Hollywood Filmograph (Jan-Dec 1932)

HOLLYWOOD FILMOGRAPH REVIEWS AND PREVIEWS "Back Street" Outshines Any Universal Picture Made Up to Date Found at last, a director who knows his Fannie Hurst — enter. Mister John M. Stahl, master director of "Back Street," and take a bow. Many directors in the past have attempted to transpose to the screen the very life and soul of the characters envisioned by the fertile mind of this great authoress but have failed. We refer to the latest flop, "Symphony of Six Millions," made by Radio Pictures. "BACK STREET" is the life and breath of the human story thai it was intended to be. You can turn over the pages of the book in your mind and see the living characters before your very eyes, speaking what is closest in their souls. The RAY SMIDT, as brought to the screen by Irene Dunne, so outshines her portrayal of SABRA CRAVAT in Cimarron, that you wont recognize her as the same actress. Her coloring of her inner emotions, as she goes through "The Back Street" of life with JOHN BOLES playing the lover, smacks of one of the greatest screen offerings in years. The best part of it all is that it is as natural as We ourselves would live, were we victims of the same circumstances. John Boles never acted as he did in this one. He makes you forget even his great work in "SEED." The women will go mad about him, and the men will fall head over heels in love with Irene Dunne. This may sound like a critic's rave, but, think what you\ may, the work of both of these players under the eagle eye of John M. Stahl will stand the acid test of time for years to come. Who ever said that John Boles cant act, that he is an out and out singer, better hold their tongue until after they see him in "BACK STREET." "BACK STREET," directed by JOHN M. STAHL, offers plenty of room for the supporting cast to keep interest running at fever heat. For instance, we find Zazu Pitts, who never gives a bad performance, greeted with an old fashioned reception the minute she appears on the screen. George Meeker and June Clyde lend a refreshing note to the many situations. William Bakewell helps materially. Dependable performances are given by Doris Lloyd, Walter Catlett, Noel Frances, Archetta Duncan, Paul Weigel, Andrew Cheron, Jane Darwell and Shirley Grey, while there are others not listed, but well placed in some very fine settings and backgrounds. GLADYS LEHMAN outshone her past efforts by her screen play. The dialogue of Lynn Slraling Was convincing and commanded the strictest attention. The photography by Karl Freund was that of the Cameo order, his Work made a symphony of life out of the picture, so that you forgot at times you were viewing a motion picture EXHIBITORS CAN PLAY THIS ACROSS THE BOARD AS THE BEST UNIVERSAL-JOHN M. STAHL PICTURE, WORTHY OF THE BIGGEST THEATRES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. "The Age of Consent" THREADS ON THIN ICE— IS MADE LIKE A QUICKIE—FAILS MISERABLY TO OFFER ANY MORAL AT FADE OUT "The Age of Consent" is the second attempt of Radio Pictures to make a puppy love picture. This one does a nose dive — a flop, because when they came to the Very finish of the story, they sort of lost themselves in the whirl and failed to clear up a nasty scandal. The hero is allowed to go scot free after he had been charged with adultery, so he could marry a good, clean, innocent girl, while the youth who admitted that he was in a measure responsible for the wild doings and carrying on about the college of the girl in question, failed to clear the hero. It could easily have been done by a scene at the death bed where he could tell those present that Richard Cromwell (the boy involved in the case) did not have a thing to do with the GIRL aside from drinking her father's gin and falling asleep, thus helping to clear a nasty mess, and sending the young couple away to be married, instead of being an out and out black eye to all colleges, where children are sent to be be educated and uplifted rather than degraded by such episodes as revealed in the Radio Picture. Arline Judge steals the picture, as the young waitress, "on the make for the boys," and who finally gets into trouble. Dorothy Wilson is the sweet and innocent girl who is especially excellent in the love scenes with Richard Cromwell (the boy), who falls for the waitress. Dick seems to improve with each picture We see him in, and is Worth Watching for future references. ERIC LINDEN hasn't an equal as far as a wise-alec goes. He looks the part, in everything that he plays, all because he knows his acting and the value of each situation. John Holliday, as the professor, more than held up his end of the picture. COL. REGINALD BARLOW is one of the most Versatile actors we have on the screen. He changes his Voice so well to fit the character that one wonders if he really can be the same actor you saw in other pictures or plays. AILEEN PRINGLE Was [good as far as her part ran. She was ideally cast and looked very striking. GREGORY LA CAVA did a good job, as far as he was concerned, in the direction. "The Age of Consent" was taken from the play "Cross Roads," by Morion Flavin. Adaptation and dialogue by Sarah Mason and Francis Cockrell was fine. J. Roy Hunt's photography Was good, and edited by H. N. Swanson. The old gag, "I don't need a book, I have one" doesn't hold good so far as At Martin !i concerned. It was generally believed that Martin has a book for he wrote "Dog Gone Hollywood" and it would be natural that he kept a copy of it. Now he has authored another humorous tale which he calls "fail Bait." This satire on a gal's experience in a small town jail is being published by David Graham Fischer