Picturegoer (Jan-Apr 1935)

March 16, 1935 Albert Polet Waiter RoDNEV HiLDEBRANT Brakeman Directed by Edgar Ulmer from a screen play by Karloff and BeU Lugoti, based on Edgar Allan Poe s laU •• The Black Cat." If you are a lover of "horrors," here is the very entertainment for you — a modernised and elaborated version of Poe's famous short story, which, however, does not gain in eerie effect by the embellishments of its adaptors. In its film form it deals with Joan and Peter, a young honeymoon couple journeying to Budapest who become acquainted with a Dr. Verdegast and are forced to accept the hospitality of an equally sinister gentleman — Poelg^z. Verdegast seeks vengeance on Poelgir for stealing his wife and daughter, and the latter is a disciple of a cult which calls for human sacrifice and he is determined to make Joan one of his victims. How Joan and Peter escape and the others meet their just fates is told in a succession of thrills designed to make the flesh of the unsophisticated creep. Bela Lugosi is good as Verdegast, who is allowed a little human feeling beneath his sinister exterior, and Boris Karloff is all that could be desired as the evil maniac, Poelg^z. The love interest is capably handled by David Manners and Jacqueline Wells. **THE MOONSTONE Patke. AmericoM. "A" cerlificaU. Mystery drama. Runs 00 minutes. David Manners Franklyn Blake Phvluis Barry Anne Verinder GusTAV VON Seyffebtitz.... Septimus Lucker Jameson Thomas Godfrey Ablewhite Charles Irwin Inspector Cuff Evelyn Bostock Rosanna Elspeth Dudgeon Betteredp; Herbert Bunston Sir Joia Claude King Sir Basil Olaf Hytten Esra Jennings John Davidson Yandoo Fkko Walton Henry Directed by Reginald Barker. Adapted tiy Adele Baffington from tke novel by Wilkie CoUins. Wilkie CoUins'B classic mystery has been faithfully adapted to the screen, and it depends for its entertainment on the logical development of the plot rather than on manufactured thrills. Told in a straightforward, competent manner, it entertains by its good snspense valnes, sound characterisations, and smooth continuity. It errs a little on the slow side, but, on the whole, itisa well-balanced contribution to the "mystery" type of entertainment. The cast, which has a big sprinkling of British artistes, acquits itself well. David Manners makes a thorou^ily sound hero, whilst Phyllis Barry is attractively feminine as the heroine. An excellent character study comes from Elspeth Dudgeon as a housekeeper. ••READY FOR LOVE Paramount. American. "A" certificate. Romantic comedy. Runs 02 minutes. Richard Arlen Julian Peters Ida Lcpino Jfarigokl Tate I1ar]orie Rambbau Goldy Tate Tremt Durkin Joey Burke Beulah Nondi Mrs. Burke Henry Travers Judge Pickett Esther Howard Aunt Ida Ralph Remley Mr. Chester Burke Charles E. Arnt Sam Gardner Chakless Sellom Caleb Hooker Irving Bacon Milkman Franklyn Ardell Bean Fred Santlxv Famum Louise Carter Mrs. Thompson Directed by Marion Gering. There is a good idea behind this small-town story, which depicts old-fashioned methods of ensuring morality — even to the extent of a ducking stool — as applied to modem youth. PICTUREGOER Weekly Unfortunately, the idea is not too well worked out and is hindered by a typical piece of Hollywood hokum which forms the ending. The small -town atmosphere, however, is good, and Ida Lupino puts in quite a good performance as a pert, stage-struck girl who is the victim of the bigotry of the inhabitants. As her mother, who tries to exploit the sensation caused by her daughter being ducked for an im . morality she had never committed, Marjorie Rambean is adequate. Richard Arlen plays the role of a young country journalist who is instrumental in making the heroine prefer quiet married life to a stage career and brings a good deal of sincere characterisation to the role. The townspeople are well portrayed by a competent cast. c»* WAGON WHEELS Paramount. American. " U" certificate. Western drama. Runs 30 minutes. Randolph Scott Clint Be' me' Gail Patrick Nancy Wellington Billy Lee .Sonny Wellington Monte Blue Ken Murdock Raymond Hatton Jom Burch Jan Dugcan Abby Masters Leila Bennett Hetty Masters Olin Howland Bill O'Meary J. P. McGowAN Couch Howard Wilson Permit Officer Directed by Charles Barton, from a Zane Grey story. Acut-to-pattem Western, but one which is put over with plenty of enthusiasm and well acted by a strong cast, headed by Randolph Scott and Gail Patrick. It contains something of everything. Humour, music, child interest, spectacle, and pictorial beauty are all here, and put over with excellent effect. It is a sort of miniature Covered Wagon complete with Indian raids. It should delight juveniles and please every Western lover. •AMONG THE MISSING Colmmbia American. "U" certificaU. Regeneration melodrama. Runs 04 minutes. Richard Cromwell Tommy Henrietta Crosman Aunt Martha BiLLiE Seward Judy Arthur Hohl Gordon Ivan Simpson .Smeed Ben Tagcart Flannigan Waoe Boteler Rogers Harry C. Bradley Abbott Claide Du Brey Mrs. Abbott Douglas Cosgrove Capt. Drake Paul Hurst fonaori Directed by Albert RogeU from a story by Florence Wagner, adapted