Picturegoer (Jan-Apr 1935)

February 16, 1935 suppKjrt Ralph Lynn and Robertson Hare in a plot dealing with the efforts of the comedians to solve a jewel robbery mystery. It is a boisterous farce, rather thin in jokes and gags, and definitely stagey in effect. However, since Mr! Walls is an unrepentant believer in putting his plays over as if they were on a stage, and since his boxoffice receipts support his belief, I bow to public opinion and revert to the old formula, ' If you like this sort of thing this is just the sort of thing you will like." In my heart of hearts though I feel that this team of excellent comedians, aided and abetted by Ben Travers, could produce something considerably better, and am hoping that one day Mr. Walls will .see to it that thev do. ♦•HIT ME AGAIN First Ndtional. American. " A " certificate. Marital farce. Runs 62 minutes. Joan Blondell Vicki Warren William Tony Edward Everett Horton Vernon Frank McHuch George Claire Dodd Anita Joan Wheeler Bonnie Virginia Sale Edna Leonard Carey Tilford Directed by Robert Florey, from the screen play by Hugh Herbert and Carl Erickson. Adapted from the play by Hugh Herbert. Joan Blondell gives one of her best characterisations in this farce, the plot of which is unfortunately thin and scrappy, though it is bright in its central idea. She plays the role of a provoking young wife, \'icki, who so infuriates her husband, Tony, that he gives her a slap. She sues him for divorce and marries her lawyer, Tony's friend, Vernon, but soon treats husband number two in the same way as she did number one, with similar results. Once again divorce is in the air, and husband number one is reinstated. In spite of the story's artificiality, Joan Blondell makes the role of the wife convincing, while the two husbands are admirably contrasted by Warren Williams and Edward Everett Horton. ••LADIES SHOULD LISTEN Paramount. American. " A " certificate. Farce. Runs 60 minutes. Cary Grant Julian de Lussac Frances Drake Anna Mirelle Edward Everett Horton Paul Vemet Nydia Westman Susi Flamberg Rafael Corio Ramon Cintos Rosita Moreno Marguerite Cintos George Barbier Joseph Flamberg Charles Ray Henri Charles E. Arnt Albert Clara Lou Sheridan Adele Directed by Frank Tutlle, from the play by Alfred Savoir and Guy Bo'ton, adapted to the tcreen by the latter. Pre-viewed September 15, 1931. The story of a man who gets into a tangle with three women, a vamp who wants to get an option he holds on some land in Brazil, a telephone girl who loves him without his knowing it and the plain daughter of a millionaire who sees her romance in him. How he gets out of his dilemma provides good light entertainment which is piquant in quality but occasionally inclined to be gratuitously suggestive. As the man in the case Cary Grant is rather heavy handed, but Frances Drake is very attractive as the telephone girl and Rosita Moreno bewitching as the vamp. As the third lady Nydia Westman is inclined to be over farcical. The material at the command of Edward Everett Horton as the harassed hero's friend who is in love with the millionaire's daughter is slender but the accomplished PICTUREGOER Weekly comedian is quite capable of making bricks without straw. •ELMER AND ELSIE Paramount. American. " U " certificate. Marital comedy. Runs 63 minutes. George Bancroft Elmer Bee be Frances Fuller Elsie Beebe RoscoE Karns Rocky Cott George Barrier John Kincaid Nella Walker Mrs. Kincaid Charles Sellon George Simpson Helena Phillips Evans Ma Simpson .\lbert Conti Barlott Directed by Gilbert Pratt, from a story by George .S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly, adapted by Humphrey Pearson. Pre-vieved September 15, 1U34. A domestic comedy which sets out to show that the world is really run by women in their homes. The theme is quite bright but it lacks delicacy of treatment and its joints are often too crudely overstressed to be really effective. George Bancroft is not too happy in his role of a tough truck driver and the part of the wife offers few opportunities to Frances Fuller who succeeds, however, in looking very appealing. As Bancroft's employer, who is also ruled by a diplomatic wife, George Barbier is excellent as is Roscoe Karns as a confirmed misogynist. SHOCK Pathe. .American. "A" certificate. War drama. Runs 69 minutes. Ralph Forbes Derek Marbury GwENLLiAN Gill Lucy Neville Monroe Owsley Bob Hayworth Reginald Sharland Captain Peabody Douglas Walton Gilroy Haworth .■Vlex Courtney Alan Neville David Jack Holt Rickey Marbury Billy Be van Meadows Clyde Cook Hawkins Mrs. Mary Forbes Lady Heatherly Charles Coleman Colonel Colin Campbell Orderly David Dunbar Sergeant Matthews Montague Shaw Major Eric Snowden Cockney Olaf Hvtten Adjutant Harry Holden Clerk Directed by Roy J. Pomeroy. Somewhat fantastic story of an officer who marries whilst on leave, gets shell shocked and rejoins as a private and whose superior officer, a rival in love, tries to undermine his wife's affections by accusing her husband of cowardice. Actually he distinguishes himself and gains a majority and after the war regains his memory through another shock. Ralph Forbes is good as the hero and his acting helps to cloak the artificiality of the story. •WHAT'S YOUR RACKET? Butcher. American. " A " certificate. Crook drama. Runs 68 minutes. Regis Toomey Bert Miller Noel Francis Mae Cosgrove J. Carrol Naish Dick Graves Creighton Hale Jimmie Dean Fred Malatests Benton May Wallace Mrs. Cosgrove Lew Kelly Cameron David Callis Jones Directed by Fred Guiol, from the story by George E. Rogan, adapted by Barry Barringer. Ingenious if not very plausible crook story with Regis Toomey as a likeable secret service man who runs down a gang after a robbery and wins the love of a girl who had been involved in the theft. cTHE SILVER BULLET Universal. American. "V" certificate. Western drama. Runs 53 minutes. Tom Tyler Jayne Regan Lafe McKee Charles King George Chesebro Slim Whitaker Lew Meehan Franklyn Farnum Walt Williams Directed by B.B. Ray. Commonplace Western of an obvious, ingenuous order, lacking in characterisation and presentation. It is much too naive for the average cinemagoer, though it may pass muster with juveniles. 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