Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

44 Motion Picture News November 22 , 1930 Opinions on Pictures The Blue Angel {Paramount ) A Magnificent Picture {Reviewed by Red Kami) BERLIN enthused over it ; London forgot some of its reserve and endorsed it, according to reports. What American audiences will do about "The Blue Angel" is one of those futures that nobody can figure in advance. The picture, produced by Josef Von Sternberg for Ufa in Germany and acquired by Paramount for American distribution, ranks easily among the finest talking pictures made. By every argument that can be advanced, this picture rates a huge success. Yet, the opposite might easily be true. Discriminating picture-goers will leave the theatre completely sold that here is an outstanding picture, a dramatic triumph. But when you realize the masses may vote against it, that possibility is enough to make one groan over the futility of creating artistic efforts that won't return a profit on their investment. "The Blue Angel" touches high spots in direction and histrionics that can be applied to less than a handful of the hundreds of talking pictures produced to date. Its story has power and an emotional kick that are unmistakable. Von Sternberg's handling can be described with only one adjective: superb. Emil Jannings has never done any finer work and Marlene Dietrich, who gets off to a left-footed start in this market in the inadequate "Morocco," demonstrates by this one picture that she is a star against whom few now in pictures can compete. The story in brief is this : Jannings appears as Iminanuel Rath, professor of literature and English in a German high school. Miss Dietrich is Lola Lola, river-front cabaret singer with a checkered past. They meet when Jannings, discovering his students have been frequenting the dive at night, goes to the cafe with a request that Lola leave his boys alone. He finds himself irresistibly attracted. Lola plays with him and the professor gradually succumbs to her charms. Impending tragedy enters at this point for the first time. The students have been watching through a raised trapdoor and it is obvious that they plan trouble for him. Jannings finally spends the night with the singer, although the situation is handled witli great finesse. The student body, now openly in revolt, refuses to obey his commands in the schoolroom and raise enough din to bring in the head of the school, who naturally asks for Jannings's resignation. He gets it; Jannings asks Lola to marry him, as you would expect a man of his background and inherently fine instincts to do, she consents and, by her act, seals Jannings' doom. Against his will but dominated by the woman and the love he holds for her, he falls to the level of the theatrical troupe of which he is now a part. He even sells suggestive postcards of his wife and eventually becomes a clt i\\ D assistant to the magician. Here and there you get signs of revolt, but always Jannings returns. When it is proposed that the company return to The Blue Angel cafe in the town where Jannings once had caste, he refuses, only to accede later. The climax — a powerful, gripping and intensely moving sequence — comes when Jannings has to appear before the cafe mob in his role as clown and to crow as the magician draws eggs from his nose. He goes mad. rushes from the stage and all but succeeds in strangling Dietrich until finally torn loose. When they release him from a straight-jacket, you see the man, broken in mind and health, tottering out of the cafe to his old place in the schoolroom where death mercifully relieves him of his suffering. The shades of characterization which Jannings imparts to his role as he breaks under the weight of unfortunate circumstances are as magnificent as they are varied. The man's work is amazing and a sterling tribute to his abilities as an actor of understanding and intelligence. While Jannings dominates the picture, Miss Dietrich likewise does superb work. She indicates in the "The Blue Angel" that she is an actress of wide range and power. She is not only beautiful, but is endowed with a resonant speaking and an effective singing voice. Important, too, is the definiteness with which her personality registers. The third factor which makes this picture what it is is the appreciative and always telling direction of Von Sternberg. He had a story and two ace players, but the rest he provided and take it from this reviewer, he supplied plenty. Be careful in selection of shorts in order not to spoil the mood of the feature. If contrast is deemed desirable, try cartoons. Produced by Ufa of Berlin. Distributed by Paramount in the United States. From novel by Heinrich Mann. Adaptation by Carl Zuckmeyer, Karl Vollmoller and Robert Liebmann. Directed by Joseph Von Sternberg. Edited by S. K. Winston. Photographed by Gunthen Rittau and Hans Schneeberger. Length, 9,047 feet. Running time, 100 minutes. Release date, Dec. 15. THE CAST Prof. Immanuel Rath Emil Jannings Lola Lola Marlene Dietrich Kiepert, the Magician Kurt Gerron Guste, his wife Rosa Valetti Mazeppa, strong man .Hans Albers Proprietor of "The Blue Angel" Karl Huszar-Puffy The Weintraub-Syncopators The Lottery Bride {United Artists) Illegitimate Opera {Reviewed by S. A. Kane) BOX-OFFICES have found in the past that Jeanette MacDonald, surrounded by satin bed clothes, is not irresistible. With "Lottery Bride" they will find that Jeanette in Eskimo Easter