Hollywood Motion Picture Review (1937-1940)

HOLLYWOOD MOTION PICTURE REVIEW August 14, 1937 ANALYZING IMMEDIATE PRODUCT BUDGET High Budget ** Medium Budget * Low Budget PRODUCER ttt Top Average tt Medium Average t Low Average STORY ^nj1[ Great Prospects UU Ordinary Prospects ^ Doubtful Prospects DIRECTORIAL STAR VALUE §§§ Highly Recommended xxx Pretentious §§ Favorable xx Attractive § Inconsistent x Weak „ PICTURES NOW BEING FILMED BOX-OFFICE PREDICTION * Means 25% greater ooo A Record Breaker oo Holds Its Own o Undervalue THE BARRIER Paramount Rating: **. ftt Hi §§• xx. oo*. Catchlines; “Their love accepted the challenge of mixed heritage — and won against all obstacles." "His confession released an innocent man and reconciled two who were meant for each other." THE STORY: Barrat and his daughter. Jean Par ker, who believes she is a half-breed, are happy in their home in the far north. Their great friend, Carrillo, is secretly in love with Jean but she loves Ellison. Kruger comes to town and recognizes Barrat as the man who sup posedly killed his wife and kidnapped their daughter. Barrat and Kruger have a terrific fght, in which Kruger is killed, and Barrat badly hurt. But Ellison manages to get a confession out of Kruger that Barrat is not guilty. Jean and Ellison, united, wave farewell to the saddened Carrillo. CREDITS: The Cast: James Ellison, Jean Par ker, Leo Carrillo, Otto Kruger, Andy Clyde, Robert Barrat, Sara Haden, Addison Richards, J. M. Kerrigan and others. Produced by Harry Sherman. Directed by Les Selander. Screenplay by Bernard Schubert. Based on a story by Rex Beach. MY DEAR MISS ALDRICH M.S.M. Rating; **. ft HH §§• xx. oo. Catchlines: "She knew everything about school teaching — but he taught her a few lessons in love." “In accepting a newspaper job, she inherited trouble which was smoothed out in a romance.' THE STORY: Maureen O'Sullivan inherits a large newspaper and arrives In New York with Edna May Oliver. PIdgeon, managing editor, meets them at the train and immediately falls in love with Maureen. She believes In equality for women and when she obtains a scoop for the paper, Pidgeon breaks his pledge of not hiring women and gives her a job. She is made prisoner when she follows up a story and is rescued only by the unfailing efforts of Edna and Pidgeon. With the story in print, Maureen, proving her point, settles her mind on romance. CREDITS: The Cast: Maureen O'Sullivan, Wal ter Pidgeon, Edna May Oliver, Janet Beecher, Rita Johnson, Brent Sargent, J. Farrell MacDonald and others. Produced by Lou Ostrow. Directed by George Seitz. Original story and screenplay by Herman Mankiewicz. LOVE ON TOAST Paramount Rating: **. tt Hit §§■ x. oo. Catchlines: “A whizz at engineering others' love affairs — but she couldn't manage her own." THE STORY: Payne, a soda jerk, enters and wins the contest, engineered by Stella Ardler, publicity director for a soup company. Payne doesn't want to play ball, but does so when Stella hints she thinks he's yellow. Picking Catherine Kane as "Miss Brooklyn," he is ready to marry her when he thinks Stella loves Richards. After many ups and downs, Payne and Stella discover they're meant tor each other. CREDITS: TheCast: John Payne, Stella Ardler, Lu is Alberni, Catherine Kane. Grant Richards and others. Produced by Emanuel Cohc”. Directed by E. A. Dupont. Original screenplay by Richard Connell, Jane Storm and Doris Malloy. LIVE. LOVE AND LEARN M.G.M. Rating: **. ft U §• xx. oo. Catchlines: "His was a whirlwind courtship — but she did all the wooing." "She was willing to let bygones be bygones — but she didn't intend to let her man get away." THE STORY: Montgomery, penniless young art ist, marries Rosalind Russell and they set up housekeeping in his studio with Benchley, Montgomery's boon companion. A visit from Woolley to Montgomery's studio results in an overnight rise to riches for the young artist. Rosalind and Benchley's efforts from then on are concentrated on the task of keeping sudden affluence from ruining Montgomery, a task which is complicated by the efforts of Helen Vinson to take Montgomery away from Rosalind. The story ends with the trio reunited. CREDITS: The Cast: Robert Montgomery, Ros alind Russell, Robert Benchley, Helen Vinson, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, William Henry, Monty Woolley and others. Produced by Harry Rapf. Directed by George Fitzmaurice. Screenplay by Marion Parsonnet, Charles Brackett, and 'Vincent Lawrence. Original by Helen Grace Carlyle. HEART OF THE ROCKIES Republic Rating: *. ft HH §§• *x. oo. Catchlines; "A crafty gang covered up their rustling with the aid of bear tracks." "Her kinsmen