Variety (Feb 1934)

14 VARJETV FILM REVIEWS Tuesday, February 20, 1934 Catherine the Great lionddn Film Prpductlone, Ltd,, presenta- tion of a. Korda-ToeplUx production .ftnd tTnlted Artists release. Features DoueUs F&lrbanks, Jr.. and Elizabeth Bergner, with Gerald DuttaUrier and Flora Robson underlined. Directed by FftUl .Cslnner. Story and continuity by Lajos Biro, Mel- chlor Lengyel, and Arthur Wljhperls. Pho- tography. Cfeorgos Perlhal. At the Astor, N, Y„ for twlcb daily run at $2 top. Run- ning time; 04 mins, - ' ., Oraiid Duke Peter,..Douglas Fairbanks. Jr. Catherine t............ElUzabeth Bergner Empress Elizabeth.......... .Flora Robson Ijecocq ........ i ,^....... Gerald DuMatirjer Countess. yiorontzoTaPlana Napier Gregory Orlov,i. .dllftord Jones Ahiather ace from England an!d put of the same deok, Korda. ' its success before" betteif class audi- ences is 'asstired. The. element of doubt,' as usuial with costume plc- .tures minus a sock name, is the smaller tbwilg''and houses. But even there the ° peasantry will have some difflculty. in. resistlner the aU-arouhd excellence of this bioferaphidal pres- .eritatloh. . ' ■ Springing . from' the same source as 'Henry the Eighth,' some com- parison is logical though hot en- tirely necessary. The difference be- tween the two as regards business and in favor of 'Catherine,' is that the women are apt to find, the ro- mance li ere contained more to their liking while the men will miss the laughs of 'Henry;' And as between, laughs and. romance the theatre boys, ■will .generally settle for ro- mance. Hence, there is every reason to believe that 'CatheHne' is in tpr^ as much or ndofie boxoflflceVattention than /the .hot. insigniflcaht 'Hehry-* . It should, get a rtihning start wher-. eVier it plays from the' critics alone. This . current . .interpretation of Catherine as to story , leaves off where Doris Keahe started in 'The Czarina,' back in '22.. That the combination behind the camera on this picture i$ nc minor group is evidenced in: the script having been done .by Lajos Biro and Melchlor Lengyel, who wrote .that successful play which .Miss Keane introduced to .thIS :Couritryi .' These two writers are here aided by a third,. Arthur Wlnjperis, besides \vhlch there is Georges Perinal at the. ca;mera, who ranks ainong the few real camera- men, abroad. Paui. Czinner,, the di- rector,' "will df necessity .suffer on trade recognition because of the r^uestion of Iiow much Korda had to do , with this film. But it is obvious. that Czinner has revealed no directorial flaws. and to with- hold-full credit from him would be an injustice. Th^re is nothing superfluous in th© film; \yhile It probably^ reveals, one of the most. economical revolu- tlonb ever staged for the cam'era. At the same time It can be observed that. mis phase of the production is entirely adequate so that only the professionally-minded will- notice, take heed and possibly, do likewise/ The costuming is splendid and the two or tliree big. sets are so repeated as not to become tiresome. Picture introduces Elizabeth Bei'gner (Mrs. Qzlnner) to Ameri- can audiences and if . nothing else it /Biill sef thijg ^irl fdr her New York legit clientele any-ti]the she chooses, to cottie over to db ia show. The difference between a legit and film audience is as wide as the gap in price but it's hard to figure how the jertime. screen fans, can remain indifferent to this diminutive, per- former, particularly in a virtual Cinderella script. If the .'women .over decide that she's 'cute' nothinS can stop this film. ' Her delightful Qel'man accent has full reason in the role. Miss Bergner, a Continental rage, unfolds a wistful quality founded upon consumate ability with which there is no comparison as to any other current screen figure .to clarl- ;fy" the description. A nice rather than *a good-lbbklng girl, with beau- tiful eyesi Miss Bergner charms as she progresses and is altogether be- lievable as the minor German prin- .cess of moderate, .circumstances