Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

S6 MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST LUCKIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD. Universal 70min N 8 '36 Cast: Jane Wyatt. Louis Hay ward. Eugene Pallette. Catharine Doucet Director: Edward Buzzell Based on the short story Kitchen Privileges by Anne Jordan. "Miss Wyatt wants to marry the heiress-seeking tennis champion and ballroom charmer and her mother likes the match. However, the father doubts the story they can exist on $150 a month and Miss Wyatt agrees to try it for a month." [Variety (Hollywood)] Audience Suitability Ratings "That is a very imposing title for such a minor film and I may point out that Jane Wyatt, who plays the title role, is not by far the luckiest girl even in Hollywood for having drawn so ordinary an assignment. . . This comedy [is] best suited to adults." T. J. Fitzmorris S America pl6S N 21 '36 "A: pleasant; Y: amusing; C: little interest." Christian Century pl670 D 9 '36 "Entertaining. Family." Am Legion Auxiliary "[It] is fresh, charming and amusing. Excellent light entertainment. Family." Calif Cong of Par & Teachers "The story is light, but has charm and wholesome humor. Family." Calif Fed of Business & Professional Women's Clubs "Amusing situations, good dialogue and an able cast mark this light farce. Mature & 14-18. Good." BAR "Lightly amusing and based on a sound idea, this pleasant little comedy is unfortunately marred by excessive drinking." Nat Soc of New England Women "Interesting comedy for the family." S Calif Council of Fed Church Women Fox W Coast Bui O 31 '36 "A light little love story, refreshingly entertaining. Family." + Gen Fed of Women's Clubs (W Coast) O 17 '36 "The plot is well handled, and the characters seem delightfully human. Adolescents, 12-16: entertaining; children, 8-12: no interest." + Motion Pict R p7 N '36 "Mildly amusing, well directed with good photography. Adults." Nat Council of Jewish Women O 21 '36 "Adults." Nat Legion of Decency N 5 '36 "A, Y & C: entertaining light comedy." Parents' M p46 Ja '37 "Family." Sel Motion Pict p4 N 1 '36 "Family. Generally bright and amusing." + Wkly Guide O 31 '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "Jane Wyatt and Louis Hayward, by virtue of the easy, convincingly natural performances they contribute to it, make 'The Luckiest Girl in the World,' a nice little picture. There is not a great deal of story in it, and what there is sags a bit in the middle, but it will entertain any audience which can enjoy following the working out of a social problem devoid of dramatic high spots. . . Except for one sequence in which Hayward and Pendleton get drunk for no greater reason than a desire to get drunk, the picture is clean and wholesome." -\ Hollywood Spec pll O 24 '36 "Here is a simple, unheralded comedy that is quite light and amusing through its entire length. . . You will find the comedy frothy and gay most of the way, thanks to Director Eddie BuzzelFs smooth direction." (2 stars) Beverly Hills Liberty p45 D 12 '36 "Why the new picture should have proved so immoderately amusing to this reviewer during attendance at it is difficult to explain at this later moment, grim and uncompromising and far removed from the plush elegance of the theater. It is probably because the story — a piece of fluff — has been so adroitly acted by Jane Wyatt, Louis Hayward and Nat Pendleton, as well as skillfully directed by Mr. Buzzell. But its situations, threadbare as many of them are, often have a surprise comedy twist and the lines, a bright and original co-ordination which proves hilarious. . . If you want entertainment light, gay and dextrous, without much substance or particular brilliance, but with many spontaneous laughs [see it.]" Marguerite Tazelaar + NY Herald Tribune plO D 5 '36 " 'The Luckiest Girl in the World' is one of the lightest comedies that has come along this season. It is sheer fluff, but, thanks to cast and director, rather an engaging bit of fluff. [It] is not a picture to remain long in your memory. An hour after seeing it, the details are dim. The impression of a pleasant hour lingers on, however." Eileen Creelman + NY Sun p30 D 7 '36 "Any one not too much depressed beforehand by such a title as 'The Luckiest Girl in the World' will be pleasantly surprised to find this week a better-than-average contribution to the field of machine-made entertainment at the Roxy. The cinematic counterpart of a racily written 'novelette' in one of the popular fivecent magazines, it permits its pretty and neatly formularized people to behave and talk more brightly than usual, while its charming heroine, Jane Wyatt, gives off an authentic local debutante aura which is all the mdre unexpected — considering the fact that but recently Miss Wyatt actually was a local debutante." B. R. C. + NY Times pl6 D 5 '36 "[It] is an amiable, unassuming and entertaining little comedy. . . In outline, this sounds pretty pat and unexciting, but the plot's framework is filled in with delightful little touches, and the acting of Jane Wyatt, Louis Hayward, Nat Pendleton and Eugene Pallette is so commendable that 'The Luckiest Girl in the World' turns out to be passably good, if not outstanding, film fare." William Boehnel -| NY World-Telegram p7a D 5 '36 "Eddie Buzzell surmounts the distrait proceedings by turning the hoop-la into personable comedy, romantic in mood and incident. Many of the sequences pile satisfactory entertainment and result in a mildly entertaining evening. Jane Wyatt is a charming heroine and Louis Hayward proves an adequate hero." Herb Q + p-pt-i p h Script plO N 21 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "Universal steps out with a picture that is chock-full of romantic moments, lively comedy, an entertaining little story, and some enjoyably capable acting by Jane Wyatt, a new starlet, and Louis Hayward, clean-cut lad with plenty of ability. Family." -f Box Office p31 O 31 '36 "This is a pleasing program number that will pile up many laughs. Although the story is slender, Edward Buzzell has directed well and provided much entertainment." H Film Daily pl3 O 22 '36 "An engagingly human little romantic comedy that clings steadfastly to real life and lightens it gayly with a twinkle of whimsey. The story is a mere trifle but its telling is so delightfully unstrained and bubbling with good humor that it makes capital entertainment. Lacking exploitation values its destiny is dual duty but there it will be ideal and popular neighborhood + Hollywood Reporter p3 O 10 '36 -1 Motion Pict Daily pl2 O 20 '36 + + Exceptionally Good; + Good; H Fair; \ Mediocre; —Poor; Exceptionally Poor