Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1935)

56 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November 2, 1935 $HOWMEN*§ REVIEWS This department deals with new product from the point of view of the exhibitor who is to purvey it to his own public Thanks a Million ( 20th Century-Fox-Zanuck ) Comedy Exactly what the title says is just what voices of pleased exhibitors^ and audiences should echo unanimously when this picture is presented. It's sock amusing entertainment from start to finish. The showmanship-exploitation availability is so plainly apparent in every phase that even the most thoughtless cannot help but see it. It is a combination of entertainment and commercial elements dually providing buyer and seller with the most desired essentials — personalities, rib-tickling comedy, farce drama, lilting catchy music, topical timeliness, appealing human love interest, finely mounted production quality, smartness of direction in handling dialogue, action and situations, specialty features, a unique racing-singing anticlimax and a surprise finale. "Thanks a Million" is a story of a new kind of political campaigning, but it's not an ordinary political story. For a plot : Fred Allen sells gubernatorial candidate Raymond Walburn's campaign managers the idea of using his stranded band troupe as a crowddrawing ballyhoo. Voters flock in amazing numbers to hear this new kind of bushwhacking, lured by the charm of Dick Powell's singing and the class of the supporting show. Walburn's addiction to the juice of the forbidden fruit proving too much for his sponsors to stand, they sidetrack him and put Powell up in his place. Enters the eternal triangle with Mrs. Boss Krueger trying to do a little philandering to drive a wedge between the sweethearts, Powell and Ann Dvorak. Comes Powell to put the blast on his new found friends, exposing his candidacy as just another trick of the same old boodlers to grab the spoils. Follows his finding of the fleeing Ann Dvorak and the singing-race to get to the state line as a whole horde of motor cops are in hue and cry, and the hilarious finale when Powell finds that despite his revealing tirade he has been elected governor. That's the story, but quite naturally it cannot picture all the fun and frolic. Not by any means does it describe the heart-touching romance of Powell and Miss Dvorak. Nor does it tell of any of the fun in dialogue and action by Fred Allen, Patsy Kelly and Raymond Walburn. Nor does it reveal the drama of the conniving politicians, Alan Dinehart, Andrew Tombes, Edwin Maxwell and Paul Harvey or their opposition party rival who import Paul Whiteman and his band and Ramona as an offset to Powell's stunt. Nor does it tell of Margaret Irving's disillusionment when Powell takes her for what she says she is. At the same time, the story cannot tell anything of the hilarious singing and acting contributions of The Yacht Club Boys and Benny Baker. It doesn't include mention of Powell's singing "Thanks a Million," ".Sittin' High on a Hilltop" and "I've Got a Pocketful of Sunshine," numbers to regale audiences and matched by the trio rendered by the Yacht Club Boys. As the show is comedy, all fun and laughter, with only a couple of serious moments, it's the kind of entertainment patrons should enjoy. As soon as the first few who see it start talking, the rest should follow. But there's no need to wait for or depend upon word-of-mouth advertising. The picture undoubtedly will be in the air, people awaiting it expectantly long before it is played. While everything required to bring them in in large numbers is at anyone's disposal to be used in all the old and every new showmanship way, there's no justification for getting over-confident. Plenty of work will be required to let potential patrons know all the entertainment this has in store for them. The more convincingly they are told the better returns should be. — McCarthy, Hollywood. Produced and distributed by Twentieth Century-Fox. A Darryl F. Zanuck production. Directed by Roy Del Ruth. Screen play by Nunnally Johnson. Photographed by Pevcrell Marley. Art director, Jack Otterson. Film editor, Allen McNeil. Costumes by William Lambert. Sound, Eugene Grossman, Roger Heman. Musical direction, Arthur Lange. Musical numbers: *'Thanks A Million,*' '*Sittin* High on a Hilltop" and "I've Got a Pocket Full of Sunshine." sung by Dick Powell; composer, Arthur Johnston; lyricist, Gus Kahn. "Maid of New Orleans'' played by Paul Whiteman and Band; sung by Ramona and the King's Men; melody by Arthur Johnston; lyricist, Gus Kahn. "Sugar Plum" sung by Ann Dvorak and Patsy Kelly; composer, Arthur Johnston; lyricist, Gus Kahn. "The Alphabet Song," "Square Deal Party" and "Ridin' Over Hill and Dale," sung by Yacht Club Boys; words and music by Yacht Club Boys. P.C.A. Certificate No. 1545. Running time, when seen in Hollywood, 86 minutes. Release date, November 1, 