Motion Picture Herald (July-Aug 1935)

74 MOTION PICTURE HERALD July 6 , 1935 arrives at the snobbish Ash-Orcutts. Her title and money giving her a grand prestige, she has a fine time dabbling in all the pastimes of the idle rich from fox hunting to polo. Meanwhile, quick to see the dilTerence between whole cloth and shoddy, she makes things mighty uncomfortable for the Ash-Orcutts while fostering the Wynne-Phil romance. Everything happening as the common people like to have it, Phil is revealed as the only worthy one of the impoverished but snooty social climbers. As the youngsters are married, Mom herself wins a husband in Wembsleigh and as it it is revealed that he is really of royal stock, Mom's title becomes legitimate, more than entitling the pair to go honeymooning in the railroad president's private car. Get the patrons to understand that this is enjoyable comedy with a definite appeal to all classes and give it the brand of showmanship to which it is entitled.— McCarthy, Hollywood. Produced and distributed by Universal. Executive producer, Stanley Bergerman. Associate producer, L. L. Ostrow. Directed by Alan Crosland. From the novel by Homer Croy. Screen play by Barry Trivers. Photographed by Norbert Brodine. Sound supervision, Gilbert Kurland. Film editor, Murray Seldeen. Art director, Harrison Wiley. Editorial supervision, Maurice Pivar. Assistant director, Archie Buchanan. P. C. A. Certificate _ No. 974. Running time, when seen in Hollywood, 65 minutes. Release date, July 15. 1935. General audience classification. CAST Henrietta (Mom) Tubbs Alice Brady Phil Ash-Orcutt Douglass Montgomery Wynne Howard Anita Louise Elyot Wembsleigh Alan Mowbray Fishbaker Minor Watson Mr. Ash-Orcutt Russell Hicks Mrs. Ash-Orcutt Hedda Hopper Jean LaGendre June Clayworth Lord Abernathy Lumsden Hare Elmer Harry Tyler Joseph Walter jBrennan Rinaldo Rafael Storm Also Mildred Harris, Mary Carewe. Phyllis Brooks. Mary Wallace. Virginia Hammond, Walter Lang, Fat O'Malley, Victor Potel, Perry Ivins, Sam McDaniels. Hard Rock Harrigan ( FoxA therton-Lesser) Melodrama This picture combines elements in all its phases that are entertaining and salable. Essentially it is a thrill action melodrama, but there is no lack of the necessary sustaining assets such as romance, drama, comedy and human interest suspense. The locale, one of the great tunnel driving projects connected with the Boulder Dam job, is as intriguing as the story content. Fast moving, but with careful attention given to all necessary details, it wastes little time in plunging right into its story, and in a manner that everyone can readily understand, it wrings all that is worthy out of all its qualities. The setup is one that quickly captures interest. Harrigan and Riley are two rival tunnel drilling bosses, and the action is a liberal education in how that dangerous and difficult work is accomplished. They are also rivals for the affections of the camp commissary queen, Anderson. Hardrock gets a little the better of the shuffle. Naturally everything leads up to a point where only a fistic combat is to decide which is the better man, both as a drill boss and lover. Trapped in a cave-in with his protege, McGinnis, Hardrock is rescued by Riley at great personal risk. His idea in saving his rival, however, is only that he may have the pleasure of beating him up. However, on the eve of the fight, the injured Hardrock learns from the camp doctor that strenuous action would be fatal to Riley's weak heart. He is branded a coward by the workmen and made to suffer Riley's sneering abuse, but the facts eventually become known. When Riley learns the truth about himself, he boldly tells the men that Hardrock is a real hero in permitting himself to appear a quitter. Harrigan wins the girl as well as Riley's lifelong friendship. In both story content and production values there is much to sell. The whole thing has a natural human tone and is made to look as though it is an actual incident, with further interest to be found in its locale. Entirely he man in character, there is, however, a neat romantic contrast as well as a line of comedy that should make it appealing to women patrons. In George O'Brien it has a name with a definite clientele. The story is quite different from that in which he recentlv has appeared and somewhat of the character of several in which he was seen in the early years of his career, and should have a stimulating effect in creating interest among his followers. Exploitation that capitalizes upon all the publicity that has been given Boulder Dam and its associated projects the last few years should prove helpful in selling the show. — McCarthy, Hollywood. Distributed by Fox. Produced by Sol Lesser. Directed by David Howard. Story by Charles Furthman. Screen play by Raymond L. Schrock and Dan Jarrett. Production manager, Edward Gross. Photographed by Frank B. Good. Art director. Robert Ellis. Film editor. Donald Barratt. Assistant director. Theodore Joos. Sound recorder. L. E. Clark. Running time, when seen in Hollywood. 