Motion Picture Reviews (1938)

Six MOTION PICTURE REVIEWS well worked out with suitable cast and direction. It makes an interesting if not unusual mystery. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 1 2 Too mature No © JUST AROUND THE CORNER O O Shirley Temple, Chas. Farrell, Joan Davis, Amanda Duff, Bill Robinson, Bert Lahr. Direction by Irving Cummings. 20th Century-Fox. As a vehicle to display Shirley Temple’s talents, this film succeeds admirably and is pleasing entertainment for her admirers. With her usual sunny charm, she brings happiness to the various tenants in a big apartment house, stages a benefit to help an old man whom she mistakes for “Uncle Sam" and finds a wife for her widowered father. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Yes Yes © THE LAST EXPRESS O O Kent Taylor, Dorothea Kent, Don Brodie, Paul Hurst, Greta Granstedt. From the novel by Paynard Kendrick. Screen play by Edmund L. Hartmann. Direction by Otis Garrett. Universal. Undoubtedly devotees of detective stories can follow the plot. All others should be warned to listen very carefully for the final explanation which is given over a dictaphone; otherwise they will never know who killed whom and why. There is a good deal of turmoil and excitement with two sets of detectives and police officers working at cross purposes and all ending up in a deserted and almost forgotten subway where a bag of thirty thousand dollars has been secreted. The acting is better than the story, which after all is not very high praise. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 1 2 Waste of time No © OUT WEST WITH THE HARDYS O O Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecelia Parker, Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford, Sara Haden, Don Castle, Virginia Weidler, Gordon Jones, Ralph Morgan, Nana Bryant. Screen play by Kay Van Riper, Agnes Christine Johnson and William Ludwig. Directed by George B. Seitz. M.-G.-M. The writers for the Hardy Family series have found the secret for human interest stories of adolescence. Combining the humor and drama necessary for plot, they saysomething about real people and real problems, and no one can come away without a deeper respect for the American family life which is typical of many homes. A trip out West is necessitated by a legal matter requiring Judge Hardy’s counsel, and the family’s adventures in this environment are highly entertaining. Both Andy and Marion come home with a different understanding of life’s realities. Credit is due writers, director, and cast for splendid work, with special praise to Virginia Weidler for her sincerity and charm. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Excellent Entertaining and constructive © PARDON OUR NERVE O <> Lynn Bari, June Gale, Guinn Williams, Michael Whalen, Edward Brophy, John Miljan, Theodore Von Eltz. Original story by Hilda Stone and Betty Reinhardt. Direction by H. Bruce Humberstone. Twentieth Century-Fox. “Pardon Our Nerve” is a broad, noisy farce concerning two adventuresses who, having come to the end of their resourcefulness in beating their way about the country, contrive to back a moronic ex-waiter in a series of prize-fights. There are a few laughable situations but as a whole it is overwritten, overacted, and incoherent. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Too cheap and No unethical © PECK'S BAD BOY WITH THE CIRCUS O Tommy Kelly, Ann Gillis, Edgar Kennedy, Benita Hume, Spanky MacFarland, Billy Gilbert, Grant Mitchell, Nana Bryant, Louise Beavers. Based upon the character created by G. W. Peck. Direction by Edward F. Cline. Principal-R. K. 0. -Radio. Here is a rollicking juvenile comedy enacted against the glamorous background of a circus tent, with the circus people and circus animals, especially some remarkably trained lions, adding color and drama to the adventures of BUI Peck and his friends. The young hero is en route to a summer camp when he is lured into the circus, and he and his friends find themselves involved in a feud between two of the performers and a little feminine bare-back rider. Bill’s experiences in the circus ring and his wild ride to reach the camp in time to compete in an athletic contest are highly entertaining. In fact, here is a picture in which the action is of paramount interest. The director has failed to bring out Tommy Kelly at his best and all the star performances are given to the minor juveniles and the group of superb lions. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Entertaining Good © SAY IT IN FRENCH O O Ray Milland, Olympe Bradna, Irene Hervey, Janet Beecher, Mary Carlisle, Walter Kingsford, Erik Rhodes Screen play by Frederick Jackson. Based on a play by Jacques Deval. Direction by Andrew Stone. Paramount. With more expert handling this film might have been a fairly entertaining, though routine, sophisticated comedy. As it happens, it