Photoplay (Jan-Sep 1937)

SAVES YOUR PICTURE TIME AND MONEY THE BEST PICTURES OF THE MONTH YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE TOP OF THE TOWN SWING HIGH, SWING LOW ON THE AVENUE WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE BEST PERFORMANCES OF THE MONTH Henry Fonda in "You Only Live Once " Sylvia Sidney in "You Only Live Once" Dons Nolan in "Top of the Town" Ella Logan in "Top of the Town" Carole Lombard in "Swing High, Swing Low" Fred MacMurray in "Swing High, Swing Low" Grace Moore in "When You're in Love" Cary Grant in "When You're in Love" (Casts of all pictures reviewed will be found on Page 116) it TOP OF THE TOWN— Universal DOASTING an all star cast of singers, dancers and funsters, ^ this madly paced collection of nonsense boils itself into a lively dish of entertainment. There is a plot, but it really doesn't matter. You'll come away baffled by the number of excellent specialty numbers squeezed into a single picture; you'll meet Doris Nolan, comely new comedienne, Gertrude Niesen, who sets a new high for low-down blue singing, Ella Logan, a comic singing rave, and a youthful dancing sensation, Peggy Ryan. You'll discover the pleasing talents of George Murphy, and welcome the hilarious comedy commotion infused by Hugh Herbert, Gregory Ratoff, Henry Armetta, Mischa Auer, Jack Smart and the Three Sailors. The story gets under way when Doris Nolan has the idea of putting culture into Manhattan night club entertainment. In the basement cabaret of Doris' skyscraper, George Murphy leads his orchestra and longs to open the swank moonbeam room atop the building. He leaps at the chance to hire Doris, only to have her four guardian uncles warn him that it will cost him the contract to the pent house job. You can guess the climax, but you won't be prepared for the madhouse activities which blast the picture to a close. The sets are screwy, colossal and ultra modern. Don't miss this film Chautauqua of music and fun. vit ■n JJk & 'fki" H 1 a3 ,. . ix WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE— Columbia IN a month crowded with excellent musicals, ace director 'Robert Riskin adds this sparkling enjoyable Grace Moore picture. Packed with bubbling comedy you will find this the liveliest best plotted and most tuneful Moore picture to date. The operatic numbers from Schubert and Puccini while excellent are held to a minimum in favor of modern melodies. The gay story concerns a vain Australian opera star visiting America to perform in a musical festival honoring Walter Mitchell (Henry Stevenson) her old teacher. When she overstays her visiting permit, she dashes to Mexico to get it renewed, meets adventuring Cary Grant and is forced into an ironic wedding arrangement with him in order to re-enter the States. Miss Moore steals the show, but you'll like Cary Grant's sterling performance. * HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE— GB pRITISH Jessie Mathews' new musical is crammed with delightful songs. Our own countrymen, Gordon and Revel, have outdone themselves on hits. "Lookin' Around Corners For You," "There's That Look in Your Eyes Again," "May I Have the Next Romance With You" — you'll be humming them for days. Jessie in the role of a poor cabaret singer does more acting and less dancing than usual, but is disarmingly fresh and sweet about it all. She falls in love with a ne'er-do-well actor, played very convincingly by Louis Borell. When he leaves her for Hollywood, she goes berserk, busts up the show, and finds herself ruined professionally. Her devoted swain, Robert Flemyng, a young radio inventor, wangles her into a clever radio set up, persuades her that it is he she really loves You'll like it. 53