Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1935)

May 9 3 5 MOTION PICTURE HERALD Avec TAssurance (Paramount) Comedy Produced in France by Paramount's French studios, this is something of a slapstick comedy, with limitation of appeal probably to those patrons understanding the French language in which all the dialogue is spoken. There are no superimposed or subtitle translations of the dialogue making extremely difficult the following of the story, and the greater part of the picture's comedy lies in dialogue rather than in action. Thus the situation which would be most apt to find the film worthwhile is that in the larger metropolitan center, where the exhibitor may count upon a certain number of patrons interested in foreign product and familiar with the language. There are no names meaning anything to the American audience. A young would-be actor finds himself jobless and his sweetheart persuades her godfather, head of an insurance company, to give him a job. As an agent at a resort hotel, he finds little success amid an atmosphere of parading and posing girls in varied bathing costumes, until he steals the jewels of an idle and corpulent countess in order to interest her in insurance. Immediately he begins to sell insurance in large quantities, covering anybody on anything, including a policy insuring the hotel against the failure of dance act and the appearance of a sultan at a party that evening. The head of the insurance company and his goddaughter arrive, he to find things in a mess, she to discover her fiance flirting with other girls. The young agent and his friends do everything possible to avoid payment on the policies, playing the dance number themselves. The agent is about to impersonate the sultan when the real monarch appears, and the fellowtricksters begin insulting him, thinking he is the imposter. Considerable running about, pursuit, noise and general confusion feature the closing sequences, at which point the agent successfully sells his fiancee the idea that she is the only one.^ — Aaronson, New York. Produced by Paramount's French studios. Distributed by Paramount. Directed by Roger Capellani. Music by Borel-Clerc, Oberfeld and Marcel Lattes. Running time, 83 minutes. Release date, May 3, 1935. General audience classification. CAST Jean D'Aubray Saint -Granier Countess Martininska Madeleine Guitty Betty Rolston Jeanne Helbling Williamson Armand Lurville Helene Simone Rouviere Cloakroom lady Magdelaine Berubet Mme. Sardinoy Marfa Dhervilly The interpreter Bever Ferdinand Andre Berley Fred Jean Mercanton ferent plays, on the New York stage. Miss Printcmpts sings attractively. The little country girl comes to Paris, innocent and alone, but under the hard treatment of circumstances she acquires knowledge and fascination, and with her natural beauty, soon captivates the city. Her salon is the meeting place of distinguished men, the "names" of Paris. There, too, comes Armand Duval, to meet and fall in love with Marguerite. .She in turn falls in love with him. For three months, at Armand's country home, the two are supremely happy with each other and their few best friends. Then, when Armand is away, his father comes to her, begs that she leave him, in order to prevent the scandal which will attach to the great name of Duval if she should continue to live with Armand. She leaves, and Armand, finding her gone, goes on a wild search through Paris for her. He fails, and leaves the country, while Marguerite, stricken with tuberculosis, is slowly dying. They meet at a gay party, he insults her and leaves. Not long after, repentant, lie comes to her, reaches her bedside, and is forgiven, as the couple are reunited just before she dies. It is a tragic conclusion, but a logical ending to a finely told dramatic story of two young people and their momentarily broken romance. Where appreciation of this sort of motion picture may be expected, it is worthy of the exhibitor's best effort to try to attract "class" patronage. — Aaronson, New York. Distributed by DuWorld. Produced by Les Distributeurs Francais. Directed by Ferdinand Rivers. From the story by Alexandre Dumas, Fils. Music by Reynaldo Hahn. Supervision of Abel Gance. Costumes by Jeanne Lanvin. Running time, 85 minutes. Release date, April 15, 1935. Adult audience classification. CAST Marguerite Gautier Yvonne Printemps Armand Duval Pierre Fresnay Duval, Sr Lugne Poe Gaston Armontel St. Gaudens Lurville Due de Murias Andre Dubosc Prudence Jeanne Marken Nichette Irma Genin Olympe Andree La Fayette The Tin Man (MGM) Fair Comedy Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly, comedy team, manage some laugh provocation in this subject, in which they become mixed up with a mechanical man, operated in an otherwise unoccupied