The Film Daily (1934)

DAILY 7 hursday, Sept. 13,19 » » » REVIEWS of the NEW FEATURES and SHORTS « « « "YOU BELONG TO ME" with Lee Tracy, Helen Mack, David Holt, Helen Morgan Paramount 67 mins. NEW KID DISCOVERY, DAVID HOLT, IS HIGHLIGHT OF PLEASING HUMAN INTEREST STORY ABOUT SHOWFOLK. If only for the presence in the cast of little David Holt, a youngster who is easily comparable to Shirley Temple in his appeal to fan popularity, this picture is very much worth while. Everybody who sees this kid will be talking about him, with consequent benefit to the box-office. Story is about a group of vaudeviliians. When David's father dies, his mother, Helen Mack, teams up in an act with the twotiming Arthur Pierson, who is disliked by David. Lee Tracy, a comedian, is David's pal and hero. Lee had broken up his act with Helen Morgan because he felt that drinking habits hindered her career. David's stepfather puts the boy in a military school, where he is unhappy, and when the mother falls to death from a swing while doing her act, on the night her husband is to desert her, there is a tear-jerking sequence in which Lee goes to the boy, tries to tell him the situation, and winds up by reuniting with Helen and taking the boy with them. Cast: Lee Tracy, Helen Mack, Helen Morgan, Lynne Overman, David Holt, Arthur Pierson, Edwin Stanley, Dean Jagger, Irene Ware, Lou Cass, Max Mack, Mary Owen, Rev. Neal Dodd, Irving Bacon. Director, Alfred Werker; Author, Elizabeth Alexander; Screen Play, Grover Jones, William Slavens McNutt, Walte DeLeon; Music and Lyrics, Sam Coslow; Cameraman, Leo Tover; Recording Engineer, Harry Mills; Editor, Dcane Harrison. Direction, Fine. Photography, Fine. "CHARLIE CHAN IN LONDON" with Warner Oland, Drue Leyton, Alan Mowbray Fox 79 mins. TYPICAL CHARLIE CHAN MURDER MYSTERY SHOULD PROVE GENERALLY SATISFYING TO THESE FANS. Although Warner Oland is the only name of any consequence in the cast of the latest Charlie Chan adventure, the mystery which he is called upon to unravel is quite neatly concocted and should have no t ouble pleasing the followers of this series. Just as he is about to leave London fcr his Honolulu home, Chan is prevailed upon by the distraught Drue Leyton to undertake the case of her brother who is sentenced to die for a murder of which he is innocent. The crime took place on Alan Mowbray's country estate, where a v^ied assortment of personages are guests. Chan goes to the scene, reconstructs the crime and uncovers one of the least suspected persons as the murderer. Cast: Warner Oland, Drue Leyton, Raymond Mil land. Mona Barrie, Alan Mowbray, Murray Kinnell, Douglas Waltcn, Walter Johnson, E E, Give, George Barraud, Madge Bellamy, David Torrence, John Rogers, Paul England, Elsa Buchanan, Perry Ivins. Director, Eugene Forde; Screen Play, Phillip MacDonald, based on Earl Derr Biggers' character, Charlie Chan; Cameraman, L W. O'Connell; Recording Engineer, E. Clayton Ward; Editor, Irene Mccre. Direction, Good. Photography, A-l. FOREIGN DIALOGUE "DIE FREUNDIN EINES GROSSEN MANNES" ("The Girl Friend of a Big Man"), in German; produced by Ufa; directed by Paul Wegener; with Kaethe von Nagy, Karl Ludwig Diehl, et al. At the 79th St. Theater. Amusing comedy about an actress who arrives on the scene incognito, when the leading lady of a theatrical troupe walks out, and puts the show over. "DAS BLAUE VOM HIMMEL" ("The Blue from the Sky"), in German; produced by Aafa; directed by Victor Janson; with Martha Eggert, Herman Thimig, et al. Distributed by Danubia Pictures. At the Yorkville Theater. A very agreeable musical romance revolving around a pretty ticket seller in a Berlin subway station and a daring aviator who wins her as his bride. "MY WIFE THE MISS," in Hungarian; produced by Erno Gaal; directed by Steven Szekely; with Irene Agai, Gabor Ranjay, Paul Javor, Ella Gombaszogi, et al. At the Tobis Theater. Entertaining comedy about an arranged marriage in which the girl is married ofr by her gay father, a widower, so he can rake another wife. "PETERSBURG NIGHTS", in Russian, with tnghsh titles; produced by ioyuztilm; directed by r. M. DostoevsKy; witn K. Tarasovna, B. Dobron Ravo, A. borunot, et al. Distributed by Amkmo. At the Cameo Theater. Based on two Dostoyevsky novels, this is an excellent dramatic story with musical accompaniment, very abiy acted ana directed. I heme involves tne revolution and there is an angle of romance between an oppressed violinist and a Russian girl. The native types are particularly interesting and the photography is unusual. SHORTS "Hollywood, Here We Come" with Arthur Jarrett and Inez Courtney Columbia 20 mins. Very Good Musical Archie Goettler, as writer and director, delivers another topnotch little musical in this two-reeier, again demonstrating a knack for freshness of idea and ability to set things in motion and keeping them going ai a nice clip througnout the iooiage. For story background, this one has the situation ot a couple of girls, Inez Courtney and one of the Gale quadruplets, with correspondence