Silver Screen (Jun-Oct 1940)

98 ^ Si Reviews [Continued from page 90] his excellent direction. The wonderful Mr. S. Z. Sakall gives another of his priceless performances, and Eddie Albert wanders through the story in his always unique style. Stand-outs in the cast are Jane Wyman, Spring Byington, William Orr and Ann Gillis. For pure pleasure don't miss this. SUSAN AND GOD Cause For Celebration — M-G-M JOAN CRAWFORD and Fredric March co-star in this excellent screen version of the Rachel Crolhers' play, and Joan and Freddie both give out with topnotch performances that are really something to write home about. The Crawford fans, and include me in, can certainly gather around and clap hands because ver Screen for September Joan has the best picture she's had in years, and at last a role that is worthy of her. Joan plays Susan, a fluttery socialite, who returns from a trip abroad and announces to her society friends that she has become a disciple of Lady Wigstaff {Constance Collier), and has found "a new approach to God.'' She insists that all her friends "confess" and the-eby messes their lives up beautifully. But she is brought to earth, at last, by her drunken husband {Freddie), who challenges her to apply her new-found religion to her own marriage and make a home, for the summer, for her daughter. Before it is too late, Susan realizes that she has been a selfish so-and-so and returns to her husband. George Cukor has done an excellent job of direction, and is particularly brilliant in his handling of young Rita Quigley, who plays the daughter. Susan's socialite friends are Ruth Hussey, Rose Hobart, Nigel Bruce, Rita Hayworth, Bruce Cabot and John Carroll. 1940 UNTAMED Cool Off With a Blizzard — Paramount THIS is the new version of the Sinclair Lewis novel which was originally filmed under the title of "Mantrap," and in which the luscious Clara Bow played the lead. Patricia Morison, also luscious, this time plays the young wife who has married big husky Canadian woodsman Akim Tamiroff out of gratitude. Into the north woods comes Ray Milland, a young doctor who is trying to get away from it all, and of course he and Patricia fall in love and there's the old problem of what to do about the husband. He's finished off nicely in a blizzard, but not a cornflakes blizzard, a real honest-to-goodness one that will practically have your breath forming icicles just from looking at it. The picture makes excellent use of Technicolor, and is just the thing to see these hot summer days when the tar is soft in the streets. Pictures on the Fire ! [Continued from page 75] Brothers' endless procession of biographies. This is about Julius Rcuter who founded the now famous Reuter News Service. As a boy, Reuter {Dickie Moore) becomes deeply interested in hastening mail to its destination when he guides James Stephenson {special courier for the verland service of the London Times) to t'^c president of the bank in the little village of Gottingen, Germany, particularly when he hears Paul Irving {the banker) express a need for even faster handling of the mail. Sixteen years later Reuter, now grown {Edward G. Robinson), opens a news business in Brussels with branches in several middle European cities. They deliver messages by carrier pigeons between towns and cities lacking that new-fangled and uncertain means of communication — the electric telegraph. He sees his chance to publicize his business when Edward McWade {a chemist) rushes in with the news that he has sent some fever medicine that has been poisoned, to a hospital in Aachen, and he wants to warn the doctor not to use it. "Quick," says Robinson, "to whom does this go?" "Dr. Magnus — Aachen Central Hospital." Robinson hurriedly scribbles a message on a "flimsy" — a sheet of thin paper. "Fever medicine poisoned. Do not use." He pushes it towards McWade. "Sign this." The chemist signs and Robinson quickly writes another — and another, ordering him to sign all of them. "But they're all the same," McWade protests. "We'll send three pigeons," Robinson explains, already risen and on his way, "and then no matter what happens, one of them will get through. Can't take any chances." But when they reach the pigeon pens the cages are open — empty. if; s|e Jfi. I DRIFT over to the next stage where James Stewart and Rosalind Russell are making "No Time for Comedy." He's a playwright and she's a famous actress who is about to begin rehearsals in his new play, but she hasn't met him yet and doesn't know who he is. They are sitting in the orchestra when she discovers she hasn't any cigarettes. And Jimmie, the gent, gallantly offers to go out and get her some. "W ait a minute," Regal Roz commands, digging in her purse. "Here's the fifteen cents." "Oh, I — I — " Jimmie begins, frightfully embarrassed. "Here — quarter is the smallest I have," she announces, handing him the coin. "Why, I — / — " Jimmie stammers, shocked at the idea of taking money from a lady. Then Miss Russell looks at his suit and understands. "You can keep the change," she offers magnificently. Jim starts to flee in conf usion, hesitates half way up the aisle, stops and turns: "I — / really ought to be here when they start the play." "I'll tell you about it," she condescendingly promises. But just then the manager comes up. "Oh, Linda, I want you to meet our author, Gaylord Esterbrook," he introduces them. Fcr once, the fair Rosalind, as she stares at him in horrified surprise, is speechless. But not for long. "Give me back my quarter," she commands. :|c jjc sjs ETlHERE is one other picture shooting J cut here — "Money and the Woman," featuring Jeffrey Lynn, Brenda Marshall, and Roger Pryor, but the scene Brenda is doing with a little baby is not important, so there's no use going into it. Next stop is — United Artists WALTER WANGER has a picture . shooting here called "Foreign Correspondent," starring Joel McCrea and Laraine Day, with Herbert Marshall. George Sanders, Albert Basserman and Robert Benchley prominently featured. Joel is the foreign correspondent and has just met Laraine at a banquet the Organization for Universal Peace is giving, somewhere abroad. He thinks she is the publicity woman for the organization. He is struggling with a Mrs. Appleby and a Latvian. A waiter passes with a tray of cocktails and Joel takes one and hands it to the Latvian who tosses it off with an enthusiastic gutteral speech of appreciation. "Now, we're getting somewhere," Joel smiles. "The universal language." He hands the foreigner another and takes one himself. "One more of these and I'll be speaking your language." The foreigner senses this is a joke and goes off into a gale of laughter. Laraine, making notes in a little book, almost runs into them. The foreigner beams at her, bows sharply and, in his own tongue: "How do you do, Miss Carol?" "Why, how do you do, Mr. Preszeydyl?" she comes back in the same tongue. Joel stares at her open-mouthed for a moment and then hastily decides to be a "racy" foreign correspondent. "They come in pairs," he laughs. "Sister, if you speak English, give me a hand with the Laughing Latvian. What's his racket? What's he speaking?" "Latvian," says Laraine. "No kidding!" he comes back. "I didn't know the Lats had a language. I thought they just rubbed noses. You actually speak Latvian?" he goes on admiringly. "Just enough to get around" she assures him. "What does 'getting around' consist of in Latvia?" he persists. "I don't think you'll have any trouble," she squelches him. Maybe he won't, but if I don't bring this to a. close I'm going to have trouble with the editor so — until next month — "So long, folks." PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. BY THE CU NEC PRESS. INC.