Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Oct 1940)

September 7, I 940 MOTION PICTURE HERALD I Want a Divorce (Paramount) Comedy-Drama Listeners to the radio-program from which this picture takes its title and after which the story is to some extent patterned may be told by showmen that it is indeed the kind of picture they expect, but that isn't all there is to tell them, and the others. It is to be told them that this picture presents Joan Blondell and Dick Powell as co-stars after an inactivity of some duration, that the picture makes in terms of drama a case against divorce as a solution of married people's problems, and that it accomplishes this with more footage devoted to comedy than to drama, more laughs than tears, and without lecturing. The story, an original by Adela Rogers St. Johns adapted by Frank Butler, deals with the affairs of six adults, some related and all acquainted, who find matrimony difficult. The film opens with the divorce of one couple, consequences of which are unhappiness and suicide for the wife, remarriage for the husband. Later on a second couple take their troubles to the judge, who gives the husband his freedom when evidence discloses that the wife has perjured herself. The principal couple (played by Miss Blondell and Powell) come also to the parting of the ways but reconcile before divorce action is started. The three strands of the story are woven together in such manner as to make, firstly, a narrative of interest, secondly a presentation of the divorce question with both answers available to onlookers but the anti point of view underscored. Production is by George Arthur and direction by Ralph Murphy. Previewed at the Paramount theatre, Los Angeles, where press, profession and public laughed heartily during the first two-thirds of the picture, in which comedy predominates, hushed into silence for the dramatic section preceding the ending and roundly applauded the finale.— W. R. W. Produced and distributed by Paramount. Producer. George Arthur. Director, Ralph Murphy. Screen play by Frank Butler. Story by Adela Rogers St. Johns. Photographed by Ted Tetzlaff. Edited by LeRoy Stone. P. C. A. certificate No. 6220. Release date, Sept. 20, 1940. Running time, when seen in Los Angeles, 90 minutes. General audience classification. CAST Geraldine (Jerry) Brokaw Joan Blondell Alan MacNally Dick Powell Wanda Holland Gloria Dickson Jeff Gilman . Frank Fay Grandma Brokaw Jessie Ralph Grandpa Brokaw Harry Davenport David Holland, Sr Conrad Nagel David Holland, Jr Mickey Kuhn "Peppy" Gilman Dorothy Burgess Erskine Brandon Sidney Blackmer Celestine Louise Beavers Colorado (Republic) Western An episode in Colorado in the days of the Civil War is enacted by Roy Rogers and supporting cast here, marking another in the series of this popular western star. Brother against brother is the theme, the one being an officer in the military intelligence department of the Union Army, the other an active supporter of the Southern cause masquerading in the uniform of blue. Regardless of the occasional appearance of a uniform "Colorado" is distinctly a western and not a war picture. General Grant assigns "Lieut. Jerry Burke" (Rogers) to end an Indian uprising in the state where the Columbine grows. Once there the lieutenant, with carte blanche authority, takes over. George "Gabby" Hayes continues with the series, activating most of the comedy dialogue and situations. The girl in the case is Pauline Moore and the brother, of southern sympathies, "Captain Mason," is played by Milburn Stone. Rogers, also, sings a couple of songs. "Lieut. Burke" is naturally loath to report on his brother who is playing an important role in the underground movement, which has for its purpose the keeping of a large cavalry detachment fighting the Indians instead of the Confederate Army. A chase is begun over plains and mountains interrupted by intermittent fighting that ends in the desert as "Burke" finally catches up to his brother, who is killed by another member of the posse while trying to escape. Reviewed in a projection room in New York. — Paul C. Mooney, Jr. Produced and distributed by Republic. Associate producer-director, Joseph Kane. Screen play by Louis Stevens and Harrison Jacobs. Production manager, Al Wilson. Photographed by Jack Marta. Editor, Edward Mann. Musical director, Cy Feuer. P. C. A. Certificate No. 6525. Running time, 57 minutes. Release date, September 15, 1940. General audience classification. CAST Jerry Burke Roy Rogers Gabby George "Gabby" Hayes Lylah Sanford Pauline Moore Captain Mason Milburn Stone Etta Mae Maude Eburne Jim Macklin Arthur Loft Weaver Hal Taliaferro Sam Vester Pegg Sheriff Harkins Fred Burns Sanford Lloyd Ingraham Argentine Nights (Universal) Musical Comedy If there be truth in the contention that today's audiences want gaiety, song, dance and humor in their pictures, then this film is tailored to taste. Ottering the Ritz Brothers in the brand of entertainment they made their fame with, the Andrews Sisters of radio in a kind to match it plus vocalizing popularized via the air-lines, the production is crammed with songs and dances, gags and girls, and executed with speed, point, and no waiting for laughs. The story opens in New York City with the Ritz trio, as directors of Colossal Ideas, Inc., facing an assemblage of creditors, grouped by state a la political convention, and trying to sell them the idea of backing a girls' band, which performs forthwith, followed by the girls' trio. Failing, the boys glee, with band