Harrison's Reports (1939)

34 HARRISON'S REPORTS March 4, 1939 "Secret Service of the Air" with Ronald Reagan, John Litel and James Stephenson (Warner Bros., March 4; time, 61 min>) A pretty good program action melodrama. Although the plot is routine and slightly far-fetched, the picture should please action fans, for it moves at a fast pace, holding one in suspense until the end. One situation, although in keeping with the story, may sicken some spectators; it shows an aviator, who was smuggling a group of men across the border in his plane, opening a trap door and dumping all the men out, for he had discovered that one of the passengers was a secret service agent. The spectator feels admiration for the hero, because he shows courage and daring in the face of danger. The romance is minimized : — John Litel, head of the U. S. Secret Service, enlists the aid of Ronald Reagan, a commercial aviator, in rounding up a gang, who had been smuggling non-citizens into the United States, using planes to get their customers across the border. As part of the plan, Reagan is compelled to go to prison; his cell-mate is one of the gang. Through him, Reagan obtains important information. After an attempted jail break by Reagan and his cell-mate, they are caught and brought back; the cell-mate is led to believe that Reagan would be sent to Alcatraz. Instead, he is freed. He becomes acquainted with one of the men in the smuggling ring, and is able to convince him that he would be a good man to have. His work is in danger of being spoiled when his former cell-mate, who had escaped, arrives and accuses him of being a fraud. Reagan is finally able to get the gang leader across the border, placing him in the hands of the police. The smuggling ring is thus broken up. Raymond Schrock wrote the original screen play, Noel Smith directed it, and Bryan Foy produced it. In the cast are Edide Foy, Jr., Ila Rhodes, Rosella Towne, Morgan Conway, Anthony Averill, and others. Unsuitable for children. Class B. "Let Us Live" with Henry Fonda, Maureen O'Sullivan and Ralph Bellamy (Columbia, February 28; time, 68 mitt.) A strong but somewhat grim melodrama. Even though it holds one in suspense, it is not particularly pleasant entertainment, for the story is harrowing. Another thing against it is the fact that law officials are shown as being heartless men, interested in securing convictions more than in getting to the bottom of a case ; also the fact that police methods in crime detection work are disparaged. The suffering of the hero and the heroine touches one, but at the same time it is painful to watch; not until the very end, just before the hero was to go to the electric chair, is the heroine able to obtain the evidence to prove the hero's innocence. The picture ends on a bitter note, showing the hero's spirit broken by his experience. The direction and acting are good: — Fonda, a taxicab driver, accompanies his sweetheart (Maureen O'Sullivan) to church ; he waits outside for her. While he is waiting, three crooks hold up a motion picture house around the corner, killing the guard. Having learned that the crooks got away in a cab, the police round up all the cab drivers who operated such a cab ; Fonda is one of them. They arrest also his roommate (Alan Baxter). The theatre employees identify Fonda and Baxter as two of the crooks and, despite their pleas of innocence, they are held for trial. Miss O'Sullivan's story is disbelieved. The two men are tried, convicted, and sentenced to death in the electric chair. Miss O'Sullivan works frantically to save them. With some new evidence she had found, she finally convinces Ralph Bellamy, a police inspector, of the two men's innocence. Bellamy, in order to help her, resigns his position. Fonda, after having borne up bravely, goes to pieces. Not until the day of the electrocution are Miss O'Sullivan and Bellamy able to locate the crooks. With the help of several policemen, they round them up and find the loot. The theatre employees, realizing their mistake, naturally identify the real crooks. Thus Fonda and Baxter are released. Fonda leaves the prison a broken man. The only one toward whom he acts friendly is Bellamy. The plot was adapted from a story by Joseph F. Dinneen. Anthony Veiller and Allen Rivkin wrote the screen play, John Brahm directed it, and William Perlberg produced it. In the cast are Stanley Ridges, Henry Kolker, Ray