Harrison's Reports (1931)

2 HARRISON’S REPORTS January 3, 1931 “Charley’s Aunt” ( Columbia , Dec. 25; naming time, 88 min.) An entertaining slap-stick comedy. The silent version was done some time ago with Sidney Chaplin in the leading role. But the picture loses none of its humor by sound. As a matter of iact, the silly taik makes it even funnier. Charles Kuggles, as the "aunt,'’ is exceedingly humorous, especially when he tries to smoke a cigar or to take a drink of liquor without having anyone discover him. And the way he makes two elderly men, who think he is a wealthy "widow,” chase around after him, is side-splitting : — The hero, a college student, is imposed upon by two of his college chums, to pose as the wealthy aunt of one of them. They do this because they had invited the girls they were in love with to have tea with them in their rooms to meet the boy’s real aunt and she sent a telegram saying that she could not come. The father of the other boy comes to pay him a visit. When he hears who the “aunt” is he decides to marry her because his family fortune had been depleted. But "she” refuses him. The guardian of the two girls, who did not want them to marry because then his income would cease, had to give his consent in writing to their marriage. He follows the girls to the boys’ rooms and orders them to leave. But when he hears about the vast fortune the "aunt” has he stays and starts wooing “her.” "She” leads him a wild chase around the grounds. The real aunt arrives, but as her nephew does not recognize her, she keeps her identity a secret and decides to see the farce through. The hero, in order to get the consent from the guardian, promises to “marry” him. The guardian gives the consent. In the meantime, the boy’s father, who had been refused, not knowing the identity of the real aunt, discovers that they knew' each other years previously and they become very' friendly. After the hero gets the consent he takes off his wig. The heroine, ward of the aunt, who had met the hero before and had fallen in love with him, is horrified when she discovers the farce. The hero explains everything and they are reconciled. The plot was adapted from the stage play by Brandon Thomas. It was directed by A1 Christie. Others in the cast are June Collyer, Hugh Williams, Doris Lloyd, Halliwell Hobbes, Flora Le Breton, Rodrey McLennon, Flora Sheffield, Phillips Smalley and Wilson Benge. The talk is “Rogue of the Rio Grande” Just an ordinary western, with little to hold the interest. The hero is shown stealing from the greedy' to aid the poor. It is typical of outdoor pictures of its kind. Some scenic shots are appealing, but the interiors are not of high production standard. It can not rate as anything higher than ordinary: — The hero, El Malo, robs the mayor of the town, later exposed as crooked, to help the poor. When reports of the deed are broadcast the description of the bandit is so bad that he decides to re-enter the town. He comes to the inn, falls in love with an entertainer, and promises the sheriff that he will deliver El Malo to him the next evening. The entertainer, who, too, is in love with him, does not know him as a bandit. Upon his return from the inn, El Malo captures the mayor after the latter, with two companions, had held up a stage. The hero brings him back to the inn and exposes him as an outlaw. He then announces to the sheriff that he is El Malo. When he drops his guard after the heroine tells him she hates him for being a bandit, he is captured. His friend, another outlaw, saves the day and allows him to escape, carrying the heroine with him. The story, which is nothing more than a thread, was written by' Oliver Drake. Spencer Gordon Bennett directed the picture. Jose Bohr is the hero, Myrna Loy the entertainer-heroine. Raymond Hatton, Carmelita Geraghty and Walter Miller are in the cast. Sound is average and poor in spots.. There are a few dance numbers and several songs. (Out-of-town review.) “Captain Thunder t* A weak “sister!” It is of average program grade in but few spots. Generally it has the appearance of a film which might have been better if it had not been made. The story of a romantic bandit whose word is his bond has been done too often. In this treatment, it presents little that has not been seen before. The actors try their best to lift it out of its rut, but cannot do it. And morally it is bad, because it glorifies a criminal : — El Captain Thunder, noted bandit whose word is his honor, has aroused the entire Mexican countryside, particularly