Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1938)

Shadow Stage * YELLOW JACK-M-G-M M ...OST of this month's pictures represent a reaction to the cycle of gay, nonsensical comedies. There seems to be no compromise, however. This, along with the others, is determinedly Important In Theme, carrying a great social message and reeking with hearty heroics. It's good, heaven knows, and it's exciting; but it's hardly dessert for a troubled, tired audience. Robert Montgomery, apparently having had fun with his characterization in "Night Must Fall," plays here an Irish soldier in post-SpanishWar Cuba. Yellow fever is decimating the army and the native population, slowing work on the Panama Canal. A group of medical men, headed by Lewis Stone, is sent down to find an answer to the epidemic and as a last resort considers a certain medico's theory that mosquitoes are the troublemakers. Montgomery, egged on by his love for nurse Virginia Bruce — who is an idealist — volunteers with his buddies to test the theory. Andy Devine, Buddy Ebsen, Alan Curtis, Bill Henry and Sam Levene are the friends who go with him. Infected mosquitoes bite Curtis and Montgomery, they catch "Yellow Jack" and the point is proved. Miss Bruce watches adoringly through a window. Certainly intelligent direction and good production— besides Montgomery's excellent performance — make this some sort of a document. There's a certain resemblance throughout, however, to the kind of movie that illustrates a university lecture on biology; this is a compliment to the piece's great realism and restraint of Hollywood melodramatics. If you catch this and "Jezebel" on the same bill, though, take some quinine with you. HUNTED MEN— Paramount IHIS story of a racketeer who finds regeneration through the influence of a (Continued from page 45) kindly family contains much heartwarming interest. Lloyd Nolan is the killer who is befriended by Lynne Overman, his wife Dorothy Peterson, daughter Mary Carlisle and son Delmar Watson. When the time comes for Nolan to prove his friendship for the family, he comes through nobly. A ONE WILD NIGHT— 20th Century-Fox ANOTHER mild little mystery pops up to bewilder and bore us with its Grade B-ish antics. June Lang is a society reporter who helps solve the mystery of three leading citizens who suddenly disappear from town. Dick Baldwin, son of the police chief, helps in the fracas. J. Edward Bromberg is the villain. MSYTERIOUS MR. MOTO— 20th Century-Fox PETER LORRE, posing as a houseboy, once more proves his merit as detective supreme in solving this mystery. There is much excitement, beginning with an escape from Devil's Island and concluding with the attempted murder of steel king Henry Wilcoxon by a gang of assassins. Mary Maguire as Wilcoxon's secretary supplies the love interest. If you have enjoyed the Moto films you'll like this one. * HOLD THAT KISS— M-G-M IT'S really good. Even in spite of the hackneyed story and trite situations, it's goocj — mainly because it sparkles with gay dialogue and glistens with bright bits of acting. However, under the entertaining frosting we find the same old poundcake full of the boy-and-girlwho pretend they're somethingthey're-not ideas. At a wedding of considerable social swank, where their duties have taken them, Maureen O'Sullivan, a dress model, meets Dennis O'Keefe, clerk in a travel bureau. Each pretends to be "teddibly" rich and social until one awful day— but that's telling. Mickey Rooney, as Maureen's brother, swipes every scene he's in. WHEN WERE YOU BORN ?— Warners IF you can take this one seriously, detectives will soon be among the unemployed. Inspector Charles Wilson is completely baffled by the murder of James Stephenson until Anna May Wong steps in, and, with the aid of the stars and the signs of the Zodiac, solves the crime. A novel idea— but while astrologer Wong analyzes the horoscopes of suspects Margaret Lindsay, Anthony Averill, Leonard Mudie and Eric Stanley to determine the murderer, the action lies down and dies. Go see it if you want to check up on your own astrological character, and, since most people do, you'll be amused. THE PRIVATE LIFE OF MUSSOLINI— Hullinger Productions ALTHOUGH no bias either for or against Fascism is demonstrated in this pictorial summary of Benito Mussolini's life, the final effect is to impress the onlooker with the "glory that is Rome's." Edwin Ware Hullinger takes the audience into the farmhouse where Mussolini was born, and by a series of cutbacks shows the early life of the dictator. He has succeeded in taking some unusual shots of Mussolini today: with his family, calling for his children at school, in the privacy of his study and, in one most unusual scene, where he is shown dancing with a peasant girl. Of great interest to everyone, especially students of current history. The musical accompaniment has been excellently prepared by Vergilio Chiti. A T YOU AND ME— Paramount .HE psychological reactions of two exconvicts on parole do not in this case make for knockout cinema, though the idea itself should hold interesting implications to any social mind. You have seen Sylvia Sidney and George Raft too many times before in these same situations, so, though Raft in particular does a swell job, the picture lacks lustre. Fritz ("Fury") Lang's direction is disappointing, but the photography is highly effective. Sylvia, still on parole, marries George who has worked his sentence out. When he discovers she has been a naughty girl, he angrily flounces out to rob the department store where they both worked. There Sylvia meets him, literally gives a blackboard lecture on crime and everything works out fine— except that the audience doesn't believe one word of it! COWBOY FROM BROOKLYN— Warners A RIB-TICKLING take-off on movie cowboys from Brooklyn, the lads who croon a mean lullaby, but can't ride a horse. Dick Powell, hobo musician hitch-hiking to Hollywood, stops off at a Wyoming dude ranch where he is signed up for a New York show by theatrical producer Pat O'Brien. A sensation in New York, Dick is then signed for pictures when Dick Foran exposes him as a fake. From then on the laughs roll in like tumbleweed in a wind storm. The climax is crammed full of high spots, with Dick and Pat corralling most of the laughs. Priscilla Lane, as the girl, is mighty cute and aids Dick in putting over several swell songs. What looks like a musical marriage made in heaven is that of Lily Pons and Conductor Andre Kostelanetz which took place in Norwalk, Conn., on June 2nd. 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