Hollywood Motion Picture Review (1937-1940)

June 19. 1937 HOLLYWOOD MOTION PICTURE REVIEW Page 3 PREVIEWS OF CURRENT RELEASES Pictures Are Reviewed Only From A Box-Office Angle. Key to Ratings BOX-OFFICE RATING_ AA Exceptionally big picture A Very good B ©ood average product C Weak D No recommendation PRODUCTION COST RATING E Lavish production F Average production G An economy picture ARTISTIC RATING H Excellent I Good J Indifferent CENSORSHIP RATING K Clean product — nothing offensive L Moderate amount of suggestive or objectionable material, unlikely to arouse opposition except in very conservative communities M Contains considerable censorable material N Apt to arouse serious obiection CLASS OF HOUSE O Suited to all theatres P Good product for smaller houses Q May be good first-run product, but doubtful for smaller houses, neighborhoods and small towns. R Must be handled with care if shown to family trade TYPE OF PICTURE a Comedy drama d Mystery drama b Melodrama e Comedy c Musical f Western THE ROAD BACK Universal A REALISTIC WAR AND REHABILITATION STORY SUPERBLY FILMED. HAS BIG SWEEP BUT NEEDS HARD SELLING. Produced and Directed by James Whale. Associate Producer, Edmund Grainger. Novel by Erich Maria Remarque. Screenplay by R. C. Sherriff and Charles Kenyon. Photography by John J. Mescall, A.S.C. Release date July 18, 1937. Running time at preview 100 minutes. THE CAST Ernst JOHN KING Ludwig RICHARD CROMWELL Tiaden SLIM SUMMERVILLE Willy ANDY DEVINE Lucy BARBARA READ Angelina LOUISE FAZENDA Wessling NOAH BEERY, JR. Albert MAURICE MURPHY Prosecutor LIONEL ATWILL Elsa JEAN ROUVEROL Giesicke GENE GARRICK Ernst's Mother SPRING BYINGTON Willy's Mother CLARA BLANDICK Von Hagen JOHN EMERY Rating: B. E. H. K. O. b. The Story: The World War takes its toll, leaving boys and men with their souls stripped, but clinging pitifully to a few remaining ideals. ..Affer fhe Armisfice in their native village this group of lifelong friends each finds the peace he longed for replaced by something else — dirty politics — unfaithfulness— misunderstanding — heartache in a world in which they have no place. Murphy kills the war profiteer who has taken his sweetheart, Barbara Read, away from him. He is convicted, despite the rebellion of his pals who say, "You trained him to kill." — Summerville, King, Cromwell and Devine then try to adjust themselves to life, knowing fhe futility of the war they fought. COMMENT : No one seeing this film will complain they didn’t get their money’s worth, but the picture must have a powerful selling campaign all along the line, even down to the small towns, to bring in satisfactory box-office results. It’s a story to see on the screen but not one that will cause word-of-mouth recommendation to some. There is a depressing effect. In addition, it can’t be called a woman’s picture. There is considerable preachment against war and also speech making. Romantic interest is negligible, though the story contains excellent comedy relief. There is an abundance of trench fighting, men realistically dying before the enemy machine guns and looting by mobs. Some of the season’s finest acting is observed in the performances of Slim Summerville, Andy Divine and John King, with John Emery, Richard Cromwell, Maurice Murphy and Noah Beery, Jr., coming close behind for stellar honors. Barbara Read, Louise Fazenda, Clara Blandick and Spring Byington lend feminine charm with their splendid portrayals. Photography, settings, direction and recording is of high order. Advertising: Play up as author’s sequel to “All Quiet on the Western F ront” ; Title. Slim Summerville and Andy Devine for marquee draw. Use World Warheadlines, relics, guns, etc., for lobby and window attraction. German band music as street or truck ballyhoo. German medals or collections as display. Honor local hero of World War. Use soldier type parade in front of theatre. — JOE BLAIR. SMALL TOWN BOY Grand National AN AVERAGE PROGRAMMER WITH STUART ERWIN EXCELLENT IN THE TITLE ROLE. STORY FUNNY AND MOVES FAST. A Zion Myers Production. Direction and Screenplay by Glenn Tryon. From story "The Thousand Dollar Bill" by Manuel Komroff. Photographer Edward Snyder, A.S.C. Release date July 30, 1937. Running time at preview 62 minutes. Henry Molly Mr. Armstrong Mrs. Armstrong Eddie Sandra Mr. French Lafferty Tony THE CAST