Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1939)

ISLAND OF LOST MEN-Paramount IN any island of lost men there must be at least one lost woman; but gosh, what a pity it had to be the exquisite China Lily, Anna May Wong! For no apparent reason, J. Carrol Naish establishes himself as king of an island, which lies up the river from Singapore, and cracks the whip over a few escaped criminals, who in turn bulldoze the natives. Anna May arrives as Naish's house guest. She improves the appearance of the island, but doesn't warm up much, because her brand of allure is on the reserved side. The law comes to the aid of those who are innocent, and the natives revert to type in time to make a feast out of those who are guilty. Naish outdoes himself in the menace role and Eric Blore is amusing. It's all a little dank and steamy. THEY ALL COME OUT-M-G-M T HE history of "They All Come Out" may help you to understand its unlikely structure. It started as a four-reel short in the "Crime Does Not Pay" series, and turned out to be good. So the studio began padding. Fortunately for them, the documentary material about Federal Prisons which comprised the original short was stuff so good, so dramatic, that formation of the feature could not hurt it. It's simply the story of two kids, Rita Johnson and Tom Neal, who belong to a gang, are captured early by the police, and given corrective management in institutions, until, finally, they accept the regenerative influence. You will be amazed; you'll walk out of the theater with a lift over the way this government is handling the problem of youthful crime. THE MAGNIFICENT FRAUD-Paramount nND you may well feel it is a fraud, this picture — because not even a well-told story is greater than its theme. The performances of Akim Tamiroff, Lloyd Nolan, Patricia Morison and others are effective, but the characters they portray are not. This film is about a mythical LatinAmerican empire; the emperor is murdered and Tamiroff, an actor who is an escaped murderer, impersonates him, so that Lloyd Nolan can promote a $10,000,000 loan from the visiting Americans. Lovely Patricia Morison must make romantic choice between devoted Ralph Forbes and the exciting, but guilty, Mr. Nolan. It's good entertainment, at least, because of the sustained suspense and the good cast, which also includes Mary Boland and Steffi Duna. SAVES YOUR C T U R E TIME AND MONEY THE BEST PICTURES OF THE MONTH Man About Town On Borrowed Time The Man in the Iron Mask Bachelor Mother Four Feathers Land of Liberty Clouds Over Europe They Shall Have Music Good Girls Go to Paris BEST PERFORMANCES OF THE MONTH Jack Benny in "Man About Town" Bobs Watson in "On Borrowed Time" Lionel Barrymore in "On Borrowed Time" Ginger Rogers in "Bachelor Mother" David Niven in "Bachelor Mother" Akim Tamiroff in "The Magnificent Fraud" Ralph Richardson in "Clouds Over Europe" Joan Blondell in "Good Girls Go To Paris" Melvyn Douglas in "Good Girls Go To Paris" Shirley Temple in "Susannah of the Mounties" Jascha Heifetz in "They Shall Have Music" Gene Reynolds in "They Shall Have Music" I' I •Vj • BACHELOR MOTHER-RKO-Radio everybody loves a baby, that's why I'm in love with you — pretty baby! "What a surprise I've got for you!" Ginger Rogers whispers in David Niven's unsuspecting ear, and the public responds with a hearty, "And how!" Because Garson Kanin, Hollywood's youngest director, has turned out a gem here — the kind that really sparkles. "Bachelor Mother" is smart, subtle, sophisticated. There's a laugh a line, and a line a second. The idea's new, too. Ginger probably is the first shopgirl in picture history to have an unwanted baby thrust upon her by the boss' son, with Junior Member David Niven insisting that she keep the infant and do right by it. Ginger isn't exactly crazy about the idea but, after all, a girl gets just as hungry after the holiday rush as ever before; and with her, it's a case of no baby, no job. Besides, Niven is interesting and helpful in more ways than one. He even arouses the interest of an ambitious clerk, who thinks Niven's papa might also be interested. He is. In fact, he's so interested that he shouts "Parentage be hanged. I'm the grandpa." No one wants to disillusion the grand old man, so Ginger and David do the next best thing. They fall in love. Niven romps right through this part like a colt in a green pasture, and Ginger has to step lively to keep up with his racy pace. Often she passes him on the run. Charles Coburn is the old fellow who wants to be granddad and Frank Albertson's ambitious floorwalker characterization is an admirable one. Dialogue is clever and fast, not risque, and never forced. • FOUR FEATHERS-Korda-United Artists I OR sheer spectacle, this British picture is unmatched— hundreds of Kipling's famous FuzzyWuzzies on camel back charging the equally famous British "square," the wild beauty of desert and Nile (actually filmed in Egypt) — all in magnificent Technicolor. On the other hand, it's also unmatched for sheer brutality and an impressive somberness no brilliance of color can dispel. As in the American silent version a decade ago, Harry (John Clements) , resigns from the army on the eve of sailing for Kitchener's great campaign in the Sudan. Three brother officers each send him the white feather of cowardice, his disillusioned fiancee (June Duprez) adds a fourth. Shame turns to strong resolve. Harry sets out for Egypt alone, determined to perform such deeds of heroism that he can return the four feathers. How he does it, masquerading as an outcast Sangali mute — how he rescues not only the sun-blind, deserted Durrance (Ralph Richardson) in the wastelands, but the others from the bloodiest native prison — not to mention helping Kitchener himself — makes an unforgettable drama of courage and endurance. (P.S. The British Army is allowed to help, too, in several extremely effective battle sequences.) Every member of the cast turns in fine performances, but each is overshadowed by the tremendous sweep of the theme itself. Hardly gay entertainment, but a "must" for every filmgoer who can both take his pictures seriously and enjoy them. (Continued on page 86) 63