Hollywood Spectator (Apr-May 1939)

too much of a liberty, even for a musical. Musical Direction Able Cfl Kent Taylor gives a lithe and whimsical performance as the tourist, and Marla Shelton is decorative as the senorita. Erie Kenton’s direction is satisfactory. The best technical contribution is that of Victor Young’s, who has handled the music capably. Evidences of a limited budget are to be seen in the staging, though one or two of the sets are expansive and generously peopled. The stepped-up photography, resorted to during Bobby’s motorcycle episodes, is a slapstick device, and cheapens a picture. A noticeably poor piece of editing comes at the very end, when three performers assume a seated pose between one note of a song and another. The fault may lie in the shooting, of course. If you are a devotee of Bobby Breen’s singing, you will get a good deal of it here, much of it in the Spanish language. The lad assumes a Spanish accent too, and with humorous effect. 7'he story is acceptable for a musical, the staging adequate for a lower budget film. Detective-Fiance Again Outwitted PRIVATE DETECTIVE, a First National Picture Associate producer Bryan Foy Screen play Earle Snell, Raymond Schrock From a story by Kay Krause Director Noel Smith Director of photography Ted McCord, A.S.C. Art director Stanley Fleischer Film editor Harold McLernon Cast: Jane Wyman, Dick Foran, Gloria Dickson, Maxie Rosenbloom, John Ridgely, Morgan Conway, John Eldredge, Joseph Crehan, William Davidson, Vera Lewis, Julie Stevens, Jack Mower, Henry Blair, Earl Dwire, Willie Best. Reviewed by Bert Harlen OTHING out of the ordinary, but a lively tempoed little picture, with fairly good playing. A murder mystery, the film is competently plotted, and considerable suspense is realized here and there. The ingredients are familiar, of course, about a young woman detective who consistently outwits her boy friend, a police detective, assigned to the same case — a la Torchy Blaine. That he could retain any love for her after being made a thorough dunce of, is indeed testimony to the efficacy of Cupid’s dart. There are a few little holes to be poked in the yarn if you want to take the trouble, but you are not supposed to be that critical. The offering will be shown in conjunction with a better grade of film, and the production theory behind this one apparently is that you cannot expect too much at bargain prices. Jane Wyman has made noticeable strides in the art of Thespis since I last saw her. It is a good comedy performance she gives here, scintillating and assured, a factor that does much to make acceptable the supreme cleverness of the girl she portrays. Dick Foran spends most of his time being chagrined, is efficient at it. Gloria Dickson’s dramatic performance would have been improved by the absence of the long artificial eyelashes and a more judicious use of the grease pots. She does not seem like the same actress who recently gave such a genuine portrayal opposite John Garfield. Director Noel Smith's scenes are rather well worked out. Bryan Foy has not stinted on the staging. There is much of background music. The sets are elegant indeed. The yarn, incidentally, came from Kay Krause, and was screenplayed by Earle Snell and Raymond Schrock. A detective yarn of B grade, as good as the run of them. Romantic Indeed Is The Cisco Kid THE CISCO KID AND THE LADY Twentieth Century-Fox Associate producer John Stone Director Herbert I. Leeds Screen play Frances Hyland Original story Stanley Rauh Suggested by the character, "The Cisco Kid," created by William Sydney Porter (O. Henry). Art direction Richard Day, Chester Gore Director of photography Barney McGill, A.S.C. Film editor Nick De Maggio Musical direction Samuel Kaylin Cast: Cesar Romero, Marjorie Weaver, Chrispin Martin, George Montgomery, Robert Barrat, Virginia Field, Harry Green, Gloria Ann White, John Beach, Ward Bond, J. Anthony Hughes, James Burke, Harry Hayden, James Flavin, Ruth Warren. Reviewed by Bert Harlen SOMEWHAT glorified Western The characters are more rounded than in the run of such operas, situations are cleverer, there is a good deal of humor, but at heart 7 he Cisco Kid and the Lady is thoroughly loyal to the ridin' and shootin’ genre. It has that frank dedication to heroics and excitements which is a prepossessing quality in the Western. There are numerous little liberties taken with verisimilitude, but they will not bother you if you are in the spirit of the thing: and you will probably come around. The piece is as romantic and gusty a yarn as you will have seen. Stanley Rauh has wound a highly eventful tale about the O. Henry character and Frances Hyland has got all the robustness and humor into the screen play, perhaps added some. The appellation “skunk” flies freely. Cfl A more glamorous Kid than any of his predecessors emerges, a sort of superman as adept at the tango as at intrique and as facile at love-making as at song, a thoroughly keen, accomplished, and irresistible fellow. Quite a man. Cesar Romero is wholly equal to the task of embodying all the Kid’s attributes. It is an easy, graceful performance. If at times he comes perilously close to unctuousness, it is largely because the part is too heavily loaded with elan and fervor. The role would probably benefit by letting the fellow experience some heavier emotions. Unalloyed debonairness and cleverness can become a bit cloying. There is a substantial supporting cast. Marjorie Weavor does engagingly what she has to do. She should not noticeably have penciled her eyes, though: school mams in those days didn t. Claudette Colbert presents us with the same anachronism as a pioneer woman in Drums Along the Mohawk. She Succumbs Too CJ Impressively tempestuous is Virginia Field as a fiery and seasoned cabaret entertainer who melts as readily as have a legion of others before the fervid “line” of the Kid. At the concluding fade-out she rides after him, and the two disappear into the sunset together, along with Chris-Pin Martin. Maybe the three are to be seen in further operas. Chris-Pin Martin has never been more spontaneously amusing than here. There is humor in Robert Barrat's typification of the stock handlebar-mustached villain. George Montgomery is satisfactory, needs a little more experience. Considerable of the flavor and humor of the show is traceable to the direction of Herbert Leeds, perhaps the best work he has done. One of his most responsive players, incidentally, is a baby, Gloria Ann White by name, who is prominently cast and frequently captivating. Scenic investiture is colorful, photography good. In fact, Cinematographer Barney McGill rates a plum for an extraordinary composition shot in which the baby, in the middle of a road, is Eye.? Examined AND Glasses Fitted DEVER D. GRAY, OPT. D. ...OPTOMETRIST... 1725 North Highland Avenue Hollywood, California HEmpstead 8438 DECEMBER 9, 1939 PAGE NINE