The Film Daily (1936)

THE 4 DAILY Wednesday, April 1,1936 REVIEWS OF THE NEW FILMS "THE UNGUARDED HOUR" with Loretfa Young, Franchot Tone, Lewis Stcne, Roland Young, Jessie Ralph and Dudley D gges M-G-M 90 mins. CRACKERJACK DRAMA WITH A MYSTERY ANGLE THAT WILL ATTRACT ALL TYPES 0 AUDIENCES. SUPERBLY CAST. The mystery angle of this drama of London life is cleverly worked out, with plenty of suspense, several tense emotional climaxes, and with a cast that gets every ounce of effect from the roles. Screenplay is a honey and Sam Wood's direction is aces. Loretta Young submits to blackmail by Henry Daniell to recover some old love letters of her husband's, Franchot Tone, which if made public, would end his prospects of being named Attorney General. Her husband prosecutes Dudley Digges, accused of throwing his wife over a cliff at Dover at the hour Loretta had delivered the money. She heard Digges warn his wife to keep away from the edge of the cliff and knows he is innocent of murder, but fears to ruin Tone's career if she appears as a witness. Later she is subpoenaed and clears Digges of the murder charge. The blackmailer gets his wife, to whom Tone's letters had been written, to ask Tone to call upon her. That evening the woman is murdered, and Tone shows up late at a christening with a cut hand. The murder is laid to him and he confesses. The blackmailer comes forward to clear Tone, for a big price. He signs his statement with a gloved right hand that pains him. Tone struggles with him, removes the glove, and in the palm of the man's hand is a long gash. Tone then reveals that his confession of the murder was a trap, planned by himself, his wife, and his friend, Roland Young, to catch the blackmailer by making him believe there was no suspicion of murder against him. Young and E. E. Clive furnish the comedy, and Lewis Stone gives a swell performance as the head of Scotland Yard. Cast: Loretta Young, Franchot Tone, Lewis Stcne, Roland Young, Jessie Ralph, Dudley Digges, Henry Daniell, Robert Greig, E. E. Clive, Wallace Clark, John Buckler, Aileen Pringle. Producer, Lawrence Weingarten; Director, Sam Wood; Author, Ladislaus Fodcr; Screenplay, Howard Emmett Rogers and Leon Gordon; Cameraman, James van Trees; Editor, Frank E. Hull. D rection, Aces Photography, Expert FOREIGN "IL RE BURLONE" ("The Jester King"), in Italian; produced by Capitani; directed by Enrico Guazoni; with Armando Falconi, Luisa Ferida, et al. At the Cine Roma Theater. Costume picture of mid-nineteenth Century is entertaining in story of Bourbon king's court. "LA SIGNORA Dl TUTTI" ("Everybody's Girl"), in Italian; produced by Novella; directed by Max Ophuels; with Isa Miranda, Memo Benassi, et al. At the World Theater. Tragedy of melancholy film actress makes fair entertainment despite foreign language limitations. "THE SKY PARADE" with Jimmie Allen, William Gargan, Kath erine De Mille, Kent Taylor (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) Paramount 70 mins. GOOD AVIATION PICTURE SHOULD APPEAL TO KIDS AND OTHER AUDIENCES CRAVING ACTION. For the houses which play the better action numbers and for those which have a large kid patronage, this show is swell stuff. Though logically constructed, the plot is hardly a routine one, and it is loaded with suspense. The last scene, which is the big number, may be a lot of hokum, but still it's interesting stuff. The air scenes look good and the picture shows up well. Wiiliam Gargan carries the big role, which he handles very well. Katherine De Mille, Kent Taylor, Sid Saylor, Grant Withers, Robert Fiske and Jimmie Allen are the other important characters. Saylor carries the comedy in nice style. Allen does not come in until the picture is half over and then he doesn't have much to do until the final scene. With proper handling he might develop. Otho Lovering's direction builds the suspense very well, and the picture moves at a good clip. When Gargan, Taylor, and Fiske get back from France, where they were aviators, they join a flying circus. They stick to flying until Taylor and Gargan are owners of a trans-continental airline. Fiske, in the meantime, has been killed, and his two pals, along with Katherine De Mille, who joined them in their circus days, are bringing up his son, Jimmie. The boys develop an automatic flying control. A gang, headed by Grant Withers, wants the device. The pilot is taking the plane to Washington to turn the device over to the government. Withers and one of his men manage to get into the plane. Jimmie is in it, too. Withers' man kills the pilot and Withers. Through the ship's radio, Gargan tells Jimmie how to operate the ship and Jimmie brings it in. This last scene should have the kids standing up. Cast: Jimmie Allen, William Gargan, Katharine De Mille, Kent Taylor, Grant Withers, Sid Saylor, Robert Fiske, Edgar Dearing, George Renevant, Myra Marsh, Billy Lee, Bennie Bartlett, Colin Tapley, May Wallace, Irene Bennett, Eddie Dunn, John Morley, Arthur Singley Producer, Harold Hurley; Director, Otho Lovering; Authors, Robert M. Burtt, Willfred.G Moore; Screenplay, Byron Morgan, Brian Marlow, Arthur Beckhard; Cameramen, William Mellor, Alfred L. Gilks; Editor. Everett Douglas Direction, Best. Photography, Excellent. "PIERPIN, LA FIGLIA RITROVATA", in Italian; produced by Lobi; directed by D. Coletti; with Irma Fusi, Luigi Carini, et al. At the Ideal Theater. Musical satire is tuneful but weak in technical handling of story