Picturegoer (Jul-Dec 1937)

PICTUREGOER Weekly REVIEWS by Lionel Collier SOULS AT SEA HERE is a picture which is admirably suited to the Gary Cooper technique since it supplies robust melodrama and sensitive romance in equal proportions and it also gives George Raft a chance to make a notable come-back. In fact, these two form a first-class team, George Raft's thorough-paced toughness proving an excellent foil for Gary Cooper. It is a tale of slave traders, wreck at sea and heroism well supplied with romance and directed with the cleverness of touch and human insight which characterised Henry Hathaway 's famous Lives of a Bengal Lancer. We are told that the story is based on a sea tragedy which filled the newspaper columns of a century ago. A ship struck an iceberg and foundered. The captain got away with one boatload of people and the other, in charge of the mate, was overcrowded. He deliberately made a choice of who was to die in order that the rest might be saved. On reaching safety he was committed on a murder trial and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and finally released. However, the tale told by the picture bears little in common with its source of origin. In fact, while agreeing that Paramount has provided us with excellent entertainment, I do feel that it has dodged the issue in neglecting to show what would have been a sequence of intense dramatic import — the selection of people who had to be killed that others might live. Perhaps someone else will go to the same source for inspiration with its grand opportunities for intensive characterisation and tragic effect. As it is Gary Cooper is exceedingly good as a Yankee skipper who, bitterly opposed to the slave trade, spends his time attempting to release slaves from the slavers' ships. The picture opens with his trial for having committed mass murder at sea, which, as I have pointed out, is only shown very fragmentarily. After he has been convicted an Englishman gets up and asks the court to hear the life story of this man and the circumstances in which he came to be travelling on the ship which caught fire and led to the tragedy before the court. I do not intend to go into the details of the plot, but briefly it shows how Cooper is captured on a slaver whose captain had been murdered and is acquitted because of the acumen of the narrator of the story, who intended to use him to lead the slavers into routes patrolled by British ships. For this purpose he sails to America accompanied by his friend, a sailor who has no knowledge of Cooper's real mission. On board are also a captain in the King's Navy, secretly interested in slave trading, and his sister, with whom Cooper falls in iove. 24 When the boat catches fire Cooper has to fight the officer, who has discovered his secret mission. He rescues his sister and then takes charge of the boat which, by the ruthless method of pushing off those who are clinging to it trying to save themselves, he brings to port in safety. Those are the broad outlines, but it is the clever detail work, excellent characterisation, well-written dialogue and masterly handling of spectacular sea scenes which make the picture an outstanding one. Apart from Gary Cooper's performance, which dominates the picture, George Raft deserves full praise. He is natural and as easy in his own way as is Cooper. Henry Wilcoxon is suitably melodramatic as the English naval officer and Frances Dee is attractive and convincing as the heroine. Olympe Bradna gives a poignant study of a lady's maid who is in love with George Raft and who dies with him in the wreck. Minor supporting roles are all well filled, particularly noticeable being George Zucco's portrayal of the hero's advocate, Porter Hall's prosecuting counsel and Harry Carey's sea captain. WAKE UP AND LIVE # Walter Winchell is America's greatest columnist and he makes his screen debut in this picture, which shows how he and an equally famous band leader, Ben Bernie (himself in person) battle to find a "phantom voice" which has been heard in one of the latter's programmes and so scoop the news. As a matter of fact, the basic idea of this musical is quite ingenious, but it is rather too drawn out to be wholly effective. The "voice" they try to find is actually that of a young man who was so mike conscious when he was given an audition that he fainted and ever after failed to face up to the ordeal. However, one day in front of a mike which he supposed was "dead" he tried a song, and the instrument being live wafted it into Sam Bernie's night club. His identity is discovered by a radio artiste who secretly trains him to overcome his fear and arranges for him to broadcast without his being aware that he is doing so. This, of course, leads to a love interest and the normal ending to a success story. The wise cracking between Sam Bernie and Walter Winchell is amusing and the latter shows signs that he might be as successful an actor as he is a columnist. Alice Faye supplies the feminine interest with charm and complete naturalness, and she also puts over some exceedingly tuneful numbers. Jack Haley, as the owner of the "voice," justifies the rush to secure his services and also gives a sound characterisation. Others who add to the gaiety of the proceedings as a whole which, incidentally, are very well set, are Patsy Kelly as the hero's brother and Winchell's assistant, Ned Sparks, another of Winchell's men. and Walter Catlett as a crooked theatrical agent. Grace Bradley supplies the "menace" to true love effectively. On the Screens Now "•BORN TO DANCE M.-G.