Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST 65 Trade Paper Reviews "The story is weak, acting only average, some situations are impossible, so 'The House of Secrets' winds up best suited for neighborhoods, twin bills." — Phila Exhibitor p49 N 15 '36 I COVER CHINATOWN. Banner 64min Cast: Norman Foster. Elaine Shepard. Theodore Von Eltz Director: Norman Foster "Locale is San Francisco's Chinatown, where a cold-blooded trunk murder is committed by the elder of two crooks who deal in stolen goods and run a store for a 'front.' " Film Daily Trade Paper Reviews "Produced by Banner Pictures, this one will please patrons of the smaller theaters who thrive on suspense, excitement and melodrama. Although dialogue, direction and some of the acting are not highly polished, they're adequate to get the yarn across." H Film Daily p4 Ag 25 '36 "Estimate: okey independent action picture." + Phila Exhibitor p40 O 15 '36 IN HIS STEPS. Grand national 75min S 22 '36 Cast: Eric Linden. Cecilia Parker. Henry Kolker. Charles Richman Director: Karl Brown Based on the novel of the same title by Charles M. Sheldon. "It tells the tale of the son and daughter of two wealthy families who marry under age and against their parents' consent. There is a business feud on between the heads of the families. The young couple elope, and hide on the farm of the minister who marries them, because the young man faces a prison sentence of ten years for kidnapping the bride." (Film Daily) Audience Suitability Ratings "The charm of pious simplicity, the real influence in the lives of the boy and girl against the absorbing greed of wealth and power is so realistically brought out that there is no consciousness of the sermon. . . Excellent entertainment. Family-mature." Am Legion Auxiliary "Family. Adults & 14-18: excellent; 8-14: mature." Calif Cong of Par & Teachers "This picture, with its fine spiritual theme is handled in a delightfully entertaining manner throughout with sufficient comedy interspersed to relieve the inherent seriousness. Rating: very good. Family." Calif Fed of Business & Professional Women's Clubs "Constructive philosophy. Mature-family. Good." DAR "Mature audiences (over 16)." Nat Soc of New England Women "Worthwhile entertainment, especiallv appealing to young people. Family." S Calif Council of Fed Church Women "The straightforward sincerity of this picture commends it to a varied audience. . . It leaves the audience a pleasant memory of an association with worth while human characters. Family." Women's Univ Club, Los Angeles + Fox W Coast Bui O 3 '36 "There is a fine balance of the elements of good entertainment, humor, pathos, swift action and strong drama. . . Delightfully entertaining, inspiring and thought-provoking. Family." + Gen Fed of Women's Clubs (W Coast) S 16 '36 "Mature." + Jt Estimates S 15 '36 "There is uplift and inspiration in this picture though at times the preachment is obvious. Family." Nat Council of Jewish Women S 21 '36 "A deeply moving story with fine moral values. Adults." + Nat Legion of Decency O 1 '36 "A, T and C: good." Parents' M p42 N '36 Scholastic p23 O 31 '36 "Mature." Sel Motion Pict p3 O 1 '36 "Full of good characterizations and amusing incidents, to counteract the rather machinemade plot, which has only the remotest connection with the novel from which it takes its title. Family." -| Wkly Guide S 26 '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "Family." Christian Science Monitor pl3 O 10 '36 "Grand National Pictures makes its debut with the picturization of Charles M. Sheldon's book, and thereby comes the resurrection of the old Pathe, which will not engage in staging photoplays directly, but will act through the new Grand National. While the first effort of the offspring of such an illustrious parent certainly does not crystallize the decades of production experience of the predecessor, it does bear healthy signs of a freshness of thought and treatment." J. P. Cunningham H Commonweal p560 O 9 '36 "This is not for sophisticated audiences. Yet there is no denying a certain simple elemental appeal." (2 stars) Beverly Hills Liberty p37 N 7 '36 "In its favor the picture has clear and explicit direction, a motive lofty and scriptural, and sincere and grave performances by Miss Parker and Mr. Linden. On the other hand, the court scene at the end is so artificial it is ludicrous, while much of the story's force is disseminated by its implausibility." Marguerite Tazelaar H NY Herald Tribune p23 O 29 '36 "The screenplay is an old-fashioned drama, heavy with platitudes and ringing references to the more sterling virtues. It is exactly like a nineteenth century novel come to life. The acting, like plot and atmosphere, is oldfashioned, with no great attempt at characterization. The people are symbols rather than individuals. . . The picture seems slightly incongruous in 1936, rather like a period piece. Since the book is still doing well in the bookstalls, the picture will probably have an appeal to those who know the novel and can overlook its decided shortcomings as a modern movie." Eileen Creelman h N Y Sun p29 O 29 '36 "[It] is homespun cinema stuff, with all the irritations that those accustomed to more artfully woven fabrics usually experience from that commodity." J. T. M. N Y Times p3l O 29 '36 "Sweetness and sentiment are drawn out to the point of pain in 'In His Steps,' one of those helpful little extravaganzas that stimulate the innocent of heart to noble emotions and kindly deeds. Although its speech is a lot of naive prattle and its cunning ways are just a step from the kindergarten, it attempts to teach us again the sturdy lessons of love, + + Exceptionally Good; + Good; -| Fair; {-Mediocre; —Poor; Exceptionally Poor