Harrison's Reports (1936)

HARRISON'S REPORTS 191 "North of Nome" with Jack Holt and Evelyn Venahle {Columbia, November 14; time, 6V/2 min.) A good program melodrama, with an appeal particularly to men. The story is interesting, as is the rugged background of the Alaskan seal country. Jack Holt, despite his harsh manner, awakens sympathy because of his honesty and courage ; he plays the role of the seal poacher with conviction. The romantic interest is developed realistically and with restraint. There is a good sprinkling of comedy ; the laughs are provoked by the actions of Dorothy Appleby and Paul Hurst. The closing scenes are fairly exciting: — Holt, who believed he was within his rights in seal poaching on the property of a large corporation, which had taken control of the best land, finds himself up against a worse menace than the company — Guinn Williams, a murderous poacher, who, at the point of a gun, takes away all the furs that Holt had collected. Holt takes refuge in a hut provided by the seal company for their workers, but he blows up the dock so that Williams could not reach him. His intention was to hunt, and wait until the waters would freeze so that he might move the furs. His plans are interfered with when he rescues five shipwreck victims, — Evelyn Venable, Roger Imhof, the owner of the seal company, John Miljan, Miss Appleby and Hurst. He refuses to permit them to light a fire for help, his intention being to keep them there until he could move his furs. In a quarrel with Holt, Miljan fires at him; but the bullet strikes Miss Venable. Holt realizes he must get medical help for her, and signals a ship, supposedly belonging to Imhof's company. But when they are all aboard they learn that Williams had taken over the boat. When Williams finds out that Imhof was the judge who had put a price on his head, he decides to kill him, but Holt, by a ruse, overpowers the gang. Miss Venable, taken to a hospital, recovers. Imhof offers Holt a good position with his company, which he accepts. He is happy when Miss Venable tells him she loves him. Houston Branch wrote the story, and Albert DeMond the screen play ; William Nigh directed it and Larry Darmour produced it. In the cast are Robert Gleckler, Ben Hendricks and others. Suitable for all. Class A. "The Garden of Allah" with Marlene Dietrich and Charles Boyer {United Artists, November 20; time, 78l/i min.) Artistically this is an outstanding picture ; the production and acting are superb, and the color and musical score add to the atmospheric setting. But as entertainment it is suitable mostly for cultured audiences, and for people with a deep religious feeling. The masses may find the action too slow, and the constant brooding of Miss Dietrich and Mr. Boyer considerably depressing. The parting of the lovers in the end should prove romantically disappointing to many people, even though it has strong emotional appeal. The most stirring situation is that in which Boyer attempts to explain to Miss Dietrich his reasons for breaking his solemn vows as a Trappist monk. Miss Dietrich awakens deep sympathy when she sacrifices her happiness in order to bring peace to Boyer : — Boyer leaves the monastery, breaking his vows as a Trappist monk. He goes to the desert, hoping to find there the peace he wanted. He meets and falls in love with Miss Dietrich, a cultured, religious young woman who, too, had gone to the desert to get away from every one she knew ; she falls desperately in love with him ; when she notices that he is brooding over something, she begs him to confide in her ; but he refuses. She marries him and for a time is divinely happy. A young soldier recognizes Boyer and tells Basil Rathbone, Miss Dietrich's friend, about it. Rathbone feels that Miss Dietrich should know this and tells her who Boyer is. Although she is heartbroken at the thought of parting from Boyer, she insists that he go back to his religious life. The lovers tearfully part at the gates of the monastery. The plot was adapted from the novel by Robert Hichens. W. P. Lipscomb and Lynn Riggs wrote the screen play, Richard Boleslawski directed it, and David O. Selznick produced it. In the cast are C. Aubrey Smith, Tilly Losch, Joseph Schildkraut, and others. Although there is nothing in it morally objectionable, it will hardly entertain either children or young gay folk. It is mainly an adult picture. But morally it is suitable for the entire family. Class A. "Luckiest Girl in the World" with