Hollywood Motion Picture Review (1937-1940)

Augusf 14, 1937 HOLLYWOOD MOTION PICTURE REVIEW P«9« S PREVIEWS (Continued from page 3) VARSITY SHOW Warner Bros. EXCELLENT DANCE ROUTINES CLIMAX LONG SHOW WHICH HAS OVERDOSE OF SINGING. TED HEALY GOOD. Produced by Hal B. Wallis. Associate Producer Lou Edelman. Directed by William Keighley. Screenplay by Jerry Wald, Richard Macauley, Siq Herziq and Warren Duff. Original story by Warren Duff and Sig Herzig. Photographed by Sol Polito, A.S.C. Sound by Charles D. Forrest and Oliver Garretson. Musical Director Fred Waring. Dance Director Busby Berkeley. Release date Sept. 4, 1937. Running time at preview 118 minutes. THE CAST Charles "Chuck“ Dally ... Ernie Mason William Williams Barbara "Babs" Steward Betty Bradley Professor Sylvester Biddle Buck and Bubbles Buzz Bolton Trout Cuddles Scotty Johnny Stevens Dean Meredith Professor Washburn Mike Barclay Hammer Mrs. Smith DICK POWELL FRED WARING TED HEALY ROSEMARY LANE PRISCILLA LANE WALTER CATLETT . BUCK AND BUBBLES JOHNNY DAVIS STERLING HOLLOWAY MABEL TODD SCOTTY BATES LEE DIXON . HALLIWELL HOBBES ROY ATWELL ED BROPHY BEN WELDEN EMMA DUNN Rating: B. E. H. K. O. S. c. The Story: Powell, a Broadway producer and also a college graduate, is induced to help with the varsity show. Professor Catlett, however, demands to stage fhe show. Unable to have his way, he calls a special examination with failing students barred from participating In the show. Catlett, thru various methods, regains charge of the show and ousts Powell. The .students strike and Powell leaves because of undesirable publicity the school is receiving. Learning he left to save them from being expelled, +he students take matters into their own hands with the result that the show goes on and is a smashing hit. COMMENT: The story of this collegi ate musical hasn’t much to offer. In fact it seems sacrificed to make way for an overdose of singing and group scenes. While there is excellent comedy by Ted Healy, the romantic interest and other ingredients are spotty. The film climaxes in some beautifully executed dance ensembles and collegiate musical formations. Most of the music is excellent and many of the songs rate as hit numbers but with so many of them thrown in it is difficult to choose the best. Dick Powell sings and enacts his role most capably but it is Ted Healy who walks off with top honors for his splendid comedy. Rosemary Lane is very pretty and sings elegantly. Supporting players whose work stands out include Johnny Davis, Priscilla Lane. Mabel Todd, Lee Dixon and Sterling Holloway. William Keighley’s direction makes the most of an overcrowded story. Photography is excellent but the recording is pretty harsh for the average patron. Advertising: Go collegiate in all adver tising lobby and street ballyhoo. Dress usherettes collegiate. Obtain co-operation of popular college fraternity to sell tickets for sorority fund. Use sheet music as lobby or window attraction. Hold college dance on stage or lobby following showing. Tie-up luggage shops, music stores for songs and band instruments. Various well known college songs are played and honored in ensemble formation which can be selected out for special exploitation. — JOE BLAIR. HOPALONG RIDES AGAIN Paramount OUTSTANDING WESTERN PICTURE. FILM IS SPLENDIDLY PRODUCED WITH GREAT SCENERY AND A FINE STORY. Produced by Harry Sherman. Directed by Lesley Selander. Screenplay by Norman Houston. Orig inal by Clarence E. Mulford. Photographed by Russell Harlan. Sound by Earl Sitar. Release date Aug. 27, 1937. Running time at preview 65 minutes. THE CAST Hopalong Cassidy WILLIAM BOYD Windy Halliday GEORGE HAYES Lucky Jenkins RUSSELL HAYDEN Buck Peters WILLIAM DUNCAN Laura Peters . LOIS WILDE Artie Peters . BILLY KING Nora Blake NORA LANE Professor Hepburn HARRY WORTH Blackie JOHN RUTHERFORD Keno ERNIE ADAMS Rating: B. F. H. K. O. f. The Story: Boyd, foreman of the Bar 20 Ranch, assisted by Hayden, Hayes and a number of cowboys, is driving a herd of cattle to the railhead. The herd is stampeded by a gang of rustlers led by Worth. Hayden proceeds with the remainder of the herd and is instructed to return with the money in exactly a week. Boyd, meanwhile, through the connivance of Nora Lane, Worth's sister, acquaints the rustlers of Hayden's movements, and by so doing entices them out into the open. In a pitched battle Worth and his gang are exterminated and the Bar 20 Ranch is forever rid of the rustlers' menace. COMMENT: This picture is worth the price of admission for the photography alone. It is one of the finest all-around westerns ever filmed. How patrons will exclaim over, and drink