summoned to Russia by "llie" Em- press Elizabeth to wed her erratic nephew, the Grand Duke . Peter* spnretimes called Peter th© Impos- sible. The throne needs an heir. Theatrical license has been liberal- ly taken in the love of Catherine for Peter and in making the latter an tinderstandably likeable headstrbng fooL There is no coun- terpart for this in the authentic biographies-on Catherine. The film completely avoids any hint by script charactei'izatibn of Catherine having become a mother, before overthrowing Peter politically, with her husband not the father. Miss Bergner's rendition is the antithesis of the Catherine who has been writ- ten and who soon became a rather ambitious young lady, politically and amorously, after seeing, what she. Was in for';-wlth Peter. This story makes the man'lage the culminatibn of the blue-blooded Cinderella's childhood dream and almost places her upon the throne despite herself, except thnit she rises ^o"'meet"tira"Cbligation-upon'^^reaUz- Ing how unequipped her dissolute husband is to meet the responsi billty. Is Is here the picture ends. Miss Bergneip's scene with the dying .Empress (Flora Robson) is a " geffr ':fig r"gxg i8 rtr-T'lHytTTfe- by hotfr women and there, are other high- banks. Miss Robson gives a fine performance, -while Fairbanks' deli nition of th« fuming Peter is one of the best he has ever, done His appearance does much to help the authors, mold the character away from the repugnaht and to make Catherine's devotion td him reasonable. Fairbank's diction; Miiss Bergner's accent and Gerald DuMaurler doing a Frenchman overcome any aspect of a..l.oosset'British-speaking cast. . What little ifeomedy Is present is In the hands of puMaurier, a .re^ nbwned British stage naihe,^. who through this expedient steals any scene in Which he ."is permitted, to Open hiis mouth. Other minor con- tributions which cqun^ are thoSe of Clifford jpnes and Diana Napier.. . Scenario has . only one > detracting factor, in that it seems tb .have reached its climax upon. Catherine being enthroned and from a baN cony addressing the unseen soldiers , who- have made the coup possible. After .which the fbbtage carries on for ' about ; another reel, or until Peter is killed on his way to royal Isplatibn... The print ^ used opening night was also notably bad in those spots Just before changeovers and for which there .seemed no excuse. 'Catherine" is .reported ,to have, cost clc;'e to $400,0(|0 which, for England., is the theoretical equiya-: lent Of a $1,000,000 Hollywood ef- fort; it is certainly one of the. most expensive , pictureis ever'"made over there but should reap its just reward. In lieii .of the lack .of ,a dynamib cast naihe the picture may not be suflftciently spectacular to offset' that handicap . and, perhaps, it is too. ihtelllgeht and delicate a, Wbri: to achieve firework grosses over here. Yet' pig totals seem sure In spots and the .majority of re-, turns should reveal good flerures. Sid. MANDALAY 'Warner Broq. production and' releai^e'. Stars Kay Francis, with Rleardo-Cortez.' Warner Oland and Lyle Talbot feature:a. Directed by .Michael Curtiz, Story by Paul Hervey Fox. adaplatroh by Austin Parker and Chartes .Kenyon. Photography, Tony Gaudlo. A Strand. N. T., -week Feb; 14:. Running .time, C6 mlna. Tanya.. ....^•...^..Kay Francis Dr. Gregory Burton. ..Lyle Talbot Tony Erans........r........Ricardo Cortez Nick.,.. i.: i.. ^.; Warner ;01ahd Mr. Pete'rd. Luclen Llttlefleld Mrs. Peters.;....', .....Ruth Donnelly Police Captain........^......Reginald O^'en Countess .Raphaelo Ottlano Mr, Abemathle......... ;..Etlenne. Girardot Ool. .Dawson Ames , . .Halll-w.ell Hobbs Mr. Klelnschhildt .Herman Bing Mr. Warren .Henry C. Bi-ndliey ■Van Brinker....;...,.'.. Torbln Meyer Captain;. .David Torrence Mrs. Kt6Inschmidt Bodil Hosing Betty..,;. .Shirley Temple Ram ' Singh, . , .Jame!3 B. Leong liouisa. ;;.. ;Lllllan Harmer . Minialnre Reviews 'Catherine th« Great' (UA). Superbly made British picture With Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., the top name. Introduces Eliz- abeth Bergner, German actress, i Its success is sure. 