Modern Screen (Dec 1934 - Nov 1935)

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The story is replete with excitement and laughter and Director William Wyler occasionally stresses pathos by accenting the naivete and sincerity of the refreshing heroine. *** Murder on a Honeymoon (RKO) If the enterprising RKO doesn't arrange to team Edna May Oliver and James Gleason in another as good as this very soon, they are not doing right by the fans. While the story chiefly concerns itself with a murder committed in an airplane, it is the Grade-A comedy rather than the interesting and morbid details of the plot which will thrill you. The principal characters glean almost a laugh a minute through lines and situations. Miss Oliver, you see, is an amateur detective and, while Mr. Gleason rates the status of professional, his "gumshoeing" is more often calculated to warn the criminals than to apprehend them. Of course, although the most unlikely member of the cast is the guilty one, the suspense is maintained until the very last sequence. Besides the expert playing of Miss Oliver and Mr. Gleason, there is an excellent piece of acting turned in by Dorothy Libaire, the bride on her honeymoon. ** Transient Lady (Universal) With a sleepy town of the Old South as a background, this picture ambles along too slowly. There is a thread of plot, but it becomes sadly tangled by darky dialect, illogical love affairs, political skullduggery and some more darky dialect.' The actors, one and all, give convincingperformances, as far as the meandering story will allow. June Clayworth embodies all your ideas of what a charmingsouthern girl should be, and Frances Drake shows possibilities of becoming a comet in the cinema skies, if she is provided with a suitable role. Gene Raymond, as the young lawyer who is torn between two loves and a oolitical machine, does -is well as might be expected under the circumstances. A really humorous touch is given the story by Helen Lowell and Clara Blandick as the strait-laced, kindly spinster sisters. *** Shadow of Doubt (M-G-M) You won't know until the last sequence is run who steals the gun, but you do know before the first reel is over who steals the picture ! She is Constance Collier, famous stage recruit from New York and London, who makes her cinematic bow in this fast-moving mystery which is punctuated with hilarity and murders; yes_, plural, for before it's all over, three bad men and untrue pass on to their doubtful rewards. Miss Collier enacts a testy, rich spinster who plays jazz on the organ, drinks chamoagne in night clubs and disapproves of her nephew's intentions to marry an actress. In a scene in which she pretends to be feeling the effects of a quart of the very best, she solves the guh-rate crime. Yes, the story is a bit hard to swallow, but it's such fun that you somehow get it "down." Ricardo Cortez gives his famous nolished performance as a scion of millions, Virginia Bruce makes a pretty leading woman, Isabel Jewell is as good as usual, and Regis Toomey rates a bow or two. **** Naughty Marietta (M-G-M) When a picture is as good as this one, it is difficult to review. Everything concerning "Naughty Marietta" is well-mgh perfect. The enchanting, lilting Victor Herbert tunes, their delightful renditions by Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, the charming, light story of the naughty, adventurous princess, and the usual fine direction of W. S. Van Dyke. Miss MacDonald looks simply luscious and is in especially good voice. Her acting is deft and sure, and so — let's go on to Mr. Eddy. He has become a sort of "man of the hour" in movies. The concert and opera stages know him well ; the radio, too. And now it is our chance at Mr. Eddy, who has everything it takes, and a little bit more for good measure. The movies gave him the run-around for nearly two years and now they've returned to pray. Do not miss this picture. *** The Wedding Night (Samuel Goldwyn) Insofar as plot is concerned, this story seems like a hangover from the Scott Fitzgerald days, days when the giddy young set tossed off cocktails and highballs, while one in their midst recorded their activities for posterity. Gary Cooper does just that in this picture. He is having a book turned down by a publisher when the film begins to unreel, so he and the lit-tul woman, Helen Vinson, have "another" on the bad news. Because of lack of funds, they move to their Connecticut farm house and, as next-door neighbors, find Anna Sten and her Polish family. Helen departs. Gary remains to work — and love. There is drama — much drama, some of it even great ; all of it truly touching. Somehow one feels that the picture should have been better, that King Vidor did not make the most of his directorial opportunities. Scenes that should have been colorful, somehow are not. Miss Sten's performance is simple and sincere. It is indeed her best work to date. Cooper tries hard, but seems to be too impressed with his surroundings. Helen Vinson is excellent as the rah-rah wife, who learns to appreciate what she has had only after losing it. *** Folies Bergere (Twentieth Century) Glamor, glitter, girls and Chevalier ; that's "Folies Bergere." And let it be said that the gentleman from Paris hasn't fared so well cinematically in many a movie moon. Yes, Maurice has come back and in a sure-fire dual role, which gives him every chance to sing-, clown, act and exude his famous charm. The story is as light and frothy as champagne without the morning-after effect. It's all good fun — most of it clean, too. There are divine dancing routines staged by Dave Gould and peppy melodies and plenty of cuties, for much of the "plot" is laid backstage at France's favorite girl show. Ann Sothern is splendid as the tempestuous dancer in love with the star of the Folies (Chevalier). She doesn't believe in sparing the rod — in this case her small, pink palm — when her sweetie becomes recalcitrant. Merle Oberon, made up to look like a celebration in Chinatown, is seen as the other woman. Wotta woman ! If this is exoticism, let us root for the blue-sashed ingenue. But the picture is fun and exciting and colorful.