Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

104 MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST SHAKEDOWN — Continued strongly of hurried preparation and shows it in execution. The picture obviously is intended tor secondary feature spotting which is where it belongs. Must depend entirely on Lew Ayres as box office draft." — Variety pl6 Ag 19 '36 "Evidently aimed at dual bills, Columbia's 'Shakedown' falls exactly in lap of the double spots, but on the under side. It's well written, nicely directed, acted and produced, but it's too formulabuilt to take the big hurdles. It's nice entertainment for the family and in the not-too-discreet spots will have the family on the seats* edges." _j Variety (Hollywood) p3 Ag 6 '36 SHEDEVIL ISLAND. Grand national 64min Je 1 '36 Players: Native cast Director: Rafael Sevilla Dialogue film made on a Mexican island. "A young Spaniard leaves his island home and his fishing to seek a fortune in pearls." (Nat Bd of R M) Audience Suitability Ratings "Mature." Nat Bd of R M Je '36 "Picturesque scenery is the only redeeming feature of the film. Adults." — + Nat Legion of Decency Je 11 '36 "An interesting picture. . . Excellent photography of the sea, interesting native dancing and good singing. Mature." + Wkly Guide My 30 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "Houses that go in for exploitation specials will find something up their alley in this attraction. . . There is a good deal of action and suspense, plus colorful background and good photography, and the novelty of the production recommends it as a bit of something off the beaten track." -j Film Daily p7 Ag 29 '36 "From Mexico has come this melodrama, a picture that can stand big exploitation. . . The picture is a credit to Mexican production, with some fine singing, fiesta scenes, one torrid dance number, beautiful photography. Some mediocre photography bits, some difficulty in the dialogue are found, but these are overshadowed by the picture's good points." -f Phila Exhibitor p22 Je 1 '36 SING, BABY, SING. 20th century-Fox 90min Ag 21 '36 Players: Alice Faye. Adolphe Menjou. Gregory Ratoff. Ted Healy. Patsy Kelly. Michael Whalen Director: Sidney Lanfield Music and lyrics: Lew Pollock. Jack Yellen Music director: Louis Silvers "Story has to do with Miss Faye, a night club singer whose manager, Ratoff, tries to get her fame through having her mixed up with Menjou, a drunken actor from Hollywood in New York on a vacation. Affair gets out of control when Menjou's manager drags him back to Hollywood. Then starts a train-andplane chase across the continent with Miss Faye asking for an apology." Variety (Hollywood) Audience Suitability Ratings A: stupid; Y: not good; C: no." Christian Century pl026 S 9 '36 "Although well-directed and well-played, there is little opportunity for outstanding individual characterizations. Adults: matter of taste; family, 14-18, 8-14: no." Calif Cong of Par & Teachers "An hilarious, musical farce with excellent specialty numbers and a story with more originality in treatment than usual in this type — if a bit satirical. . . Filled with nonsensical humor, clever dialogue, and with an excellent cast this is highly amusing, sophisticated entertainment. Mature." Calif Fed of Business & Professional Women's Clubs "Mediocre-mature." DAR "The light plot serves to string together some mad vaudeville, clever dancing and rather dreary 'crooning.' Good photography and occasional bits of acceptable comedy do not prevent this very alcoholic film from being tiresome. Adults, if any." Nat Soc of New England Women "Family." S Calif Council of Fed Church Women Fox W Coast Bui Ag 15 '36 "The photography is especially fine and high praise goes to the director for the clever handling of the rapid-fire [pace] and the many ludicrous situations. The entire cast is an able one; the comedians contributing much to the general hilarity of the picture. Adults & young people." + Gen Fed of Women's Clubs (W Coast) Jl 28 '36 Jt Estimates Ag 1 '36 "Despite screen protest to the contrary, here we have frivolous farce strongly reminiscent of a much publicized cross-country chase which becomes pleasant light entertainment. . . The entire cast give good account of themselves and much hilarity is provided by the Ritz Brothers, Patsy Kelly and Ted Healy. However the good taste of the producing studio is questioned for making the picture at this time." Nat Council of Jewish Women Ag 5 '36 "An amusing comedy of a Hollywood star. Excellent satire, good dialogue, and superb comedy by the Ritz Brothers. It is regrettable that one vulgar remark should prevent this otherwise delightful picture from being placed in the A-l classification. Adults." Nat Legion of Decency Ag 20 '36 "Very funny comedy about a middle-aged screen Romeo who becomes involved with a young singer. . . Amusing dialogue, good singing and dancing." + Wkly Guide Ag 22 '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews " 'Sing, Baby, Sing' which Twentieth Century-Fox insists is not based on a recent headline romance — is a wildly hilarious farce that gallops along its musical course to the loud accompaniment of incessant laughter. A boisterous, completely insane show, the picture tells its story with a breathless gusto that includes no feeling or sentiment. But for swiftly moving entertainment in sarcastic mood this comes as an outstanding treat. . . 'Sing, Baby, Sing' gets its silliest moments from the Ritz Brothers, a knockabout trio whose dazzling debut marks them for either a lunatic asylum or great acclaim." (3% stars) Beverly Hills Liberty p43 S 12 '36 "Motion-picture musical comedies, as a result of overproduction have become about as novel as a pound of butter. Shattering the vague ennui which most of them arouse, is 'Sing, Baby, Sing,' a fleet lunacy set to music and frivolity. It begins at high tempo, winds up like a siren to a shrill climax, and not in any foot of its length does it lag perceptibly. . . [It] presents to the screen a maniacal trio called the Ritz brothers. If they accomplish nothing else, these superb loons will force the celebrated Marx Brothers to sharpen their wits -f + Exceptionally Good; -|-Good; -( Fair; \ Mediocre; — Poor; Exceptionally Poor