The Hollywood Reporter (Jan-Jun 1933)

March 2. 1933 THE^gUoCfc IlilPOiTit Page Three 'NOT MARRYING KIND' POOR •IITH COMMANDMENT WEAK Suitable Only For Double Bills Yarn Kills Efforts Of Cast, Director ■NOT THE MARRYING KIND" MCM Direction Tod Browning Original Story John W. McDermott Screen Play Karl Brown, Ralph Wheelwright Dialogue Laurence Stallings Photography Peverell Mar ley Cast: John Gilbert. Robert Armstrong. Mae Clarke. Muriel Krrkland, Vince Barnett, Sterling Halloway. Robert Burns. Warner Richmond, Virginia CHerrill. Muriel Evans. Guy Usher, "Not the Marrying Kind" (formerly titled "Rivets"! is as empty as the skeleton of the skyscraper upon which much of the picture's action ensues. It is a picture in which only two or three scenes of its entire length are worth the celluloid which was used to film them. Paradoxically, the theme is as down to earth as one could possibly get. yet except for a few feet out of several thousand, the picture is pervaded with an air of artificiality that prevents story, actors and situations from even for a moment getting under the audience skin. The yarn is one of a group of riveters at work and play, and, with no originality whatever, concerns itself principally with two pals whose attitude toward the fair sex is defensive to say the least. Their ■'story" is of the Lowe-McLaglen, Craves-Holt variety— with little variety, jack Gilbert is the audacious one who proceeds to prove to Bob Armstrong that each girl Bob is about to marry just another tart. Bob finally falls for and marries Gilbert's favorite lady of the evening, and, when he finds he's been gypped, attempts to murder his pal at his riveting. Gilbert lives. Armstrong repents and the gal goes merrily on to the next riveting job, presumably still following Gilbert — the guy she really loved, anyway. Before any story development is reached, there are reels of small talk between the riveters at lunch, the riveteers in speakeasies, the riveters at cards. Riveters may talk, work and play like that — but we don't believe it — and neither will an audience. The palaver just doesn't ring true The first half of the film is made up almost entirely of scenes which are usually used just for "padding." They are cheap, sordid and meaningless. Most of the comedy is dragged in by the w. k. heels — and some of it is in atrocious taste. The spectacle of street-chippies and riveters boozing and exchanging gutter-talk is not this reviewer's idea of entertainment — and it is our opinion that the box-office of your theatre will agree with us. There is one point in the picture ^vhere a premise for a swell psychological twist was completely muffed. so that nothing ever really develops in the way of story or sympathetic interest. "Not the Marrying Kind" won't do you or your audience any good — it's a waste of time. The one bright spot in the picture Van Beuren Signs Up Sogolow and McEvoy New York — Sogolow, the famous cartoonist, has signed with the Van Beuren Corporation to do a series of 1 3 animated cartoons. J. P. McEvoy has been signed to do the scripts for all Van Beuren cartoons. RCA Reports Loss For Year $1,133,000 New York. — The Radio Corporation of America reports a net loss, after deducting all charges, of $1,133,000 for the past year. This compares with a profit of $768,000 in 1931. The company's report also states that its investment in Radio-KeithOrpheum is $16,000,000, Cable-Harlow For MCM^Half Married^ y Although several other pictures are waiting for both Clark Gable and jean Harlow. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has decided to use this pair in '■Half Married," a story written by Delmar Daves. The author also did the screen play and dialogue. Edwin Burke Directing Re-takes on 'Broadway' Edwin Burke has moved in to direct retakes of "Walking Down Broadway" for Fox Picture gives Burke, contract writer, an opportunity to direct. Although production of the picture originally was under the supervision of Winfield Sheehan when Eric von Stroheim directed it, Sol Wurtzel is supervising the retaking job. When released, the picture will carry the title of "Hello. Sister." McCuinness To MCM , J, K. McGuinness has been signed to a writing contract at Metro-Goldw^n-Mayer and started there yesterday on a special assignment W. E. Cuts Safaries New York, — Western Electric announced yesterday that a ten per cent cut in the salaries of all employees will become effective April 1 IS a super-swell performance by Mae Clarke. Jack Gilbert and Robert Armstrong banter i n stereotyped form — but it IS no fault of theirs that their efforts were wasted. Sterling Holloway. Muriel Kirkland. Vince Barnett and others are there, but mean nothing, Laurence Stallmgs' dialogue is amusing in spots, and always down to the level of the characters who speak it. Tod Browning's direction adequate "ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT ' Allied Production Produced by M. H. Hoffman Direction ._ George Melford Original Story Brandon Fleming Screen Play Adele Buffi ngton, Kurt Kempler Photography ._ Harry Neumann, Tom Galligan Cast : Marian Marsh, Theodore Von Eltz, Alan Hale, Mane Prevost. Gloria Shea. Arthur Hoyt. William V. Mong, Lee Moran, Ethel Wales, Lyman Williams. Mara Madison, Tom Ricketts, Ruth Cherington. Obviously the stirring impulse to make a picture of the "headline" type prompted the creation of "Eleventh Commandment" The picture shows a praiseworthy, commendable desire to get away from the beaten path. That IS fails to do so IS sincerely regrettable. Basing its theme upon the famous Wendell fortune, it tells a story that slips into the conventional mold, solely because its makers could not divorce themselves entirely from the belief that hokum elements simply had to be dragged in by the pants. The net result IS a series of broken threads that are gathered up finally and sadly into a twisted snarl. Slowly, tediously, tryingly, it struggles to get under way. Over-topped scenes, dragging spots, wasted movement and pointless dialogue cry for the shears. The efforts of a group of people to preserve a girl's happiness are finally revealed, but only after the exertion of abortive labor. None of the cast seemed at all spontaneous in the work. Direction less so. Photography futile. Give It a haircut and a shave in the cutting room, where its dull spots must be clipped and its story tightened, and there will possibly emerge a program picture worthy of a subordinate spot on a twin bill. The exhibitor who goes easy on the promises, will get the most out of it. Raymaker May Do Animal Picture For Van Beuren Herman Raymaker leaves for New York tonight to close negotations with the Van Beuren Corp. to direct a wild animal feature in Central and South America. According to present plans, the expedition will be out at least six months The director recently made "Trailing the Killer." Clendon Allvine Aide To Cooper At Radio Glendon Allvine, for the past five years with Fox and, before that, eight years with Paramount, has been engaged as assistant to Merian C. Cooper, in charge of production at Radio studios, Barbara Leonard Cast Barbara Leonard has been added to the cast of "Adorable" at Fox. That Harry Bannister guy is announcing that his play with everything connected with it is off and that he is going to China to report for the Universal News Service. . . . And speaking of Bannister reminds us of the crack made by that dumb Chorusexy creature at the Hollywood Restaurant. She's English, and she was telling the girls about dear old Lunnon. ... "I had such fun when I was a little girl," she cooed "I used to slide down the BARRISTERS of the Parliament Building, , . , Ruth Etting says she's going out to Howlywood in April. . Grace Lytell gathered a gay party together at 21 to honor Mrs, Richard Wallace. , . . . Gracie is managing the Lucinda Shop with Wilda Bennett. , . . Warners got George Metaxa to sign on the dotted line. , . . Jack Pearl, whose show closed Saturday, goes into the Capitol Helen Morgan is packing them in this week with "Show Boat" and no one has pointed out that it's the first time that a Ziegfeld star has had billing above the name of Ziegfeld, which IS exactly how it stands with the billing now reading. "HELEN MORGAN in ZIEGFELD'S production." , . Phyllis Haver tossed a Sunday supper for Mrs. Ned Marin, who's being tossed about quite a bit. . . . Billy Seeman leaves for some Europeeking Wednesday. . . . It'll be the first time since their marriage that Billy and Phyllis have been separated. The Mayfair is fighting to get the crowds, and succeeding, by pulling stunts. Last week it was a boxing bout with lady contestants, this week Rumsey pulled a raffle. . . . They're telling the tale, around town, of the scenario-editor who recommended the title "Past Passions" on the grounds that it possessed alliteration. . , Which caused his boss to jump up, bang both fists on the desk, and declare that they didn't make pictures for ILLITERATES! . , . Sam Shipman wants Billie Dove to do a play. ... He says he has a swell part for her. , . . And one of the wags is telling folks that Hollywood is a place where they don't NO anything and that success in the picture biz depends on pluck, only you've got to know the right guys to pluck, . . . There are two potential star faces on the local boards. . . One is Milton Le Roy's and the other belongs to Stony Wald. . . . The first IS at the Casino in "Melody" and the second plays Morgan's husband in "Show Boat" at the Capitol. . . Lucky girl, that Morgan. Ancillary Receivers For RKO In New Jersey New York — Samuel Kaufman and the Irving Trust Company were yesterday appointed ancillary receivers for the New jersey assets of the RKO Theatre Operating Corporation.