Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1938)

February 19, 1938 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 47 in the castle, in order to raise funds to return to America. However, "Ivan" finances the band on a trip to Ireland, and the players join "Danny." They talk "Dorothy Stonewall," wealthy girl interested in "Danny," into financing a night club, keeping the source of the money a secret from "Danny." However, "Colleen" discovers that "Dorothy" is backing the venture and is jealously angry. A reconciliation with "Danny" is effected only after a brick fight started by "Colleen's" relatives who think that she has been wronged. Previewed at the Warner Bros. Beverly theatre, Beverly Hills, to a lukewarm audience, who enjoyed "The Mad Russian's" dialect and humor. — V. K. . Produced and distributed by Republic. Associate producer, Harry Sauber. Directed by John H. Auer. Original screenplay by Harry Sauber. Production manager, Al Wilson. Photographed by Jack Marta. Supervising editor, Murray Seldeen. Film Editor, Ernest Nims. Art Director, John Victor Mackay. "Shenanigan Number" staged by Larry Ceballos. Musical director, Alberto Colombo. Songs by Jack Lawrence and Peter Tinturin. P. C. A. Certificate No. 3979. Running time when seen in Beverly Hills, 66 minutes. Release date, Feb. 7, 1938. General audience classification. CAST Danny Phil Regan Colleen Penny Singleton The Mad Russian Bert Gordon Ivan Leonid Kinsky Dorothy Stonewall Ruth Coleman Mrs. Stonewall Mary Forbes Mr. Stonewall Lionel Pape Timothy Ralph Remley Ellen Renie Riano Lind Lind Hayes Bass Joe E. Marks Felix David Kerman Johnny Billy Young Cliff Cliff Nazarro Old Man Harry Allen Romance in the Dark (Paramount) Operetta Showmen are quite justified in telling their public that here at last Gladys Swarthout is to be seen and heard in musical material appropriate to her voice, personality and prestige, in an only moderately cinematized operetta containing a deal of legitimate music and not too much merely tuneful stuff written down to popular taste. Exploitation that will register this circumstance without labeling the production highbrow is distinctly in order and certain to prove profitable. There is box office power likewise in the news that John Boles sings and acts opposite Miss Swarthout, both in somewhat better than his best previous form, and that John Barrymore here commits another of his artistically matchless portrayals of a conscienceless rogue. Claire Dodd, Fritz Feld and Curt Bons add well wrought performances. Announcement that the original play is "The Yellow Nightingale" by Hermann Bahr may constitute adequate notification of its Continental flavor. Sophisticated is the American word for it, and maybe the same information may be more gracefully conveyed by indicating that its plot has about the same ethical status as most of the standard operas and is intended to be taken about as seriously. Miss Swarthout plays "Ilona," voice student, sponsored as a singing Persian princess by "Kovach," amorous opera star, for the purpose of diverting the interest of "Jason," amorous impresario, from "Countess Monica," their common flame of the moment. The plan succeeds but "Kovach" discovers he loves "Ilona." A Budapest Winchell exposes the deception and irate patrons pelt the counterfeit star with overripe fruit before, aided by "Kovach," she sings her way to genuine success and a happy ending. Although there is no glossing over of this Continental type story, emphasis is primarily upon the musical side throughout. Producer Harlan Thompson and Director H. C. Potter built their picture a good deal more snugly to Miss Swarthout's measure than were her earlier productions, and the vocal supervision of Frank Chapman is notably effective in all instances. Richard Hageman's handling of the orchestra is likewise distinguished. Previewed at the Village Theatre in Westwood, Cal., to an upper middle class audience that applauded the solo numbers spontaneously and gave every indication of thorough satisfaction with the picture. — W. R. W. Produced and distributed by Paramount. Producer, Harlan Thompson. Director, H. C. Potter. Screen play by Frank Partos and Anne Morrison Chapin. Based on the play "The Yellow Nightingale" by Hermann Bahr. Art direction by Hans Dreier and Earl Hedrick. Sound recording by Harry Mills. Editing by Jimmy Smith. Photographer, William Mellor. P. C. A. Certificate No. 3814. Running time, 77 minutes when seen in Hollywood. Release date, March 4, 1938. General audience classification. CAST Ilona Boros Gladys Swarthout Antol Kovach John Boles Jason John Barrymore Countess Monica Foldessy Claire Dodd Barber Eddie Conrad Von Hemisch Curt Bois Fritz Fritz Feld Pianist : . . Ferdinand Gottschalk Girl Singer Janet Elsie Clark Girl Singer Lois Verner Professor Jacobson Torben Meyer r Wanda Stevenson Jeanne Francis Marguerite Franz Loy Tilton Maxine Armour Dancers J Mary Manners Flower Hugir Jacqueline Kopt Nita James Jeanette Bates Florence Nelson ^Marion March Doorman Alexander Schoenberg Girl at Theater Beth Hartman Girl Sheila Darcy Ballet Dancer Elizabeth Hocker Maid Ann