Harrison's Reports (1933)

186 HARRISON’S REPORTS November 25, 1933 ‘‘Invisible Man” with Claude Rains and Gloria Stuart (Universal, Oct. 30; running time, 71 min.) Good entertainment for followers of horror melodrama. The story is weird ; the idea behind it is so fantastic that it will send shivers down one’s spine. But what makes this good entertainment is the fact that the tension is relieved by much comedy. Some of the action will bring gasps from the audience. Such will be the effect when Claude Kains, a scientist, by means of a drug he had discovered, makes himself invisible, after disrobing himself ; he is shown taking off bandages from his head, but his head is not there. The same is true when he removes his clothes ; the body is invisible. When he starts to dress, one sees the parts of the body as they are covered by the clothing. It provokes laughs when a torso with pajamas walks across the room, with no legs, or head visible. One sees a cigarette lifted into the air and lit, a chair moving, an automboile being driven, all without the presence of a person. Much of the comedy is provoked by the mad pranks Kains plays on people while he is invisible. For instance, during an investigation in which the police inspectator chides the witnesses for giving false testimony about an invisible man. Rains, invisible, talks to the inspector, and suddenly one sees an inkwell lifted into the air, and the ink spilled in the inspector’s face. The audience is held in suspense throughout because of Rains’ maniacal desire to kill people while in his invisible state. The closing scenes showing Rains trapped are thrilling but pitiful : — Claude Rains, a young scientist, had discovered a drug by which he made his body invisible. He took the drug and made himself invisible but since he had not discovered an antidote he could not make himself visible again. In order to work in peace he left the home of his employer, Henry Travers, and went to a small inn where he could work on the solution. Gloria Stuart, Travers’ daughter, in love with Rains, was worried when she did not hear from him. Stories were heard about an invisible man killing people and wrecking things. Travers knew that it was Rains. Rains attempted to have William Harrigan, another scientist, join him in a plan to rule the world, and when Rains discovered that Harrigan had called in the police he killed him. Rains was finally caught — a farmer told the police that Rains lay hidden in his barn. There was snow outside and the police set fire to the barn. This brought Rains out. The police tracked him by following his foot tracks in the snow. They shot at him and wounded him mortally. As he grew weaker and was near death, the drug left his body and when he died his body became visible. The plot was adapted from a story by H. G. Wells. It was directed by James Whale. In the cast are Una O’Connor, Dudley Digges, Holmes Herbert, and others. It will frighten children; and many adolescents. Too many murders for it to be a suitable Sunday fare . “White Woman” with Charles Laughton, Carole Lombard and Charles Bickford {Paramount, Nov. 3; running time, 67 min.) The main attraction of “White Woman’’ is the acting of Charles Laughton, in the role of a cruel and heartless trader. But even this has its drawbacks because he uses a brogue that makes his talk difficult to understand. As for the picture itself it is depressing. Laughton’s character is extremely unpleasant ; he is a sadist, who enjoys seeing people killed, and is ruthless in his treatment of his workers. .Some sympathy is felt for Carole Lombard, who suffers because of his cruelty, but this is not enough to hold the interest throughout. The action, which unfolds in the jungle, is very slow ; — When Carole Lombard’s husband killed himself, she was left stranded in a Malayan settlement and in order to support herself was forced to take a position in a cafe as an entertainer. The people in the settlement unjustly accused her of being the cause of her husband’s death and demanded that she be deported. Charles Laughton, a trader who lived up the river, was attracted to her and Carole married him for protection. Once she arrived at his jungle home she realized how brutal he was ; he insulted her at every opportunity. Since he had something on every man who worked for bim, every one of them was at his mercy. To try to escape meant sure death. Kent Taylor, one of the men there, fell in love with Carole and she returned his love. They decided to take their chances and leave the island. But Laughton made it impossible for them to do so. There was an uprising