Harrison's Reports (1933)

66 HARRISON “Picture Snatcher” with James Cagney (IVarner Bros., May 6; running time, 76 min.) Although this is a fast-moving comedy-melodrama, holding one’s attention in a fairly gripping manner, it depends for most of its comedy situations on vulgarity and rowdyism. Some of these situations are embarrassingly vulgar, particularly those in which Alice White attempts to make love to Cagney ; she leaves little to the imagination. Another unpleasant situation is where Cagney visits a girl to get from her information as to the whereabouts of a gangster; in order to get this information he is forced to make love to her and it becomes extremely suggestive both in action and talk. As in all Cagney pictures, comedy is brought about by his breezy manner in dealing with people. However, his actions towards women are as offensive and demoralizing as ever, for he slaps and throws them around. The way he procures pictures for his newspaper, although offensive, will arouse laughs. The closing scenes are exciting. There is a pleasant romance between Cagney and Patricia Ellis: — VV^hen Cagney is released from prison he tells his gang he is through with racketeering. He takes a position as photographer for a tabloid newspaper, and wins favor with Ralph Bellamy, managing editor ; also a raise in salary, by the daring snapshots he takes. Patricia Ellis, together with some college students, calls at the newspaper for a class lesson, and is shown around by Cagney. They become friends and soon are in love. Her father is the policeman who had arrested Cagney and when he finds out they are friends he warns Cagney to stay away. With the help of Bellamy he procures a promotion for Patricia’s father and this brings about a reconciliation. Through the courtesy of Patricia’s father, he gains admittance into the death chamber at Sing Sing and secretly photographs the woman sitting in the electric chair. The publishing of the picture in his tabloid causes a scandal and the father is demoted. Again Cagney and Patricia are parted. Bellamy resigns from the paper, and he and Cagney decide to look for employment on a decent newspaper. Cagney’s former gangster pal kills two policemen. Cagney, seeing a way to become famous, finds the hiding place and goes there. He makes the gangster believe he wants to help him. Soon the police arrive, and start shooting at the apartment. The gangster is finally killed. When the police enter and find Cagney he tells them he went there on instructions of Patricia’s father and gives the father all the credit. The father is again promoted. Cagney and Bellamy, because of pictures Cagney had taken in the apartment, showing the gangster’s death, obtain positions on a good paper. Patricia and Cagney are united. The plot was adapted from a story by Danny Ahearn. It was directed by Lloyd Bacon. In the cast are Ralf Harolde, Robert Emmet O’Connor, Robert Barrat, Barbara Rogers and others. Not suitable for children, adolescents, or for Sundays. “The Man They Couldn’t Arrest” (Gainsborough Pictures running time, 69 min.) The editing and sound are so poor, and the acting and action so slow, that they spoil what might have been an interesting melodrama. The theme is novel in that the hero uses scientific inventions with which to trap the criminals. Suspense is fairly well sustained throughout because of the danger to the hero when the criminals discover his w’hereabouts. The closing scenes are exciting ; there the hero traps the chief of the criminals : — The hero, a scientist, by means of a radio device, is enabled to listen in to plottings of crooks known as the Black Pearl Gang. He overhears them plan a jewel robbery and then to his amazement he hears the name of the heroine’s father mentioned as the man who will lead the crooks. The hero is in love with the heroine and in order to save her from disgrace sends a unsigned note to the father warning him to stay away from the robbery ; he then notifies Scotland Yard of the plot. The inspector at Scotland Yard does not know the hero’s identity, knowing him only as “The Ghost,” as he called himself. It develops that the heroine’s father finds out about the hero and goes to his rooms to kill him. The hero subdues him and the father is about to give him the name of the chief when he is killed by the chief, through a wn'ndow. The hero escapes and telephones to the heroine to have faith in him. He is finally able to trap the chief and turn him over to the police. He is congratulated by the inspector on his good work. The hero and the heroine are united. The plot was adapted from a story by “Seamark.” It g REPORTS April 29, 1933 was directed by T. Hayes Hunter. In the all English cast are Hugh Wakefield, Gordon Harker, Garry Marsh, Nicholas Hannen, Robert Farquharson, Renee Clama and Dennis Windham. Suitable for children, adolescents and for Sunday showing. “Supernatural” with Carole Lombard (Paramount, May 5 ; running time, 64 min.) This belongs in the cycle of horror pictures, and although eerie enough it is unpleasant entertainment ; it does not hold one’s interest because it is wholly unconvincing, and could appeal only to morbid natures. The situation that shows H. B. Warner, a scientist, experimenting with the dead body of Vivienne Osborne, who had been electrocuted, is sickening, particularly when the eyes suddenly open. It is also horrible to watch Allan Dinehart murder both a woman and a man by inserting a deadly poison into their bodies by means of a ring. Some sympathy is felt for Carole Lombard, particularly when she is under the spell of the dead woman : — When Carole Lombard’s twin brother dies, Allan Dinehart, a fake spiritualist, sneaks into the house where the coffin is and makes a death mask of the boy. His intention is to use this in seances at which Carole will be present, and so influence her to give him part of her money. At the same time Vivienne Osborne, Dinehart’s former mistress, is awaiting death in the electric chair for having strangled to death two men. H. B. Warner, a scientist, requests the State to turn over Osborne’s body to him after death for experimental purposes. His theory was that the evil spirit of people passes into that of living people. During an experiment w’ith the body Carole Lombard enters his room to tell him about the seance at which she saw' her brother. She stares at the body and the spirit of the murderess passes intoher. She becomes a changed person and, egged on by Osborne’s spirit, she becomes friendly with Dinehart and takes him to her yacht. Her intention is to choke him to death, which had been Osborne’s dying wish. But she is saved from doing this by the timely arrival of Randolph Scott. While attempting to escape from the yacht, Dinehart, who is frightened, is accidentally caught in a rope by the neck and dies. It is then that Osborne’s spirit leaves Carole and she becomes her old self. The plot was adapted from a story by Garnett Weston. It was directed by Victor Halperin. In the cast are William Farnum, Beryl Mercer, Willard Robertson and others. Not suitable for children, adolescents, or for Sundays. “M” (Foremeo Pictures Corp; time, 66 min.) This is a foreign picture, done with superimposed English dialogue. It is a sensitive, pathetic and at the same time harrowing and gruesome account of a pathological killer, a man whO’ cannot resist the desire to kill little girls. The picture is only for people with strong nerves and stomachs, for some of the situations leave one trembling with the horror of it. For instance, the situation that shows^ this killer noticing a young child, and his approach to her, is extremely horrifying, for one knows what is in store for tlie child. With all this one pities the man because he is mentally ill and cannot subdue his emotions or control his actions. The audience is held in tense suspense throughout, particularly when the criminals, angry because they were being accused of the murders, and harassed because of them, decide to find the killer themselves. The manner in which they go about it makes one feel as if an animal were hunted. The situation that shows them surrounding the building in which he was hiding, and his frantic eflTorts to escape is dreadful, as is the situation in which the criminals hold their own court to try this man. His pitiful pleas and screams for mercy will leave one cold with horror. This picture cannot be called entertainment. It really should be shown to criminologists, to physicians, and to people connected with organizations combating crime, or to the intelligentsia. It is much too morbid and horrible for the average picture-goer. The plot was adapted from a story by Thea von Harbou. and directed with skill by Fritz Lang. Peter Logre acts the part of the criminal in an amazingly realistic manner. Others in the cast are Ellen Widmann. Inge Landgut. Gustaf Grundgens, Fritz Gnass, Fritz Odemar and Paul Kemp. It cannot possibly be shown to children or to adolescents ; not for Sunday showing.