Variety (Mar 1935)

20 F 11. M R t V I E W^ Weanesaayi February 27, 1935 Whole Town's Talking ■Columbia production and release Stnrs EdwiirJ 0: Koljinaon. Directed by John Tord. AUaptod by Robert Rlnklii' and Jo SwcrllnB Uom Btory. by W. R. Humcir. Tilmornman, Joseph August. At' Kaillo Clty .iSluslc Hall wock. jreb. 2S; . Running' tlnip, !)5 inlhsi ■ , > lArlhui- Johos, ■ \ ,... EjlwarO- G. Roblnsw Killer Munnldii f ■ Munnldii . ■'BlllV,.v-:r........ Boylr ....... Bpuiy.,,... Spincoi' .,,.......... rioyi.....;....,> ■ '1. .1).:' I'nvpenlcr Buinf.s Martin.. I ■' Ijphvi)-,, ,;... ■iiovvo..;...... W«>,l( n ; . .., Urnrliin.m.... .v,.. Ai/nt .Vif.iMm. ,,-, .;-.. ,3e.in Arthur Arthur UcA\l. . , . ,...AVulli»i'0 , Ford ... .. .;\rihur Bylon ... nonnld ■; Meek I'niil Hqirvcy i:.... ;■; ;Rd llrophy .. .lOllflhnv' Grlrnrdot . ■.. ..Tames ^l.loiilan Farrell MacDonflld ;. i . ..lolin -Wray, i?me Eilslor , SwPll Qivtortai.;iiicrit. Most, fans will: probably be too- busy laughing, or loaning fprw.ai'd In excitement, to notice .tliat . it's; composed ot li ayetl: and ■ancient plot 'ricka given' a coai- 'of lacciuei' and vmado to gllaton as If .new and ho\'el. . Uoberl' Rlsltln and Jo Swerling .; pti t the ..stovy together. It's, a model' scenario in thb expert .manipulation of .suoli vcnerabie hokum jaa the oflice woim thrust Into danger by. coincidence and emerging with ■ fame, fortune arid the .girl. Baislc idea has been kneaded :over many tiiiies, yet a few Ingenious touches, a Mllck cast, electric t^mpb/and the ' finished loaf will" probably deceive everybody outislde the trade, a high tompiiment for the scenarists and ■ John Ford,-who directed. Edv,'ard G. Robinsoii plays a dual role. lie la a softie in one i)artUhd ■^Imighiai L-tfrcCQthier^H^^ ^ . tlie wprm-turmng is tnat. tii^ stfftlie —ftpokkceper- Is-a -dead ringer -f or -a- gangster Avanted by the pbllce. Pb».- • lice Hrtvt orders to shoot :ori sight,; . and when picking up the^ hoodlum's .counterpart, and thlrd-deigreelng him, they are confronted with a . ..dilemma: what to do to protcct an Innocent citizen from the police. Sb the booklieeier; gets a pass .Identif y- •Ihg him as okay. Rea:i: crlminai, of : course, sho'.v.T up and quietly ta.kes over .the r/-,.;.:i>ort as a shield to «ont]nue:lii^ .'iiitivitles. ' Robinson V.'Ill derive a heap of ' benefits from' this assignment. . It; .^a^adi^_l)ira!-B6ine^dazzling..inoiheij.ts- pf acting. I^Totably, his character- ;izatIon of the submerged, bver- ipolite;. and Indeclslyo office worker is human and believable. . Alwiay.^ haying been a swell actor, because he makes you believe him In varl- ; toils roles, this plctura Is a great : hreak for.'hlm. ; ■ Second In unusualnesa among, the 'ca^t is .Jeah Arthur, now with some legit experience behind her. She's jgone blonde and fresh. EfEedt on her personality Is to produce a new . €irl. But a better type. She's r imore Individualistic; more typically ths young Anierlcan» self-reliant; . rather sassy, stenog. She will get <>ther oppbrtuiiities as a result of this auspicious'' baptlsni In - flip ,j)ancy. Whoever guided, her In^the metamorphosis was cinny. in read- .ylng .prpduiitiPri. trends.,' . ' ^ Various sniall .bits; are all nicely handled and picture has terrific zip ■ despite! its 95 minutes. When well •tinder, way the. Impetus carries _ •.verythlrig and everybody. . ■:.. W;ord-of-mouth