Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1940)

40 MOTION PICTURE HERALD February 10, 1940 16, 1940. Running time, 86 minutes. Adult audience classification. CAST Charles Charles Laughton Libby Vivien Leigh Harley Rex Harrison Constantine Larry Adler Gentry Tyrone Guthrie Arthur Gus McNaughton Strang Bart Cormack Mr. Such Edward Lexy Mrs. Such Marie O'Neil Magistrate Basil Gill Old Maud Claire Greet Hackett David Burns Blackface Cyril Smith Temperley Ronald Ward Duchesi Romilly Lunge Selina Helen Haye Delia Phyliss Stanley Louise ( Mayer-Burstyn ) French Opera Grace Moore and Deems Taylor are the American names that figure in the French production from the opera "Louise." Miss Moore is the singing star, and Mr. Taylor, the eminent commentator on matters musical explains in a foreword that " 'Louise' is not 'grand opera' dealing with the ways of upholstered kings and queens," but "the simple story of the simple people of yesterday, today and tomorrow, now retold in terms of their favorite medium, the screen." Its larger appeal will be to persons familiar with opera. The best known arias of the opera are presented in a play adapted by Gustave Charpentier, with the orchestra and chorus of the Grands Concerts Symphoniques. Seen at the premiere showing in the cozy Little Carnegie Playhouse in New York City, where a dressy first night audience applauded the credit listings. Miss Moore had sung the title role at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York the night before. — Joseph F. COUGHLIN. Produced under the supervision of Gustave Charpentier at the Saint-Maurice Studios by Societe Parisienne de Production de Films. Distributed in the United States by Arthur Mayer and Joseph Burstyn. Adaptation from the French opera by Gustave Charpentier. Settings^ by Mahe and Wakhevitch. Musical direction by Louis Beydts. Orchestra conducted by Eugene Bigot. Foreword and English titles by Deems Taylor. Director, Abel Gance. Orchestra and chorus of the Grands Concerts Symphoniques. P. C. A. Certificate No. 02750. Release date, February 2, 1940. Running time, 80 minutes. Adult audience classification. CAST Louise Grace Moore Julien Georges Thill Father Andre Pemet Mother Suzanne Despres Lucienne Ginette Leclerc Gaston Le Vigan Forelady Pauline Carton Alphonsine Jacqueline Gautier The Singer Rivers Cadet Philosopher Beauchamp The Lone Wolf Strikes (Columbia) Melodrama The best known fictional character of the late Louis Joseph Vance, "The Lone Wolf," is once again in circulation. The gentlemanly crook, who is as hardy a perennial as the screen has known since the first of the films dealing in his exploits appeared in 1917, has been revived from a self-inflicted retirement as an amateur ichthyologist — fish fancier. A string of purloined pearls causes the "Lone Wolf" to ride again, and before the proceedings are over a couple of murders are committed. Warren William portrays the smooth "Michael Lanyard" or "Lone Wolf," a role he has essayed before. Eric Blore plays his valet and right hand man. Joan Perry is the girl and the opposition includes Alan Baxter, Astrid Allwyn, Montagu Love and Robert Wilcox. Sidney Salkow directed from a screen play by Harry Segall and Albert Duffy. The plot is not complex and the story moves along at a fairly even and rapid pace. For a mystery there is probably too little suspense and too much comedy, but that is a trend of the day. "Lanyard" is fidgeting about his private aquarium when "Stanley Young" arrives to enlist the "Lone Wolf's" aid in recapturing a string of pearls and discovering who murdered "Philip Jordan," owner of the pearls and friend of "Young." "Lanyard" is hampered in his quest by the misguided help of "Delia," daughter of "Jordan" but gets the pearls and turns them over to "Young." "Young" is murdered and the pearls are stolen again and the chase continues. The fight ends on a New York ferry boat with the "Lone Wolf" in control. Reviewed at the Globe theatre, New York. An afternoon audience, chiefly men, seemed to be enjoying the goings-on and chuckled at the comedy involving the valet. — Paul C. Mooney, Jr. Produced and distributed by Columbia. Producer, Fred Kohlmar. Directed by Sidney Salkow. Screen play by Harry Segall and Albert Duffy. Based upon a work by Louis Joseph Vance. Photography by Henry Freulich. Editor, Al Clark. Art director, Lionel Banks. Gowns by Kalloch. Musical director, M. W. Stolloff. P. C. A. certificate No. 5925. Running time, 67 minutes. Release date, January 26, 1940. General audience classification. CAST Michael Lanyard Warren William Delia Jordan Joan Perry Jamison Eric Blore Jim Ryder Alan Baxter Binnie Weldon Astrid Allwyn Emil Gorlick Montagu Love Ralph Bolton Robert Wilcox Conroy Don Beddoe Dickens Fred A. Kelsey Stanley