Screenland (Nov 1935-Apr 1936)

98 SCREENLAND O'Shaughnessy's Boy M-G-M For a good emotional binge, an interesting story and a fine production, this is it. The famous team of "The Champ," Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper, are re-united in a circus story about an animal trainer who loses his wife and baby boy. He spends years searching for the boy. Beery turns in one of the best performances to date. Jackie is growing up to be a fine actor. Sarah Haden and Spanky McFarland, great. Two wistful lonely hearts, with their pitiful pretenses and frustrations, are sensitively portrayed by Zasu Pitts and Hugh O'Connell. They find each other at Coney Island, only to be lost again — but not for long. The finish goes a little too far for logic, but the rest is played and directed with feeling and a good, firm soft-pedal. Walter Catlett is amusing as the butterinner who finally brings some good news. The Bishop Misbehaves M-G-M "I Plenty of exciting action about an English bishop who loves detective stories and finds himself in the midst of a case to solve. Beautifully played by Edmund Gwynn, newcomer from the English stage. Maureen O' Sullivan is delightful as the spunky inventor's daughter who has her father's papers stolen back again from the original thieves. Reginald Owen, Dudley Digges and the others make up a really fine cast Special Agent Warners Stylized melodrama made interesting by Bette Davis, George Brent, and Ricardo Cortez, and more than averagely stirring by reason of its exposition of how the Treasury Department lands in jail for income tax evasion those higher-ups in the crime world who are too powerful for local police. Bette is the bookkeeper for the racketeer, Cortez, and George is the Federal agent posing -lis a reporter. It's good. TAGGING the TALKIES Delight Evans' Reviews on Pages 52-53 Red Salute United Artists The Communist menace in colleges, with a slight touch of "It Happened One Night" influence thrown in, supplies the story material for this entertaining picture. Barbara Stanwyck rates salutes for her acting as the General's daughter, in love with Hardie Albright, would-be "Red." She is sent to Mexico and falls in love with an enlisted man, Robert Young. The comedy is funny, and the situations pretty good. Powdersmoke Range RKO-Radio "Horse opera" deluxe. Whether or not you're a western fan, here's action, fun, and excitement. The cast, a regular roundup of some of the films' greatest western stars, includes Harry Carey, Hoot Gibson, ^ Bob Steele, Tom Tyler and many more, ■• Boots Mallory is the pretty girl whose ranch ' is being raided by rustlers. Plenty of gunplay, and a pistol duel between Carey and Tyler that's a thriller. A swell western. This Is the Life Fox Jane Withers proves herself an all-round entertainer par excellence in this story of a stage child, taken illegally from an orphanage by the cruel couple who over-work her in vaudeville. As escape, she masquerades as a boy, and on the open road has the amusing experiences and complications which make up the chief interest of the film. John McGuire, Sidney Toler, Sally Blane and others in the cast give fine support. Muni never disappoints, and here is no exception. An interesting characterization of a surgeon setting up practice in a small town, facing its hostilities and getting involved with a gang of desperadoes whom he is instrumental in bringing into the hands of the G-Men. There's also an interesting romance ; Ann Dvorak figures here, and engagingly. Excitement and suspense, and Paul Muni. What more do you want? Little America Paramount An account of Admiral Richard Byrd's second expedition into Antarctia, magnificently photographed and interestingly presented. Byrd is unquestionably the star, although his men come in for some attention. This is a screen record of exploring with every modern device available, yet it remains a hazardous adventure in the interests of science, conducted in the endless expanses of snow and treacherous water. Freckles RKO-Radio A fine production of the well-known Gene Stratton-Porter story; a good clean film, with lots of laughs and thrills, for all the family. Virginia Weidler puts it in her pocket and begins to go places. She is the whole show. Tom Brown is Freckles, and Carol Stone is his school-teacher romance, but the love story is second in importance. A simple, sincere, and entertaining picture, recommended for everybody. The Virginia Judge Paramount For a good homey evening among regular folks, and lots of -laughs, you can't beat this story of a small-town judge .expertly played by Walter . C. Kelly. Robert Curhmings does a lot with the problemyoung-man who is finally won over by understanding and heroic patience. Marsha Hunt, the romance, is charmingly natural. In supplying comedy from the colored element, Stepin Fetchit really goes to town.