Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1938)

• THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER-Paramount dLOWVOICED Bob Burns is determined to carry on the Will Rogers tradition of common-sense philosophy; in this sentimental, often comic story he does a better job than in any of his previous efforts. Paramount has cast him as a tramp printer who goes about the country spreading provincial epigrams. When he discovers that idealistic Fay Bainter, a small-town widow, is about to lose her print shop to crooked politicians, he leaves the open road to rescue her. In addition to this, you are offered Irvin S. Cobb as the village constable, Dickie Moore as Widow Bainter's youngest child and a romance between Jean Parker and good actor John Beal. With such a cast, the film cannot help but excite your tears and laughter. VACATION FROM LOVE-M-G-M "I LET us be mad, let us have fun, fun, FUN, and then we will always be happy!" scream Dennis O'Keefe and Florence Rice in rehearsed unison. That's when O'Keefe, a saxophone player, walks smack into Florence's wedding and grabs her with insouciance from her bridegroom. After marriage, however, Dennis and Flo discover that business sometimes interferes with having fun. She gets jealous, O'Keefe shows manly anger, and Florence whips off to Paris for a divorce. At last Dennis shows up, ready for more fun, and they have it, and that is that. No divorce. June Knight plays the gay little torch singer whose friendship with Dennis contributes to misunderstanding, and Reginald Owen is wonderful as the irate capitalist. THE NATIONAL MOTION P I C T U • IF I WERE KING-Paramount • THAT CERTAIN AGE-Universal * THE SISTERS-Warners MOST moviegoers, no matter how intellectual, are pushovers for a good, rousing, romantic costume picture. Almost every fan likes Ronald Colman, too. Put these together, as in "If I Were King," and you have great cinema. Frank Lloyd has produced this with a long budget; it is perfectly cast and cut to a rapid pace. The sly modern touches adequately save it from being routine and Basil Rathbone, in his characterization of old Louis XI, lifts the entire picture into special brackets. Colman portrays Frangois Villon, poet-philosopher-adventurer, who during the siege of Paris plays at being Lord Constable. Arrested for robbing the king's storehouses, he is raised from rags and vagabondage by the witty Louis for one week: then the scaffold is to be his lot. He sees Frances Dee, beautiful lady-in-waiting, and finds her worthy of his love after his long dalliance with a questionable but loyal lady. Lowis' generals are afraid of Burgundy's troops so Colman blithely distributes all. the food to the people, then leads them in the final battle. He handles the role capably, with his usual suave charm and presence. Miss Dee is as lovely as ever in a role that offers no opportunity. Ellen Drew has an exciting bit as the wanton. But Rathbone, playing with ineffable finesse the humorous, just, congenitally vicious old villain of a king, easily walks off with the piece. His is the comedy, the drama: to Colman are left romance, poetry and the implication of lusty sex. Exciting, spectacular, well acted — what more do you want! uHALK up still another triumph for Deanna Durbin, whose transition to adolescence is here tenderly and beautifully brought to the screen in a story crowded with poignant charm. Universal has wisely bridged the gulf that lies between childhood and young girl-hood and thus makes it possible, by such stories as these, for Miss Deanna to continue without interruption her amazing screen career. The story is natural, appealing, humorous and tragic by turns and Deanna pours into it all the charm and natural ability that is hers. The delicate problem of a young girl's love for an older man is handled, both in writing and direction, with exquisite finesse. Deanna's crush on the fascinating Melvyn Douglas, a war correspondent, is a beautiful thing to see. The bewilderment of Douglas when he discovers her devotion, the unhappiness of her parents, Irene Rich and John Halliday, the heartbreak of Jackie Cooper who really loves Deanna, are all skillfully evolved. Cooper is magnificent as the lad caught in the throes of young love and right behind him, in acting honors, marches little Juanita Quigley, who steals scene after scene. But it's the sincerity and naturalness of Deanna, whose singing voice improves with each picture, that will linger in your memory. Producer Joe Pasternak, director Edward Ludwig, and writers Bruce Manning and F. Hugh Herbert are to be congratulated for their almost flawless efforts to make this one of the most amusing and entertaining picture of the month. WHEN the Academy Award Committee gets around to its bouquet giving, we suggest a special extra award for this, one of the greatest emotional dramas of the year. "The Sisters," translated to the screen from Myron Brinig's novel, is a story of human emotions so simply and yet so powerfully told that it hammers away at the heart, again and again striking a responsive chord that says, "These are people I know, saying things I've heard them say, doing things I've seen them do." The performances of Bette Davis and Errol Flynn are largely responsible for the human quality of this picture. As two people hopelessly caught in a maelstrom of emotions over which they have no control, Bette and Errol turn in two of the finest performances seen on any screen. One of three sisters, and daughter of a small-town druggist, Bette meets irresponsible, happy-go-lucky Flynn, a sport's writer for a San Francisco newspaper. Leaving security behind, she marries Flynn and their struggle for adjustment with Bette's growing strength and Flynn's gradual weakening of character is a battleground of emotions laid bare. It should leave any audience torn with sympathy. Jane Bryan and Anita Louise as the other two sisters shine in their own particular roles. Each girl gives a clear-cut, carefully drawn performance. Henry Travers and Beulah Bondi as the girls' parents are so humanly real, it's difficult to realize they aren't actually the characters they play. Director Anatole Litvak may count this among his finest triumphs. 52