Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

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MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST 27 EARLY TO BED. Paramount 75min Je 5 '36 Players: Mary Boland. Charlie Ruggles. George Barbier, Gail Patrick Director: Norman McLeod See issue of June 29, 1936 for other reviews of this film Audience Suitability Ratings "Family." Am Legion Auxiliary "Adults: good; 14-18: good. Family." Calif Cong of Par & Teachers "The picture is a series of good comedy sequences and the dialogue particularly clever and funny. Family." Calif Fed of Business & Professional Women's Clubs "Mediocre-mature." DAR "Amusing situations, skilful direction and expert acting are combined to make wholly enjoyable entertainment. Family." E Coast Preview Committee "Family." S Calif Council of Fed Church Women + Fox W Coast Bui Je 20 '36 "Enjoyable entertainment for the family." + Jt Estimates Je 15 '36 "Suitability: family." Mo Film Bui pll6 Jl '36 "This is capital fun. . . Many lines provoke laughter, the entire cast joins whole-heartedly in the action, and there is never a dull moment. Adolescents, 12-16: amusing; children, 8-12: probably mature." + Motion Pict R Jl '36 "Family." Nat Council of Jewish Women Je 10 '36 "A and Y: light comedy; C: if interesting." Parents' M p47 Ag '36 "Enjoyable entertainment for the family." Sel Motion Pict Jl 1 '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "Those two nice, tame people, Mary Boland and Charles Ruggles . . . make a thoroughlyentertaining full-length comedy out of the theme of sleepwalking. . . [They] are no doubt so successful at this because they do not try veryhard. A little too much pressure, and this picture could have been one of the colossal clucks of the year." Don Herold + Life p30 S '36 New Theatre p23 S '36 "While [it] is not as distinctive or substantial a piece as 'Ruggles of Red Gap,' Miss Boland and Mr. Ruggles once more prove a diverting married couple. . . The picture, while not a masterpiece in any sense, is gay and amusing and deftly done. Norman McLeod keeps it going at a smart pace and blends his comedy scenes together skillfully and tellingly." Marguerite Tazelaar + NY Herald Tribune pl2 Jl 16 '36 "The picture is much more amusing when it forgets the plot and concentrates on the personalities of its comedians. As background for Mr. Ruggles' s sleepwalking antics and Miss Boland' s hysterical efforts to protect him from his subconscious self, the story serves very well. 'Early to Bed,' besides welcoming Miss Boland and Mr. Ruggles back as a costarring team, is excellent hot-weather entertainment." Eileen Creelman + NY Sun pl2 Jl 16 '36 Peviewed by B. R. C. N Y Times p20 Jl 16 '36 " 'Early to Bed' is, frankly, purely porousknit entertainment. It neither solves nor pretends to solve anything, and about its only reason for being is that it manages by fits and starts to provide considerably more than just a minimum number of funny — sometimes more than just merely funny — lines and situations." William Boehnel H NY World-Telegram pl5 Jl 16 '36 " 'Early to Bed' is perfect fare for the summer boarders. . . In fact, I should say they'll be lucky if they find 'Early to Bed' on the screen rather than most of the pictures that have been turning up these hot days. . . Personally, I was more amused by some of the minor touches than by the broad farce of the Ruggles night excursions." John Mosher + New Yorker p56 Jl 25 '36 "The two comedians are as funny as they always have been. It's not belittling them to say that this picture is a triumph for director and writers. They're probably just as grateful as their public is to be handed such inspired material." Molly Lewin + Script pl4 Jl 11 '36 "[It is] a rather frolicsome piece . . . and [has] moments of sure-fire merriment." + Stage pl20 Ag '36 Trade Paper Reviews "Mary Boland and Charlie Ruggles individually are excellent comics, and together they're twice as good. Give them a break in the way of story and dialogue and they'll produce as many laughs as any team that Hollywood boasts of. 'Early to Bed' gives them such a break and they make the most of it. Picture is a corking comedy and should do nicely on business." -f Variety pl7 Jl 22 '36 EARTHWORM TRACTORS. Warner-First national 63min Jl 18 '36 Players: Joe E. Brown. June Travis. Guy Kibbee. Dick Foran. Carol Hughes Director: Raymond Enright Based on the Saturday Evening Post series of short stories by William Hazlett Upson. In this hilarious comedy, Joe E. Brown portrays a supersalesman with an inflated ego who tries to sell tractors to a confirmed tractor hater. After tremendous odds he succeeds not only as a salesman, but wins the customer's fair daughter as well. Audience Suitability Ratings "A: feeble; T and C: harmless fun." Christian Century pl071 Ag 5 '36 "[It] leaves you breathless with laughter. Fine support under smart, brisk direction. Family." Am Legion Auxiliary "Good fun for the family. Family & junior matinee." Calif Cong of Par & Teachers "Family." Calif Fed of Business & Professional Women's Clubs "Good. Inimitable Joe E. Brown makes you laugh and forget your troubles. Family." DAR "Good entertainment for the family." Nat Soc of New England Women + Fox W Coast Bui Je 27 '36 "A rollicking comedy that will delight the entire family." + Gen Fed of Women's Clubs (W Coast) Je 14 '36 "For an hour of fun, relaxation and unabashed laughter try 'Earthworm Tractors.' Adolescents, 12-16: good; children, 8-12: good." + Motion Pict R Jl '36 + -H Exceptionally Good; + Good; -| Fair; [-Mediocre; — Poor; Exceptionally Poor