Hollywood Spectator (1938)

Hollywood Spectator Page Seven its young author that I spoke to some producers about him and wrote things about him for the Spec¬ tator. But Andy proved to be ahead of his times. He thought purely in motion picture terms, in terms of the fundamentals of Hollywood’s business, and in Hollywood that is not done even yet by those in control of the film industry’s destinies. However, in Bill Le Baron Andy finally found someone who could see that the young fellow had something, and Stolen Heaven is evidence both of Bill’s judgment and the wisdom of it. What I cannot understand about the whole thing is why it took a major studio so long to discover what was so obvious to me eight or nine years ago. But what matters now is that young Stone has been given his opportunity and has availed himself of it in a most satisfactory manner. Music Is Part of Story . . . ONCE before Andy made a picture in which music was an integral part of the story. It was The Girl Said No, which made generous use of the Gilbert words and the Sullivan music. In Stolen Heaven he advances his conception of screen music one step far¬ ther towards its ultimate fulfilment — a step already far in advance of that taken by any other director, but only hinting at what we may expect from him. In Stolen Heaven, Andy has wedded an ordinary crook drama to the music of Strauss, Liszt, Chopin, Grieg and Moszkowski. That is what, when I first met him, he told me he wanted to do — to make music a story element, to introduce it at intervals to advance the story, not as interpolated numbers of value to the picture only to the extent of their musi¬ cal worth. For instance, Liszt’s Second Hungarian Rhapsody has been given a visual setting, whether or not it is what the composer may have imagined when he composed the music, being a matter of no concern. Stone keeps it within the story by having the principal actors in sight throughout the entire presentation of the number. While we listen to the music we see the story being advanced by the people involved in it, thus keeping alive our interest in the plot. Is a Refreshing Departure . . . HE most striking example of Stone’s union of music and cinema is the treatment of Liszt’s Liebestraum in the closing sequence. Lewis Stone, play¬ ing a once world famous concert pianist, has been deluded into the belief that in his old age he still is great. His return to the concert stage is announced and a large number of admirers assemble for his first concert. The drama of his appearance is woven clev¬ erly into the crook story, suspense being created by speculation as to whether he will display his old time mastery of the piano. Thus we have a great musical number, entertaining on its own account, becoming a dramatic incident in the forward progression of an ordinary crime drama which gets its chief value as screen entertainment from its association with some of the world’s greatest music. That surely is a de¬ parture, and it comes at a time when the motion picture screen is badly in need of a few new ideas. How the picture will appeal to the general public is something the box-office will have to demonstrate, but it is one everyone engaged in a creative branch of picture production most certainly should see. From Motion Picture Standpoint . . . EAVING to Dr. Ussher the task of discussing Stolen Heaven from the standpoint of the music it contains (page 12), and regarding it purely as a motion picture designed to catch the popular fancy, I find myself at a loss. Certainly I advise you to see it. Olympe Bradna alone makes it worthwhile. She is the girl who played opposite George Raft in Souls At Sea and had a small part in some other Holly¬ wood-made picture. Young, beautiful, talented, she seems to have everything which makes for success. The perfect synchronization of her action and Franchia White’s voice in several singing numbers, will earn for her a reputation as a vocalist of out¬ standing merit. Gene Raymond was not the best choice for the leading male role, a part demanding a greater emotional range than he has at his command. Lewis Stone gives a beautiful performance as the old musician. All the other members of the cast prove acceptable, Andrew Stone’s direction of the action demonstrating his possession of a dramatic sense to add to his ideas regarding the use of music. Eve Greene and Frederick Jackson had no easy task to perform in writing the screen play to bring in smoothly all the different elements, but they suc¬ ceeded admirably. To Hans Dreier and his associates in the art department go praise for an unusually at¬ tractive production. The dances staged by the cap¬ able Le Roy Prinz also are an outstanding feature of the picture. FRANK TUTTLE DELIVERS . . . # DOCTOR RHYTHM; Paramount release of Emanuel Cohen production; directed by Frank Tuttle; screen play by Jo Swerling and Richard Connell; from the story "The Badge of Policeman O'Roon," by O. Henry; associate producer. Her¬ bert Polesie; sketch "Double Damask Napkin/' by Dion Titheradge; musical direction. George Stoll; music and lyrics by John Burke and James V. Monaco; arrangements. John Scott Trotter; dance ensembles. Jack Crosby; photography, Charles Lang; art direction, Wiard Ihnen; wardrobe, Basia Bassett; assistant director, Russell Matthews. Cast: Bing Crosby, Mary Carlisle, Beatrice Lillie, Andy Devine, Rufe Davis, Laura Hope Crews, Fred Keating, John Hamilton, Ster¬ ling Holloway, Henry Wadsworth, Franklin Pangbom, Harold Minjir, William Austin, Gino Corrado, Harry Stubbs, Frank Elliott, Charles Moore. XCELLENT entertainment. The script gave Frank Tuttle an opportunity to display in his direction the lively sense of humor which makes his pictures outstanding. Good taste is another charac¬ teristic of his interpretation of a script, and his long experience as a director in the silent era developed in him a sense of visual values which makes each of his talkies a nearer approach to the true motion picture than most of his contemporaries are attaining. Doc¬ tor Rhythm was designed only to amuse, and Frank makes it vastly amusing. It trips along gaily from beginning to end, with never a dull moment and