'M«n4«lay' (WB). Kay Francis Ih the Rangooh-Man- dalay^ Country with a doubtful past, ^questionable preseiat &nd indeterminate' future.. €|o.bd , .entertainment by virtue :of cast and treatment, despite an an'tl" climax'tipped off too early. 'Flarmina , Gold' '(Badio). Loosely knit story defeats the efforts, of a nunlber diC .capable players. Nbthlng to appeal and light gi*osses indlcatedv 'Cat and the Fiddle (Meti-p): Free adaptation of -the ^tage musical. New version holds; down music • and production e.Kcellerit to fair entei^tainment rating. Ramon Novarro a^nd Jeanette Maci>pnald co-star. .'CarolinaV (Fox).. Janet Gay-: nor, Liionel .Barrymore and gross possibilities are. .good. 'Boleiro' (Par). George Raft- Carole libmbard-Sally Rand in ; dancing picture of pre-wair vintage. Beautiful gowning and 'Raft In a series of ro- imantic pbstiirings withrest- less Women; Just fair.. 'Trapeze' tPrdtex). Dubbed Ipjngllsh .-versidh df a. Geirman talker with .Anna, Sten. 'Nene top gbpd^ but it ought to' pl<dc up-some quarters in: the nabes on strength of the. btiildup being giveni Miss Sten by tJ.A. 'Enlighfen Thy Daughter' (ExploIta.tipn)". Remake, of a 1917 siient; Poorly wi-Itten; .shoddily acted and pkced slo-w- .ly. picture is weak entertain- ment throughbut. Main chances are in title and exploitation ppissibilities. , 'Meanest Gal in Tovvn' ( dib). . Crudely corifected nar-. rative witH hardly a solid laugh to a reel, 'The Road to Ruin' (1st Iv). Technically well done rem.ike of an bid silent. With songs, ChiDppy scenario and lack of real appeal.-' "Sex ipropaga,nda that won't score widely; They move ' JCay vancis to the bthe'r ■ ; the world, ai*ourid; Rangoon, for a story laid in the far. east- that's duck soup' to this star. Slie's a gli'l of doubtful'past, ^ present and future who eventually casts her lot: with an outcast doc- tor in what an extra reel may have, developed, tef brmatlpn for both. Expertly strung together, the se- quence of events leading up to this, probability make thoroughly enter- taining film fare in the hands of Miss Francis,. 'Warner. Olahd, Ri- cardo: Cortez and Lyle Talbot, cen- tral characters of the piece. In less expert hands, including dltec- tor's (Michael Curtiz), the story, hot startlingly original at best, may have been double-biller fodder. As it is, it's meaty first-run property. Picture trips along at a . nice pace and except for one spot, toward the end, invites no adverse re- action. This is in connection'With the faked suicide pf Cortez, a gun- runner who leaves an empty poison bottle and ah dpen windbw in his ship's cabin aS evidence of his act. "The atjdieiice "Is let in ^6n the- phony suicide. Whereas it would have been more effective to spring the surprise and the explanation bn the audience the same ixs bn^ people in the cast, notably Miss Francis, w;ho then turns aroUhd to make., the poisoning complete, This .follows ah anti-climax, with Cortess returning to the girl he had once duniped unceremoniously in Rangbbn to suggest to her that he set' iip in a cafe for purposes in- ferred. The story dould have ended before this,, with Miss Francis al- ready determined to join hands With the drunkard doctor in an effort together to still make sbmething of their torn lives. Much of. the action occurs oh a boat' bound from Rangoon for Man- daiay. Earlier sequences are in the fornier seaport, where the heroine has been forced Into a life of doubt ful purity when her gun-runner boy friend takes a run-dut pdwder This pdrtldn of the story isn't as convincing ks it might be. Mannei- In-^whieh=^ar-ner-=01ah<i^brdwbeats her iritd wdrklng fdr his jdint is anything but ccnvincing, either. Miss. Francis Is an intriguing and intetesting figure an Tanya, while Ricardd Cdrtez turns heavy in an r|-elfect-ivi&- Wayt-'-^le—T-aJbot—Is- -a' FLAMING GOLD . Radio production . and release.. featuring Bill Boyd, Mae Clark; Pat O'Brien; Di- rected by' Ralph Iiice. : Merlan C. Cooper, producer^ Sam Jaffe, aesoclate; Houston Branch, story; Malcolm . S.' Bbylon., John Xioodrich,' screen play;- Van-Nest Polglase, art; Eairl "Wolcott; sound: Chas. -Rosher, camera. At LoeWa New Tork» Feb. 12-13, on double, bill. Running-time, .64 mine; Dan Manton.....,'................Bill Boyd Ben . Lear. Pat O'Brien Claire Arnold...Mae Clarke Banning!;^... Rollo Uoyd Tes's .