Harrison's Reports (1941)

208 HARRISON'S REPORTS December 27, 1941 "Kings Row" with Ann Sheridan, Robert Cummings, Ronald Reagan and Betty Fields (Warner-lst N.atl., Date not set; time, 126 min.) A powerful but somewhat depressing drama. From an artistic standpoint it is admirable; both direction and acting are excellent, and the production is praiseworthy. It is tender and inspiring in some situations, and interesting as a whole. But it is a story of human suffering, both physical and spiritual; and, since this suffering touches likeable characters, one feels unhappy at what they must endure. The inspiring part of the picture deals with the friendship existing between two young men, who are willing to make sacrifices for each other. The romances are touching: — Robert Cummings and Ronald Reagan grow up in Kings Row and are friends from early childhood. Although Reagan was wealthy, the parents (Charles Coburn and Judith Anderson) of Nancy Coleman refuse to give their consent to a marriage because Reagan had the reputation of being "wild." Cummings, who had led a sheltered, happy life with his grandmother (Marie Ouspenskaya) , prepares to study medicine in Vienna. His grandmother sends him to Claude Rains, one of their town doctors, to prepare for his entrance examinations. Cummings is happy for not only was Rains brilliant, but it was ten years since he had seen Rains' daughter (Betty Field), whom he had loved even when they were children. Cummings is surprised when Rains refuses to permit him to see her. One night, during Rains' absence, Cummings and Miss Fields meet; they become lovers. In the meantime, Reagan and Ann Sheridan, who came from poor railroad folk, become good friends. Cummings is heartbroken when his grandmother dies from cancer; he goes to live with Reagan. He receives another shock when Rains kills Miss Fields and himself. In going through Rains' papers willed to him, Cummings finds that Miss Fields' mother had been insane and that Miss Fields had been showing signs of insanity, too; he then understands Rains' actions. He leaves for Vienna. Reagan becomes penniless when the bank president runs away with his belongings. He goes to live with Miss Sheridan's family and takes a job with the railroad. When Reagan meets with an accident, Coburn is called in to operate. He amputates both his legs; Miss Sheridan and her family stand by Reagan, take him into their home, and nurse him. Although Cummings had been offered a fine post in Vienna, he rushes back to be with his friend. He is horrified when Miss Coleman, who still loved Reagan, tells him that her father, who had since died, had purposely cut off Reagan's legs; he had been a fanatic who had believed in punishing what he called wickedness that way. He is naturally afraid to tell this to Reagan. But when he meets Kaaren Verne, a young girl who lived with her father in his former home, she inspires him to do the right thing. He tells Reagan what had happened. This gives Reagan courage; he tells Cummings no one could get the best of him, that with the help of Miss Sheridan, who had married him, he would make a place for himself. Cummings is overjoyed and rushes to Miss Verne, whom he loved, to tell her of his success. Casey Robinson wrote the screen play from the novel by Henry Bellamann; Sam Wood directed it, and Hal B. Wallis produced it with David Lewis. In the cast are Harry Davenport. Ernest Cossart, Scotty Beckett, Ann Todd. Morally suitable for all. "Hellzapoppin' " with Olsen & Johnson, Martha Raye and Jane Frazee ( Universal, Dec. 26; time, 82 min.) The stage play "Hellzapoppin' " has been playing to capacity audiences in New York City for the past four years; its fame is known far and wide. Its nonsensical type of comedy appealed strongly to theatre-goers, and most likely will appeal also to picture-goers. As far as picture entertainment is concerned, it is out of the ordinary, for it has no story and is made up entirely of gags. Hilarious in spots, a little slow in others, it is the type of farce that goes over big in crowded theatres. There is no way of describing it, for the action is slightly crazy. In between the gags, there are several musical numbers. The production is lavish, and the performances are adequate. What one can make out of the story is as follows: — Olsen and Johnson are at the studio making a picture. Their director (Richard Lane) throws up his arms in disgust, telling them that it is impossible to produce a picture based on crazy gags. He proceeds to tell them of a story he had in mind. As he talks, the action unfolds on another screen, as follows: they would be assistants to Robert Paige, who was staging a charity show at the home of millionaire Clarence Kolb. Paige falls in love with Kolb's daughter (Jane Frazee); she loves him, too, but her parents insist that she marry rich Leslie Howard. Since a well-known producer had promised to be present at the show, Paige asks Olsen and Johnson to do their best, for if the show was a hit, he could marry Miss Frazee. They promise to help; but, thinking that Miss Frazee had been untrue to Paige, and not wanting him to marry her, they decide to ruin the show by inserting their own gags. To their surprise the gags are so comical that they make the show and Paige. They are happy for they had learned that Miss Frazee was innocent and that Miss Raye had been the guilty party. Nat Perrin wrote the screen play, H. C. Potter directed it, and Glenn Tryon and Alex Gottlieb were associate producers with Jules Levey. In the cast are Hugh Herbert, Mischa Auer, Shemp Howard, and Nella Walker. Morally suitable for all. "Blue, White and Perfect" with Lloyd Nolan, Mary Beth Hughes and George Reeves (20th Century-Fox, Jan. 6; time, 75 min.) A good program spy melodrama; it has some comedy and a romance. The action moves at a fast pace; and, although on occasion it develops in an obvious manner, it holds one's interest throughout. Some of the situations are thrilling; and, for the most part, one is kept in suspense because of the constant danger to the hero. The production values are good and the performances are competent: — Lloyd Nolan, a private detective, promises his fiancee (Mary Beth Hughes) to give up detective work for a legitimate job. He leads her to believe that he has become a riveter in an aeroplane factory, when actually his job was to track down saboteurs. When a large shipment of uncut diamonds used in the manufacture of planes for defense purposes is stolen from the factory, Nolan immediately suspects the clerk from whom they were presumably stolen. He follows him and learns that he was part of a gang of German spies who were stealing the diamonds and sending them via Honolulu to their own country. But he is unable to convince his clients of this; as a matter of fact, they discharge him. By leading Miss Hughes to believe that he could purchase a ranch at a reasonable price, he induces her to advance him $1000. He uses the money to book passage to Honolulu on the same boat on which the spies were sailing. Once aboard, he meets an old friend (Helene Reynolds); to his surprise he finds that she was involved in the spy diamond smuggling racket. George Reeves, one of the passengers, becomes friendly with them. Nolan suspects him, but later learns that he was an F.B.I, agent working on the same case. After considerable danger and several attempts on his life, Nolan finally learns where the diamonds were hidden. When the boat docks, he follows Miss Reynolds, and confronts her with the evidence; she swears she did not know she had been working for spies. She is shot just as she tries to give him the leader's name. The leader turns out to be the ship steward (Curt Bois). Nolan helps round up the gang, and is amply rewarded. He becomes reconciled with Miss Hughes, who had followed him to Honolulu to prosecute him. Borden Chase wrote the story and Samuel G. Engel, the screen play; Herbert I. Leeds directed and Sol M. Wurtzel produced it. Steve Geray, Henry Victor, Marie Blake, Emmett Vogan, are in the cast. Morally suitable for all.