house, by a demented man of science. Lost in their automobile, they enter the house and are in a continuous state of terror as the robot La Dame aux Camelias (DuWorld) Drama in French Adapted from the story by Alexander Dumas, fils, this French picture is a worthwhile importation. Its exhibition in this country, because of the language handicap, perhaps should best be confined to the intimate type theatre in the larger metropolitan centers where there is an interest on the part of patrons in the better foreign importations, or where there will be a certain proportion of the patronage who are apt to understand the language. There are, however, plenty of superimposed subtitle translations of dialogue, so that it is a simple matter for one not versed in French to follow the story. It is simple, but strong drama, telling the story of the love of Armand Duval for Marguerite Gautier, the "lady of the camelias," and there should be universal appeal in the story. In the telling, there is fine production execution and excellent performance. Metropolitan audiences may be aware of the identities of the two leading players, Yvonne Printemps and Pierre Fresnay, both of whom this past season have been highly approved for their work, in dif COLORADO COLLEGE WORKS COOPERATIVELY Indicative of the recognition given the motion picture as an educational aid by schools was the action taken recently by the State Teachers College of Colorado, at Greeley, in adding a course in film appreciation and study, and allowing credits to students for the work, which will include attendance at motion picture theatres. Certain films will be selected as material for the students and, through arrangements with theatre owners, admission price will be reduced. Paramoimt and Metro Goldwyn Mayer and others have worked out similar arrangements nationally with schools and colleges on certain films. 51 greets them, talks to ihcm, bulldozes them and an escaped convict who had been in their car without their knowledge, and finally gets out of control and pursues the scientist over the landscape, while the girls make their escape and the convict begs to be taken back to the peace and quiet of the penitentiary. There are amusing moments. — Running time, 19 minutes. Laughing With Medbury In the Old Days (Columbia) Fair In this number of the series John Medbury, who handles the accompanying dialogue, takes the audience back into the New York of the nineties. Pictorially the subject is interesting and entertaining, but Medbury, it seems, feels called upon to be continuously comic in his dialogue. Much of it is not too successful. A little less punning might help. — Running time, 10 minutes. Is My Face Black (Paramount) Amusing Molasses and January, the two blackface comedians of the Showboat hour on the radio, here appear as a pair of not too clever Pullman porters. The owner of a headache powder company fires his hill-billy band when he hears them playing on the train, and, overhearing the comedians trying their jokes, hires them for his radio program. They are so good that people no longer have headaches, so they are fired. The pair are amusing and entertaining, and their radio popularity should make them worth selling. — Running time, 10 minutes. Screen Snapshots No. 6 (Columbia) Fair A fair number of the Screen Snapshots series, this is devoted entirely to picturing a recent benefit performance in Hollywood. Seen in short bits from their acts are Jimmy Durante, the Boswell Sisters, Tim McCoy, Henry Armetta, the Three Stooges, Victor Jory and several others. The lack of outstanding personalities, other than the few seen entering the theatre, weakens the subject. — Running time, 10 minutes. Choose Your "Weppins" (Paramount) Good As is usual with the Popeye series of cartoons, this is amusing and clever. A big crook escapes from his policeman-captor, enters the Popeye pawnshop and he and Popeye go into battle when he tries to fleece Olive Oyl. Knives, swords, everything handy come into play and Popeye is in a bad way until he takes his spinach. Then the crook is only too happy to return to the comparative safety of his handcuffs and the policeman. — Running time, 7 minutes. Sh oemaker and the Elves ( Columbia ) Good Although this cartoon tlieme has been done before, this is still to be rated as a good cartoon subject, the effectiveness enhanced by the use of color, this being one of the Color Rhapsody series. The old shoemaker comes to tlie rescue of a poor little boy, struggling hungr\' through the snow, and for his good deed the elves rally at night, amusingly making numerous pairs of handsome shoes for the old shoemaker. The story is told in accompanying off-screen musical rhyme, which is tuneful. A good subject. — Running time, seven minutes.