-M. American. " V " certificate. Musical comedy. Runs 104 minutes. Eleanor Powell Nora Paige James Stewart Ted Barker Virginia Bruce Lucy James Una Merkel Jenny Saks Sid Silvers "Gnnny" Saks Frances Lancford "Peppy" Turner Raymond W alburn Captain Dingby Alan Dinehart McKay Buddy Ebsen "Mush" Tracy Juanita Quicley Sallv Saks Georges and Jalna Dancers Reginald Gardiner Policeman Barnett Parker Shop Walker Directed by Roy del Ruth. Words and music by Cole Porter. Previewed January 9, 1937. There is very good entertair ment value in this production in spite of its conventionality of design and it is supplied mainly by the brilliant dancing of the star and her clever acting. It is a pity that she has not been supplied with better material. James Stewart scores another success as the hero, a sailor, who is involved in a publicity campaign by a star actress's press agent who considered it was time for his charge to have a "love romance." This nearly wrecks his own love affair with a would-be actress, played by Eleanor Powell; but, as things turn out, it gives her the chance she has been wanting. The production is a lavish affair and the melodies are tuneful. The humour is not on a particularly high plane and is supplied by a burlesque of nautical fife. Una Merkel scores as the heroine's wise-cracking friend and Virginia Bruce is well in character as the stage star. ••THE GARDEN OF ALLAH United Artists. American. "A" certificate. Romantic Drama. Runs 78 minutes. Marlene Dietrich Domini Ennlden Charles Boyer Boris Androvsky Basil Rathbone Count Anteoni C. Aubrey Smith Father Roubier Tilly Losch Irena Joseph Schildkraut Batouch John Carradine Sand Diviner Alan Marshall De Trevignac Lucille Watson Mother Superior Henry Brandon Hadj Directed by Richard Boleslawski from the novel by Robert Hvhens. Previewed January 9, 1937. There are moments of undiluted beauty in this rather weak adaptation of Hichens' famous novel and I would advise you to see the picture for them and for the excellence of the composition and technical artistry if for nothing else. The story is a very light one dealing in a conventional manner with a Trappist monk who breaks his vows, falls in love with a woman and marries her, and returns to the monastery when he finds she has discovered his secret. The trouble is that the inward struggle and the spiritual torture of the renegade monk is not sufficiently brought out and the general run of the story remains too obvious and pedestrian. Charles Boyer makes the utmost of the slight material as the monk and Marlene Dietrich looking, if possible, more beautiful in the natural colour, which is one of the film s features, does her best with a part to which she is not well suited. Basil Rathbone looks well as an Italian count whose presence in the plot is very vague. C. Aubrey Smith is well in character as a priest and a perfect little character cameo is given by September 18, 1937 Lucille Watson as the Mother Superior of a convent. Finally, Tilly Losch performs an exotic dance exquisitely in one sequence, while the monk, bewildered by his first glimpse of the world, looks on. It is one of the most impressive scenes in the production. c**KING SOLOMON'S MINES GJ.D.-GM. British. "U" certificate. Adventure drama. Runs 80 minutes. Paul Robeson Umbopa Sir Cedric Hardwicke... Allan Quatermain Roland Young Commander Cook John Loder Sir Henry Curtis Anna Lee Kathy O'Brien Makubalo Hlubi Kapsie Sydney Fairbrother Gagool Ecce Homo Toto Iniadoos Robert Adams Twala Frederick Leister Scotch Wholesaler Alf Goddard Red Arthur Sinclair O'Brien Arthur Goullett Sylvestra Directed by Robert Stevenson. Based on the storv bv H. Rider Haggard. Previewed August 14, 1937. Excellent African atmosphere has been obtained by Geoffrey Barkas for this picturesque film of Rider Haggard's popular and colourful adventure story. The authentic backgrounds have been splendidly blended with the location shots at home and the result makes for conviction in atmosphere at least. Cedric Hardwicke is not an ideal Allan Quatermain, the hunter who leads his friends to a mine in Africa where they are nearly killed by natives and later almost blown up by a volcanic eruption. He is inclined to be too saturnine and not quite "honestly rough" enough. Paul Robeson scores as the deposed chief of a tribe who is restored by Quatermain, but the introduction of negro spirituals for him to sing are not altogether satisfactory. John Loder looks manly as Sir Henry Curtis and Roland Young is excellent as Commander Cook. R.N., two of the explorer's party. A heroine — whose presence I cannot remember in the book — is introduced in the person of Anna Lee. She is quite good, but she uses an Irish accent which is apt to be a little uncertain. As her father, Arthur Sinclair gives a very good characterisation. The technical work and photography are excellent and the mine sequences are exceptionally well staged and provide a really good thrill. ••THE WOMAN BETWEEN Radio. American. "A" certificate. War period triangle drama. Runs 84 minutes Paul Muni Maury Miriam Hopkins .'Denise Louis Hayward Jean Colin Clive Captain Minor Watson Deschamps Elizabeth Risdon Mother Paul Guilfoyle Bertheir Wally Albright Georges Mady Florence Alec Craig Doctor Owen Davis, Jun Mezzieres Sterllng Holloway Dupret Vince Barnett _ Mathieu Adrian Morris Marbot Donald Barry..... Michel Joe Twerp Narbonne William Stelling Pianist Directed by Anatole Litvak from the novel "L'Equipage," by Joseph Hessell. Previewed July 10. 1937. Another war-time triangle story dealing with a married man, his wife and his best friend, which is conventional in design and distinctly artificial in atmosphere It is redeemed, however, by some good acting and well -staged aertal thrills which may have lost something through familiarity, but still represent excellent technical direction. (Continued on page 26)