Harrison's Reports (1933)

September 30, 1933 155 HARRISON’S REPORTS “I Loved a Woman” with Edward G. Robinson, Kay Francis and Genevieve Tobin (First National, Sept. 23; running time, go min.) Poor ! In some ways it is reminiscent of “Silver Dollar,” tor in it one sees the rise and fall of Edward G. Robinson from power to obscurity, and the performance by Robinson is in the same tone. But it is not as effective entertainment as "Silver Dollar” for here each one of the characters is unsympathetic. Robinson is shown as being ruthless, mercenary, and unfaithful ; Genevieve Tobin, his wife, is cruel and cold, living only for the day when Robinson would crawl on his knees to her ; and Kay Francis, the other woman, is unappreciative, unfaithful and hard. With this combination of leading characters, it is difficult for the spectator to follow with any degree of interest the happenings in their lives. From the moment Robinson changes from a gentle and aestlietic person to a cruel and ambitious one, even going so far as to sell the government poisoned canned meat for the soldiers fighting in the Spanish American war, one loses all sympathy for him. Therefore, in later life, when he meets with disappointments and heartbreak, one’s emotions are not stirred ; one feels it is what he deserved. A demoralizing fact is that by brutality and ruthlessness one can amass a fortune. In the development of the plot Robinson inherits his father's meat packing business, but has no mind for business. He marries the daughter of another wealthy packer but after a few years he realizes that his marriage is a disappointment. His business is on the verge of ruin when he receives a loan from his father-in-law with the understanding that unless the money is returned in a year the business will merge with his. He meets Ka)' Francis, a singer, and they become intimate. He sends her to Europe, but before she goes she tires him with ambition to become a leader in industry. After she leaves he become ambitious and forges ahead in his business in leaps and bounds by crookedness and otherwise, and repays his father-in-law in less tl'.an a year. He is prosecuted for having sold the government poisoned canned food but is acquitted. Kay Francis returns and Robinson’s wife knows all about her. She tries to trap them so as to raise a terrific scandal but is unsuccessful. Eventually Robinson learns that the stories about Kay Francis' morals are true and leaves her in disgust. He tries to get comfort from his wife but she shuns him. Years pass and finally Robinson, having overbought supplies during the World War, is bankrupt because the banks refuse to help him further. His wife tells him that she now has her satisfaction in seeing him disgraced and is leaving him. He flees the country a sick man and goes to spend the rest of his days in Greece. Kay Francis comes to visit him once but he is so broken that he does not even recognize her. The plot was adapted from a story by David Karsner. It was directed by Alfred E. Green. In the cast are J. Farrell MacDonald, Henry Kolker, Robert Barrat, George Blackwood, Robert MeWade, and others. Not suitable for children, adolescents, or for Sundays. “Shanghai Madness” with Spencer Tracy and Fay Wray (Fo.r, Aug. ii ; running time, 63 min.) Just fair. For most of the picture the action is slow and one loses interest in the outcome. The closing scenes are exciting and hold one in suspense due to the fact that the heroine’s life is in danger. The characters are sympathetic, and one feels pity for the hero who suffers disgrace when he is dismissed from the United States Navy, in which he had been an officer. They were stationed in Shanghai and he had given orders to his men to open fire when they' were attacked, without first receiving permission from his superior officers. The fact tliat this was done for the safety of his men was a side issue. The heroine, daughter of a wealthy .American temporarily residing in Shanghai, is saved by the hero, who had been dismissed from the U. S. Navy for disobeying orders, when she is caught in a mob of protesting people. They fall in love with each other, and despite her father's orders not to see the hero she continues to meet him and casts all pride aside to tell the hero she loves him. The hero is arrested with a group of communists, even though he was not one of them, but had simply been in the same cafe with them. In prison he befriends one of the young Chinese communists who had been mistreated by the police. The boydies and his father, to show his gratefulness to the hero, puts him on one of his ships. The heroine, in the meantime, had run away from