Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Oct 1934)

UNIVERSALIS 'GIFT OF KNOCK-OUT MUSICAL Everything That Spells Box-Office GAB' COMEDY "GIFT OF CAB" (Universal) Universal shot the works on "Gift of Cab," and even if it were a poor picture^-which it is NOT— no exhibitor anywhere need ponder for a moment over it. The cast reads like the Universal lot, with plenty of rad.o stars thrown in for good measure. Good music; swell dialogue; insanely amusing sequences; an appealing, if not original, story, and grand performances throughout make this picture one of the big bets of the season Edmund Lowe and Gloria Stuart carry the bulk of the plot, but it .sn t as important, from an entertainment standpoint, as the gags, music and comedy scenes. , Lowe plays" the part of a fast-talking roustabout, who finally becomes the greatest reporter and announcer on the air. He pulls an awful boner eiving a fake interview with a famous flier who was killed twenty minutes before the broadcast— and then tries to drown his shame in many bottles. But Gloria Stuart arranges for his comeback, and they live happily ever afterwards. That's the story. But the trimmings are something grand. Songs by Ethel Waters and Ruth Ett.ng [and the Downey Sisters and the Beale Street Boys; glimpses of Jom Hanlon Graham McNamee and Alexander Woollcott; music by Gus Arnheim and hjs orchestra; one of the funniest farce scenes ever seen with Paul Lukas Karloff, Roger Pryor and Chester Morris; a screamingly amusing scene in a doctor's office with Helen Vinson, Hugh O'Gonnell and Phil Baker; and very, very swell performances all around. Lowe in the role of the announcer provides the opportunity for the radio acts. Lowe plays swiftly and with telling effect Miss Stuart is charming. Hugh O'Connell is consistently amusing; Sterling Holloway has a swell chance and takes it as the sound effect man in the radio studio; Alice White, B.nnie Barnes, Marian Byron Andy Devine are seen briefly, and Hym.e Fink the 'demon photographer is supposed to be in the picture. But he went through too fast for these old eyes to catch him. One of the funniest characterizations is given by Victor Moore as Colonel Trivers. head of the Tr.vers Chopped Chicken Livers Company. "Designed to extract a consistent flow of laughter from any audience, no matter how cynical . . . should appeal to all classes, especially the radio listeners, who hear but never see their favorites." — Motion Picture Daily Henry Armetta has a grand bit, and Edwin Maxwell is the president of the radio station. The picture is a lot of fun. and with such a cast, with the music and with its good direction, it's a cinch Karl Freund directed; Jerry Wald and Philip G. Epstein wrote the original story, and the screen play is a tribute to Rian james' sense of humor. George Robinson photographed more than well, and the music and lyrics —all good— are by Con Conrad Albert Von Tilzer, Charles Tobias ohn Meskill, Herb Magidson, George Whiting and Murray Mencher. The picture is big and worth a lot of ballyhoo. Don't worry about it. It'll get along anywhere. HoLtyiuooD vSRiEiy Gift of Cab Lavishly studded with ace entertainment names and a wealth of entertainment items, 'Gift of Gab' needs only intelligent, showmanly re-cutting from its long preview assembly to make it an important box office candidate. Shaped on the revue form, with the radio world as its scene, it has catchy song, amusing skit, an hilarious travesty on murder mysteries, a parade of radio celebs interestingly introduced and good individual performances to carry the light dramatic thread. Rian James has succeeded in cannily weaving together the wide assortment of elements into an agreeable whole, although the writing assignment was a tough one. Smart handling here saved the story thread from some ebvious pitfalls. Edmund Lowe and Gloria Stuart capably enact the romantic angles which hinge on the one dramatic situation where the girl, a radio program director, salvages the egoistic radio announcer and reporter, Lowe, from drunken oblivion when his pride makes him go temporarily haywire at the mike and in heart affairs. Radio reportorial stunt at this point puts tension into the picture when Lowe bails out of a broadcasting plane and hangs suspended to the landing wheel to score an ether beat over a wrecked plane. This is the highlight of a series of well done news broadcasts, with their comedy and heart implications. Karl Freund has done a sound job of direction, eking every ounce of entertainment value from his diversified material. In the song repertoire, one of1 the distinguishing features of the offering, Gene Austin effectively puts over 'Blue Sky Avenue;' Ethel Waters hits the theme song, 'I Ain't Going to Sin No More,' and Ruth Etting scores distinctively in crooning the romantic number 'Talking to Myself.' Gus Arnheim's band supplies swell accompaniment, and the Beale Street Boys are in for corking quartette numbers. Musical contributions are especially notable, with Con Conrad, Albert von Tilzer, Charles Tobias, John Meskill, Herb Magidson, George Whiting and Murray Mencher sharing credits. Performances and appearances are all of high level, with Phil Baker, Hugh O'Connell, Marion Byron, Sterling Holloway and Douglas Fowley clicking especially. Photography is swell.