Hollywood Motion Picture Review (1937-1940)

June 26, 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 Good 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 objection CLASS OF HOUSE O Suited to all theatres P Good product for smaller houses 0 May be good first-run product, but doubtful for smaller houses, neighborhoods and small towns. R Must be handled with ca re if shown to family trade TYPE OF PICTURE a Comedy drama d Mystery drama b Melodrama e Comedy c Musical f Western FORLORN RIVER Paramount A NO. I WESTERN. PLENTY OF HARD RIDING, FIGHTS, ACTION, ETC. NICE ROMANCE AND GOOD COMEDY. Producer General Manager's Office. Directed by Charles Barton. Screenplay by Stuart Anthony and Robert Yost. Based on a novel by Zane Grey. Photographed by Harry Hallenberger, A.S.C. Release date July 2, 1937. Running time at preview 58 minutes. THE CAST Nevada LARRY CRABBE Ina Blaine JUNE MARTEL Les Setter HARVEY STEPHENS Ben Ide JOHN PATTERSON "Weary" Pierce SYD SAYLOR Blaine WILLIAM DUNCAN Bill Hall RAPHAEL BENNETT Millie Moran RUTH WARREN Sheriff Jim Henry Warner LEW KELLY Sheriff Grundy CHESTER CONKLIN Cashier BARLOWE BORLAND Ed LARRY LAWRENCE Duke LEE POWELL Sam OSCAR G. HENDRIAN Rating: B. G. I. K. O. f. The Story: Crabbe, after hijacking the proceeds of a bank robbery from the Stephens gang, is captured by the sheriff. He manages to escape, leaving the money behind, and heads into other territory. Visiting June Martel's ranch, he finds an old friend, Patterson, is top hand and in love wiht June. Crabbe is framed and he and Patterson are put in jail, while Stephens poses as a buyer of horses for the Army. The two escape in time to save the herd which Stephens had planned to ambush. Crabbe rides on his way, leaving June and Patterson happy in their romance. COMMENT : Just the kind of a picture western fans enjoy most. Plenty of hard riding, fights, stampedes, beautiful scenery, etc., along with a nice romance and good comedy. In fact it is an A No. 1 western. Larry Crabbe gives an excellent performance in the leading role and is of such a likeabale personality on the screen, he could easily go over in a series built around the character he portrayed. June Martel is alluringly sweet in the feminine lead while William Duncan, Harvey Stephens, John Patterson, Syd Saylor, Chester ConkTin and Ruth Warren are splendid in supporting roles. Taken from the novel by Zane Grey, the screenplay by Stuart Anthony and Robert Yost is well written and has a nicely constructed plot premise. Direction by Charles Barton is exceptionally fine. His selection of backgrounds and the handling of each individual scene is the top-notch in direction. Good photography, recording and scenery. Advertising: Play up Zane Grey. Also Larry Crabbe in title role. Use reward tack cards. Music stores for cowboy songs and records. For window or lobby attraction, use old government letters. Saddles, ropes, bridles for lobby attraction. Cowboy on horse title placarded for street stunt. — JOE BLAIR. WEE WILLIE WINKIE 20th Century-Fox A TOP SHIRLEY TEMPLE ATTRACTION. VICTOR McLAGLEN IN A NOTABLE ROLE. GREAT ADULT AND KID APPEAL. Associate Producer Gene Markey. Directed by John Ford. Screenplay by Ernest Pascal and Julian Josephson. Based upon the story by Rudyard Kipling. Photography by Arthur Miller, A.S.C. Sound by Eugene Grossman and Roger Heman. Release date July 30, 1937. Running time at preview 142 minutes. THE CAST Priscilla Williams SHIRLEY TEMPLE Sergeant MacDuff VICTOR McLAGLEN Colonel Williams C. AUBREY SMITH Joyce Williams JUNE LANG Coppy (Lieut. Brandes) MICHAEL WHALEN Khoda Khan CESAR ROMERO Mrs. Allardyce CONSTANCE COLLIER Mott DOUGLAS SCOTT Captain Bibberbeigh GAVIN MUIR Mohammet Dihn WILLIE FUNG Rating: AA. E. H. K. O. b. The Story: Shirley Temple and her widowed mother, June Lang, arriving at army post in India to visit grandfather Smith, see the arrest of native chieftain Romero. Shirley retrieves his amulet and gives it to him, thus softening his heart. She adores officer McLaglen who takes her under his wing, but it takes quite some time for Shirley to win Smith over. An uprising occurs and McLaglen is killed. Heartbroken, Shirley goes