Motion Picture Reviews (1934)

Eight Motion Picture Reviews PARIS INTERLUDE » » Madge Evans, Otto Kruger, Robert Young, Una Merkel, Ted Healy. Adapted by Wells Root from a play by S. J. Perelman and Laura Perelman. Direction by Edwin L. Marin. M-C-M. A confused picture concerning the emotional entanglements of an American girl tourist and three dissipated American men in Paris. The setting for most of the action is the bar where they hold their daily rendezvous. The excessive drinking which is not only implied but shown and the impression given of a futile sort of existence without moral or social obligations, make the picture depressing and discouraging in tone, and the rather melodramatic and sentimental ending does not dispel the gloom. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 No; very poor No ■V THE PERSONALITY KID » » Pat O'Brien, Glenda Farrell, Claire Dodd. Direction by Alan Crosland. Warner Bros. A successful young pugilist and his manager-wife are brought to the verge of divorce and professional ruin through the jealous enmity of crooked promoters. The picture is full of action and vivid scenes which make the theme and characters life-like. The hero is honest, though cockey, and the ideals cherished by him and his wife are refreshingly sane. For audiences interested in ringside atmosphere this picture is good entertainment. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Matter of taste Too stimulating 'W SHE LOVES ME NOT * » Bing Crosby, Miriam Hopkins, Kitty Carlisle, Edward Nugent. From the novel by Edward Hope; adapted by Benjamin Glazier. Direction by Elliott Nugent. Paramount. Curly Flagg, a night club singer, sees a murder committed and promptly runs away to escape questioning by the police. Two well meaning Princeton students hide her in their rooms, and the plot thickens with newspaper reporters, gangsters and movie publicity men. Since Bing Crosby, as one of the students, is given an opportunity to croon to the dean’s daughter, those who enjoy crooning may consider the picture worth attending. For others, however, it will seem that the songs slow up the action in what should have been a rapid fire farce. Miriam Hopkins as Curly Flagg is a misfit among the other members of the cast who lag behind her tempo and make her part seem overacted. Thus the possibilities of the stage success are lost in a none too intelligent movie adaptation, and we have simply another fairly rowdy campus farce bearing as little relation to college life as the eucalyptus trees in the picture bear to the elms of Princeton. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 A mater of taste No RETURN OF THE TERROR » » John Halliday, Mary Astor, Lyle Talbot, Frank McHugh. Warner Bros. Technically good, but almost laughable in its over abundance of hair-raising situations, this is just another murder mystery relying on maniacs, storms and corpses for its emotional atmosphere. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 No Certainly not STAMBOUL QUEST » » Myrna Loy, George Brent, Lionel Atwill. From the original story by Leo Birinski. Direction by Sam Wood. M-C-M. This is a complicated story of counterespionage in Germany and Turkey. It contains the usual beautiful woman spy who allows her career to be blasted by love. Striking photography and convincingly real settings lend vitality to the production, but too much stress on the love story detracts from the interest of the plot. It is fairly entertaining. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Unsuitable No THEIR BIG MOMENT * » Zasu Pitts, Slim Summerville, Ralph Morgan, Bruce Cabot. Direction by James Cruze. R-K-O. In order to destroy the faked psychic influence of an unscrupulous doctor over a young widow, the family call upon a troupe of magicians to assist them. The results are unexpected, amusing and dramatic. Although the various elements of comedy, tragedy, humor and pathos seem thrown together rather than blended, the plot is handled in an original manner and the acting is very good. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Questionable No