Picturegoer (Jul-Dec 1936)

PICTUREGOER Weekly September 26. 1936 REVIEWS-Omtinued wife proceeds to "go Hollywood", rents a big house, gives extravagant parties, and encourages the courtship of a lonnge-lizard, an extra, with her daughter. It is here that the delightful humour and humanity of the opening scenes begin to maJie way for the conventional and conmionplace. To cut the story short, 'Imie returns and puts ■ his wife and daughter — ^who has also gone highhat — ^in their place. Esther Dale is stagey as the wife and Jean Parker has little to do but look pretty — ^which she does. As the country lover, Frank Albertson is fair and Moroni Olsen is good as the film director. It is the early Hollywood sequences which provide best part of the entertainment in this picture. ♦FRAMED Pathe. American. "A" certificate. G-men melodrama. Runs 68 minutes. Eddie Nugent Bob Andrews Maxine Dovxe Joan Williams Fuzzy Knight Elmer LucrLLE Lund Rose Carter Don Alvarado Jack Carter Nick Stuart... George Bates George Walsh Joe Bradley Joyce Kay Patricia Carter George Cleveland Sheriff Williams Forrest Taylor Richard Shelby Ernie Adams Oscar Lampson Ed Cassidy Jailer Lewis Ivo Henderson Gordon John Cowell "> „ ,. Richard Kramer/ Pohce Officers Directed by Bob HiO. Straightforward gangster story, with thrills, romance, and humour put over with artless unpretentiousness. While Bob Andrews, a "G" Man, is sj)ending a vacation with his sister (Rose), her husband (Jack Ccirter) is arrested on a charge of murdering and robbing his employer. Bob is convinced that Jack has been framed, and, in order to prove the unfortunate man's innocence, he goes to jail by arrangement with the sheriff, intending to gain the confidence of Joe Bradley, a prisoner whom he suspects of being implicated in the killing. His subterfuge comes off and, after being led to the hide-out of the real killer, he makes a spectacular ajxprehension of the whole gang. His good work gains its reward in romance with Joan, the sheriff's daughter. Eddie Nugent makes a dashing hero and Maxine Doyle is pleasing as the heroine. Support is sound. Robert Youn^ arui Madflexne (.'.arroU in "The Secret Agent" 30 C*THE COUNTRY BEYOND Fox. Ameriam. "U" certifiemU. Western melodrama. Runs 08 minutes. Rochelle Hudson Jean Alison Paul Kelly Sogeant Cassidy Robert Kent Corpoial Robert King Alan Hale Jim Alison Alan I>inehakt Ray Fennings Adre Tombes Senator Rawlings Claudia Coleman Mrs. Rawlings Matt HcHugh Constable WeUer Paul McVey Fred Donaldson Holmes Herbert Inspector Keed Prince Prince and Buck himself. Directed by Eugene Ford from a story by James Oliver Cuneood. Somewhat old-fashioned in sentiment and thrills, this artless melodrama of the NorthWest Mounted Police is put over with vigour and played against extremely picturesque backgrounds. It has a canine interest in the shape of Buck which will appeal to animal lovers. The story concerns the chase of a wanted man by two policemen, friendly rivals, and their ultimate success, followed by romance for one of them. Rochelle Hudson makes a very attractive heroine, while Paul Kelly and Robert Kent give virile renderings of the rival officers. Good support comes from Alan Hale and AJan Dinehart. •SOMEONE AT THE DOOR Wardour. British. "A" certificate. Murder mystery comedy drama. Runs 74 minutes. Aileen Marson Sally Martin Billy Milton Ronald Martin Noah Beery Harry Kapel John Irvtn BUI Reid Charles Mortimer Sergeant Spedding Edward Chapman Price Edward Dignon Soames Lawrence Hanray Mr. Po<rfe Jimmy Godden P.C. O'Brien Eliot Makeham Grocer Herhione Gingolo Mrs. Appleby Directed by Herbert Brenon. Built on stage lines, this mystery drama has a certain amount of ingenuity, but is leisurely in development and is occasionally apt to provoke laughter where it is not intended. It deals with a young journalist who decides to hit the front page by planning a bogus murder. A real murder is committed, and the journalist, his sister, and her fiance, who had staged the scene, have to solve the mjrstery to clear themselves. Acting is fair. •COLLEEN Warner. American. "A" certificate. Musical extravaganza. Runs 88 mtnutes. Dick Powell Donald Ames 3rd Ruby Keeler Colleen Reilly Jack Oakie Joe Core Joan Blondell Minnie Hawkins Hugh Herbert Cedric Ames Louise Fazenda Alicia Ames Paul Draper Paul Gordon Marie Wilson Mabel Luis Alberni Cario Hobart Cavanaugh Noggin Berton Churchill Logan J. M. Kerrigan Pop Reilly Spencer Charters Dr. Frothingham Addison Richards Schuyler Mary Treen Miss Hively Charles Colman Butler Directed by Alfred E. Green from a story by Robert Lord. Pre-viewed July 18, 1938. Hugh Herbert is an excellent comedian, but in this musical he is very badly served, and the plot is so childish that all the lavish settings and technical qualities fail to make it more than mediocre entertainment. As the apparently imbecile head of a big business, Hugh Herbert strikes one as more pathetic than humorous; he presents a pathological case. Dick Powell, as his nephew, who falls in love with a business girl, (x)lleen of the title, sings a song or t wo well, while Ruby Keeler dances xcellently as the heroine. Paul Draper dances cleverly and models his work on Astaire, but he has neither the personality nor the