Harrison's Reports (1932)

February 27, 1932 HARRISON’S REPORTS 35 “File 113” with Lew Cody {Hollytvood Piet., Feb. 19; running time, 53 min.) A fair mystery melodrama. Although the story is not very plausible, there is enough action and suspense to hold one’s attention. It becomes especially exciting towards the end, when the police chief pits two crooks against each other, knowing that in that way he will get rid of both of them. There is sympathy felt for the hero and the heroine because of their forced separation : — The heroine loves and is loved by the hero, a cashier in her father’s bank. But her parents are desirous for her to marry a wealthy man in order to save the bank from being ruined. This she refuses to do. The heroine’s mother is being blackmailed by her cousin, who knows that the heroine is not her real child. He threatens her wdth exposure unless she supply him with jewels and money. He forces her to rob the bank and give him the money. She confesses this to the police chief. The chief calls in a noted criminal he wanted to be rid of. He tells him of the cash the other crooks have, and asks him to plant evidence in their room. He goes there, kills the crook and takes the money. He in turn is killed by the police. And so the secret of the heroine’s parentage is never revealed. The hero and the heroine are united, for the father was able to get credit from America and thus save his bank. The plot was adapted from a novel by Emile Gaboriau. It was directed by Chester M. Franklin. The cast, consisting of Mary Xolan, Clara Kimball Young, George E. Stone, William Collier, Jr., June Clyde, Herbert Bunston, and others, give excellent performance. The talk is clear. Not unsuitable for children or for Sunday showing. “Lovers Coura.geous” with Robert Montgomery and Madge Evans {MGM, January 23; running time, 77 min.) A good entertainment, combining pathos and comedy. Good acting of a competent cast gives most of the entertaining values it has. The pathos occurs toward the end, where poverty forces husband and wife to part. One has so befriended both because of their good characters that one feels sorry to see them part. When their reunion comes naturally one rejoices. The opening scenes show the hero as a child of twelve, playing hookey often and being reprimanded by his father although pampered by his mother. When he grows up he has much adventure until finally he lands in South Africa, becoming the salesman for a tobacco shop. There he meets the heroine, daughter of a British Admiral, and tliey two fall madly in love with each other. The heroine’s family becomes aware of their love affair and they move back to England with the hope that this would break up the match. But in vain, for the heroine learns that the hero was in London, jilts the nobleman she was to marry, and goes to the hero and they are married. The father is incensed and refuses to support them. The two have a hard time making a living. The hero’s efforts to write a play result in failure. Seeing how hopeless is their situation the hero goes to the heroine’s father and begs him to take her back. He promises to do so with the understanding that he is not to see her or to communicate with her again. The hero promises. Heartbroken he sets out to rewrite his play and eventually makes a success of it. This results in his reunion with his wife, who had never ceased loving him. The story is by Frederick Lonsdale ; the direction, by Robert Z. Leonard. Roland Young, Frederick Kerr, Beryl Mercer and others are in the cast. Suitable for children and for Sunday showing. (Not a substitution.) “Freaks” (.1/G-I/. released February 20) I have not seen this picture because it has not yet been shown in this territory, manifestlyMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer holding it out so that unfavorable comment may not be made of it. But in order to help you out I am reproducing part of a letter I have received about it from a friend whose judgment is sound: “To me. ‘Freaks’ is so loathsome that I am nauseated thinking about it. The producers give an excuse that these creatures are all in the circus, implying that the characterizations are not out of keeping with the conditions that may be imagined as existing in a circus. But this does not give them the right to do with them what the picture does. “The story woven around them is to me as repulsive as the sight of the poor creatures, and while I am old-fashioned I find that there are many in the city who agree with me.” It is not fit to be shown anywhere. “She Wanted a Millionaire” with Joan Bennett {Fox, Feb. 21 ; running time, 73 7nin.) Horrible ! It starts out as a comedy but develops into a horror film, with the heroine’s husband presented as a degenerate. His actions are loathsome. In addition, there are several blunt sex situations, as towards the beginning when the heroine is automobiling with a young friend. He drives her towards his home and when she asks him if it means a proposal, he answers : “Yes, a proposal that you spend the night with me !” A young girl reporter is shown as being man crazy and asking the hero whether he had taken advantage of her when she had been drunk. When he answers “No !” she remarks that she had never had that luck. There is nothing in this picture that can be called entertaining for when it is not silly it is ugly ; — The heroine, a small town factory worker, wins a beauty contest at Atlantic City. One of the judges, a millionaire, is fascinated by her. He proposes to her and hse accepts, forgetting all about her home town sweetheart. After their marriage she learns he had been married three times before. She realizes also that he has peculiar ways and that he is insanely jealous. He warns her never to be unfaithful to him. He takes her to his chateau in France. He insists that she be beautified, and become cultured. But his jealousy manifests itself in several ways. He is generous to her mother, sending her money for the support of the family, and although the heroine realizes she does not love him she stays with him realizing all he was doing for her family. At a ball in Paris she meets her former sweetheart who came to Paris on a business visit. She tells him of her unhappiness. Her husband, insanely jealous when he sees them talking together, goes home. The hero takes the heroine home and they confront the husband telling him they love each other. He consents to a divorce and tells the hero to come back the next day. That night he attempts to kill the heroine but he is killed by a servant. The plot was adapted from a story by Sonya Levien, and directed by John Blystone. In the cast are Una Merkel, Spencer Tracy, James Kirkwood, Dorothy Peterson, and others. Poison for children ; unsuitable for Sunday showing. Substitution Facts: In the contract 319 is listed as “She Wanted a Millionaire,” story by William Anthony I»IcGuire, and since the finished product has been written by Sonya Levien, it is a story substitution and you are not compelled to accept it. (See editorial about this picture in this issue.) “Fireman Save My Child” with Joe E. Brown {First Natl., Feb. 27 ; running time, 65 min.) A good comedy. It is especially hilarious during the baseball scenes where Mr. Brown is shown as an eccentric pitcher. One funny situation is during a world series game; during the play, when it is necessary for him to run from third base to home base in order to win the game, he hears a fire engine and forgets everything about baseball. He is saved only by the fact that he is hit by the ball and falls down touching base. The most hilarious situation is where he is demonstrating his invention, a bomb to put out fires with. He sets an office on fire, and then discovers he had the wrong brief case, the bombs being in his own case : — The hero is a fireman and loves his work. He invents a bomb for putting out fires. He is also on the baseball team and is such an excellent pitcher that he gets offers from the major leagues to play with them. Urged on by the heroine, he takes one of the offers. While on tour he meets a scheming young woman wlio attaches herself to him. She takes most of his bankroll. The heroine pays him a surprise visit and is heartbroken to learn that he is engaged to this girl. The hero is unhappy and would rather be back in his home town as a fireman. He realizes, too, that it is the heroine he loves. Eventually he sells his bomb invention, is responsible for the winning of the world series by his team, and goes back to his home town and marries the heroine. The plot was adapted from a story by Robert Lord, Ray Enright and Arthur Caesar. It was directed by Lloyd Bacon. In the cast are Evalyn Knapp, Lillian Bond, George Meeker, Guy Kibbee, and others. The talk is clear. Except for one situation in which the hero meets the scheming young woman, it is suitable for children and for Sunday showing. Substitution Facts : In the contract 672 is listed as “The Bouncer,” by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, and since “Fireman Save My Child” has not been written by Bert Kalmar or Harry Ruby, it is a story substitution and you are not obligated to accept it.