Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1939)

Brief Reviews * HEART OF THE NORTH— Warners Warners have taken the greatest chase melodrama of them all. put it into Technicolor and the result is surprising and exciting. It begins with bandits, stealing trappers, gold, killing a policeman. Red-coated Dick Foran then starts in pursuit and boy, does this Mountie get his man! Gale Page and Gloria Dickson both work their wiles on Foran. Great fun. (Feb.) ir HONOLULU— M-G-M The studio intended this extravagant musical to be Eleanor Powell's picture, but somehow Grade Allen appropriated it. The plot revolves around a screen star's ( Bob Youngj attempt to have a tropical vacation incognito. Miss Allen's irr ible humor and Miss Powell's expert hoofing will keep you amused. [April) * IDIOT'S DELIGHT— M-G-M An effective screen treatment of the LuntFontanne play. Clark Gable is a vaudeville ham; Norma Shearer, a phony Russian countess traveling with Edward Arnold, a munitions maker. Add put them in an Alpine hotel when the next war breaks out and you have drama in fantastic proportions. Salute! Hollywood grows up. (April) if JESSE JAMES— 20th Century-Fox The story of the famous Ozark outlaw embellished with all the romantic trappings including Technicolor) at Darryl Zanuck's command. Tyrone Power as the bad man. Nancy Kelly wife. Henry Fonda as his brother. Randy Scott, Henry Hull and a host of ethers tear throu, best combination of a cops and robbers bang-up Western you ever cheered through. (March) if KENTUCKY— 20th Century-Fox Ye old Southern feuding between two aristocratic horsey families is brought to an end by a boy loves girl (Loretta Young vs. Richard GreeneJ angle, but despite the old plot you will revel in the magnificent Technicolor shots of the Blue Grass country, the Kentucky Derby and the southern atmosphere in general. An orgy for horse lovers. (March) KING OF THE TURF — Small-United Artists The long arm of coincidence is practically pulled out of its socket in tliis race-track tale. Adolphe Menjou, cast as a bum. is regenerated by a runaway boy. The boy has a mother, Dolores Costello. Menjou has an ex-wife. Who? Dolores Costello. We can't stand surprises, LAST WARNING. THE— Universal Detectives Preston Foster and Frank Jenks manage to trace a blackmail note through a labyrinth of guests at a house party, undeterred by murders and kidnappings. There's not much gore and hardly a shock scene. (-'■/ . -k LET FREEDOM RING— M-G-M is the movie in which Nelson Eddy has a . .t with Victor McLaglen. He also sings to Virginia Bruce (not J. MacDonald). As the hero rancher who persuades the railroads to give back stolen property, naturally Nelson wins over Victor; he wins Virginia, too. You will like this blend of action, drama and music. {April) LONE WOLF SPY HUNT. THE— Columbia Spies are in vogue just now. so here is Warren William again I as the Lone Wolf) catching up on his espionage in Washington. Ralph Morgan menace. Ida Lupino the sex appeal and Virginia Weidler j ust tags along. Will not win friends or influence people. (April) *MADE FOR EACH OTHER— SelznickUnited Artists This vital, modern love story will appeal to most adults, but especially to "young marrieds" whose problems, miseries and happiness are portrayed with understanding and humor by Carole Lombard and Jimmie Stewart. The cast, production and direction are Hollywood's best. (April) ■fc MIKADO. THE— Toye-Universal The first full-length production of a Gilber Sullivan comic opera, this retains the sentimentality and ironical humor of the original. Beautifully sung by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Co. (augmented nicely by Kenny Baker), this tale of the loves of the son of the Mikado of Japan in the Middle Ages should charm anybody over twenty. (April) NANCY DREW— DETECTIVE— Warners Another series, boys, and nothing to hold your hats over. It has Bonita Granville playing sleuth when a rich graduate of her school is kidnapped before she can endow a swimming pool. Short-wave radio and carrier pigeons are cast in supporting roles. (March) NANCY DREW— REPORTER— Warners Bonita Granville now gets involved with a group of journalism students who outwit an ec solve a murder case. Frankie Thomas. Jr.. helps her out. Very' tough on the poor mure i if ONE THIRD OF A NATION— Paramount ng the President's line from his second inaugural address, Dudley