60 minutes. Release date, July 19, 1935. General audience classification. CAST "Hard Rock" Harrigan George O'Brien "Anderson" Irene Hervey "Black Jack" Riley Fred Kohler Michael McGinnis Dean Benton McCIintock Frank Rice Oscar Victor Potel Clancy Olin Francis Clark William Gould Columbo George Humbert McNally David Clyde Dr. Wagner Ed Keene Casey Lee Shumway In Caliente (First National) Musical Comedy A musical with comedy a dominant note, this is entertaining material, with the title song and one other of the quality which should make them popular, a cast of strong names for the marquee, in addition to several elaborate but not sensational dance routines. With more of comedy story, and less of spectacular ensemble effects, with less that is eye-filling and more that is laugh-provoking than has been true of previous Warner musical shows, this should present no problem in selling for the exhibitor, no matter where he may be. Set almost entirely in Caliente in Mexico, the atmosphere is one of gay holiday making in a land of sunshine and song. The cast is headed by Dolores Del Rio, attractive and capable ; Pat O'Brien, in a role somewhat different from his recent appearances ; Edward Everett Horton, comedian with an appreciative following; Glenda Farrell, Leo Carrillo, Phil Regan and Winifred Shaw, vocalists, and the De Marcos dance team, who perform effectively in one scene. The cast names, the fact that this is another in the Warner musical series, the emphasis on the comedy and a romance that is fraught with comic difficulty for the man, and eventually for the woman who led him on as a means of a vengeance and then fotind the tables turned, are selling factors. Through it all runs the frantic effort of the man's companion to keep him on the straight and narrow, and out of feminine clutches, only to find in the end that he has cast himself into those very clutches. Horton, as that companion, is the pivot about whom swings the greater part of the comedy, and he gives his usual effective performance. O'Brien is the editor and publisher of a smart New York magazine, Horton his silent partner. O'Brien has managed to get himself engaged to the often-married, gold-digging Miss Farrell, a situation which is abhorrent to Horton. In a moment when O'Brien has taken too much, Horton carries him off to Caliente for a vacation, and away from scheming Miss Farrell. There he restrains O'Brien's effort to leave for New York only when the errant publisher glimpses the startlingly attractive Miss Del Rio, famous concert dancer, in Caliente on a vacation. Carrillo is her dollar-pursuing manager. Horton, as a last resort, engages Miss Del Rio, whose identity he does not know, to distract O'Brien's attention from Miss Farrell and thought of returning to New York. She accepts readily, when she learns that O'Brien is the editor whose published criticism of her appearance in New York the year before had caused her to lose considerable prestige and her manager a number of dollars. She plans revenge. Miss Farrell realizes something is in tne wind, makes numerous telephone calls, and then heads for Caliente, while O'Brien pursues the angling Miss Del Rio. All this is against an effective background of song and dance and comedy especially. Miss Del Rio decides to appear at a party at the hotel, O'Brien realizes what has happened, and finally persuades Miss Del Rio to accept his explanation of the criticism, and to believe that he loves her. Miss Farrell walks in. Miss Del Rio walks out, and O'Brien pursues her, while Miss Farrell and Horton pursue him. Miss Farrell hears the size of Horton's bank account and before he knows it is being married to her, while O'Brien and Miss Del Rio do likewise. Lively, engaging musical comedy material, the film may be sold anywhere, any time. — Aaronson, New York. Produced and distributed by First National. Director. Lloyd Bacon. Screen play by Jerry Wald and Julius Epstein. Story and adaptation by Ralph Block and Warren Dufif. Photography by Sol Polito and George Barnes. Film editor, Jimmy Gibbons. Art director, Robert M. Haas. Gowns by Orry-Kelly. Music and lyrics by Harry Warren and Al Dubin; -Vlort Dixon and Allie Wrubel. Dances created and directed by Busby Berkeley. Musical director, Leo F. Forbstein. P. C. A. Certificate No. 729. Running time, 84 minutes. Release date, May 25, 1935. General audience classification. CAST Rita Gomez Dolores Del Rio Larry McArthur Pat O'Brien Harold Brandon Edward Everett Horton Clara Glenda Farrell Jose Gomez Leo Carrillo Biggs Harry Holman Singer Phil Regan Girl singer Winifred Shaw Florist Herman Bing Newspaper reporter John Byams Larry's secretary Florence Fair Singer Olive Tones Man William Davidson The girl Dorothy Dare Photographer George Humbert Maid Soledad Jiminez Magistrate Luis Alberni Mad Love (MGM) Shocker Keyed to blood-chilling horror, this is the kind of production legitimately permitting promulgation of the old showmanship idea that it is only for those who have strong constitutions, vivid imaginations and well controlled nerves. It is entirely a mental and physical shocker in which all other theatrical qualities, save a few dashes of character comedy, are ignored. -r With Peter Lorre creating a remarkable but detestable character, to whom no sympathy possibly can accrue, "Mad Love," localed in Paris, is the story of a lustful maniac but genius surgeon. Gogol desires Yvonne, star of a small shudder show and wife of Orlac, great concert pianist. With nothing omitted of its dreadful gruesomeness, Ro'lla, a murderer, is guillotined. Simultaneously Orlac's hands are crushed in a railroad wreck. Knowing his ability, yet full of fear and hatred, Yvonne pleads with Gogol to save her husband's hands. Amputating the talented members, Gogol replaces them with the knife throwing hands of the decapitated Rollo. Meanwhile, through his own dialogue, the power of suggestion and the frenzied comedy antics of reporter Reagan to get a sensational story, Gogol creates the illusion that he has restored life to the dead convict. Gogol exerts every trick and plea to bend Yvonne to his desire and Orlac finds that instead of regaining their piano mastery his hands want to throw knives and kill. Learning this, Gogol practicing further fiendish cruelty on his victim, uses a weird hypnotic psychology to convince Orlac that he is a killer. Arrested on suspicion of killing his father, although the finger prints on the