Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1932)

48 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November 5, 1932 (.Continued from page 44) Mile," but little ot trie harslmess and cruelty exposed in "Hell's Highway" and "I Am a Fugitive." Stress the idea of realism, and, if you care to, pound on the angle that this is a realistic inside view of the workings of the world's most famous penal institution. Don't be afraid that there is little that will hold the interest of women, for there is plenty. Also there is nothing that cannot be shown to all but the youngest children. If you have seen "I Am a Fugitive," you can appreciate the quality of Spencer Tracy's acting, inasmuch as it is fully on par with Paul Muni's for effectiveness and pulling his auditors along with him. The story moves rather slowly at first, but once it gets into its real plot, there is enough action, romance and dramatic suspense to hold anybody's interest. — McCarthy, Hollywood. Produced and distributed by Warner-First National. Directed by Michael Curtiz. A screen adaptation of the book of the same title by Warden Lewis E. Lawes. Screen play by Wilson Mizner and Brown Holmes. Photography by Barney McGill. Film editor, George Amy. Art director, Anton Grot. Gowns by OrryKelly. Associate director, Stanley Logan. Release date, December 24, 1932. CAST Tom Connors Spencer Tracy Fay Bette Davis Mr. Long, the warden Arthur Byron Bud Lyle Talbot Dr. Ames Grant Mitchell Hype Warren Hymer Finn Louis Calhern Chief of the guard Edward J. McNamara Billie Sheila Terry Daniels Spencer Charters Warden Long's wife Nella Walker Pete Rockliffe Fellows Pete's girl Lucille Collins Dr. Meeker Arthur Hoyt Black Jack William LeMaire Tony Harold Huber Mike George Pat Collins Norris Clarence Wilson Reporter Jimmie Donlon Here's George ( P. D.C.— British) Broad Comedy 'Way back in the silent days Buster Keaton made a great hit with a rough-stuff comedy centered 'round a house equipped with every conceivable electrically controlled device and a few more besides. Remember it? Well, here's a new picture which exploits the same idea, possibly on more modern lines, but certainly with the same wealth of riotous farce arising out of an accidental mixing of the controls. You don't have to laugh at this kind of thing, you just can't help it, especially when you have a comedian of the calibre of George Clarke to bear the brunt of the fooling. If you don't know George, imagine a Chaplin mustache, a fatuous grin, a pair of astonished eyes with arched brows, and a monocle, and you have the ingredients. The whole welds into a personality of the species whose best known prototype is Claude Allister, though there is a clear distinction between the inanity of the one and the helplessness of the other. Your audience should, in fact, take George to its heart, and you shouldn't have much difficulty in selling him to them. You've plenty of broad comedy to work on, based on the tribulations of George in face of his prospective ma-in-law, with a galaxy of funny situations bursting on the screen in rapid succession, with no respite until the play works out to the essential happy ending. George Clarke, Pat Paterson and Ruth Taylor work harmoniously as a comedy team, and their antics have been assisted by the slick straightforward direction by Redd Davis and the neatly timed editing of Dan Birt. Promise your patrons a good laugh with George ; arouse 'em with a teaser campaign to tell them that George is coming, so that the title "Here's George" is the natural culmination. Tie up with the stores who handle labor-saving devices for the home, working in the comedy angle as far as possible, and make a show of the stills portraying the picture's funny incidents, and you should do the business.