should be istrohg, and lio reason to question that this Aim will'get a Ubn's share of talk \\vherever it plays. Land. traveled far on her wits, the young editor who hates capitalists because he was holding his father's hand when his parent was shot down in a latfor wai-, and the rising poli- tician who was the: artist-B first nkine and, presumably, •headed her oil her. siieedy cpurse, : All the .others are feeders, which reduces 'some roles to a minimum and almost wholly eliminates the pubUslier of the health magazines, who ^vaa an outstanding • figure in the stage. Versibn, Froin the angle of gefeeh; technique it is better ais is, since.. the:' Interest is more- di- rectly : concentrated on the leads. . ■Lead story, has been tbned: down slightly, but not to the point where it hurts, itVs still brisk, but less for the ultra gbods tb shoot at. "Only the most fliileky can object to the story as it: how stands. v Miss Harding does not aiwayis look the devastating artistic cyplone who from a standing start . In a smaU to\Vn, mows down crowned and other T)rbihlnerit, if empty,, heads. She' reads her lines delightfully,. and even were they )ess well wrltteh. It still would be a pleasure to listen tb lier. ' ■■ . ■,-:' ■■■.' Robert .Montgomery haa .the more difficult job of niaking the young editor eccentric ' without being clownish. He has to rant iahd. rave, but he does not go. over the line and ^his brief tale . of his father'is death is a sincere bit. of' acting. As the -third inember, the small town politician, now on his •n'ay tb .a seji- atorshlp, but still feeling'a sense of guilt at having-started the. girl to> =ward-^hef=hlgh-spots,-=^H6rtQn-^cbn— tributes In spots, but Is tobVmuch Hortbn tb^he'^the }play Jlchara^ Charles lilchiiiian, iaa the. father of Hortpn's fiancee, " is another who reads his ■ lines perfectly and his 6hat with Mlss; Hardlhg on iheta- bollstti >is a-geni.:. : ,;•! i- J . : v-- > MisS; Merkel as the fiancee is hardly happy. She's! suppbsed to be just what she Is; pert, cradle and determined, biit uhe lackis; the little tbubhes which -might have helped her to sympathy. ' : ' • Edwkrt} Arnold, as the musician, and Greta Meyer as the maid, both contilbute,_but.:.thejLjBLre gLven Jlttlei: cl\ance in roles attenuated frbm-:the stage version. 'Biograpjiy of a Bachelor Girl* stands at present as about the best dempnstratioii of the fact that a play can be shrewd, • sbphistlcated and still within the limits of the new law. ■ CMc. While the Patient Slept Elrgt Xatlonal prodiicllon' and' release. Starring 'Aline .MacMahon and'Guy Klbbee, Directed . by, Ray BnrlBht. . Adapted from Mlgnbh . 'Eberhart's novel ;.by . Robert N, Lep, Eugene Solow, . : Bro.wn Holmes. Cahieranlah, Arthur Ede.son. . At Rlalto,' .T., weclt March 2, '33. Running time an mlns. ■ . .. { Sai'ah.Ke&tie. •.•..: La:nce O'Leary/. Deke Lonergan.. March, iFederie. ^ Jackson..: .'. . i . Adolphe Federle. EUBtaco Federle. Mtttce Brcwn..., EJlIhu -Dlmuck... Dr. Jay.......... Isobel'Federle..' 3rondal..;...,.,.. Muldoon;..i.. R1(:hard Federle. .;■.!....'. Aline ilacMahon .Guy Ktbbce ...; Lyle Talbot ...... , I.. .Patricia Ellis . .'7; Allen 'Jehkl-ha .. ..'.■...... .Robert Barrat .....,.Hobart Cavenaugh ..........k.'.Dorothy Tree ............Henry O'Neill ,....-....'.. . . .Russell Kicks .-., ri-...;... .Helen Flint .',..:...,.. .(Brandon Hurst ..