Harrison's Reports (1936)

86 HARRISON'S REPORTS May 30, 1936 "Nobody's Fool" with Edward Everett Horton and Glenda Farrell ( Universal, May 31 ; running time, 62 min.) Fair program entertainment — a typical Edward Everett Horton comedy, in which he bungles matters, only to have everything turn out satisfactorily in the end. The situation showing him threatening Cesar Romero, a tough racketeer, without realizing who he is, should provoke hearty laughter. The story, although silly, being farcial, has been woven together very intelligently. One cannot help laughing at the embarrassments Horton causes himself by his naivete. At one time he arrives at an important meeting of the real estate board hoping to find there a man who had once promised him a job. At that meeting he is mistaken for a noted economist, and accepts the applause, which he thought was meant for him, and proceeded to make a good speech. His innocent connection with a gang of racketeers is the cause for more laughter. He follows their bidding, but goes even further than he had been ordered, and, to the surprise of all concerned, brings about a profitable and legitimate real estate deal, thereby reforming the crooks. He awakens the spectator's sympathy by his idealism. The romance between him and Glenda Farrell, one of the gang, is developed in the routine manner — at first she considers him a fool, but his idealism reforms her and she falls in love with him. Frank M. Dazey and Agnes C. Johnston wrote the story, and Ralph Block and Ben Markson the screen play. Arthur Greville Collins directed it, and Irving Starr produced it. In the cast are Frank Conroy, Clay Clement, Warren Hymer, Henry Hunter, and others. Suitable for all. Class A. "The Last Outlaw" with Harry Carey (RKO, June 12; time, 69l/2 min.) Very good. It is an entertaining comedy-melodrama, with a Western background, and a plot different from the usual run of Westerns. The comedy is provoked by Harry Carey, who, after having spent twenty years in prison, finds it difficult to understand modern ways and the indifference which people showed him, the last of the famous outlaws. He does excellent work, making the character believable and likeable. The closing scenes, in which he is shown fighting on the side of the law, capturing a gang of criminals and rescuing his daughter, are exciting ; they are also amusing, because of the way Carey treats Russell Hopton, the incompetent, publicity-seeking Sheriff. The romance between Margaret Callahan and Hoot Gibson is pleasantly developed : — Carey, after twenty years' imprisonment on a bank robbery conviction, is freed and returns to his home town. The first person he visits is an old pal, Henry Walthall, the former Sheriff and now Hopton's under-Sheriff, who gives him information about Miss Callahan, his daughter. Carey and Gibson become good friends after Gibson helps him beat up a gang of card cheats. Miss Callahan and Frank Thomas, her foster father, a doctor, treat Harry Jans of a gun wound. Tom Tyler, the gangster leader, shoots Thomas when he threatens to report the case to the police. He then forces Miss Callahan to accompany them in their car ; they rob a bank and flee to a mountain hideout, still holding Miss Callahan as their prisoner. Carey and Gibson, who had been at the bank arranging for a loan, give chase to the fleeing car, followed by Sheriff Hopton and his men. Hopton, because of Carey's record, insists on arresting him as leader of the gang. Walthall, knowing that Carey is innocent and that he could be helpful in locating the criminals, lets him out of jail. The two men, together with Gibson, find the gang's hideout and by clever work kill the gangsters and capture their leader, rescuing Miss Callahan. She is happy to learn that Carey is her father. She accepts Gibson's marriage proposal. Carey is made an assistant to Walthall. John Ford and E. Murray Campbell wrote the story, and John Twist and Jack Townley the screen play. Christy Cabanne directed it and Robert Sisk produced. In the cast are Ray Mayer, and others. Suitable for all. Class A. "Green Pastures" (Warner Bros., Rel. date not set ; time, 91 min.) Fn adapting this from the successful stage play, nothing has been done to spoil the simple charm and beauty of the material. It is an outstanding production, a touching picturization of the nepro's conception of God. heaven, ^nd the meaning of the Bible. How it will fare at the box-office, however, is another matter, for what proves a novelty on the stage may not necessarily