Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1936)

January 18, 1936 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 27 NEW FILMS IN THE CUTTING ROOM {Continued from preceding page) bandits, who, fleeing into the desert after a bank robbery, find a dying mother and her baby. Adopting the orphan, with the intent of carrying it to the town they have just looted, one of the bandits dies as a result of a wound. A second commits suicide. The third, the hero, knowing that certain death awaits him, drinks from a poisoned water hole, dying as he lays the baby in the arms of the girl he once had loved but had surrendered to another man. The story is by Peter B. Kyne and under this title appeared serially in the Saturday Evening Post some time ago. The screen play is by E. E. Paramore, Jr., and Manuel Seff. Direction is by Richard Boleslawski, recently credited with "The Painted Veil" and "Les Miserables." The choice of Boleslawski as director is evidence of the potential entertainment and commercial values to be included, in relation to production and name assets. The bad man trio is composed of Chester Morris, recently in "Public Hero," Lewis Stone and Walter Brennan, who will be remembered for his work in "Barbary Coast." Supporting players include Irene Hervey and Robert Livingston, who carry the principal romantic love interest contrast ; Sidney Toler, Willard Robertson, Roger Imhof, John Sheehan, Dorothy Tree, Joseph Marievsky, Victor Potel, Helen Brown, Harvey Clark, Virginia Brissac and the Kirchner twins. In suggesting that this feature be given a typical western campaign, producers advance the warning that advances should clearly establish that the picture does not come within the "horse opera" or "cliff hanger" category. Wild West (Radio) Comedy The identity of the leading players, Wheeler and Woolsey, plus the significance quickly read into the title, easily establishes the comedy character of this production. It's the pair of funsters, Woolsey as a "painless" dentist, and his aide Wheeler getting mixed up in a gold rush. Victimized, left the sole residents of a ghost town, the populace of which is following the rainbow trail to the site of a rumored gold strike, they try to save the covered wagon train from bandit depredations and Indian attacks. Situations so contrived that they are in danger of being burned at the stake by the redskins and of being lynched by the fortune hunters, the U. S. cavalry rides up to save the party. In the resulting excitement gold is discovered back in the ghost town and the victimized comedians clean up handsomely in staking out choice claims. Through the dominant action comedy runs a bit of romantic love interest involving Wheeler and Dorothy Lee, in which both sing several songs. The story is an original by Tom Lennon and Fred Guiol. The screen play is by a team of expert comedy writers, Al Boasberg and Jack Townley. Guiol, who made the last WheelerWoolsey feature, "Rainmakers," also is directing. Though the cast of principals supporting the leading trio is small, hundreds of extras will appear in the picture as Indians, settlers and soldiers. Harry Woods, Maurice Black and Ethan Laidlaw are featured as bad men. Richard Alexander is a shrewd real estate dealer who sells the boys the supposedly valueless lots, and Chief Thunderbird is the Indian Chief. While not in direct nature a satire or burlesque on westerns, the feature will treat the various dramatic, romantic and thrill action elements with a high degree of hokum. Farmer in the Dell ( Radio ) Comedy A different kind of Hollywood story is to be related in this production. It's one in which the often done idea of showing inside stuff or ridiculing the art of picture making is entirely eschewed. Based on a story by Phil Stong that appeared serially in Saturday Evening Post some time ago, with screen play by Sam Mintz, studio opinion is that the entertainment will be altogether fresh and novel. In substance it's the yarn of an Iowa family. The husband is forced by his wife to sell his farm and migrate to Hollywood, partly that the mother's pride and joy daughter may get a chance in the movies and partly to get her away from her country bumpkin sweetheart. In Hollywood, through accidental circumstances, it's the old man and not the daughter who becomes a star. That's all right with the mother until her husband finds her going typically Hollywood. Then there's an eruption that puts mom in her proper place, eliminates the gang of hangers-on, and makes the girl see that she will have plenty to do keeping the bumpkin lover happy while the old man does the picture starring. Fred Stone, seen in "Alice Adams," has the featured role with Esther Dale as his wife and Jean Parker as the daughter. Frank Albertson, also in "Alice Adams," is the country boy. Moroni Olsen