Picturegoer (Jul-Dec 1936)

PICTUREGOER Weekly November 28, 1936 REVIEWS-Contd pelled to recuperate in the country. Davenport Rogers, his secretary, and Joe Eddy, his dresser, loyally accompany him, and later he falls in love with Ruth Haines, their attractive young landlady. When Ruth writes an indifferent play, hoping thereby to provide for her motherless niece Sybil, Al kids her it is good by secretly buying it, but the truth eventually is revealed, and the humiliation inflicted on Ruth causes a break in their friendship. By this time, Al's voice is restored, and he returns to Broadway to rehearse for a new show. He is lost without Ruth's inspiration, but, needless to say, she turns up repentant at the crucial moment, and so is real romance added to his triumphant first night. Humour is not particular strong, but Edward Everett Horton and Allen Jenkins do what they can as Al's " yes men." Beverley Roberts is good as Ruth and is the possessor of a charming speaking voice, while Sybil Jason scores as her young niece. The most amusing sequence is that in which Al persists in singing a "Mammy" song while his advisers try to make him sing the new rhythm. The action takes you into the street where passers-by join in the argument until all but Al fall down exhausted. There is more than a touch of satire in this and it is cleverly directed. ♦•A STAR FELL FROM HEAVEN Wardotir. British. " U " certificate. Romantic musical comedy. Rutts 70 minutes. Joseph Schmidt Josef Florine Mc Kinney Annie BiLLV Milton Lincoln Judy Kelly Flora George Graves Fischer W. H. Berry Tomson Steve Geray Willi Wass Iris Hoey Frau Heinraeyer Denier Warren Stariel Bruce Lister Winkler Hindle Edgar Schneider Aubrey Mallalieu Doctor Eliot Makehau Professor Directed by Paul Meribach. Scenario by Marjorie Dearns and Dudley Leslie. Romantic musical comedy which lightly satirises studio activities and gives scope for Joseph Schmidt,, the famous "pocket" tenor, to display his undoubtedly fine voice. It is all very inconsequential, but is quite charmingly set and pleasingly melodious with songs both old and new. It deals with Josef, a student of music, who is spurred on to seek fame as a screen singer, by Anne, the daughter of a proprietress of a beer garden, with whom he is in love, but his shyness, attended by other misfortunes, ruins his chances at his first audition. Anne then takes a direct hand, and by enlisting the services of Willy Wa.ss, another of her suitors, who holds the proud position as dresser to Lincoln, a famous film star, Josef is heard in public. On this occasion, however, his voice is unfortunately mistaken for Lincoln's by Lincoln's manager, Tomson. The error leads to a quarrel between Lincoln and Tomson, but when the altercation causes Lincoln to lose his voice, Jo.sef is engaged as unseen vocal substitute. At this juncture Jo.sef discovers that Anne is in love with Lincoln and he gets despondent, but Lincoln's generosity in seeing that his singing is duly recognised soothes his wounds. Joseph Schmidt is good as Josef and Billy Milton makes a personable Lincoln. 30 1 Florine McKinney in " A Star Fell From Heaven." Florine Mc Kinney is fair as • Anne as is Judy Kelly as Flora. Good performances come from Steve Geray, as Willy Wass, and George Graves and W. H. Berry score a good number of laughs. ♦THREE CHEERS FOR LOVE Paramount. American. " C " certificate. Hollywood musical satire. Runs 60 minutes. Eleanore Whitney Skippy Dormant Robert Cummincs Jimmy Tuttle William Frawley Milton Shakespeare Elizabeth Patterson Wilma Chester RoscoE Karns...Doc. "Short Circuit" Wilson John Halliday Charles Dormant Grace Bradley Even Bronsoa Veda Ann Borg Consuelo Dormant Louis Da Pron Elmer Olympe Bradna Frenchy Billy Lee Johnny Directed by Ray McCarey. Based on a story by George Marion, jun. Music and lyrics by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin. There is not much originality in this musical comedy with its collegiate background, but the young players put plenty of enthusiasm into their work and it is generally quite melodious. It deals with Charles Dormant, a prominent Hollywood producer, who is persuaded by his wife, Sonuelo, to send his daughter, Skippy, to a finishing school. The academy selected happens to be on its last legs, but Milton Shakespeare, a resourceful theatrical manager, persuades Wilma Chester, the head, to allow his derelict company to pose as students and professors, the intention being to play up to Dormant, and so secure a Hollywood contract. Skippy soon sees through the deception, but her sporting instincts, kindled by her love for Jimmy Tuttle, the company's most versatile performer, prompt her to lend her aid m the execution of the proposition. There is a slight hitch when she becomes jealous of another girl's interest in Jimmy, but this is soon righted, and thanks to her good teamwork with Jimmy, the show, staged by Shakespeare meets with Dormant's approval, and a contract is signed to the