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

"The MOVIES • « « t 1939" BACHELOR MOTHER: Produced by B. G. DeSylva for RKO-Radio D.rector: Garson Kanin Screenplay: Norman Krasna Story: Felix Jackson Photography: Robert de Grasse Art Director: Van Nest Polglase Music Score: Roy Webb Editors: Henry Berman, Robert Wise Polly Parrish David Merlin David Niven J. B. Merlin Freddie Miller ... Butler Johnnie Mrs. Weiss investigator Jerome Weiss ... Hargraves Hennessy Old Lady Mary Louise King Doctor Matron A gay and clever and charming comedy-of-errors, both human and hilar ious; the story of a department store girl and her employer’s son who have paternity thrust upon them in the form of an orphan baby and at last accept the verdict with a willing marriage. (Adults) (Running time, 81 minutes) One of the most enjoyable comedies of this or any year, Bachelor Mother will probably set a new style in screen humor, it has a warm humanity, a directness and an intimate appeal which are usually, though not often enough, found in serious films but are here applied to an outright farce tale. With this treatment, backed by a deft and witty script and superlative allaround production skill, the ancient theme oi mistaken maternity becomes new and gay and remarkably amusing. Polly Parrish, department store clerk who has just been given notice of dismissal, departs on her lunch hour, finds a woman leaving a baby on a foundling home doorstep, takes the baby inside and is hailed by the orphanage attendants as the child’s mother. They persuade the store owner’s son, David Merlin, to hire her again, insisting that poverty had prompted her to try to abandon little Johnnie. When her denials merely prompt suggestions of prosecution, she bows to fate and invents a story of a no-good husband. In no time at all young David is helping her take care of the baby. Then old J. B. Merlin, who assumes the child is the grandson he has always wanted, orders David to marry the girl. Both David and Polly attempt to disclaim parenthood, but at last, when three fathers are claiming little Johnnie, decide to give in and do precisely what they want to do anyway, be married. When comedy of that type is tried, often on the stage, almost never on the screen, it is usually played broadly with the performers waxing as uproarious as they hope the audience will be. Director Garson Kanin — who has jumped to front rank with this and just three other films (two and a trifle) — and his knowing cast have played Bachelor Mother with a wise restraint and have left the laughs to the audience. It is serious business for those concerned and that fact increases the effectiveness of the joke enjoyed by the spectators. Ginger Rogers proves again that she is one of the screen’s accomplished comediennes with a smooth and delightful performance as Polly. David Niven, always a quietly convincing actor, displays a fresh and attractive personality as David. Charles Coburn as the adopted grandfather, Ernest Truex as the orphanage agent, Ferike Boros as a landlady, Frank Albertsin as an ambitious shipping clerk — all of them right down the list catch the mood and the manner and keep pace with the merry and unexpected and most plausible nonsense. Little Elbert Copelin, Jr. is an alert and very lovable infant. The story itself and its treatment are always in good taste, definitely adult but never vulgar. Clever situations and original incidents add much to the rising merriment. And the physical production is handsome throughout. MUSIC: Although not outstanding, the musical scoring is effective, particularly in the. treatment of the toy counter confusion. A slight use of “Rock-a-Bye-Baby” and the true-to-life noise (and music) of New Year’s Eve contribute to the atmosphere. Music helps set the tempo of any film and there could have been more of it m Bachelor Mother — more of that quality scored for the Donald Ducks. PARENTS ON TRIAL: Produced and distributed by Columbia Director: Sam Nelson Screenplay: J. Robert Bren, Gladys Atwater Photography: John Stumar Music Director: M. W. Stoloff Editor: James Sweeney Susan Wesley . Jean Parker Don Martin ... Johnny Downs Linda Ames Linda Terry Jerry Kearns Noah Beery, Jr. James Wesley Henry Kolker Mrs. Martin Virginia Brissac Margaret Ames Nana Bryant Lawrence Hatings Rishard Fiske Martha May Gordon Ordinary human interest melodrama with a problem plot about two young people whose romance is blocked by their strict, autocratic parents, but who at last find happiness with the help of an understanding judge. (Adults) (Running time, 61 minutes) Parents on Trial places its parents on trial and promptly finds them guilty. Reworking the ancient problem of modern children vs. old-fashioned parents, it prejudices any audience-jury in advance by making the children attractive adolescents and the parents almost an extreme of oldfashioned strictness. When 17-year-old Susan Wesley comes home from school for summer vacation, she obtains permission from her busy father to go to a party given by her friend Linda. Mr. Wesley learns that the party has moved to a night club and when Susan arrives home accuses her of deception and orders her not to leave the 185