by Fred Niblo, jun. and Herbert Asbury. Previewed November 3, 1934. A criminal career justified by a last minute repentance seems to be the moral angle of this polished but machine-made "sobbie," in which a dear old lady reforms a young jewel thief in the approved conventional manner. As the crook, Richard Cromwell g^ves a very sincere and attractive performance, but Henrietta Crosman is almost too sweet an old lady to be true. Hers is a good piece of acting, but it tends to be "stagey". Billie Sewajd, as the ingenue who supplies the love interest, is worth following. Her acting is natural and shows promise of a worthwhile career in the near future. As the big shot jewel thief who emplo)rs our hero, Arthur Hohl is well in character in a suave and sinister manner. There is a thrill or two, but otherwise the reformation theme is worked out on familiar lines with sentimental and romantic sideissues. •LOVETIME Fox. American. "U" certificate. Musical ' romance. Runs 75 minutes. Pat Paterson Valerie Nils Asthes. Frans Schubert Boris Karloff and Lticille Lund in a scene from the new " horror " film, " The House of Doom." Herbert Mundin — Caesar Harry Green Adam Henry B. Wathall Duke Johann von Hatzfeld LuciEN Littlefield Willie Obenbiegler Henry Kolkbr Emperor Francis I Albert Conti Nicholas Herman Bihg Istvan Roger Imhof Inn keeper James Burke Benjamin Josephine Whittell Mrs. Obenbiegler Earle Foxe Sergeant Georgia Caine Countess Bertaud Paul England Lieutenant Friedrich Mary Blackford Charlotte Directed by James Tinting, based on a story bV Richard Carroll. Another musical based on the life of Franz Schubert. Pictorially attractive, it has a certain amount of unsophisticated charm and contains, of course, many of Schubert's melodies. It lacks, novelty however, and a vocalist, and the ending is forced in effect. Nils Asther is badly cast as Schubert; nor is Pat Paterson happy as Valerie, a village girl who turns out to be of noble birth and who loves the composer. The supporting cast, too. find difficulty in getting conviction into the roles they are gfiven. •WOMANHOOD Butcher. British. "A" certificate. Drama of revenge. Runs 01 minutes LxsuE Perrins Richard Brent Eve Gray Leila Mason Esmond Knight Jack Norton Christine Adrian Ann Norton L. Mc Arthur Gordon Bolton C. Castella Klein Directed by Harry Hughes. An unpretentious production which deals with a discarded mistress's revenge on the crook who had left her, which is quite ingeniously planned and affords good average entertainment . Eve Gray is natural and effective as the forsaken woman, and Leslie Perrins quite good as the crook. It is capably directed. •MY SONG GOES ROUND THE WORLD W ardour. British. "U" certificate. Romantic drama. Runs 07 mtnutes. Joseph Schmidt Ricardo John Looer „ Rigo Charlotte Andes Nina Jack Barty Simoni Jimmy Goddeh Manager Hal Gordon Stage Manager Directed by Richard Oswald. Previewed October 0. 1034. Avery weak and disjointed story, dealing with the frustrated love of a diminutive tenor for a girl who marries his best friend. It is designed entirely to exploit the voice of Joseph Schmidt and to fit his small stature. His voice is excellent and affords a musical treat, but dramatically the film is negligible. Viennese settings are picturesque and some comedy relief is provided by Jack Barty. HYDE PARK Warner. British. " U" certificate. Romantic comedy. Runs H minutes. George Carney Joe Smith Barry Clifton Bill Lenbridge Eve Lister Mary Smith Wally Lupino Alf Turner Cuaki.es Carson Lord Lenbridge Phyllis Morris Mrs. Smith Directed by Randall Faye. A naive and artless production which attempts to be witty at the expense of the alleged insincerity of Socialists during the course of a romance between ths daughter of a soap-box orator and the son of a noble lord. George Carney is quite sound as Joe Smith, who spends his Sunday mornings in the Park running down the Capitalist. One day, his daughter, Mary is knocked down accidentally by BUI Lenbridge, the son of Lord Lenbridge, and the accident starts a friendship between the pair. Joe refuses to let his daughter marry an aristocrat until Bill hits on the idea of presenting him with £1 ,000, which he makes him believe is a legacy from an aunt. This changes Joe's political outlook and leads to wedding bells. Charles Carson is well in character as Lord Lenbridge, and the love interest is adequately provided by Eve Lister and Barry Clifton. ANYTHING MIGHT HAPPEN Radio. British. " A" certificaU. Crime drama. Runs 00 minutes. JohnGarrick / RaylS^ Judy Kelly .Kit Dnndas Martin Walker Kenneth Waring Aubrey Mather Seymour D. J. Williams Brown Albert Whklan Strickland Directed by George A. Cooper, from tke novel by Hearnden Balfour. A story of mistaken identity complicated in its development and overloaded with dialogue. John Garrick struggles with the triple role of a reformed crook, Nicholson, who is unofficially employed by the police to solve a murder mystery; Raybourn, another crook, who is the former's double; and also spends his sp>aa'e time impersonating Gibson, a man employed to bump Nicholson off. 25