Morgan Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (Universal) Adventure Serial Based on Alex Raymond's newspaper cartoon saga concerning the superhuman Flash Gordon, widely spread across comic columns, this screen transcription of his amazing adventures should find an enthusiastic reception from the juvenile reading public of six and sixty years of age. The weird people of Mars and their unbelievable way of living make for exciting and at times unintentionally humorous moments of entertainment. The title role is played by Larry "Buster" Crabbe. Jean Rogers and Frank Shannon are co-sharers of "Flash's" adventures while Charles Middleton and Beatrice Roberts join efforts to thwart the good folk at every turn of the wheel with death-dealing rays and what-not. Ford Beebe and Robert Hill have collaborated on the fast paced and imaginative direction. Release date, March 22, 1938. 15 chapters, running time, approximately 20 minutes each episode. Hong Kong, Gateway to China (P. P. Devlin) Travelogue What would require a deal of arduous sightseeing has been condensed here into a reel of entertaining description of Hong Kong through the camera's lens. Produced by Andre de LaVarre, who also provides narration, the camera visits the city of Victoria, where practically everything of interest is shown, including the racetrack, the harbor and Repulse Bay, favorite beach of Hong Kong society. Running time, 11 minutes. Cupid Takes a Holiday (Educational) Cupid Goes Crazy Whereas there is a widespread opinion that the married state bears a strong causal connection to the rate of mental breakdowns among the male populace, this subject takes as its comedy material the novel theme that in the case of Danny Kaye, given to eccentric talk and mannerisms, matrimonial connections will save him from the loss of his reason. It seems that there is an old Russian family custom among the Kaye menfolk to lose their mental balance unless they attain the conjugal state on their twenty-first birthday. The business of how Danny races with time from one spousal candidate to the other, finding one to be an animated jigsaw puzzle with removable limbs, teeth and eyes, and another an embryonic female wrestler, and at last bagging a suitable miss in the marriage net only to learn that the clock is slow and he needs must go mad, works up a considerable bit of frothy fun and frivolity. — Running time, 14 minutes. You Took the Words Right Out of My Heart (Paramount) Bouncing Ball Number A rather uninspired number from the Screen Song category is redeemed from the blight of mediocrity by the inclusion of some silly but amusing gags and some equally funny cartooning. Prefacing the playing of the subject's title by Jerry Blaine and his Streamline Rhythm Orchestra, with Phyllis Kenny pacing the bouncing ball vocalization, are drawings fashioned after the candid camera manner of the truth behind the beautiful matinee jdol, the daredeviltry of a lion tamer, and the new-found good fortune of a Sweepstakes winner. The cartoon business may draw greater audience response than the singing sequences. — Running time, seven minutes. Just Ask Jupiter ( Educational ) Whimsical Terry-Toon Not only will mice play when the cat is away, but in the case of this Terry-Toon situation the playful young rodents must caper about even with the voracious feline parked on the doorstep of the hole-in-the-wall home. Eluding the clutches of the villainous enemy, the mouse upsets a bottle of ether and under the somnolent odors of the fluid is wafted off to dreamland, where he pictures himself beseeching the astrological seer, Jupiter, that he be transformed into a catlike person. His wish is granted and results in sorrow for the wisher and merry minutes of pleasantry for the spectator. A clever and amusing takeoff on the tough kid element from "Dead End' lends novelty. — Running time, seven minutes. Alibi Time (Vitaphone) Radio Ramblers The Radio Ramblers, a male trio who specialize in imitating radio performers, run a lunch counter. Among the customers are three gangsters who plan to steal a string of pearls. The gangsters force the trio to imitate various programs on the air to establish an alibi for the gangsters. The plot sets the stage for the ramblers, who imitate Bing Crosby, Clyde McCoy and Amos and Andy among others. The alibi fails to save the gangsters, however. Running time, 11 minutes. Fiddling Around ( Columbia ) Slapstick Made to order for those who enjoy slapstick comedy, the two reels depict the adventures of Monty Collins and Tom Kennedy as muddling detectives. Hired to guard a Stradivarius violin, Kennedy and Collins mistake the violinist for a thief, handcuff him, learn their error, and find they haven't a key to release him. Meanwhile the violin is stolen. The pair set out to recover it. The violin case they bring back contains not a violin but a bomb, which promptly explodes when the case is opened. The subject is a continuous diet of slapstick ranging from head bumping to exploding bombs. Also in the cast are Gino Corrado, William Irving, Vernon Dent, Harry Semels, Jack Kenny, Cy Schindell, and Bud Jamison. Running time, 18 minutes.