Motion Picture Reviews (1934)

Motion Picture Reviews Five FEATURE FILMS BRITISH AGENT » » Leslie Howard, Kay Francis. Adapted by Laird Doyle from the novel “British Agent” by R. H. Bruce Lockhart. Direction by Michael Curtiz. Warner Bros. When it was announced that Bruce Lockhart’s vivid, journalistic and dramatic story was to be made into a motion picture, readers of that masterpiece were naturally curious and somewhat doubtful of the possibility of putting it onto the screen. And readers will be disappointed in the film. Perhaps it would have been impossible to satisfy those who felt the singular charm of the personality or the astonishing reality of the terrific crisis in world’s history which he presented in the story of his experiences in Russia. It is necessary then to judge the film as pure fiction, having only the slightest connection with the incidents of the book or the emotional strain through which the man himself lived. Leslie Howard is sympathetic as Stephen Locke, the British Agent who is sent unofficially to try to keep Russia in the war during that appalling period of the revolution and who fails when he becomes too involved in foreign politics. Kay Francis is very convincing as the woman whose belief in the revolutionary cause forces her to betray the man she loves. The background of Russia of the period is colorful and the characters introduced, who suggest the men of that hour, are interesting; the action is dramatic and full of suspense, the musical accompaniment impressive, but the production will not be so highly rated among movies as the book is among books. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Doubtful; Too mature sophisticated ■sr BORN TO BE BAD » * Loretta Young, Cary Crant, Jackie Kelk. Direction by Lowell Sherman. Twentieth Century. A distressing theme is herein presented. In a well mounted picture featuring Loretta Young beautifully gowned in the manner of a movie demi-mondaine, we are shown a young mother who has become so hardened by her betrayal at the age of fifteen that she is consciously bringing up her child to be a menace to society. Abetted by a shyster lawyer, she compromises her son’s court-appointed guardian in order to blackmail him, but gratitude at last enters her almost petrified heart and softens it. She steps out of the picture and is last seen rocking an old cradle. To thoughtful audiences the spectacle of a child being deliberately warped in character by his mother is sufficiently painful at best, but when it is presented in a sentimental story it is revolting. The boy, exceedingly well acted by Jackie Kelk, is both clever and attractive, a misleading figures to the thousands of under privileged children who will undoubtedly see this picture and conclude that lying and stealing are valuable practices. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Certainly not No ■w BACHELOR BAIT » » Stuart Erwin, Rochell Hudson, Pert Kelton, Skeets Gallagher. Direction by George Stevens. R-K-O. Stuart Erwin, as the young man with the understanding heart, opens a marriage bureau, not so much for cash as for the joys he hopes to scatter. Eventually even such an honest agency is attacked by a not-so-honest district attorney and troubles ensue, to be circumvented by quick thought and action. It is light, wholesome comedy with a wellchosen cast and very amusing dialogue. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Yes Little interest ■w THE CROSS AND THE SWORD » » Jose Mojica, Juan Trena. Direction by Frank Shayer. Spanish dialogue. Fox. An ingenuous and naive love story of early California which has charm and beauty particularly because of beautiful singing. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Understanding of Ian No interest guage increases interest ▼ ELMER AND ELSIE * » George Bancroft, Frances Fuller. Adapted by Humphrey Pearson. From a play by Ceorge S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly. Direction by Gilbert Pratt. Paramount. Here is a pleasing and humorous comedy with a delightful vein of satire running through it. It is well written and well acted and is good fun for the family having enough action to amuse the children although the actual plot has no particular interest for them. It tells the story of two husbands so deftly managed by their wives that they are completely unaware of the fact. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Amusing Harmless