Harrison's Reports (1939)

50 HARRISON'S REPORTS April 1, 1939 "Sudden Money" with Charlie Ruggles and Marjorie Rambeau (Paramount, March 31 ; time, 60 min.) Just a mildly entertaining program comedy. The story is so thin that after the first half it peters out, turning into a silly comedy. The idea is all right — that of several members of a family trying to follow their particular talents after they win a sweepstakes prize ; but the means they choose to express themselves are bad — they are silly. For instance, the mother (Marjorie Rambeau) takes to painting, at which she is quite terrible. She lets herself be influenced by two crooks, who eventually steal her share of the winnings. The father (Charlie Ruggles) finds his old college friends and forms a band. They are so bad that they cannot obtain engagements, and so he is compelled to pay their salaries. When they finally do get an engagement, a gangster, mistaking Ruggles' interest in the young lady who sang with his band, beats him up and puts an end to the job. Then Ruggles puts up bail of $2,500 for John Gallaudet, one of his players, who was wanted by the police; Gallaudet then runs away. Ruggles' money is all gone. His brother-in-law (Broderick Crawford), who thought he had a good system on horse-betting, soon loses his share. And Ruggles' young daughter, who had gone to an expensive finishing school, spends all her money. In a way they are all happy when the money is gone, for their lives had been disrupted by sudden wealth. They go back to their ordinary tasks and do not complain. . Milton Lazarus wrote the story, and Lewis Foster, the screen play; Nick Grinde directed it, and Wm. C. Thomas produced it. In the cast are Charley Grapewin, Billy Lee, Evelyn Keyes, Philip Warren, Joyce Mathews, and Richard Tucker. Suitability, Class A. "Hound of the Baskervilles" with Richard Greene, Basil Rathbone and Wendy Barrie (20//; Century-Fox , March 31 ; time, 79 min.) A pretty good Sherlock Holmes melodrama. Produced twice before, once in 1922 and again in 1932, it still offers entertainment for followers of murder mysteries. The production values are, of course, superior to those of the other two pictures. The background (that of the lonely British moors ) , creates an eerie atmosphere, so that each time a character wanders out of the house for a walk, one is held in suspense, not knowing what to expect. Although one suspects the murderer's identity, this does not lessen one's interest, for along with him there are several other suspicious characters. It is in the ending, however, that the action causes tense excitement. The scenes that show the vicious ■dog running across the moors in an attempt to overtake and attack the hero, are thrilling as well as frightening. The romance is pleasant. In the development of the plot, Richard Greene, who had lived in Canada, arrives in London to claim the title and estate left by his uncle, who had presumably died from heart failure. Lionel Atwill, the doctor who had attended the deceased, believing that he had been murdered, and fearing for Greene's safety, calls on Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes) for his advice. Rathbone sends his assistant ( Nigel Bruce) with Atwill and Greene, to act as protector, promising to follow within a few days. Instead, he g es there disguised as an old peddler, so as to carry on his investigation unhampered. Greene meets and falls in love with Wendy Barrie, a neighbor : they plan to marry. Eve<-v one in the neighborhood is mystified by the noise of a howling dog; being superstitious, they trace it to an old legend regarding Greene's ancestors, many of whom had met with violent deaths. While on his way home from Miss Barrie's, across the moors. Greene is set upon by a vicious dog. The timely arrival of Rathbone and Bruce saves his life; thev kill the dog. Rathbone then proves that Miss Barrie's stepbrother, a unknown member of Greene's family, had committed the murder and had attempted to murder Greene in an effort to prove his claim to the estate ; he admits it and, despite an effort to escape, he is arrested. With the threat of death lifted, Greene looks forward to a happy life with Miss Barrie. The plot was adapted from the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Ernest Pascal wrote the screen play, Sidney Lanfield directed it, and Gene Markey produced it. In the cast are John Carradine, Barlowe Borland, Beryl Mercer, Ralph Forbes, and others. It may frighten children. Best for adults. Class B. "Sergeant