->.'•...-.'...;..'.,...,....... ; Helen -Ware light sequeiiceis, particularly a ban quet, which Sta;nd cut fdr diredtidn, portrayal and dialog. The story is principally in the hands of Miss Bergner, Miss Robson and Falr- mildiy sympathetic doctpr'gi-ven to drink and other weaknesses. Scenically the picture is okay, even if many of the boat and river, scenes look suspicibusly like the Mississippi. Char. Parts of two stories here, but not sufficient of either to provide audi ence appeal. Chances anywhere pretty light, and yet it has the mak- ings. Trouble seems to 'be the au- thor ■ and scenairists couldn't make up their minds which story they were working on. A smoother blend might have combined the two plots Here bne is tagged to the other,.but not joined. Background is the Mexican oil fields. World "Wide oil company wires its field manager to put a small pair of operators out of bus! ness. _tJse . of s.n exterior shot of the Standard Oil builSiig' at' 2^^ Broadway, New York. Just why it should wdrry abdut a dne-well ep- eratldii Is just dhe df thdse things^ Field manager turns dh one of hi:; own wells In the hope that it will Explode and burn out the In- truders, but the wind shifts and his own wells are menaced. Boyd and O'Brien are said to be the only men who can put dut^be flames, but they -refuse an. dfter^'dif $5,000 be- cause "VV^W. has sduped their single shaft. Tbat Wins the apprdval. df Helen Ware, a- dive keeper, who send^ Boyd to New 'Kork to-get funds. That's the end of the oil battle. It's hot heard of again In New York Miss Wai'e's old friend (Charles Ruggles or his ddu- ble, and a dduble wduld not be as gddd,) stakes the twd boys fdr old time's ^ake and provides Boyd .'with a party girl. Boyd marries her and there are the usual complications. :==.vJ3nly=ji,dy.eLJtfi3J£lL-Js\^q^ With .the trid getting their faces blacked With the cH from the gu.sher just brought in. Well developed, this might have made a good yarn. Usually it does. Hei*e it is too -Bketeha^-and-IaGklng-Jneemphasla. Miss Oiarlrt plays with .slhL't?rJly and Miss Ware makes a. brave ef- fort to be tough, but she isn't O'Brien tops Boyd for such aotirtg honors aS there are, but that's not much to Wag about. Chic, CAT AND THE FIDDLE Metro production . and release. Starring Ramon Navarro and Jeanette MacDonald. Adapted by Bella and Samuel . Bpewack from the Ma:^ Gordon stage musical .by Jerome. Kern and Otto Harbach. -Herbert Stothart, muvlcal director. Harold Reason, photos. At Capitol, • New 'Zork. week Feb. 16. Bunnlng time. 68 mins.. Victor. ,.>...!...... Ramon Moviarro Shirley...........i,.....Jeannettp MacDonald Daudet....' i. .Frank Morgan CliarleB.'. .,.,,,.„.,,.. .Charles Butterworth Professor..... ...,.,.<........ .Jean Hetsholt Odett<9......-.........,...,.. .'Vivlenne Segal Theatre Oy^ner.,....... . ....; Frank Conroy. Taxi Driver................. Henry Armetta Concierge... Adrlenhe D'Ambrl'court Rudy Joseph Caw.thorn For better or Worse, thie. original 'Cat and the Fiddle* stage, script has been so altered by the ^Im adapters that the only thing of merit reniaih- ing is the music. The Spewacks substituted light comedy for the original's. more iserious mood. Re- sult isn't strong entertainment, but the miisic, jprodudtldn excellence and the cdmbihation of Ramon I^^ovarro and Jeanette MacDonald as a- sing- ing team in the picture: and a co- starring pair for. the billing; should insure fair or better returns. In place df the cafe scene in.WhIch the lo-vers -reunited, sb well done In the Max . Gordon stage, production, the