in the beautiful scenery of the picture, will be a sight worth seeing. Producer Harry Sherman has taken several strides farther ahead of the field in making these Hopalong Cassidy series the best “westerns” on the market. This story has everything! Plenty of romance, lots of comedy, hard riding, fights, excitement, thrills and almost every single frame of the photography is of exquisite outdoor scenery. It has exceptional appeal for youngsters, with a young boy named Billy King, providing plenty of entertainment. The picture is a swell one for Bill Boyd, whose performance is unusually good. George Hayes provides splendid comedy. Russell Hayden continues to show improvement and acquits himself with honors. Lois Wilde and Nora Lane lend a distinct feminine charm in enacting their roles. Harry Worth is outstanding in his portrayal. William Duncan is grand in the role of a ranch foreman, which he portrays with dignity and reserve. Ernie Adams also scores with a highly effective part. Direction by Les Selander is exceptionally fine and Russell Harlan’s photography is tops in any language. Production Supervision by Ralph Ravenscroft represents the culmination of a hrilliant joh of allaround workmanship. Advertising: Plug this as the finest Hop along picture and a super western for allaround entertainment. William Boyd for marquee name. Get youngsters signed up on the Hopalong Club. Serve coffee and doughnuts for early showing. Display collection of branding irons in lobby or window. Covered wagon with Bar 20 signs, title, etc., painted on canvas for street attraction. — JOE BLAIR. ON SUCH A NIGHT Paramount FAIR PROGRAMMER. STORY DIFFERENT AND SUSTAINS SPLENDID INTEREST. CAST WEAK, BUT TITLE GOOD. Produced by Emanuel Cohen. Directed by E. A. Dupont. Screenplay by Doris Malloy and William Lipman. Original Story by Morley F. Cassidy, S. S. Field, and John D. Klorer. Photographed by Charles Schoenbaum, A.S.C. Sound recording by Hugo Grenzbach. Release date August 27, 1937. Running time at preview 73 minutes. THE CAST Nicky Last Gall Stanley Joe Flynn "Ice" Richmond Mile. Miml Prof. Richard Candle Miss Belinda Fentridge Colonel Fentridge District Attorney Guard Rumann Horace Darwin Judge Matron Nurse Maxle Barnes Defense Attorney Samantha (Servant) Henry Clay Washington Emmie Lou (Servant) George Washington Fentridge ... GRANT RICHARDS KAREN MORLEY ROSCOE KARNS EDUARDO CIANNELLI MILLI MONTI ALAN MOWBRAY ESTHER DALE ROBERT McWADE . . JOHN ALEXANDER JOHN WRAY FRANK REICHER JIM MARCUS RUTH ROBINSON PAUL FIX PHILO McCullough ETTA McDaniel EDDIE ANDERSON BERNICE PILOT LEW PAYTON Rating: B. G. H. K. O. S. b. The Story: Karen Morley, stage star, admits that she and Richards, a gambler on trial tor murder, have been secretly married for some time. Richards is convicted and sentenced to death, but on the night of the execution, floods imperil the prison and he disappears. Karen finds him in a refugee camp where, also, is Ciannelli, one of Richards' associates. Karen, attempting to spirit the injured Richards away, is followed by Ciannelli and they are forced to take shelter in an old Southern mansion, where Ciannelli admits he framed Richards on the murder. Richards risks his life to blow up a levy imperiling the house, and when the danger passes, Ciannelll's confession wins freedom and new happiness for Richards. COMMENT : Producer Emanuel Cohen has a fairly entertaining programmer in this one. The story is a little different and holds splendid interest throughout. While there is some good comedy, the romantic interest is made up of wifely devotion. The picture will be of more interest to adult patronage than to the adolescents. Although the cast names are weak in boxoffice draw, their performances are all most capable. Karen Morley enacts her role splendidly, and Grant Richards is excellent in his part. Eduardo Ciannelli. Roscoe Karns, Alan Mowbray and Milli Monti are all outstanding in supporting roles. E. A. Dupont’s direction is most capable, while Charles Schoenbaum’s photography is first-rate. Advertising: Title is intriguing. Use back copies of local newspaper showing photographs of recent Ohio River flood as lobby and window title build-up. Circularize lawyers and court attaches. Tieup with local Greyhound Bus or agency. Also luggage concerns. Western Union and radio dealers. Best letters on important events occurring “On Such a Night.” giving dates and prizes for correct answers. —JOE BLAIR. (Additional Previews on page 8) READ HOLLYWOOD REVIEW :SUBSCRIBE TO THE TRADE PAPER OTHER EXHIBITORS BELIEVE IN— IT IS FAST PROVING ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE INDUSTRY.