Hollywood Motion Picture Review (1937-1940)

June 5, 1937 HOLLYWOOD MOTION PICTURE REVIEW Page 5 REVIEWS (Continued from page 3) THE GREAT GAMBINI Paramount SUSPENSEFUL & AMUSING MURDER MYSTERY. TOP DIRECTION, WRITING. ACTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY. GOOD DUAL LEADER. Produced by B. P. Schulberg. Directed by Charles Vidor. Screenplay by Frederick Jackson, Frank Partos and Howard Irving Young. Original Story by Frederick Jackson. Photography by Leon Shamroy. Release Date June 25, 1937. Running time at preview 70 minutes. THE CAST Gambini AKIM TAMIROFF Ann Randall MARIAN MARSH Grant Naylor JOHN TRENT Nancy Randall GENEVIEVE TOBIN William Randall REGINALD DENNY Stephen Danby ROLAND DREW Sergeant Kirby WILLIAM DEMAREST "Butch" EDWARD BROPHY Lamb ALAN BIRMINGHAM Luba LYA LYS Rating: B. F. I. K. O. d /e. The Story: Marian Marsh has jilted Trent and is going to marry Drew. The three meet at a night club where Tamiroff, a magician, is performing. He tells Marian she will not marry on the morrow. The next morning the dead body of Drew is found by his butler, Birmingham. Everyone is suspected and meet at Drew’s apartment. Tamiroff makes his appearance and narrows the suspects down to Marian, Trent, and Denny, Marian’s father. Thru a series of events, Tamiroff is found to be the murderer and Marian and Trent are reunited. COMMENT : Here is a nicely balanced and constructed murder mystery that should entertain and keep most any audience guessing its solution until the last. And while it is basically the old mystery formula, who killed who and why, it is well done, offers many new twists and variations, and there isn’t a dull moment in it. The characters are all well cast and turn in excellent performances. Akim Tamiroff stands out in the title role of “The Great Gambini” and does his best work since “The General Died at Dawn”. It is with amazing ease and suave finesse that he handles the difficult role, making his work so outstanding. John Trent and Marian Marsh supply the proper amount of romance and add much to the picture’s entertainment. Balance of cast are good. The screenplay by Frederick Jackson, Frank Partos and Howard Irving Young contains a sufficient amount of suspense, comedy and smart sprightly dialogue. Charles Vidor’s expert direction makes the most of every situation and keeps things moving at a swift pace. Photography by Feon Shamroy is high grade. Advertising'. Play up the title and sell as a thrilling murder mystery. Publicize the fact that Tamiroff played the sinister Chinese General in “The General Died At Dawn”. Stage a Magician or Mind Reading act. Magician’s paraphernalia for lobby display. Publish a brief synopsis and offer free tickets for the correct solutions. Tie ups with men and women’s furnishings for evening clothes; furniture stores for home and office furniture. Man in evening clothes carrying a sign reading: “I am the Great Gambini, the man who knows all, sees all and tells all”. — JOE PEARSON. MIDNIGHT MADONNA Paramount ENTERTAINING SENTIMENTAL DRAMA FOR SMALLER HOUSES. EXCELLENT DIRECTION AND cast portrayals. Produced by Emanuel Cohen. Directed by James Flood. Original by David Boehm. Screenplay by Doris Malloy, and Gladys Lehman. Photographed by Robert Pittack. Release date July 2, 1937. Running time at preview 68 minutes. THE CAST Blackie Denbo WARREN WILLIAM Kay Barrie MADY CORRELL Penelope Barrie Long (Penny) KITTY CLANCY Judge Clark EDWARD ELLIS Vinny Long ROBERT BALDWIN Stuart Kirkland JONATHAN HALE Wolfe JOSEPH SAWYER Moe Grinnell JOSEPH CREHAN Effie IRENE FRANKLIN Penny's Bodyguard JACK CLIFFORD Penny’s Nurse RUTH ROBINSON Elmira MILDRED GOVER Rating: B. F. I. K. P. b. The Story: Kitty Clancy is seriou sly ill and her mother, Mady Correll frantically seeks aid of Warren William, gambler who takes the child to the hospital, and finds a job for Mady. Because of Baldwin’s wastrel ways, his father had cut him from his will, leaving all to his granddaughter, Kitty. Baldwin gains custody of his child after falsely accusing his wife, Mady, with unfitness of character. William proves that those who testified against Mady were criminals and professional perjurers. The judge re-opens the case and reverses the decision, leaving Mady, Kitty and William on their way to happiness together. COMMFNT : Producer Fmanuel Cohen ha.s turned out a good piece of entertainment here. V bile it may he a hit too sentimental for the larger theatres, it should click nicely in the smaller houses. The screenplay by Doris Malloy and Gladys Lehman, although having