Jane Wyatt and Louis Hay ward (Universal, November 15; time, 71 mm.) A fairly good program comedy. The plot is pretty thin, but many of the situations stir the emotions of sympathy. Jane Wyatt, as the wealthy heroine, who tries to live on $150 a month, is so appealing and convincing in the part, that she has the spectator's sympathy at all times. Some of the laughter is provoked by her efforts to economize. Nat Pendleton, in the role of a private detective, sent by Miss Wyatt's father to act as her bodyguard, is amusing, particularly in the scenes showing him at a prizefight, where his favorite boxer is knocked out. The romance between Miss Wyatt and Louis Hayward is developed in a pleasant way : — Miss Wyatt, daughter of Eugene Pallette, a millionaire, tries to win her father's consent to marry Philip Reed, a good-looking tennis player, whose income averaged $150 a month. Pallette tells her that if she would go to New York and live on $150 for one month he would give such consent. She goes to New York and registers at an expensive hotel, but, realizing that she must economize, she takes an apartment in a rooming house, where she is compelled to share the bathroom and kitchen with Hayward, another tenant. They quarrel at first, but finally become good friends, sharing the food and the work. Miss Wyatt does not tell him who she is. Hayward cannot understand why Pendleton is always with them, but Miss Wyatt makes excuses that sound plausible. He proposes to her but she rejects him, telling him she loves Reed. He eventually finds out who she is and berates her for having made a fool of him. The month ends just as Reed runs off with a girl who was just a little wealthier than Miss Wyatt. She is overjoyed, for she realizes it is Hayward whom she really loves. They are joyfully reunited. Ann Jordan wrote the story, and Herbert Fields and Henry Myers the screenplay; Edward Buzzell directed it and Charles R. Rogers and Morrie Ryskind produced it. In the cast are Catharine Doucet, Viola Callahan, and others. Suitable for all. Class A. "The Captain's Kid" with Guy Kibbee and Sybil Jason (First National, November 14; time, 7V/2 min.) Pretty weak program fare. The story is inane and so farfetched that it becomes annoying. It is not even suitable as entertainment for children, because of the fact that Sybil Jason, a youngster, is shown glorying in stories of murder and robbery, as told to her by Guy Kibbee, who liked to spin yarns about himself ; she even delights in watching him actually kill a man. Although his yarns and her reaction to them are told in a comical fashion, it is not the most healthful way to entertain children. Little Sybil carries most of the entertainment on her shoulders and does as well as she can under the circumstances. There is some human interest in the love that Kibbee and Sybil feel for each other : — The moment Sybil arrives with her aunt (May Robson) at their summer home on the New England coast, she, disobeying her aunt's orders, rushes to see Kibbee, a skipper, whom she loved. Sybil believes all the yarns Kibbee tells her about how brave he used to be, how he had killed many men with his bare hands, and had shot down others, how he had captured ships, and other highly exaggerated tales. She finds a map of a hidden treasure in an old picture frame in the attic and rushes with it to Kibbee, who is in jail ; she helps him get out. Kibbee, his nephew, Sybil, and Sybil's sister go to the island and start digging for the treasure ; to their joy, they find it. They are surprised by Dick Purcell and his accomplice, who had followed them to the island. Kibbee, in a fight with Purcell, who had drawn a gun, kills him. He is arrested by the Sheriff who, too, had followed him to the island. At the coroner's inquest Sybil is called to testify. Thinking she could scare the jurors into freeing Kibbee, she repeats all the stories he had told her about his prowess as a murderer and about his intention to kill the jurors ; she even makes him show the gun and knife she had brought for him. This gets him into deeper trouble. When the authorities find out that the dead man was a criminal, with a price on his head, Kibbee is freed, and the treasure turned over to him. He proposes and is accepted by Miss Robson, whom he had always loved. Earl Felton wrote the story, and Tom Reed the screen play ; Nick Grinde directed it. In the cast are Jane Bryan, Fred Lawrence, Mary Trcen, and Gus Shy, Not suitable for children. Gass B.