Harrison's Reports (1931)

March 7, 1931 HARRISON’S REPORTS 39 “Dance Fools, Dance!” — with Joan Crawford (MGM, released February 14; running time, 77 min.) A fair program picture. The story is full of melodramatic episodes, many of which are mechanical ; it is of the kind that will not help Miss Crawford, although it may not hurt her. She has support from a competent cast. Night clubs and gang life form the background: — The father dies and the daughter (heroine), who had been reared in a life of ease and of cocktails, and her brother, are left penniless. The heroine obtains a position as a reporter. Unknown to her, her brother becomes a bootlegger, selling liquor to his wealthy friends. The fiance does not stand by the heroine in her poverty ; he offers marriage to her because he thinks it is the right thing to do. As a reporter, the heroine gains fame. When a gangster is murdered, the star reporter, good friend of the heroine, is assigned to the case. He learns that the one who had driven the murder car was the heroine’s brother. When the gang leader finds this out, he orders the heroine's brother to kill the reporter. This he does, in a crowded street. The newspaper editor, determined to find out the identity of the murderer, assigns the heroine to the case. By posing as a dance hall girl, she is able to ingratiate herself to the gang leader. Through the interception of a telephone call, she learns that the murderer of the reporter is her brother. When she arrives in her room that evening, she finds there the gang leader and his associates, who were preparing to put her on the “spot.” Just as they were to take her for a “ride,” the brother breaks in and kills the gunmen ; but he, too, is killed. The heroine calls up her paper and gives the story. Meanwhile her fiance feels guilty for not having stood by her. He meets her just as she was leaving on a vacation to recover from the shock of her brother’s death and begs her forgiveness. She forgives him. Harry Beaumont directed it from an original story by Aurania Roverol. William Blakewell is the brother. Lester Vail the fiance, Clark Gable the gang leader, and Cliff Edwards the reporter. Natalie Moorhead, Hale Hamilton, Earle Fox and others are in the cast. Not for children, no matter of what age. Good for adults who like gangster pictures. Not good for Sundays in small towns. For substitution facts, see editorial, “THE METROGOLDWYN-MAYER 'LUCKY SEVEN’,” printed in the issue of February 21. “Honor Among Lovers” ( Paramount , March 21 ; running time, 75 min.) Though the story is somewhat thin, excellent production has made it interesting. The settings are lavish. It is, however, a sex theme ; the hero tries to induce the heroine to become his mistress, offering her luxury. In the scene in which the heroine’s husband is shown threatening to shoot the hero, the spectator is held in tense suspense. Charles Ruggles is in the cast : he contributes the comedy, as is usually the case ; he takes the part of the gentleman who likes his bottle : — The hero tries to induce his secretary to become his mistress, but she refuses his proposal. Because he is fascinating, the heroine, fearing lest she might at a weak moment accept his proposal, marries a young man she was in love with. The hero, in despair because he could not induce her to accept his proposal, offers her marriage. He is shocked when he hears that she had married that morning. Telling her that now he cannot bear to think that she belongs to some one else, he discharges her. But soon he regrets his act and apologizes to her. The hero, in order to give the heroine’s husband a start, gives him some of his business ; he places stocks and bonds in his care. The husband speculates heavily and loses. This comes out at a party, where the heroine had invited the hero, too. As he had used money that belonged to other people, the heroine, in order to save him from going to jail, calls on the hero and asks his help. He gives her a check, made to her husband’s name, for an amount enough to take care of all his obligations. The husband misinterprets the act and accuses his wife of having been intimate with him. She leaves him. In desperation, the husband calls on the hero and with a gun in his hand demands to be told where his wife is. The hero tells him that she is not there, and warns him that if he should shoot and miss he would stop payment on his check and he would be sent to the penitentiary ; if he would not miss, the State would take care of him. He trips and the gun is accidentally discharged, wounding the hero seriously. He is arrested. When the heroine learns of the occurence she promises to stand by him. Because of the hero s unwillingness to prosecute, the husband is acquitted. But the heroine leaves him forever, to follow the hero. The story is by Austin Parker ; the direction by Dorothy Arzner. Claudette Colbert is the heroine, Monroe Owsley her husband, and Frederic March the hero. The talk is clear. Not suitable for children. (Not a substitution.) “Hell Bound” ( Tiffany , released March 7; running time, 69 min.) Excellently produced, the direction and acting being of the highest order. The acting of Mr. Leo Carillo, in particular, is noteworthy ; Mr. Carillo is an old stage actor ; he is given the part of a gangster, of Italian descent, and his accent is perfect. The trouble with it, however, is the fact that it is one more gangster picture, with the demoralizing acts (implied mostly) of bootlegging and of murders. In this instance, such effect is much greater by reason of the fact that a murderer is made heroic: — The hero, leader of a gang of racketeers, orders his men to go to a railroad station outside the town to protect a woman he had hired to kill a rival gangster. The rival’s men reach the station, and while a strange woman is alighting he hears the report of machine gun fire. When they see the woman reeling and falling on the ground they think she had been shot. They take her to headquarters. The hero has a doctor abducted from the hospital to attend to the woman. The doctor finds out that she had not been shot, and that she had pneumonia. From a news account in a newspaper, the hero finds out that the girl is not the woman he had hired and orders the doctor to take her away. But because her condition does not permit removal, the doctor insists that she remain. During her convalescence, both the doctor and the hero fall in love with her. The rival gangster, in order to strike at the hero, orders the killing of the heroine. The doctor saves her. The hero, incensed, steals out quietly and kills the rival gangster. The police arrest him on suspicion. As the heroine had inadvertently made a remark that had hurt his case, the hero is advised by his lawyer to marry the heroine, so as to prevent the authorities from using her as a witness. After the marriage, the hero asks the doctor to take his wife to his country home for a while. A few days later the hero pays them a visit. The rival gangster’s men follow him there and telephone to him that unless he comes out and takes what belongs to him they will shoot every one in the house. Because he loves his wife desperately, he goes out alone, and is murdered. The story is by Edward Dean Sullivan ; it has been directed by Walter Lang, under the supervision of James Cruze. Lola Lane is the heroine, Lloyd Hughes the doctor, and Ralph Ince the rival gangster. The talk is clear. Not good for children. As for adults, it depends on how they like gangster melodramas. Not a Sunday show. (Not a substitution.) “Pagliacci” (Audio-Cinema. Inc., Feb. 21 ; running time, 69 min.) A picture for high class audiences and not for the rank and file. It presents the opera in the identical form as if it were shown on the opera stage, with all the action taking place in one scene. The entire picture is done in music, and in the Italian language : consequently it could be enjoyed only by lovers of music or by people who understand Italian. The music is beautiful and well sung. The story revolves around the flirtatious wife of the clown “Pagliacci.” He is frantic with jealousy when he discovers that she has a lover. He tries to learn the name of her lover, but she refuses to disclose it. During the performance of a play given before the peasants, in which they are the actors, he pleads with her again to tell him her lover’s name but she refuses. In a rage, to the horror of the audience, he stabs her, and when her lover, who had been sitting in the front row, jumps up to go to her assistance, the husband realizes that he was her lover. He stabs him, too, and the two lovers die. The husband, in agony, tells the audience to leave. The opera was composed by Ruggierro Leoncavallo. In the cast are Alba Novella, Fernando Bertini, Mario Valle. Giuseppe Interranti and Francesco Curci. The sound is only fair. Children will naturally be bored. “Ten Nights In a Barroom” is an excellent melodrama. Review next week.