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

"The MOVIES • • • % 1939" THE MAGNIFICENT FRAUD: Produced by Harlan Thompson for Paramount Director: Robert Florey Screenplay: Gilbert Gabriel Story: Charles G. Booth Art Directors: Hans Freier, Ernst Fegte Photography: William Mellor Editor: James Smith Jules LaCrois Akim TamirofF Pres. Don Miguel Esteban Alvarado Akim TamirofF Sam Barr Lloyd Nolan Aunt Jerry Genet Mary Boland Claire Hill Patricia Morison Dr. Virgo George Zucco Carmelita StetFi Duna General Gomez Robert Warwick Senor Mendietta Frank Reicher Dr. Diaz Donald Gallaher Castro Ernest Verebes Morales Robert Middlemass Duval Ernest Cossart Harrison Todd Ralph Forbes June Barbara Pepper Novel and interesting political melodrama about a French actor, fleeing a murder charge, who is made to impersonate the recently assassinated president of a Latin American republic to put through an international loan and dies after foiling the conspirators. (Adults 8C Young People) Running time, 75 minutes) By the familiar screen necessity of avoidance of offense to any one or any government, the story of The Magnificent Fraud is confined to some mythical coun' try and its political intrigue is told in vague terms. It thereby loses conviction and acquires a synthetic air. But in this era of World-Wide domestic and international discords, its tale of dictator doings, of governmental trickery, of political conspiracy, has definite topical interest and exploits a clever idea with dramatic relish. While New York banker Harrison Todd, his fiancee Claire Hill and her aunt Jerry Genet are en route by plane to Ban Cristobal to make a $10,000,000 loan, the rumor runs about the city that President Alvarado, the country’s dictator, has been assassinated. His death means that the loan will not go through and conspirators Sam Barr, former Chicago sharper and now the dictator’s right-hand man, General Gomez and court politician Senor Mendietta, concoct a desperate expedient. In the city is Jules LaCrois, once famous French actor and impersonator but now a fugitive from a murder charge. They force LaCrois — detective Duval is close on his heels — to impersonate the dead dictator and carry on the negotiations with banker Todd. The hoax succeeds; not even Aunty Jerry, dictator Alvarado’s one time sweetheart, seems suspicious. LaCrois is inspired by his new position to become a patriot and Sam Bari begins to acquire scruples from association with the lovely Claire. LaCrois signs the loan, for the country not the conspirators, and endorses true statesman Dr. Diaz as his successor. He himself is killed by General Gomez, but regenerated Sam Barr is saved for romance with Claire. Akim Tamiroff leads all the way with a forceful, effective portrayal of the actordictator. Lloyd Nolan is a suave and arrogant Sam Barr, properly tamed by love for the lovely Claire in the form of the decorative and sometimes obviously posed Patricia Morrison. The others are neatly typed characters out of the fiction of political intrigue with Steffi Duna adding colorful moments as dancer Carmelita. The pace is somewhat slow, yet achieves tense situations and genuine suspense. Backgrounds and general atmospheric details are careful and complete, and there is considerable comedy to balance the heavy theatrics of the serious scenes. IN OLD CALIENTE: Produced by Joseph Kane for Republic Director: Joseph Kane Screenplay: Norman Houston, Gerald Geraghty Photography: William Nobles Music Director: Cy Feuer Editor: Edward Mann Roy Roy Rogers Jean Mary Hart Gabby George "Gabby” Hayes Delgado Jack La Rue Rita Katherine DeMille Don Miguel Vargas Frank Puglia Curly Calkins Harry Woods Carlos Paul Marian Felicia Ethel Wales Pedro Merrill McCormick Dependable frontier western with Roy Rogers as a patriotic Californian who helps American settlers prove their honesty to the Spanish landowners soon after annexation of the territory. (Adults & Young People) (Running time, 55 minutes) It is in 1853 and migrating Americans are heading into California with hopes of peaceful settlement. Hero