grows to tremendous proportions and scares the inhabitants of Pixie Land, including the queen. The latter, following the application of the liquid a second time, resulting in the flea's shrinkage to his normal size, punishes the inventor. Subject is fairly amusing. Ghost Town Frolics Universal 7 mins. Chief Appeal to Youngsters A run-of-the-crop cartoon telling of the adventures of three monkeys, two of whom are of the masculine gender and one of the eternal feminine. Together they arrive by auto in a village which is haunted, and settle down for the night at a spookladen house. Happenings within this eerie edifice come thick and fast, and two male monks being subjected to all sorts of indignities by the ghosts. As a climax, the trio escapes, but not until the young gallants have driven off in the car and then returned for the forgotten girl monk who was left behind in the house. Kids will probably enjoy this one most. As adult fare it lacks more than ordinary interest and punch. "The Practical Pig" (Technicolor) Disney-RKO 8'/2 mins. Delightful Nonsense In this color Disney short, we again meet the famous little rascals, the Three Little Pigs, and again the Big Bad Wolf is the villain. The two mischief-loving pigs start out for a swim against the explicit warning of their industrious brother big. Latter stays home busy working on his invention, a liedetector. The wolf makes his appearance as a mermaid whose seductive singing lures the pigs into her net. The musical effects here heighten the comedy to howling proportions. The pigs are taken to the wolf's house where his children are about to eat them in a pork pie while their father goes off for the third pig. The shrewd practical pig catches him in the lie-detector where he is punished until the truth comes out. In the meantime, application of pepper to the pie causes the little pigs to sneeze and escape. But they get their punishment for disobedience when the lie-detector catches them. While lacking a hittune, this edition of the Three Pigs is a delightful bit of nonsense. Stranger Than Fiction (Number 54) Universal 9 XA mins. Good Human-Interest Seven sequences comprise this diverting reel which opens with the strange mechanical sling shot invented by Owen Lowry. Device hurls bullets with uncanny accuracy at objects which are summarily shattered and suggests that the future may see the mechanism utilized for military purposes. Especially intriguing footage is the material showing the historic cemetery in old New Orleans, in which the tombs are entirely above the ground, since Mississippi floods in days gone by prevented the digging of graves. The spinning of metal as a fine art; the mobile orange grove at Versailles; a freak two-wheeler automobile, constructed along the lines of an airplane; and the strange hobby of a Kansas City woman who collects buttons, lead up to the finale which shows a pet squirrel, extremely friendly with a Key Largo, Fla., chef. Cat and Bells (Oswald Rabbit Cartoon) Universal 7 mins. May Please Cartoon Fans Although this one is billed as an Oswald Rabbit short, the longeared sponsor is conspicuous by his absence, the action revolving around a family of mice and their vicissitudes with the cat who shares the basement. Tabby is a sleepy soul but none the less feared by the rodents who plot to put a bell on their oppressor's neck so they can safely forage for food. The littlest mouse is chosen to tie the bell on the drowsy cat. The attempt is unsuccessful, although surcharged with humor and suspense. After a merry chase, cat after the offending mouse, the latter returns home completley exhausted. Quite entertaining, it is likely to please cartoon fans. "China Today" (Color Parade) Good Travel Number This is an E. M. Newman travel offering, with narration by Dwight Weist. Opens with arrival by Clipper at Hongkong. A leisurely jaunt is taken through the city, and it is amazing to see how much of it is very modern. One of the interesting sights is a Chinese funeral procession. A trip is made to the military outposts, and then on to Macao, the oldest European settlement in the Far East. Then a visit to the grotto of Camoeus, and also the English chapel and burial ground. The manufacture of firecrackers is seen to be principally the work of women, who do it all by hand. The reel finishes with a visit to St. Paul's, a finely constructed church in Macao. "Porky's Naughty Nephew" (Looney Tune Cartoon) Vitaphone 7 mins. Good Gags Here Trying to do a good deed, Po'-'^y takes his little nephew to the (^ J> ing at the beach. Little Pinky annoys Porky with his tricks, so he enters the swimming race to get away from the pest. But Pinky follows in the race, and makes up for his mischief by pulling a stunt that forces Porky to win the race when he was away behind. Good gags. Produced by Leon Schlesinger. "Goofy and Wilbur" (Technicolor) Disney-RKO 8 mins. Swell New Character Wilbur, the grasshopper, is a new character among Disney creations, and will immediately have millions of cheering fans. For he's a spunky little show-off who wins when all odds are against him. The affection between him and his master, Goofy, is something beautiful to behold. Wilbur acts as living bait with which Goofy catches fish. Wilbur's method is the simple expedient of luring the fish by leaps and jumps into Goofy's waiting net. All goes well until Wilbur, over-confident, is swallowed by a fish. The chase is on. Goofy never rests until he has Wilbur safe again in the palm of his hand. The characterization of Wilbur is so real, that one seems to have known him a long time. All Disney followers will welcome him. The short is in color. Merle Kendricks and) His Orchestra (Melody Master) Vitaphone 10 mins. Well Presented Well presented pop selections by Merle Kendrick's band, who work with snap and class. Vocal interpolations are supplied by Miriam Grahame. Neat dance numbers by Marion Wilkins and Jack Walters. Directed by Joseph Henabery. "Donald's Lucky Day" (Technicolor) Disney-RKO 8 mins. Tip-Top Fun and Tunes Donald Duck experiences his usual misfortunes, and his chief good luck is that he doesn't get blown to pieces. He is a messenger boy on Friday, the 13th and, carrying a package containing a time-bomb, he meets with a black cat. His antics in endeavoring not to let the cat cross his path, and in not losing the package make up the bulk of the action. A very funny sequence takes place when the cat is on one end of a teetering board and Donald tries to keep the balance from the other end. In the end the cat saves both their lives by unwittingly throwing the bomb into the lake. Notable in this short was the musical accompaniment which heightened the action two-fold.