Hollywood Spectator (Apr-May 1939)

cerning. there is a difference between acting and acting up. Salty Language Not Missed •I Betty Field, the young wife, characterizes vividly, though some of her scenes might have been modified slightly without loss of vividness. The same could be said for Roman Bohnen, though his performance as the old fellow is certainly touching. Charles Bickford. Bob Steele, and others of the cast do well. One does not miss the salty language of the book and play. The cinema medium emphasizes other elements with compensating effect. It would have been more artistic treatment if the speech of Candy’s about once visiting "a dance hall" had been altered entirely instead of being left with ambiguous sense. Director Milestone has handled the scene of the girl’s murder remarkably well, better, in fact, than I had imagined it could be done on the screen, terrible but not repulsive. Only her feet are shown, raised from the ground during the incident. Then her body slumps. Musical Score a Big Asset •I Another good directorial touch is having characters disappear behind a barn and emerge again on the other side, their conversation unbroken, though some greater care could have been given the relationship between the volume of the voices and their distance from the camera. The opening of the film, incidentally, sets some kind of a record with respect to preludes of action before a title and credits appear. An entire episode is enacted before the title comes. Art direction by Nicolai Remisoff is of a high order, as is the photography of Norbert Brodine, with special effects by Roy Seawright. Still, I question the use of the sepia tone film, or at least such an intensity of the tone. Seems to me it gets in the way of illusion, making us now and then conscious of the mechanics by which the drama is being presented. Moreover, the play is sufficiently heavy of mood without it. Aaron Copland has written a musical score that is an integral part of the drama and which, imaginatively conducted by Irvin Talbot, does much to build the dramatic effectiveness of many scenes. I encountered Dr. Ussher in the lobby afterwards, who seemed much pleased over this phase of the production and doubtless will write something about it. Very substantial cinema, forceful of theme, vivid in characterization. Excellently. though not superbly, done. Study groups will find considerable to opine about in the treatment of the material, especially with respect to the heavy reliance on the stage production for the screen play and in the performances. Not objectionable for the chil dren on moral grounds, but there are happier subjects for young minds to contemplate. Crooked-Nice Hero Seems Out-Of-Date RAFFLES, United Artists Producer Samuel Goldwyn Director Sam Wood Screen play by: John Van Druten, Sidney Howard. Based upon "The Amateur Cracksman," by E. W. Hornung. Cinematographer Gregg Toland, ASC Art director James Basevi Musical director Victor Young Film editor Sherman Todd Cast: David Niven, Olivia DeHavilland, Dame May Whitty, Dudley Digges, Douglas Walton, Lionel Pape, E. E. Clive, Peter Godfrey, Margaret Seddon, Gilbert Emery, Hilda Plowright, Vesey O'Davoren, George Cathrey, Keith Hitchcock. Reviewed by Bert Harlen 4S SMOOTHLY running, subtle, and suspensive a piece of filmic detective machinery as you will have seen, but I, for one, could not get a great deal of theatric satisfaction out of it. With all the chaos, slaughter, and misery now rampant in the world as a result of disregard for law, I found it just a bit annoying to be asked again to take an interest in a crook who is really a nice fellow. This type of character, however successful in the past, seems out of joint with present audience psychology. This is my impression. If you are an individual for whom gentlemen crooks still hold a fascination, you certainlv will be charmed by Mr. Raffles, who is olayed with the nth degree of finesse by David Niven. However deftly screen-played by John Van Druten and Sidney Howard, the story is without the asset of originality. Whether E. W. Hornung’s The Amateur Cracksman has been done before on the screen I cannot recollect, but the incidents have a reminiscent ring and some of the byplay consists in cliches, to-wit, “Won’t you be seated?” after the detective has already sat down. He Has No Bid for Sympathy •J Cons’derable endeavor is made to humanize Raffles, bestowing him with a conscience, having him charitable to old ladies, having him resolve to sin no more upon learning of a fair one’s care for him, but I was not convinced, nor. what is more, even inclined to accept the fellow. I was. as stated, a bit annoyed at being asked to accept his disregard for law as glamorous. I am not saying that all crook-heroes are washed up. But Raffles has no bid for our sympathy. He does not come from under-privileged stock; he is a gentleman with a good education and excellent contacts and perfectly able to earn an honest living. Be that as it may, Sam Goldwyn has given the : u -n. The backg, . • am Wood’s directic,. „ a De Havilland plays v pecting sweetheart of the ver mce-fellow-crook, and Dame May Whitty and Dudley Digges perform skilfully, as do several fellow members of the cast. A deftly done crook drama, but the hero-crook seems a little outmoded and a little irritating, what with the results of disregard for law tragically evident in the world today. Powerful Picture PCith Poor Title THOU SHALT NOT KILL. Republic Pictures Associate producer Robert North Director John H. Auer Screen play Robert Presnell Original story George Carleton Brown Production manager A1 Wilson Photographer Jack Marta Supervising editor Murray Seldeen Film editor Ernest Nims Art director John Victor Mackay Musical director . Cy Feuer Cast: Charles Bickford, Owen Davis, Jr., Doris Day, Paul Guilfoyle, Granville Bates, Charles Waldron, Sheila Bromley, George Chandler, Charles Middleton, Emmett Vogan, Leona Roberts, Ethel May Halls, Edmund Elton, Elsie Prescott. Reviewed by Robert Joseph AN UNFORTUNATE title spoils an /i otherwise splendid picture turned out by Republic Pictures. Here is an effort that tackles a religious problem of the Confessional without getting mawkish and sentimental — the usual approach of most pictures with a religious theme. I hou Shalt Not Kill emerges as a powerful picture of small town life through the efforts of Charles Bickford as the kindly and understanding Reverend Chris, and Owen Davis, Jr. as the town rowdy who comes to a full realization of his position in the community. Paul Guilfoyle turns in an admirable performance as a real murderer whose conscience torments him. Sheila Bromley is a fine and capable actress who should go far. She made a very unsympathetic part real. Doris Day shows her lack of experience, but more action before the camera should make her a fine actress. Good Direction Director John Auer did a creditable job on this picture, and turned in a moving film. He seems to have been hampered by some roughish cutting by Murray Seldeen, and his story does not flow as smoothly as it might have with additional paring here and there. This is no reflection of the director's work, but rather an indication of the cutter’s haste in turning out his work. The dissolves and wipes might have been made to better advantage and overlong scenes might have been clipped at the propitious dramatic moment. Auer gave the editor the material: but he didn't see it. RAGE EIGHT HOLLYWOOD SPECTATOR