scnool diplomas as ".stars," trekking to Hollywood to crash the movies. Lacking funds, they ride the freights, encountering a radio-screen star, Art Jarrett, who also is riding the rods to Hollywood incognito in order to avoid autograph hounds. The girls, not recognizing Art, razz him and praise the tramp. Later chey meet again in Hollywood, where Art puts the girls into his movie. Some novelty musical specialties are performed by Jarrett and the hoboes in the freight car, with other musical embellishments also interspersed. Nice work by Miss Courtney and the Gale girl, as well as Jarrett, although the song numbers in this instance are not up to some of the former tunes. "Jock and Jill" Morgan Dennis Prod. 10 mins. Dog Novelty A tale of two little black Scotty pups owned by an artist who is about to be dispossessed for lack of rent. Off-stage dialog has the pups carrying on part of the explanatory conversation. They learn through a conversation between the artist and his wife that their pedigreed mother died and left a fortune of 100 grand that the mistress had bestowed on her pet. So the two pups go to the lawyer's office and claim the inheritance, which saves the day for their master and mistress. Good number for all lovers of animals, especially pups. Directed by Lynn Shores at the West Coast Studios. 9 mins. "Manchuria" Beaux Arts Prod. Scenic Norman Brokenshire does the narration on a film of Manchuria of the present day. The camera covers the industrial life of this oriental country, showing the tremendous developments through modern machinery and industrial methods. The life and customs of the people are also presented, as well as activities of the school children who are remarkably well trained in athletic exercises. "Special Messengers" British Instructional Films 11 mins. Novelty The highly developed sport of pigeon racing as indulged in throughout England is presented in a very interesting film. The narrator describes every step in the business of breeding and training pigeons for their races, that are participated in by hundreds of pigeon fanciers everywhere. Great mechanical ingenuity is employed in identifying the birds with special ring markers, and a time clock device that cannot be tampered with. In this way the birds are clocked although landing at scattered places many miles apart and the winner picked without any difficulty. "Mexican Idyl" (Musical Moods) Audio Productions 7 mins. Beautiful The story of a dream-day done in the open, the motif being a Mexican maid and her man attending a flock of sheep. It opens with shots of the sky and the hills, then the sheep going to pasture. Then through the lazy summer day to dusk as the sheep are slowly driven home again. Nothing more artistic and beautiful from a camera angle has even tx done in a short. Robert Bri cameraed the art study with a t artistic sensitivity. The three-co Technicolor process makes this standout. The symphonic orches was directed by Rosario Bourd playing the selections, "Cielito L do" and "La Golondrina" which p. fectly interpret the morning s evening motifs of the subject. In A Monastery Garden" (Musical Moods) Audio Productions 7 mi Delightful A beautiful camera study of Southern California monastery f turing the famous musical com" sition, "In A Monastery Gardei by Albert W. Ketelby. Robert; Bruce, the camera artist, caught 1 mood of this melody perfectly the lens shows the monks cross: the garden on the way to their votions in the little chapel. Thl voices are heard blending with harmony as they disappear. D^ in the new three-color Technicc process. The color work is gor ous. The symphonic orchestra under direction of Rosario Bourd Fingal's Cave" (Musical Moods) Audio Productions 7 mi A High Spot The moods of the sea are tra. lated graphically and harmoniou through the classic composition Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, "I gal's Cave," played by a sympho orchestra under the direction Hans Lange. Photographed like I rest of this series in three-co Technicolor, which portrays the se varying lights and shades gorj ously. Robert C. Bruce did the p'; tography. A dazzling selection gorgeous seascapes has caught evs mood of the ocean from rippl calm to thundering tempest, these have been cunningly editeN synchronize perfectly with score of the musical compositj Here is a picture that will provi delight to a wide diversity of t ater patrons, as it holds so mi genuine entertainment in marvel color, music and natural beauty. It will prove the high s' on any shorts program. Kiddie Shows in Butterfield Hou^ Grand Rapids, Mich. — Success the "Okay Kiddie Show" at the gent here, under direction of Wj ter J. Norris, house manager, led Butterfield circuit to inaugur similar shows in several Michi| cities. Penna. Dog Racing Bill Philadelphia — Members of the P. T. 0. of Eastern Pa. hear tl a bill to legalize the sport in Pe |> sylvania is being prepared for troduction in their state legislati Dog tracks lately have been giv New Jersey exhibitors a lot trouble.