Walker, George Douglas, Peter Lynn, Martin Spellman, and others. Not suitable for children. Adult fare. Class B. "Everybody's Baby" with Jed Prouty, Shirley Deane and Russell Gleason (20th Century-Fox, March 24; time, 61 min.) This latest picture in the "Jones Family" series is good entertainment. The action focuses less on the family and more on the problems of the married daughter (Shirley Deane) and of her husband (Russell Gleason) after the birth of their baby. These problems are treated entirely from a comedy angle. Most of the laughter is provoked by the methods Miss Deane, who had been taken in by a fake child expert (Reginald Denny), insists on employing in the care of the child. One of the most comical situations is that in which Miss Deane's family, eager to see the child, are compelled, before entering the child's room, to put on sterilized gowns and gauze masks. One feels sympathy for Gleason, who is not permitted to hold his own baby, because the nurse, who had been sent to them by Denny, claimed it would spoil the child. Another comical situation is that in which Gleason, who had been drinking to drown his troubles, arrives home slightly drunk, thereby having enough courage to tell the nurse what he thought of her. This so angers his wife that she orders him to leave their home. The closing scenes, although slightly far-fetched, are comical ; in them Denny is exposed in a manner to embarrass him. Gleason and Miss Deane are reconciled ; and the members of the family are happy that at last they could see and play with the baby without any interference. Hilda Stone and Betty Reinhardt wrote the story, and Karen DeWoIf, Robert Chapin, Frances Hyland and Albert Ray, the screen play ; Malcolm St. Clair directed it, and John Stone produced it. In the cast are Spring Byington, Ken Howell, George Ernest, Hattie McDaniel, Florence Roberts, and others. Suitability, Class A. "Let Freedom Ring" with Nelson Eddy, Virginia Bruce and Edward Arnold (MGM, February 24 ; time, 86 min.) Good mass entertainment. It is also a strong box-office attraction, for, in spite of the fact that the story is just a glorified Western, the players have drawing power. Moreover, it strikes a patriotic note, which is certain to appeal to Americans everywhere. Added to all this, is the further attraction of Nelson Eddy's singing, which has been interpolated so well that it fits in with the story and does not interfere with the action. Western fans should enjoy the horseback riding, fist fights, and the colorful background of the old pioneering days. The closing scenes, in addition to being exciting, touch one's emotions. Virginia Bruce and Nelson Eddy handle the romance effectively. And Charles Butterworth and Victor McLaglen provide hearty laughter. Lionel Barrymore, western ranch owner, looked forward to the return of his son (Eddy) from Harvard law school ; he felt that he would be able to stop Edward Arnold, a ruthless financier from the east, who had been burning down homes and otherwise forcing ranchers to give up their property to make way for the new railroad. Virginia Bruce, cafe owner, who loved Eddy, was impatient for his return. But Eddy shocks every one when, upon his return, he sides with Arnold. No one realizes that he was purposely acting that way in order to get into Arnold's good graces, and thus obtain all the information against him he needed. He secretly publishes a newspaper, copies of which he distributes to the foreign railroad workers whom Arnold had brought out west ; but McLaglen, the road gang manager, threatens to kill any one who would read a copy. In the meantime, Miss Bruce, heartsick at Eddy's actions, promises to marry Arnold, even though she despised him. Eddy's activities are finally disclosed ; Arnold insists that the Sheriff arrest him. But Eddy appeals to the laborers to become true Americans and not permit themselves to be bullied by a tyrant. At first, his words are ineffective, for the men feared Arnold ; but Miss Bruce arouses them when she starts singing "America," and asks them to join in with her. McLaglen and all his men go over to Eddy's side, and force Arnold to leave town. Eddy and Miss Bruce are joyfully united. Ben Hecht wrote the story and screen play, Jack Conway directed it, and Harry Rapf produced it. In the cast are Guy Kibbee, H. B. Warner, Raymond Walburn, Dick Rich, and others. Suitability, Class A.