Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1936)

SAVES YOUR PICTURE TIME AND MONEY THE BEST PICTURES LIBELED LADY THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1937 WE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE LOVE ON THE RUN OF THE MONTH THEODORA GOES WILD THE GAY DESPERADO EAST MEETS WEST LADIES IN LOVE THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE BEST PERFORMANCES OF THE MONTH Bill Powell in "Libeled Lady" Myrna Loy in "Libeled Lady" Nino Martini in "The Gay Desperado" Leo Carrillo in "The Gay Desperado" Gracie Allen in "The Big Broadcast of 1937" Shirley Ross in "The Big Broadcast of 1937" John Beal in "We Who Are About to Die" Franchot Tone in "Love on the Run" Irene Dunne in "Theodora Goes Wild" Errol Flynn in "The Charge of the Light Brigade" Patric Knowles in "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (Casts of all pictures reviewed will be found on Page 115) ^ THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1937— Paramount P)ON'T be misled into thinking this is just a sequel to previous ^"Big Broadcasts". It's a howling smash hit entirely of its own accord. It offers the best radio talent of today, grand music, and a convincing love story. Set in the studios of a great broadcasting company with Jack Benny as manager, the picture follows a slender plot-thread in which Shirley Ross, a small-town radio announcer, reaches the big time. Her habit of baiting a famous singer, Frank Forest, over the air leads the outraged crooner's manager to bring her to New York — ostensibly to give her a job; really to quiet her. Wherefore Ray Milland, Benny and Forest all fall in love with her. This naive little tale is run off against the background of a huge broadcast for Piatt Airflow Golf Balls, sponsored by irrepressible Gracie Allen and aided by George Burns, who has small chance. Jack Benny is smoother than ever and in several instances displays genuine acting ability; Martha Rave is slighted until the end when her big number, a political rally tune called "Vote For Mr. Rhythm," explains her presence in the cast. The music runs all the way from Bach, superbly played by Stokowski, to Benny Goodman's magnificent swinging. "La Bomba," "I'm Talking Through My Heart" and "You Came to My Rescue" are scheduled as hits. Bob Burns appears sporadically with his bazooka; Benny Fields sings and Eleanore Whitney and Louis Da Pron dance spectacularly. You'll chuckle for days over the swell gags. ^ THEODORA GOES WILD— Columbia DEAUTIFUL Irene Dunne is offered a new type of light role ^in this and she makes the most of it. With fast treatment throughout, the entire picture has the charm as well as the basic theme of "Mr. Deeds" except that it is a small town girl who goes to town. Irene Dunne plays the lovely Theodora Lynn, who under the nom dc plume of Caroline Adams has written a sultry little epic called "Sinned Against." When it is published in serial form, by the town paper, all the local antimacassar groups don armor and raise a howl. Theodora, frightened, goes to New York to do something about it, meets Melvyn Douglas, falls in love. His wife won't divorce him and it's then the heroine goes wild. The things she does make exceptional entertainment. You'll like the new Irene Dunne. Melvyn Douglas is excellent and the story is a knockout. * THE GAY DESPERADO— Pickford-Lasky-United Artists A SATIRICAL, romantic and melodious farce, with deliriously funny humor from start to finish. The story opens in a small Mexican movie house with the audience stirred to riots with American gangster films. Quieted by an ambitious young singer, Nino Martini, the bandit members of the audience, headed by Leo Carrillo, capture the singer and force him to become a member of the gang. Martini's first job is to kidnap Ida Lupino and James Blakely, eloping Americans. Once in the bandit stronghold, Martini falls in love with Ida, helps Blakely to escape. Facing a firing squad, he sings his way to freedom. The magnificent voice of Martini, the gay dialogue between him and Carrillo, the pantomime of Mischa Auer all go toward making this one of the brightest stories in many a month. 53