Photoplay (Jan-Sep 1937)

PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE FOR JANUARY, 1937 107 The Shadow Stage CONTINUED FROM PAGE 59 •fo BORN TO DANCE— M-G-M ELEANOR POWELL'S first starring picture ■—though weak in plot is elaborately produced and filled with spectacular dancing numbers and tuneful songs. Never did the ileet-footed queen of dance do better, or more difficult routines. The story concerns an ambitious girl who leaves her small town to try her luck on a New York amateur radio hour. She starts singing, but gets the gong. Disillusioned and lonely, she goes to a Lonely Hearts Club, operated by Una Merkel, where she meets and falls in love with Jimmy Stewart, ensign on a submarine. As a publicity stunt, Jimmy is hired to escort Virginia Bruce, musical comedy star. He succeeds in getting Eleanor the job of understudying the star. Complications commence when Virginia really does begin to fall for Stewart. Eleanor is excellent, and the supporting cast, including Una Merkel, Sid Silvers, Alan Dinehart, Frances Langford and Buddy Ebsen, are grand. A musical treat. * GARDEN OF ALLAH— Selznick International-United Artists THIS well-known story of a man and woman's struggle to reconcile strict religious ideals with love is so incredibly beautiful in color and technique that it deserves your attention. Though psychologically correct, it drags interminably, and Marlene Dietrich never once brings to life the lovely mask that is her face. Charles Boyer as the outcast monk is superb. Recommended for its compelling physical beauty. MAD HOLIDAY— M-G-M SUPPOSEDLY a satire on murder mysteries, this is done so badly as to be ridiculous. Edmund Lowe is an actor on vacation who gets involved in wholesale massacre and solves it with the aid of Elissa Landi, writer of blood thrillers. Ted Healy, with his usual formula, wrings a few laughs from the cluttered action. There are corpses everywhere, and the picture belongs in a coffin too. HIDEAWAY GIRL— Paramount INEPT in many places, but with several original twists this fast comedy-mystery offers Martha Raye at her howling best. Shirley Ross is the lovely object of Robert Cummings' dubious affection against a background of stolen diamonds, yachts, music and superb drinking. Martha's hit number is " Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Liszt." CAN THIS BE DIXIE?— 20th Century-Fox THIS hodge-podge couldn't possibly be Dixie! ' True there is the old southern colonel, played by Claude Gillingwater, the dark and handsome villain, Donald Cook, the sweet southern belle, Helen Wood, and above all Jane Withers and Slim Summerville, but put them all together and they spell unfunny entertainment. We most emphatically advise against this one. THE PLOT THICKENS— RKO-Radio A S if this bang-up mystery weren't enter' gaining enough, they've given us ZaSu Pitts with her Buttery hands and cocksure James Gleason to dress it up in fine style. As a wideeyed school raarm, ZaSu aids police inspector Gleason to locate the criminals. But not before everyone has had plenty of laughs. Owen Davis Jr. and Louise Latimer furnish romance. PIGSKIN PARADE— 20th Century-Fox W/HEN it's football time in Hollywood you can expect a new crop of films featuring this favorite sport and in this annual setup "Pigskin Parade" comes as a very neat entry. It is gay with youth, vitality and good humor. Through an error a jerkwater college in Texas is invited to play Yale. They need a halfback and discover him in the person of Stuart Erwin, a local cantaloupe heaver. They get him into the school on fake credentials and then the silly pace begins. Jack Haley, a dumb coach, is hired, but the team is run by Haley's wife, Patsy Kelly. Mixed into all this are the yacht club boys, Dixie Dunbar, Judy Garland, Arline Judge, Johnny Downs, and Betty Grable. You'll enjoy them. EASY TO TAKE— Paramount NVOU'LL find some enjoyment in this mediocre comedy about a radio artist, "Uncle Rodney," who inherits the guardianship of a spoiled brat. John Howard, Marsha Hunt, Eugene Pallette, and Richard Carle give satisfactory performances, but the hilarious singing done by little Alfalfa Switzer is the only thing easy to take in an otherwise dull show. THE MANDARIN MYSTERY— Republic h. AYSTERY and comedy are poorly mixed ' " 'in this weak film story about a detective's son, Eddie Quillan, who outshines his dad by solving a' mystery surrounding a valuable mandarin stamp. Two murders add to the confusion. Charlotte Henry has the unimportant feminine lead. Rita La Roy, Wade Boteler, Franklin Pangborn and George Irving give support. THE JUNGLE PRINCESS— Paramount \V/ITH stampeding elephants, marauding ** monkeys and native uprisings, here is romance and drama in the Malay jungles, and swell animal shots keep the interest alive despite a weak and improbable plot. Dordthy Lamour, new from radio and the stage, is the alluring native girl who lives with tigers and monkeys. Meeting Ray Milland, big game hunter, she protects him from the animals and leads him to safety. He falls in love with her, thus arousing the jealousy of his civilized sweetie, Molly Lamont, who makes an attractive menace. Akim Tamiroff, Lynn Overman and Hugh Buckler are good support. Mala of " Esquimo" fame is a native headman. The appearance of a review in these columns rather than on the opening pages of the Shadow Stage does not imply lack of merit in the picture reviewed. Frequently it indicates merely that the picture has been reviewed too late to be placed on the opening pages of the Shadow Stage. 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