picture uses the stdck illnish: fbr mdst backstage stmries:. the heroine shows up at the last, minute to play the leading«i'ole in the shdW-withih- ai-shd,w. and save it. Even though: the heroine is just a inusic student; andi ias far as the picture tells;, has never before appeared ph a . Stage. Thiat -is ohe. example df. changes Wrdught by the'adaptatidn,. an adap- tatidn which turned the. Harbach libretto intd ■ a steredtyped niuslcal film yarn, That Jerome Kern's music did hdt suffer the same fate that befell .other compositions of the 1931 vintage is indicated by the fact, that after three years and. enough radio piug- ging to murder a 'Star-Spaiigled Bannei-,' it still .lives and breathes. •$he Didn't Say Yes' and the rest of the score- remains; interesfihg arid stands as largely. responsible for wl>ate-ver; worth this talker pbs- se.sses. . In Nbvarro aiid Miss MacDdnald 'Fiddle' has a. pair of .established picture nameS who. aren't out of their element!-when assigned to vd- calismsi They dd a gbpd. jdb: with the'lines and situations'Withdut kill- ing the music. For their, singing they have .the benefit df cjever dr- chestratldns. iArransement of thie Kern score for the picture's pijiTOSe. \VaS a superb job. ' Frank Morgan, . Charlie Butter- Woi'th an4 'Vivlenne Segal are prin- cipally in support. Lattei' draws the very Unsympathetic vamp role, and didn't get much syrhpathy from the photographer,. either. Miss iSegal is really a much better looker than she IS shown to be here. Butter- worth does the comedy,, his part having beeh written in and entirely unlike the original relief role played by Eddie Foy, Jr. His,lines, sound as. though written with BUtterwdrth particularly In mind, fcr .they de-;. pend dn the delivery fdr humpr. Morgan; is a cdrigenial semi-heavy as the nienacing cdrner df the Idve triangle.. In bne df its switches, the adapted •script gees naughty-naughty td have Nevarrd and Mass MacDenald living tdgether in , Paris, with the girl paying tbe bills. The boy. breaks away td gd dn . his dwh, finding an angel in Miss Segal, whd is on. the nxake. When her' husband catches them in a clinch he withdraws his bankroll. ' That puts the boy's show in a spot; but Miss MacDonald saves It by her last-minute arrival. ' , "There are times when ^Novarro and Miss MacDonald seem to be of equal height ,other times when No- varro looks abqut an Inclfi ialleH and still others. when he's two or three heads abo-ve the former Chevalier leading lady. . . For the closing, production^ num- ber, in which the lovers' reunion is -spotted,- the picture goes color. The highly cdldred photography. Is flat- tering to Miss MacDonaldi but No- varrd Idokis better in plain black and "white. As for the picture, the change ,to color in the last few feet doesn't help much, since the picture is dver by .then, arid nothing can make much dilTerehce... At the Capitol 'Fiddle' is running 88 .minutes.. The length accentuates the slow pacei which Is the picture's chief fault, anyway. ige.;. CAROLINA . Fox production nnd release. Stars Janfet Gaynor and Lionel Barrymore, with Robert Young. Richard-'Crom-well and Henrietta CroBsman featured. .. Directed by Henry King. Based dn piny. 'House of Connelly.'' by Paul Grf'Mi. ^ Ad-^ptatlon by Reglnnld Berkeley. Photography. Hnl.' Mohr. At MuMc Hall. N. T., week Fob. 1.5. Running lime.- HS. mltis. .Toafin'a. Janet Goyftor not) Ponnoll.v.. iLionel fiarrymorc Win Connelly...... .Robert Young .Alion;.,., .Richard Cromwpll Mrs--. Connelly.Henrietta Crosmhn Virginia^.. ._. jj ; ... .Mon.i Bnrric Pc'IploT.; .>r7. .\-r; ..".. ■TT.T TTTfStffpin^Fctemt' HARRY GRIBBON f Mushrooms^ Comedy 19 Min». Strand, N. Vita. N«8. 