The Film Daily (1934)

TH£ Wednesday, March 28, 1934 Bii^a ■s&n EBZB DAILY « « « REVIEWS of FEATURES and SHORTS « « « Clark Gable and Myrna Loy in "MEN IN WHITE" with Jean Hersholt, Elizabeth Allan, Otto Kruger M-G-M. 80 mins. TENSE, EXPERTLY DONE DRAMA GLORIFYING MEDICAL PROFESSION WITH STRONG CONFLICT OF DUTY VS. LOVE. What lifts this production into the definitely exceptional class is the direct and uncompromising manner in which a worthy dramatic idea has been from inception to conclusion. Besides supplying a good dose of emotional entertainment, the story arouses a good deal of sympathy for those hard-working servants of humanity, the doctors. Clark Gable is seen as a young doctor with a bright future under the wing of a noted medic, admirably played by Jean Hersholr. Clark's fiancee, Myrna Loy, resents his preoccupation with work, allowing him too little time for her. So there is a spat, Clark is accidentally thrown into a scrape with a lonesome and admiring nurse, effectively portrayed by Elizabeth Allan, and is responsible for her requiring an operation from which she does not recover. This crisis brings Myrna to the realization of how much Clark's work means to him and to humanity, and a reconciliation follows. Cast: Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Jean Hersholt, Elizabeth Allan, Otto Kruger, C. Henry Gordon, Russell Hardie, Wallace Force, Henry B. Walthall, Russell Hopton, Samuel Hinds, Frank Puglia, Leo Chalzel, Donald Douglas. Director, Richard Boleslavsky; Author, Sidney Kingsley; Adaptor, Waldemar Young; Cameraman, George Folsey; Editor, Frank Sullivan. Direction, Aces Photography, Fine. "CITY LIMITS" with Frank Craven, Sally Blane and Ray Walker Monogram 67 mins. FARCICALLY TREATED STORY OF NEWSPAPERMAN AND FINANCIAL INTRIGUE WITH MANY HUMOROUS MOMENTS. Deftly directed with a light farcical touch by William Nigh and smoothly acted, this emerges as an entertaining comedy with a good deal of action that should satisfy in the popular-priced houses. Ray Walker, a reporter, is assigned to get the story of a financial coup by which Frank Craven, railroad president, acquired control of a line. Masquerading as the assistant of Craven's doctor, Walker is invited to join Craven on a vacation in his private railroad car. On the trip Craven falls off the train and is befriended by seme tramps. Learning of Craven's disappearance, his competitors proceed to ruin him financially, but are stopped when Craven reappears after a suspenseful period. Cast: Frank Craven, Sally Blane, Ray ^Walker, Claude Gillingwater, James Burke, James Conlin, Jane Keckley, Henry Roque more, Harry Bradley, George Hayes, George Cleveland, George Nash, Fern Emmett. Director, William Nigh; Author, George Waggner; Cameraman, Jerry Ashe; Recording Engineer, John A. Stransky, Jr.; Film Editor, Jack Ogilvie. Direction, Fine Photography, Okay. Ken Maynard in "WHEELS OF DESTINY" Universal 63 mins. GOOD OLD-FASHIONED TALE OF WESTWARD MIGRATION ENLIVENED BY BANDIT GANG AND INDIAN ATTACK. Plenty of action including an old-style wagon train fight with the Indians combined with a pleasant romantic interest make this one of the better westerns. Ken Maynard arrives on the scene in time to prevent a bandit gang from stealing the map of a California gold claim. The train is led by Jay Wiltsie, Ken's pal on a previous California jaunt, in whose sister Ken is interested. Ken joins the party, as does the remnants of the bandit gang. When one of the bandit gang reneges on a bet, the entire crew is chased out of camp. The bandits stir up the Indians, who attack the wagon train. After beating off the redskins, Ken and his men set fire to the prairie to halt pursuit and then effect a perilous fording of a stream. Just as everything appears quiet the sole surviving bandit appears and has to be disposed of before Ken and Dorothy Dix embrace. Cast: Ken Maynard, Dorothy Dix, Philo McCullough, Frank Rice, Jay Wiltsie, Ed Coxen, Fred Sale, Jr., Fred McKaye, Jack Rockwell, William Gould, Nelson McDowell. Director, Allan James; Author, Nate Gatzert; Cameraman, Ted McCord; Recording Engineer, Earl Crain; Film Editor, Chas. Harris. Direction, Good. Photography, Good. FOREIGN FILMS "EINES PRINZEN JUNGE LIEBE" ("A Prince's Young Love"), in German; produced by Ufa; directed by Artur Robison; with Willy Fritsch, Trude Marlen, Gustav Waldau, Ida Wuest, Jakob Tiedtke, Alice Treff, Herman Speelmans, Alexander Engel, Paul Hoerbinger. At the 79th St. theater. Enjoyable romantic comedy in military background with good work by Willy Fritsch and able supporting cast. Production qualities are above average. "MELODIA Paradise"), in directed by Fra jica, Conchita Romualdo Tirad the Teatro Var Entertaining nature of a mo some enjoyable Background is of good quality PROHIBIDA" ("Forbidden Spanish; produced by Fox; nk Strayer; with Jose MoMontenegro; Mona Maris, o, Carmen