Hollywood Motion Picture Review (1937-1940)

Page 6 HOLLYWOOD MOTION PICTURE REVIEW May 29, 1937 ANALYZING IMMEDIATE PRODUCT PICTURES NOW BEING FILMED BUDGET *** High Budget ** Medium Budget * Low Budget PRODUCER ttt Top Average ft Medium Average f Low Average STORY Great Prospects Tflf Ordinary Prospects Doubtful Prospects DIRECTORIAL STAR VALUE §§§ Highly Recommended xxx Pretentious §§ Favorable xx Attractive § Inconsistent x Weak BOX-OFFICE prediction: * Means 25% greater ooo A Record Breaker 00 Holds Its Own o Undervalue WILD AND WOOLLY (Tentative) 20th Century-Fox Rating: **. fft H11 §§§• xx. oo*. Catchlines: "A kid from across the tracks took him down a peg or two. . . "He had to sacrifice his pride or lose the child he loved. . . ." THE STORY: Brennan challenges Churchill, his bitter election enemy, to a duel, but decides against it when he thinks of his granddaughter Jane Withers. Disillusioned, she thinks her grandfather is afraid but does not know the sacrifice of his pride he made for her. She hears of a plot to hold up Churchill's bank and with help from Jackie Searl they manage to maneuver Brennan into becoming accidental hero who captures the bandits. The two enemies are reconciled and Brennan is elected sheriff. There is a satisfactory conclusion to a romance between Wilcox and Pauline Moore. CREDITS: The Cast: Jane -Withers, Walter Brennan, Jackie Searl, Berton Churchill, Robert Wilcox, Douglas Scott, Carl Switzer, Douglas Fowley, Pauline Moore, and Frank Melton. Associate Producer John Stone. Director Alfred Werker. Original by Frank Fenton and Lynn Root. THE RED ROPE Republic Rating: *. ff. §. xx. oo. Catchlines: "Among their wedding presents were sinister warnings threatening their lives." THE STORY: Steele, a young rancher, is warned not to marry Lois January. They disregard the warning and are married. Steele challenges Meehan, the villain, but Is captured. He saves Lois' brother. Nelson, from the gang and in trying to escape, a deadly fight ensues. Lois and the ranchers dash up to the rescue, although Steele and Nelson have by that time gotten things well under control. CREDITS: The Cast: Bob Steele, Lois January, Forrest Taylor, Charles King, Karl Hackett, Bobby Nelson, Ed Cassidy, Lew Meehan, Frank Ball, Jack Rockwell, and Horace Murphy. Produced by A. W. Hackel. Directed by S. Roy Luby. Original Story by Johnston McCulley. Screen Play by George H. Plympton. THIN ICE 20th Century-Fox Rating: ***. ftt THI §§§• xxx. oo*. Catchlines: "He found a girl and romance in Switzerland's winter wonderland." "She taught him how to ski — he made her his princess for life." THE STORY: Sonja Henie, skating instructress, falls in love with Power, a true Prince posing as a reporter. Sonja, thru gossip, becomes an international figure because of her supposed romance with the "Prince". Power convinces her he doesn't believe the stories about her and when he has to leave suddenly, Sonja thinks he believes the gossip. The Prince calls for her and as she arrives he is announcing their marriage. Realizing that the reporter with whom she is in love, is the Prince, everything is straightened out and all ends happily. CREDITS: The Cast: Sonja Henie, Tyrone Power, Raymond Walburn, Sig Rumann, Alan Hale, Leah Ray, Arthur Treacher, Maurice Cass, Melville Cooper, George Givot, Joan Davis, and others. Associate Producer Raymond Griffith. Directed by Sidney Lanfield. Original Screenplay by Milton Sperling and Boris Ingsler, Play by George H. Plympton. THE PERFECT SPECIMEN Warner Bros. Rating: **. ft HH. §§§■ xx. oo*. Catchlines: "He was immune from all troubles until the love bug nibbled at his heart." "Reared to be perfect in all things — he found impe'rfection more exciting." THE STORY: Flynn, educated by his wealthy grandmother, Jessie Ralph, sneaks away from home to meet Joan Blondell. In meeting her friends, he finds himself substituting in a prize fight in which he is the winner. Jessie thinks he has been kidnapped — so he and Joan really run away. Caught in a storm the two register at a hotel as man and wife, but Joan leaves him after a fight. Returning home, Joan and Jessie engage in a battle of words with Joan fleeing and Flynn in hot pursuit. He forces her to consent to become his wife. CREDITS: The Cast: Errol Flynn, Joan Blondell, Jessie Ralph, Dick Foran, Beverly Roberts, Warren Hymer, Marie Wilson, Hugh Herbert, Edward Everett Horton, Donald Meek and others. Directed by Michael Curtiz. Original Story by Samuel Hopkins Adams. Adapted by Lawrence Riley and Norman Reilly Raine. HOUSE IN THE COUNTRY RKO-Radio Rating: **. ft Tt §§• x. oo. Catchlines: "City slickers sought to make him the 'goat' — but he turned the tables and made them the suckers. . . ." THE