Harrison's Reports (1940)

114 HARRISON'S REPORTS July 20, 1940 "The Boys From Syracuse" with Allan Jones, Martha Raye and Joe Penner . .^{Universal, August 9; time, 73 min.) . Conditions being what they are, audiences are in Ale 'mood for something light; and this comedy with music-should, for the most part, prove satisfying to the massesj for it has plentiful gags, a few good songs, and romance. The action is at times a little slow because, in adapting it from the stage play, the screen play writers saw fit to follow the methods employed on the stage ; as for instance, the way in which the songs are presented — in a stilted fashion. The closing scenes provide fast action ; during those scenes there is a chariot race done in the good old western style. The players work hard, but the ■material is such that they are not given much of a chance to make an impression. The story takes place in ancient Greece, and the characters are costumed in the style of those days: — Antipholus of Ephesus (Allan Jones), a Grecian general, returns to his home a hero, having defeated Syracuse at war. He urges the Duke (Charles Buttervvorth) to pass a law providing that any ■Syracusean caught in Ephesus shall be executed. "Eph" is married to Adriana (Irene Hervey) and his slave Dromio of Ephesus is married to Luce • (Martha Raye), Adriana's slave. "Eph's" long lost ■ twin brother (also played by Allan Jones), a resident of Syracuse, sneaks into Ephesus with his slave (also played by Joe Penner), the long-lost twin of Dromio. Naturally everyone mistakes them for the residents of Ephesus and they get into many embarrassing situations because of the mistake in identity. Antipholus of Syracuse falls in love with • Adriana's sister Phyllis (Rosemary Lane), but, « thinking he was her brother-in-law, she resents his attentions. After many complications, the whole thing is "finally explained and the two sets of • brothers are united. They save their father (Samuel S. Hinds), who had been sentenced to die be cause he came from Syracuse, and there is a happy family reunion. "Eph" of Syracuse marries Phyl ■ lis, and "Eph" of Ephesus explains the whole thing • to his wife, who is happy to have her husband back again. The plot was adapted from the stage play by George Abbott, Richard Rodgers, and Lorenz Hart. Leonard Spigelgass and Charles Grayson wrote the screen play, Edward Sutherland directed it, and Jules Levey produced it. In the cast are Alan Mowbray, Eric Blore, and others. Suitability, Class A. "Pride and Prejudice" with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier (MGM, August 2; time, 116 min.) This comedy of old-fashioned English manners and customs has been produced lavishly and has been acted by an expert cast with skill. It offers excellent entertainment for class audiences, particularly for those who clamor for something different. The fact that there is little action, the story being developed mostly by dialogue, is one thing against it as far as the masses are concerned. Moreover, they may find the whole thing a little too oldfashioned, particularly the development of the romance between hern and heroine. The picture may, therefore, have to depend for its box-office success on star names : — The story deals with the efforts of Mary Boland to marry off her five daughters (Greer Garson, Maureen O'Sullivan, Ann Rutherford, Heather Angel, and Marsha Hunt) ; her methods are disliked by her husband (Edmund Gwenn)', a real gentleman. She 'worried, for she knew that, since she did not have a son, their estate, upon the death of her husband, would pass into the hands of a cousin (Melville Cooper). There is great excitement in town upon the arrival of two rich and distinguished bachelors (Bruce Lester and Laurence Olivier). Lester is immediately attracted to Miss O'Sullivan; but Olivier, who was a snob, looks down on every one. Miss Garson, annoyed at Olivier's snobbishness, is determined to insult him ; she annoys him by refusing to dance with him. This makes him take notice of her. Miss O'Sullivan and Lester fall in love with each other; but Lester, influenced by his snobbish sister (Frieda Inescort) and by Olivier, decides to leave for London ; Miss O'Sullivan is heartbroken. While visiting a friend, Miss Garson again meets ( )li vicr, who then acts kindly towards her. He asks her to marry him, stating that, as much as he disliked her family, he could not resist her charms. Miss Garson is infuriated and turns down his proposal. She returns home to find it in. a chaotic state. Miss Rutherford had run off with a soldier without being married. Olivier finally comes to the help of the family. By bestowing an income on the scheming soldier, he influences him to marry Miss Davenport. Lester returns to marry Miss O'Sullivan, and Miss Garson finally accepts Olivier. Miss Boland is overjoyed, for it looked as if all her daughters would soon be married. The plot was adapted from the novel by Jane Austen and the dramatization by Helen Jerome ; Aldous Huxley and Jane Murfin wrote the screen play, Robert Z. Leonard directed it, and Hunt Stromberg produced it. In the cast are Edna May Oliver, Karen Morley, Edward Ashley, and others. Class A. "Sporting Blood" with Robert Young, Maureen O'Sullivan and Lewis Stone {MGM, July 12 ; time, 82 min.) A pretty good program drama, centering around horse-racing. The production values are good, and the performances engaging. Yet, as is the case with most pictures centering around horses, it is somewhat limited in appeal, even though more attention lias been paid to the characters and their personal difficulties than is usually done in pictures of this type. Another fault is the fact that at first one feels sympathy for Robert Young ; but his actions later on, particularly with reference to the heroine, turn the spectator against him ; in the end, however, he is regenerated. There are a few situations that stir one's emotions and, for excitement, the race in the closing secnes should offer plenty to any one who enjoys the sport : — Young, who had been depending on a horse he owned to win a race and thus help him out financially, acts as a tout on the side in order to make a few dollars. But his horse does not win and he and his trainer (William Gargan) find themselves broke. He decides to go back to Virginia, where he owned a plantation that had been deserted for many years. Years previously, his father had run away with the wife of Lewis Stone, the leading