Variety (Aug 1932)

VARIETY FILM REVIEWS Tuesday, Auguet 30, 1932 'TEE -FOR TWO» Comiedy, Singirtg, Dancing 17 Mins. Strand, N. Y. . Vitaphone No. 1417-8 A hodgepodge of slivglhg, dancing, comedy and novelty woven around a light story. Entirely In Tech- nicolor arid elaborate on sete^ cos- tuming, etc., but generally lacks the pace to set It aside from routine revue-sketcli material. There Is a Uttle too much of nearly everything In 'Tee-for Two,' mostly singing arid dancing. Short: would have been more effective if trimmed down to about 12 minutes, but in view of the polish, flash and color ll has enough of . a touch to avoid. coriipIalntQ. Franklin Pangborn, Esther How- ard, Helen Lynd, Babe Kane and Dave Morris a,re among, those in the cast. • Parigbom does a wife- wearied .husband to whom the golf club Is .nts only refuge. ■ He Is in and out of the picture, often lost for stretches to allow for sori& dance and other numbers^ On the whole the story holds together fairly well. It's'based" on a novel idea. Pang- born holding out against permitting womien into the golt clyb. • When accidentally bit .with a golf ball, he sees in his state of .uriconsclousriess a lot of lovely girlies loom upi* They go into dances, etc., . carrying golf clubs land tennis^ i«cquets. AOtlon moves: all iardiuidi finally: into the ladiesf locker-room:and .at last, to the swlmriiing, pool. .;. NUnveroiis -yaude turns have been lised, Inoludlhg'. doubles,'a Juggling group and a. man> who wrestles with himsdif. ';. : ■ Majority of the son)? and dance numb^r;^ are nicely .executedi "Short is one'Of several made on the .Coast, in ■ colofti with Warners using-up ^Cechrilcolo'f' in this man- ner under, that company's ciwnriilt- Dfient<. . ' ; ' Ohar. THE NICKELETTE' Novelty . 10 Mins. Strand, N. Y.. Vita. No; 1399 , , Amusing but. not ais weir struntr together as some of its type. vShort bolls down to. 10 ipiriutes an' Idea 'of what a film show-was like in the palnder days of the silent, pictures. Where novelty of this kind "Is pre- ferred, a buy. Material has been compiled by Burt Frank. It includes amusing slides reminiscent of another day, a cotiple bid shots under the head of Pathetic Newsreel, a ballad singer working with song slides^ and parts from a couple 'super dramas.' One Is ian oldie in which the late Bu- dolph Valentino appeared as a gangster. There has been considerable of this sort, of thing in shorts form of late, but'for many folks they still pack a lot of interest. Char. LOUISE FAZENDA *UNION WAGES' Comedy 20 MIns. Camoo, N. Y. . Univerfiial One of the better two-reelers, containing several good laughs, an Idea or two of originality and a couple standard names. Miss Fai zenda is aided in the acting line by Sidney Toler and Jim Flnlayson. It'.3 not an especially new Idea of the plumber In to fix the lady's bathtub. She has a Jealous school- mate caller and wants to impress her, sc hires the plumber to make believe he's hubby; He puts it dn thick, and as played by Toler gar- ners a whole armful of laughs. Miss Fazenda looks better in this one than-she has in Some time. • Kauf. 'BELIEVE IT OR NOT' With Bob Ripley and , Leo Donnelly Novelty Travelog 8 Mins.<. Winter Garden, Nevw Yor^- VitaphoniB No. 1363 Group of travel clips" and riot so unusual, sho>iyIng a piece of terri- tory around Gibraltar over which Spain and England were once in controversy with neither getting it a newly invented collapsible auto in Berlin; a N. T. haberdasher .who specializes in clothes for fat people only; a butt picker who sells his plcked-un stogies, and the 11th ave- nue (N. T.) railroad Jockey who races up and ^own warning of an approaching train. ■ _ Technically this subject is done okay. The photography passes, but It sizes only with regular newsreel matter. With so much of present- day niewsreelB being mpstly ma^- zine, any theatre uUllzing both this type of subject besldiss a newsreel has -plenty to figure oyt for cus- tomer entertainment nossibllltles. Shots are silent, but the voice of Leo Donnelly details , the silent action offscreen. Donnelly, one ol the.vscreen'ff best racoriteurs,^ «o6s superior lecturing ai ustiaL Sfton. CHARLEY CHASE First in. War" Comedy • 20 Mint. . Orpheum, N. Y. Metro One of .. the best turned out, , though a , cent of the Slim Sulnmervllle Uni- versal shorts:" .rilenty of good, clean laughs, with considerable, ac- tion make :Jt okay despite the obr vious derivation. . ,• i ■ Cha§e IS cast aM the marine in some phOny. South American coun- try and fighting, with his sergeaht aWut a native gal. - Bringing in goofy revolutionist who likes to sing and Joins Chase's quartette, rather than his own army makes | for a surprisingly funny set.ef coni- plleations. - -: ■ ■ v- • MAN-EATING SHARKS Cannibals'of the OeepV Mack Sennett Adventure Series 8 Mins. Transluxt N. Y. Educational In his series on fleh life titled Cannibals of the Deep' "Uaxik Sen-: nett groups various flashes of land^ Ing man-eating sharks for. the pres- ent release. . Its difference . frotn m^n.y similar subjedts is that it «m- phasilzes the strength of the shirk even after he has been hauled into the boat. Subject has as good a continuity, as can" be expected, Series ■ however, is better • for; the | neighborhood type Of theatre. ^ Waly. 'BERLH! TODAY' Travelog 9 Mins. , . i Strand, N- Y. Vitaphone No. 1367 One of the E. M. Newnian Travel talks taking' a tourist's look-see at Berlin. It's complete as to iriipor- tant highlights of a visit of that city, but dwells a Uttle too much on police dogs and their training, Otherwise Interesting and well done, particularly as to photography. Newman, whose voice has pleasant tonal quality, delivers the usual offscreen explanation. A por tion of the short deals with Berlin at night, revealing the city's bril- liant mazda advertising. Char. MAGIC CARPET SERIES 'Silver Springs' 10 Mino. Embassy, N. Y. Fox Movietone Regular newsreels have worked the Silver Springs, Fla., from every angle time and again. There is .i different slant in this Carpet epi Bpcle. A couple are allowed to give the Impression of staying under water for t".;e fuir 10 minutes of the sub- ject's running time. The swimmers explore the noor of the pool. with the aid of an under-water cariiera. Waly_. Chase has | bit reminls- Mmuitiire Reviews 'Life Begins' (FN). Splendid women's ■ picture promising at Jeast solid matinee business. Particularly well cast and played -with names which mean more on performance than they do on a marquee. 'Back Street' lU); Corking transition of Fanhie Hurst novel featuring Irene Dunne arid Johri Boles. Swell ro- mcmce, a' little: tear-Jerklrig, and a wOman'a picture-r- which means a money produc- ■ tion." ■ "Night Club. Lady' (Col). Save for islowness through de- tail, a murder riiystery that holds the Interest Adolpho Menjou as master detective makes it what it is but no love interest at all which, may hurt where that^s expecte^f to Men- ■ Jou.: •, 'Passport to Hell' (Fox). Pictorlally good but stale story piiils it down. 'Alias Mary Smith.' A mur- der mystery with a. faint touch of novelty, but riot above aver-; age indie. . 'Man From New. Mexico.' Formula story made ntore lik- able- than, usual .through good acting:arid conap^tent direction. Will pie^we.' 'Law of the North' (Mono-^ gram)..-' ' Arijbltlojifl ■' ' western dranui which does iiot achieve its ariftbltiori. of being .different; Bill Cody and ^dy .Shurford.; Fair prograiri.. The Sign, the Four' (TWrortdwlcle). Top bad this la lacking on - the technical end hecause it is the best knit and mest -promising of tixe Doyle BtfleB.riaade on the other side. 'FlarriiM (Monogram). Great Avfi scene, ..but slovenly worked plot responsible for confining picture chiefly to the lesser bozoffices. . ' .'Schoon .1st die Manoeverzeit' (iWolfla TradeJ^- Another Ger- mkn ■■ Mllitarj^!;' farce. Not much b.o. hope except "in strictly Gernian nabes; . 'Last Mllo' (World \y^ide). Depressing subject of convicts in the death house. Picture without feminine Interest and lacking, public interest: such as . helped stage play of two sea- soris ago. LIFE 3EG1NS First National production and "Wartier Bros, release. Features Loretta Young and Eric Linden. Aline >MacMahon.. Preston Foster. Olenda Farrell underlined, plrect- od Dy James Flood and Elliott „$Ju6ent. Adapted from Mary M. Axelson'a play or same name. Screen play by Earl Baldwin; Aim • editor. George Marks; photography, James Van Trees: technical direction, Dr. Harry Martin. At the Hollywood, N. Y., SCREEN SNAPSHOTS* » Mirit.