The Film Daily (1935)

THE ■cBfiH DAILY Saturday, Nov. 23, 1935 « « REVIEWS OF THE NEW FILMS » i Paul Muni in "THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR" with Josephine Hutchinson, Anita Louise, Donald Woods (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) Warner Bros. 85 mins. DISTINGUISHED AND GRIPPING DRAMA WITH ACTING, DIRECTION, SCRIPT AND PRODUCTION ALL DESERVING HIGHEST PRAISE. This blazes a new trail in pictures. Warners have made cold science dramatic, and, with Muni as the French scientist, have fashioned a story that grips from the start. Pasteur remains steadfast to his theories, despite bitter opposition from France's leading doctors, and evolves remedies for childbirth infection and rabies. His work attracts the attention of Dr. Lister, noted English scientist, and from Russia come peasants who are dying from infection, caused by wolf bites. He saves the life of Dickie Moore, who has been bitten by a mad dog. He leaves his own sickbed to give the serum injections that save the Russians. Muni's performance is something to cheer about, while William Dieterle's direction deserves lavish praise. Pierre Codings and Sheridan Gibney, who wrote the story and screenplay, turned in one of the best writnig jobs of the year. Henry Blanke, who supervised the picture, rates bows. Josephine Hutchinson, Fritz Leiber, Porter Hall, Donald Woods, Anita Louise, Raymond Brown and Halliwell Hobbes are among the important players. Cast: Paul Muni, Josephine Hutchinson, Anita Louise, Donald Woods, Fritz Leiber, Henry O'Neill, Porter Hall, Raymond Brcwn, Akim Tamircff, Halliwell Hobbes, Frank Reicher, Dickie Moore, Ruth Robinson, Walter Kingsfcrd, Herbert Corthell, Iphigenie Cast iglioni. Director, William Dieterle; Story and Screenplay, Sheridan Gibney, Pierre Collings; Cameraman, Tony Gaudio; Editor, Ralph Dawson. Direction, Standout. Photography, Best. "TO BEAT THE BAND" with Hugh Herbert, Helen Broderick, Roger Pryor, Fred Keating, Eric Blore RKO Radio 68 mins. FAIR FARCE WITH MUSIC HAS NONSENSICAL IDEA PRODUCING MODERATE AMOUNT OF LAUGHS AND ACTION. This production had a basic comedy idea with possibilities that were not fully realized, apparently because too many side issues were injected into the story. Hugh Herbert finds himself left a lot of millions by an aunt who stipulates that he must marry a widow within a few days or the money goes to the California Collegians orchestra headed by Fred Keating. Herbert wants to marry Phyllis Brooks, who is not a widow, so he gets Roger Pryor, who has ideas about commiting suicide, to marry Phyllis first. When Helen Broderick, member of the legal firm, tells Keating what is happening, the latter sees to it that Pryor is watched and prevented from killing himself. Helen also happens to be a widow herself, so she next maneuvers her own marriage to Herbert. When this is accomplished, the aunt turns up and it develops that her supposed death was just a trick to keep Herbert from marrying a girl whom the aunt opposed. As indicated by the plot, it's nonsensical stuff, sustained chiefly by the good work of Herbert, Miss Broderick and others, plus some pleasing musical bits. Cast: Hugh Herbert, Helen Broderick, Roger Pryor, Fred Keating, Eric Blore, Phyllis Brooks, Evelyn Pee, Johnny Mercer, Ray Mayer, Joy Hodges, California Collegians. Producer, Zicn Meyers; Director, Ben Stolcff; Author, George Marion, Jr.; Screenplay, Rian James; Music, Matt Melneck; Lyrics, Johnny Mercer; Cameraman, Nick Musuraca; Musical Director, Alberto Colombo; Editor, George Crone. Direction, Good Photography, Good. FOREIGN "EDES MOSTOBA" ("Kind Stepmother"), in Hungarian; produced by Hermes; directed by Bela Balogh; with Gizi Pecsi, Maria Fekety Tasnady, et al. At the Hunnia Playhouse. One of the best talking pictures to be turned out by Magyar studios. Has an exceptionally talented child actress in Gizi Pecsi. also other good performers and a well-handled sentimental story. SHORTS "Voice of Experience" (No. 5) Columbia 11 mins. Well Handled This one runs to tragedy, with a very unhappy ending, and the customers may not like its depressing effect. Outside of that, the production values are there, and it is very expertly handled in all departments. The Voice relates the drama of a young married man who absconded with funds, and his old father takes the rap. At the trial, one of the jurors spills the beans that the old man is innocent and the son guilty, the juror having got the lowdown by listening in on the voice's broadcast of the "experience." The tale points a fine warning to the youth of the land to tread the straight and narrow. "Yoo Hoo