skill of his model. Joan Blonddl scores as a golddigger, as does Louise Fazenda, bat Jack Oakie is completely starved as the heroine's fianrA who eventually falls for the gold-digger. Fashion parades cind a spectacudar brand of ship sequences pad out the production. ♦MELODY OF MY HEART Butcher. British. "A" certificate. Musical melodrama. Runs 82 minutes. Derek Oldham Joe Montfort LdRRAiNE La Fossb Cannel Bruce Setoh Jim Brent Hughes Macklin ., Mr. Smith Dorothy Vernoh Mrs. Dearwell Robert Gilbekt The Vicar Wensley Russell The Butcher and Mabel Twemlow, Bobbie ' Slater, Clarissa Sklwymne, Pearl Beresford, Doris Hortlock, Mignon Marchland, Ian Wilson, Stanley Radcliffe, James Cakroll, Phil Sturgess, Jack Morris, Jack Jarman, Johnnie Schofield, Bombardier Billy Wells, Horace Sheldon's Orchestra. Directed by Wilfred Noy. A thin thread of story, dealing with the quarrels of two men about a woman in a manner vaguely reminiscent of Carmen, supports musical entertainment which includes excerpts from that opera and lighter music. The picture attempts to include comedy, boxing, sex drama, romance, and opera in its scope, and is, needless to say, unable to do so satisfactorily. It is on its music that it makes its main appeal. Lorraine La Fosse, Derek Oldham, and Bruce Seton all have pleasant voices and adequately interpret the leading roles. •CODE OF THE MOUNTED Butchers. American. "A" certificate. Western drama. Runs 55 minutes. Kermit Maynard Wilson Lilian Miles Jean Robert Warwick Inspector Malloy Syd Saylor Rogers Jim Thorpe Eagle Feather Wheeler Oakman Duval Roger Williams Raoul Eddie Phillips Louie Dick Curtis Snakey Stanley Blystonz Constable Artie Ortega Trapper " Rockey " by Himself. Directed by Sam Newfield. Typical Western, dealing with the North West Mounted Police, which has plenty of stirring fights and good horsemanship. Action concerns the rounding up of a gang by a corporal who masquerades as a bandit for that purpose. He is helped by a girl member of the gang, who falls in love with him. Kermit Maynard is a fine horseman and puts plenty of punch into his fights as the corporal. Syd Saylor provides comedy relief, while Wheeler Oakman and Roger Williams make sound gang leaders. Lilian Miles is sound cis the heroine. FIND THE LADY Fox. British. "A" certificate. Comedy drama. Runs 70 minutes. Jack Mf.lford Schemer Doyle Althea Henley Venus Doyle George Sanders Curiey Randal Viola Compton Lady Waldron Violet Loxley Vilma Waldron Directed by Ronald Gillett. Dealing with the faith-healing racket somewhat on the lines of The Miracle Man, this picture fails to provide much in the way of entertainment value. It is too ambitious in design and too niggfardly in treatment. The direction is tame and pedestrian, and is not remarkable in any department. Jack Mel ford is too apt to overdo his tricks and mannerisms as one of the racketeers, but Althea Henley sh.ows very distinct promise as his sister. George Sanders is poor as the third member of the gang. Dick Powell and Ruiry Keeler in " Colleen" THE AVENGING HAND Radio. British. "A" certificate. Comedy crime drama. Runs 64 minutes. Noah Beery Lee BarweD Kathleen Kelly Gwen Taylor Louis Borell Pierre Chatrell Charles Oliver Toni Visetti Reginald Long Charles Mason Tarver Penna Conrad Colter Penelope Parkis Elizabeth BnxiE DE LA Volta Muriel James HARCOiniT Sam Hupp Bxla Mila Mrs. Penworthy Henry Longhurst Streeter Frederick Bush Hotel Manager Joan Kemp Welch Mdme Ambrosia Ben Weldon " Sing" Clark Bruno Baknabe Waiter Peter King Pago Alan Keith Receptionist Ben Wright Lift Boy Sidney Benson Cockney B. Humphries „_ Mervafe E. Stuart Gilling C. Wade Paper Boy Directed by W. Victor Hanbury. A serio-comic plot with a feeble gangster element which does not succeed in getting you anywhere in particular. It deals with an American gangster who determines to muscle in on a big racket, but in an altruistic moment turns the swindlers over to a young couple so that they can get the reward for their capture. Noah Beery is ponderous in his interpretation of the gangster, while, except for Kathleen Kelly as the manicurist, the cast is weak. MURDER AT GLEN ATHOL Twickenham-FJ). American. "A" certificate. Murder mystery. Runs 69 minutes. John Miljan Bill Holt Irene Ware Jane Maxwell Noel Madison Gus CoUeti Barry Norton Tom Ran del Iris Adrian Muriel Randel Oscar Apfel Reuben Marshall Betty Blythe Ann Randel James P. Burtis Mike Jefferies Harry Holman CampbeU Snowden James Eagles Harry Randel Wilson Bengb Simpson Paul Ellis Cosmon Lew Kelly Seigeant Oleson Capt. E. H. Calvert District Attorney McDoogal Henry Hull Dr. Burgher Frank O'Connor McGum Robert Frazer Dr. Agnew Sidney Bracey Sidney Mildred Gover Violet Stanley Blysione"* Don Brodie > Gangstera Kit Guard J Directed by Frank R. Strayer. Incredible plot, machine-made thrills, and a general air of artificiality render this mystery drama of little entertainment value. It lacks ingenuity of construction and is merely made puzzling by the introduction of several characters to spread "red herring" trails. John Miljan is fair as a detective and Irene Ware makes quite an appealing heroine. The remainder of the characters are much too overdrawn to convince to any extent. Moderate prodaction values.