prove a novelty on the screen. The picture is certain to delight high class audiences, because of its lack of pretense and of its noble and inspiring theme. But for the masses there are a few drawbacks — the lack of star names and the fact that the cast is all-Negro. Its religious theme has been handled in an altogether human way. For instance, the situation in which De Lawd visits Noah and tells him to prepare his Ark for the flood, is both touching and comical : Noah, although awed by the presence of De Lawd, argues with him about the advisability of taking along two kegs of whiskey instead of one. The story opens in a Sunday school in a small Negro town, where George Reed, the teacher, starts to tell the children the story of the Bible. The words fade into action, which starts off by showing how pleasant is Heaven. The Negro people have wings, there are fish-frys and ten cent cigars, and every one sings and is happy. It shows the creation of Adam and Eve, and De Lawd's eventual sorrow at the evil ways of the people on the earth. He is so disgusted with what he sees that he dooms the earth, saving only Noah, his family, and the animals. A long time passes before De Lawd visits the earth again. The sights again disgust him. He delivers the people of Israel from Pharoah. Soon De Lawd is again dissatisfied — the wickedness in Babylon is the cause of it. He is wrathful and denounces the people. But his faith is restored when he talks to Hezdrcl, a noble warrior. De Lawd realizes he should be more merciful. His people in Heaven, looking down on the earth, tell Him how men are nailing some one to a cross. This fills De Lawd with compassion. Marc Connelly wrote this fable for the stage from stories by Koark Bradford. He and William Keighley directed it and Henry Blanke produced it. Rex Ingram, in the parts of De Lawd, Adam, and Hezdrel, gives an outstanding performance, and is well supported by Oscar Polk, in the role of Gabriel, and others. Morally suitable for all. Class A. "Three Wise Guys" with Robert Young and Betty Furness (MGM, May 15; time, 73l/2 min.) A fair comedy-melodrama, of program grade. The story is far-fetched but amusing. Although it revolves around crooks, it is not so objectionable, because their actions are treated in more of a comedy vein ; and because they eventually reform. Betty Furness (heroine), one of the gang, is an unpleasant character at first ; her reformation and good nature in the face of adversity eventually awaken one's sympathy. The situation in which Raymond Walburn and Bruce Cabot, her former accomplices, find her in a barn, alone and about to give birth to her child, is touching. The romance between Miss Furness and Robert Young, which is the cause of her reformation, is developed in a gay and breezy style and is pleasant. Walburn provokes much laughter by his assumed manners and by the way he bluffs people : — Miss Furness, working with Walburn and Cabot, attracts Young's attention by pretending to faint on a train because of hunger owing to lack of funds. He befriends her and falls in love with her. Instead of suing him for breach of promise as her confederates had planned, she marries him, much to their disgust. Thurston Hall, Young's millionaire father, cuts Young's allowance and tells him to fend for himself. After a wild honeymoon during which they spend all their money, they settle down to farm life ; they are compelled to live in a barn when the old farmhouse burns down. Young finally obtains employment as a clerk. Walburn and Cabot, who had recognized Harvey Stephens, the manager of the firm where Young was employed, as an old jail mate, blackmail him. He arranges to leave bonds in the safe, which they are to open at night. He asks Young to work that night so as to involve him in the crime. The theft is carried out by crooks hired by Walburn. Young is arrested, but he refuses to disclose his identity. A few weeks later Cabot and Walburn, in company with the safe cracker, go to the barn where the bonds had been hidden. There they find Miss Furness. Hearing of Young's arrest, and moved by the birth of Miss Furness' child, they return the bonds and Young is freed. His father, pleased at his son's development, insists that the young couple and their child live with him. Damon Runyon wrote the story, and Elmer Harris the screen play. George B. Seitz directed it, and Harry Rapf produced it. In the cast are Donald Meek, Herman Bing, Harry Taylor, and others. Not quite suitable for children or Sundays. Adult entertainment. Class B.