^ i... .> ', .. .Eddie' .Shubert .........'. .Walter -^'alkcr Biogrsiphy of a Bachelor ■■c.,'(iirl'^il;; ■ irolrp-Ooldwyn-M.nycr produi.-llftn and re- lease. Stars Ann Harding, Robert Xtont- gnmBry Tpntiirpq Kdwa r d . lilverett Hort on. Edw ■ - - ^ 'While the Patient Slept* is No two in First National's sorcalled 'Clue. :Glub...Mysteries.'." It contains more or less standard whodunit ele ments,. and is acted by such Warner stock company pebpie as Aline Mac Mahbn, Guy Kibbee, Allen. Jenkins, Patricia Ellis, Robert Barrat, B ra n d o i i H urstr^^tc^r Miniature Reviews . 'Whole TownV Talkino* (Col).; Woyr coniedy-riielo- draiha with Edward Q. Hobin-. :'Boh.--' ' ■ ■': ' 'Bieoraphy of k '' Bachelor jBirl*^ (Metro). Smart entertain- ment fbr top houses. Possibly ; too smajpt: for the other end. Ann Harding, Robert Mont-; gomery and" Ed. Everett Hoip- : ■ ton.--''" ' '■ ' : '■:■■■■. 'Whilo the Patient 8l«pt»^ (FN).; 'ijuTBe-: Keate' murder mystery. ; Routine ituft, but, okay for fiaihs of thlB brand, of entertaliiiineht. . 'Murder oil Hortoymoon* (Radio); 3etter than ayenige ; . •whodunit.'' ■ . . >l*fd , Hot TlrMi (WB)._ Mostly sfbck fpotageV^t autb races, -Biit H's- .aotlott -ahd should be able tb dual It nicely* Fair , name* castv^ ■ *Loet City' (Principal). Fan- tastic story hurt in prbductioh, biit okay fbr flsish grinds. and nabes If It l8 i>layed up. 'Grand OI«i JSlirlV (Badlb). Family, picture, best fbr ; the ; smaller tpwnsi ; with May Robson. "• 'Lost tn tKo Straitbsphere' (Mono). Can't .rate as a. solo —performer.- -Air stufftincidental. 4o..8erlb^cbmib.lplot^ ■'- .' :.. ;j.,.'.. -■'boath- -Files East' ((3oi).^ clumsily fashioned whodunit, in transcontinental. passenger plane. Several; good comedy performances Kblp a little. . 'Groat Hotsi Murder* (Fox). liOwe-MicLiagleh, but not their type of playi Apt to disap- pblnt for that reason.' 'Flirtinsi ; With-. Danoer^ (Mono),; Mass of trite gags and situations made moderate- ijy^nterialblffg^^ tomfoolery : of Robert Arm- strong and Edgar Kennedy. •Elinor Norton' <Eoi). Lli^ht-: weight problem drama. No cast for b.o; and results look mild. American auto arenas under an as- sumed name. - Back In the States comes the big race and Miss Astor'is father, a rac- ing car builder, is In need of .a crack driver. , Daughter reads qt Talbot's South Ainerlcan conquests, spots his identity and sends for him. He arrives by plane, takes the car after the riace has started^ and wins.' The Judge who originally sentenced him is handily at the track, so Tal- bbt gains His freedom when Gor- don's, cb-framer Is nabbed. Odeo, ; vavd Arnold, I'na Merkcl. Directed by ^ „, , "-EiiwTirn--nr-G'nrtttiiTnrviwB-.TmcmjnTTT^^ ducer.. From the stuRiB iilny 'BloBraphy' by S. N. •Rehrman. Screen play. Anita — laoo.s; ('arrtera, James Wonir Howe. At the . , .Capitol. N.. Y., week March l,- 1035.- Run- ftlhtc llmo. 84 niins. ■■ ■ l Marlon ..Ann Itardlng Kui-t Robi-rt ■Montgdniery . Nol.an .......;...-..Ed\v.i'rd. Everett Horton -■ jpe,vdnk- ,.i Edward Arnold Slade ..Una Merkel .Kinnlcott .,..■......,... ..CharlPH Riohman ..Mlnnio ,. .^Grcta Mey^r |i_.,^-_Asl.. a. j)lay 'l3 lographv'_ haiidecL ; Cialrc and brought H laurel.'