Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

b6 MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST IN HIS STEPS— Continued self-reliance and regeneration." William Boehnel 1 N Y World-Telegram pl9 O 29 '36 Reviewed by John Mosher New Yorker p90 N 7 '36 "Grand National Pictures' first production will satisfy women who like to weep. Nobly but sloppily, 'In His Steps' dramatizes Charles M. Sheldon's best seller." News-Wk p35 O 3 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "Producer B. F. Zeidman has given the new Grand National a picture with which it can make a proud debut. With ample entertainment values and based on a generally popular book and theme, the film is ably produced, directed and enacted. It will do business and augurs well for the place Grand National will occupy in production and exhibition fields. Family." + Box Office p63 S 19 '36 "At the Astor Theater where the trade show was held, the women folks were sniffling all over the house for twenty minutes before the picture finished — and were still sniffling as it closed. It's that kind of a love story, and based on this reception, it is hard to figure how it can miss. [It is] one of the most dramatically emotional plays of the season, as well as one of the most clean and wholesome." + Film Daily p8 S 22 '36 + Motion Pict Daily p2 S 12 '36 "Creditable all through with photography, direction, sound, first rate, this compares favorably in technique with any major effort. Will make a swell tear jerker for the family house. There is some real down-to-earth comedy in this that should alone recommend it for exhibitors with home folks audiences." + Phila Exhibitor p34 O 1 '36 "Grand National . . . has made a sincere effort to project the essence of Charles M. Sheldon's book onto the screen so that it will appeal to the average audience. The picture is a tear-jerker and probably will get its share of the feminine trade. Whether it will stand alone on a program will depend on the exploitation put behind it and whether the exhibitor thinks the theme best suited for his patrons. . . As it appears on the screen this is reminiscent of 'The Miracle Man' and others in that category. In film form, the story takes on added strength due to nice scripting, a fine dialog job and uniformly competent acting." + Variety pl9 N 4 '36 "With 'In His Steps,' a highly controversial picture because of its religious angles, Grand National Distributing Corp. breaks film tides with one that will appeal to the masses if properly exploited. It's a sleeper. By word of mouth, through women's organizations it will come out in the blue." Variety (Hollywood) p3 S 11 '36 ISLE OF FURY. Warner 60min O 10 '36 Cast: Humphrey Bogart. Margaret Lindsay. Donald Woods. Paul Graetz. Gordon Hart. E. E. Clive Director: Frank McDonald See issue of September 28, 1936 for other reviews of this film Audience Suitability Ratings "[It is] a trite story [which] ... is helped materially by some unusually good photography." T. J. Fitzmorris r America p24 O 10 '36 "A: depends on taste; Y: better not; C: no." Christian Century pl542 N 18 '36 "Fair entertainment for family." Am Legion Auxiliary "Excellent photography and some beautiful settings add to the entertainment value. Adults & 14-18: fair; 8-14: possible." Calif Cong of Par & Teachers "In spite of the title, the action is not exaggerated, and the cast give portrayals that are human, sincere and convincing. Adults." Calif Fed of Business & Professional Women's Clubs "[It is a] tangled incoherent story. Mature. Mediocre." DAR "Adults." Nat Soc of New England Women "A picture which makes an appeal beyond the average run of this type and gives distinct value to a fine social drama. . . The way temptation is overcome brings out strength of character and a wholesome lesson in a production suitable to adults & young people." S Calif Council of Fed Church Women Fox W Coast Bui S 19 '36 "A triangle mystery type of drama set against a well-photographed background. . . On the whole, understandable drama, given fairly interesting production. Mature." Mrs T. G. Winter -| Fox W Coast Bui O 10 '36 "It holds suspense and offers two particularly exciting sequences, the rescue of a ship in a. tropical storm and a death fight with a devil fish, as well as interesting shots of pearl diving. The direction and acting are satisfactory, with Miki Morita excellent in a small part. Family. Mature." + Gen Fed of Women's Clubs (W Coast) S 8 '36 "Adults." Jt Estimates S 15 '36 "The story has good parts, such as the pearl fishing scenes, the shipwreck, the fight with the octopus, and the treatment is realistic and interesting. But the centre of interest shifts so often that the film lacks coherence and the ending is surprising. Suitability: adults & adolescents." H Mo Film Bui pl73 O '36 "[It is] an absurdly juvenile mystery story. . . A magnificent tropical storm with excellent accompanying music and the personality . of Humphrey Bogart can scarcely offset a trite and silly story and the pernicious notion that a murderer unrepentant should be allowed to escape justice if he has a sufficiently beautiful wife, and adequate courage to fight an octopus. Adolescents, 12-16 & children, 8-12: no." h Motion Pict R p7 O '36 "This trite and obvious triangle theme against a background of South Sea Islands begins with some interesting variations and subtleties, which with excellent sound effects foreshadow the melodrama which unfolds. Adults." Nat Council of Jewish Women S 9 '36 "Outstanding photography and atmospheric background compensate for the triteness of the plot. Adults." Nat Legion of Decency S 24 '36 "A & Y: fair; C: mature." Parents' M p32 D '36 "Striking marine and submarine photography and adequate acting in a film which shows rather jerky direction and abrupt changes of tempo. Adults." h Sel Motion Pict p5 O 1 '36 "Lively action, which covers up some hurried plot construction. Family." -j wkly Guide O 3 '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "There is some fine undersea photography and the acting is above average but the film is frequently jerky. Adults." -j Christian Science Monitor pl5 N 7 '36 + + Exceptionally Good; + Good; -\ Fair; \ Mediocre; — Poor; Exceptionally Poor