Harrison's Reports (1938)

2 "Tovarich" with Claudette Colbert and Charles Boyer ( Warner Bros., Dec. 25 ; time, 97 min. ) There is no doubt as to the drawing power of this picture, first, because of the popularity of the stars, and secondly, because of the fame of the play from which it was adapted. Its appeal, however, will be directed mostly to high-class audiences. Those who saw the play will be somewhat disappointed, for in its transition from the stage to the screen it has lost some of its charm. The first half is spoiled by too much burlesquing; but it gets much better in the second half, where there is plentiful comedy and human appeal. The best situation is that which takes place during a formal dinner party to which the Soviet Commissar had been invited ; the comedy arises from the fact that the host was unaware that his butler and maid were Russian nobles, and that the Commissar was their worst enemy. Human interest is awakened by the eagerness of the butler and of the maid to hold on to their jobs, which meant their security and peace of mind : — Although he had forty million francs deposited in his name in the Bank of France, Boyer, a former Russian Prince, refuses to touch one cent of it because the money had been entrusted to him by the Czar to be held until he would return to the throne. He and his wife (Miss Colbert), a former Grand Duchess, live in squalid surroundings and even resort to stealing for their food. They finally decide to seek employment as butler and housemaid in the home of wealthy Melville Cooper, without divulging to him their social rank ; they are overjoyed when Cooper engages them. In a short time Cooper, his wife (Isabel Jeans), his daughter (Anita Louise), and his son (Maurice Murphy), come to adore their two servants, because they display talents as musicians, fencers, and poker players. At an important dinner party given by Cooper, at which the Soviet Commissar (Basil Rathbone) had been invited, one of the guests recognizes both Miss Colbert and Boyer and bows to them. Cooper and his wife then learn who they are and are terrified at what might happen upon the Commissar's arrival. But the dinner passes off smoothly. After the dinner Rathbone pays a visit to the kitchen and pleads with Boyer to help Russia by turning over the money so as to stave off the avaricious attempts of other nations to gain control of Russia's oil wells. Although they despise Rathbone and everything he stood for, they turn the money over to him for the sake of Russia. And their happiness is restored when Cooper tells them they could remain in his employ. Jacques Deval wrote the original play and Robert E. Sherwood, the English version ; Casey Robinson wrote the screen play, Anatole Litvak directed it, and Robert Lord produced it. In the cast are Morris Carnovsky, Gregory Gaye, and others. Suitable for all. Class A. "Wise Girl" with Miriam Hopkins, Ray Milland and Walter Abel (RKO, December 31 ; time, 69l/2 min.) Good ! In line with the type of comedies that are now produced, "Wise Girl" has its share of foolishness ; but underneath the wisecracks there is human appeal, awakened by the loveableness of two children. These two children, Betty Philson and Marianna Strelby, are extremely talented, delivering their lines with charm and ease. There are several situations that provoke hearty laughter; one such situation is that in which Miriam Hopkins, unaccustomed to the ways of the bohemians in Greenwich Village, is shocked when her neighbors, both men and women, pay her a visit while she was taking a bath : — Miss Hopkins, daughter of millionaire Henry Stephenson, is determined to get her orphaned nieces, whom she had never seen, away from their uncle (Ray Milland), a penniless artist living in Greenwich Village ; the mother of the children had been her sister, and the father, Milland's brother. She goes to the Village, where, by posing as a poor girl out of work, she wins Milland's sympathy. As a matter of fact, she even goes to work, and is proud of the money she earns. Milland is enraged when the Childrens' Aid Society takes his nieces away from him. When he finds out who Miss Hopkins was he feels certain that she had something to do with it. In the court fight that follows, Miss Hopkins comes out the victor and takes the children to her home. But she cannot win their love, for they could not forgive her for having taken them away from Milland. She finally wins them over by explaining to them that it January 1, 1938. was for Milland's sake that she had done so, for she felt that, if he were not burdened with responsibilities, he could develop his talents as a painter. She and the children work out a scheme whereby they bring Milland around to their way of thinking. Everything is adjusted to the satisfaction of all, for Miss Hopkins and Milland had fallen in love with each other. Allan Scott and Charles Norman wrote the story, and Allan Scott, the screen play; Leigh Jason directed it, and Edward Kaufman produced it. In the cast are Alec Craig, Guinn Williams, Margaret Dumont, and others. Suitability, Class A. "Man-Proof" with Myrna Loy, Franchot Tone, Rosalind Russell and Walter Pidgeon (MGM, January 7 ; time, 74 min.) The combination of the four stars should assure good box-office returns. But the picture's appeal is directed almost exclusively to sophisticated audiences, and at that mostly to women. Its chief fault lies in the fact that the audience is not in sympathy with the heroine, because she shows weakness of character. In addition, there is practically a complete lack of action, the story being told mostly by dialogue. The picture lacks emotional appeal : — Myrna Loy, heartbroken because she had been jilted by Walter Pidgeon, who had married wealthy Rosalind Russell, decides to keep on fighting to get him back. Her mother (Nana Bryant) convinces her that she should forget him and devote her time to a career. Franchot Tone, a newspaper illustrator, helps her to obtain a position on his paper, and for a time she is happy. But a few encounters with Pidgeon, who had returned from his honeymoon, sets her back where she had started from. She calls up Miss Russell and informs her that she still loved Pidgeon and would not give him up. Her eyes are opened eventually when Miss Russell, unwilling to give up her husband,, shows him up for the weak character that he was. Pidgeon is compelled to admit the truth of Miss Russell's statements, and of the fact that he never really loved Miss Loy. Miss Loy rushes to Tone for consolation. To the surprise and happiness of both of them, they realize that they are in love with each other. The plot was adapted from the story "The Four Marys" by Fanny Heaslip Lea. Vincent Lawrence, Waldemar Young, and George Oppenheimer wrote the screen play ; Richard Thorpe directed it, and Louis D. Lighton produced it. In the cast are Rita Johnson, Ruth Hussey, and others. Not particularly suitable for children. Suitability, Class B. "Bulldog Drummond's Revenge" with John Barrymore, John Howard and Louise Campbell (Paramount, January 7; time, 55 min.) As in the first picture of this series, Paramount has. given it a good production ; the photography is especially good. It should please followers of wild melodramas, for although it lacks plausibility, the action is so exciting that one is held in suspense to the end. And there is considerable comedy, brought about by Reginald Denny who, during his exciting escapades, worries about his wife. John Barrymore's part is of minor importance in this version, most of the sleuthing work being done by John Howard (Drummond). The action starts in London, and continues on the train ferry from Dover to Calais. In the development of the plot, Howard, who had promised his fiancee (Louise Campbell) to give up his. adventurous way of living as soon as they were married, innocently becomes embroiled in an exciting case involving the theft of a powerful explosive. The inventor of this explosive had been killed by his trusted secretary (Frank Puglia), who had stolen it to sell it to an international spy ring. Howard, with the help of Denny and his faithful butler (E. E. Clive), finally overpowers Puglia, who had boarded the train ferry disguised as a woman. He turns Puglia over to Barrymore, Scotland Yard Inspector. Apologizing to Miss Campbell for having neglected her, he is overjoyed when she tells him that she enjoyed his exciting way of living and did not want him to change after their marriage. H. C. McNeile wrote the story, and Edward T. Lowe, the screen play ; Louis King directed it. In the cast are Nydia Westman, Robert Gleckler, Lucien Lirtlefield, and others. The murders make it unsuitable for children. Class B. HARRISON'S REPORTS