Motion Picture Reviews (1934)

Four Motion Picture Reviews CAROLINA » » Janet Caynor, Lionel Barrymore, Robert Young, Stepin Fetchit. From “The House of Connelly” by Paul Green. Direction by Henry King. Fox. The charm of the picture lies in delightful characterizations, pleasant refreshing humor, and a simple love story. The introduction shows a proud southern family in their heyday before the Civil War. The plot later centers about the romance of the scion of this family and a northern girl who rents the land for tobacco farming. Family pride and resentment towards the northern interloper cast many obstacles in the path of the young lovers but all works out for a happy ending. The picture is so satisfying in most respects that one hesitates to pick flaws, but we cannot help remarking that at times one detects a slight flavor of propaganda for tobacco interests. Much is made of women smoking at a period when it seems an anachronism, and the story is not furthered thereby. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Entertaining Harmless but mature CATHERINE THE GREAT » » Elizabeth Bergner, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Flora Robson. Direction by Paul Czinner. London Film Productions, Ltd. United Artists. In Catharine of Russia we watch the evolution of an empress, the glory and splendor as well as the struggle, the bitterness and anguish which take a gentle German girl and day by day strengthen and harden her character until she is ready to dominate the widest realm in Europe. It is a magnificent court which is spread before us, Russia in the middle of the eighteenth century, sparkling with jewels, rustling with gold-weighted fabrics, lighted with countless tapers, albeit a court ruled by the eccentric Empress Elizabeth and later by her nephew Peter who gradually grows stranger and more mad. The actors live their parts. Elizabeth Bergner as Catharine is sincere, deeply expressive, maintaining her stateliness in spite of a rather fragile beauty; Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., plays the Emperor Peter with fire and again with great delicacy and charm, his greatest achievement in films. Flora Robson is a grand personage as the old Empress. Historically, while the period covered has been compressed from seventeen to a few years, the main outline has been followed, and the play is an experience of the gorgeous court life of another century which is long to be remembered. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Very fine Too heavy COMING OUT PARTY » » Frances Dee, Gene Raymond, Harry Green, Alison Skipworth. Direction by John Blystone. Lasky Production. Fox. This is a delightful and appealing story of the struggle of two young people for their fundamental right to love and marriage in opposition to the conventions of “high society” which bind the girl. The love story is old but the settings and the satirical quality make the picture vivid and alive. It should have wide appeal, for it graphically portrays the futility and dullness of conventional society life in contrast with the ardour and romance of youthful love. The whole is treated with subtlety and restraint and Frances Dee is charming as the young society girl. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Interesting No interest xr DAVID HARUM » » Will Rogers, Louise Dresser, Evelyn Venable, Kent Taylor, Noah Beery, Stepin Fetchit. From novel by Edward Noyes Westcott. Direction by James Cruze. Fox. David Harum, owner of a bank in Homeville, survives the ’83 depression because he “balances a man’s character with his collateral and then gives him half what he asks for.” He is also a shrewd horse trader. Will Rogers blends his own inimitable personality with the role to give us one of his best characterizations. The book which was well-loved several decades ago is equally effective on the screen reviving the spirit of the nineties with its old fashioned home life, genuineness of characters, true pathos and kindliness of humor. There is an optimistic tone which never becomes preachy, and David Harum on the screen is the exponent of the same homely philosophy of life that has made his sayings a by-word in many homes. It is great entertainment and genuinely funny. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Excellent Yes ■v DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY » » Fredric March, Evelyn Venable, Sir Guy Standing. From the play by Alberto Casella. Direction by Mitchell Leisen. Paramount. Into a gay house-party comes Death disguised as a young and attractive man. He imposes upon his host the obligation to keep his identity a secret during the period of his stay, for he wishes to discover why mortals cling to life and fear death. In the empty round of social gaieties he finds no answer until he falls in love. The phantasy is interesting, undeniably so, but while it solves