plays the part of the director who discovers Stone's picture talents. The limited featured supporting cast lists Lucille Ball, Maxine Jennings, Leonard Trainor, Rose McQuoid, Alleen O'Malley, Margaret Armstrong and Spencer Charters. The picture is being directed by Ben Holmes. Wife Versus Secretary (MGM) Dramatic Romance Star, cast, author, director and producer credits, and the human interest of modernly geared dramatic romantic story content, are the principal pegs upon which the producing company is hanging its enthusiastic anticipations that this picture will excite much more than ordinary exhibitor and patron attention. The novel from which it is adapted is a Faith Baldwin story recently carried in Cosmopolitan Magazine. A widely read authoress, she is credited with several screen contributions, notably "Alimony" and "Beauty." The job of consolidating its screen availability was entrusted to a trio of brilliant scenarists and authors, Norman Krasna, John Lee Mahin and Alice Duer Miller. The director is Clarence Brown, who numbers "Anna Karenina" and "Ah Wilderness" among his many important accomplishments. It is being produced by Hunt Stromberg, maker of "Thin Man," "Naughty Marietta" and the forthcoming "Rose Marie." The title aptly describes the theme and establishes the picture's character. It is a story of two women in love with the same man ; a wife who sits at home and waits and fears, a secretary working for a man who finds it necessary to have her at his side at all times, late at night in the office and on trips around and out of the country. The situation is such that the potential entertainment values of drama, romance, comedy and conflict are evident, moving at a speedy tempo and in class circumstances. Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Myrna Loy are the lead trio. All are names that generally stimulate quick public interest. The supporting cast is large and includes many well known personalities and a few not so familiar. Listed are Holmes Herbert, May Robson, Myra Marsh, Frederick Burton, Hobart Cavanaugh, Harold Minjir, Roger Imhof, Maurice Cass, William Newell, Margaret Irving (currently outstanding in "Exclusive Story"), Claudelle Kay, Jose Rubio, James Thomas, Helen Shipman, Tom Dugan, Gilbert Emery and Don Rowan. The Singing Kid (Warner) Dramatic Musical Romance Essentially the motivating story of this production is dramatic. But when one considers its star, Al Jolson, and looks over the credits and sees Edward Everett Horton, Allen Jenkins, the Yacht Club Boys, Mitchell and Durant and Cab Calloway and his band included, and recalls the type of production given Jolson features, it must be concluded that there is lots of comedy and plenty music. "The Singing Kid" is the story of an ace entertainer jilted by a Broadway butterfly and gypped into tax difficulties with the Government by a conniving manager. Taking with him his gag man, Jenkins, and secretary, Horton, Jolson seeks a mountain refuge to think things over. There he encounters Beverly Roberts, Warner's budding new starlette, and her niece Sybil Jason, seen in "Little Big Shot" and "Stella Parish." Poverty stricken Beverly is writing a play. Jolson buys it at the cost of losing the girl's growing affection. Colorfully produced, it is a drama that is tinged with pathos, love interest, comedy and spectacle. The story is by Robert Lord, with screen play by Warren Duff and Patsy Flick, who is Jolson's personal gag creator. Music and lyrics are by E. Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen. Group dance features are being directed by Bobby Connolly. William Keighley is the director in charge. Besides the personalities previously mentioned, the most important supporting principals are Lyle Talbot as the dishonest manager and Claire Dodd as the girl upon whom Jolson lavishes his wealth. In lesser roles will be seen William Davidson, Joseph Crehan, Edward Keen, Kay Hughes and Tom Manning. Clair Guest of Honor At Party Given By UA Rene Clair was the guest of honor at a reception given last week by United Artists in New York. He came over from England for the opening of "The Ghost Goes West," at the Rivoli theatre. The reception drew about 100 newspaper, fan magazine and trade paper writers. Mr. Clair plans to remain in New York for about 10 days to obtain the American reaction to his first picture in English. Mr. Clair, who is under contract to Alexander Korda for a series of three pictures, said that his next film venture would be a story centered on life in early London. He will start this at the new Korda studio in Denham in May. Levine Signs Mae Clarke Nat Levine has placed Mae Clarke under contract to appear in four Republic pictures this year. Tentatively scheduled as vehicles will be two musicals, "Sitting on the Moon" and "Ticket to Paradise."