Motion Picture Reviews (1934)

Six Motion Picture Reviews BOTTOMS UP » » Spencer Tracy, Pat Patterson, John Boles, Herbert Mundin, Harry Green, Sid Silver, Thelma Todd. Direction by David Butler. Fox. A new variation of an old theme; crashing the gates of moviedom. An ex-convict and a pleasant, unspoiled young girl, aided and abetted by a shady promoter, pose as an English lord and his daughter, and by one ruse after another win a place for the girl in films. Although the play borders on the farcical, it condones a conciliatory attitude towards forgery. On the whole it is light and fairly amusing, and it contains some good satire on the methods of the picture industry. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Fair Little interest v CRIMINAL AT LARGE » » Emlyn Williams, Cathleen Nesbit, Norman McKinnel, Gordon Harker. From Edgar Wallace’s novel, “The Frightened Lady.” Direction by Hayes Hunter. A Gainsborough Production. A slow moving, somewhat confused portrayal of a mystery play which has been popular on the stage. While the denouement is unexpected the plot is not clearly enough developed to satisfy American taste in this iype of thrillers. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 If it interests. No. THE DOUBLE DOOR » » Mary Morris, Evelyn Venable, Kent Taylor, Sir Guy Standing. Direction by Charles Vidor. Paramount. A study in abnormal psychology, this picture depicts the intellectual dominance of an insane elder sister over her younger sister and brother. It is impressive but morbid and melodramatic, creating a sense of fear and horror which is a tribute to the powers of the cast and director but may be objectionable to audiences. Mary Morris gives a remarkably able performance in the leading role. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Too morbid Absolutely not ■sr FINISHING SCHOOL » » Frances Dee, Billie Burke, Bruce Cabot, Beulah Bondi, Ginger Rogers. From a story by David Hemstead. Direction by Wanda Tuchock and George Nichols, Jr. RKO. With the best of direction, unusually pleasing cast, fine acting and a number of clever lines, Finishing School falls short of the standards of a good film because of the surprising weakness of the story. Six-thousanddollars-a-year boarding schools of the type pictured are scarcely sufficiently widespread to warrant exposure, and even if that were the case it is disappointing to have the love of two young people of high ideals turned into the usual sordid channels. In forcing a dramatic ending, good taste and the sincere reactions of the characters are dispensed with. It is recommended chiefly for the careless mother who turns over all responsibility to a fashionable school. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Poor. No. "V THE GHOUL » » Boris Karloff, Dorothy Hyson. Direction by Hayes Hunter. British Gaumont. The Ghoul presents the latest in horror stories and one of the wildest. Boris Karloff is so terrifying that the children who see him will probably scream in the dead of night. He personifies a wealthy fanatic who is buried alive by an Egyptian who understands the mysteries of keeping people alive, though underground, and at odd moments Karloff, the ghoul, prowls around the castle and raises considerable havoc. It is too revolting to be recommended in spite of the excellence of its production. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 No Very bad ' w THE HOUSE OF ROTHSCHILD » » George Arliss, Boris Karloff, Florence Arliss, Loretta Young, Robert Young, Helen Westerly. Direction by Alfred Werker. Associate Director, Maude T. Howell. Twentieth Century Picture. United Artists. At last Mr. Arliss has another role worthy of his ability, and a really satisfying picture is presented for the enjoyment of even the most particular audiences. Inevitably this production will be measured by the standard set by “Disraeli,” and it will not suffer in the comparison. It has a wider scope; is more adapted to the possibilities of the motion picture, covering a greater period of time, a wider variety of locale and affording a background rich in the atmospheric and historic details of the Napoleonic era. Mr. Arliss appears in two roles, that of Mayer Rothschild and later of Nathan, head of the five Rothschild banking houses located in European centers of finance. Confronted with gentile prejudice and persecution, Nathan nearly wrecks his fortune in an attempt to avenge an insult to himself and his people, but eventually patriotism, combined with astute business insight, prompts him to come to the rescue of his country’s ex