Picturegoer (1934)

January 20. 1934 PICTUREGOER Weekly reformatory when his charges revolt, after the cruel treatment meted out to one of their number, is more likely to raise laughter than tears. James Cagney, on the side of the angels this' time, as a gangster who becomes a reformer, does quite well, and Madge Evans strikes one of the few sincere notes in the otherwise artificial and dull proceedings. Dudley Digges is well in character as the governor, and Frankie Darrow gives a fair representation of the juvenile American tough. •SECRETS OF THE BLUE ROOM Universal. American " A " certificate. Mystery thriller. Runs 67 minutes. Lionel Atwill Hell<:orf Gloria Stuart , lr(;.e Paul Lukas Walter Edward Arnold Foster Onslow Stevens .Frank William Jannev Thomas Kussell Hopton Max Elizabeth Patterson Marie Muriel Kirk land Betty Robert Barrat Butler Anders van Hades Stranger James Durkin Foster's Assistant Directed by Kurt Neumann from the story by Erick Phillips adapted by William Hurlbut. Conventional haunted castle background to a familiar type of thriller, in which murders occur with alarming frequency in a room that is supposed to be haunted. Suspicion, as usual, is cast on all the characters assembled, and the solving of the mystery is kept to the last few feet. It is quite competently put over of its kind and the acting generally is sound. c*THE LONE AVENGER Caumont-Ideal. American "17" certificate Western drama. Runs 59 minutes. Ken Maynard Cal Weston Muriel Gordon Ruth Winters James Marcus Joel Winters Al Bridge Bart Adams Nils Welch Martin Carter W. N. Bailey Sam Landers Ed. Brady Nip Charles King Tak Jack Rockwell .Sheriff Clarence Geldart Doctor Directed by Alan James. Story of bank thieves fooled by the astuteness of one man, with the customary fights, rides, and gun play. The story runs as follows. Cal Weston returns home to find his father, the local bank president, dead. Suicide to cover defalcations is suggested by Carter and his associates, but to Cal the circumstances point to murder. Joel Winters. Weston Senior's partner, supports this theory and their suspicions are confirmed when Carter's gang are found at the bank removing papers. Carter informs the town that the bank money is missing and rouses their feelings against Cal, who is led away to be lynched. He escapes and eventually catches the gang red-handed in the bank vaults. Ken Maynard does well in a typical role, in which his horse, Tarzan, assists. ♦CURTAIN AT EIGHT R.D.C. American "A" certificate. Crime drama. Runs 71 minutes. Dorothy Mackaill Lola Cresmer C. Aubrey Smith Jim Hanvey Paul Cavanagh Wylie Thornton Ruthelma Stevens Doris Manning Russell Hopton Mooney Sam Hardy Gallagher Hale Hamilton Mr. Manning Marian Shilling Anice Cresmer Jack Mulhall Carey Weldon Natalie Moorhead Alma Jenkins Directed by E. Mason Hopper from a story by Octavious Roy Cohen. Aubrey Smith appears in what is, for him, a rather unusual role — that of a humane and sympathetic detective who investigates the murder of a matinee idol who was an incorrigible philanderer. He finds the culprit from the list of suspects, which includes the dead man's wife; a sister of a girl whom he had driven to suicide ; her fiance ; the father of his leading lady, with whom he had planned to elope; a racketeer; and an ape. How he does it proves quite good entertainment of its kind. Treatment is brisk and, though the action is rather involved, there is a sound suspense element. Acting is good all round •WANTED Butcher. American " V " certificate. Romantic drama. Runs 63 minutes. Nick Stuart Danny Merna Kennedy Evelyn Roberta Gale Nora Mary Carr Mother Walter McGrail Professor Gordon Warner Richmond Sammy Robert Ellis Crown Eddie Phillips Hymie Harry Myers Steward Ralph Freud Ellsworth Charles Stevens Bandit Leader Directed by Philip H. Whitman. Story and adaptation by Norman Keen. Simple unpretentious drama, dealing with a young boxer who, thinking he has killed a man, boards a boat to Central America. There he joins a scientific expedition, falls in love with the ward of the leader of the party, and succeeds in ousting a rival who is later killed in a fracas with natives. He returns to learn the man he had struck has made a remarkable recovery and married his sister, who, before had resented his attentions. It is all rather ingenuous, but characterisation is fair and the acting satisfactory. c»THE LAST TRAIL Fox. American. "V" certificate. Gangster drama. Runs 61 minutes. George O'Brien Tom Daley Claire Trevor Patricia Carter El BRFWttyt __Jtewt OJsen Matt McHugh Looney McGann J. Carroll Naish