- New -Yorlq New York P*'/'"'''*'^. .x- M ; I for iwice daily pop prices^ r Concerns Itself wholly with Hoot j^^^. 28. Running time. 71 mins. .Gibson's.rodeo .at the latter's ranch gj^^g sutton roretta Young in l£ay, with the date plainly show- jed suttoh.... :.v^','P from the fence signs. As a I Miss Bowers Aline MacMahon the play, Glenda Farrell, as a hard- boiled night club performer who goes the way Of all mothers after insisting she'll have nothing_to do with her twins. She alngs 'Franklo and Jonnnie'' to One infant, aftor it arrives, as the closest to a lullaby she can get. Miss Farrell's per- formance is splendid and the twist given the ribald ditty IS an effec- tive theatric jtouch no matter how obvious. ^ : Aline MacMahon, as the ever effi- cient nurse. Miss Farrell and Eric Llriden comprise the performing highlights. Linden Is particularly sincere and believeable as the very yOung and distracted father whllO Miss MacMahori is outstanding with an impressive perfOrriaance which she expertly shades as called upon. In the early running Frank McHugh is prominent as one of those 'we riever lost a father yet' examples, and to blm is confined most of the gestures at comedy. Miss Toung is convlncmg throughout in a none too easy role, being restricted as to action and clothes. That she may not seem the type who would kill a man is not fatal. Also worth more than casual mention Is Dorothy Peterson ias a psychopathic patient suffering from the delusion that she -is going to have a child and who is always seeking the maternity ward. ^ Film reveals a fine selection of players in all instances and good dialog direction. Photographically it holds nothing unusual other tha;n ,a monotonous penchant for process- ing the next scene to . the screen fronqi left to right, with nary any variation. . . It's a vivid treatise on the qualmis of parenthood as regards both mothr ers arid fathers. Hum&nly and deli- cately, presented It carries its thematic punch which may Jolt the thoughtless and explain why inen will be disinclined to give it verbal support. But It treats of a vital subject, foi* women; they'll be en- thralled and in sympathy with it. Young, girls, probably seeing the picture in groups, are apt to steer their maiie escorts. elsewhere at night. 'Which riiaikes. 'Iiife .-Begins' seem a big matinee picture vlth night busmess mostly a riiatter of the married couples. That the studio never anticipated the home -office reaction-to the film appeara evident in the Introductory scoring,. .the musical, theme being that Old .tin pan alley pop," 'Pretty Baby.' Tied Iri with the dignity which WB hiM tried to evolve for the-picture; and which it deserves, that 'Pretty'Baby* seems all Out of key., Film looks to bo under the $200,000 on cost with Warhers hav- ing paid but $6,000 for the play. James Flood arid Elliott Nugent share co-direction billing, the latter being credited for dialog super- vision. As it unwinds first honors assuredly belong to Nugent for, as previously statied, it's the literal translation of the play which has been made to count here. Pertinent to exhibitors may be the report that at the recent "Warner national trade shows a rating voted on by attending theatre men on the features screened placed 'Life Be- gns' fourth in the list. tSid. ing. novelty and detailed screening of ^J°f«J^«^-j{,i-'p^-,i^„i;;;;*;i^^^ what goes on iri a rodeo together Mpg. MacQUvary....; vivienne Oshome with glimpses of a dozen or so film Banks..,. ^'S{U?rt*RSSnd celebs^ ln>e rodeo audience, this 1<>:S-o^^^---^^^^^^^^ 'snapshot' may • make interesting jjr. MacQlivory ...Herbert Mundin filler,.