1633-4 Conyentidnai ' .two-reeler .grist that's never in high on laughs^ biii hits something brlgihal about, inl^v die througli crossesdi wires, with the radt.b freezing up, the Icebox e^iid. ing music; the dobrbeir dtariihg the t>iahd, etc. Wduld neither be missed. If net played, ner hissed, if played. Harry Grlbbbn, tdp man pf cast; is a mushrdbm fancier'with a bunch of relatives on his wife's side who take over his lipnie in the fashion that nowadays is old stuff: Final .stab, for laughs' cbniea When it's feared Grlbbbn has got- ten mushrooms and/ toadstools mixed up; After everyone, includ- ing the hungry relatives, have fin- ished their dinner they get their stomachs, puniped out, only to learn the dbg that had been; eating the same alleged .. mushrboni-toadstool mixture actually died from being run over by a truck. Maid had merely announced the kick-off, neg- glectihg tb state what from; COM E TO Dl Ti*ave8ty 2^ M l n a. Strand, N., 1636-7 Richards... HrtriT. liiokip i,. t Hemlflino........ Jack Hampton... ... .Russell. Simpson .....Ronnie Cosboy. Jaeklo- fonlioy ,'.,'.. .\lmcda Fowlor <. Aldon C'hnso Southern family tlrat starta oiit thro.ntenhlsly slron.rr. but before it is over has petered to the point where it mi.s«f.«; bein.£T nnother 'State (Cohtinued on page 25) A unique and ehtertalhing^ take- off; on 'Dinner at Eight,' as played by its multi-riame cast' with un- knbwns In the . East doing ihe orig- inals -with startling reSults; It's simlTar In, nature to the shdrt War- ners built as a. travesty on 'Gra,hd Hotel.' ■ . ■ The artists doing the two B^irry- mores, Marie Dressier, Billle Biirke, Jtftth Harlow, Edmund . Lowe, Wal- lace Bieery and others are not given billing,, though they would appear to be deserving, of . it. Outstanding are* the Women, playing Miss Burke and Miss Dressier, with a close folr low-up. ln~ the characterization of Jean Harlow, a totigh one ta do.. While Impressions of both the Barryrnbres are good, those of Beery arid- Lidwe are not so' hot. That of ■ X<ee Tracy - better. ' Short follows the general lines of the 'Dinner at E5.!?ht' story, turning it around only enough to inject a satirical flavor, as tot instances Barrymore's refusal td . take a .star part because he thdught he Shduld dnly play bits.. Line girls are worked into the structure df the twd-reeler dn' twe different dccasidns Where.they flt- tedi Char. PHIL SPITALNY ORCHESTRA Musical Sketch 10 Mins^ Strand, Vita. No. 1636 Except fdr the fact lit Is on the job playing all the time, the Phil Spitalny orchesti'ai does not play a majdr part in this shdrt. It's the story built arourid the band that has most, of the spotlight. .Elffective en- tertainriient, built with, an eye to novelty and away from the conven- tional treatment given orchestra at- tractions. The Spitalny band of many pieces opens in a modernistic setting sug- gesting a class nite club or hotel, A prima donna is, caroling ia sdng. From her number the short cuts to an immigrant girl comi-rig to Amerr ica with a letter to a cousin .(Spi- talny), which she loses. As she. Wan- ders around the to\^n,. the. action flits all over with appropriate music to .fit . arid, finally ,ends In a little Russian cafe oh; the east side, where Spitalny himself Is starting out on a career. She gets ,a jbb .singing there,: short-cutting baclt to the original setting and the same girl's big tiriie vocal number. . ProduGtidn;, phdtdgraphy and lighting represent, ai fine jdb all around. Char.- 'THe, GOOD BAD MAN' Farce i2 MJhs. Rbxy, N. Y, Educational Overlorig farce klbng hackneyed lines and padded like a ballot box. Mexican set with a gdod-^humored revolutionist descending upon a saloon. He^s haylrig. a good' time with a couple df dancing girls when interrupted by Tom Patricola, who Is t'rouplng with a woman Xiartner. Patricola saves his., neck.by going into his danco. very briefly. Then ^eliad man takes one of the girls ariU 111 e'TPaWicdTSraH^t'o^lTls^TdiTie^ where a couple of New York rack- eteers seek to kidnap him. ' iBlowofC is the girl.s riding away with a bunch of jewelry acquired w)ien the had roan w a.sh.'t locki ng. ._ Ci udt.'^~tlt?rlr)gr~TTT3drr—tTPfrma'tiy^ oon.structlori and no effort made.to do anythinfir with Patricola. who might have helped alonp: with more footage for lii.s feet, ju.st a wuste of tiriie. Chic.