The Film Daily (1938)

TOI' ilfflU DAILY Friday, November 25, 1938 .v :< Reviews of thc new fums v 'Pygmalion' with Leslie Howard, Wendy Hiller M-G-M 85 mins. SCREEN TREAT WITH SHAW CLASSIC FINELY DIRECTED AND ACTED SHOULD SCORE HEAVILY This is a positive screen treat for all film-goers who crave intelligence, artistry, superlative acting and directing, in their screen fare. And with a feast such as Bernard Shaw's play spreads before them, here is a production that should bring all lovers of the best in art flocking to the theaters in every community where this film is shown. But do not set it down as an "arty" production. It is anything but. Here is a straightforward story of a lowerclass girl in England thrust into the life of one of Britain's gentry of the upper class. And every foot of it throbs with the feeling that something really vital and worthwhile is being worked out, something that is tearing down the snobbery of class distinction and the smugness of the English traditions of the upper classes that the lower classes are there for their convenience, comfort and general curtseying whenever occasion demands. Shaw's play is too familiar to require detailing of its story. The Pygmalion motif adapted by Shaw to present-day British life as exemplified between a young English scholar of distinction (Leslie Howard) and a humble flower-girl (Wendy Hiller) whom he uses for his great experiment in voice culture, is developed on the screen as Shaw wanted it to be. The screenplay and dialogue are credited as Shaw's. Most certainly the dialogue is his. Nobody but he could have written such sparkling, cutting, infinitely clever lines. Leslie Howard is at his facile best, a smug Englishman wrapped up in his experiment to prove that he can take this girl of the gutter and transform her into a grand lady by simply changing her pronunciation of the English language. He succeeds beyond his expectations, but, as the girl points out in a scene charged with electric emotion, it is his friend's kindness and treatment of her as a human being that has transformed her and made it possible to reach the heights against the handicaps of her humble background and lack of breeding. As in all Shaw's works, the intellectual scalpel is cutting and probing into the social problem, so that while you revel in the delineation and development of these extremely interesting people filled with their foibles and vanities and kindness and ego and all the other frailties and good qualities of the average human, you always feel that the scalpel is there, probing and dissecting. Here is food for all those who have said that the motion picture cannot be art, and cannot satisfy the craving of the intellect for class entertainment as other art forms provide. Yet here is also great entertainment for the so-called masses, who can understand readily the story of a girl of the common people who found that she was just as good as the aristocrat behind his crust of tradition and class-consciousness. This Wendy Hiller performs superbly, first as the little flower girl with her heavy accent and uncouth manners, changing with consummate skill and by believable stages to impersonate the "grand lady." All the other Shavian characters are immense. Wil "The Frontiersman" with William Boyd, George Hayes, Russell Hayden Paramount-Harry Sherman 74 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) CORKING HOPALONG CASSIDY PIX OFFERS PLENTY OF ENTERTAINMENT. Harry Sherman's newest "Hopalong" Cassidy subject offers plenty of entertainment. It offers something new in Westerns, inasmuch as a group of boy singers is used to advantage. They are the St. Brendan boys, who are led by Robert Mitchell and they sing several numbers, including "Home On the Range" and "In Old Virginny." This time the popular trio, consisting of William Boyd, George Hayes and Russell Hayden, are joined by Evelyn Venable, William Duncan, Clara Kimball Young, Dickie Jones and others. Charles A. Hughes does excellent work as the "heavy." The outdoor scenes reflect much credit on Cameraman Russell Harlan. Lesley Selander has turned in a splendid job of directing, gaining excellent performances from the principals. Norman Houston supplied an interesting screenplay, while Harrison Jacobs furnished additional dialogue. Duncan, mayor of Crockett, opposes the appointment of Evelyn Venable, a Boston girl, as teacher in Crockett, but she wins the support of the cowboys headed by Boyd, Hayes and Hayden. They round up the school children and have them attend regularly. Duncan, who is really the head of a gang of cattle thieves, changes in his attitude toward Evelyn and asks her to marry him. She accepts, although she is deeply interested in Boyd. She is about to leave with Duncan to be married, when one of his henchmen, feeling he is being "double crossed" in a deal, fires on him. The shots go wild, but Evelyn realizes Duncan is the man sought by Boyd as a cattle thief. Boyd and his men capture Duncan, and Evelyn leaves for Boston, happy that she learned of Duncan's guilt in time and that Boyd is her steadfast friend. CAST: William Boyd, George Hayes, Russell Hayden, Evelyn Venable, Charles A. Hughes, William Duncan, Clara Kimball Young, Emily Fitzroy, Dickie Jones, John Beach, Roy Bancroft, Robert Mitchell and his St. Brendan Boys. CREDITS: Producer, Harry Sherman; Director, Lesley Selander; Based on Clarence E. Mulford's story; Screenplay, Norman Houston; Additional Dialogue, Harrison Jacobs; Cameraman, Russell Harlan; Editor, Sherman Rose; Art Director, Lewis J. Rachmil; Sound, Earl Sitar. DIRECTION, Splendid. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. fred Lawson as the girl's father, Doolittle, comes in for special commendation. Smoothly directed and beautifully paced, here is proof that the Shaw genius holds tremendous entertainment possibilities for the screen. If this one does not create a stampede of praise in all critical quarters, this reviewer will be very amazed. CAST: Leslie Howard, Wendy Hiller, Wilfred Lawson, Marie Lohr, Scotts Sunderland, Jean Cadell, David Tree, Everley Gregg, Leueen MacGrath, Esme Percy, Violet Vanbrugh, 0. B. Clarence, Irene Brown, Kate Cutler. CREDITS: Producer, Ernest Pascal; Di "Little Tough Guys in Society" with Mischa Auer, Mary Boland, Edward Everett Horton Universal 70 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) PLENTY OF LAUGHS IN THIS ONE WITH THREE FUNSTERS DELIVERING SOLIDLY. When the Little Tough Guys hobnob with society, a lot of laughs ensue. With such superb comedians as Edward Everett Horton, Mischa Auer and Mary Boland, the best results possible from the material are obtained. The gang of kids consisting of Frankie Thomas, Hally Chester, David Gorcey, Harris Berger, William Benedict and Charles Duncan are all that the title "Little Tough Guys" can suggest. Auer is still a sure-fire laugh with his every grimace, antic, or mannerism, and Horton provokes plenty of fun as the butt of many of the kids' tricks. Jackie Searl is as usual a splendid choice when a ritzy, snobbish son of wealth is wanted, and Harold Huber makes a very good menace. As a sweet young lady, Helen Parrish fits the bill nicely. Max Golden, the associate producer, placed on the screen a well-conceived, gag-filled, (many of them good old slapstick), affair which should play to some gratifying returns. Some of the earlier scenes do not have all the zip that they might have, but fortunately as things progress they quickly gain their full momentum. Erie Kenton directed from an original screenplay by Edward Eliscu and Mortimer Offner. Jack Otterson, the art director, supervised the mountings which show off the production to good advantage. The plot finds Mischa Auer a sort of screw-ball psychiatrist, a guest at the home of the wealthy Mary Boland. His purpose is to get her son, Jackie Searl, interested in living. Auer prescribes association with under-privileged boys as the remedy, and there the "Little Toughs" enter the picture. They, assisted by the girl (Helen Parrish) who is interested in Jackie, finally make a "man" out of the latter after they all had participated in thwarting a robbery which nearly showed the kids up in a bad light. CAST: Mischa Auer, Mary Boland, Edward Everett Horton, Helen Parrish, Jack Searl, Frankie Thomas, Harold Huber, David Oliver, Hally Chester, David Gorcey, Harris Berger, William Benedict, Charles Duncan. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Max H. Golden; Director, Erie C. Kenton; Authors, Edward Eliscu and Mortimer Offner; Screenplay, Same; Cameraman, George Robinson, ASC; Art Director, Jack Otterson; Associate, Richard H. Riedel; Editor, Bernard W. Burton; Musical Director, Charles Previn; Sound Supervisor, Bernard B. Brown; Technician, William Hedgcock. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. rectors, Anthony Asquith, Leslie Howard; Author, Bernard Shaw; Screenplav, Dialogue, Bernard Shaw; Adaptors, W. P. Lipscombe, Cecil Lewis; Cameraman, Harry Stradling; Editor, David Lean. DIRECTION, Excellent. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. "Say It In French" with Ray Milland, Olympe Bradna, Irene Hervey Paramount 70 *^jns (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) ^ DELIGHTFUL LIGHT COMEDY FOR ALL AUDIENCES SHOULD CLICK AT THE BOX-OFFICE. A delightful laugh-filled light comedy drama is this affair in which a cute French miss helps the members of an American family to work out their problems. The piece breezes along with a variety of laughter from the mild to the rollicking, and all types of audiences should find it very enjoyable. At the box-office it should show some nice returns. Andrew L. Stone is responsible for the picture in a large measure for he both directed andi produced it. In his direction he has injected a fastmoving pace, and an air of delicious abandon pervades the piece. Under his guidance the cast members do splendidly in expressing the production's hilarious spirit. Olympe Bradna's pert yet unsophisticated ways make her a fine choice for the role of the mentioned French girl. Her attractiveness and charming personality are put to capital use. Ray Milland turns in some very good work, and soecial mention should be made of Irene Hervey's performance. Not only does she photograph beautifully, but she shows real ability in carrying light comedy. Janet Beecher's contribution is worthy of note, and others who should be mentioned are Mary Carlisle, Holmes Herbert, Walter Kingsford, William Collier, Sr., and Erik Rhodes, Frederick Jackson wrote a screenplay from Jacques Devaf's play which contains a lot of novel twists and dialogue that is sprightly, gay, and very fitting to ' the layout. Ray Milland returns from a golf tournament in France with a French bride, Olympe Bradna. His father needs a big contract and by Ray marrying Irene Hervey, the deal can be obtained. Before Ray can introduce his wife, this fact is made known to him and he is forced to keep her identity a secret. Olympe takes a job as a maid in the house so that she can be near Ray. She gets him to go after that very vital contract which he does obtain with the help of Irene Hervey, in fact Irene's association with Ray nearly disrupts the marriage of Olympe and Ray. However, everything works out very nicely. CAST: Ray Milland, Olympe Bradna, Irene Hervey, Janet Beecher, Mary Carlisle, Holmes Herbert, Walter Kingsford, William Collier, Sr., Erik Rhodes, Mona Barrie, George P. Huntley, Gertrude Sutton, Forbes Murray, Billy Daniels, Billy Lee. CREDITS: Producer, Andrew L. Stone; Director, Andrew L. Stone; Based on play by Jacques Devai; Screenplay, Frederick Jackson; Cameraman, Victor Milner; Process Photographer, Farciot Edouart; Editor, LeRoy Stone; Art Directors, Hans Dreier and Robert Odell; Editor, LeRoy Stone; Sound, Harry Lindgren and Walter Oberst; Musical Director, Boris Morros; Song, Hoagy Carmichael and Helen Meinardi, "April in My Heart." DIRECTION, Fast. PHOTOGRAPHY, Very Good.