The Film Daily (1936)

THE Tuesday, Mar. 31, 1936 -cEZH DAILY Reviews of New Films "I MARRIED A DOCTOR" with Pat O'Brien, Josephine Hutchinson (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) First National 85 mins. BOX OFFICE NATURAL RESULTS FROM DRAMATIC SCREEN VERSION OF SINCLAIR LEWIS' "MAIN STREET." As a down-to-earth picture that should interest all real human beings, this show rates very high. It is a Class A offering which word-of-mouth advertising should carry to good returns. Taken from Sinclair Lewis' "Main Street'' which Harriet Ford and Harvey O'Higgins dramatized, Casey Robinson has written a screenplay which is quite a document on small town life. The characters are built with understanding and the things they do and the things they say seem very real. Even though the small-towners are hardly flattering, the material is in no way offensive. Whatever they do is beautifully attributed to human nature. Archie Mayo has directed the piece with the hand of a master. There are touches in the picture which are distinctly his, and he brings forth performances from the players which make them seem natural. Pat O'Brien and Josephine Hutchinson are superb as the smalltown doctor and his wife. Ross Alexander as the artist, Louise Fazenda as the Swedish maid, and Ray Mayer as the town's handy man are swell. Robert Barrat, Guy K'bbee, Willard Robertson and Olin Howland also have nice parts. Every department has contributed to make the picture first rate in every respect. Josephine Hutchinson, a city girl, marries Pat O'Brien, the village doctor, who is loved by everyone. She feels that the town is in the wide open spaces and that the townspeople's minds too are open. When she makes suggestions, she meets with disappointment. She befriends a local artist, Ross Alexander, and he takes her interest to mean love. The women are jealous of her and everywhere she seems to be the topic of conversation. Everything seems to be going wrong and she leaves. However, she returns to her worshipping husband after finding people elsewhere no different from the small-towners. Cast: Pat O'Brien, Josephine Hutchinson, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Louise Fazenda, Olin Howland, Margaret Irving, Alma Lloyd, Grace Stafford. Ray Mayer, Robert Barrat, Hedwiga Reicher, Willard Robertsen, Edith Elliott, Thomas Pogue, Janet Young, Harry Hayden, Frank Rhodes, Gaby Fay, Sam Wren, Dora Clement. Supervisor, Harry Jce Brown; Director, Archie Mayo; Author, Sinclair Lewis; Screenplay, Casey Robinson; Dramatization, Harriet Ford, Harvey O'Higgins; Cameraman, Byron Haskins; Editor, Owen Marks Direction, Intelligent. Photography, Fine Handling Studio Lease Tampa — Sale and leasing jurisdiction of the Sun Haven studios and grounds have been delegated to Frank P. Gatteri of the Gatteri Film Exchange by the First National Bank, according to his announcement yesterday. Set Columbia Release Date Columbia's feature "Roaming Lady" has been scheduled for national release on April 12. Gene Autry in "COMIN"ROUNDTHE MOUNTAIN" with Ann Rutherford, Smiley Burnette, Roy Mason, "Champion" Republic 55 mins. STRONG WESTERN ABOUT PONY EXPRESS FEATURES ACE RIDING. An abundance of hard riding scenes, fair-to-middling singing by Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette and an absence of superfluous fighting makes this one a Class-A outdoor production. Autry is very effective as the pony express rider who is left in the desert to die after being ambushed and knocked cold by bandits in the employ cf Roy Mason, the villain. On regaining consciousness, he fights off a pack cf wolves threatening "Champion," a wild horse, trapped because the end of a rope on his neck becomes wedged between -ocks. Autry later discovers he was waylaid for an envelope containing money to pay off the mortgage of Ann Rutherford's ranch. Before the conclusion, when he marries the girl, the camera works to excellent advantage in photographing the "breaking" of "Champion" by Autry and a subsequent race between the girl's "hands" and Mason's, with a pony express horse :ontract the prize. Few pictures in recent years can match the scene in the desert when Autry "breaks" the horse without using a saddle or blanket. The same punch ccmes from the natural falls of rders thrown from their mounts during race. Cast: Gene Autry, Ann Rutherford, Smi'ey Burnette, Roy Mason, Ken Cooper, Tracy Lane, Raymond Brown, Bob McKenzie, "Champion," Supervisor, Armand Schaefer; Director, Mack Wright; Author, Oliver Drake; Screenplay, Oliver Drake, Dorrell McGowan, Stuart McGcwan; Cameraman, Bill Nobles; Editor, Lester O'lebeck Direction, Good. Photography, Excellent Lincoln Duals Row Grows Lincoln, Neb. — The looming battle of dual features between Westland Theaters and Lincoln Theater Corp. has developed another barrage with announcement that the Libei'ty, which has been running second-run pictures single feature for 15 and 20 cents, will now run first-runs for 10 cents anytime. This matches Westland's Kiva. Denies Picketing Injunction Portland, Me.— Holding that the picketing of Keith's Theater is neither an unlawful nor an oppressive means to bring about employment of union labor in the theater, Supreme Court Justice Sidney St. Felix Thaxter has dismissed the theater's petition for an injunction against the picketing. "Rhodes" Opening tin Boston According to word from George W. Weeks, GB's general sales manager, "Rhodes, the Diamond Master," will open simultaneously on April 9 in two of Boston's largest theaters — the Paramount and the Fenway of the M. & P. Circuit. lf0llt "WILL DO PLENTY AT THE BOXOFFICE" — Hollywood Reporter WITH Chester MORRIS * Helen MORSAU Distributed by REPUBLIC PICTURES