Harrison's Reports (1936)

170 % "Libeled Lady" with William Powell, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow (MGM, Oct. 9; time, 97]/2 min.) Excellent ! Acted with zest by four competent stars, it offers a sophisticated comedy, reaching the masses as well as class audiences. An unusual story, exceptionally clever dialogue, and uproariously funny situations are combined to give audiences delightful entertainment. The situation where William Powell, who knows nothing about fishing, goes trout-fishing with Walter Connolly and Myrna Loy, two experts, whom he had led to believe that he was as good as they, should provoke howls of laughter, because of the plight Powell finds himself in. The fact that he accidentally catches a prized fish makes the situation even funnier. One of th.' most amusing situations is where Jean Harlow marries Powell just to help out her sweetheart (Spencer Tracy), and after the wedding ceremony she kisses Tracy in the presence of the witnesses and of the judge. The spectator is held in suspense throughout, not knowing how the complicated plot will be unraveled : — Tracy, managing editor of an important newspaper, is dragged away from his wedding to Miss Harlow to handle a $5,000,000 libel suit brought against the paper because of an untrue scandalous story that was printed in it about Miss Loy, daughter of millionaire Connolly. Connolly was a bitter enemy of the newspaper owner and had been looking for just such an opportunity to ruin him. Tracy goes to Powell, whom he had discharged, and after much bickering agrees to pay him $50,000 if he will get Miss Loy to drop the case. The plan is to involve Miss Loy in a legitimate scandal and thus compel her to drop the suit. To accomplish this Powell marries Tracy's girl friend (Miss Harlow), the marriage to be in name only. The next step is to make Miss Loy fall in love with him, at which time Miss Harlow would enter the scene as the wronged wife and threaten court action. Everything works smooth until Powell falls in love with Miss Loy. In the meantime Miss Harlow becomes fond of him and does not want to divorce him. But Powell, learning that Miss Harlow's divorce from her first husband was not legitimate, marries Miss Loy, only to learn that she had obtained the proper divorce later. But when Miss Harlow realizes it is Tracy whom she loves she agrees to divorce Powell. Wall ce Sullivan wrote the story, and Maurine Watkins, Howard Emmett Rogers and George Oppenheimer the screen play ; Jack Conway directed it and Lawrence Weingarten produced it. In the cast are Charley Grapewin, Cora Witherspoon, E. E. Clive, and others. Suitable for everybody. Class A. "15 Maiden Lane" with Claire Trevor, Cesar Romero and Lloyd Nolan (20th Century-Fox, Oct. 30; time, 64 min.) A fairly good crook melodrama. Although the plot is routine, it is better than average, because the production is excellent and the acting good. Once it is established that Claire Trevor is a detective and not a crook, as she pretended to be, the audience is held in suspense, because of the dangerousness of her position. The closing scenes, where Cesar Romero, the master crook, finds out who she really is, are highly exciting. Romero portrays a vicious crook who kills men without a quiver; his brutal actions are a bit too strong. There is no romance outside of the affair Miss Trevor has with Romero in order to lead him on : — Miss Trevor, niece of Robert McWade, and partners with him in an insurance company, is determined to find out who is the real leader of a gang of jewel thieves who had been costing her company large sums of money. By a clever ruse she becomes acquainted with Romero and convinces him that she, too, is a crook. He uses different means to test her but she, being clever, outwits him each time. Although horrified at his cold-bloodedness, she pretends to be otherwise. She gets most of the information she needs ; this involves Lester Matthews, a well-known jeweler and patron of the arts. Her identity is discovered by Douglas Fowley, a go-between for the insurance company and the crooks ; he tells Romero of this. Romero kills him and then sets out to get Miss Trevor. He is prevented from killing her by the timely arrival of the police. Matthews is arrested. Miss Trevor goes back to her office work. Paul Burger wrote the story, and Lou Breslow, David Silverstein, and John Patrick the screen play. Allan Dwan directed it and Sol M. Wurtzel produced it. In the cast are Ralph Harolde, Russell Hicks, and