Hollywood" Columbia 18 mins. Snappy Foolery They crowd a lot into this one, featuring the Radio Rogues busting into a location scene, and proving to the director that they can deliver by lining out a few hot impersonations. They go to Hollywood, and crash an indie studio, where the producer is treated to their impersonations as they keep ducking in and out of doors and showing him their line of Garbos, Paul Munis and the rest. They are assisted by Herman Bing, Yvonne Monoff an> the Tic Toe Girls. Prodded by Jule: White. "Feminine Invasion" (News World of Sports) Columbia 11 minsij Fair Covers the feminine invasion o:\ sports, with a presentation of th< varied sports activities in which th«j" girls are now engaged. GymnasticsJ deep sea fishing exploits, bowling 5 and even in the prize ring and theB catch-as-catch can known as wrestling. Interesting enough, but on th(S last two it is very apparent that these are just stunts arranged foifi a night club spot or as a gag, scfl they do not carry out the idea oil legitimate undertakings on the partu of serious female athletes. Jacll Kofoed scripted, with Ford Bond doing the narration. "Stars of Tomorrow" (No. 4) Columbia 11 mins! Poor This rates mediocre in comparison*' with the other high-grade amateurf acts available to theaters in cur-l rent releases. It is too obvious thatl the acts are not simon pure amateurs!) in all instances, for they ring in pro-} fessional amateurs who now flood thel market. The best in the lot is a little pickanniny who does a neat) act with high hat and cane a la| Fred Asta're. Harry Jans acts as master of ceremonies. There was nol dough to talk about spent on thisj one, and it looks it. « « TOPICS OF TIMELY INTEREST » » Rene Clair Says Cinema Is Distinct Art Form £INEMA is cinema. The theater is the theater. The theater is synthetic. The cinema is analytic. Before sound and color came to interrupt the progress of directors who dared to experiment and to pioneer in the new and growing art of the cinema technique, the development of the film as a dramatic form was distinct and vigorous. New mechanical devices such as sound and color merely serve to hold us back. If we have television tomorrow, we must immediately work with it. I object to this over-emphasis on new discoveries. Color is an incident, not a revolution in the industry. It is downright treason to film Shakespeare. "Romeo and Juliet" was written by a man who never visualized such a mechan-'cal device as the cinema — and to film it in his spirit we would need the same genius which created this great play from a little Italian story of an even earlier day. I am personally gratified that students of the cinema have found my own work interesting. I agree with them that the cinema is an art form and that films in which dialogue, music, bathing beauties or sex appeal predominate, are bad. But that, I protest, does not make me a high-brow. Now that I am working for Alexander Korda I hope that the highbrow legend will die down. He is the only big producer in the world who gives his director a square deal — perhaps because he is primarily a director himself! Under his banner I am making my first English film, "The Ghost Goes West," exactly as I want to. — Rene Clair. Says Screen Will Boost Following for Opera WfHAT of the Metropolitan Opera in relation to that alleged common enemy of mankind, technology? Will the machine in the form of motion picture and radio help or hurt? While the music temple at Broadway and 40th St. has been fighting with its back to the wall, opera has swept triumphantly over the air waves and across the screen. Particularly the screen. Some film producer had the happy idea of enlisting a prima donna with just enough of a story plot to serve as an alibi for famous songs from the opera. Grace Mooi-e having made an enormous hit, we now have excellent films dealing with the the life, loves and best arias of perhaps half a dozen Metropolitan stars. There will no doubt be a ereat many more. The ultimate effect on the fortunes of the Opera House on Broadway should be highly favorable. A great public is being introduced to opera and its New York shrine, including the diamond horseshoe. Pessimists say the result will be to make people stay at home and turn on the radio or go to the neighborhood movie. Optimists are nearer the truth when they argue that people who have made the acquaintance of screen and radio opera will want to see the real thing. A good many outof-town visitors who have never before included the Metropolitan in their sightseeing plans will learn to do so. Most of them will wear tails and a white tie. — New York Times.