Murphy has made a sermon for slum clearance that will make you want to take an axe to the first old house you see. Sylvia Sidney. Lei! Erikson and Sidney Lumet are splendid, but the tenement house is the star. We suggest this is worth seeing if you are at all interested in everyday news items. (April) if OUT WEST WITH THE HARDYS— M-G-M The latest in this amusing series, this cannot fail to crack the box office in its own right. The Hardys (Continued from page 6) (Lewis Stone. Mickey Rooney. Cecilia Parker and Fay Holdenj go r I the Wild V. woolier than they I uld be. The Judge. as usual, pulls Mickey's ridiculous chestnuts out of the fire. (Feb.) PACIFIC LINER— RKO-Radio r MeLagl-r ..nd Wendy Barrie carry on the b:tter end through a plague on shipboard: .ef engineer. Chest Then the picture : j * PARIS HONEYMOON— Paramount Bing Cros; cowboy who has quite a to-do making up his mind whether to m Paris divorcee S: ttle peasant loped what might be called "Crosbian I happy and superbly modern, and Fr has plenty of PERSONS IN HIDING— Paramount Taken from a book of crime cases by the same name written by J. Edgar H>» .rnpress iiick" I >ns of a vicious young woman by mi robberies, kidnap:. 'rison (a newcomer! does amazingly well. (April) PRIDE OF THE NAVY— Republic u have been wondering where James Dunn -ping himself, drop in at your neighborhood theater. He's a speedboat demon kicked Annap he will a torpedo boat and Rochelle Hudson persuades him it is the thing to <i * PYGMALION— Pascal-M-G-M George Bernard S nd wisdom trickle delightfully throug •.:. picture. A modern interpretation o: I :alptor . to do with a prote ant flower girl, builds her into a beauty, f love with his experiment. Leslie Howard. Wendy Hiller and Wilfred Lawson are brilliant — so is the production Please go. . RIDE A CROOKED MILE— Paramount Leif Erikson an i a a jumbled yarn of an ex v-i-orth while ':.'.■ i:ie Army to help Papa escape the law. Frances Farmer is the woman who clings through Thick and Thin. SAY IT IN FRENCH— Paramount When Ray MiUand return from Europe with a secret French bride (.Olympe Bradna1. lie discovers his mother plans to announce his engagement to Irene Hervey. an heiress who can hoist the family bank account. Out of such a situation comes some excellent comedy. The supporting cast U in top form. SHINING HOUR, THE— M-G-M A somewhat tarnished dancer who marries a rich Midwestemer. The psychology behind his snobbish family's r< lightly dated, but Joan Crawford and Margaret Sullavan both give magnificent performances. The rest of the cast — Melvyn Douglas. Robert Young and Fay Bainter — are too good also to miss. (Feb.) SMILING ALONG — 20th Century-Fox .;r Englani cavorting around as the leader of a vaudeville troupe touring the Thames c Grade Fields has to be seen to be appreciated; both her comedy and her singing are simply corking. She has fun and so will you. (March) SON OF FRANKENSTEIN— Universal Success of the revival of horror pictures inspired -to-date chill nginal r of 1931), B "acula") and Basil Rathhune work together with an awesome -phine Hutchinson lias a small bit. Prepare for nightmares. (April) if STAND UP AND FIGHT— M-G-M A we'.l-knit fast t the ructious bac ry and the : between the old stagecoaches and the ntroads in Maryland. Robert T:-.;. ■ mely the proud young South' i Rice is sweet, Wallace Beery : Jerick is humorous — the whole shebang is great stuff. * STAGECOACH— Wanger-United Artists meet and face treachery travel . Indian in fested territory in 1885. ' -of the year is that of Thomas Mitchell drunken doctor, but Claire TrGeorge Banc: xcep tional. Very' fine. ST. LOUIS BLUES— Paramount -cries of anticlimaxes holding the pi jl logeth rmers can sing. Lloyd N dashing captain, Dorothy Lamour is a runaway actress who r to wear sarongs (but she does). Four songs are delightfully rendered by Marine Sullivan, aided by the Hall Johr. Ipril) SWING, SISTER, SWING— Universal the pot, quite, quite cold. Ken -tow n jitterbugs in the big city who find success, go back to home sweet home to start a garage. Eddie Quillan is in there pitching. (J.' SWING THAT CHEER— Universal You swing it — we give it to you. We're kind of tired of football at this point, but maybe you can get some excitement out of Tom Brown and Robert Wilcox having a misunderstanding over Constance Moore. Finally, there's the day of The Big Game, tra-la-la. (Feb.) if