Picturegoer (Jul-Dec 1937)

magnificently. He is "De Lawd." a dignified old gentleman with a white beard and a frock coat, Adam, "De Lawd's" creation, and Hezdrel, a character invented by the author to convey the idea of a man seeking for mercy for the world's misdeeds. Every member of the cast is good, but especially notable are the characterisations given by Oscar Polk as Gabriel, George Reed as the preacher, Frank Wilson as Moses and Eddie Anderson as Noah. Between them, Marc Connelly and William Keighley have made a picture which will remain a landmark in screen history. * 'WOMEN OF GLAMOUR Columbia. American. "A" certificate. Romantic comedy-drama. Runs 67 minutes. Virginia Bruce Gloria Hudson Mklvyn Douglas Richard Stark Reginald Denny Fritz Eagan Pert Kelton Fan La Rogue Leona Mariclk Carol Coulter Thurston Hall Mr. Stark Mary Forbes Mrs. Stark John Graham Spacey Winkler Maurice Cass Caldwell Miki Morita Kito Directed by Gordon Wiles from a story by Milton Herbert Grofpen. Somewhat novelettish story of a gold-digger who helps an artist when he is down on his luck and eventually falls in love with him. Virginia Bruce is good as the gold-digger whose mental outlook changes when she comes into the artist's environment. She manages to suggest this change with conviction and sincerity. Melvyn Douglas' role as the artist is an artificial one, but he is clever enough to make it effective and polished. As his fiancee, a socialite, Leona Maricle is dignified. The comedy element is mainly supplied by Reginald Denny and Pert Kelton, both of whom are in good form. The whole thing is very well produced and this helps to disguise the fact that there is very little depth to the plot. Direction, too, is resourceful and makes the most of conventional situations. * 'ESPIONAGE M.-G.-M. American. "V" certificate. Comedy-drama. Runs 66 minutes. Edmund Lowe Kenneth Madge Evans Patricia Paul Lukas Kronsky Ketti Gallia n Soma Skeets Gallagher Brown Frank Reicher Von Cram William Gilbert Turk Robert Graves Duval Leonid Kinsky Burgos Mitchell Lewis Sondheim Charles Trowbridge Doyle Barnett Parker Cordell Nita Pike Fieurette Juan Torena South American George Sorel Maitre d'Hdtel Gaston Glass La Forge Egon Brecher Chief of Police Directed by Kurt Xeumann. Adapted from Waiter HackeU's play. Although its title leads you to expect another spy picture, this film forgets the serious side of its subject and concentrates on comedy. It deals with the romance of a lady reporter and a novelist, both of whom are trying to get a story on a munition king travelling on the trans-continental mail. They fall in love but do not forget their duty to their rival papers. The novelist gets mixed up in a shooting affray on the train, but is rescued by the girl and later they are still pursuing their quarry ; this time in the Swiss Alps. Finally they run him to earth but find that he has already broadcast his story to the press. Edmund Lowe is excellent as the novelist who manages to combine romance and business, and Madge Evans has both charm and intelligence as the lady reporter. Paul Lukas scores a personal success as the mysterious munition mogul. The train sequences are excellently put over, and the human comedy element is always well sustained. * 'COUNTERFEIT LADY Columbia. American. "V" certificate. Romantic crime drama. Runs 511 minutes. Ralph Bellamy Johnny Joan Perry Phyllis Douglass Dumbrille Marino George McKay Pinky Gene Morgan Clancy Henry Mollison Bemis John Tyrell Mike Max Hoffman, Jun Kit Edward Le Saint Girard John Harrington Swanson Directed by D. Ross Lederman from a story by Harold Shumate. While rather weak in story values this picture has the benefit of a capable cast headed by Ralph Bellamy, who is both virile and amusing as a private detective of questionable repute who is ordered by a jeweller to get a diamond back from a woman shop lifter. The latter role is also capably filled by Joan Perry, who turns out to be a victim of the jeweller's villainy and also supplies, of course, the romantic element. Douglas Dumbrille as the jeweller who is really a "fence" and who sends out his own thugs to retrieve the diamond in case the detective should double-cross him, plays with an easy naturalness which makes his villainy all the more effective. Technically the picture is very good, and both the presentation and dialogue are slick. Twists are introduced which help to rob the basic plot of its artlessness. c"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS Paramount. American. "U" certificate. Domestic comedy-drzma. Runs 74 minutes Charles Ruggles Orville Shanks Alice Brady Melba Shanks Lyle Talbot Mr. Crane Benny Baker Sparrow Jack La Rue Cruger Loyd Crane Scoutmaster Gene Lockhart Mr. Bottles Frankie Darro A Scout William Demarest Droopy Robert Baldwin Jimmy Jeeper Paul Harvey Branagan Directed by Norman Z. McLeod from an original story by John Francis Larkin. This homely comedy provides Charles Ruggles with the sort of role in which he excels. He plays the part of the editor of a nature column in a newspaper who neglects his work for a Boy Scout troop of which he is leader. To get himself back in his editor's good graces he peps up his column with scandal supplied by his wife. Unfortunately, this leads him into conflict with gangsters who kidnap him and his wife. They are rescued by the Boy Scouts ! Ruggles' hesitant humour keeps one continually amused, and he is ably backed up by Alice Brady as his loquacious wife. Lyle Talbot gives point to the role of the harassed editor, and you could not want a more effective gangster than Jack La Rue. Let it be said, too, that the Boy Scouts do their stuff with enthusiasm and help to add to the fun of the big climax. c"OFF TO THE RACES Fox. American. "U" certificate. Comedy-drama. Runs 57 minutes. Slim Summerville Uncle George Baxter Jed Prouty John Jones Shirley Deane Bonnie JoDes Spring Byington Mrs. John Jones Russell Gleason Herbert Thompson Kenneth Howell Jack Jones (Continued on page 30) ATKINSONS EAU de COLOGNE refreshes — revives — stimulates at a touch When hours of work have worn you out, a touch of Atkinsons Eau de Cologne on your forehead and behind your ears soothes your nerves, revives energy, stimulates your interest in life. Atkinsons is of the very finest quality. It stays / fresher, lasts longer, is more stimulating. 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