Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

June 13, 1931 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 31 Alexander Hamilton (Warner Bros.) Comedy-Drama Reports gained considerable circulation during the filming of "Alexander Hamilton" that both Republican and Democratic parties were closely scrutinizing the development of certain historical characters in the script. It was said that the activities of Hamilton and Thomas Jefi^erson in their political rivalry caused a qualm or two for modern-day party leaders, and that telegrams flew back and forth between political headquarters and Hollywood, each requesting that the producers do right by their historical gentlemen. Finally, to avoid controversy, an entirely fictitious character called "Senator Roberts" was invented. No such politician is known to history, and upon his shoulders fall the villainies of the picture. It is he who "framed" Hamilton much in the way we are told political leaders are framed today. George Arliss makes a character study of the statesman of post-revolutionary days that blends the human and humorous qualities with the more serious side of his nature. The story is told with simplicity and might well be a story of a political intrigue of today were the characters differently costumed. For example, following the prologue in which George Washington says goodbye to his troops, a group of malcontents are pictured at a tavern. Over their drinks they disconsolately discuss "hard times" and "after-the-war depression." The incongruitv' of bewigged men in knee breeches talking in terms one hears daily aroused some of the audience to laughter. Hamilton calls a meeting of Jefferson, Munroe and the fictional "Senator Roberts" to introduce his plan of stabilizing the finances of the new government. As secretary of the treasury he is sponsoring a bill calculated to relieve conditions, but he finds himself politically opposed. Senator Roberts is willing to dicker, though not on terms Hamilton can honorably accept. Hamilton is blunt in calling Roberts a scoundrel and the "Senator" swears vengeance. He obtains his revenge by chicanery. Conniving with a dissolute scamp, he "frames" Hamilton into an affair with a lady while Mrs. Hamilton is visiting a sister in England. Scandal impends and Hamilton is forced to pay blackmail. Meanwhile, however, he has learned to play politics. He proposes a trade with Jefferson and Munroe wherein he will use his influence to establish the nation's Capitol on a spot "near the Potomac" in return for support of his treasury bill. The blackmail scheme nearly ruins his plans at the last moment. Roberts misrepresents Hamilton's reasons for paying hush money and Jefferson and Munroe seem about to withdraw their support. But backed by his courageous wife, Hamilton sacrifices himself and his political career that the country may profit. Upon this note, the picture ends. Doris Kenyon plays the role of the charming and beautiful Mrs. Hamilton. June Collyer is in the role of a siren, an unusual part for her. It is said that Arliss personally urged the casting of Miss Collyer as his conception of Hamilton could not reconcile the idea that an obvious seductress would even vaguely interest the man. Comment was heard on the make up achievement in the case of Arliss as well as the George Washington of Alan Mowbrey. Arliss looks like a man in his early thirties. The preview audience received "Alexander Hamilton" with unmistakable signs of delight. They laughed at Arliss' witicisms, broad or subtle. They sorrowed with him in his setbacks, exulted at his triumphs and applauded his patriotic utterances. Running time, 71 minutes in preview. Produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Based on the play by George Arliss and Mary Hamlin. Adaptation and dialogue by Julian Josephson and Maude Howell. Directed by John Adolphi. Photo graphed by James Van Trees. Film editor, Owen Marks. CAST Alexander Hamilton George Arliss Mrs. Hamilton' Doris Kenyon Senator Roberts Dudley Digges George Washington Alan Mowbray Mr. Reynolds Ralf Harolde Mrs. Reynolds June Collyer Thomas Jefiferson Montagu Love The Man in Possession (M-G-M) Risque Farce ^ "The Man in Possession," previewed at the Criterion in Santa Monica, Cal., received a good reception from an audience that apparently found the performance by Robert Montgomery to its liking. Spicy dialogue is accompanied by swift tempo under the direction of Sam Wood. The locale is London, where Montgomery returns to his family after serving a term in prison for selling property which did not belong to him. His father and brother (C. Aubrey Smith and Reginald Owen) try to persuade him to go to a foreign land,, but Montgomery prefers to stay in England and gets a job as a sheriff's man. His first duties make him "man in possession" at the home of Irene Purcell, poor but beautiful, whom Owen loves. Owen does not know of Montgomery's duties. When Montgomery's family comes to dine, Miss Purcell drafts him to enact the butler role. His family does not acknowledge his identity, nor does he. This provides a situation for comedy, including slapstick. Montgomery has found himself in love with Miss Purcell and declares himself after his family has departed. She reciprocates to a degree. Alan Mowbray, a former suitor, phones and Montgomery tells him that she is out. In the morning Owen comes to the house and Montgomery advises him that Miss Purcell is not wealthy. This is after Owen has paid