and is now for sale at all book stores. "The Strange Interlude" is the Most Daring Story Ever Filmed — Proves Norma Shearer Great Artiste "Hollywood Waited patiently for "STRANGE INTERLUDE" to reach the screen, with more interest than they did "GRAND HOTEL." Now that this latest M.G.M. epic has had its world premiere at Grauman s Chinese theatre, filmdom is divided as to its potential drawing power and what it will do to further the reputations of Norma Shearer and Clark Gable, as well as add new laurels to the company that produced it. Miss Shearer, to our way of thinking, never gave a greater performance. Her makeup at times was hideous, her fans and admirers, that love to accept her as the sweet darling of the screen, are going to be somewhat dissappoinled, for she permits herself to become a parly to an affair with the doctor (Clark Gable) that lacks any moral purpose. Especially so under the circumstances involved by her husband, whom it is said to be suffering from a malady known to their family tree. Clark Gable seemed miscast, in fact, his makeup towards the end, looked dirty, making him anything but a young romantic physician. He played the part like any actor Would have done; making the best of it. Only at times did he rise to any great heights, and when he did, he was handicapped by a makeup that mislead what the fans expected of him. The work of the balance of the cast was well done, especially Ralph Morgan and Alexander Kirkland, who could easily have overplayed their parts. TAD ALEXANDER, a youngster who seems to know what it is all about, as far as emoting with the grown ups, COMMANDED A WHOLE LOT OF ATTENTION for the brief lime he was on the screen. Maureen O. Sullivan had very little to do but what she did was OK. Robert Young looked and acted acceptably. Two old favorites, MARY ALDEN and HENRY B. WALTHALL stood out in their short opportunity to emote what they had. Miss Shearer did entirely too much weeping and crying; too many anticlimaxes, had the people restless with some walking out. However, you will find many people who like Eugene O'Neill's play and book, hence enjoy the picture. The opening night caused a riot of curiosity seekers, for they surely saw everybody there, that Was anybody. M.G.M. did themselves proud, with their settings outside of the Chinese and Sid Grauman s prologue. Robert Z. Leonard's direction, helped put the picture over the lop, while the dialogue and continuity by Bess Merydeth and C. Gardner Sullivan, passed muster. Lee Garmes did a good job of photography. Cedric Gibbons looked after the art work. Douglas Shearer the sound. Exhibitors will draw 'em in by selling Norma Shearer in her greatest role with Clarke Gable playing opposite her, along with Eugene O'Neill's masterpiece, revealing an improved art in acting and talkies. THE GRAUMAN PROLOGUE or REVUE IS OUT AND OUT PROPOGANDA FOR THE OLYMPICS. It is too bad that this same stunt couldn't be staged in every key city in the United States, for it would so enthuse the natives that they would break all speed records coming to the Olympiad. However, those who viewed it here, will make their own tracks to the grounds to see the greatest show of all times staged in the Southland, which has caused the world's eye to be focused on Los Angeles. PREVIEW "The Devil and the Deep" Previewed at the United Artists, Pasadena Score one for a potential star and the most perfectly sustained characterization of the screen year. Charles Laughton as an insanely jealous British submarine Commander in ' The Devil and the Deep" scores sensationally. His personality is so amazing that it is impossible to even look at another character while he is on the screen. His Work is so perfect that he makes Tallulah Bankhead appear a pallid dishrag, and Gary Cooper a frightened school boy. But in spile of Mr. Laughion's performance (or perhaps it makes the rest seem shabby) this Paramount picture is pretty much of a mess. It suffers from a highly artificial story by Harry Harvey. Had von Sternberg directed, it might have been as successful as Harvey's "Shanghai Express." Marion Gehrig, however, lacks the knack of making unbelievable plots seem dreadfully important and realistic. Further, the film shifts disconcertingly from sophisticated drama to melodrama and back. It forces Mr. Laughton to speak lines which are incredible even for a lunatic. The realism of the whole picture smashes in the absurd scene in which Tallulah confesses that Gary Cooper is her lover. The vigor and life of the submarine disaster scenes cannot quite recapture this lost realism, excellent though they are for the most part. A great deal of credit should go to Charles Lang for his splendid photography which reaches its heights in the under sea scenes. The African atmosphere is also Well established, photographically, in the earlier part. Tallulah Bankhead as the Commander's wife, contributes nothing to the picture, slumping through it With a perpetually disconlended look. Gary Cooper is loo repressed. The two of them spend perhaps a third of the picture standing side by side, looking out at the camera, and speaking lines. It becomes very boring. In fact, the whole picture suffers from the common Paramount fault of too much talk. Others in minor roles were Cary Grant, Juliette Compton, Henry Kolker, Gordon Westcolt, Jimmie Dugan, Dorothy Christy, and Arthur Hoyl. Ben Levy adapted the story. "The Devil and the Deep" suffers from conflicting lines of interest which have a disintegrating effect on the attention of the audience. It should have been solely a charactar study of Charles Laughton. When he is off, the interest lags. —Harold Weight.