^ to Jna W plenty of coin to the Theatre Guild ^ in screen version: 'The Bloirrapliy of a Bachelor Girl' pins a rose bn Aiih HardIntj and does^not dp so, batlly by Robert Mbhtgoh-iery, either. It'S: great stuff for the better class aUdlT ences and It prqb.Tiblx \ylU .win many. - --approvals on thie road, but there are going to be spots where the -ptirli tanlsm of the isivlc consciousness will not be so; ^ood ■ for,.the .box oiflce. . Wherever they appreciate good direction aiid excellent' acting it .should clean up plenty. IfB inteiT ligerit 'and Jnterestlng arid here and there Anita Loos has tucked.laughs that do not . hurt. Often . these laughs ^all outside the .story proper, as when Marion and Kurt visit the grocery in the little Maine village •where.'they are hiding, out, but they' - - —arc^germane ■ tO'^heK-action,^ if not- important to- the, plot, and- they, bring ah added factor, to the play's success. '..:"- ..Screen play is not the Behrman ' script but if has been handled by skillful hands. Here and .there - tjomes a-bad spot, where.;the...dJlft?pg becorties tbb long for the tempo of ■; the continuity, but it's always, good dialog and not as hurtful as: it . . thli^ht otherwise be.. In the , main,. however, the' story: 6peed.q along; : . with-the neceis.sary concentration oh ■ ' 4be'leading trio, tlib artist who has terles are ilked. Adapted from 'Nurse Keate,' blg-ijelllng novel, so that may help,, too.' , All takes', place in" one of thbsie incredibly commodious niansions, with, as .many rooms as a.mu-seum' and as many winding staircases as a. castle. A; milllbhaire-has'^a stroke' and is. put to bed in a bedroom that Napoleon would have envied. -He sleeps all through the sub.'scqUent conntvihgs.. Its one of those large "t'a'niino.5^-Avith several-skeletons—and- nobody very fond of anybody else. Miss ,MacMahon and Kibbee : play for - maximum, laughs, : and Allen Jenkins hiuggs his stooge role up to the neckline. - Patricia Ellis pror vides the youth and Lyle Talbot about-200 feet of romance; all: the -film- contains. ""' ' " ■ I^o^d being better than average. What Is interesting Is that all the fllm com- panies have seemingly gotten ai^bund to the reaillzatlon arid desire for es- tablishing definite: sleuth characters for "fbllb-w up" films. Fox has been doing It withv-the 'Charley Chan' series fbr some time and Warhbrs with : the Phllb Vance and Nurse Keates pictures. This is the, third of the -Radio schoohna'am Hllde ^arde Withers series, and Just as interesting.. ' Edna May Oliver and ■ Janies Gleason team, v as they- 'did; in the past two Alms. of this sjerles and equally effectively. Plot, is Just a once over lightly proposition, but Jammed with ■ laughs and with the one- Impbrta'ht element—a-~surprlse finish. ■/ Hlldegarde, the oryptic New York .schoolmarm, goes Visiting tb. Cat- alina this; time and bumm ' into three mUrders., Oscar Piper, the' dumb dick boy friend from: New York, rushes biit ih - tlirie to take the credit foi'' her unravelllngs. In the next, fourth of.the series, they'll Arid the murderer in England,-: A lot of nice bit work in support^ .utstandUig-being-^peneep^TeharteFS) DeWitt Jennin gs. Leo Carroll . Ar thiif Hoyt andTKpllo /tlbyd Kauf. RED HOT TIRES Warner Bros, production and release^ Features-Lyle Talbot, Mary Aator, RoMOe Karnir, ■ Firankle- Derro.^ Directed by Rose Lederman. Story , and screen play, Tris- tram Tupiier; camera, . W«rren-X,yn(di;- At May fair. N. T„ week Feb. 38, '88. Runnlns lime. .C6 mills. .- Wallace: Storm.....'..,..Lyle. Talbot Fatrlclar -SanroirdTnv.;; Maryr-Astor Bud Keene.w;,..'