Young Addison Richards Philip Jordan Roy Gordon Alberts Harland Tucker Dorgan Peter Lynn Community Sing No. 5 (Columbia) Gypsy Songs The fifth of the "Community Sing" series brings to the screen, with titles, a group of old gypsy airs sung by Donald Grayson and a troupe of balalaika singers. "Two Guitars," "The Gay Merchant," "Dark Eyes" and "The Volga Boatman" are presented, winding up with "Abul Abulbul Amir." — Running time, 10 minutes. Old Natchez (FitzPatrick-MGM) Southern Nostalgia The globe-trotting James A. FitzPatrick has turned to America for his most recent travelogues. The Old South is kept alive in Natchez, Miss., where once a year the Garden Qub holds a brilliant pageant. It is this pageant that the FitzPatrick cameras have recorded in color, living tableau of persons garbed in the crinolines, pantalettes and whatnots of the pre-Civil War days, happily engaged in re-living what has passed into history.— Running time, nine minutes. Africa Squeaks (Vitaphone) A Looney "Looney Tune" This time porcine Porky is a leader of a safari into the darkest regions of the Black Continent. Particularly productive of funny bone tickling in the spoofing of the Stanley search for Dr. Livingstone. There are additional sights of the strange behavior of animals and natives. In fact, the whole fun and frivolity piece is good. — Running time, seven minutes. Following the Hounds (20th Century-Fox) 20tli Century Fox Hunt Excellent color photography by Jack Painter makes this subject one of the best of the season. Following days of patient waiting for good weather conditions Mr. Painter took his camera and made a thorough study of the train ing of horses used in fox hunting, from the first steps in overcoming obstacles in the field until the horse is ready for his test at a real hunt. Background and scenery and the graceful riding combine to make an outstanding subject. — Running time, 10 minutes. Teddy the Rough Rider (Vitaphone) Or Roosevelt the First Slices from the robust political career of President Roosevelt, the First, are compiled into a dramatic and patriotically inspiring chapter for Vitaphone's series of great men and moments of American history. Teddy and his "big stick" are first met in the year 1895, in the office of Commissioner of Police for New York City. Then in rapid succession he is pictured as assistant secretary of the navy, leader of the Rough Riders, governor of New York and vice-president of the United States. The climax comes with Roosevelt's succession to the office of the Presidency upon the assassination of President McKinley. Sidney Blackmer, who had played Roosevelt in 1937 in "This Is My Aifair," again tackles the picturesque personage of rough riding Teddy. — Running time. 19 minutes. Vacation Diary (RKO Pathe) A Trip to Bermuda "Vacation Diary" combines the documentary and travelogue styles of camera reporting in recording the day to day experience of two office girls on a winter vacation trip to Bermuda. Starting with that day in the office when the two girls pore over travel brochures the camera follows them in their packing, the boat trip, the arrival in Hamilton, their meeting with two young men on the beach, bicycling excursions, dancing and a sailboat ride by moonlight. It is an interesting subject highlighted by excellent camera work. The girls are Elizabeth Rice and Patricia Murray. Frederic Ullman, Jr., produced and Frank Donovan supervised the subject.— Running time, nine minutes. Fashion Forecasts, No. 6 (20th Century-Fox) Feminine Fashions The sixth of Vyvyan Donner's "Fashion Forecasts" brings a timely and zestful pictorial of the latest in feminine styles at the more swanky resorts. Sports and lounging apparel as well as styles for evening are modeled, and by beauties. Humorous ofT-screen commentary by Jlka Chase and color photography by Jack Painter make this an appealing subject, especially for women. — Running time, 10 minutes. The Heckler (Columbia) Charley Chase Comedy Bespeckled Charley Chase here plays an amateur heckler at sporting events. When two professional gamblers see how his tactics decide the results of a baseball game they take Charley into their employ. That night at the hotel the baseball team doses Charley with ice and the dreaded sore throat results. Charley suffers a worse fate at the hands of the gamblers. — Running time, 17j4 minutes. The Threads of a Nation ( Columbia ) Cotton Columbia has made a thorough study of the uses of cotton, and how it is manufactured, in "The Threads of a Nation." Starting with Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin, the producers trace the various stages the cotton passes through to become cloth. Narrated by Basil Ruysdael, the subject is interesting and educational. — Running time, 10^4 minutes.