were using her as a tool to trick her friends." THE STORY: Livingston, Corrigan and Terhune believe their cattle are being killed by bears from the National Park. Livingston prevents McGowan from marrying off his stepdaughter and she and her little brother, McKim, become fast friends of the three men. McKim breaks his leg and beside the marks of his crutches bear tracks are found. They learn it is McKim's pet bear tracks and that his father is using this as an excuse to steal the cattle. After many bloody battles, McGowan and his gang are proven guilty of rustling the boys' cattle. CREDITS: The Cast: Robert Livingston, Ray Corrigan, Max Terhune, Lynn Roberts, Sammy McKim, J. P. McGowan, Yakima Canutt, Hal Taliaferro and others. Associate Producer Sol C. Seigel. Directed by Joseph Kane. Screenplay by Jack Natteford and Oliver Drake. Original Story by Bernard McConville. BLONDE DYNAMITE Universal Rating: *. t HH §§• xx. oo. "She offered her love and support in the long climb back up the ladder of success." THE STORY: After letting success go to his head and believing he is too good to train for his fights. Beery, Jr., meets Dorothea Kent, a gold-digging actress who persuades him to marry her. He forgets Nan Grey, the girl who loves him, and neglects his manager, Gargan. Returning from his honeymoon, he loses his most important fight. While Beery is in the depths of despair, Gargan's friendship for him revives and Nan is persuaded that only she can restore Beery's self-respect. CREDITS: The Cast: Noah Beery, Jr., William Gargan, Dorothea Kent, Nan Grey, Rowland Drew and others. Produced by E. ‘M. Asher. Directed by Milton, Carruth. Screenplay by Lester Cole. Original by W. R. Burnett. LOOK OUT MR. MOTO 20th Century-Fox Rating: **. ftt HH §§• xx. oo. Catchlines: "Mild little Mr. Moto takes to adventure in the jungles of Indo-China." "Her plane crashed in the Indo-China jungles — and she into the arms of love." THE STORY; While investigating an uprising of the natives, Rochelle Hudson meets Lorre, a Japanese archaeologist, and two newsreel cameramen, Kent and Chandler. Soon her mission is discovered and only thru the efforts of Kent and a high priest is she saved from death. After many harrowing events the high priest is revealed as Lorre, also on the same mission as Rochelle. The four return to civilization, but Rochelle and Kent make it their honeymoon CREDITS: The Cast: Peter Lorre, Rochelle Hud son, Robert Kent, J. Edward Bromberg, Chick Chandler, George Regas, Fredrik Vogeding and others. Produced by Sol M. Wurtzel. Directed by Norman Foster. Screenplay by Lou Breslow and John Patrick. Original story by Willis Cooper and Norman Foster. WOMEN OF THE NIGHT Columbia Rating: *. tt. HH. §. *• oo. Catchlines: "Her doom was sealed till a G-Man battled his way to her rescue." "Being a girl friend to a G-Man had its compensations— even though it was risky business." THE STORY: To check on his suspicions of Hicks and the disappearance of several hundred girls, Terry, a secret aide for the governor, opens a dance hall in competition with Hicks. Jacqueline Wells, his girl friend, obtains a job in Hicks' place to get information. Their real purpose is soon discovered and Terry is taken for a ride but with the help of a secret agent, overpowers the gangsters and arrives in time to save Jacqueline. With the gangsters taken care of, Jacqueline and Terry are free to marry. CREDITS: The Cast: Don Terry, Jacqueline Wells, Arthur Loft, Rita Hayworth, Thurston Hall, Russell Hicks, Louise Stanley, Paul Fix and others. Associate Producer Ralph Cohn. Directed by C. C. Coleman, Jr. Screenplay by Robert Cohen. Story by Leslie White. ARIZONA GUNFIGHTER Republic Rating: *: ft H1I §§• x. oo. Catchlines: "The outlaw trails are made safe thru fearlessness and courage of a gun-totin' westerner." "Patience had its reward — she not only found her father — but a sweetheart as well." THE STORY: Avenging the murder of his father, Steele is forced to flee for his own life and is rescued by Adams, leader of a notorious gang of outlaws. Adams disbands his gang and makes them swear they will never ride outlaw trails again. He gives Steele a ranch and disappears. Steele meets and falls in love with Jean Carmen. The gang is soon riding again but Adams is not the leader. Steele finds Adams and they set out on their mission to track down the gang. They succeed and return to Jean, who recognizes Adams as her father. CREDITS: The Cast: Bob Steele, Jean Carmen, Ted Adams, Ernie Adams, Lew Meehan, Steve Clark and others. Produced by A. W. Hackel. Directed by Sam Newfleld. Original story by Harry F. Olmsted. Screenplay by George H. Plympton.