and trio, to the Argentine, where many things happen, many more gags are told and acted, many songs and dances performed. None of it makes sense or is intended to, but much of it makes laughter. Showmen exploiting the film have a number of sales-points in addition to those indicated above. Constance Moore, who plays the feminine lead, is the young lady recently publicized as the all-American girl by verdict of some magazine-cover artists. George Reeves, seen opposite her and also singing, played one of the twins in "GWTW." The Andrews Sisters are known in radio as the trio which introduced "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen," "Well All Right," "Hold Tight" and other hit-paraders. Ken Goldsmith, producer, Albert S. Rogell, director, and their many writers, appear to have had in mind one objective — to pack into one film a maximum of mirth, music, fun and foolishness. That, according to the advices reaching Hollywood from the field of late, is what the customers have been shopping for. Previewed at the RKO<-Hillstreet theatre, downtown Los Angeles, where it kept a mixed audience laughing contentedly and sent it out humming the score. — W. R. W. Produced and distributed by Universal. Associate producer, Ken Goldsmith. Director, Albert S. Rogell. Screen play by Arthur T. Horman, Ray Golden and Sid Kuller. Story by J. Robert Bren and Gladys Atwater. Three songs by Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin, three by Sid Kuller, Ray Golden and Hal Home, two by Don Raye, Hughie Prince and Vic Schoen and another by Schoen individually. Art direction by Jack Otterson. Photographed by Elwood Bredell. Edited by Frank Gross. P.C.A. certificate No. 6544. Release date, Sept. 6, 1940. Running time, when seen in Los Angeles, 80 minutes. General audience patronage. CAST Al 1 Harry f The Ritz Brothers Jimmy J Maxene Patty \ The Andrews Sisters La Verne J Bonnie Brooks Constance Moore Eduardo George Reeves Peggy Peggy Moran Linda Anne Nagel Crook's Tour (British National-Anglo American) Espionage Comedy Despite the probability that wartime audiences prefer escapist entertainment, the producers of this latest variation on the espionage formula apparently are loyal to the more ancient cliches. Fortunately there is another angle of appeal for home audiences in that the film is adapted from a radio serial, and features in the lead roels the impeccable Basil RadfordNaunton Wayne duo as the now traditional Charters and Caldicott. Abroad, however, the film, which sedulously avoids brilliance, has to stand the difficult test beside a small army of other spy subjects. The native leg-pulling at the expense of the true blue cricketing Britisher, however, suggests an exploitation angle. Background of the adventure is pre-war Europe and the Near East and the adventures themselves involve the travelling Britishers in a German plot to blow up the Iran pipe line. There is blonde and beauteous cabaret singer— naturally a secret agent in disguise — a gramaphone record with some sabotage plans on it — and a Disneyesque Schloss wherein the victims are imprisoned and made to face a firing squad. Of course, it is not really meant to be taken seriously and even the "execution" is with blank cartridges and a waiting car. The Arabian Desert — with a public school sheik — Bagdad, Istanbul and Buda-Pesth are the backcloths. Radford and Wayne are of course delicious in their nonchalant dignity and there are one or two gay encounters, but the situations and dialogue seldom do justice to the players. Greta Gynt supplies pulchritude and Cyril Gardner, as the German agent, sinister action. A trade show audience, more than liberally sprinkled with women, laughed quite consistently if seldom inelegantly. — -Aubrey Flanagan. Anglo-American Film Corporation. A John Baxter production. Directed by John Baxter. Produced by John Corfield. Original story by John Watt and Max Kester. Photography, James Wilson. Settings, Duncan Sutherland. Recording, Harold King. Editing, Michael C. Chorlton. Technical supervision, Lance Comfort. Music, Kennedy Russell. Production management, Wallace Orton. Running time, 82 minutes. General audience classification. CAST Charters Basil Radford Caldicott Naunton Wayne Le Palermo Greta Gynt Sheik Charles Oliver Rossenger Gordon McLeod Ali Abraham Sofaer Klacken Bernerd Rebel K. 7 Cyril Gardner Hotel manager Leo de Pokorny Waiter Morris Harvey Edith Charters Noel Hood Schubert's Serenade (Arthur Ziehm, Inc.) Love Life of a Musician Obviously the chief merit of this production stems from the musical reputation of Schubert and his works which are scattered through the film and which include excerpts from "Ave Maria," "Waltz of Yearning," "Impatience," "Winter Journey," "Moment Musical," 'The Rosamonde Ballet" and 'The Unfinished Symphony.'' However, audiences more concert than cinema conscious, may resent the haphazard and sliced presentation of the master's melodic gems. The three principal parts are acted by Lilian Harvey _ as the romantic inspiration, Louis Jouvet in the role of a chief admirer of Miss Harvey and Bernard Lancret in the title role. The romantic rondelay, part fact and part fiction, locates Schubert in his mid twenties. Due to his love affair with "Margaret Brenton," an English dancer who has earned for herself a notorious reputation due to some publicity seeking stunts, the composer becomes fertile with smash musical compositions. However, the amorous arrangement comes to an unhappy ending when the lovers are forced to (.Continued on paqe 44)