to Romero to plead for peace. Risking his own life. Smith follows and the mutual love of the two men for Shirley cause them to sign a peace pact. Meanwhile, another favorite of Shirley, Whalen, proposes another pact to June. COMMENT : This picture is the finest Shirley Temple vehicle to hit the screen in a long time. The story has equally as great an appeal to the adult trade as it has for children. There are many dramatic highlights, a fair romantic interest and plenty of comedy. The suspense is well maintained with lots of action, fights, and excitement. Shirley’s performance is superb. The role is ideal for her at her present age. Victor McLaglen gives a memorable portrayal and one which will cause patrons to again proclaim his artistry. Michael Whalen and June Lang form a splendid romantic interest which could have stood considerable more footage ; both give outstanding performances, as does Cesar Romero and C. Aubrey Smith. John Ford’s direction is masterful. In addition to the fine performances by every member of the cast, the handling of individual scenes and mass players cannot be equaled. A lively tempo is maintained throughout. The photography, in the latest brown and white composition, is beautiful. Recording, sets, exteriors and background scenery rate the superlatives. Added laurels go to Associate Producer Gene Markey for another hit attraction. Advertising: Get behind the picture with a strong campaign — it will live up to your every promise. Play up the loyal comradeship between Shirley and McLaglen. Start a ‘Wee Willie Winkie’ club for children, using Kipling’s story with ideals for membership pledge. Offer favors to children attending who can prove their common nickname. Merchants to feature Scotch plaids, pipes, children’s clothing, etc. Display relics, antiques and photographs of the 1897 period. Hold a Shirley Temple double contest. Arab character on marquee or theatre roof wailing an Allah prayer call. Usherettes and doorman in Scotch Kilties. Hold a doll display or contest for children. — JOE BLAIR. THE EMPEROR'S CANDLESTICKS M.G.M. DULL STORY WITH POOR CONTINUITY. RAINER ACCENT IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. WEAK, UNINSPIRED FILMFARE. Produced by John W. Considine, Jr. Directed by George Fitzmaurice. Screenplay by Moncton Hoffe and Harold Goldman. Photographed by Harold Rosson, A.S.C. Release date July 2, 1937. Running time at preview 85 minutes. THE CAST Baron Stephan Wolensky WILLIAM POWELL Countess Olga Mironova LUISE RAINER Grand Duke Peter ROBERT YOUNG Maria MAUREEN O'SULLIVAN Colonel Baron Suroff ^ FRANK MORGAN Prince Johan I... HENRY STEPHENSON MItzi BERNADENE HAYES Anton DONALD KIRKE Korum DOUGLAS DUMBRILLE Dr. Malchor CHARLES WALDRON Albert BARNETT PARKER Pavlotf FRANK REICHER Porter BERT ROACH Santuzzi PAUL PORCASI Auctioneer E. E. CLIVE Hous ekeeper EMMA DUNN Colonel Radoff FRANK CONROY Rating: C. E. I. L. O. b. The Story: Powell, secret agent. Is assigned job of delivering Important letter to Czar. Luise Rainer, Russian secret agent, is assigned to get evidence against Powell. He slips his letter into a candlestick he thinks he is to deliver for a friend, but they are given to Luise and she puts her evidence in the other stick. Enroute they are stolen, and the pursuit of the candlesticks leads them all over Europe. Finding them in an auction room, they each buy a stick but discover it the wrong one. They exchange envelopes and Luise destroys her evidence against Powell. COMMENT : Something went wrong in the making of this picture. The story is dull, the continuity uneven and it shapes up as pretty weak entertainment. There is a faint romantic interest and very little comedy. Much of the dialogue is meaningless. Luise Rainer, although photographing beautiful, is quite difficult to understand owing to her accent. William Powell does not seem to fit into his role. Robert Young scores the best performance and while wearing a mustache for the first time, gives evidence of a highly romantic character which could be built into a star box-office personality. Maureen O’Sullivan does well in a role which requires little of her talents. Frank Mor(Con+inued on page 5)