Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1935)

lave to Complain About the Bad Ones The Best Pictures of the Month II MIGHTY BARNUM SEQUOIA )MANCE IN MANHATTAN IMITATION OF LIFE THE PRESIDENT VANISHES LIGHT EYES BABBITT hHl.S IN TOYLAND IT'S A GIFT The Best Performances of the Month Wallace Beery in "The Mighty Barnum" Virginia Bruce in "The Mighty Barnum" Francis Lederer in Romance in Manhattan" Claudette Colbert in "Imitation of Life" Louise Beavers in "Imitation of Life" Edward Arnold in "The President Vanishes" Arthur Byron in "The President Vanishes" Guy Kibbee in "Babbitt" W. C. Fields in "It's a Gift" Gene Raymond in "Behold My Wife" Casts of all photoplays revieived will be found on page 110 ft ROMANCE IN MANHATTANRKORadio ONCE in a while a well-nigh perfect screen play is written; a practically flawless cast is assembled to make the aleady lifelike characters breathe, and a clever director lifts he whole thing to a rare height. 1 Such a picture is "Romance in Manhattan," directed by Mephen Roberts and enlivened dramatically by Francis ,-ederer, Ginger Rogers, Jimmy Butler, J. Farrell Mac )onald, Sidney Toler and Donald Meek, all of whom make he film an offering of rare excellence. Lederer plays the part of a Czechoslovakian immigrant \ho enters the country illegally and gets a job from Ginger Rogers' small brother, Jimmy Butler, selling papers. Am)itious, he rises to the triumphant heights of being a taxicab 1 river — and in love with Miss Rogers at the same time. Ah! America is a wonderful place! But he cannot marry her 'ecause he is not a citizen, and the small brother is placed n an orphan asylum because Miss Rogers is judged an unfit guardian, and things look pretty black until an Irish cop, r. Farrell MacDonald, comes to the rescue in one of thenost hilarious scenes ever designed to bring about a happv nding. Lederer is charmingly at home in his role, and M:ss Rogers excellent. But the bulk of the bravos must go to itephen Roberts whose direction is just this side of miraculous, and to the authors whose pens were inspired. ft THE PRESIDENT VANISHES Walter W anger -Par amount FOR once a picture deserves the term "sensational." Timely, startling, even shocking, this screen speculation of what would happen if the chief executive vanished in a crisis, is guaranteed to do more than capture your intense interest. It will make you think. In no recent film have there been so many cameo-cut, vigorous characterizations. x\rthur Byron plays the conscientious President Stanley with earnest, human dignity. Edward Arnold achieves another triumph as Secretary Wardell. Osgood Perkins, Paul Kelly, Edward Ellis, Janet Beecher, Andy Devine, and the entire cast keep up the high standard. To some it may seem illogical in spots, colored slightly with propaganda. But all will find it intriguing. ft BRIGHT EYES— Fox A BRIGHT bit of entertainment, not too sad, not too gay, not too incredible. Shirley Temple, orphan, is sheltered by the boys at a flying field, and quite firmly but without benefit of legality, adopted by Jimmy Dunn. A battle ensues when one, Uncle Ned (Charles Sellon), a grouchy old fellow in a wheel chair, sets his soft, old heart on having the child. The end is pretty exciting, what with Jimmy and Shirley bailing out of a doomed plane, Jimmy being accused of kidnapping her, and a courtroom scene where a judge brings Jimmy and his estranged sweetheart, Judith Allen, together again, and makes a happy ending all around. A fine characterization is offered by Jane Withers, a little girl not much older than Shirley. Sellon is superb. 71