The Movies ... and the People Who Make Them (1940)

"The MOVIES .... 1940” REMEDY FOR RICHES: Produced by Stephens-Lang, released by RKO Director: Erie C. Kenton Screenplay: Lee Loeb Photography: John Alton Editor: Paul Weatherwax Dr. Paul Christian Jean Hersholt Judy Price Dorothy Lovett George Browning Edgar Kennedy D. B. (Emerson) Vanderveer....Jed Prouty Clem Walter Catlett Roy Davis Robert Baldwin Tom Stewart Warren Hull Mrs. Hastings Maude Eburne Gertrude Purdy Margaret McWade Satisfying Dr. Christian story with more emphasis on comedy and less on drama. This time the shrewd medico fights a get-rich-quick epidemic when a phony promoter hits town and trys to sell the gullible natives an oil-salted dump area. (Adults SC Young People) (Running time, 69 minutes) While meeting the family-entertainment standard established by its popular predecessors, Remedy for Riches places a little more emphasis on comedy and thus lightens the dramatic burden carried by Jean Hersholt, who as usual portrays the helpful doctor. The plot has been used time and again but in the hands of an able cast it’s still effective. Tom Stewart, a slicker, learns that he played college football with honest Roy Davis, decides therefore to cash in on the fact by selecting River’s End as the next town on his sucker list. Purchasing a tract of worthless land from George Browning, the grocer, he sprinkles about oil and breezes out with a catchy stock-swindle scheme. Most of the citizens rise for the bait, but Dr. Christian suggests that a geologist be brought in. Stewart brings in Vanderveer, a fake, who manages to jail the geologist whom Dr. Christian secures. The doctor however, gets his man out of jail in the nick of time, saves the town folks' cash and captures the confidence men. Jean Hersholt’s enactment is again the picture’s strongest asset, but the supporting cast shares strong credits. Edgar Kennedy as the grocer and Walter Catlett as the village policeman, aided by Maude Eburne as the housekeeper and Margaret McWade and Halline Hill as the old maid sisters, infuse helpful light comedy footage. Dorothy Lovett as Judy Price poses with Robert Baldwin for incidental romantic interest. Gyp genius Stewart is acceptably portrayed by Warren Hull. MELODY RANCH: Produced and distributed by Republic Director: Joseph Santley Screenplay: Jack Moffit, F. Hugh Herbert Photography: Joseph August Editor: Lester Orlebeck Gene Gene Autry Cornelius J. Courtney .... Jimmy Durante Julie Ann Miller Mark Wildhack Batton Maclane Veronica Whippe Barbara Allen (Vera Vague) Pop George “Gabby" Hayes Tommy Summerville Jerome Cowan Penny Mary Lee Jasper Wildhack Joseph Sawyer Bud Wildhack Horace Macmahon Judge Henderson Clarence Wilson Slim William Benedict Wholesome musical western comedy paced by Gene Autry as a radio star who becomes honorary sheriff of his home town and calms a trio of bad men after several exciting fist and gun fights. (Adults SC Young People) (Running time, 84 minutes) Gene Autry’s most handsomely embellished production to date is a pleasantly distracting minor musical comedy conducted in a western setting. Songs and music, comedy and action are fused agreeably for wide popular appeal. The story recounts how Gene, a favorite radio star, returns to his home town and accepts the post of honorary sheriff in order to smother reports that he has gone snooty. Gene is accompanied by his sponsor and his leading lady, Julie, but his broadcast from the ranch is cut off by a trio of badmen who resent the fact that he has dared to defy them on their home grounds. Tangling with the outlaw brothers, Gene gets soundly thrashed. He returns however, after exercising into condition, and evens things up with a vengeance. Along the way jimmy Durante and Barbara Allen inspire plenty of chuckles, while comely Ann Miller scores in the romantic interludes with Autry and also executes a smooth specialty number in which she sings and dances. Gene sings to advantage several songs, including ’‘Call of the Canyon,” and “Never Dream the Same Dream Twice.” It’s a well-rounded light musical geared for popular support. GALLANT SONS: Produced by Frederick Stephani for MGM Director: George B. Seitz Screenplay: William R. Lipman, Marion Parsonnet Photography: Sidney Wagner Editor: Ben Lewis Byron 'By' Newbold Jackie Cooper Kate Pendleton Bonita Granville Johnny Davis Gene Reynolds Clare Pendleton Gail Patrick ‘Natural’ Davis Ian Hunter Dolly Matson June Preisser 'Doc' Reardon Leo Gorcey 'Beefy' Monrosc William Tracy Harwood 'Woody' Hollister. .Tommy Kelly A1 Posna Edward Ashley Olaf Larsen El Brendel Barton Newbold Minor Watson Madame Wachek Ferike Boros Estelle Charlotte Wynters Hackberry Donald Douglas Judge George Lessey Capable juvenile comedy drama about a group of youngsters led by Jackie Cooper who clear an innocent gambler accused of murder and trap the real culprit by putting on a play in which the crime is enacted. (Adults SC Young People) (Running time, 71 minutes) Gallant Sons, through the vigor and enthusiasm of a group of talented young actors, builds to a better-than-average entertainment level. The story finds Davis, a professional gambler, sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of a murder which he didn’t commit. Johnny Davis, who thinks he is the prisoner’s son, and By Newbold, son of an editor who has a grudge against the gambler, patch up their differences and enlist the aid of some other adolescent friends who plot to collar the guilty party. The killer is finally ^trapped when the kids stage a Hamlet play which illuminates the crime. Tits plot is at least averagely plausible and there are any number of amusing and suspenseful situations. Jackie Cooper as By Newbold leads the younger actors with a smooth and vigorous performance, while Gene Reynolds makes good use of the opportunities offered by the gambler’s son lole. Bonita Granville teams well with Cooper in the chief girl role. Leo Gorcey as a cop’s comical son, William Tracy as a “secretary" to the editor’s son, plus June Preisser and Tommy Kelly, round out a colorful juvenile support cast. Edward Ashley as the killer, Minor Watson as the editor, Ian Hunter as the gambler and others furnish able portrayals in the adult roles. Director Seitz oversees the cast antics with considerable skill. CHARTER PILOT: Produced by Sol M. Wurtzel for 20th Century-Fox Director: Eugene Forde Screenplay: Stanley Rauh, Lester Ziffren Story: J. Robert Bren, Norman Houston Photography: Lucien Andriot King Morgan Lloyd Nolan Marge Duncan Lynn Ban Raquel Andrews Arleen Whelan Charlie Crane George Montgomery Horace Sturgeon Hobart Cavanaugh Faber Henry Victor Ophie Etta McDaniel Brady Andrew Tombes Owen Charles Wilson Fred Adams Chick Chandler Melodramatic aviation item concerned with an ace pilot and a feminine radiofictionist. Romantic squabbles, competition for a flying contract and a wild struggle high in the air fill out the sequences. (Adults SC Young People) (Running time, 68 minutes) King Morgan, crack flier for a charter plane service which conveys gold from Central American mines to the U. S., is enmeshed romantically with Marge Duncan, a writer-actress who breathlessly recounts his air adventures to a radio audience. Marge consents to marry the ace when he agrees to cast off his wings and accept a ground operations job, but his firm gets involved in stiff competition with a shady rival, causing said hero to slip on his flying togs and take to the air roads again. The climax comes when a sabotage-minded competitor tries to settle the issue once and for all by battling Morgan inside a plane rushing over the mountains. Marge, aloft with the rivals with her broadcasting equipment, scoops an on-the-spot thrill installment for her serial listeners in the U. S. The top roles are filled acceptably by Lloyd Nolan and Lynn Bari but an ineffectual script holds the show to a secondary rating. A weak support cast doesn’t help matters either. As a formula yarn for the action audience it’s just about adequate. 58