tune of wedding bells. As Skippy, Eleanore Whitney gives us -some intricate tap dancing and Robert Cummings proves versatile as Jimmy. John HalHday shows to advantage as Dormant. The humour is of a rather artless order, but the whole thing is well staged and the action brisk. •FAME General F. D. Uritish " U" certificate. Broad farce. Runs 68 minutes. Sydney Howard Oswald Bertwhtstle Muriel Aked Mrs. Bertwhistle MiKi Hood Joan Riley Brian Lawrence Douglas Cameron Herbert Lomas Rumbold Wakefield Guy Middletoh Lester Cordwell H. F. Maltby The Mayor Frank Pettinoell Reuben Pendleton Frederick Piper Press Representative Arthur Finn Film Director Sydney Fairbrother A Train Passenger Maire O'Neill Mrs. Docker Geraldine Hislop Film Star Directed by Leslie Hiscott from a story by John Harding and William Hargreaves. There is little in the basic plot of this farce, which shows how a simple Yorkshire shopwalker dreams of becoming a movie actor, wins a screen contest, gets to Elstree and is there jockeyed by the studio parasites not realising that he is a failure. There is a touch of pathos in his return to Yorkshire, where a civic welcome awaits him. His embarrassment is so great that he makes for home while his mother explains the situation. However, there is plent}' of artless fooling of the type that Sydney Howard favours, and his burlesque act as Cromwell is very amusing. The supporting cast do what they can with indifferent material, but it Robert Cummings and Eleanore Whitney in " Three Cheers for Love." is a one-man picture, and the star has had to try and make a good many bricks without much straw. c*REVENGE RIDER Columbia. American. "U" certificatt. Western drama. Runs 56 minutes. Tim McCoy Tim O'Neil Robert Allen Chad Harmon Billie Seward Myra Harmon Edward Earle Kramer Frank Sheridan Jed Harmon Jack Clifford Ludlow Jack Mower Vance George Pearce Dr. Lindsay Allan Sears Lynch Harry Sehels Rankin Directed by David Selman from the story by Ford Beebe. Sound, quick action Western with Tim McCoy putting in a convincing he-man portrayal. Things are a little too talkative to start with, but when the plot settles down into its stride there is plenty of action and the necessary punch. Incidental humour and the romantic element are well introduced and the production generally is good. The plot shows how, Tim O'Neil, on returning to his home town after a horse-trading trip, learns that his brother, the sheriff, has been killed by rustlers, and that suspicion is directed towards Jed Harmon, father of Myra, the girl he loves. He refuses to believe in Jed's guilt, but, nevertheless, determines to apprehend the real murderer, and when he does the culprit turns out to be Kramer, leading member of the town's phoney cattle men's association. Romance, of course, crowns his good work. ■•FOOTLIGHTS AND SHADOWS Twickenham F. D. American. "A " certificate. Comedy drarrui. Runs 66 minutes. Henrietta Crosman Del>orah Delaney Herbert Rawlinson Melville de la Ney Ri'SSELL Gleason Daniel Delaney Polly Ann Young Jerry Daley Al Suean Herman Blatz Anita Page Claudia Revelle Syd Saylor Spud Harry Harvey Gabby Harry Holman Philmore Tubbs Ethel Sykes Kitty O'Brien Lela Bliss Nadia de la Ney Crauford Kent Edgar John Dilson Charlie Reed Directed by Frank R. Strayer from the story and screen play by Robert Ellis and Helen Logan. Unpretentious story in which Henrietta Crosman as Deborah, the mother of a middle-aged screen star, is apt to prove too overpowering. The plot deals with Jerry Daley, an ambitious studio extra, who is led into a publicity stunt, which results in Melville de la Ney, a middle-aged screen star whom she admires, being divorced, and she herself being cited as co-respondent. She runs away, and by a strange coincidence joins a troupe of travelling players run by Melville's mother, Deborah Delaney. Jerry's natural ability soon enables her to reach stardom in the theatre, and she falls in love with her leading man, Daniel Delaney, de la Key's son. There is trouble, however, when de la Ney turns up, but at this juncture Deborah takes a hand and her resource sees her family re-united and, with Jerry, established in the film firmament. The supporting cast is sound, but the action is too transparent and obvious for sustained interest. HOUSE BROKEN Paramount. British. "A" certificate. Marital comedy drama. Rut%s 73 minuUs. Mary Lawson Angela Enid StampTaylor Cousin Canie Jack Lambilrt Jock Louis Borell Charles Directed by Michael Hankituon from a story by Paul Hervey Fox. Louis Borell, a player new to me, of French-Dutch extraction, is the main interest in this feeble comedy which is weak in dialogue and situation. He is quite amusing as Charles, the bachelor friend of a newly wed husband, who helps him in his fight to spend a night with "the boys." His accent and personality are both attractive. The rest of the cast is adequate. Production values, lighting and camera work are quite good. f Enid Stamp-Taylor in " House Broken."