Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST 69 "A: hardly; Y: good of kind; C: perhaps." Christian Century pl438 O 28 '36 "A, Y and C: typical Hal Roach comedy with Patsy Kelly leading the slapstick show." Parents' M p44 Jl '36 "[It is a] good farcical comedy, with some of Metro's best comics. . . Plenty of laughs." + Wkly Guide Ag 1 '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "An especial treat for Patsy Kelly fans, which will also be found entertaining by those who don't mind their farces rough, tough and roaring. . . The producers run the gag mill at top speed. Family." + Christian Science Monitor O 3 '36 "While 'Kelly the Second" is no more than a string of gags, it is frequently funny, and for those who enjoy slapstick it should prove entertaining. With Patsy Kelly, Charley Chase and Pert Kelton in the cast, the performance is naturally hilarious as well as shrewdly skillful, and if the scattered gags have been strung out a trifle thin, the unfailing exuberance of Miss Kelly makes up for it." Marguerite Tazelaar ^ NY Herald Tribune plO O 3 36 "Laughable as it may be, there is little or nothing that is new or important about 'Kelly the Second,' except that it is the first 'starring' vehicle of Patsy Kelly, who is known to some few ardent admirers as Kelly the one-andonly. . . She is still authentic Kelly, though deplorably softened, one feels (probably because of the responsibility), as compared with the madly irresponsible Kelly of the merely supporting roles." B. R. C. r N Y Times p21 O 3 '36 "Although the event is auspicious, the circumstances under which Miss Kelly makes her debut as a Hollywood First Lady are dubious, since the film is definitely unadroit and spotty in spite of the roguish horse-play of its humor. . . Fearing, perhaps, that their story was a little too skinny to provide an hour of entertainment, the producers have padded it with a series of gags, some of which are funny, but only now and then. For the most part, 'Kelly the Second' remains a good two-reel comedy stretched out to feature length." William Boehnel „ ^ „ ,„„ 1 N Y World-Telegram p25 O 6 '36 "The Hal Roach set will enjoy 'Kelly the Second.' Even more reserved persons may be impressed bv the grand moment at the end. . . Miss Patsy "Kelly is a stalwart heroine in the piece, which is stuffed rich and toothsome with the good old gags." John Mosher + New Yorker p91 O 10 '36 Trade Paper Reviews " 'Kelly the Second' probably will be welcomed in the duals, because it is filled with humorous moments. But it is too lightweight in plot and accomplished results to stand up alone in most spots. . . Picture has been trimmed about 15 minutes since originally released, and that helps a lot. Even so, some of the gagging actually slows down the pace midway. Runs 70 minutes now, which is plenty for the average comedy of this sort, especially if placed with another picture." _j_ __ Variety pl5 O 7 '36 LA KERMESSE HEROIQUE. Tobis 95min S 22 '36 Cast: FranQOise Rosay. Alerme. Jean Murat. Louis Jouvet Director: Jacques Feyder Based on the novel of the same title by Charles Spaak. A French dialogue film with English sub-titles produced in France. The photoplay received the Grand Prix du Cinema Francais and the gold medal award of the Venice International Exposition of Cinematography. The film is subtitled Carnival in Flanders. "The story tells of [a town's] predicament when, on the eve of a carnival, the Burgomaster and aldermen learn that the Spanish plan to spend the night there. The Spanish are a battalion of King Philip's army, which have thoroughly terrified Flanders. . . The Burgomaster has an idea. He will pretend to be dead in the hope that the Duke will pass through the village without stopping." (N Y Sun) Audience Suitability Ratings "A thoroughly delightful piece of entertainment, quite as colossal as 'The Charge of the Light Brigade,' but infinitely superior. 'La Kermesse Heroique' does not derive its excellence from massive sets (although there are many of them) nor from its large personnel; these factors merely form the incidental background for the unfolding of a simple little story, ingeniously enacted by players who act like human beings." + Bui on Current Films N 17 '36 "The cleverest thing about the film is undoubtedly the direction of characters, which is extremely subtle: whether singly, in groups, or in crowds, they are always handled with understanding. Franqoise Rosay as the Burgomaster's wife is entirely credible, and although she is to all intents and purposes the heroine, her own weaknesses (inevitably bourgeois weaknesses) are not omitted or blurred over. . . Among the very best performances, however, is that of Louis Jouvet as the Duke's chaplain, benign, knowing, sophisticated, and not ignorant of the pleasures of the table. Where the film is not so fully successful — apart from one or two minor faults of construction — is in making its general aims perfectly clear. In details the satire is pointed, but on a general view it is not always easy to know if the film is not simply making fun of an historical period — a less exalted purpose. Suitability: adults & adolescents." A. V. Mo Film Bui pl79 O '36 "On second review, we find this picture definitely objectionable because of subtle indecent dialogue and incidents. Its entire tone is unwholesome and in addition most of it is quite boring. Condemned." Nat Legion of Decency O 29 '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "Gallic wit at its crispest delivered by a splendid cast who wear their ruffs and pantaloons with an air. This with direction, photography and music explains why the film won two coveted European cinema prizes. Adults." + Christian Science Monitor pl3 N 21 '36 "The French are advancing 'La Kermesse Heroique' as the greatest comedy to reach this country from the motion picture studios of Paris. It is, as they say, without any question, a capably wrought, skilfully played, well directed, handsomely mounted, notably photographed and hilariously studded farce. But they do not mention the more important fact that the plot and climactic action basically involve the 'unique performance of mass adultery by the married women of a homey Flemish town. . . From the viewpoint of construction, the production warranted the honors awarded it. . . But it definitely is not in accordance with American motion picture entertainment standards, bringing condemnation from the Legion of Decency. . . It is unfortunate indeed that the reputed expenditure of $400,000 . . . should be lost on such a subject if the producers desired to impress America." J. P. Cunningham Commonweal p52 N 6 '36 "This is recommended for those who love good pictures in any language. . . Our protest against Hollywood-made historical films is that they reek of studio artificiality, that they are too spick and span, that they have none of the mellow, dusty flavor of their age. . . On the other hand, European movie makers seem + + Exceptionally Good; + Good; -\ Fair; | Mediocre; —Poor; Exceptionally Poor