Motion Picture (Feb-Jul 1932)

TABLOID REVIEWS CURRENT PICTURES AT A GLANCE Alias the Doctor — If you can believe that a man could live a false and tortured life to save another man from ruin, you will call this latest Richard Barthelmess picture good drama (F. X Almost Married— The sexy title hides an exciting melodrama about a young couple who risk their and save them — by posing as man and wife. Well acted by Violet Heming and Alexander Kirkland (Fox). Arsene Lupin — With neither "stealing" the picture from the other, John and Lionel Barrymore treat you to an amusing melodrama — with John playing a smooth crook and Lionel a smooth detective (M-G-M I. The Beast of the City— As the title tells you, he's a gangster \Jean Hersholt). and he and the Beast of the City. Walter Huston, have a battle to the death. A sermon in pictures (M-G-M). Behind the Mask — The title sounds like a title for a serial, and the plot follows serial lines — being about dope smugglers and narcotic agents, with Jack Holt and Boris Karloff as good as they should be (Col.). The Blonde Captive — The melodramatic tag hardly tells you that this is an easygoing photographic record of an expedition in search of living types of prehistoric man. For natural history' students (W. M. Pizor). Broken Lullaby — Formerly "The Man I Killed," this is one of the best anti-war pictures yet produced — and would have been better if Phillips Holmes had been less wooden as the remorseful French soldier. Lionel Barrymore, as the German father, steals the picture (Par.). Business and Pleasure — A disappointing screen version of Tarkington's "The Plutocrat." with Will Rogers a Yankee razor-blade magnate among the unshaved sheiks of Turkey. It could have been much funnier (Fox). Cheaters at Play — After the fashion of "Transatlantic," this is another crook melodrama — and a good one — laid aboard a steamship. Thomas Meighan, James Kirkwood and William Bakewell are involved (Fox). Cock of the Air — The title refers to Chester Morris, a cocky young American aviator, who proves to Billie Dove that all's fair in love and war. Nonsense— but first-class nonsense (U. A.). Dance Team — From beginning to end. this amusing, true-ft>-life saga of a small-time hoofer and his mate has everything it should have — including James Dunn and Sally Eilers (Fox). By J. E. R. Joe E. Brown, a threefold hero in "Fireman, Save My Child," is teased by both Lilian Bond and Evalyn Knapp Victor McLaglen sees eye-to-eye with Helen Mack in making the shadows exciting in "While Paris Sleeps" Hotel Continental — Like "Grand Hotel." this is a vivid cross-section of life, except that the setting is American and the characters are more normal. Peggy Shannon is prominent in the proceedings (Tiffany). Murders in the Rue Morgue — You'll find little of Edgar Allen 1'oe's original horror classic in this picture, but it still may give you a gasp or two. Bela Lugosi and Sidney Fox are prominent in it (Univ.). No One Man — Another story' about a playgirl (Carole Lombard) who can't decide which suitor she prefers — given a better production than it deserves. It also boasts one of the longest kisses on record (Par.). Panama Flo — This might have been called, "A Hard-Boiled Innocent," for Helen Twelvetrees leads a life of misadventures, yet remains as pure as the driven snow. Exciting, but seldom convincing (RKO-Pathe). The Passionate Plumber — Hiring out as a gigolo to Irene Purcell, plumber Buster Keaton proceeds to fall in love and make countless other comical mistakes. In this Gilbert Roland returns to the screen (M-G-M). Polly of the Circus — A talkie revival, with Marion Davies and Clark Gable, of the story about the circus star and the young minister who fell in love, almost ruining his career. Always interesting (M-G-M). The Scar — Once known as "Scarface" and "The Shame of a Nation." this tells you all you need to know about the character of a gang leader, played to a turn by Paul Muni. It carries a real punch (U. A.). Service for Ladles — If you have missed Leslie Howard from the screen (and who hasn't ?). you'll be glad to know that he's the star of this English-made film, playing a head waiter who's an amusing Don Juan (Par.). The Silent Witness — An unusual story, in which you think you know the