ingredients that are over-familiar, as a whole is believable, entertaining, effective and has the right amount of tension, romance and dramatic suspense. James Flood has directed with understanding and capitalizes upon every opportunity. V’arren William scores a smash hit in every scene. Mady Correll makes her film debut and displays a brand of charm and sincerity that, with the right pictures, is destined to lift her to stardom. Another promising debut is that of Kitty Clancy, a new child discovery who looks like star material, as she has a natural screen personality and a simple direct way of delivering her lines. The outstanding performance is given by Fdward Fllis. Supporting parts are all well handled. Photography by Robert Pittack, and musical score by George Stoll are in keeping with the production. Advertising: The cast names are best selling factor. Play up Kitty Clancfy as a new child wonder star, and stage a Kitty Clancy Contest. Obtain cooperation of local shops for children’s clothes, toys; furniture stores for furnishings of children’s rooms. Appeal to the feminine trade and stress fact that picture is a court-room drama of mother love. Arrange a debate with Women’s Clubs, etc., as to why a mother should in most cases retain the custody of children. Have a local judge address audience and explain his theories on the subject. Ideal booking for midnight show holding pretty girl contest to select lofcal madonna, tie up with newspaper in putting over stunt. — JOF PFARSON. LAST TRAIN FROM MADRID Paramount CONSIDERABLE EXCITEMENT AND ACTION IN FAIR PROGRAM PIC. BUT PLOT IS RATHER CONFUSING FOR SOME PATRONS Producer George M. Arthur. Director James Hogan. Original story by Paul Hervey Fox. Screenplay by Louis Stevens. Photography by Harry Fishbeck. Release date June II, 1937. Running time at preview 70 minutes. Dexter Carmelita Eduardo De Soto Commandante .... Baroness Helena Juan Sanchez Maria Ferrar Capt. Alvarez Michael Balk THE CAST LEW AYRES DOROTHY LAMOUR GILBERT ROLAND LIONEL ATWILL KAREN MORLEY HELEN MACK ROBERT CUMMINGS OLYMPE BRADNA ANTHONY QUINN LEE BOWMAN Rating: B. F. H. L. P. b. The Story: In violation of his duty as Captain of the Spanish army, Quinn arranges for the escape of his friend, Roland, and Dorothy Lamour with whom both men are in love. For this sacrifice, Quinn is killed. Several other plots are involved. Among them are the affairs of an American correspondent, Ayres, and Olympe Bradna, the girl he befriends: Cummings and Helen Mack, who find love; and Karen Morley, a baroness, who kills her former paramour. Bowman, but is herself caught before the last train leaves for Madrid. COMMFNT: This story has plenty of excitement and action but the continuity is somewhat jerky and at times confusing. There is a trio of romances, each of which takes time to establish and which retards the unfoldment of the story of the main characters. Few Ayres, as the American newspaper correspondent, gives a most entertaining performance and will add to his fan following from this portrayal. Dorothy Lamour seems sacrificed to a role which requires little acting ability. Gilbert Roland. Anthony Quinn and Lionel Atwill, each contribute worthwhile performances. Karen Morley is excellent as a Russian baroness. Helen Mack and Robert Cummings both portray roles in which some scenes may cause laughter from the rowdies. Olympe Bradna and Lee Bowman are both extremely effective in their respective roles. James Hogan’s direction is uniformly good. Sets and recording okay. Cinematographer Harry Fischbeck photographed the picture realistically. Technical work makes the war zone of Madrid most eflective and credit for this work goes to Don Jaime, who fled the fierce fighting between Bilbao and Madrid. In filming the picture it was necessary to eliminate every scene and vestage of dialogue that might reflect on either forces in Spain. Advertising: Play up title. Stress heavily on the current Spanish war news; search local newspaper files for banner line headlines on Spanish war for lobby and window attractions. Ideal booking for Spanish communities. Tie up with Spanish teacher for free lesson prize as giveaway. Use Spanish soldiers in open car placarded title as street stunt. Use huge map of Spain marking important battle fronts and beseiged cities as lobby attraction. Merchants for old wines display. Use train effect with compo board as lobby decorations. Dress ushers as train attendants. Use soldier patrolling in front of theatre and make sand bag barricades. — JOF BLAIR. (Additional Preview Page 7)