of the natives who were revolting because of the defective goods Laughton was giving them. Bickford, Laughton’s assistant, who had tried to seduce Carole but had failed, decided to help the lovers and saw them safely away from the island. He remained with Laughton. Both were killed by the natives. The plot was adapted from a story by Norman Reilly Raine and Frank Butler. It was directed by Stuart Walker. In the cast are Percy Kilbride, Charles B. Middleton, James Bell, Claude King and others. Not for children, adolescents, or Sundays. “Above the Clouds” with Robert Armstrong, Richard Cromwell and Dorothy Wilson (Columbia, Oct. 24; running time, 66j4 min.) Fair entertainment. It has a few thrills, brought about by the work of Robert Armstrong and Richard Cromwell, newsreel cameramen ; also some of the situations provide laughs. The character of Robert Armstrong is an unpleasant one, for he uses Richard Cromwell to do all the dangerous work, taking the credit for it himself, and doing nothing to further Cromwell’s position. He even sees fit to intimate that Dorothy Wilson is immoral, although that is not the truth. The closing scenes aboard a dirigible are quite exciting ; there is a gale and heavy rain, and the ship cracks in mid-air. The romance between Dorothy and Cromwell is pleasant : — Armstrong has the reputation of being a daring newsreel cameraman. No one knows that he uses Richard Cromwell to take the dangerous shots. He is always promising Richard to do things for him, but he never keeps those promises. Richard meets Dorothy Wilson, a stenographer in the newsreel office and they fall in love with each other. One night Armstrong sends Cromwell out on an errand, and then asks Dorothy to drive him home in her car. He takes her out to the country and when she refuses his attentions he takes the key to the car, forcing her to walk home. She does not arrive home until morning. Cromwell believes in what Armstrong tells him about Dorothy and refuses to see her. Eventually’ he finds out the truth, and also that .Armstrong had never done anything about getting him a position with the firm. The head of the firm, who had heard of Cromwell’s heroic work in taking pictures while a passenger on a dirigible that was coming apart, gives Cromwell a position as first-camerman, discharging Armstrong. Richard and Dorothy marry. The plot was adapted from a story bv George B. Seitz. It was directed by Roy William Neill. In the cast are Edmund Breese, Morgan Wallace, Dorothy Revier, and others. Because of some suggestive remarks by Armstrong, you will have to use your own judgment whether it is suitable for children, adolescents and Sundays, or not. “Master of Men” with Jack Holt and Fay Wray (Columbia, Oct. 28; running time, 7414 min.) A fairly entertaining melodrama ; it holds the interest throughout. Although there is nothing novel in the story, which depicts the rise and fall of a financier. Jack Holt gives virility to it and brings realism to the role. Human interest is aroused because of the sympathy one feels for Fay Wray who is unhappy when Holt strives for money and power, throwing down little men who are in his way. Holt is a crane operator in the steel mill owned by Fay’s father. Leading the men in their demands for an increase in wages and better working conditions, he wins concessions for them. At the same time he is appointed personnel manager and becomes friendly with Walter Connolly, a large stockholder in the company. Fay meets Holt, is attracted to him, and they soon fall in love. Holt overhears a conversation between Fay’s father and his manager in which they plan to pull a crooked deal to wipe out Connolly’s share in the business. He warns Connolly about this, and he, a clever financier, manipulates things so that he is the owner of the steel mill ; he makes Holt the president. Fay understands when the matter is explained to her and she marries Holt. He closes the mill, and goes to New York with Fay to live there ; he devotes all his time to playing the market. He is so intent on making a success that he neglects Fay. She is heartbroken at the change in him and in order to save him gives information to his enemies which ruins Holt. He leaves her when he finds this out. Holt goes back to his old mill town and there finds Connolly, who was planning to reopen the mill and put Holt in charge. Fay is there, too, and a reconciliation follows. The plot was adapted from a story by Chester Erskin and Eugene Solow. It was directed by Lambert Hillyer. In the cast are Theodor von Eltz and others. Suitable for children, adolescents, and Sundays.