John Ross Onslow Stevens, Lionel A twill, Gloria Stuart, Paul Lukas and William Jaunty in " The Secret of the Blue Room." Paul Cavanagh and Natalie Moorhead as they appear in the crime drama, " Curtain at Eight." George Reed Japonica Jones Lucille La Verne Mrs. Wilson Ruth Warren Sally Olsen Luis Alberni Pedro Gonzales Edward Le Saint Judge Wilson Directed by James Tinling from a Zane Grey story. Gangster drama with a Western setting, in which George O'Brien, as vigorous as ever, returns to his home town after an absence of many years, finds gangsters in control of his uncle's ranch, and proceeds to clean things up. There is plenty of action, acrobatics, and horsemanship, all well put over. El Brendel supplies the humour, and the villiany department is in the capable hands of J. Carroll Naish and George Reed. Beauty in distress is represented by Claire Trevor. THE FIRE RAISERS W. Sl F. British. "A" certificate. Melodrama. Runs 77 minutes. Leslie Banks .Jim Bronson Anne Grey Arden Brent Carol Goods er Helen Vaughan Frank Cellier .Brent Francis Sulu van S ted ding Laurence Anderson Twist Henry Caine .Bates George Meruit . Sonnets Joyce Kirby Polly Directed by Michael Powell. A picture which deals none too satisfactorily with the topical subject suggested by the title. It is all conventionally melodramatic, weak in dialogue, and containing a few fire thrills of a familiar order. Bronson, a fire assessor, builds up a big business by unscrupulous methods and marries the daughter of an eminent underwriter at Lloyd's against her father's wishes. His extravagances on the turf, however, eventually cause him to join up with the fire-raiser. When Bronson is unmasked he deliberately goes to his own death after saving the life of an investigator engaged to his typist; his spectacular end saving his wife and her father from disgrace. Acting is as good as the parts allotted to the artistes allow it to be. HEAD OF THE FAMILY F.N. British. " U" certificate. Social drama. Runs 66 minutes Irene Vanbrugh Mrs. Powis Porter Arthur Maude John Powis Porter John Stuart Bill Stanmore Pat Paterson Geraldine Roland Culver ..Manny D. A. Clarke Smith Welsh Glen Alyn Masie Annie Esmond Mrs. Slade Alexander Field Bill Higgins Directed by John Daumery. Irene Vanbrugh's fine stage talent is, unhappily, not displayed to advantage in this unconvincing drama, which suffers from very novelettish dialogue and indifferent production. She is cast as the wife of Porter, a stubborn aristocrat who tries to fight Bill Stanmore, the young head of a rival steel corporation, but fails through lack of experience. He refuses to sell his trade mark and patents to Stanmore and his stubbornness results in his family and himself becoming destitute. In desperation he secretly takes a job as a night porter at Stanmore's works and whilst on duty arrests his own son for attempted burglary. This brings him into contact with Stanmore for the first time and, common sense prevailing, the two merge their interests and the former's daughter cements the partnership by marrying Stanmore. Except for John Stuart and Roland Culver, the cast over-acts, and, generally, the whole theme of social snobbery suffers from lack of dramatic force and exaggerated absurdities. THE LAUGHTER OF FOOLS Fox. British. " U." Comedy-drama. Runs 47 minutes. Pat Paterson Doris Eliot Makeham Gregg D. A. Clarke-Smith Plunkett Derrick de Marney Captain Vidal Helen Ferrers Mrs. Gregg Joan Melville Mabel Gregg George Thirl well Bertie Gregg Minnie Taylor Elizabeth Directed by Adrian Brunei from a story by H. F. Maltby. A Cinderella theme in a very slight story with obvious humour and tame romantic qualities. The dialogue is weak and tends to hold up the action and the artistes have rather a thankless task in their respective roles. The story concerns a priggish woman, Mrs. Gregg, who picks on Captain Vidal, the wealthy friend of her son Bertie, as a husband for her daughter, Mabel. Mrs. Gregg's household also consists of her henpecked second husband and her penniless niece, Doris. Her matrimonial plans, however, go astray when Vidal falls for Doris and her troubles are increased by her husband foolishly buying a house at an auction sale. The investment, nevertheless, turns out to be a good one and old Gregg, and Vidal depart, leaving Mrs. Gregg and her daughter in the family flat. There is a good deal of charm about Pat Paterson's interpretation of Doris and Eliot Makeham is amusing as the shy but likeable Mr. Gregg. The supporting characters are not too good and the entertainment generally is well below the average. 27