The Film Daily (1939)

'^Wednesday, November 8, 1939 DAILY Jfr & REVIEWS Of THE nEUI flLfllS ^ a :-! : 'Blondie Brings Up Baby" with Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry =v Simms Colul'Tj 67 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) VERY ENJOYABLE ENTERTAINMENT; SHOULD CLICK READILY WITH ALL 00 AUDIENCES. There's never a dull moment in the life of the Bumsteads (Blondie, Dagwood, Baby Dumpling, and the dog, Daisy), and as here presented it makes the sort of very enjoyable entertainment that all regular audiences will like. The writers, 'Robert Chapin, Karen DeWolf and Richard Flournoy on the story, and Gladys Lehman with Flournoy on the screenplay, have worked out an affair that is fresh, ever interesting, full of laughs, with dialogue that is snappy and bright. Frank Strayer turned in a high-grade directorial job ^injecting a fast moving clip to the doings, gaining splendid performances from the ""players, and putting the laughs over to rJ oest results. Penny Singleton and Arthur j Lake are first rate as Blondie and DagIPgood, but Baby Dumpling (Larry Simms), mhe dog (Daisy), and the other Kid Alvin, ?' (Danny Mummert) steal everything whenever they are around, and they're around 3 lot. The producer, Robert Sparks, has a picture to his credit of which he can 3e mighty proud. Baby Dumpling sets up some blocks in a manner which makes lim a genius, and with it Blondie takes lim to school. His first day there, he Returns with a black eye because he got nto an argument about being a sissy since lis mother took him to school. The dog, Daisy, then accompanies him only to be kicked up by the pound master. Baby )umpling gets lost looking for the dog, ind along with Dagwood losing his job, ■hings are in a mess. In finding Daisy, 3aby Dumpling meets a paralyzed child vhom he gets to walk. Her father is so lappy that he buys the building which lost Jagwood his job, and Dagwood gets his j,cb back which makes everything right. ■[' CAST: Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, IJLarry Simms, Daisy, the dog, Danny Mum,-nert, Jonathan Hale, Robert Middlemass, ifeSIin Howland, Fay Felm, Peggy Ann [i&arner, Roy Gordon, Grace Stafford, Helen erome Eddy, Irving Bacon. CREDITS: Producer, Robert Sparks; Diector, Frank R. Strayer; Based upon the omic strip created by Chic Young; Auhors, Robert Chapin, Karen DeWolf, Richrd Flournoy; Screenplay, Gladys Lehman; .ichard Flournoy; Cameraman, Henry Freulich, ASC; Art Director, Lionel Banks; Edi'or, Otto Meyer; Musical Director, M. W. toloff; Sound, Lodge Cunningham. DIRECTION, Swell. PHOTOGRAPHY, 'ery Good. "The Llano Kid" with Tito Guizar, Gale Sondergaard, Alan Mowbray Paramount-Sherman 69 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) "Main Street Lawyer" with Edward Ellis, Anita Louise, Robert Baldwin Republic 72 Mins. HUMAN STORY OF SMALt TOWN EXCITING STORY OF A ROMANTIC LAWYER SHOULD GET GOOD RECEPMEXICAN BANDIT FORCEFULLY TION FROM NABE AUDIENCES. BROUGHT TO SCREEN. Tito Guizar proves an ideal choice for the title role of Harry Sherman's newest production, based on 0. Henry's story, "Double-Dyed Deceiver." He enacts the role of a romantic Mexican bandit. E. D. Venturini has supplied excellent direction, gaining splendid acting from his cast. The picture gets off to an exciting start, wobbles a bit in the middle, but this is more than recompensed for with a strong stir A warm and human story of a small town lawyer who tempers justice with common sense in his role of county prosecutor, this film should get a good reception from neighborhood audiences. The story has been well worked out with a good climax, and the cast capably puts the story over. Edward Ellis gives a splendid characterization as the county prosecutor who loses his cases deliberately when he is certain that the accused person is innocent or ring finish. Gale Sondergaard is intriguing ! worthy of another chance. Anita Louise as the wife of Alan Mowbray, who does fine work as a rascally manager of a Mexican ranch. Emma Dunn gives a nice oerformance as the ranch owner, while Jane Clayton is a capable romantic lead. Minor Watson, Anna Demetrio and Chris Martin are among the members of the strong cast. Wanda Tuchock fashioned an exciting screenplay. Russell Harlan's camera caught eye-filling exteriors. When Gale Sondergaard and Mowbray save Guizar from arrest for a stagecoach holdup, they induce him to ieave Texas and come to Mexico to impersonate Emma Dunn's missing son. The plan is for the three to rob the ranch, but Guizar comes under the whole as his daughter, is attractive. Robert Baldwin is personable as the young lawyer in love with Anita, and such capable performers as Margaret Hamilton, Harold Huber, Henry Kolker, Willard Robertson and Clem Bevans ably support the principals. Ellis would rather fish than prosecute the people's enemies. However, a change of venue on the case of Huber, notorious racketeer, brings it to his court. Just before he starts the case Huber confronts him with the fact that he knows that Anita was really born in jail, the daughter of a woman convicted for murder, and Ellis has brought her up and concealed her true identity. Ellis deliberately throws some influence of Miss Dunn and Jane | the case to get a letter from Huber with Clayton. He refuses to go through with the ' this information in it. But he saves one MPA Meets Today Business meeting and luncheon .'ill be held by the Motion Picture Lssociates organization today at )inty Moore's, at 12:30. Dick Well and Joan Blondell will be onor buests. plan, and when Mowbray tries to carry out the plot alone, he fights to protect his supposed mother. Aiding him in the fight is Watson, the sheriff, who had come to arrest him. Watson feels that Guizar's redemption is complete and gives him his freedom. CAST: Tito Guizar, Gale Sondergaard, Alan Mowbray, Jane Clayton, Emma Dunn, Minor Watson, Chris Martin, Carlos de Valdez, Anna Demetrio, Glenn Strange, Tony Roux. CREDITS: Producer, Harry Sherman; Director, E. D. Venturini; Based on "DoubleDved Deceiver," bv 0. Henry; Screenplay, Wanda Tuchock; Cameraman, Russell Harlan; Art Director, Lawis J. Rachmil; Editor, Sherman A. Rose; Sound, Earl Sitar. DIRECTION, Excellent. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. Morris Funeral on Coast San Francisco — Funeral services for Ward Morris, 48, veteran local theater man, were conducted by the Richmond Lodge No. 375, F. and A. M. of San Francisco. Morris, died at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester,, Minn., where he was receiving treatment. indictment for later prosecution and turns his papers over to Baldwin when he is elected. A murder is committed and Anita is tried for it. Ellis defends her, and knowing that Huber committed the murder, still can't pin anything on him until he traps him in court with a clever ruse that frees Anita of all charges and brings Huber to justice. CAST: Edward Ellis, Anita Louise, Harold Huber, Margaret Hamilton, Robert Baldwin, Clem Bevans, Henry Kolker, Beverly Roberts, Willard Robertson, Richard Lane, Ferris Taylor, Wallis Clark. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Robert North; Director, Dudley Murphy; Screenplay, Joseph Krumgold; Original story, Harry Hamilton; Cameraman, Jack Marta; Editor, William Morgan. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY Good. "One Hour To Live" with Charles Bickford, Doris Nolan John Litel Universal. 59 Mins. MURDER MYSTERY MELLER HAS PLENTY OF ACTION AND GOOD PERFORMANCES BY CAST... Action, murder and corruption, with an hcnest cop frying'to solve the crimes, have been neatly woven into an entertaining mel.'er for the who-dun-it fans. A sufficient amount of mystery js built up as to the identity of the master mind to keep the film suspenseful to the end. Charles Bickford, as a detective inspector, is convincing. Doris Nolan is capable' and decorative' as the female interest and stellar characterizations are contributed by Samuel Hinds, John Litel and Paul Guilfoyle. Bickford arrests Litel, a gangster, on a murder charge the day that Lite! marries Miss Nolan. Bickford is suspected of being jealous because Doris has jilted him to wed another man. Litel is mysteriously sprung from jail. John Gallaudet, Bickford's right hand man on the force, is apparently run down by a taxi, but in reality an attempt on his life is made because he knows too much about a fixed fight and a murder. Later Gallaudet is killed by Litel's henchmen. Bickford forces a confession from Litel and shoots him when he runs, but does not disclose this to the oolice, and is ordered to find the murderer. Doris goes to Hinds, the commissioner, when arrested for the murder by Bickford and Hinds is trapped, by the wily detective as the key man in the crime ring. He also learns that Doris had married Litel because of a threat. CAST: Charles Bickford, Doris Nolan, John Litel, Samuel S. Hinds, Paul Guilfpyle, Robert E. Keane, Jack Carr, Jonn Gallaudet, Emory Parnell, Olin Howland. CREDITS: Associate Producer, George Yoha'em; Director, Harold Schuster; Orig;nal Screenolay, Roy Chanslor; Cameraman, George Robinson. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Ask Assessment Reduction Rochester — Unsuccessful in securing a reduction on Loew's Rochester Theater from $1,074,000 assessed valuation to $850,000, representatives have taken the case from the Board of Assessment Review to the | cilia Lane. Program will emanate I City Council. J from Station WABC, New York. Frisco's Casino Sold San Francisco — Sale of the Casino Theater, Ellis and Mason Sts., to local theater interests represented by Peter H. Markowitz, is disclosed. The property is valued at $500,000, and was sold by a family group headed by G. M. (Bronco Billy) Anderson, of early film fame. Mike Kiviecinski Killed Pittsburgh— Mike Kiviecinski, of Johnsonburg, film delivery messenger, who was in the employ of the Exhibitors' Service Co. here for a number of years, was killed instantly when his truck skidded into another car on icy roads near Bradford, Pa., and went over an embankment. He was married only about six months ago and is survived by his widow and parents. To Plug "Roaring 20's" Kate Smith will devote her 12 noon broadcast on Friday over CBS, coast-to-coast, to plugging Warners' 'The Roaring Twenties," and Pris Trophy Award to Funk Detroit — Hazen Funk, manager of the Great Lakes Theater, was awarded the gold Startmoor Community Service Trophy, an annual award, at a dinner. Event was in recognition of his activities in youth leadership and retirement after two years as president of the Startmoor Business Association. „ i