murderer, see another man (Lionel Atwill) taking the blame, and get a surprise in the last few feet. You'll like newcomer Atwill (Fox). Sky Devils — Bill Boyd and Spencer Tracy, tired of being nursemaids to artillery mules, bluff their way into the air corps. Rough, but funny war comedy, with some spectacular aviation (U. A.). The Struggle — What can drink do to a poor working-man (like Hal Skelly) ? D. W. Griffith, turning reformer, proceeds to show you — but overdoes it (U. A.). Taxi! — A swell little picture, with James Cagney being belligerently Irish as a cab driver who breaks up a taxi racket with his flying fists and a barrage of telling wisecracks (W. B.). The Expert — Chic Sale goes to the big city to live with his daughter and son-in-law — and gives you a great characterization of an old man who is "expert" at doing unappreciated things (W. B.). The Final Edition — After editor Pat O'Brien fires reporter Mae Clarke, she goes out and solves a gangland murder — and shows him his mistake. First-rate newspaper melodrama, with the action fast (Col.). Fireman, Save My Child — Joe E. Brown is kept busy in this — playing not only a fireman, but an inventor and a baseball pitcher. One of his funniest efforts to date (F. N.). Freaks — The king of all the shudder pictures — a morbid, exaggerated story about the misshapen beings of a circus sideshow, and the revenge they take against the strong man and the trapeze artiste (M-G-M). The Greeks Had a Word for Them — If you want to singe your Aunt Nellie's ears, take her to see Ina Claire, Madge Evans and Joan Blondell as three amusing and incurable gold-diggers. It was even funnier before the censors did their worst (U. A.). Hell's House — Junior Durkin gets sent to reform school for chumming with a bootlegger (Pat O'Brien), and if you believe what you see, you'll take a bitter dislike to reform schools. Strong stuff (B. F. Ziedman). The Impatient Maiden — Mae Clarke wants to marry Lew Ayres. who's a young hospital interne, but almost lets her love for him cheat both of them of happiness. A gripping, well-told love story (Univ.). Ladies of the Jury — Imagine Edna May Oliver (and her sniff!) serving on a jury, and you can imagine what happens in this comedv, which is whimsical and different (RKO). Law and Order — This details — without any bothersome love interest — the shoot-'em-up exploits of one "Saint" Johnson (Walter Huston), who cleans up the toughest town in the West. A rip-roarin' Western (Univ.). Lovers Courageous — Thanks to their sense of humor, Robert Montgomery and Madge Evans manage to make their marriage a success, despite hard luck and hard parents. This picture has that rare thing, charm (M-G-M i. The Man Who Played God — One of the year's best performances is turned in by George Arliss, as a famous musician who goes deaf and turns against God, until he starts "playing God." himself (W. B.). The Menace — One of the late Edgar Wallace's many thrillers, about a "dead" man who comes back, made into a fairly creepy movie with H. B. Warner and Walter Byron (Col.). The Texas Gun-Fighter — Ken Maynard, who used to be a bandit, is elected sheriff of Silver City, and then the silver disappears. He clears himself with a good hand-to-hand fight. Grade A Western (Tiffany). Tomorrow and Tomorrow — The narrow-minded won't approve of the way Ruth Chatterton deceives her husband (the late Robert Ames), with Paul Lukas, but others will find this a poignant story'. well acted (Par.). Union Depot — A kaleidoscope of life, with the setting a big and exciting railroad terminal. The chief characters are a young tramp (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) and a stranded chorus girl (Joan Blondell) (F. N-). Wayward — As in "The Devil's Holiday," Nancy Carroll marries a man whose family tries to wreck the marriage — but things drag this time. This, however, is not the fault of Nancy or Richard Aden (Par.). While Paris Sleeps — It's about time we had another melodrama about the underworld of Paris, and here is a good one — with Victor McLaglen and a promising newcomer named Helen Mack (Fox). The Wiser Sex — To save her lover (Melvyn Douglas) from the electric chair, Claudette Colbert trails that smooth pair, Lilyan Tashman and William Boyd. Good crook melodrama (Par.). 15