The Movies ... and the People Who Make Them (1939)

"The MOVIES • • • • 1939" THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK: Produced by Edward Small, distributed by United Artists Director: James Whale Screenplay: George Bruce Novel: Alexander Dumas •Photography: Robert Planck Art Director: John DuCasse Schulze Music Director: Lud Gluskin Editor: Grant Whytock Philippe Louis Hayward Louis XIV Louis Hayward Maria Theresa Joan Bennett D'Artagnan Warren William Fouquet Joseph Schildkraat Porthos Alan Hale Aramis Miles Mander Athos Bert Roach Colbert Walter Kingsford Mile, de la Valliere Marian Martin Spanish Ambassador Montagu Love Queen Anne Doris Kenyon Louis XIII Albert T. Dekker Commandant of Bastille Wm. Boyle Handsome and entertaining adventure film, freely adapted from the Dumas novel and done in romantic style; a semi-historical tale in which D’Artagnan and the three musketeers help the gallant Philippe save France by substituting for his cruel twin brother, Louis XIV. (Adults 8C Young People) (Running time, 110 minutes) Rich in costumed spectacle, well spiced with swordplay and court intrigue and played with coloful enthusiasm, The Man in the Iron Mask is an adventure film to satisfy all but those ardent Dumas devotees who insist there shall be no meddling with the master. This screen version has more amorous dalliance and less straight swashbuckling excitement than the original and it juggles the faiths and fates of D’Artagnan and his famous three friends in the interests of its entertainment formula. But it is nonetheless an enjoyable scren adventure, contrasting gallant courage and deep villainy and presenting court romance in the grand manner. A dark secret at the court of Louis XIV of France is the fact that he has a twin brother who was taken away to Gascony at birth and placed in the care of D’Artagnan, Captain of the Royal Musketeers. Louis himself is a selfish, cruel monarch whose excessive taxes are ruining the country and who is skilfully dominated by his merciless minister Bouquet. Afraid that Philippe may cause trouble, Fouquet seizes an opportunity to have him, D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers arrested. Then Louis, who is having amorous difficulties with his mistress, Mile, de la Valliere, and his fiancee, Maria Theresa of Spain, conceives the neat plan of having Philippe double for him with Maria while he amuses himself with la Valliere. Philippe, of course, promptly falls in love and Maria, who does not know of the deception, is alternately attracted and repelled by the two men she thinks one man. When the policies of patriotic minister Colbert and the villainous Fouquet come to open clash and Louis learns that Philippe is actually his twin brother, Philippe is thrown into the Bastille with an iron mask locked over his head. Then it is that the gallant four, D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, Louis Hayward Joan Bennett “The MAN in the IRON MASK” go into action, outwit the guards, free Philippe, substitute Louis for him in the Bastille and carry on to the smashing climax of the big battle which costs them their lives but eliminates Fouquet and Louis, places Philippe safely on the throne and promises peace with Spain through the marriage with Maria. As brothers Louis and Philippe, twin heirs to the throne of France, Louis Hayward has one of the choice assignments of the year and makes of it a really splendid dual characterization, contrasting not by make-up tricks but by voice and action the selfish, arrogant and slightly foppish king with his vigorous and manly brother. Warren Williams is a dashing and colorful D’Artagnan and is adequately aided by Alan Hale, Miles Mander and Bert Roach in the Three Musketeer roles. Joan Bennett, a brunette again, is lovely to look at and posingly romantic as Maria, confused by the apparent double personality of her royal fiance. Joseph Schildkraut is a wily and sinister Fouquet and Marian Martin appears briefly as la Valhere. Director James Whale has returned to the style of his Count of Monte Cristo and the film rises to its best moments in the scenes of swordplay, or daring doings in the gloomy prison and of exciting cross-country chases. Settings and costumes are lavish and atmospheric and the musical score skilfully sets the mood and emphasizes the action tempo. UNEXPECTED FATHER: Produced by Ken Goldsmith for Universal Director: Charles Lamont Screenplay: Charles Grayson, Leonard Spigelgass Photography: George Robinson Art Director: Jack Otterson Editor: Ted Kent Sandy Baby Sandy Boris Bebenko Mischa Auer Jimmy Hanley Dennie O’Keefe Diana Shirley Ross Peg Allen Rand Mrs. Stone Mavo Methot Beulah Anne Nagel Sally Dorothy Arnold Kitty Leo Murphy Ed Stone Mrs. Callahan Jane Darwell Magistrate Spencer Charters Nurse Dorothy Vaughn Pleasant and amusing human interest comedy which compiles familiar situations to feature Baby Sandy as an orphan who is taken care of with difficulty by a theatre usher, a barker and a chorus girl. (Fam.) (Running time, 70 minutes) Unexpected Father, obviously contrived and produced in a hurry, was designed to take advantage of — and does — the remarkable and extremely favorable public response to little Sandy Lee in the 177