-Photography is oke. Action Mrs. west ciara Biandicic is silent .with an offscreen voice lec- Mrs ^'^^--j- ^ii^^^^ turlng/ Voice is okay. ' * ' William Powell, Mary Plckford, Tom Mix, Sally. Ellers, Mltzl Green, I a good picture, a woman's picture, Jackie' Searle, Ginger Rogers, Lew. different, and on the serious side. Cody, Bill Hart and Tim McCoy Basis of the theme is child birth are among the celebs glimpsed. with the entire locale a hospital Shan. I and the story particularly concerned with a cross section of probably any TED HUSING I maternity ward. Sportslants Its strength is Its cast and the e MinsJ natural drama which the surround- Wlnter Garden, N. Y. Ings imply, Its weakness is the Snapny B minutes under the CBg problematic reaction of men and announcer's expert spleliniT, starting adolescents. "Women, universally, off Very Ripley with a child wonder will like It and sustain it for box golfer, Sol Hartman, but soon going office success. ■ into the more substantial Sport- Picture is an adaptation of a play slants picturizing Miami. outboard which opened iri New York last motorboat racing and a cross-coun- spring and rari Just one week de- try steeplechase to a rousing and spite that it created a definite de- electrlc finish, catching the third- gree of favorable word-of-mouth from-behlnd nag coming to the fore among the wOmen who saw it. It In excellent fashion. reached Broa.dway after having Youn<r Hartman's links wizardry been introduced by a collegiate is likewise legit, and the fast water group at Columbia University, sporting iri Florida waters Is a nice | As a film it ignoreis much of the build-up for the equestrian finale. Abel. 'TRANSATLANTIC MYSTERY' Detective Drama 22 Mins. Winter Garden, New York Vitaphone No. 1439-1440. So far as is known this is the wlndup of the Van Dine detective series. It's not a good one' and I comedy which it held as a play It's becomie a sober screen discourse ending with the death of ithe mother at her own wish to save the child and despite thO young husband's orders to the contrary. That she is a prisoner, about to embark on a I sentence for murder, also inclines the doctors to the girl's rather than the boy^s_gommand. Story simple In its delineation of [ the arrivlrig Of a first born, doesn't a good one ^ . hard to recommend for any type of I^Q^ncern Uself wlthTh7 customers because it ends con- fusedly. A London geni thief is murdered by his Anierlca.n pal I other than to use is as a further sympathetic device for the fright cned Loretta Young, the Implication Latter absconds with the Jewels, Uj^jn t^j^^ justified regard while a mysterious blonde, bel ev- j ^ ^he sidelights are Ing him to be the dead man. gives ^j^^ ^^rnen in the ward from varl fl"^^®' -^"\^"<=.^" ous-social levels and the different IS also killed and the woman » pis- temperaments involved (Continued pn page 21^ I Jhere it! one fiast retention from BACKSTREET ^ UDlvetul produotlon' knd release featar« Ing Irene Dunne and John Boles. From Fannie Hurst'* novel Of the same name, direoted by John If. Bt«tal, adapted by Gladys I«taman; caineni, Karl Freiind. At the Mayfalr, N. T., fommencing Aug. 20. Running time. 80 minutes. . Ray Schmidt........ Irene. Dunnel 'Walter Sazel ........John iBoles Freda Schmidt... June Clyde Kurt Shendler...........i.^Oeorge Meeker Mrs. Dole. ZaSu Pitts Francine... Shirley Orey Mrs. Sazel........ ...i..Dorio Lloyd Richard "William Bakcwell Beth . Arietta Duncon Mrs. Snxel, ,Sr........Mad? Turner Gordon Bakelesd. .Vtralter Catlett Frothero.^. .James .Donlaa Mr. Schmidt.......^.......I..Faul. "Welgel Mrs. Schmidt . Jane Darwell... Uncle Felix.............;..Robert McWad* A wlriner. It s a tear-jerker, with-, out being . artificially sentimental, impressing In the main as a numan > document faithfully translated into celluloid and sound, which rings true from start to finish. Just as Fannie Hurst's best seller must have fired the Imagination of readers a couple: of. years ago, this saga, of Ray Schmidt , who lives In' a shadowy 'back street,' and tech- nically meretricious relationship with Walter Sasel, leaps off the screen and smacks, the auditor above .the gray ma;tter ; arid under: the heart. ' ■ Its skillful transition to the screen has everything in. Its favor for box. office. The sympathy for Ray Schmidt is