Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1938)

46 MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST LENIN IN OCTOBER— Continued Audience Suitability Ratings "A: good of kind; Y & C: undesirable." + Christian Century p574 My 4 '38 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "[It] is an excellently produced, dramatic, and reasonably faithful historic picturization of the October (1917) Soviet revolution. . . This [is] one of the finest films that has come out of Russia in years." Jesse Zunser -f + Cue pl2 Ap 9 '38 "[It] is a fascinating reconstruction of the ten world-shaking days of October, 1917, with Lenin himself thrown into high, bold relief. It does not make use of newsreels, as was the case with 'Three Songs About Lenin,' but by Boris V. Shchukin's magnificent impersonation of the great revolutionist, a shrewd script and telling direction, it becomes an engrossing and persuasive piece of screen history. . . [It is] a remarkable screen biography and an exciting show." Howard Barnes + + N Y Herald Tribune p6 Ap 2 '38 "[It is] a substantial, accurately manufactured document. . . In its earlier phases the film moves stodgily, but with the final scenes of the taking of the Winter Palace the whole thing attains the activity, the movement, and the excitement that we want." John Mosher + New Yorker p91 Ap 9 '38 "Aside from its pointed ignoring of Trotsky, here is an authentic account of Lenin's conflict with Kerensky's provisional government. . . Although the film is dramatically staged and admirably acted — particularly by Boris "V. Shchukin, who bears a marked resemblance to Lenin — it will appeal chiefly to students of Soviet history and film making." Newsweek p23 Ap 11 '38 Time p51 Ap 18 '38 Trade Paper Reviews "The Soviet's screen canonization of their leader and hero, V. I. Lenin, emerges as an interesting film mainly because of the superb and sympathetic portrayal by Boris V. Shchukin as the Bolshevik leader. Family." + Boxoffice p89 Ap 30 '38 "Powerful biographical and historical picture will please the Russian fans." + Film Daily p5 Ap 9 '38 H Motion Pict Daily p7 Ap 22 '38 " 'Lenin in October' could be Lenin at any other time and still be a highly interesting production. Ranks with 'Gulliver' and other Red films as one of the finest productions to emanate from the Soviet film factories. . . It's a good super-artie, with possibilities elsewhere. English titles don't let audiences down, dealing out reams of comedy, suspense, drama and assorted histrionics." + + Variety pl4 Ap 6 '38 LET'S MAKE A NIGHT OF IT. Associated British 67min Mr 25 '38 Cast: Buddy Rogers. June Clyde. Claire Luce. Fred Emney Director: Graham Cutts Screen writers: Hugh Brooke. F. McGrew Willis Based on the radio play The Silver Spoon by Henrik N. Ege. Filmed in England. An elderly business man secretly buys a night club while his wife also secretly buys one. This is the background for a large number of dance bands and variety acts. Audience Suitability Ratings "A: stupid; Y & C: no." — Christian Century p679 My 25 '38 "A production with little entertainment value to recommend it. The plot is lacking in interest and continuity and a mediocre cast tries to put over commonplace dialogue. Adults." E Coast Preview Committee — Fox W Coast Bui Ap 2 '38 "Objectionable in part." Nat Legion of Decency Mr 3 '38 "A: fair; Y: possible; C: no interest." H Parents' M p80 Je '38 Trade Paper Reviews -\ Motion Pict Daily pl9 Jl 12 '37 "This is a surprise: Here is a British musical— yet, with exception of some decidedly Limey characters, it is done with the perfect casting, the pace, comedy, fine musical arrangements, snappy dance routines, clear photography, lavish, accurate settings of a Hollywood musical." + Phila Exhibitor p99 Mr 15 '38 "This picture definitely has no appeal for the U. S. . . Trouble with the whole presentation would seem to be to keep the story together. It is not constructed with resourceful craftsmanship. . . Associated British should have made a better job of it, with the ingredients and resources at its command." — Variety p25 Jl 7 '37 THE LIE OF NINA PETROVNA. Lenauer 80min Mr 29 '38 Cast: Fernand Gravet. Isa Miranda. Aime Clariond. Gabrielle Dorziat Director: V. Tourjansky Music: Michel Levine. Joe Hajos Screen writers: Hans Szekely. T. H. Robert. Henri Jeanson French dialogue film with English subtitles. The locale is Vienna at the turn of the century. An Austrian army officer brings a Russian woman from St. Petersburg home with him as his mistress. She falls in love with his junior officer and he with her. Her protector challenges the younger man to a duel and rather than have her lover killed, she kills herself. Audience Suitability Ratings "Condemned." Nat Legion of Decency Ap 14 '38 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "[It] is a familiar story. It takes place in pre-war Austria, but, though reasonably wellplayed and smoothly produced, is still too dated to appeal particularly to present-day audiences." H Cue pl2 Ap 9 '38 "Old-fashioned dramatics about a courtesan's great love. Only of interest for the attractive acting of Fernand Gravet and as an introduction to Isa Miranda." -\ Film Wkly p24 Mr 26 '38 "[It] has a curiously nostalgic quality. The production itself is a notch above what we usually expect from foreign studios. At the same time, the theme of the work takes one into a world which has already vanished. . . One finds oneself interested in the recreation of a departed epoch without being in the slightest way moved by it." Howard Barnes H NY Herald Tribune pl2 Mr 30 '38 "As a film, it falls roughly somewhere between 'Camille' and 'The Smiling Lieutenant' and, in spite of the earnest endeavors of blond Isa Miranda and bland Fernand Gravet, it falls roughly. . . [It] is at its best, admittedly none too good, when it is enjoying the humor of the triangle and it is lamentably dull when it begins taking it seriously." F. S. Nugent h N Y Times pl9 Mr 30 '38 "[It] isn't a surprise in any way, but very conventional drama of the Sardou era. . . The piece is handsomely mounted, however; and as the demi-mondaine, a certain Isa Miranda, lucent of eye and resolute of jaw, makes her bow in the front ranks of the current Garbo beauties. She's charming, and sure to be noticed." John Mosher -) New Yorker p91 Ap 9 '38 "[The plot] is formularized and dated. In every other department — notably the acting — this French album of Vienna of the 1900s is excellent: Gravet is more at home here than in either of his Hollywood tries, and Isa Miranda, Paramount' s Italian threat in the GarboDietrich field, should prove an important importation." _| , Newsweek p22 Ap 11 '38