T! AH SPIN— 20th Century-Fox Alice Faye. Connie Bennett. Nancy' Kelly and i sacrifices of competition in women's air derbies. Ther. sorted love stories, but see this for the novelty and speed thrills. (April; • THANKS FOR EVERYTHING— 20th Century-Fox Americanism and democracy are the keynotes in Ibis highly amu-ing comedy built around the nation's sample average man chosen by two adAdolpbe Menjou and Jack Oakie. Jack Haley's "average" reactions will make you roar and the romance quotient is supplied by Arleer. . B.r.me barne;. [Feb.) if THANKS FOR THE MEMORY— Paramount As "1 '.he Memory" was such a song hit. Paramount decided (and right they were) to gi%e us this film by way of an encore. Bob Hope and Shirk-; reunited as the young married couple who have trouble for a roommate. One of the best comedies of the month. (Feb.) if THERE'S THAT WOMAN AGAIN— Columbia In this delightful film sequel to "There's Always :ian." Joan Blondell has been miraculously changed into Virginia Bruce, but Melvyn Douglas Continues on in his role of high-class detective iiddy wife decides to crack the big jewel case in her own way. Sparkling and ingratiating. (Feb.) • THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL— Warners may feel that the "Dead End" kids need a bath and a spanking, but here they are again, co-starring with Warner's newfind, John Garfield, in a suspenseful tale of a petty crooked prize fighter. Ann Sheridan adds plenty of uumph and Garfield lives up to his reputation magnificently. March) TOM SAWYER. DETECTIVE— Paramount You might reca" the story' of Tom and Huck Finn on Uncle Silas' farm; t:. murder and there are twins to make the m identity theme bold good. This was a swell yarn Mark Twain wrote it. but things aren't as they used to be. (March) TOPPER TAKES A TRIP— Hal Roach-United Artists is a dishful of whip cream for them that likes it. Roland Young again plays liis bewildered cal banker, Bilh'e Burke again flutters through as his dissastisfied wil I wbray is again the humorous butler and Connie Bennett n the ghostly heckling friend in need. The process shots have novelty value. (..'•.' • TRADE WINDS— Wanger-United Artists Fraught with suspense and action, this drama flits up and down the scale of human experience and half around the globe before the climaxSuicide, murder, flight and pursuit are all in a day's work to Joan Bennett, Fredric March, Ralph Bellamy, Ann S ' Iney Blackmer and Thomas Mitchell. A lively and entertaining evening. (Feb.) • WINGS OF THE NAVY— Warners Here's another American documentary film which virtue of a good lcc . .yne, George Brent and Olivia de Havilland) merged with the fascinating pictorial deta^" The crash and stunt sequences are fine and dandy. WOMAN DOCTOR— Republic Henry' Wilcoxon. Frieda Inescourt and Claire Dodd worry through the tangles of love w ntfscoun can't make up her mind whether her duty lies with her husband and child or with other mothers' crippled offspring. W the customers. (April) • YES, MY DARLING DAUGHTER— Warners Transferred from the stage, t . • be a >n the freedom and unc :ng females of today. Pr.-oUa Lar. to her liberal r's advice (Fay Ba bewildered young swain wh. in the home. YOU CANT GET AWAY WITH MURDER — Warners Once again Humphrey Bogart is the icy-eyed ;e. Like all literary a love accused of murder. .en they run out of L'. S. • ZAZA — Paramount nson originally emoted in this mdlerdram: I French musical star who CLCfQAAOAi Headache Sour Stomach Muscular Fatigue Colds and Everyday Aches and Pains • A sparkling glass of Alka-Seltzer, should be your first glass of defense against the pain, misery and discomfort of common everyday aches and pains. Too much rich food — too much work or pleasure — too much eating, drinking or smoking — these are the common excesses that cause TOO MUCH ACID, and EXCESS ACID usually goes hand in hand with Headaches, Acid Stomach, Distress of Colds and Muscular Aches and Pains. If you're wise— you'll alkalize. Take a sparkling glass of Alka-Seltzer. It's a pleasant, effervescent alkalizing solution and pain reliever. Alka-Seltzer was unknown seven years ago — today it is used by more than 20 million people. All druggists have AlkaSeltzer in 30 and 60 cent size packages. Alka-Seltzer i:<IHiiHiMI:l:??i. 6c in lU-nui TODAY »o* i l*t. "How to ■*m«v« S-r---*. For*vfr,M O J. 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