naturally,: hunranly and wallopingly - developed, even unto Irene Durine's superb characteriza- tion winning her- audience away from a slightly unconventional start where she is shown hob-riobbing : gayiy, but . harmlessly, with the traveling salesmen in the Ovcr-the-. Rhine beer gardens. of Cincinnati. . Her ready acquiescence to every' demand of her lover (John Boles); despite his own imminent riiarriage, 'for family reasons,' Is as natural' in Its artlessness as having a cup oC cOftee, and yet it Is packed with human Interest and sympathetic romance, without becoming wishy- washy or maudlin. At no Ume is It sieazlly senti- mental. The sentimentality of Ray Schmidt iand "Walter Saxel's pseudo- unconventional association is a nat-* ural, humanly progressive which is built up without ostentation, and is all the riiore gripping by . its very ease-and naturalness. Miss Durine is excellent as Ray Schmidt. She is the personification Of-"'a real womari,' an excellent Casting assignment for this sort of role. Boles, too, is very effective, deftly highlighting the somewhat selfish man who makes heavy de- mands of his mistress, and yet withal genuinely in love with the No. 2 woman in his life. John M. Stahl Iri masterly man- ner has caught all the rilcetles of the Hurst book which a clever con- tinuity by Gladys Lehman has riot let down in the least. It Is appar- ent that whole gobs of printei''s ink must have been skillfully captured and conderised into one expressive scene. Yet, with all consideration to footage; and running time, almost all the variegated highlights and shadows of the book's detail must (Continued on pagre 21) The Woman Angle 'Speak Easily' (MGM)T Convincing details of backstage pandemonium, heightened by the attitoods of Jimmy Durante and Buster ICcaton. Sympathetic caricatures, built to suspenseful comedy against an inter- esting locale, win feminine attention and laughter. 'Devil and the Deep' (Par). Carefully, plotted melodramatic lOve triangle. Can rely on handsomer-than-ever Gary Cooper and Charles Laughton's new style of crfe'epy, insinuating menace to interest the ladies and offset the apathy of Tallulah Bankhead's melancholy account of another unhappy heroine. Miss Bankhead's small but smart wardrobe warrants feminine attention. 'Hold 'Em Jail'. (RKO-Badlo), Title and cast will lure very lew fanettes indcicrs to enjoy the scattered laughs provoked by the laborious comic strip technique of "Wheeler and "Woolsey. Mothers who are not wary of its prison. locale will approve of the extravaganza for their children. *Crponer'. (FN). Matinee ladies are too conversant with the styles of their radio Idols to swoon over the falsely dubbed in crooning that accom- panies David Manners tepid, unromantically mocking characterization ot an ether star. A faintly amusing Success-story whose box office potentialities are weakened by unconvincing treatment and Inadequate casting. 'The First Year' (Fox). Crisp Ariierican folk lore modified by the sweetening, box-office influence of Janet Gaynor and. Charles Farrell upon .Frank Ci-avenls stage play. The tender, big-little tragedies of early marriage, trimriied with heart-warming homey talk and situations that ring true to feminine audiences. , 'Two Against the World' CWB). Routine murder-trial drama, weakened by unsubstantial conflict, disappoints Its title's promise of a tender, inti- mate love story. But Connie Bennett's personality—plus instructions on "what to do, wear and say, when ensnaring a beau or winning over Judge and jury—save the film from box bflice miediocrity. , 'The Night Club Lady' (Col). "Well dressed Adolphe Menjou, solving a hocus-pocus murder mystery that has moments of well built suspense and Skeets Gallagher comedy. Ignores fanettes by failing to establish sympathy for its victims or suspects. 'The Last Mile' ("World "Wide). The tragic futility of John "Wexley's play loses dramatic Intensity thru unconvincing preparations for a tacked-on happy ending. Though film invokes sympathy for a likable cast, it is a .slow, nerve-wracking ordeal that will be shunned by the ladies. — ■ ^ ^ . .. ....^^ ;—