Roy, an American who is a trusted employee of Spanish landowner Don Jose Vargas, is in a nice position to act as advance agent for the American settlers. But a rascally renegade, the half-breed Delgado, is the majordomo of the ranch and the secret leader of a bandit gang. His men hijack $40,000 which Roy has sent on to Don Jose from a cattle sale and he himself convinces Don Jose that the Americans have done the dastardly deed. When Roy discovers that the wagon train is led by his old pal Gabby Whittaker — and Gabby’s beautiful daughter Jean — he rides to their aid and the old Don thinks he is in with the thieves and orders him off the ranch. For a time Roy’s efforts to prove his friends’ innocence are blocked by Delgado, who makes Roy appear first as a bandit, then the murderer of Don Jose. But with the aid of the Don’s romantic daughter, Roy at last pins the crimes on Delgado and proves to young Carlos Vargas and the other Spaniards that the Americans are honest settlers. Together Roy, Jean and Gabby lead the wagon train on to its destination. With amiable tunes to sing in fine style and plenty of action to stride through vigorously, Roy Rogers is an engaging, handsome hero. George Hayes, fresh from the Hopalong Cassidy series, is a humorous entertainment asset as emigrant Gabby. Mary Hart appears briefly but brightly as daughter Jean. Jack LaRue is a standard, hiss-provoking desperado as Delgado. It’s a satisfactory western with coast-line scenes adding novelty to the outdoor photography. WATERFRONT: Produced and distributed by Warner Brothers Director: Terry Morse Screenplay: Lee Katz, Arthur Ripley Play: Kenyon Nicholson Photography: James Van Trees Art Director: Charles Novi Editor: Louis Hesse Ann Stacey Gloria Dickson Jim Dolan Dennis Morgan Ruby Waters Marie Wilson Frankie Donahue Larry Williams Marie Cordell Sheila Bromley Father Dunn Aldrich Bowker Skids Riley Frank Faylen Mart Hendler Ward Bond Dan Dolan Arthur Gardner Joe Becker George Lloyd Tough action melodrama about a feud between two bad-tempered longshoremen, one of whom is reformed by a wife and a priest. (Adults) (Running time, 59 minutes) Jim Dolan, good-looking but rough and hot-tempered dock worker, is always ready for a fight and has battled his way into and out of jail and up to the presidency of a waterfront social club. Then Father Dunn converts him into peaceful ways and Ann Stacey completes the process by marrying him and making him settle down. But Mart Hendler, longshoreman bully who has frequently fought with Jim over the club’s presidency, kills Jim’s brother in a brawl and goes into hiding with his girl. Jim vows vengeance in his own way and starts after Mart. Ann tries to stop him by having him jailed for carrying a gun, but he escapes and heads for Mart’s hiding place. The scene is set for an action climax that may ruin the happy married life of the Dolans — and the plot contrives to mete out justice to Mart without spoiling their plans to leave the waterfront and become farmers. Dennis Morgan as the belligerent Jim Dolan has the handicap of an unsympathetic role and hurdles it only for the action sequences. Gloria Dickson is an effective faithful wife who strives desperately to save her husband from his own stubbornness and quick temper. Ward Bond is a conventional bully as Mart and Marie Wilson works hard for laughs in a minor comedy role. There’s a lot of tough talk and almost continual tough action, including frequent fights, the jail escape and a fast auto chase. It’s a fair chance for action fans. MILLION DOLLAR LEGS: Produced by W. G. Thomas for Paramount Director: Nick Grinde Screenplay: Lewis Foster, Richard English Story: Lewis Foster Art Directors: Hans Dreier, W. Flannery Photography: Harry Fischbeck Editor: Stuart Gilmore Carol Parker Betty Grable Greg Melton John Hartley Sticky Boone Donald O’Connor Russ Simpson Jackie Coogan Coach Baxter Larry Crabbe Freddie Fry Peter Hayes Susie Quinn Dorothea Kent Hunk Jordan Richard Denning Buck Hogan Philip Warren Blimp Garrett Eddie Arnold, Jr. Gregory Melton, Sr Thurston Hall 179