Montgomery a thousand pounds to leave the country. Then Montgomery informs Miss Purcell of his identity, and the two leave England with the money Owen has given him. All the principals except Montgomery speak with a very pronounced EngHsh accent. Why not Montgomery also? members of the audience asked. Maude Eburne and Forrester Harvey add comedy touches to the picture. Produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Screen adaptation by Sarah Y. Mason. Additional dialogue by Sarah Y. Mason and P. G. Wodehouse. Recording director, Douglas Shearer. Directed by Sam Wood. Art director, Cedric Gibbons. Gowns by Adrian. Photographed by Oliver T. Marsh. Film editor, Ben Lewis. CAST Raymond Dabney Robert Montgomery Clara ..... .... Charlotte Greenwood Crystal Wetherby Irene Purcell Mr. Dabney C. Aubrey Smith ^'•3-, Dabney Beryl Mercer Claude Dabney , Reginald Owen Sir Charles Cartwright Alan Mowbray A ctf -i^/'-A-i. Maude Eburne A Sheriffs Officer Forrester Harvey A Butcher York Sherwood Sweepstakes (RKO Pathe) Comedy-Drama Eddie Quillan, James Gleason and Marion Nixon top the cast in RKO Pathe's "Sweepstakes," previewed at the Belmont theatre in Hollywood. Comment was that "The WhoopDe-Doo Kid," the title under which the picture was made, was more suitable than "Sweepstakes." Quillan is the ranking jockey, Gleason plays the role of a veteran racehorse trainer, and Miss Nixon a night club singer. The jockey, who has a habit of winning races with Six Shooter, is known far and wide for his singing of a "whoop-de-doo" refrain into the ear of his mount. The night club singer is attracted to him, and the jockey, brought up under rigid rules that barred girl affairs, finds he loves her. By a frameup, Quillan is brought unwilling ly under the colors of Miss Nixon's employer, who owns a string of horses. Quillan discovers the trick but is forced to ride the night club owner's horse in the big Handicap against his favorite, Six Shooter. Quillan deliberately yells "whoop-de-doo" down the home stretch and Six Shooter wins. He is suspended, and blames Miss Nixon, thinking she has conspired with her employer. Quillan becomes a drifter and is prohibited from riding at even the lowest type of tracks. Then he becomes a singing waiter in a Tijuana saloon. Here he is found by Gleason, who, with three bartenders — an Irishman, an Italian, and a Chinese — buys Six Shooter. Quillan's suspension is lifted but he refuses to ride again. Suddenly the girl appears on the scene. He discovers she really loved him and she takes the blame for his loss of prestige. The big money race of the season finds Quillan again astride Six Shooter who, with "whoop-de-doo" ringing in his ear, runs away from the other mounts. The final scene shows Quillan and Miss Nixon teaching a curlyhaired youngster how to yell "whoop-de-doo" into the ear of a hobby horse. Lew Cody portrays the night club operator, and Paul Hurst supplies comedy as the Irish bartender. Produced and distributed by RKO-Pathe. Story and adaptation by Lew Dipton. Dialogue by Ralph Murphy. Directed by Al Rogell. Photography by Edward Snyder. Sound engineer, C. O'Laughlin. Film editor, Joe Kane. CAST Bud Doyle Eddie Quillan "Sleepy" Jones James Gleason Babe Ellis Marion Nixon Wally Weber Lew Cody Bartender Paul Hurst Pop Blake Fred Burton Chance of a Night-Time (British and Dominions — Gaumont) Ralph Lynn Again {Comment by W. H. Mooring, London] Take pieces of "Rookery Nook," season with a little "Plunder," turn inside out, mix well together and leave it to brew, then you have "The Chance of a Night-Time." Ralph Lynn was never funnier : he always is funny, and the public expects him to keep it up. But with slight story material of this kind, it is doubtful whether he can hold public favor indefinitely. It will be a pity if Britain waits till he is a fallen idol before giving him just a slightly different story. Here Lynn is a dude lawyer who, while on a professional visit to a country client, gets himself stranded at a wayside railway station. There he meets, falls in love with, and parts from a perky young lady. Later he finds himself at a large country house near by, where he has been erroneously accepted as the male part of a dancing act. He finds that his "station girls" is the femme part, so he decides to go through with the turn. And how ! The real dancer fellow turns up : bogus Bill is exposed and the chase begins. Upstairs, downstairs all over the place time and time again, until our terpsichorean lawyer and his newly found dancing girl make their getaway in the inevitable car. Not even an airplane which would at least have given us a flash of novelty. Laughs are plentiful. As farce goes, it is well produced, and audiences at the Paramount Plaza, London, where the picture has had a successful run, have enjoyed it. Settings are mainly in the studio, and, apart from Winifried Shotter as the dance girl, supporting players are not great. It is a good comedy offering, but cannot stand up to feature rank in the best theatres. With a good dramatic subject co-featuring, or as second, it will be safe anywhere. Certainly Paramount has paid the picture a significant compliment by putting it into the Plaza bill even apart from the fact that the Plaza must take its quota of British films. Produced by British and Dominions Film Corp. Distributed by Gaumont-W. & F. Film Service. Directed by Herbert Wilcox and Ralph Lynn. CAST Ralph Lynn Winifred Shotter Robert Ertglish Kenneth Kove Dino Galvani.