suits is just another little girl in another little picture. For the star, in this, is asked to do nothing very important or difficult, and she does it just as any other girl of ordinary talent might have. "Lottery Bride" is set in Hollywood's conception of what Oslo, Norway, is in the springtime, and what the Arctic Circle is the rest of the year. A plain little story of what mistakenly disillusioned girl and boy lovers will do to spite one another in the frozen north is unwound in a manner that entertains reasonably and surprises not at all. These modest adventures are told partly in song and partly in dialogue, but always with a musical accompaniment that would be excellent even in a more stirring picture. This lovely orchestral background, together with the occasional pleasant resonance of Robert Chisholm's singing voice, comes near to making of the production an illegitimate opera of Norway in English. The story is that of Jenny and Chris (Jeanette MacDonald and John Garrick), youthful lovers. A lover's misunderstanding sends Chris into the mining town in the far north where an older brother is foreman, and where miners spend all their time in a cozy cafe, drinking and buying lottery tickets on prospective brides recruited by an Oslo agent. In these surroundings Chris seeks to forget the girl whom he believes untrue. The girl, equally disturbed, seeks a similar forgetfulness by offering herself to the lottery agent. Her ticket is purchased in the mining camp saloon by Chris, who, without knowing the identity of his prize, turns the winning ticket over to his older brother, Olaf. Jenny arrives in the far north, meets her future husband and his brother, her former sweetheart. She takes up her innocent though unconventional residence with them, pending the marriage. Soon after there arrives in the town one Alberto, commander of an Italian dirigible about to make a flight over the Pole. Alberto's attentions to Jennie back in Oslo were the cause of the young lovers' misunderstanding. When Alberto is ready to resume the polar flight, Chris, realizing that his brother is now genuinely in love with Jennie, joins the crew of the dirigible in order to get himself out of the way of their marriage. The bag is forced down, and Olaf sets out across the ice with a dog team to lead them back to safety. Jennie, back at the mining town, becomes impatient and organizes a crew to man an icebreaker that steams its way among the icebergs without hesitation, until it has pulled up alongside the particular cake of ice on which Chris, Olaf and Alberto have lain themselves down to die. Alberto having explained away the cause for Chris's distrust of Jennie, and Olaf having renounced her in favor of his younger brother, the way for the reunion on shipboard is made clear. Performances are uniformly undistinguished. Instances of overacting, accompanied by gestures and lines reminiscent of high school dramatics, are numerous. Singing voices, with the exception of Chisholm's, are only average. Unconvincing action and negligent direction emphasize the story's numerous improbabilities. A comic relief is sought by Joe E. Brown and Zasu Pitts — but never quite attained. A single drinking sequence featuring Brown and Harry Gribbon draws laughs. The fade-out on the ice floes is a color sequence with picturesqueness to recommend it. Needs comedy and a good novelty short. Produced by Arthur Hammerstein. Distributed by United Artists. Directed by Paul L. Stein. Story by Herbert Stothart. Music by Rudolph Friml. Musical arrangement by Hugo Riesenfeld. Continuity and dialogue by Howard Em met t Rogers. Edited by Robert J. Karn. Photographed by Ray June. Length, 7,343 feet. Running time, 80 minutes. Release date, Nov. 22. THE CAST Jenny Jeanette MacDonald Chris John Garrick Hoke Joe E. Brown Hilda Zazu Pitts Olaf Robert Chisholm Alberto Joseph Macaulay Boris II airy Gribbon Nels Caroll Nye The Hate Ship ( British International) Good Program {Reviewed by Robert Hage) STEADY improvement is being evinced by this company in turning out British films for the American market. This one has a good story and is capably acted, its chief fault being that it is too drawn out and lacks comedy relief. Jameson Thomas' work as the villain is outstanding. He is an excellent actor and puts over the part in fine fashion. Jean Colin is a pretty and accomplished heroine and should find favor with American audiences. All of the action takes place aboard a pleasure yacht, whose owner is trying to force a young heir to invest money in one of his schemes. The young man is mysteriously shot and his friend, who has come aboard as his valet, solves the mystery, discovering the shot is part of a plan arranged by a Russian aboard, who is seeking to revenge the murder of his father, with the yacht owner his intended victim. This should hold up well in the weekly changes. It has smoothness and charm and is well directed, save for the padding. Needs cotnedv relief. Produced by Ellstree Prod. Distributed by British International. Directed by Norman Walker. From the novel by Bruce Graem. Scenario by Eliot Stannard. Photographed by Rene Guissant. Length. 6,750 feet.. Running time, 75 minutes. Release date, Nov. THE CAST Vernon Wolfe Jameson Thomas Sylvia Paget Jean Colin Count Boris Ivanhoff Henry Victor Roger Peel Jack Raine Captain MacDonnell Randle Ayrton Countess Olga Karova Maria Minetti Arthur Wanlell Carl Harbord Doctor Saunders Alien Jeaves