.;■.«..Roscoe Karns Johnny -..'...;....;......... ^Frankle Darro Robert Grlffln.....Gavlii' Cordon tEMPtATIGN : (BRITISH MADE) ■ ■^ ■,..: .London,. Feb..'IB, ■'•; MlIb^FIInt . Production, ■ released : .tbrouth Qoumoni-Brltish . Adapated from play by eielchlor. 'Lengyel Directed by Max Neu- reuld. In cast: Fraincea Dayv Stewart Rome. Anthony Hankey,.' iMcy -Beanroont. RunnlnK-:tlme 70 in|ns. ..Ptevlewed Prince Edw«rd theatre. There'seettid no. reason why this erihould not be a good picture, but it somehoW' Just escape^. On the outskirts' of Budapest a gentleman farmer is living happUy with Antonla, a former musical comedy star, and story. opens with his showering gifts on her to cele- brate their fifth wedding anni- versary. Former theatrical friends invade. the estate and try to: per- suade her to return to a good part in a new musical. Husband interrupts a dance re- hearsal of the role,- although-Bhe-Thar no' intehtlon of returning..to . stage. He is furious and orders her friends to leave, then goes out, ignoring the fact he has promised : to take: his wife' iritb 'tbWti tb*; see the premiere of a: new. Bhow« She goes alone and meets her husband's niece, who con fides she has nriet a man whbm she has allowed to kiss her. The aunt rebukes the girl arid when th^ boy is told of this, he plans to get even He obtains the seat next to her at the theatre. Impudently courts her and cajoles her into accompanying 3ilmr:t6.Ta-suP'ney!lhgurit. - -wh ere, with chariipagne, he woos her. The gfrl appears and Antonla realizes she has been fooled. : She storms out of the place, taking the girl home with her.. ■ ■ ' ■ The husband has repented of his ill temper and awaits her return His Jealous, fears are- diispersed through the niece Introducing her Ibver and all ends happily. The natural Bettings are. attrac tlve, and there are many humorous touches that make the: story enter tainlng. Characters, however, do riot fit Into their background..Ste-W- art Rome looks and acts exactly like charming English gentleman— never once conveylngf the inipresslbn that he is . an- Hungarian . farmer. Peggy Slmpsori could never be mis taken for anything but an English schoolgirl. Frances Day Is mbre at ease in her :role of exractress, and the youthful lover of Anthony Han key displays a pleasing personality Adequate second feature. Short ects AN80N WEEKS Orchestra With Bob Crbsby and Toby Wins Rhythm on tho Roof Musical Revuette '. ■ 10 Mini. • Beacon, N> Y. . Paramount This short further strengthens the; belief of radio listeners that Bob Crosby, brother of BIrig, has a voice: sufted for the air waves and pic- tures. It's Kis singing that goes a lonjg ways towards making this or- chestra' -variety reel jiist a bit differ- ent. There's the inevitable com- parison with the waxblihg of Blng Crosby, and it is this angle that gives what plot there is to the pic- ture. Of course. Bob makes ^ the grade as soloist with Anson Weeks' . orchestra. . .■ _:-'. 