1935. General audience classification. CAST Eric Land (A Crooner in Lyman's Troupe) Dick Powell Sally Mason (A Dancer) Ann Dvorak Ned Lyman (Leader of the Vaudeville Troupe) Fred Allen Phoebe Mason (Sally's Dancing Partner') . .Patsy Kelly Paul Whiteman and Band with Ramona Judge A. Darius Culliman (Candidate for Governor) Raymond Walburn RubinofT RubmofT Yacht Club Boys Yacht Club Boys Tammany (Drummer in the Lyman Band) Benny Baker Mr. Glass (A Politician) Andrew Tombes Mr. Kreuger (Boss of the Square Deal Party) Alan Dinehart Maxwell (His Lieutenant) Paul Harvey Mr. Casey (Another Politician) Edwin Maxwell Mrs. Kreuger Margaret Irving Governor Wildman (Opposition Party) Charles Richman Ship Cafe (Paramount) Romance with Music Well produced, sticking closely to the theatrical recipes that make for mass entertainment, this picture offers much to amuse patrons and much to occupy showmanship inclinations. With action the outstanding quality, the story is a smartly contrived comedy romance built about a unique situation. While embellished with specialty music and dancing, emphasis is continually focused on comedy. Essentially, although the idea is not thoughtlessly shoved to the fore, the yarn has a distinctive he-man quality. Preserving this character, comedy contrast and musical interludes together with the appeal of on-again-off-again love interest so color the feature that there is a coherent diversity of amusement to please the fancies of varying tastes. Presented in a manner that creates the impression that something unlooked for is always going to happen, the picture follows tlirough on this idea by having plenty that is unanticipated occur to capitalize nicely the amusement-exploitation value of these qualities. The story is that of a singing stoke hold ' coal heaver whose fiery temper and hatred of a dainty nickname both get him into a peck of trouble and make him a prized night club attraction. Jailed following a coal shovel swinging duel, the result of someone calling him Dimples, Briny gives Anderson the job of bouncer in his Ship Cafe. Falling in love with star entertainer Ruby, a straight romance that has its comedy counterpart in the antics of Briny and Molly, Anderson becomes a singing success while pinch-hitting for Davis. His old nemesis, the Countess, gets him into another jam, this time with champ Rocky Stone, an incident which, while great for the cafe's business, changes Anderson's outlook. Apparently falling hard for the Contess, though only trying to do what Ruby has urged him, he accepts her bid to become the big shot of a swank club which a friend of hers is to open. But as the Countess only makes a gigolo of him, Anderson, following a satirical ribbing by Ruby and Molly, walks out on the arrangement. Wanting only the freedom of the windblown sea, he makes his way back to renovated Chip Cafe to be enthusiastically welcomed by Briny. But in the meantime his second mate's papers have arrived and as he gets a job on a sailing vessel. Ruby, who realizes he is passing out of her life forever, rushes after him, only to be dunked in the ocean a couple of times before she winds up in his arms. In the picture audiences will see a heretofore unrevealed Carl Brisson, a fact acceptable to showmen also, as his part here does more for him as an attraction than any of his previous pictures. While he has several songs to please those who like his singing, the he-man character of his role, which in its romantic angle has a human interest twist, justifies his being given much publicity attention. Other players, mainly Arline Judge, William Frawley and Inez Courtney, should be given the benefit of intensive plugging. In general a brand of publicity that establishes the picture as something vividly new and different in the line of fast moving entertainment looks to be the medium that will arouse most interest. There's plenty with which to work and segregating the values that will have most local influence should bring the best results. — McCarthy, Hollywood. Produced and distributed by Paramount. Produced by Harold Hurley. Directed by Robert Florey. Assistant director, Vernon Keays. Original screen play by Harlan Thompson and Herbert Fields. Music and lyrics by Ray Noble. Harlan Thompson and Lewis E. Gensler. Sound, A. W. Singley. Film editor. James Smith. Art directors. Hans Dreier and Earl Hedrick. Photographed by Theodor Sparkuhl. P.C.A. Certificate No. 1612. Running time, when seen in Hollywood, 73 minutes. Release date, November 1, 1935. General audience classification. CAST Cluis Andersen Carl Brisson l^"''y Arline Judge Countess Boranoff Madv Christians Briny O'Brien William Frawley Eddie D.ivis Eddie Davis Molly Inez Courtney Rocky Stone Gmnt Withers nonoyan Harry Woods Dnncmg Teacher T.ita Chevret 5."^ Beulah RTcDonald f?o"ald David Newell Gerald James Murray Shm (Bartender and Waiter) Irving Bacon Harry (Pianist) Fred'Warren Jimmy Douglas Blackley