Harrison's Reports (1934)

HARRISON’S REPORTS January 6, 1934 tells her to register at a hotel. She meets one of the members of their former gang, and instead of turning over the money to Cagney for his bail, she leaves town with the other man, taking all the money. Cagney is eventually freed. He becomes a moving picture extra, and by writing fan mail to himself, is given better roles. Eventually he becomes a star. He is in love with Margaret Lindsay, an actress, and one night takes her to his apartment. To his amazement Mae Clarke is there and Margaret leaves in an angry temper. Cagney throws Mae out but she returns with the gang the next day. Cagney gives them money to leave town but instead they start robbing homes. Cagney is arrested because the police think he has something to do with the gang, and he is put in jail. Fearing he will talk the gang bail him out but Cagney, knowing that they intend to kill him, warns the police to follow him. They do and prevent the gang from carrying out their intention. The car with the gangsters leaps over a cliff and they are all killed. Cagney is cleared, again is a popular star, and marries Margaret. The plot was adapted from a story by Rosalind K. Shaffer. It was directed by Roy Del Ruth. In the cast are Henry O’Neill, Leslie Fenton, Russell Hopton, Raymond Hatton, Douglas Dumbrille, and others. Terrible for children, adolescents or Sundays. “Going Hollywood” with Marion Davies and Bing Crosby ( MGM , Dec. 22; running time, 78 min.) Just a fair musical, with some comedy. It is not a big picture but it should please Marion Davies fans, as well as those who enjoy listening to Bing Crosby’s crooning, which he does here to some extent. The story is thin and the outcome obvious ; at times it drags. There is only one lavish set — that of a dance number, which is used in the filming of a motion picture in which Marion Davies stars. Although some of her actions are rather foolish she is a sympathetic character ; Crosby is too spineless a character to arouse any response from the audience. Miss Davies does the best she can with a weak story : — Marion Davies, a teacher in a girl’s school, longs to see the world and hates teaching. She is madly in love with Bing Crosby, a radio crooner, although she had never met him. She leaves the school after a quarrel with her superior and goes to see Crosby. He escapes from her but she follows him on the train bound for Hollywood, where he is to star in a picture, and she makes her presence known to him at each opportunity He is infatuated with Fifi D’Orsay, leading lady in his picture, but she is a bad influence for him ; she encourages him to drink and neglect his work. Once in Hollywood Marion gets a part as an extra in Crosby’s picture. After a temperamental outburst by Fifi, who leaves the cast, Marion is chosen by Stuart Erwin, the producer, to take Fifi’s part. She is a success. Crosby begins to take notice of Marion and soon falls in love with her. After a misunderstanding he leaves the picture before it is finished and goes off on a drunken party with Fifi. But he returns, realizing that he loves Marion. There is a happy reconciliation. The plot was adapted from a story by Frances Marion. It was directed by Raoul Walsh. In the cast are Ned Sparks, Patsy Kelly and Bobby Watson. Crosby is shown drinking too much ; exhibitors will have to use their judgment about showing it to children, adolescents, or on Sundays. “Queen Christina” with Greta Garbo and John Gilbert (MGM, rel. date not yet set ; running time, 98 min.) Although the story seems suited for the classes more than for the masses, the popularity of the star, coupled with her fine acting, should put it over also among the masses, particularly because Miss Garbo has been absent from the screen for a long time. It is a tragedy, the heroine being shown failing to be united with her lover, in spite of the fact that she had given up her kingdom for him ; for he, in a duel with a rival for her hand, is killed. The scenes where Miss Garbo, as Christina, Queen of Sweden, is shown making the supreme sacrifice by giving up her throne for the man she loved should touch the heartstrings of everybody. And so would those in the end, where Christina reaches the ship and finds her lover dead. She is a pathetic figure, and her grief is felt by the spectator in the same degree. There is glamour and in a large part of the film some joy and cheer. But a tragic tone pervades the picture. The theme is purely sexy, for Christina is shown, while away from the cares of her kingdom for a few days, meeting the Spanish Ambassador (John Gilbert), and spending a night with him. A great deal of the subsequent action revolves around the intense feeling her conduct in personal matters had created among the populace. The story, though original, has been founded on a historical character. A Queen Christina has existed, she was Queen of Sweden, and gave up her throne, but not in the way depicted in the picture. Rouben Mamoulian directed it, under the supervision of Walter Wanger. Ian Keith, Elizabeth Young, C. Aubrey Smith, David Torrence, Gustav von Seyffertitz and others are in the supporting cast. Not suitable for either children or adolescents, and not a good show for Sundays in small towns. It is mainly an adult picture. “The Son of Kong” with Robert Armstrong and Helen Mack ( RKO , Rel. date not set; running time, 69 min.) The success of “King Kong” no doubt prompted RKO to produce “The Son of Kong.” But this version lacks all the entertainment qualities of “King Kong.” For one thing, what was novel in the first picture was the extraordinary photography and the technical end of the production. The repetition in this picture of these technical scenes, as for instance the fights between the enormous prehistoric animals, do not seem remarkable any more; the novelty has worn off and they seem ludicrous. Then “King Kong” was exciting throughout, finishing with a smash. But here the action is slow and it is only mildly diverting entertainment. The only exciting feature comes in the closing scenes, where there is an earthquake and the entire island gradually becomes submerged. There are some excllent shots in these scenes. Children will probably be amused by the antics of baby “Kong” for he has all the mannerisms of a spoiled child, and peculiar ways of making himself understood. The first half is draggy. It shows Robert Armstrong fleeing from process servers who want to serve him in actions for damages that King Kong had done. He sails back to the island where he had found Kong and there comes upon a smaller edition of Kong, which he gathers is his son. He saves Kong’s life and for this Kong is his faithful slave, battling the animals and helping him secure a secret diamond treasure that was on the island. Armstrong and his companions escape in their small boat during an earthquake and finally are picked up by a ship. Helen Mack, who had accompanied Armstrong on the trip, confesses her love for him and they are united. The plot was adapted from a story by Ruth Rose. It was directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack. In the cast are Frank Reicher, John Marston, Ed Brady and others. Suitable for children, adolescents and Sundays. “Smoky” with Victor Jory (Fox, Dec. 8; running time, 69 min.) This is a picturization of Will James’ popular novel “Smoky” and the story revolves around a horse by that name. Mr. James appears in the picture as a commentator, and it all makes for pleasant entertainment, of program grade, interesting in a way because it shows the life and development of a horse from the time it is born. The story is not of the type of western usually shown, and aside from the breaking-in of wild horses, there are no real thrills. However, it manages to hold one’s attention throughout, because of the sympathetic performance by Victor Jory, who shows great affection for Smoky, and also because of the horse’s intelligent understanding. A stirring situation is the one in which Jory is injured; he ties himself to Smoky who drags him all the way back to the ranch, being careful throughout not to harm him. When he brings Jory back to the ranch it is with difficulty that two of the men take Jory from Smoky, because he felt they were enemies. The closing scene is the most exciting ; it shows Jory, his wife, and his pal racing to save Smoky from being slaughtered : the horse had been stolen a few years before and had fallen from the proud leader of the horses on the ranch to pulling a junk wagon. The junk dealer felt that the horse was of no use any further and so he was taking him to the slaughter house. He is recognized by Jory’s pal and it is then that the race begins to save the borse. He is finally found and joyfully taken back to Jory’s ranch. There is a pleasant romance between Jory and Irene Bentley, but it is incidental. Eugene Forde has directed it. In the cast are Frank Campeau, Hank Mann, LeRoy Mason and Leonid Enagoff. Suitable for children, adolescents and Sundays.