Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

62 MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST HERE COMES CARTER. First national 60min O 24 '36 Cast: Ross Alexander. Glenda Farrell. Anne Nagel. Craig Reynolds. Hobart Cavanaugh Director: William Clemens See issue of September 28, 1936 for other reviews of this film under title of Tattler which was the former title. Audience Suitability Ratings "A: good of kind; Y: amusing; C: fair." Christian Century pl639 D 2 '36 "Plenty of action and humorous incidents furnish entertainment for the family. Mature." Am Legion Auxiliary "Adults, family & young people: fair entertainment; 8-14: too intense." Calif Cong of Par & Teachers "This is light, fast moving entertainment, with clever direction and interesting settings of a broadcasting station. Mature." Calif Fed of Business & Professional Women's Clubs "Good. Mature." DAR "Farfetched, frothy and in rapid tempo, this 'Walter WincheU' story will amuse some adults." Nat Soc of New England Women "A picture demonstrating courage and faith that truth will dominate and right prevail, which will appeal to a rather mature audience." S Calif Council of Fed Church Women Fox W Coast Bui S 12 '36 "Rather poor type of comedy with questionable ethics. Mature." S Calif Council of Fed Church Women Fox W Coast Bui N 7 '36 "Fair. Family-mature." -j Motion Pict Guide E> '36 "This is an involved and meaningless tale. . . The acting and direction are competent, but do not redeem the story from its innate vulgarity. Adolescents, 12-16: low ethical standards; children, 8-12: no interest." — Motion Pict R p9 O '36 "General patronage." Nat Legion of Decency N 19 '36 "A & Y: fair satirical comedy; C: no inParents' M p32 D '36 "[It is] a fairly interesting film. . . The cast is a good one, well directed and fast moving; the repartee is clever and breezy and one gets an interesting view of a broadcasting studio. Family, except for young children." -j Sel Motion Pict p6 O 1 '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "[It is a] medium program comedy. Family." -j Christian Science Monitor pl5 N 7 '36 "All this may point a moral lesson. However, its reasoning and purpose baffle me. . . The best performance is contributed by John Sheehan as a tough gangster with a weakness for movie first nights." (1% stars) Beverly Hills Liberty p44 D 19 '36 "It really begins to look as if we were in for a 'Here Comes' cycle, in the lower brackets of the films. . . The dialogue, surprisingly enough, is better than that of many technically more important productions. . . Mr. Alexander seems to be a younger, sprightlier Jack Benny, with a better gag-man than Jack's and at least as glib a delivery — the ease and self-assurance of his performance having never been exceeded by Mr. Benny himself. The picture has one or two amusing gangster intervals to recommend it, a line of consistently snappy broadcast patter, and very little else." B. R. C. r N Y Times p23 N 14 '36 "No one should be materially upset by the mild little comedy called 'Here Comes Carter.' . . An amiable and unpretentious mixture of satire and romance, it never for a moment pretends to be anything more than it is — a reasonably diverting and pleasant affair that can be enjoyed for some sixty minutes and forgotten with the greatest of ease on the way out of the theater." William Boehnel h N Y World-Telegram p27 N 17 *36 "An unpretentious program-filler that lampoons radio, gangsters, the motion picture industry and, quite unconsciously, itself. You've undoubtedly heard those gossip spielers over the air — those fast-talking gents who tread with their heels and leave a swath of riffled reputations in the wake of each broadcast. . . Not a very likable person, and Ross Alexander accentuates the bombastic character to the point of irritation. Ross purveys a laugh that's an annoyance. . . Glenda Farrell isn't done right by, in assignment or camera work." Herb Sterne 1 Script plO O 31 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "Ross Alexander breezes through this light morsel and manages to hold the interest in a script that is none too deftly written. But it will please the drop-in type of trade and the neighborhoods." f Film Daily p3 N 14 '36 -\ Motion Pict Daily p2 O 24 '36 "Estimate: for neighborhoods, twin bills." -\ Phila Exhibitor p34 S 15 '36 "[It] does not quite click, not only on account of its implausibility but because it is slowly paced and too dependent upon the effervescent actions of Ross Alexander, who is more and more overworking his expression and his manner. He is growing smart alecky rather than breezy and if given too much of the footage is apt to tire if the story cannot carry him along. Can work on a dual, but will hit bottom as a single." — Variety pl3 N 18 '36 HIDEAWAY GIRL. Paramount 60min N 20 '36 Cast: Shirley Ross. Martha Raye. Robert Cummings. Monroe Owsley Director: George Archainbaud Based on a novel Cabin Cruiser by David Garth. "The story centers around Shirley Ross as a mysterious girl who is running away from the police and, when hidden away by Robert Cummings on his enormous yacht, refuses to account for herself despite a developing romantic interest. That is how she comes to be mistaken for Lady Jane, a notorious jewel thief. But the thief is aboard in the person of Cummings' fiancee and before it is over the rest of the gang and a large police force arrive to have it out." (Hollywood Reporter) Audience Suitability Ratings "Comedy portion is amusing in some details, but on the whole unpleasantly coarse. Uncalled for drinking;. Matter of taste for adults." Am Legion Auxiliary "Only for the limited group who enjoy noise and vulgarity will 'Hideaway Girl' hold audience appeal. The dialogue is trite and there is too much of it. Whatever dramatic possibilities the story might have had are overshadowed by the clowning of Martha Raye. This film has stupid direction and unbelievably poor acting. It is decidedly unwholesome, with extensive drinking, thieving and a too intimate bedroom sequence. Adults: matter of taste; 8 & 18: no." Calif Cong of Par & Teachers "[It] opens with high promise. . . However, coincidence plays too great a part in the solution of the mystery, the romance develops entirely too rapidly for plausibility and an unpleasant sequence with Martha Raye prevents the picture from being other than mediocre entertainment. Adults." Calif Fed of Business & Professional Women's Clubs + + Exceptionally Good; + Good; -\ Fair; [-Mediocre; —Poor; Exceptionally Poor