Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1937)

56 MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST HIDEAWAY GIRL— Continued '"Martha Raye's prolonged parody of Mae Westian singing is painful and holds up the story. Suitability: adults & adolescents." Mo Film Bui p217 D '36 "Unconventional, and at times bordering on vulgarity. Fair. Adults." H Motion Pict Guide Ja '37 "The spectacle of a girl in wedding gown and veil, fleeing in a car from pursuing police, is a piquant introduction to an atrocious bit of musical slapstick. . . Ample opportunity is given the energetic Miss Raye to indulge in her peculiar style of humor. Musical numbers are sometimes tuneful, but usually too noisy. There is little dialogue, as the story is told chiefly in rapid-fire action. The production is loud and raucous to the point of vulgarity. Adolescents, 12-16: no; children, 8-12: no." — Motion Pict R p5 D '36 "This is a pleasing musical comedy which gives ample opportunity for the exploitation of Martha Raye and her particular type of humor and songs. . . Clever stagecraft, good photography, capable direction and pleasing music. Excessive drinking. Family." + Nat Council of Jewish Women N 1 '36 "A & Y: poor; C: no." Parents' M p40 F '37 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "There is little rhyme or reason for seeing 'Hideaway Girl,' for its muddled story is not very appealing, its performance not very adult, and its direction, while sprightly and well paced, as such an old timer as George Archainbaud would be bound to turn out, is not entertaining enough." Marguerite Tazelaar h N Y Herald Tribune pl9 Ja 13 '37 "Miss Martha Raye, the lusty lark of Paramount's roster of curiosa, has her starring moment in 'Hideaway Girl.' . . Otherwise it is something for even the case-hardened audiences of the Rialto to shudder about. It is a matter of countless juveniles enacting a story that has a hundred forebears." J. T. M. — NY Times p20 Ja 13 '37 "Grant that a film can be blissfully bad and you have your own description of 'Hideaway Girl.' . . It stars Miss Martha Raye, who is at least the noisiest if not the funniest of the distaff comics in Hollywood, but the best that the film's fearfully energetic antics were able to do was to batter this reviewer into a state of embarrassed semi-consciousness. . . It is my glum claim that if ever we are to get rid of Class B pictures, the only way to do it is to expose their stupidity and attempt to discourage their support." William Boehnel — NY World-Telegram p27 Ja 15 '37 Trade Paper Reviews "Most of the situations and twists have been frequently used by Hollywood scenarists. Consequently, such originality as story and screenplay present is derived from putting all components together. One of vehicle's chief purposes appears to be the unleashing of Martha Raye's rollicking, raucous, swing rhythm vocalizing." Film Daily p9 Ja 14 '37 "This feature starts out like a society crook melodrama, turns slightly musical, then goes rowdy comedy, next a bit romantic and staggers off as hokum melodrama. Hence, it will be no great shock to Paramount if it has to struggle with the others in the dual fish pond. The picture is entertaining in some of its rougher comedy moments and has three catchy tunes but the histrionics displayed by the leads often are rudimentary to the nth degree. Supporting players easily top their efforts, which gives an idea." H Variety pl5 Ja 20 '37 HIGH TREASON. Olympic 62min Cast: John Garrick. Winifred Shotter. Leslie Perrins. Lewis Shaw Director: Henry Edwards Based on the novel, The Rocks of Valpre, by Ethel M. Dell. Filmed in England. A young French officer is unjustly accused of passing military plans into foreign hands and is sentenced to Devil's Island. Ten years later he settles with his betrayer. Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "It's an old, old story that our British cousins are retelling these days in 'High Treason.' . . It's a sad, sad story if you have any sympathy left for this sort of thing. . . But even if you have become immune through the years, the film is likely to prove just as prosaic as its title." T. M. P. — NY Times pl7 Ja 27 '37 Trade Paper Reviews "Principally for the reason that it follows an all too prevalent practice by some English producers, of filming stories in the technique of the stage rather than of the modern screen, this Twickenham production fails to click. Additional factors contribute to its inability to entertain American audiences. To cite a few, there is the story. . . The film is not carefully cast, and this element gives sequences an inescapable atmosphere of insincerity. There is also no adequate emphasis placed upon the scenes of Devil's Island." — Film Daily p8 Ja 29 '37 — Motion Pict Daily p2 Ja 28 '37 "This is characterized by mediocre photography, lighting, no names, dragginess, a story which has been done to death. . . The photography only heightens the antiquity of story, settings, so that the picture is on par with efforts of early talkie days." Phila Exhibitor p36 F 15 '37 HIS LORDSHIP. See Man of affairs HOLY TERROR. 20th century-Fox 58min F 5 '37 Cast: Jane Withers. Anthony Martin. Leah Ray. El Brendel. Joe Lewis. John Eldridge Director: James Tinling Dances: Jack Haskell Music & lyrics: Sidney Clare. Harry Akst "Jane is the daughter of an officer at a naval base, the pet of the gobs, and is the originator of sundry devilment that gets herself and her sailor pals into several scrapes until finally proving herself a heroine by engineering the capture of a band of foreign spies, who are plotting to get the secret of the [closely guarded] 'mystery' airplane." Hollywood Reporter Audience Suitability Ratings "A: depends on taste; Y & C: probably amusing." Christian Century pl98 F 10 '37 "Production qualities are fair. Family." Calif Cong of Par & Teachers "Mediocre. Family." DAR "The story is impossible, of course, and most of the comedy is forced with a few lapses from good taste. A 'quicky' for the cash customers. General audiences." Nat Soc of New England Women "Much humor and some suspenseful moments will amuse the family." S Calif Council of Fed Church Women Fox W Coast Bui Ja 16 '37 + + Exceptionally Good; + Good; H Fair; j Mediocre; —Poor; Exceptionally Poor