STORY: Stone and his family have been squatters on a farm owned by Naish, a city gangster, and when Naish and his henchmen come to the farm for a hideout Naish gives a fictitious name and says he and his friends have come for the deer season. Stone Is. sent to the city as a go-between, thinking his mission is a real estate deal. He Is followed back to the farm and a gunfight between the two gangs ensues. By accident. Stone captures the gang and is awarded a medal for bravery. With the gang in jail, Marjorie Lord, Stone's daughter, and Corson, local forest ranger, continue their romance. CREDITS: The Cast: Fred Stone, Emma Dunn, Marjorie Lord, William Corson, Tommy Bond, J. Carrol Naish, Ray Mayer, Bradley Page, Frank M. Thomas, Lee Patrick, Paul Gullfoyle, and others. Producer, Cliff Reid. Directed by Richard Rosson. Original by Melvin Levy. Screenplay by J. Robert Bren and Edmund Hartmann. ANYTHING FOR A THRILL Conn Rating: *. ft THI §§• xx. oo. Catchlines: "With Revenge on her mind she sought to belittle him — but love got the upper hand! . . ." THE STORY: Darro Is advanced in the esteem of his brother Richmond, a newspaper photographer, when he nets Richmond a $250.00 bonus by obtaining photographs of Ann Eevers, an heiress. Darro shoots pictures of a bank holdup and as the film is being run off, the ringleader. White, posing as an Earl and also as the fiance of Ann, arrives and a battle ensues. White is captured and Ann turns her affection to Richmond, while Darro attempts to teach June Johnson, his girl, the vagueries of grinding a camera. CREDITS: The Cast: Frankie Darro, Kane Rich mond, June Johnson, Ann Eevers, Johnston White, Horace Murphy, Eddie Hearn, and Ernie Adams. Producer Maurice Conn. Director Les Goodwins. Original story by Peter B. Kyne. Screenplay by Joseph O'Donnell. BORN RECKLESS 20th Century-Fox Rating: **. ft HH §§■ xx. oo. Catchlines: "Her duty was to trap him — but she became the victim of love! . . ." "He made love to her for business reasons — but she was in the wrong business to be sentimental. . . ." THE STORY: Donlevy, In an attempt to convict MacLane, a gangster, joins his Protective Cab Association. He meets Rochelle Hudson, one of the mob but who is in reality trying to free her brother. She and Donlevy are caught searching MacLane's safe and Rochelle is shot. Escaping in his cab, Donlevy is injured in a wreck with the Association's armored car. In the hospital Rochelle and Donlevy make plans for their future. CREDITS: The Cast: Brian Donlevy, Rochelle Hudson, Robert Kent, Barton MacLane, Pauline Moore, Chick Chandler, Harry Carey, William Pawley, Francis McDonald, Eddie Dunn, Harvey Clark, Stanley Andrews, and others. Associate Producer Milton H. Feld. Directed by Malcolm St. Clair. Original Story by Jack Andrews. MYSTERY RANGE Victory Rating: *. ft Hlf §§■ x. o. Catchlines: "A girl's determination and fighting spirit aided in the capture of a dangerous gang." "Threats against her life made her only more determined to capture the culprits." THE STORY: Tyler, member of the Cattlemen's Association, arrives at the Bergh ranch to help Jerry Bergh secure the ranch when she becomes of age. Her uncle, McKee is plotting against her to get the ranch himself. Known only to Jerry and himself, Tyler pretends to be Williams, a gunman killer. The real Williams escapes from jail and the gang is just about to capture Tyler when Jerry arrives with a posse and the gang is subdued. At Tyler's suggestion, Jerry joins the Cattlemen's Association. CREDITS: The Cast: Tom Tyler, Jerry Bergh, Lafe McKee, Milburn Morante, Dick Alexander, Roger Williams, and others. Produced by Sam Katzman. Directed by Bob Hill. Original story and screenplay by Basil Dickey. WINDJAMMER RKO-Radio Rating: **. f 1HI §• x. o. Catchlines: "Two men out to make a record — one to win a boat race — the other to win her love. . . ." THE STORY: In trying to serve a subpoena on Evans, millionaire sportsman out to win the California-Honolulu yacht race, O'Brien finds himself bound for Honolulu. Constance Worth, Evans' daughter. Is haughty with O'Brien. The yacht collides with a windjammer, and the whole party find themselves bound for North China with Hall and his smuggling gang. The party finally escape and in the course of the struggle, the windjammer is set afire and the gang destroyed. O'Brien and Constance decide to continue their trip thru Asiatic waters on their honeymoon. CREDITS: The Cast: George O'Brien, Constance Worth, William Hall, Gavin Gordon, Lai Chand Mehra, Brandon Evans, Ben Hendricks, Lee Shumway, Stanley Blystone, Frank Hagney and others. Producer George A. Hirliman. Director Ewing Scott. Original Story by Ewing Scott. Screenplay by Dan Jarrett and James Gruen.