Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1937)

no MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST THIS IS MY AFFAIR— Continued material, providing an unusually interesting photoplay. Mature audience." + Gen Fed of Women's Clubs (W Coast) My 19 '37 "[It has] one of the most suspenseful climaxes ever accomplished on the screen. . . The direction is masterly. Family." -f -f Nat Council of Jewish Women My 19 "37 "General patronage." Nat Legion of Decency Je 3 '37 "Interesting characterizations, with the supporting cast all well chosen. The direction is masterly. Mature," + Sel Motion Pict p4 Je '37 "Outstanding. Family." + -f Wkly Guide My 29 '37 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews Boston Transcript p6 My 29 '37 "Adults and young people." Christian Science Monitor pl7 Je 5 '37 "Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck lead an effective cast, and the combination of characterization, theme and substantiating colorful production detail, embellished by music and dancing of the era, provide desirable entertainment, even though the excursion into the realm of history may not receive the unanimous endorsement of students." J. P. Cunningham Commonweal pl88 Je 11 '37 " 'This Is My Affair,' is a long, elaborately produced, moderately well-acted melodrama which partially conceals its routine and oftused plot beneath a coating of 1901 costumes and atmosphere. . . Regrettably, the story . . , just isn't good enough to justify the lavish talents expended upon it." \ Cue pl6 My 29 '37 "Excellent entertainment. It takes us back to the turn of the century and makes its reaction visually and psychologically authentic." + Hollywood Spec pl4 My 22 '37 Reviewed by Beverly Hills Liberty p61 Je 2G '37 Lit Digest p22 Je 12 '37 "The material has been managed shrewdly and the settings and costumes are elegant. If you find yourself anticipating situations, you will at least find them delightfully decked out. . . All in all, 'This Is My Affair' is good entertainment." Howard Barnes + NY Herald Tribune pl4 My 28 '37 "By setting it in a period hitherto ignored by Hollywood, the scenarists of 'This Is My Affair' have considerably freshened up their artificial underworld drama. . . [It] does not sentimentalize about the days of thirty-six years ago, nor is it interested in them as anything but atmosphere. This atmosphere, the songs and dances, the costumes and hairdos . . . are a good deal more vivid than the stoiT itself, certainly than its main actors." Eileen Creelman N Y Sun pl4 My 28 '37 "It is the job of period reconstruction, rather than the dramatic weight of its theme, that distinguishes 'This Is My Affair' and makes it an agreeable entertainment — even with Mr. Taylor in it. . . The most endearing feature of the film — far more engaging than Mr. Taylor's derring-doing or Miss Stanwyck's billing-cooing — is the skill with which the producers have conjured up the naughtynaughty background." F. S. Nugent + NY Times pl7 My 28 '37 "Dark intrigue and romance are nicely blended against the picturesque background of America at the turn of the century in 'This Is My Affair.' . . In its own quiet, graceful way [it] works itself into a lather of highgrade suspense and results in an entertainment that is novel, colorful and interesting from beginning to end." William Boehnel + NY World-Telegram pl5 My 28 '37 Reviewed by John Mosher New Yorker p74 My 29 '37 "A vivid re-creation of the early 1900s, complete with slang, songs, and vaudeville turns, distinguishes this otherwise uninspired story." News-Wk p26 Je 5 '37 "I liked the story and I liked the songs and dances. You may gather from all this that I liked the picture." Rob Wagner + Script p8 Je 5 '37 Time p35 Je '37 Trade Paper Reviews "In every department here's a picture that has exactly what it takes to bring superlative entertainment to every type of film fan and, resultantly, it cannot miss being a boxoffice bonanza." + Box Office p21 My 22 '37 "This is rich in color and suspense and should do nicely at the box-office. It has the names of Taylor, Stanwyck and McLaglen to decorate the marquees, and William A. Seiter's direction is at his best and skillfully blends color, comedy and drama." + Film Daily p8 My 18 '37 "This is a detective melodrama fitted into a historical American setting and so gorgeously caparisoned as to make it grand and glorious popular entertainment. . . It will be a big money-maker everywhere." -} Hollywood Reporter p3 My 14 '37 "Barbara Stanwyck . . . has rarely been seen to better advantage. Estimate: good program." + Phila Exhibitor p38 My 15 '37 "The narrative is slow and weak in comparison to its cast, but it shouldn't have any trouble reaching the fair box office class." -\ Variety pl5 Je 2 '37 "Treatment, background and a topnotch cast give impressive sense of importance to a theme which in less imposing trappings would be identified as the familiar crook drama of scores of lesser pictures. Its feeling of historic reality is enhanced by the impersonation of many notables of the period." + Variety (Hollywood) p3 My 14 '37 THREE LEGIONNAIRES. General 58min Cast: Robert Armstrong. Lyle Talbot. Fifi D'Orsay. Anne Nagel Director: Hamilton McFadden "Action takes place in a remote and isolated hamlet of Russia at the time the Armistice was signed in the World War. Robert Armstrong and Lyle Talbot are stationed there to represent the American army and to work with the Russian Cossacks who were with the Allies. Not knowing the Armistice had been signed until six months later, Armstrong and Talbot carry on their vigil for the enemy." Variety (Hollywood) Trade Paper Revieivs "General Pictures' first effort in the production field is a slapstick comedy that will be a showman's dream." + Box Office p63 Ap 3 '37 "Good old slapstick serves its purpose in this picture and the result is a healthy total of laughs." + Film Daily p3 Mr 20 '37 "Calculated to find its niche in the neighborhoods, 'Three Legionnaires' has been supplied with a saleable cast and a plentitude of + -f Exceptionally Good; + Good; -\ Fair; {-Mediocre; — Poor; Exceptionally Poor