— Charman, London. Produced by Tom Arnold in London for P. D. C. Ltd. Directed by Redd Davis. Photographed by Desmond Dickinson. Edited by Dan Birt. Sound engineer, Archie Langridge. Recording by Dallas Bower. Running time, 64 minutes. CAST George Muffit George Clarke Laura Wentworth Pat Paterson Mrs. Wentworth Ruth Taylor Mr. Wentworth Marriott Edgar Commissionaire Syd Crossley Tenant : Alfred Wellesley Estate Agent Victor Fairley Perkins Merle Tottenham Blame the Woman (Principal) Comedy-Drama Produced in England with a capable cast of English players headed by Adolphe Menjou and directed by Fred Niblo, well known as an American director, this picture never becomes too serious, contrives to be amusing in spots, generally reasonably entertaining. It will not do to take the film too seriously. Rather it should be treated lightly in any selling campaign. It is a story of gentleman crooks, with Menjou and Claude Allister as the crooks who have few scruples, ready fingers, and facile tongues. Allister is amusing as the deliberately stupid-appearing and over-accented Londoner, while Menjou is the usual able performer who handles his role with a sure touch. These two names will mean something to the American audience, Menjou, of course, being of real box office caliber as a marquee name. In the feminine lead is Benita Hume, capable and attractive, who works with an ease and naturalness that indicates her ability. The two crooks work their way back to London where Menjou cleverly steals an expensive bracelet and makes good his job through the use of disguise in face, dress and speech. Allister meanwhile has picked up a few loose pound notes. Unfortunately, however, for them, Miss Hume, a nimble-witted crook herself, appropriates the bracelet, and from then on it is an amusing case of crook chase crook, while Scotland Yard chases the first crook, Menjou. The laugh lies in the fact that Menjou is continuously criticizing Allister tor his inability to keep away from women and thereby often having proved their undoing, while he himself is hooked by the pretty Miss Hume and her sad story, into losing the bracelet. To add insult to injury, she permits him to find out that she is going after a certain valuable emerald. He, with Allister's aid, gets it, then Miss Hume's husband steals it back, replaces it with the bracelet, and the last scene shows Menjou and Allister breaking rock in prison uniform. Sell this as lightly diverting fare, with a crook-trick-crook angle emphasized to best advantage. Promise good performances headed by those of Menjou, Allister and Miss Hume, and surround the feature with reasonably strong short subjects. — Aaronson, New York. Produced by Eric Hakim. Distributed by Principal Pictures. Directed by Fred Niblo. Story by Lord Castleross. Release date, October 15. Running time, 74 minutes. CAST Dan Macqueen Adolphe Menjou Joe Fragson Claude Allister Marda Blackett Benita Hume Reggie Dean Kenneth Kove Blackett Desmond Jeans Head Waiter G. D. Manetta Cloak Room Attendant Roland Gillette Miss Loftus Toni Bruce Spellman Shayle Gardener Restaurant Manager Stanley Vilden Portiere Philip Strange Hook and Ladder No. I ( Educational ) Fair A fair cartoon but inclined to be ridiculous, even for an animated short subject. The fire chief hears the apparatus rushing down the street and proceeds to make a careful toilet before attending the fire. The flames chase the girl and dance with her, until the chief performs his rescue via ladder. — Running time, 7 minutes. Bosko at the Beach (Vitaphone) Amusing Little animated Bosko has an outing at the beach where he meets his sweetheart, is annoyed by his lop-eared hound and rescues her small brother in amusing fashion. Without being in any way an unusual cartoon, this is light enough and bright enough to fill in nicely on any bill. — Running time, 7 minutes. Playgrounds in the Sky (Atlantic) Scenic The Bavarian Alps parade their rich scenic splendor of snow, and the famed Nebelhorn again wins the camera praise which it merits. Some of the shots have been seen before. — Running time, 10 minutes. "Little Orphan Annie" Handbags Pocketbook and Pouch Bags ornamented with "Little Orphan Annie" and "Sandy" A natural box-office tie-up. Every little girl wants one. Attractive prizes for kid matinees, etc. Inexpensive; special prices in bulk lots. Mitzi Green exploitation still available for dealer tie-ups and window displays. Write the Exclusive Licensee and Manufacturer PYRAMID LEATHER GOODS GO. 6-8 West 32nd St. New York City EXCLUSIVE LICENSEES For Making ORPHAN ^wmmmmj? ANNIE CELLULOID BUTTONS, MIRRORS, SPINNING TOPS, ETC. PARISIAN NOVELTY CO. 3512-3522 S. WESTERN AVE., CHICAGO, ILL. 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