after he had held up a stagecoach, in which the heroine, daughter of a prominent landowner, was riding. A big reward is placed on his head. The heroine's father wishes her to marry an American rancher, really a cattle thief. She loves a poor youth. Captain Thunder steals cattle from the American rancher. When the latter, daring to invade the bandit’s den, tells him that he had originally stolen the cattle, the outlaw, in spirit of friendship, promises the American to help him when needed. Captain Thunder overhears the villagers announcing a pian whereby a system of bonfires would tell the countryside of the whereabouts of the bandit. He goes to the heroine, who lights the bonfire. When the soldiers are nearing her house, she hides the bandit, having grown to respect him because of his bravery and chivalry. Thankful, the outlaw promises her aid when she needs him. Meanwhile, the heroine’s sweetheart invades the hills to capture Captain Thunder and win the big reward. The outlaw allows himself to be captured, sees the lovers get the reward and then escapes. On the day the two are to be married, the American rancher comes to Captain Thunder and requests him to keep his promise. Captain Thunder agrees, and when the marriage is about to take place, he steals the groom away from the wedding and substitutes the American rancher in the latter’s place. After the marriage, however, the American rancher is killed by the outlaw’s men. Captain Thunder, having kept both his promises, rides away. The heroine, a widow, can marry her sweetheart. Alan Crosland directed the story by Hal Davitt and Pierce Couderc. Victor Varconi is Captain Thunder, Fay Wray and Don Alvarado the lovers. Robert Elliott is the rancher. Charles Judels, Natalie Moorhead, Bert Roach, F'rank Campeau and John Sainpolis are in the cast. The sound is fair. (Out-of-town review.) “The Royal Family of Broadway” ( Paramount , Jan. 31; running time, 78 min.) Excellent ! The picture is a mixture of comedy, drama, and pathos, depicting the life of a family who are tied to the stage by tradition and the love for it. There is human appeal in the affection that the children display for their mother. One particular scene has a great emotional appeal ; it is where the mother, an old trouper, refuses to leave the stage even though she is ill. It becomes impossible for her to continue with the performance, and, with her children gathered around in her dressing room, she dies. The heroine (her daughter), fighting back the tears, goes on in her mother’s place : — The heroine, a famous actress, is tired and longs for rest. She is thrilled when she hears that a former suitor of hers, now a millionaire, is coming to see her. Her mother, an old trouper, tells her she would be bored if she left the stage, because love of it was ingrained in the family. The heroine's daughter, resenting the family tradition, refuses to go on the stage and marries the man she loves. The heroine’s brother returns from Hollywood in order to elude an irate director, whom he had punched, and an equally irate woman, to whom he had made love and then abandoned. He makes everyone nervous because of his uncontrollable temper, and finally, with the help of the heroine’s suitor, they get him a passport and he leaves for Europe. The heroine promises to marry her old friend. At the end of the tour she leaves the stage, but she becomes restless and cannot stand the inactivity. Her brother returns from Europe. The same evening he returns, her young daughter also arrives at the house. She informs her mother that she had decided to go on the stage. The brother shows them a script for a new play and they become extremely interested. They receive a telephone call that the mother is ill and they all rush to the theatre where she had been performing. The mother dies and the heroine, despite her sorrow, goes on in her mother’s place. The man she was to marry realizes that he is not for her and agrees to release her from her promise to marry him. The plot was adapted from the stage play by Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman. It was directed by George Cukor and Cyril Gardner. Excellent performances are given by Frederic March, as the brother, Ina Claire, as the heroine, Mary Brian, as the daughter, Henrietta Crosman, as the mother, and also by Charles Starrett. Arnold Korff. Frank Conway. Royal G. Stout, Elsie Edmond, Murray Alper, Wesley Stark and Herschel Mavall. Good for high class custom : it is doubtful if the rankand-file will care for it much.