Motion Picture Reviews (1935)

Motion Pictum Reviews Five heroines of movies which you h»ve seen would you select as your child’s ideal ? Do you think “the happy day-dreams children enjoy as they imagine themselves in the hero roles are conducive to normal adjustments to life as it is?” — L. O. V. <*, FEATURE FILMS THE ADVENTURE GIRL » » From “The Cradle of the Deep” by Joan Lowell. Direction by Herman Raymaker. Van Buren Production. The supposedly authentic but seemingly improbable adventures of the crew of the “Black Hawk” on a voyage to Guatemala, are pictured in this travelogue. Joan Lowell, who wrote the book from which the travelogue was made, accompanies the picture with an informal discourse, explaining the hardships and thrilling adventures encountered on the voyage. A battle between a snake and a mongoose, a terrific storm at sea, hostile natives and the search for a fabulous emerald are some of the exciting ingredients. Whether truth or fiction it is an entertaining yarn. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Entertaining Yes ■sr BIOGRAPHY OF A BACHELOR GIRL * » Ann Harding, Robert Montgomery, Edward E. Horton, Edward Arnold, Una Merkel. Based on a play by S. N. Behrman. Direction by Edward H. Griffith. M-G-M. Much ado about whether or not to publish the diary of a girl artist who has startled the world with her reputed love affairs. Ann Harding, always lovely, is her charming self, though somewhat miscast as a lady with a sensational reputation. Robert Montgomery, of the winning smile, plays the part of a misanthropic young man, and Edward Everett Horton is rather less funny than usual. The picture suffers from an unnecessary amount of dialogue and lack of action but may have been better as a play. It is superficially entertaining, pleasant, but a disappointing medium for a talented cast. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Uninteresting No interest ■w BACHELOR OF ARTS » » Tom Brown, Anita Louise, Henry B. Walthall, Mae Marsh, Arline Judge Direction by Louis King. From the novel by John Erskine. Fox. The picture deserves credit for its omission of the time-worn athletic encounters and chorus girl co-eds, even though it falls somewhat short of a realistic conception of college life. It is a light romance of a gilded Fresh man who is saved from the error of his ways, hardened and strengthened by a worth while college girl. Buildings and grounds of Pomona College lend a delightful atmosphere. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Fair Little interest ■sr BEHOLD MY WIFE » » Sylvia Sydney, Gene Raymond, Sara Crewe. Direction by Mitchell Laisen. Paramount. In this melodramatic tale, a young waster from New York marries a full-b'ooded Indian girl in order to revenge himself upon his parents, and when she miraculously proves a social success, it all winds up in a shooting affray. Artificial, exaggerated and sordid, the film is not suitable for adolescents and has little to offer for a mature mind. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Very poor No vr BROADWAY BILL * * Warner Baxter, Myrna Loy, Walter Con nolly, Helen Vinson. Based on a story by Mark Hellinger. Direction by Frank Capra. Columbia. Although this whole film concerns simple, ordinary affairs, there is not a commonplace scene or incident in it, perhaps because the director has a close touch on the pulse of life. The subject is timely, as horse racing has been steadily gaining in popularity, and the real hero of the film is the horse, “Broadway Bill.” There is strong pathos, also a good deal of fun, and the rather large cast is uniformly good, but it is the feeling of reality conveyed by the director which makes the production unusual. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Good Too mature BRIGHT EYES * » Shirley Temple, James Dunn, Lois Wilson, Judith Allen. Direction by David Butler. M-G-M. Little Shirley Temple is an enchanting child and an amazingly good actress whose presence in any picture guarantees its success. Her already enthusiastic public will be gratified that this time she appears in a film without crooks and with an entirely wholesome