Motion Picture Reviews (1933)

Four Motion Picture Reviews BLIND ADVENTURE » » Robert Armstrong, Helen Mack, Roland Young. Direction by Ernest B. Schoedsack. RKO. Though it sounds like a thriller, it really isn’t, and we find instead a light interesting mystery, cloaked in a London fog. A bored American leaves his conservative English hotel, gets lost in the fog and finds the adventure he set out to find, to say nothing of a romance which he hadn’t counted upon. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Fair Doubtful interest BY APPOINTMENT ONLY » » Lew Cody, Aileen Pringle, Marceline Day, Sally O’Neil. Direction by Frank Strayer. Invincible. Everyone loves the Cinderella theme, and here is a delightful version with an unusual denoument. Lew Cody as the famous heart specialist more interested in his charity cases than in the wealthy patients, gives a human and understanding portrayal. Sally O’Neil as his adopted daughter and Aileen Pringle as the ambitious fiancee are both excellent. Altogether it is a charming story surprisingly well done with just the proper mixture of humor, heart interest and drama. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Excellent Cood v CLEAR ALL WIRES » » Lee Tracy, Benita Hume, James Gleason, Una Merkel. Direction by George Hill. M-G-M. A thoroughly unscrupulous correspondent of a Chicago newspaper has a series of exciting adventures in Russia. As a burlesque this might be amusing, but taken seriously it is tiresome, and one is often confused as to just what is happening. Lee Tracy and Una Merkel give their usual wisecracking amusing characterizations against a Russian background which is probably totally inaccurate. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Amusing Too sophisticated •w DON’T BET ON LOVE » » Lew Ayres, Ginger Rogers. Direction by Murray Roth. Universal. The point at issue in this mediocre picture about uninteresting people is whether or not it pays to play the races. The girl says “No,” the man experiments and comes to grief. The girl wins her point because the man loses his money, but one is not quite sure how it would have turned out if luck had run the other way. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Waste of time No, no interest DOUBLE HARNESS » » Ann Harding, William Powell. Direction by John Cromwell. From a play by Edward Poor Montgomery. RKO. A girl who views marriage as a business and love as a separate adventure finds that her theories get her into difficulties. The best that can be said of this picture is that it is pleasant entertainment of the well dressed, politely sophisticated variety with Ann Harding as its drawing card. By the magic power of smooth direction and experienced acting the plot is given more credibility than it deserves, and the rather shoddy behavior of the principals is elevated to the rank of what is supposed to be acceptable in mundane society. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Unsuitable No F. P. No. 1 » » Leslie Fenton, Conrad Viedt, Jill Esmond. Direction by Erid Pommer. Fox. GaumontBritish-Ufa Picture. This aviation picture is unique and intensely interesting, having a fanciful plot based on the invention and construction of a floating platform in mid-ocean to be used as a landing place for airplanes. A slight love story adds romance. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Good No interest •w HEADLINE SHOOTER » » William Gargan, Frances Dee, Ralph Bellamy. Direction by Otto Brower. Suggested by the story "Muddy Waters" by Wallace West. RKO. A news photographer finds a kindred spirit in a “sob sister.” His congenial goodfellowship and the eventful exciting life of newspaper reporting makes the girl give up her plans for pleasant security. The picture purposes to be an accurate portrayal of news gathering devoid of sentimental hokum. It includes an earthquake, a flood and a large fire as necessary parts of the plot, and though these scenes are tense and vivid, they usurp none of the importance of the underlying theme. The director has kept the picture fresh and stimulating and the actors have made it real. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Exciting No