Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST 85 Audience Suitability Ratings "The players concentrate on the lighter aspects of the intrigue and bring forth a swiftly moving, sometimes hilarious comedy. Franchot Tone provides keen competition for Mr. Gable and Reginald Owen plays an impressive villain. It is first rate family entertainment." T. J. Fitzmorris + America p216 D 5 '36 "General patronage." Nat Legion of Decency N 26 '36 "Excellent entertainment, dominated by the fine performances of the three leading players and by the remarkable supporting bit of Donald Meek. The entire cast is exceptionally able and Van Dyke's direction is important. Family." + Sel Motion Pict plO D 1 '36 "[It is] a swift and hilarious farce. . . For anyone who doesn't expect to take it seriously, it is full of laughs. Family." + Wkly Guide N 21 '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "If not entirely credible [the events] are at least sufficiently so as to satisfy the average movie fan. It is a fast moving exciting and admirably acted story. . . In this picture Franchot Tone has a part calling for whimsical comedy and his deft handling of it will give a new conception of his qualities as an actor." Laura Elston + Canadian M p39 D '36 "This cross-country film chase over Europe has charm and humor to compensate for the story's impossibility. Family." + Christian Science Monitor pl9 D 5 '36 " 'Love on the Run' is unbelievable but joyous, as satisfactory a piece of screen entertainment as one could wish for. . . The combination of Cedric Gibbons sets, Adrian gowns and Oliver Marsh photography is enough to make any picture worth looking at, and the story and acting in this one make it well worth listening to. Such a finished trio as Joan Crawford, Clark Gable and Franchot Tone can make us believe the unbelievable and entertain us with it. . . 'Love on the Run' is screen entertainment easy to take. Its strength lies in the weakness of its appeal to the intelligence of the audience. It is content with asking us only to have a good time with it, presenting no psychological problem demanding close attention. . . It is [a] relief to find in a picture house such a clever bit of tomfoolery." + Hollywood Spec pll N 21 '36 "[It] is formula-made, but amusing in spite of that. Speed, a high-powered cast and a series of good gags are responsible for at least obscuring the facv that 'Love on the Run' is continual nonsense. If it doesn't make sense the film usually does make fun. The story is certainly best left undescribed. . . 'Love on the Run' is deliberately mad and quite as deliberately funny." Eileen Creelman + NY Sun pl3 N 28 '36 "A slightly daffy cinematic item of absolutely no importance, 'Love on the Run,' presents Clark Gable, Joan Crawford and Franchot Tone in roles that by now are a bit stale. In all good conscience, the film ought to bow, in turn, to several distinguished antecedents, for it has borrowed liberally here and there of tried and true screen devices and situations. . . W. S. Van Dyke has injected a few of his own tested touches, and some in the Rene Clair and Frank Capra manner, with a resulting mad pace and pleasing familiarity for the audience." J. T. M. H NY Times pl3 N 28 '36 "Since 'Love on the Run' deals in an energetic manner with these everlastingly romantic screen figures — reporters — the chances are that it will probably be a great box office success. But the truth of the matter is that it is a definitely ordinary film — scarcely worth the efforts of its stars, of little credit to its director, W. S. Van Dyke and of small compensation to those who are in search of rollicking entertainment. . . The three stars do the best they can under the circumstances. . . But the efforts of all are wasted on decidedly inferior material." William Boehnel 1 N Y World-Telegram p7a N 28 '36 "Everybody works very hard in 'Love on the Run,' but only succeeds in seeming pretty pitiful. The most pitiful people involved are Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, and Franchot Tone. I suppose the studio felt that these three citizens simply had to be kept busy or heaven knows what they'd be up to, and so some sort of sketch was contrived for them." John Mosher — New Yorker p85 N 28 '36 "Whenever the story needs taking in at the waist, melodrama provides a stitch in time. But for the most part W. S. Van Dyke squeezes the script for all the slapstick there is in it. The three players are cast in roles that call less for acting than for sheer good spirits, and that they have in abundance. . . The film has few dull moments, and those moments that fail to fiza can be blamed on the hackneyed plot. Perhaps this is the reporter story to end all reporter stories." News-Wk p20 N 28 '36 Time p23 D 7 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "Gable-Crawford-Tone — what more could any exhibitor want? But this film is not alone a big name hit. It's a riot of smart hokum which rings the bell in every department, and runs the gamut of comedy from slapstick to innuendo. Family." + Box Office p23 N 28 '36 "One riot of a comedy is this 'Love On the Run.' It sparkles with clever dialogue that Joan Crawford, Clark Gable and Franchot Tone put over in grand style. In such a swell piece of entertainment, this name cast should mean smash box office returns. Every type and kind of audience should love its gay, breezy, laugh loaded qualities. Tone deserves special mention for his performance. Crawford and Gable are splendid in this light type of comedy as they certainly know how to put over the lines." + Film Daily p9 N 17 '36 " 'Love on the Run' is super-entertainment from its first delve into the riotous to its staccato climax, with nothing left out of the middle in the way of farcical situations and fast-fire never-missing dialogue. The Crawford-Gable-Tone combination has never been better. Naturally box-office, the trio has in this a vehicle which is of sure hit caliber. . . A few lapses into the unbelievable are made more delightful by thoroughly mad picturization." + Hollywood Reporter p3 N 13 '36 + Motion Pict Daily p2 N 14 '36 "Comedy with names, this is headed for good grosses. . . All players are tops, comedy is strong, the cast is all-star." + Phila Exhibitor p30 D 1 '36 "Despite meandering story development, some slip-shod dialog concoctions and several vapid moments, 'Love On the Run' should collect its share at the gate through the sheer momentum of the Gable-Crawford-Tone combination. Crowded with ludicrous situations, considerable action and popular gagging, the film is lightweight and synthetic but will prove probably fit for the holiday season." -j Variety pl8 D 2 '36 "Mixing all the possible sure-fire comedy ingredients, 'Love on the Run' is a hilarious farce that will set them laughing anywhere. Filled with spontaneous gags, excellent comedy dialog, plenty of action and even slapstick hokum, the picture comes near to being a riot." + Variety (Hollywood) p3 N 13 '36 + + Exceptionally Good; + Good; -| Fair; (-Mediocre; — Poor; Exceptionally Poor