Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST 103 Lowe's lighthearted flatfoot role is nicely worded and that will be 'Seven Sinners 's' biggest asset on this side. On the other side of the ledger is the case which he solves; it's too heavy to blend well with a basically comic characterization. . . On production and technical work, the picture is big time. But still it's only dual fodder for over here." h Variety p20 Ag 26 '36 THE SHADOW. Globe 60min Players: Henry Kendall. Elizabeth Allan. Jeanne Stuart Director: George Cooper Filmed in England. Based on the novel of the same title by Donald Stuart. A mystery story with a Scotland Yard background. Audience Suitability Ratings "General patronage." Nat Legion of Decency Je 18 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "This one is relegated to the secondary spots. The story is weak and lacks most of the essentials that make up successful pictures of this type. Its cast struggles along with situations that are never well-woven, while the direction is of the spotty variety." — Film Daily p4 Je 27 '36 "This has a reasonably good element of mystery, but for [the U.S.] market is seriously handicapped by the heavily accented speech, some of which is almost unintelligible. . . In general it is only average mystery." H Motion Pict Daily p4 Je 27 '36 "Estimate: for neighborhoods, twin bills." Phila Exhibitor p30 Jl 15 '36 "Wordy Scotland Yard murder mystery done by English cast in slipshod manner. Aside from feeble marquee possibilities (Elizabeth Allan, alone worthy of plugging), this film is too mediocre to please [patrons] even when inside. Looks headed for meager returns on secondary double-program niche." — Variety p25 Jl 1 '36 (s) SHAKE MR. SHAKESPEARE. Vitaphone 20min Ag 22 '36 Players: Carolyn Marsh. Allen Mann Director: Roy Mack When a film producer orders an assistant to read all of Shakespeare's plays in one night and to report on them in the morning, the assistant has a nightmare in which Cleopatra. Romeo, and Marc Anthony play each other ; roles with Hollywood modern touches. Trade Paper Reviews "A satire with ultra-modern trimmings on some of Shakespeare's works, with everything but the kitchen sink thrown in to make it 'different,' this not only will go over the heads of most audiences but it contains little real entertainment. . . Cleopatra, Macbeth, Henry VIII, Romeo and Juliet, Puck and others 'go Hollywood,' with unsensational results." — Box Office p27 Jl 25 '36 "A pretentious two-reeler, done with a fantastic touch and with a comedy slant throughout." Film Daily p8 Jl 3 '36 "At its best it is mildly entertaining." 1 Motion Pict Daily p8 Jl 6 '36 SHAKEDOWN. Columbia 57min Jl 17 '36 Players: Lew Ayres. Joan Perry. Thurston Hall Director: David Selman When an heiress falls in love with a poor man, her father offers him an important job in his company. The young man refuses but does accept a job as messenger-boy. The girl agrees to a kidnapping hoax, thinking it will help the young man. When the hoax turns out to be a real kidnapping, the messenger rescues her. Audience Suitability Ratings "A: mediocre; Y: hardly; C: no." Christian Century pll75 S 2 '36 "[It is] a fast-moving, exciting melodrama. Smooth direction, a capable cast, an interesting story and maintainance of suspense to the end. Family." + Nat Council of Jewish Women Ag 5 '36 "General patronage." Nat Legion of Decency Ag 6 '36 "Smooth, exciting entertainment. Family." + Sei Motion Pict Ag 1 '36 "Family." Wkly Guide Jl 25 '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews Christian Science Monitor pl3 Ag 29 '36 "As a footnote on minor operations it is our duty to report that 'Shakedown' [is] a fast, scarcely furious, but pleasantly unpretentious contribution from Columbia Pictures. [It is] a dead certainty for second spot on a doublefeature bill." F. S. Xugent — NY Times p9 Ag 17 '36 "Mr. Ayres' presentation of Bob is about as real as a wire .photo, which is no censure at all, for the picture is a sticky little yarn about as profound as an engraving on a pin. Joan Perry's Edith Stuart is a pouty little sweetie and an occasional nuisance, which probably isn't her fault, either. . . 'Shakedown' is a 'program' picture — a dubious term I was never able to figure. It is variously defined as routine tripe for the grinds, and not to be taken too seriously, but you could never get Columbia, who produced this one, or any of the studios to admit it." Douglas Gilbert — NY World-Telegram pl5a Ag 18 '36 "Its familiar ingredients are badly jumbled." — Time p42 Jl 27 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "[It is] a mediocre mystery. Family." h Box Office p29 Ag 1 '36 "[It is a] fairly entertaining little program picture with story in action tempo okay for popular houses." H Film Daily pl6 Ag 18 '36 "This is a fast-moving unpretentious formula melodrama of the shakedown racket. Well acted and briskly directed it is engaging entertainment that will keep non-discriminating audiences at close attention and shapes up as good support material for popular houses." + Hollywood Reporter p3 Ag 26 '36 "A melodramatic effort of the shakedown racket, this should be reasonably satisfying and provide fair entertainment. The action is well paced and incidents are logicallv built up." -} Motion Pict Daily pl5 Ag 18 '36 "Estimate: for neighborhoods, twin bills." Phila Exhibitor p34 Ag 1 '36 "This is a typical semi-gangster film, full of time-worn angles, a make-believe snatch and eventually a murder mystery. It smacks + -f Exceptionally Good; -fGood; -| Fair; \ Mediocre; — Poor; Exceptionally Poor