home and the hero, who had to make a sea trip, put her in the American missionary settlement, telling her to go on to town where he would meet her. Instead she remains at the missionary, and one day it is set upon by a communist army. The hero, returning from his voyage and noticing that the settlement was in trouble, opens fire on the communists, routs them and saves all the occupants of the mission. He is happy to find the heroine safe. He is reinstated as an officer in the Navy' for his bravery, and he and the heroine marry. The plot was adapted from a story by Frederick H. Brennan. It was directed by John Blystone. In the cast are Ralph Morgan, Eugene Palette, Herbert Mundin, Reginald Mason, Arthur Hoyt and Maude Eburne. Suitable for children, adolescents, and Sundays. “S. O. S. Iceberg” with Rod La Roeque (Universal, October 23 ; running time, yy min.) The value of this film lies chiefly in the thrilling sights of breaking up icebergs, threatening to engulf the explorers, and in the difficulties these underwent in their efforts to save their lives. At different occasions there is shown that one or more of the explorers lose their lives in the ice-strewn waters of the arctic. Another thrilling scene is that in which the heroine, flying to the rescue of her husband, loses control in landing when she had discovered the survivors and wrecks it against the iceberg. Thrilling is also the attempt of one of the survivors to swim to an Eskimo village four miles away to bring aid. The breakingup of a huge iceberg is a magnificent spectacle. As to the story itself, it is very thin. It shows five persons setting out to recover valuable data left somewhere in the arctic by the head of a previous e.xploring party. When their leader fails to return from a “sortie” he had made to survey the ground, the others go in search of him. Their sleigh with the provisions and the dogs fall into the crack caused by' the parting of the ice and they have to tread on foot in the hope of saving themselves. They come upon their leader in a cave on an iceberg, ill, and all pitch camp there. By means of their radio they tell the outside world of their plight, giving their position. The radio then goes dead because the batteries had been exhausted. The hero’s wife sets out alone to effect their rescue but she wrecks her hydroplane in landing when she had discovered them. They are eventually rescued by another hydroplane. The picture was photographed on the spot; there are very few studio scenes. The direction is by Tay Garnett; the story by Dr. Arnold Fanck. Because of the fact that one of the members of the party murders another member, and because of the murderer’s salacious thoughts of the heroine, the picture becomes unsuitable for children, adolescents, or for Sunday showing with exhibitors who are extremely careful as to what kind of pictures they show. Though the picture is extraordinary and many will find it extremely entertaining, it is hardly a picture for the masses. “My Weakness” with Lilian Harvey and Lew Ayres (Fo.r (1933-34). Sept. 29; running time, 74^ min.) Fairly pleasant entertainment, suitable mostly for the better class audiences. The story is thin, but the production end is excellent, and the interest is held because of the charming performance by Lilian Harvey, the new Fox star. There are some good comedy situations brought about by the heroine’s attempts to marry a wealthy man Lew Ayres’ allowance is cut off by his wealthy uncle, who was following the instructions of his young fiancee who was angry at Lew for having spurned her. The uncle suddenly hits upon a plan — if Lew can take the office slavey (Lilian Harvey), turn her into a lady and marry her off to a wealthy man, then he will give him back his allowance. Lew, with the assistance of his many girl friends, makes a charming and beautiful person out of Lilian and decides to marry her off to his uncle’s son. Lilian, after much effort, is able to interest the son, but when he proposes decides she does not want him. Then she plays up to the uncle who breaks his engagement with his fiancee and is ready to marry Lilian. But all the time she was in love with Lew and he loved her but refused to admit it. Finally, not being able to bear the idea of Lilyan marrying his old uncle, he tells her he loves her and they are united. The plot was adapted from a story by B. G. DeSylva and Leo Robbin. It was directed by David Butler. In the cast are Sid Silvers, Harry Langdon, Susan Fleming, Barbara Weeks, Dixie Francis, Henry Travers, and others. There are some suggestive remarks; this may make it unsuitable for children, adolescents and for Sundays.