Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

110 MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST PRESIDENT'S MYSTERY — Continued) "It is so unusual to find a motion picture attuned to any serious aspect of the contemporary national scene that 'The President's Mystery' deserves to be treated as something more than just another melodrama. . . Although there is no disputing its propagandist intent, the film — unlike the Soviet lectures — has not reduced its narrative to a moralizing bludgeon. . . In its melodramatic way, [it] is a well-constructed essay on one means of achieving a more abundant life, and it is an interesting picture as well." F. S. Nugent + NY Times p22 O 19 '36 "You can't help enjoying 'The President's Mystery' . . . unless you're downright obstinate. A skilfully blended mixture of murder, mystery, romance and social comment, it is the surprise film of the week-end — one that is warranted to keep you interested from beginning to end with its exciting, engrossing story." William Boehnel + NY World-Telegram pl3 O 19 '36 "Mr. Roosevelt has not suffered the fate of many inspired folk and seen his own idea grabbed up by the professional people and his own name lost in the shuffle. He receives full credit. In fact, the picture is called 'The President's Mystery,' though it isn't a mystery and there's no president in it. . . Love and a murder and some skulduggery are all included in a film that isn't, if one may take the liberty of saying so, very exciting. However, the major premise somewhat suggests the social concern of Soviet films, and pictures of that sober sort may be the pleasure, of course, of the Administration." John Mosher h New Yorker p78 O 24 '36 "Republic has constructed an exciting film advocating producers' cooperatives financed by the government. The seemingly incongruous elements are skillfully combined to make the most vigorous propaganda Hollywood has yet produced." + News-Wk p29 O 17 '36 "[It is] an honest, exciting melodrama. . . The film uses an entirely conventional technique — no attempt to make it an 'arty' film. Yet Director Phil Rosen extracts from his material a pictorial reality that is usually found only in the more vivid news-reels — or in foreign pictures. A creditable job, all 'round." Molly Lewin + Script plO O 31 '36 " 'The President's Mystery Story' was snapped up by Hollywood, which has made from it an adaptation which reeks of New Deal propaganda and good melodrama. . . [It has] an exciting though hardly realistic end." -| Time p34 O 12 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "The most pretentious and laudable production yet to come from Republic. . . Produced at a timely moment, with a definite appeal for social justice, a story conceived by President Roosevelt, and a strong tieup with Liberty magazine, it is headed for good box office grosses. Family." -f Box Office p27 O 3 '36 "Republic presents a timely subject in an exciting, interesting manner and, when enthusiastically sold, should attract the masses. The production shows that Nat Levine . . . [has] spared no expense in achieving a production that can play anywhere. . . Exploitation will be necessary to get the production off to a flying start, but it should be well worth all efforts." + Film Daily pl4 S 28 '36 "When the President of the United States suggests the story, when a national magazine hires six famous name writers to put it into words, then you have exploitation possibilities that should make 'The President's Mystery' a boxoffice natural, if properly exploited. Leaning a little heavily toward socialogical propa ganda at times, the picture otherwise has been handsomely produced." -f Hollywood Reporter p4 S 24 '36 -f Motion Pict Daily p8 S 25 '36 "Well directed by Phil Rosen, with strong angles, this is in the upper Republic bracket. Estimate: . okey." + Phila Exhibitor p37 O 15 '36 "Chief mystery about 'The President's Mystery' is why the producers attempted to improve on the Liberty magazine version. . . [If it] had been transferred to the screen as a mystery yarn and nothing else, Republic might have had something. As it is, the feature will have a tough job getting into many single spots. By heavy selling along the lines that Franklin D. Roosevelt conceived the original idea, it may grab some good opening days but after that its draw is highly doubtful. Added drawbacks are its length and lack of marquee sparkle." r Variety pl5 O 21 '36 "Figured for timeliness, both in title and content — which deals as much with politics and economics as with mystery, in plot and theme — 'The President's Mystery' has exploitation ammunition gauged to national selling campaign which should more than compensate for lack of marquee names in box office bid. . . It is in many respects less a mystery than an economic dissertation, and whatever faults it has as entertainment stem from the combination of political elements with the melodrama, and generous inclusion of over much material in effort to insure its impressiveness." + Variety (Hollywood) p3 S 24 '36 PUT ON THE SPOT. Victory 60min S 12 '36 Cast: Eddie Nugent. Maxine Doyle. Fuzzy Knight Director: Bob Hill Formerly called Rio Grande Romance. Based on a novel Rio Grande Romance by Peter B. Kyne. See issue of June 29, 1936 for other reviews of this film under title of Rio Grande Romance. Trade Paper Reviews "Some original twists have been given this standard type of G-Man yarn which, with the action, romance and comedy relief neatly worked in, results in lively program fare for the double-feature houses. Family." H Box Office p63 O 17 '36 "Though unpretentiously produced, this is a lively little crime picture that should do well in the intermediate spots either as single or second feature. Its screenplay is well devised, and while some of its basic situations have been used frequently, yet there is a definite originality to the story brought about by twists in plot." -| Film Daily p3 O 3 '36 "G-man gets his man and a girl once more but it's done in a rather entertaining fashion. . . While offering nothing in names to blaze a trail toward the box office, audiences should like Eddie Nugent and Maxine Doyle." -| Variety pl7 S 16 '36 R RACING LADY. RKO 59min Ja 29 '37 Cast: Ann Dvorak. Smith Ballew. Harry Carey. Berton Churchill. Willie Best Director: Wallace Fox Based on two short stories, All Scarlet by Damon Runyon and Odds Are Even by J. Robert Bren and Norman Houston. "Ann -|+ Exceptionally Good; -jGood; -j Fair; ■4 Mediocre; Poor; Exceptionally Poor