others. Not suitable for children or adolescents. Adult entertainment. Class R. "The Accusing Finger" with Paul Kelly, Kent Taylor, Marsha Hunt and Harry Carey {Paramount, Oct. 23; time, 61 min.) Just a fair program melodrama. It is a somewhat ineffective plea against capital punishment, with an unconvincing plot. Only on two occasions does it stir the spectator— once where a young convict in the death house speaks about his approaching death, and at another time when he is shown being taken to the death cell. The appeal of Harry Carey, as the Senator, against capital punishment is convincing. The plot is fashioned from familiar ingredients and is developed without much imagination. The acting is better than the material : — Paul Kelly, state prosecutor, is noted for the number of convictions he had obtained and for his ability to send men to the electric chair. His secretary (Marsha Hunt), with whom he is in love, tells him he is too hard. Kelly's estranged wife (Bernadene Hayes) is killed by a jewel thief at a time when Kelly is at the apartmnt. Circumstances point to him as the murderer ; he is tried and sentenced to the electric chair. While awaiting execution, he has time to think over his career ; he realizes that he may have sent other men to the chair just on circumstantial evidence such as had been presented against him. His talks with Robert Cummings, one of the men he had tried, convinces him that capital punishment is a bad thing. Carey, in order to strengthen his stand against capital punishment, brings Kelly to a hearing before the Senate Committee. Kelly makes an impassioned plea for Carey's cause. Through the hard work of Kent Taylor, an assistant prosecutor, and Miss Hunt, the murderer is found. Kelly is freed. He lets Miss Hunt know that he has no hard feelings against her for having fallen in love with Taylor. Madeleine Kuthven, Brian Marlow, John Bright and Robert Tasker wrote the original screen play. James Hogan directed it, and A. M. Botsford produced it. In the cast are DeWitt Jennings, and others. Because of the murder it is unsuitable for children. Harmless for adults. Class B. "The Man Who Lived Twice" with Ralph Bellamy, Isabel Jewell and Marian Marsh (Columbia, Sept. 25; time, 72 min.) A good program melodrama. In spite of the fact that the stoiy is far-fetched, it should appeal to the masses, for it is novel and interesting. One is held in suspense throughout, not knowing whether the experiment of turning the criminal Ralph Bellamy into a decent worthy citizen will work ; also how his identity will eventually become known. One feels sympathy for Bellamy when he learns of his past, which, owing to a brain operation, had become a blank. The spectator is pleased at his eventual freedom and ability to continue living a decent life : — Bellamy, a vicious and ugly-looking killer, in an effort to elude the police, who were after him for a murder he had committed, hides in a medical building. He wanders into the auditorium where a lecture was given by an eminent surgeon (Thurston Hall). Hall asserted that an operation on the nerve centre could completely change a personality, but his listeners doubted him. Bellamy goes to Hall's home and offers himself for the experiment on condition that he resort to plastic surgery to mend his face. Bellamy emerges from the operation a new man ; and what is more, he lost completely all memory of the past. Under the tutelage of Hall, Bellamv becomes a renowned surgeon, and takes an interest in helping criminals. Isabel Jewell, his former moll, comes under his care ; he does not recognize her. But she recognizes him and tries to blackmail him. When he refuses to be blackmailed she goes to the police. Ward Bond, Bellamy's former pal and present chauffeur, purposely crashes his car in which Miss Jewell was riding so that no one could testify against Bellamy ; they both die. Bellamy demands to know about his past, and Hall is compelled to tell him. He surrenders and stands trial. Despite eloquent pleas, the jury finds him guilty. But the Governor pardons him, on the ground that his criminal self had died on the operating table. Bellamy is then free to continue in his good work. He marries his secretary (Marian Marsh), whom he had befriended. Tom Van Dycke and Henry Altimus wrote the story. Mr. Van Dycke, Arthur Strawn and Fred Niblo. Jr., the screen play ; Harry Lachman directed it with skill. In the cast are Nana Bryant, Henry Kolker, Willard Robertson and others. Suitable for all. Class A.