Madden" with Wallace Beery, Tom Brown, Alan Curtis and Laraine Day (MGM, March 24 ; time, 80 min.) A good program melodrama, with human appeal. The story is strengthened considerably by the expert performances of the entire cast ; particularly good is Laraine Day, a newcomer, who shows marked talent. Although the plot is concerned primarily with the bravery of policemen in their contact with criminals and with their loyalty to their duties, it has another angle — that of a father-son conflict. It is from the latter that the picture derives its power. The closing scenes, in which the father, a policeman, tries to capture his own son, who had turned criminal, are touching ; but they may prove too harrowing for women : — Wallace Beery, a Sergeant on the New York police force, looks forward to the day when his son (Alan Curtis) and his adopted son (Tom Brown) would be policemen. Curtis, being older, graduates first and joins the force. He marries Laraine Day, a young Irish girl, who, after her mother's death, had left Ireland to live with Beery and his family, old friends. Curtis is headstrong and ambitious ; he is eager to make a place for himself on the force. In line with his duty, he shoots and kills a young hoodlum who had stolen a cheap piece of fur from a shop ; but this brings him clown in the estimation of his superior, who did not believe in killing young boys. Beery tries to argue with Curtis, but to no avail ; as a matter of fact, Curtis is so annoyed that he insists that his wife leave with him, for an apartment of their own. Since she was going to have a baby, she felt her place was with her husband. Marc Lawrence, a gangster, plans to get even with Curtis, for the boy who had been killed was his girl-friend's brother. He frames Curtis on a serious charge ; Curtis is tried and sentenced to prison. While on the way there he escapes, with the guard's gun. In the meantime, Beery, who knew his son had been framed, pleads with Lawrence to clear him ; he promises to do so. Curtis goes wild — he does not hesitate to steal and to kill people ; and the police are unable to trap him. Beery, knowing that Curtis would want to see his new-born son, has an item broadcast about the birth of his grandson. Curtis appears at the hospital and is trapped; heartbroken at the mess he had gotten himself into, Curtis purposely shoots his gun into the air. The police open fire and kill him. Miss Day is comforted by Brown, who loved her. Wm. A. Ulman, Jr., wrote the story, and Wells Root, the screen play ; Josef VonSternberg directed it. and J. Walter Ruben produced it. In the cast are Fay Holden, Marion Martin, Ben Weklen, and others. Unsuitable for children. Class B. "My Wife's Relatives" with James Gleason and Lucile Gleason (Republic, March 20: time, 64 min.) A fair follow-up to the first "Higgins Family" picture. It has action, fair comedy, and some human appeal. But the actions of the characters are at times so silly that they tire one. Harry Davenport, as the outspoken grandfather who resists the advances of a woman seeking to marry him, is the most likeable character : — When his employer (Purnell Pratt) orders him to put a stop to the romance between his daughter and Pratt's son, James Gleason becomes angry and resigns ; he decides to go into the candy business for himself. But things do not run very smoothly ; he is beset by creditors, particularly by a man from whom he had bought a diamond ring on the installment plan. He promises to return the ring ; but when he asks his wife for it she confesses that she had lost it at the factory. Gleason's son (Russell Gleason) is certain that it had been wrapped in with a bar of chocolate. He inserts an advertisement in the newspapers offering a reward for the return of the ring; but he lists the reward as $5,000 instead of $50. This naturally brings about a rush of business ; but the District Attorney visits Gleason and demands that he deposit the amount of the reward, which Gleason cannot do. Davenport, in an effort to save Gleason, offers to marry wealthy Maude Eburne. But he is saved from doing this, for the ring is found at home, and Pratt's son arranges matters so as to make it appear to the authorities as if he had found it. He and Gleason decide to continue in the business as partners. Gleason gives his consent to the marriage. Dorrell and Stuart MacGowan wrote the original screen play ; Gus Meins directed it, and Sol Siegel produced it. In the cast are Mary Hart, Tommy Ryan, Marjorie Gateson, and others. Suitability, Class A.