The Film Daily (1932)

22 DAILY Saturday, Sept. 17,1932 John Barrymore in A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT" with Katherine Hepburn, Billie Burke, David Manners RKO 75 mins. JOHN BARRYMORE GIVES MASTERFUL PERFORMANCE IN POWERFUL DRAMA WITH STRONG STORY. Women will particularly be impressed by this intense screen play adapted from the stage success of the same name. The story concerns a shell-shocked soldier who has spent 15 years in an asylum. His insanity is hereditary but intensified by the war's horrors. He becomes sane and returns to his home only to find that his wife has divorced him and is about to re-marry. His daughter gradually learns the truth about the family insanity and forces her fiance to leave the country so that she may stay and care for her father. What the feature lacks in action is amply made up in strong dialogue and convincing portrayals by the entire cast. Billie Burke as the wife is the personification of sweetness and grace, and Katherine Hepburn handles the difficult role of the daughter capably. Barrymore is outstanding. Cast: John Barrymore, Billie Burke, Katherine Hepburn, David Manners, Bramwell Fletcher, Henry Stephenson, Paul Cavanagh, Elizabeth Patterson, Gayle Evers. Director, George Cukor; Author, Clemence Dane; Adaptors, Howard Estabrook and Harry Wagstaff Gribble; Dialoguers, same; Editor, not credited; Cameraman, Sid Hickox, Recording Engineer, George Ellis. Direction, very good. Photography, fine "THE NIGHT OF JUNE 13" with Clive Brook, Lila Lee, Charlie Ruggles Paramount 70 mins. INTERESTING MURDER DRAMA WITH SUBURBAN SETTING. DEVELOPED IN NOVEL FASHION. Because of its somewhat different style of development, this drama of murder and other exciting events, happening all of a sudden in a quiet community where little out of the ordinary is ever expected to happen, maintains a good level of interest and suspense. Clive Brook plays the part of a husband whose wife is murdered, with suspicion falling on him. By clever photographic action, the neighbors are depicted giving their respective theories of the crime, the audience all the while being wise to the murderer, and in due course the culprit is revealed just in time to save the innocent husband. In addition to the dramatic substance, there are some good comedy bits that supply effective relief. The cast as a whole is exceptionally able. Picture was adapted from the novel, "Suburb," by Vera Caspary. Cast: Clive Brook, Lila Lee, Adrianne Allen, Mary Boland, Charles Grapewin, Charles Ruggles, Frances Dee, Gene Raymond, Richard Carle, Helen Ware, Helen Jerome Eddy, Arthur Hohl, Billy Butts, Wallis Clark, Edward J. LeSaint. Director, Stephen Roberts; Author, Vera Caspary; Adaptors, Agnes Brand Leahy, Brian Marlow, William Slavens McNutt; Dialoguers, net credited; Cameraman, Harry Fishbeck. Direction, good. Photography, good. ALONG IALTO PIIILM.DALY NEW YORK. IDS ANGELES • • • AND WAS that A Party that Harry Thomas threw for the showing of his First Division novelty release, "GoonaGoona!" Love Powder to you on board the sumptuous Italian liner, Augustus they had a tieup with some cosmetic concern so every guest received a smart box of Goona-Goona powder a lotta lads and lassies must have taken a shot of it in their demi-tasse at the supper for you could find sentimental couples strewn all over the boat or was it the effects of the picture? one couple tried to climb over the top deck intent on swimming to the Bali Isle, scene of the pix we stopped 'em just in time. * * * * • • • AND AS for Mister Thomas he was running around like an oversized genial cherub perspiring but happy seeing that all his 500 guests were having a swell time. for a host who knows how to do things in the large and handsome manner we nominate Harry he was ably assisted by Messrs. Fitelson & Mayers attorneys to much of the industry who are also vitally interested in this picture • • • YOU SHOULD have seen Al Friedlander okaying guests arriving at the gangplank he stopped a very distinguished gentleman in evening clothes who had no ticket Al was explaining volubly that this