Picturegoer (Jul-Dec 1937)

PICTUREGOER Weekly September IS, 1937 REVIEWS by Lionel Collier— Continued I believe, to acquire the new "horror" rating. I have seen a good many films more horrifying than this and one wonders why, if The Thirteenth Chair is to receive such a certificate, it was not given to Night Must Fall, which is infinitely more gruesome, in part, because it is so much more subtle. Dame May Whitty is good as the rather common medium, who is called in by a certain John Wales in the hope of clearing up the mystery of the murder of his friend, who was stabbed to death in his bungalow. It is during the seance that John Wales is also stabbed. Naturally all present come under suspicion. John Wales is admirably characterised by Henry Daniel! , and Lewis Stone is polished and natural as the detective. Madge Evans does good work as the medium's daughter who is engaged to the governor's son, played by Thomas Beck. Holmes Herbert and Janet Beecher are sound as the governor and his wife. Other suspects are well enacted by Elissa Landi, Ralph Forbes, Charles Trowbridge, Robert Coote and Elsa Buchanan ; the last two provide some light relief effectively. On the Screens Now c***FIRE OVER ENGLAND United Artists. British. "V" certificate. Historical drama. Runs 91 minutes. Flora Robson Queen Elizabeth Raymond Massev Philip of Spain Leslie Banks Leicester Laurence Olivier Michael Vivien Leigh Cynthia Morton Selten Burleigh Tamara Desni Elena Lyn Harding Sir Richard George Thirlwell Gregory Henry Oscar Spanish Ambassador Robert Rendell Don Miguel Robert Newton Don Pedro Donald Calthrop Don Escobal Charles Carson Admiral Valdez Directed by William K. Howard. Based on the novel by A. E. W. Mason. Previewed March 13, 1937. One of the most notable pictures of the year, a really finely produced and directed historical romance which is a real credit to British studios. I dealt with it very fully in our issue of March 13, to which I would refer readers who require fuller details than I have space for here. A romantic love story is played out against the background of the Elizabethan Court and the war between Spain and England. The period is brilliantly mirrored and, except for a bad lapse — the defeat of the Armada is terribly artificial and too palpably model work — the technical qualities and settings are remarkably fine. Added to this is the all-round brilliance of the acting. Flora Robson is truly great as Queen Elizabeth, and brings out both the characteristics of the Queen and the woman. Leslie Banks is extremely dignified as the Earl of Leicester, and the lovers are exceedingly sympathetically portrayed by Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. An outstanding character study is given by Morton Selten as Elizabeth's aged adviser, Lord Burleigh, and Raymond Massey is perfectly in the picture as Philip of Spain. All the minor roles are admirably 30 filled, and the picture represents excellent and intelligent entertainment. c**THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER Warner. American. "U" certificate. Period Adventure drama. Runs 120 minutes. Errol Flynn Miles Hendon Henry Stephenson Duke of Norfolk Billy Mauch Tom Canty Alan Hale Captain of the Guard Lionel Pape Second Lord Murray Kinnell Hugo Phyllis Barry Barmaid Montagu Love Henry VIII Elspeth Dudgeon Grandmother Canty Forrester Harvey Meaty Man Lester Matthews St. John Harry Cording Second Guard Rex Evans Rich Man Ian MacLaxen Second Doctor Gwendolyn Jones Lady Elizabeth Harry Berks ford The Watch Ian Wolp Proprietor Claude Rains Earl of Hertford Barton MacLane John Canty Bobby Mauch Prince Edward Eric Port m a s First Lord Leonard Willey Third Lord Halliwell Hobbes Archbishop Ivan Simpson Clemens Fritz Leiber Father Andrew Mary Field Mrs. Canty Helen Valkie Lady Jane Seymour Robert Adair First Guard Robert Warwick Lord Warwick Holmes Herbert First Doctor Ann Howard Lady Jane Grey Lionel Braham Ruffler Lionel Belmore Inn Keeper Directed by William Keighley, from the novel by Mark Twain. Previewed May 22, 1937. The story of the pauper who changes places with the young Prince Edward and is nearly crowned in the Abbey is familiar to most of you, and it has been filmed with a fine sense of spectacle, excellent dramatic touches, and plenty of robust comedy. It is important, by the way, not to regard it as an historical film, as some people seem to have done who have expressed disapproval of the filming of the Coronation sequences. Mark Twain was a humorist and a humanitarian, and this is a basically humorous and human picture. The best performance is given by Claude Rains as a scheming Duke who tries to get Henry VIII to appoint him protector to his son. Errol Flynn is happy in the role of an adventurous soldier who saves the boy king' s life, and the Mauch twins are very good as the prince and the pauper — which is which I have not quite fathomed even yet. •*ON THE AVENUE Fox. American. "U" certificate. Musical comedy. Runs 88 minutes. Dick Powell Gary Blake Madeleine Carroll Mimi Can-away Alice Faye Mona Merrick Ritz Brothers Themselves George Barbier Commodore Can-away Alan Mowbray Frederick Sims Cora Witherspoon Aunt Fritz Walter Catlett Jake Dibble Douglas Fowley Eddie Eads Stepin Fetchit Herman Joan Davis Miss Katz Paul Gerrits Joe Cherry Sic Rumann Herr Hanfstangel Billy Gilbert Joe Papaloupas Douglas Wood Mr. Trivet Paul Irving Harry Morris Ricardo Mandia Luigi John Sheehan Stage Manager E. E. Clive Cabby Harry Stubbs Kelly Edward Cooper Potts Directed by Roy Del Ruth. Screen play by Gene Mar hey and William Conselman. Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. Previewed July 31, 1937. A really good musical comedy, simple, but effective in plot, and excellently staged and cast. The back-stage background is particularly effective because the producers, whilst being lavish, have not attempted to present anything that would not be possible on a real stage. It concerns a pretty heiress who falls in love with an actor who is lampooning her family on the stage. He promises to cut out some of the ridicule, but a jealous young actress makes the satirical sketch e-<-en more biting, and, of course, the heiress blames the actor. Sre retaliates by buying up the show and paying a crowd to "walk out" on one of his song numbers. After which the breach between them is complete and the heiress decides to marry her explorer fiance. However, a wordly-wise aunt takes a hand in the game, and the romance ends as all good romances should do. Dick Powell is in particularly good form as the actor, both histrionically and vocally, but Madeleine Carroll is badly served in her part. She looks alluring, but has only to go through the motions of acting. Alice Faye has a role as the jealous actress, which suits her admirably. She brings real character to it and puts over her song numbers most effectively. George Barbier is good as the heiress' father, and Alan Mowbray, as he has often done before, makes a hit with the small role of the conceited explorer. Cora Witherspoon is amusing as the aunt and the Ritz Brothers have moments of inspired fooling. ••AFTER THE THIN MAN M.G.M. American. "A" certificate. Detective comedy. Runs 111 minutes. William Powell Nick Charles Myssa Loy Nora James ctewart David Elissa Landi Selma Joseph Calleia "Dancer" Jessie Ralph Aunt Katherine Alan Marshall. Robert Teddy Hart Casper Sam Levbne Abrams Dorothy McNulty Polly William Law Lome Kee George Zucco Dr. Kammer Paul Fix Phil and Asta with Mrs. Asta. Directed by W. S. Van Dyke, from the story by DashuU Hammett. Previewed April 7, 1937 TTThile not living up to the VV excellence of The Thin Man — very few sequels do succeed in that — this detective comedy provides very good light entertainment. The situations are cleverly contrived and, even if one does always The PICTUREGOER'S quick reference index c#"FIRE OVER ENGLAND c"THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER ••ON THE AVENUE ••AFTER THE THIN MAN •THE GAP •SECRET LIVES •SWING HIGH. SWING LOW •FIND THE WITNESS cTREASON CLOTHES AND THE WOMAN FIFTY-SHILLING BOXER SPEED LIMITED cBLAZING GUNS What the asterisks mean — *••* An outstanding feature. ••* Very good. •• Good. * Average entertainment. c A/so suitable for children. sense the mechanism that goes to their making, they certainly keep one amused. The story concerns the efforts of William ' ' Charles " Powell and Myrna "Nora" Loy to discover the murderer of the rascally husband of Nora's cousin, Selma. The man who is in love with her is suspected. Action is fairly fast, although at times it drags and the appeal lies more in the individual situations than in the plot as a connected whole. Both William Powell and Myrna Loy are in good form and present the same characters as in the picture's predecessor. James Stewart is exceedingly good as David, the man who is in love with Selma. He has the one strongly dramatic scene in the picture. Elissa Landi is effective as Selma, half-crazed by her husband's cruelty, and Joseph Calleia gives a fine characterisation of a slimy nightclub proprietor. Other parts are very well enacted ; of course, there is always Asta. •THE GAP General Film Distributors. British. "A" certificate. Documentary. Runs 38 minutes George Mulcaster AirVice-Marshal Patric Cur wen Major-General Lecturer Carle ton Hobbs Cabinet Minister Jack Vivyan Butcher Charles Denville Baker Norman Woo land Candlestick Maker Arthur Metcalfe Rich Man Peter Cozens Poor Man Foster Carun Apothecary Gunners, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 54th A. A. Brigades, R.A.; Searchlights, 26th, 27th A. A. Battalions R.E.; Signallers, 1st. A .A. Divisional Signals; Airmen, No. 32 (Fighter) Squadron, 48th (General Reconnaissance) Squadron, 2nd (Army Co-operation) Squadron, 102nd (Bomber) Squadron. Directed by Donald Carter. Obviously made as recruiting propaganda, this film is well handled and treated, and, like all the best propaganda, has sound entertainment value. With the co-operation of the Army and Air Force, the director has given a vivid impression of an aerial attack on England and the countermeasures employed. The continuity is not quite as good as it might have been, but many of the sequences are highly expressive and holding. •SECRET LIVES A.BS.D. British. " A" certificate . Spy drama. Runs 79 minutes. Brigitte Horney Lena Schmidt Neil Hamilton Lt. Pierre de Montmalion Ivor Barnard Little Man with the Bald Head Charles Carson Henri Gyles Isham Franz Abel Raymond Lovell Chief of the German Secret Service Frederick Lloyd Chief of the French Secret Service Ben Field Karl Schmidt Directed by Edmond GrevilU. There is not a great deal of suspense or excitement in this espionage story, which attempts to show the mental reactions of the protagonists rather than their physical adventures. There is quite a lot of clever camera work, but it tends to defeat its own purpose by being clever for the sake of being clever, and not for the advancement of the plot. Brigitte Horney is quite glamorous as a German -born French spy, who, after the war, is convicted as being a traitor to France by forged documents from a German source. Neil Hamilton is fair as a young French officer who marries the spy as a matter of convenience and later falls in love with her. •SWING HIGH, SWING LOW Paramount. American. "A" certificate Romantic comedy. Runs 95 minutes. Carole Lombard Maggie King Fred MacMurray Skid Johnson Charles Buttkrworth Harry Rankin