Rodriguez. At iedades. fantasy, something in the dern Garden of Eden, with singing by Jose Mojica. colorful and production is "CRAINQUEBILLE," in French; Based on the story by Anatole France; Directed by J. deBaroncelli; Distributed by John S. Taternoux. With English titles added, this capably acted and well-produced version of the famed Anatole France story should appeal to arty audiences. Story concerns a poor huckster whose arrest arising from a misunderstanding results in his imprisonment, loss of a livelihood and friends and leads him almost to suicide. The Three Ritz Brothers in "Hotel Anchovy" (Coronet Comedy) Educational 19 mins. A Wow A goofy riot of laughs that will slay 'em anywhere. The Ritz Brothers take over the running of a hotel which the proprietress, Doris Hill, is about to sell. She has a couple of buyers coming in, so she hires the Ritz boys to keep the guests from leaving and make everything look prosperous. And how they do it! It is one continuous series of howls as these boys go through their looney antics with the guests. It's fast, original, and filled with uproarious situations. Can't miss. Produced by Al Christie. Tom Howard and George Shelton in "The Big Meow" Educational 19 mins. Fast Comedy Carries plenty of laughs in the business of Tom Howard and George Shelton who are hired by a judge to trace a gangster who is threatening to do him bodily, injury for sending him to jail. By mistake, the two sleuths trail the judge's wife instead of the gangster's moll, with very disastrous results to all hands. Moves fast, and the comics have an original line of humor.; "Hula Honeymoon" (Treasure Chest Series) Educational 8 mins. Beautiful A very delightful and atmospheric short of Hawaii, showing the natives in one of their ceremonial dances to celebrate the coming to maturity of one of the lovely maidens of the Island. It is very artistically done, with beautiful photography and the haunting Hawaiian melodies. Buster Keaton in "The Gold Ghost" Educational 20 mins. Classy Comic A finely executed short comedy starring Buster Keaton in the style of material that he can handle to perfection. When his ritzy girl gives him the air until he proves himself a man and not jusb an idle son of a rich man, Buster starts out in his car, and breaks down eventually in a ghost mining town on the Nevada desert. A new gold strike is discovered by a couple of old prospectors, and Buster finds himself running the town as sheriff, he having grabbed himself the badge from the sheriff's office. Filled with the delightful Keaton touches, it will go over big with all his many admirers. Directed by Charles Lamont. showing a series of odd and little known habitants of the bottom of the ocean. The photography is exceptionally fine, and the narrative tells the story of the different species in a terse and graphic manner. Unusual subject that will have a wide appeal. "Born to Die" (Battle for Life Series) Educational 9 mins. Unusual Very entertaining and absorbing presentation of minute sea life, "Jungle Bound" (Port O'Call Series) Monogram 10 mins. Good This journey is to the recently excavated city of Angkor in the Asiatic country of Gambodia. Beautiful temples and rare sculpture comprise most of the shots with a Siamese dance interpolated at the end of the reel. Subject will go best in better-class neighborhoods. Deane Dickason's narration is interesting. Aloha Wanderwell in "River of Death" Ideal 28 mins. Good Adventure A pictorial record of Mrs. Wanderwell's trip to the Brazilian jungles in search of Col. Fawcett and his two sons who were lost in the wilds in 1925. With her husband, Capt. Wanderwell Aloha flies over the barren countryj finally making a forced landing near a native village. There the natives stage dances and feasts for the couple. There are some excellent human interest sequences and some fair thrills. Picture is interesting throughout. "Maryland" (Seeing America Series) Amity 12 mins. Fine Produced by Picture Classics, this subject embraces a very interesting journey to the highspots in Maryland. City and country, historic landmarks and the simple beauties of nature, all are combined into a trip that is made doubly enjoyable by some intelligent narration and appropriate musical accompaniment. In short, it's a decidedly worth while subject. Farewell Party to Hazel Flynn Chicago — Hazel Flynn, for many years motion picture critic on the Chicago American under the nom de plume of Rob Reel, was tendered a farewell party Saturday night at the Morrison Hotel on the eve of her departure for New York. Miss Flynn, who resigned from the American last week, has accepted a position under W. G. Van Schmuss at Radio City. Chi. Relief Party Nets $4,000 Chicago— The Film Relief DinnerDance given Friday night by the motion picture interests of Chicago netted more than $4,000, which will be used to alleviate distress among film people.