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

"The MOVIES • • • • 1939" after it’s straight action, punched with fast riding, quick shooting and surprise attacks, interrupted occasionally for brief snatches of romance and broad comedy scenes. The villain and his aides meet their just deserts and Captain Fury wins a pardon for himself and his men. It's a black and white show with no -hadings between. The heroes are heroic, the villains very villainous, the heroine sweetly charming and all of them play with infectious zest. Brian Aherne is a dashing and romantic Captain Fury, escaping dangers with nonchalant ease. Victor McLaglen repeats his usual role as Blackic with more emphasis than ever before, a blustering, bullying, two-fisted tough guy with the inevitable heart of gold. John Carradine offers a striking portrait of a disease-ridden member of the band. June Lang strikes pretty poses and is appropriately naive to charm the valiant Captain, while Virginia Field as a barmaid flutters Blackie’s pulse. George Zucco as the land-greedy Twist is a villain of the old school, one to draw hisses from the mildest onlooker. Captain Fury is a straight entertainment concoction of the time-tested adventure film ingredients, played and produced with gusto and pictorial vigor. BOYS’ REFORMATORY: Produced by Scott R. Dunlap for Monogram Director: Howard Bretherton Screenplay: Ray Trampe, Wellyn Totman Story: Ray Trampe, Norman S. Hill Photographer: Harry Newman Tommy Dr. Owens Mrs. O’Meara ... Eddie Frank Coghlan, Jr. Knuckles Mike Hearn Spike Warren McCollun Pete Blubber Toic ... George Offerman, Tr. Mrs. Callahan .... Supt . Keene A1 Girl Routine production of a stereotyped story about a noble boy who takes the blame for his foster-brother’s trouble, then joins a prison break to get out and help round up the crooks. (Adults 8C Young People) (Running time, 61 minutes) Orphaned young Tommy is the chief support of his foster mother and her weak-willed son, Eddie. But he is so grateful for the mother’s care that he accepts the blame when Eddie gets into trouble with the police and departs for the Reformatory on the strength of Eddie’s promise to go straight. Eddie tries to — but is framed by the gang and before long is another inmate of the Reformatory. Tommy meanwhile has become the assistant and friend of the prison doctor. An escape plot is being concocted and Tommy pretends to join the “mob,” gets out with the others, then helps round up the gangsters responsible for his and Eddie’s difficulties. A strictly formula film, Boys’ Reformatory makes little attempt at genuine characterizations and walks through its scenes with little dramatic punch or suspense. There is some mild and obvious attempt to criticize drastic reformatory methods. It's simply a passable little program filler for forgiving audiences. ROOKIE COP: Produced by Bert Gilroy for RKO-Radio Director: David Howard Screenplay: Morton Grant, Jo Pagano Story: Guy K. Austin, Earl Johnson Photography: Harry Wild Editor: Frederic Knudtson Art Dbector: Van Nest Polglase Clem Tim Holt Nicey Virginia Weidler Gerry Janet Shaw Lane Frank M. Thomas Commissioner Robert Emmett Keane Tom Monte Montague Frankie Don Brodie Joey Ralf Harolde Fern Muriel Evans Ace The Wonder Dog Mild action melodrama with familiar cops-and-robbcrs situations in wh ch a young officer and his dog prove the value of trained animals in police work. (Adults & Young People) (Running time, 60 minutes) Young Clem, the Rookie Cop, takes his dog Ace with him in his car on assignments. The two of them form a good combination and do good work, but the commissioner is prejudiced against dogs on duty and at last suspends Clem for his insistence upon using Ace. Then the local gangsters start a crime wave and hold prisoner both Clem and the daughter of the chief. The police are helpless. Ace it is who frees the pair and leads the way to the capture of the crooks, thus smoothing the way for romance and proving to the commissioner the official value of canine capabilities. Tim Holt makes Clem a straightforward and ingratiating young rookie and Ace plays himself with efficiency, running neatly through the usual tricks of trailing and attacking at the properly melodramatic moments. Virginia Weidler helps out with an amusing performance as a little girl who greatly admires hero Clem and has ambitions being a Gwoman. The pace is snappy and the production good within a small budget. The material is familiar and obvious throughout, but youngsters will rate it swell stuff. BLUE MONTANA SKIES: Produced by Harry Grey for Republic Director: B. Reeves Eason Screenplay: Gerald Geraghty Story: Norman S. Hall, Paul Franklin Photography: Jack Marta Editor: Lester Orlebeck Gene Gene Autry Frog Smiley Burnette Dorothy June Storey Hendricks Harry Woods Steve Tully Marshall Marshall A1 Bridge Causer Glenn Strange Mrs. Potter Dorothy Granger Brennan Edmund Cobb Wilbur Potter Robert Winkler Frazier Jack Ingram Blackfeather Augie Gomez Good action western in which Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette clean up a fur smuggling case that has baffled the Northwest Mounted. (Adults & Young People) (Running time, 56 minutes) Gene and pals Frog and Steve are in the Canadian northwest to sell their herd when Steve stumbles on a group of fur smugglers and is killed. He lives long enough, however, to carve the H-H brand on a stone. Gene and Frog know that the H-H Dude Ranch must have some connection with the smuggling and de.iberately stampede their cattle to mix with the H-H he d. It takes several days, of course, to separate them again and Gene has time to investigate. Hendricks, hal -owner, is obviously the ringleader and for a time Gene is afraid that the other owner, romantic Dorothy, may be involved. Hendricks holds Frog as a hostage to force Gene to take the next load of furs over the border. He's a smart crook who has been able to foil both the United States border officials and the Canadian Mounted Police. But he is no match for his new opponents. Frog manages an escape and sends a posse to help Gene, who needs little help. He has the gang pretty well in hand already. Gene Autry is at present atop the list of ranking western heroes and Blue Montana Skies is a good sample of the pictures which have put him there. It’s a dependable outdoor thriller, packed with action, trimmed for brevity and pace and supplied with the currently popular frills of music and comedy. Gene himself contributes the music, three songs, and Smiley Burnette the comedy. June Storey is a satisfactory western sweetheart and Harry Woods is the standard western villain. The scenic backgrounds are excellent and the genera! production is neat and competent. 218