Picturegoer (Jan-Apr 1935)

PICTUREGOER Weekly Ann Dvorak is the heroine of the comedy, " The Friends of Mr. Sweeny." ♦••THE PAINTED VEIL M.-O.-M. American. "A" cerlificaU. Triangle drama. Runs 83 minutes. Greta Garbo Katrin Herbert Marshall Walter Fane George Brent Jack Townsend Warner Oland General Yu Jean Hersholt Herr Koerber BoDiL Rosing Frau Koerber Katharine Alexander Mrs. Townsend Cecilia Parker Olga Soo YoNG Amah Forrester Harvey Waddington Directed by Richard BoUslawski from the novel by W. Somerset Maugham. Previewed January 12, 1935. Special supplement March 2, 1935. There is an allure about Garbo which can cloak, to a very large extent, any story deficiencies in the pictures in which she appears — at* any rate so far as her admirers are concerned, and their name is legion. So in spite of the fact that the adaptation of Somerset Maugham's play resolves itself into quite a conventional triangle drama, the star somehow manages to invest it with a glamour and distinction that is peculiarly her own. As in all Garbo pictures, the technical work is excellent, and there is much elaborate Oriental ceremony which adds to the beauty of the settings but action is slow and there is a super-abundance of dialogue. Garbo's voice and accent are both softened in this film, and she is given some lighter sequences, but otherwise her performance exploits that same elusive personality which has made her famous. The young English scientist who marries her and takes her to China, where she meets a man with whom she becomes infatuated is ably played by Herbert Marshall, but he is inclining more and more to overemphasise his mannerisms. As the lover who fails her, George Brent is also well in character. It is, however, almost entirely on the fascination of Garbo that the picture relies for its entertainment and it is, thus, obviously not a picture to miss. •••BADGER'S GREEN Paramount. British. " U " certificate. Comedy of English village life. Runs 67 minutes. Frank Moore Dr. Wetherby David Horne Major Forrester Sebastian Smith Mr. Twigg John Ti'rnbull Thomas Butler Valerie Hobson Molly Butler BRurE Lister Dickie Wetherby Wallv Patch Mr. Rogers Flsie Irving Mrs. Wetherby Directed by .idrian Brunei from the play by R. C. Sherriff. Previewed October 6, 1934. Ihave long held that America excels in producing pictures of its rural and small-town life. We have had few counterparts of it on British screens although there seems to be 24 On the Screens Now by Lionel Collier The PICTUREGOER'S quick reference index to films just released ***THE PAINTED VEIL ***BADGER'S GREEN **WE LIVE AGAIN **PECK'S BAD BOY **FRIENDS OF MR. SWEENEY **l GIVE MY LOVE **THE NOTORIOUS SOPHIE LANG ♦♦I'LL FIX IT **THE DOVER ROAD ♦DESIRABLE ♦CITY PARK ♦THE RADIO STAR What the asterisks mean — •••• An outstanding feature. ♦♦* Very good. ♦* Good. * Average entertainment. c Also suitable for children. an exceptionally wide scope for it. I therefore welcome all the more heartily this exceedingly well-characterised and ably directed adaptation of R. C. Sherriff's play which deals with English rural life — -and cricket. As far as I can remember, cricket has not played any part before in a British film, although there was a cricket match in the American version of Raffles. That by the way. The plot of this picture is as simple as it is effective. It shows how the intrusion of a speculative builder is combated by a conservative village ruled over by a triumvirate consisting of a major, a doctor, and a mutual friend. How they defeat his plans for transfiguring their beloved village into a bungaloid growth is told with a wealth of humour not unmixed with a touch of pathos. A love interest is supplied between the doctor's son and the builder's daughter, while the cricket match is made the occasion of the dramatic climax; if the village side wins agaiast a neighbouring team, the builder promises to decamp; if it loses he will go on with his plans. Lose it does, but the builder is so struck by the heroic efforts of the doctor who, in spite of a bad heart, turns out for the side, that he capitulates. As the doctor, Frank Moore gives a notable characterisation, but the crux of the jiicture is David Home's vivid portrayal of the fiery and obstinate major. . Sebastian Smith is very good as their mutual friend, while sterling performances are given by the well-chosen cast. Rural atmosphere is exceptionally good and natural, while village politics are made realistic and amusing. A most refreshing, delightful picture which is redolent of the charm of the English countryside. ••WE LIVE AGAIN United Artists. American. "A" certificate. Romantic social drama. Runs 83 minutes. Anna Sten Kalusha Maslova Fredkic March... Prince Dimitri Nekhlyudov Jane Baxter Missy Kortchagin C. Aubrey Smith Prince Kortchagin Mary Forbes Princess Kortchagin Ethel Griffies Aunt Marie Gwendolyn Logan Aunt Sophia Jessie Ralph Hatrona Pavlovna Sam Jaffe Simonson Cesil Cunningham Theodosia Fritzi Ridgeway The Red Head Jessie Arnold Korablova Morgan Wallace The Colonel Davison Clark Tikhon Leonid Kinsky Kartinkin Dale Fuller Botchkova Michael Visaroff Judge Edgar Norton Judge Directed by Rouben Mamoulian. Adapted from the novel "Resurrection," by Leo Tolstoy, adapted by Maxwell Anderson, Preston Slurges, and Leonard Fraskins. Previewed November 17, 193.5. For story, freely based on the film by Marjory Williams, see page 20. Anna Sten, the German star who made a name for herself with Emil Jannings in The Tempest, appears to far greater advantage here than she did in her first Hollywood picture, Lady of the Boulevards. Clive Brook and Diana Wyrtyard appear together agtun in " The Dover Road." Attractive Gertrude Michael gives a good performance in " The Notorious Sophie Lang." In fact, she gives a really brilliant piece of acting which is so sincere and well characterised that it helps to bring conviction to a story that has been overloaded with pretentious symbolism to the point of artificiality. In the opening reels she suggests the young, unsophisticated Russian peasant \vith the same facility and naturalness as she does the disillusioned prostitute of the later stages who had been driven on to the streets by the desertion of her aristocratic lover. As the prince who seduces her, leaves her and then rallies to her aid to the extent of going to Siberia with her when she is sent there, having been convicted of murder, Fredric March gives a characteristically polished performance. As the Prince's fiancee, Jane Baxter is sound, while good characterisations come from Gwendolyn Logan and Ethel Griffies as his two aunts who had practically adopted the tragic little peasant girl before her seduction. Indeed, the acting as a whole is good, but in the minor roles there are some American intonations which militate against the conviction of the Russian atmosphere, which is never too realistic in spite of elaborate settings and really beautiful camera work. I think the real reason why .\nna Sten's acting does not make this the outstanding picture it had promise of being is because we are given melotlrama, complete with obvious symbolism of the D. W. Griffith order, rather than stark tragedy which is the keynote of Tolstoy's work. ••PECK'S BAD BOY Fox. .imerican. "U" certificate. Study in child psychology. Runs 6!) minutes. Jackie Cooper Bill Thomas Mf.ighan Mr. Peck Jackie Searle Horace 0. P. Heggie DuBy Dorothy Peterson Aunt Lily Charles Kvans Minister (^f.rtrcde Howard Maid 1. arrv Wheat Master o( Ceremonies Harvey Clark Spectator Directed by Edward F. Cline. Previewed November 3, Ift:U. It is not the story, which errs on the thin side, that gives this picture its entertainment value, but the extremely capable performances given by the juvenile artistes and the sincere depiction of child psychology. The plot deals simply and Ux) obviously with a motherless boy who finds his place in his father's affections being usurpctl by a cousin,