STUART ERWIN ....JOYCE COMPTON ... JED PROUTY CLARA BLANDICK JAMES BLAKELEY DOROTHY APPLEBY CLARENCE WILSON . JOHN T. MURRAY EDDIE KANE Rating: B. F. I. K. O. a. The Story: Erwin, a small town insurance sales man, finds a thousand dollar bill and puts an ad in the paper. When the news of his good fortune is learned, he is besieged with all sorts of propositions. After a series of exciting events and convinced that no one wi [| claim the bill, he becomes a changed person. Even his family bow to his wishes and he makes Joyce Compton, his girl, consent to their marriage. The bill is lost and during the following events, Erwin Is arrested but after explaining the bill, which is discovered a fake, he Is released. He and Joyce marry and everything ends happily. COMMENT : With Stuart Erwin giving another one of his delightful homespun small town boy characterizations, this picture emerges as average program entertainment. There is lively action all the way with several scenes sure to bring out much laughter from any audience. However, the story, although well written with several clever twists, is lacking in solid romantic interest. Direction of Glenn Tryon is splendid and Zion Myers’ production supervision is most capable. The introduction of title characters is smart and very clever. The acting is excellent throughout with Jed Prouty, Clara Blandick, Joyce Compton, James Blakeley and John Murray, giving exceptionally good performances in supporting roles. Advertising: Play up title, building cam paign around Stuart Erwin in title role. Run letter contest offering prize for best answers “what would you do if you found a thousand dollar bill ?” or “how would you spend a thousand dollars?” Tie in with local newspaper for Lost and Found Want Ad hook up. Use fake thousand dollar bills, with attraction announcement reverse side. — JOE BLAIR. MARRIED BEFORE BREAKFAST M.G.M. NICE PROGRAM PICTURE THOUGH STORY IS PIECEMEAL. CONTAINS EXCELLENT COMEDY AND FINE ROMANCE. Produced by Sam Zimbalisf. Directed by Edwin L. Marin. Screenplay by George Oppenheimer and Everett Freeman. From a story by Harry Ruskin. Photographed by Leonard Smith, A.S.C. Release Date June 21, 1937. Running time at preview 72 minutes. Tom Wakefield Kitty Brent June Baylin Tweed Harry Miss Fleeter ... Mrs. Baglipp ... Kenneth Mr. Baglipp .... Police Sergeant THE CAST ROBERT YOUNG FLORENCE RICE JUNE CLAY WORTH BARNETT PARKER WARREN HYMER HELEN FLINT IRENE FRANKLIN HUGH MARLOWE TOM KENNEDY EDGAR DEARING Rating: B. G. H. K. O. a. The Story: Young spends his time tinkering with Inventions, having no financial success with them. June Clayworth, his socially prominent fiancee, asks him to enter her father's business. „ln trying to aid Marlowe to a promotion so he can marry Florence Rice, Young and Florence become involved with gangsters and unwillingly participate in a diamond robbery. ..In eluding the police, the two discover they are falling in love. ..June becomes disgusted and breaks her engagement. Marlowe obtains his promotion, but Young convinces Florence she should marry him. The gangsters are captured, and the couple hastily depart on a ship honeymoon. COMMENT : With Bobert Young giving another splendid performance along the line of his fine work in the Claudette Colbert Paramount picture “I Met Him In Paris,” this program picture is worthwhile entertainment. It has a lively tempo, plenty of good hilarious laughs and a fairly believable romantic interest. The story is somewhat piecemeal which picks up here and there. All performances are exceedingly good with Bobert Young and Florence Bice sharing top honors. Barnett Parker as the butler is excellent, with June Clayworth, Helen Flint, Tom Kennedy, and Edgar Dearing splendid in supporting roles. Direction, photography, recording, sets and mounting are uniformly good. Advertising: Title is good. Play up Bobert Young to cash in on his good work in “I Met Him In Paris”. Bun contest for best letters on how $250,000 could be spent usefully. Tie up with local cafe to furnish free breakfast to couple married before breakfast. Stamp collection for window display. Also silly or unique inventions. Tie up with luggage concern for window display and also steamship lines for Bound the World Cruise. Model boat building or designing contest. — JOE BLAIB. (Additional Previews on page 5)