Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

104 MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST PENNIES FROM HEAVEN — Continued) Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "[It] has an impossible story . . . yet it is one of the brightest pieces of screen entertainment we have had this year. Such stories, when presented intelligently, make successful screen material because of what they lack as stories. . . [It] will clean up at box offices everywhere. . . Excellent entertainment is provided by 'Pennies From Heaven' because, by cooperating with it, we entertain ourselves. . . The cast was chosen with rare judgment. . . The even excellence of the performances is a tribute to the excellence of McLeod's direction." + Hollywood Spec plO N 21 '36 "The amiable Bing Crosby strolls through one of the season's mildest films. . . Like its star, this is an amiable film, neither forceful nor exciting, but in no way objectionable. . . Children will probably enjoy the picture more than grown-ups. . . Mr. Crosby, slimmer than he has ever been before, goes in for romance and plaintiveness rather than comedy this time. . . He and little Miss Fellows are a good team, acting as though they really enjoyed each other's company. Comedy, however, is Bing Crosby's forte. The picture could have stood a good deal more of it." Eileen Creelman H NY Sun p33 D 10 '36 "A wholesome, lightly sentimental and genial comedy, it is all the more ingratiating by contrast to its predecessor — [Mae West's 'Go West, Young Man.'] Although the Bing's voice is not unanimously acclaimed by the nation's musiclovers — we even noted a faint cheer in the balcony when he admitted he was the last of the troubadours — still he does not swing his hips when he walks and he does not read his lines as though they had been selected from an underlined copy of Uncle Billy's Whiz Bang. . . It makes for a light and briskly paced comedy and, naturally, it provides Mr. Crosby with several lyric opportunities. . . Conceding that Mr. Crosby is as good-natured as ever and that Miss Evans is so attractive a social worker that we are tempted to apply for relief and be investigated, the chief honors properly belongto little Miss Fellows. . . In sum, 'Pennies From Heaven' is one of Mr. Crosby's best." F. S. Nugent + NY Times p35 D 10 '36 "There are some pleasant tunes, first-rate humor and some good acting in 'Pennies From Heaven' . . . but not much enterprise or ingenuity. However, in spite of the fact that the scheme of the film is entirely conventional, it is an attraction that is above the ordinary in merit. This, I suspect, is largely so because [it] has the good luck to have Edith Fellows in its cast — a youngster who is really a first-rate little actress." William Boehnel + NY World-Telegram p33 D 10 '36 " 'Pennies From Heaven' is a textbook example of the oldest adage in cinemaking: Nothing ruins a picture more effectively than too many good ideas. Best idea wasted is the character of Larry (Bing Crosby), a jailbird minstrel whose most prized possession is a 13thcentury lute. . . There is one moment of real magic when Larry is singing 'So Do I.' . . Screenwriter Jo Swerling, however, quickly dropped development of the 'Pennies From Heaven' idea. He set his characters to making a haunted house into a night club, then switched to a carnival background, then to an orphan asylum." H Time p28 N 23 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "Producer Emanuel Cohen's 'Pennies From Heaven' will mean dollars for the box office, what with Bing Crosby crooning as catchy a batch of tunes as has ever been written for one of his pictures, in a delightful hodge-podge of music and laughs that spells entertainment for any fan's time and money. Family." + Box Office p29 N 21 '36 "Emanuel Cohen can take a bow on this Bing Crosby picture. It is an ideal vehicle for the singing star and he is surrounded by talented players. Little Edith Fellows, as his aide is splendid as a belligerent child. . . Dusky Louis Armstrong, the trumpetist, almost steals the picture with his novelty number, 'Skeleton in the Closet.' " + Film Daily p7 N 16 '36 "With Bing Crosby in a warmly appealing role that gives him opportunity for four melodious new songs, and a story background rich with homely sentiment and natural comedy, this Emanuel Cohen picture will have large mass appeal. Many will rank it as Crosby's best and its box office returns will be big." + Hollywood Reporter p3 N 12 '36 + Motion Pict Daily plO N 13 '36 "Casting Bing as a wandering songster who only seeks to spread happiness, contentment, 'Pennies From Heaven' will largely depend for its return on his personal draw. Family audiences will like it best." + Phila Exhibitor p30 D 1 '36 "The sentimental troubadour character which has come to identify Bing Crosby on the screen is well catered to in this whimsical, musical comedy. It is oddly romantic, has good general entertainment merit, variety of ingredients and music of high quality. Nature of the material, with well-calculated appeal to juvenile audiences, heads it for most favorable reception in the family spots. The Crosby fans will like it. It should give good account of itself." + Variety (Hollywood) p3 N 12 '36 PICCADILLY JIM. MGM lOOmin Ag 14 '36 Cast: Robert Montgomery. Frank Morgan. Madge Evans. Eric Blore. Billie Burke. Robert Benchley. Cora Witherspoon Director: Robert Z. Leonard See issue of September 28, 1936 for other reviews of this film Audience Suitability Ratings "The hilarious nonsense of P. G. Wodehouse comes to the screen undiluted in this expert adaptation of one of his most rollicking tales. We can expect to see more and more of his work filmed after such a stimulating sample and against those happy occasions this reviewer intends to hoard some of his choicer adjectives. . . No one can fail to be amused by this one." T. J. Fitzmorris + + America p504 Ag 29 '36 "A film of P. G. Wodehouse' s famous novel, but possessing very little of his famous humour, which is travestied out of recognition. . . The film has indications of having been hastily made; the continuity is disjointed and many of the scenes seem overlit. Suitability: family." H Mo Film Bui pl53 S 30 '36 "[It is] absurd and mildly boring slapstick. . . The usual comedy scenes inherent in such a situation develop with irritating regularity. Not even the deft skill of Robert Montgomery nor the excellent characterizations of Frank Morgan and Eric Blore can quite overcome the handicap of threadbare story, unoriginal dialogue, and uninspired direction. Adolescents, 12-16: no, too much drinking; children, 8-12: no." — Motion Pict R p6 S '36 "A and T: laughable comedy with fine acting; C: no interest." Parents' M p43 O '36 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews " 'Piccadilly Jim' is a film of the same type as 'My Man Godfrey,' but it is not in the same class. To some extent the freshness, improbability, and charm of the original P. G. Wodehouse story are preserved in this film version + + Exceptionally Good; + Good; 4 Fair; [-Mediocre; — Poor; Exceptionally Poor