Motion Picture Reviews (1934)

Six Motion Picture Reviews FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH » » Jessie Matthews, Sonnie Hale, Frank Lawton. Story by Sidney Cillat and C. H. Moresby White. Direction by Victor Saville. Gaumont-British Picture Corp. This is a beautifully directed, intensely absorbing picture in which narratage is successfully employed to give an intimate view of the lives of a number of persons who happened to be on a bus when it was struck by lightning. In each case the mishap to the bus marks a turning point in the life of one of the characters. All the different threads are so skilfully inter-woven that the continuity is never interrupted and each story is convincing in itself. The production merits the attention of discriminating audiences. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Interesting though No interest mature THE CIRL FROM MISSOURI » » Jean Harlow, Franchot Tone, Lionel Barrymore, Patsy Kelly. Direction by Jack Conway. M-G-M. It seems too bad that a talented cast should have to waste their time in such a hopelessly silly, vulgar picure as this one. If you sit through this production you will see how a girl from the worst possible background maintains her ideals in spite of millionaires who have nothing to do but concoct pitfalls for her and her sister chorus girls. Bent on annexing a wedding ring and a rich man simultaneously, this energetic lady not only succeeds in her purpose but finds true love at the same time. It is amusing in spots, the costumes and sets are lavish, but it seems too far fetched to have much appeal for any audience. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 No No -v GRAND CANARY » * Warner Baxter, Madge Evans, Marjorie Rambeau. Adapted by Ernest Pascal from the novel by A. J. Cronin. Direction by Irving Cummings. Fox. This is not a happy picture. It is probably intended as a character study of a physician whose career is ruined by a medical mistake (which is not at all impossible) and who is later fortunate enough to be reinstated in public favor by unselfish and successful social service (also possible). Regrettably a love affair with a married woman adds an ugly touch which is not sufficiently motivated to have any significance in character delineation. This may be due to adaptation, making the picture less strong than the novel from which it was derived. The cast is adequate, the story of fair interest, but the picture is commonplace. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 No No v HAT, COAT AND GLOVE » » Ricardo Cortez, Barbara Robbins, John Beal, Dorothy Burgess. From the play by William Speyer. Direction by Worthington Miner. R-K-O. The three articles mentioned in the title of this picture lead to the acquital of an innocent man who is suspected of murder. The photoplay is a combination of detective and triangle story in which the handling of circumstantial evidence is of more interest than the marital difficulites of the characters. It is passably entertaining. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 No No -v OF HUMAN BONDAGE » » Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, Reginald Owen, Francis Dee. From the novel by W. Somerset Maugham; adaptation by Lester Cohen. Direction by John Cromwell. R-K-O. It is curious that so unpleasant a story can hold the qualities of absorbing interest which this does. But it is no doubt due to the fact that it is a sensitive and restrained study of human weakness, skilfully adapted from the novel, exceptionally well cast, and directed with rare intuition and good taste. Leslie Howard gives a fine interpretation of the young man physically and spiritually handicapped by a deformity; and Bette Davis is superb as the hateful, selfish and brutal woman whose attraction the sensitive man cannot combat until her death releases him. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 No No JANE EYRE » » Virginia Bruce, Colin Clive. Adapted from Charlotte Bronte’s novel by Adele Comandini. Direction by Christy Cabanne. Monogram. To some the adaptation of this famous story of another period of literature will seem stilted and out dated. On the other hand these very characteristics will endear it to others. It certainly suggests the manners and habits, the setting and dress, and even the emotional reactions of the time. The plot is difficult, because it seems unreal and impossible today, and the characters too naive, but the charm of the book is certainly felt