was a pri vate racket while the stranger tried to get a word in edgewise at last the gent pulled a large official document from his pocket and showed it to Al and Al almost swooned away as he apoliogized "What happened " we asked "Hell," sez Al "that guy OWNS the boat!" yes, yes it was One Swell Party Ready Reference Directory With Addresses and Phone Numbers of Recognized Industry Concerns What To Buy And Where To Buy It Broker I "THE LAST MAN" with Charles Bickford, Constance Cummings Columbia 80 mins. THRILL MELLER MYSTERY OF OCEAN DRAMA CROWDED WITH SURPRISE ACTION AND STRONG PUNCH SCENES. The plot of this one is rather complicated, and is told in the flashback technique as Charles Bickford recounts to his rescuers the story of the derelict ship on the high seas with all the crew dead and only himself, the heroine and her father left alive. All the land shots have the port of Suez for their locale, and the balance concerns the events on board the steamer leading up to the tragedy. It is ingeniously worked out, and moves with a fast tempo. Bickford is an investigator for Lloyds' Insurance and plays the part of a pretty tough criminal in order to throw off suspicion. In a tough dive he gets the evidence that leads to tracking down an insurance broker who was scuttling ships on the high seas to collect insurance. Bickford has a colorful part and puts real punch in it. Cast: Charles Bickford, Constance Cummings, Alec B. Francis, Alan Roscoe, Robert Ellis, Jimmy Wang, Johnny Eberts, Bill Williams, Al Smith, Hal Price, Kit Guard, Ed LeSaint, Jack Carlisle, George McGrill, Jack Richardson, Bill Sundholm, Bob St. Angeb. Director, Howard Higgin; Author, Keene Thompson, Adaptor, same; Dialoguer, Francis Faragoh; Editor, Gene Havlick; Cameraman, Benjamin Kline; Recording Engineer, Glenn Rominger. Direction, satisfactory Photography, good. Johnny Mack Brown in THE VANISHING FRONTIER' Paramount 65 mins. MELODRAMA OF OLD CALIFORNIA DONE IN WESTERN STYLE HAS ATMOSPHERE AND THRILLS. A story of Old California with a U. S. military governor and his troops ruling the territory with a high hand. Johnny Mack Brown plays the role of the leader of a band of guerillas opposing the military rule, and does a swashbuckling hero part commendably. The hero is in love with the daughter of the military governor, and even though there is a price on his head he pays secret court to her. Her brother is murdered, and evidence points to the guerilla chief. The girl betrays him into the hands of the troops, only to learn that he is innocent. Then she engineers a plot for his jail delivery with the help of his guerilla band. There is an abundance of fast moving plot, plenty of colorful material, suspense and thrills to satisfy the lovers of meller. Cast: Johnny Mack Brown, Evalyn Knapp, ZaSu Pitts, Raymond Hatton, J. Farreli MacDonald, Wallace MacDonald, Ben Alexander, George Irving. Director, Phil Rosen; Author, Stuart Anthony; Adaptor, same; Cameraman, James S. Brown. Direction, smooth. Photography, good. DAVID BERK for the last IS years, BUYING, SELLING, LEASING and PROMOTING THEATRES PARAMOUNT BUILDING— Room ISIS 1501 Broadway New York City • Cooling 1 Typhoon Air Conditioning Co. I C E D A I R E Simple — Low Priced — as good as the best 233 W. 42 St. N. Y. C. Wlsc.7-1296 COOL YOUR THEATRE with KOOLERAIRE Results Guaranteed KOOLERAIRE ENG. CORP. 1904 Paramount Bldg., N. Y. 1223 So. Wabash Ave., Chicago Distributors 1 In Production: "The Fighting Gentleman" "The Forty-Niners" "The Gambling Sex" "Roar of the Jungle" Book Now — Freuler Film Associates, Inc. National Distributors EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTORS OF RUSSIAN SOUND and Talking Pictures AMKINO CORP. 723 7th Ave., N.Y.C. BRyant 9-7680 The Hit of Any Program PORT O'CALL f Imperial Distributing Corp. 729-7th Ave., N.Y.C. BRyant 9-8670 "GOONA-GOONA" Now Playing RKO Cameo Theater, N. Y. C. FIRST ANGLO CORPORATION 1600 Broadway, New York City Cable Address:Thomfilm PEn. 6-4424 NOW RELEASING "NO LIVING WITNESS" Mayfair Pictures Corporation 1600 Broadway, New York City Cable Chronophron Tel. CHic. 4-0828