Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1938)

MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST 83 ceremonies, their alternately placid, terrifying existence, is in itself vastly interesting. Estimate: a showman's picture for the different house." + Phila Exhibitor pl26 My 1 '38 "Add another to the string of 'goona goona' native pictures; not any slower than some predecessors, and possibly more authentic. By employing the 'son of a witch' alternative title and exploiting its sensational angles, 'Wajan' possibly will get substantial money in grind houses. Scientific worth and entertainment value are in same class as others of its ilk." -| Variety pl5 Ap 20 '38 WALKING DOWN BROADWAY. 20th century-Fox 75min Mr 11 '38 Cast: Claire Trevor. Phyllis Brooks. Leah Ray. Dixie Dunbar. Lynn Bari. Jayne Regan. Michael Whalen. Walter Woolf King Director: Norman Foster Music: Sidney Clare. Harry Akst Music director: Samuel Kaylin Screen writers: Robert Chapin. Karen De Wolf Based on the short story Six Girls and Death by Mark Hellinger. Six chorus girls pledge themselves on New Year's Eve to meet again at the same place a year later. During the ensuing twelve months, one girl is convicted of a framed manslaughter, two are the victims of tragic accidents, and the others marry. SEE ALSO issue of April 4 Audience Suitability Ratings "A: cheap; T & C: no." — Christian Century p446 Ap 6 '38 "Adults." Nat Legion of Decency Ap 7 '38 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "The interest is well sustained through a series of incidents both humorous and melodramatic. Adults and mature young people." + Christian Science Monitor pl7 Ap 2 '38 N Y Times pl7 Ap 1 '38 Trade Paper Reviews "A dramatically effective story of Broadway night life — best coupled with a comedy or Western feature." + Film Curb p8 Ap 16 '38 WHEN G-MEN STEP IN. Columbia 60min Mr 31 '38 Cast: Don Terry. Jacqueline Wells. Robert Paige. Gene Morgan Director: C. C. Coleman, Jr Screen writer: Arthur T. Horman An expose film built on the rackets for collecting money for charitable drives, sweepstake lotteries and other forms of gambling. SEE ALSO issue of April 4 Audience Suitability Ratings "A: elementary; Y: hardly; C: no." — Christian Century p543 Ap 27 '38 "Although the story is trite, the plot moves consistently and furnishes an excellent expose of charity rackets and a lesson for all who are apt to be too gullible. Adults and young people." E Coast Preview Committee -1 Fox W Coast Bui Ap 9 '38 "A: good; Y: possible; C: no." + Parents' M p65 My '38 Trade Paper Revieivs "Assembled from established boxoffice formulas, this G-Man film packs enough punch to register as satisfactory program product. Production is tolerable with C. C. Coleman, Jr.'s direction wisely adding sufficient suspense and action for melodramatic effect. Family." + — Boxoffice pl3 Mr 26 '38 • "A thrilling expose of 'legal' rackets makes a first-rate action film for general audiences." + Film Curb p6 Ap 9 '38 WHEN WERE YOU BORN? Warner 6Smin Je 18 '38 Cast: Margaret Lindsay. Anna May Wong. Lola Lane. Anthony Averill. James Stephenson. Maurice Cass Director: William McGann Original story: Manley Hall Screen writer: Anthony Coldeway A mystery story in which murderers are uncovered by the use of astrology. Audience Suitability Ratings "Adults." Nat Legion of Decency Je 16 '38 "Family. A novelty, with a liberal sprinkling of astrological patter." Wkly Guide Je 11 '38 Newspaper and Magazine Revieivs "[It is] an elementary lesson in astrology, ineptly disguised as a motion picture. . . [It] works frantically to prove that consultation of the stars is a more exact science than some of us may have thought and ends up as an extremely paltry screen entertainment." Howard Barnes — NY Herald Tribune pl6 Je 9 '38 Reviewed by F. S. Nugent N Y Times p27 Je 9 '38 Reviewed by John Mosher New Yorker p62 Je 18 '38 Trade Paper Reviews "This one will have all the horoscope fans and those interested in astrology going for it. On that basis, the exhibitor should put out his ballyhoo to attract all those interested. The film is a swell mystery regardless of this novelty angle, and will click with the mystery fans who like to try to guess the solution to the murders." + Film Daily p4 Je 9 '38 + Motion Pict Daily p5 Je 10 '38 "Minor mystery melodrama lacking sufficient marquee names or diversified appeal to get beyond double bills in most spots for which it apparently was produced. . . Ringing in the observations by the Chinese (feminine) astrologer slows up the film's gait when it might have been subordinated or more cleverly adapted to the plot." H Variety pl4 Je 15 '38 WHITE BANNERS. Warner 90min Je 25 '38 Cast: Claude Rains. Fay Bainter. Jackie Cooper. Bonita Granville. Henry O'Neill. Kay Johnson. James Stephenson Director: Edmund Goulding Music: Max Steiner Screen writers: Leonore Coffee. Cameron Rogers. Abem Finkel Based on the novel of the same title by Lloyd C. Douglas. The tale concerns a mother who discovers her son after years of separation. She sets him on the road to usefulness, helps him in trouble and then departs from his life without revealing their relationship. Audience Suitability Ratings "Whether through premonition or sad experience, few studios dare to make pictures which frankly expound a philosophy of life, and sentiment is rarely presented without the apology of a wisecrack or seriousness except as a concomitant of sorrow. Being neither frivolous nor tragic, 'White Banners' is an interesting departure from the rule. . . Adolescents: excellent; children: mature. Family." Women's Univ Club, Los Angeles + + Fox W Coast Bui My 28 '38 Newspaper and Magazine Reviews "A cinemasterpiece, a rather obvious and quite ordinary story made great as a picture by the treatment given it. Owing to the motion picture industry's policy of selling people instead of pictures, 'White Banners' will not attract the audience to which its merits entitle it, as in the cast there are no box-office names to crowd the bill-boards. And I think its appeal is a bit too intellectual to attain wide pop