dealing with the theater. "DODEK NA FRONCIE" ("Dodek at the Front"), in Polish; produced by Rex; directed by M. Wasynski; with Adolf Dymsza, Joseph Orwid, et al. At the Bijou Theater. Highly entertaining satire on officers and heroes of World War shows good music and dancing in Eastern Front campaign. "DUBROVSKY," in Russian, with English "MILLIONAIRE KID" with Betty Compson, Bryant Washburn, Charles Delaney, Bradley Metcalfe (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) Reliable 50 mins. FAIR ENTERTAINMENT IN MELODRAMA ABOUT BATTLING PARENTS AND RUNAWAY SON. For the grind houses and some of the double bills this picture should do all right. In its classification it answers its purpose. It carries many of the former big names and although the plot is quite obvious, it is handled in such a manner as to hold interest throughout. Bradley Metcalfe is a new kid player who carries the big role and he acquits himself very well. However, some of his dialogue is a little too grown up. The rest of the cast handle their assignments very well. The kid's parents are about to be divorced and rather than to take sides, he runs away. Besides, he is fed up with his life of study and no play. In a street fight, he is hurt and is picked up by Bryant Washburn, gang leader. The papers carry the story that young Metcalfe has been kidnapped. The gang wants to return him without involving itself. The frantic parents are willing to do anything to get their son back. Through Charles Delaney, a reporter, who has met the Washburn outfit, the kid is returned only after the parents agree to a reconciliation. Cast: Betty Compson, Bryant Washburn, Charles Delaney, Lpis Wilde, Creighton Hale, Bradley Metcalfe, Eddie Gribbcn, Al St. John, Joseph Swickard, John Elliot, Earl Dwire, Ed Cassidy, Arthur Thalasso, Roger Williams. Producer, Bernard B. Ray; Associate Producer, Harry S Webb; Director, Bernard B. Ray; Authors, Jack Natteford, Blanch Church; Screenplay, Same; Cameraman, Bill Hyer; Editor, Fred Bain. Direction, Fair. Photography, Fair. titles; produced by Lenfilm; directed by A. V. Ivanovsky; with Boris Livanof, E. Samarin-Elsky, et al. At the Cameo Theater. Drama based on Pushkin novel depicts Russian scene of 150 years ago, is entertaining story of lovers separated by financial circumstances. "DER HOEHERE BEFEHL" ("The Higher Command"), in German; produced by Ufa; directed by Gerhard Lamprecht; with Karl I uHwi« Diehl, Lil Dagover, et al. At the 79th St Theater. Fine spy story of Napoleonic wars features smooth acting and good photography. "ALLES WEG'N DEM HUND" ("All for the Dog's Sake"), in German; produced by Schulz and Wuellner; directed by Fred Sauer; with Weiss Ferdl, Julia Serda, et al. At the 86th St. Casino. Unsophisticated comedy about a dog which is bequeathed as part of a legacy. Not likely to appeal to other than native audiences. "THE MYSTIC MOUNTAIN," in French, with English titles; released by Lenauer lnternat;onal; directed bv Dimitri Kirsanoff: with Dita Parlo, Dyk Rudens, et al. At the 55th St. Playhouse. Morbid film culminating with murder by an idiot shows little value for entering into local competition. SHORTS "The Black Network" (Broadway Brevity) Viitaphone 21 mins. Good Singing and Dancing A troupe of colored stars, headed by Nina Mae McKinney and the Nicholas Brothers, turn in highly entertaining performances in an unoriginal story of a colored radio sponsor with an ambitious wife who wants to be the whole show. Already familiar to picture audiences, the Nicholas Brothers once more put on a dance routine that always clicks and Nina Mae McKinney sings in the new fashion of "swing." Although the supporting cast is of smaller reputation, each member is effective, particularly three boys who supply music with a washboard, manipulated with thimbles, and an assortment of pots and pans. "HARBOR LIGHTS" (Our Own United States, No. 9) Vitaphone (E. M. Newman) 10 mins. Fair The latest E. M. Newman short dealing with points of interest in the United States is fair entertainment, despite the fact that it does not continue with the "high" set by previous editions. This time, H. V. Kaltenborn, radio commentator, handles the narrative for scenes depicting commercial action at the various seaports of the country. Although the ports of call are colorful, interest drops a bit because of Kaltenborn's patronizing sameness in description. Photography is fine. "Slide, Nellie, Slide" with Herman Bing, Marie Wilson, Al Shean Vitaphone 19 mins. Good Comedy With Sport Interest A softball game between two teams of good-looking girls is the basis of a short depicting rivalry between a hot dog magnate and his rival, a mustard manufacturer. In an effort to boost sales through publicity, Herman Bing, the hot dog king, hires a flock of beauties to represent his team on the diamond. Not to be outdone by his social rival, Al Shean also organizes a team of beauties, and with five grand as the stakes for their bosses, the girls play : a game that should be more than surprising to those who have any doubts left concerning feminine ability in sports. The game is nicely marked by crisp comments from a radio announcer whose interest is not altogether on the score. Sell Republic Serials Kansas City — The local exchange of Republic Pictures has closed negotiations for serials with the Dubinsky circuit. Theaters include the State, Jefferson City; Orpheum, St. Joseph, and the Lyceum, Leavenworth, Kans.