Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

54 MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST GENERAL DIED AT DAWN — Continued "Preceded by an avalanche of publicity and false angling, particularly in the left press, it was perhaps inevitable that some movie-goers should feel let down. . . People were given to believe they were going to get 'Das Kapital' in eight reels and received instead a better than average melodrama that very effectively, if not over-subtly, accomplishes the broad purposes of the author. . . Mr. Odets has not yet achieved a cinema style. His long and freighted sentences are still in thrall to stage necessities. There is no reason for believing, however, that he will not get there." Robert Stebbins + New Theatre pl8 O '36 "Akim Tamiroff gives a really excellent performance and he manages to die with all the sinister imperturbability that has characterised his life. Without this piece of acting the picture might well fail to grip one's attention, for Madeleine Carroll's adventuress is a study in very still life. . . Gary Cooper is his usual strong and charming self, but his performance here has not the same light and shade as his 'Mr. Deeds.' " Mark Forrest + Sat R p576 O 31 '36 "I couldn't believe, let alone understand, one foot of the story. . . It is a million miles from Hollywood, and 'Millie' Milestone, one of our ace directors, kept the strangely exotic flavor throughout. But I feel that both he and Odets, who has proved himself a great dramatist, were given an impossible assignment." Rob Wagner — Script plO S 19 '36 "The first few silent sequences of 'The General Died at Dawn' are as good as anything to be seen on the screen in London. . . After that it becomes a melodrama, though a melodrama of more than usual skill. . . If it were not for a rather ludicrous ending, this would be one of the best 'thrillers' for some years." Graham Greene + Spec p747 O 30 '36 "Audiences at 'The General Died at Dawn' realized after a few moments of photographic introduction that they would have to be all eyes and ears to keep up with the amazingly cryptic drama taking place on the screen. Mr. Odets' contribution to 'The General Died at Dawn' does not end with strong lines spoken firmly. By an amazing co-ordination of forces, the virility that has come to be associated with his writing is communicated in the director's translation in camera terms, in the character's behavior, in the cameraman's photography. . . There is something so exhilarating, so electric in the treatment of this production, from the title right on up, that it should be taken regularly. We can't say more than that." + + Stage p24 O '36 Trade Paper Reviews "Well made, produced in the best Paramount manner, with Akim Tamiroff as the general stealing the picture, this is a money show." + Phila Exhibitor p34 S 15 '36 GENERAL SPANKY. Roach-MGM 73min D 11 '36 Cast: Spanky McFarland. Phillips Holmes. Ralph Morgan. Irving Pichel Directors: Fred Newmeyer. Gordon Douglas Little Spanky McFarland and his gang are cast in a burlesqued Civil War story in which they stop an advance of Union forces, rescue a pal from a firing squad and perform sundry other duties for the Confederate cause. Audience Suitability Ratings "General patronage." Nat Legion of Decency D 10 '36 "A: amusing; Y & C: good." Parents' M p46 Ja '37 Trade Paper Reviews "Wholesome, home-spun entertainment and comedy is this graduation of 'Our Gang' into their first feature length picture. It will be tops with the juvenile trade and can hold its own with adult audiences. Family." + Box Office p31 O 31 '36 "For the [children] Hal Roach has one grand picture. . . There is plenty of entertainment in the antics of this outfit, and for the family trade it is a swell show. The picture aims for laughs and it gets plenty of them." + Film Daily pl3 O 27 '36 "This is great stuff for the [juvenile] and family trade. To the average movie fan, however, it will probably be just six reels of 'Our Gang' and a little bit tiresome after the customary footage has had its run." 4 Hollywood Reporter p6 O 23 '36 + Motion Pict Daily p2 O 24 '36 "The children will probably like 'General Spanky' best. Hal Roach's feature venture has the same appeal as the 'Our Gang' comedy idea, with small towns, neighborhoods, family audiences certain to enjoy it. For the ace de luxers, it may not have appeal." Phila Exhibitor p32 N 1 '36 "Our Gang is a swell outfit of entertainers in any two reel comedy, but for an adult audience, it is expecting too much of the little lads and lassies to keep up their fast tempo for a full feature length film. For [juvenile] audiences, 'General Spanky' will rank tops and if it is cut down it will do okay for the comedy end of any dualer. As presented at the preview [it] lags in several spots and will come out much better after an operation in the cutting room." H ■ Variety (Hollywood) p3 O 23 '36 GENTLEMAN FROM LOUISIANA. Republic 70min Ag 17 '36 Cast: Eddie Quillan. Chic Sale. Charlotte Henry. Marjorie Gateson. John Miljan Director: Irving Pichel See issue of September 28, 1936 for other reviews of this film Audience Suitability Ratings "A, Y and C: good." Parents' M p42 N '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "Eddie Quillan rides engagingly through the usual plot situations of this race track yarn which is lifted slightly above program melodrama class by good acting and Irving Pichel' s direction." H Christian Science Monitor pl3 S 19 '36 "An unpretentious racing picture disguised as a costume piece of the Mauve Decade." News-Wk p27 S 5 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "Ordinary racetrack yarn has been given vigor by superior direction and adept acting in this programmer. The picture contains much more action than one would expect of a story that calls for costumes worn in Diamond Jim Brady's day. It hasn't much to offer in marquee decorations aside from 'Chic' Sale and Charlotte Henry, and the former's supporters may be disappointed in seeing the ex-character monologuist sans his usual whiskers, playing virtually straight." H Variety pl7 S 16 '36 -H + Exceptionally Good; + Good; -| Fair; [-Mediocre; —Poor; Exceptionally Poor