'May 1,' "Love Tfijr Nelghlfbr* and ■Good Night Lovely Little LadyVare Bob Crosby's songs. Toby Wing: supplies the Mim love interest, but .. she's never in any actual scene with the singer. Several close-ups and a boudoir undress. bit introduce this; . pert miss. The exciise for the title, :Rhythm on the Roof,' Is the set showing orchestra members, Crosby and the Wing girl spotted In vari- ous windbws of a skyscraper, fol- lowed by a trivial dance done by a • line of girls atop the building. . - 'Weeks; aggregation scores in solid fashion although given sriiall oppor- tunity except as the musical back- • ground fo.r -Crpsby'fl_ia.olos»_b«.t in - - toto^-this-band-shbrt—is-more-than—- oke. There-are added -posslbIlitleft__ In billing Bob as Blng Crosby's brbther beoause his'slnglng is plenty to enthuse over and much like that" of the better known relative.- . • THREE CHEERS FOR LOVE With Sytvla Froos 18 Mins. : Tlvoll, N. Y. : : . Educational Shows Sylvia Froos, this young veteran, as a capable comedienne. She always has sung a nice tune. Her work here may set her for "features^ "In Jact, she's the bn^~~.- brlght spot_ of this show, which tries BO hard to be'fu'ririy. :.'"' ; Script uses that moss-covered plot of the matron who wants to marry off her older daughter to a rich man while forcing her younger child. Miss Froos, to dress In kiddle clothes; Youngster cops the wealthy , male. Slow- tempo Is a further handicap: . ■__ AsIde"^from Miss "Frbos, suppox't players are ' not aided particularly by the trite lines. Miss Froos sings 'Three Cheers for. JLoVe* and 'Wait- ing on the Corrier,' and an easy winner with each. LOST CITY Principal pcoductlon' and release.. -Dl-. reoted by Harry Revler. Story by Zelma Carroir. Geo. W. Merrick. Robt» DlUlon. Adaptation, Zelma -Carroll;- screen play, Parley- Poore- Sbeebaii, Eddie .Qranemfin, Leon d' Usseau; music, .tee • Zahler; camera,. Roland Price,. Ed. Linden. Caat; Wm. .Boyd, Kane Richmond, Geo. Hayes, Josef Swlckard, : Ralph Lewis, Billy Fletcher. Eddie Feathersbn, OIno Carrado. At Globe, 'N. Y . ooenlni^ Feb . 20. ^35. Rilnnlpg time. <* mins. 'DONE IN OIL' With Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly . . ......'. Hal Roach-Comedy 18 Mins. Ziegfeld, N. Y. MGM - Draggy- comedy that is partially .saved.by the efifbrts of Patsy Kelly, nriie-worn. plot,, with few new. ideas, place thlei below: average; Entire subject Is constructed around the idea of Thelma, a strug- gling oil painter, attempting to sell, some portraits before she Is evicted rfom her. apartment. A combina- tion, photographer - publicist and leavy drinker offers to put her across, but In the end it's Miss K e lly, p laylne^^he-Ffeneh-maldT-and- drunkee, who wlris the day with a Murder on a Honeymoon Radio, production., (thd : j-elease; ; Features Edna.' May-' Oliver and.: Janies. Gleason, Directed by Lloyd Corrlga'n. Produced 'by Kenneth 'Macgowun.^ From iiovcl, 'Puzzle bt the Pepper Tree,' by Stuart Palmer! scrten" v'ay. ?«ton I.-; Miller and • Robert Benoliley;'camera,,.^lck .MuaiiracA; camera eitocls, YernQh Walker*. At Roity. N. Y., .week '.March- 1, ,'36. .'Itunhlhg tlm«, 73 .iiilris, ililileg.ti'ile Withers O.scilr • Piper., ::.'.'. : ,l^li.vlli.<». La: Font... Piliit .French,:....;. -Kelscy..^w'.. Kay Deving.:..... Marvlhtf. Deving., CUlet Brltt;.. Captain - Bcegle.... Joseph: B.' TateVi. . Dr. G'Roui'ite;. r.; Pilot.Madden..... Porter .'.. i>....'...: • Ai-iliur-J. ->.Vlack., Forrest .. . ;.,'...'..• Hoiel Clerk : ..Edna May Oliver James Olcasion .'.'ilvola Lnnc .. .Chick .Chandler rri-; GebrBCr-Meeker ...Dorothy "-Lllialre ...;Ha-rry Ellerbee .-.Spencer Charters .,'DeWitt Jennings .i..'. .■.■..'Lco Carroll 'i .. V.: Arthur .Hoyt .....Matt MrHuRh i..,. i Sleep 'n'- ICat ,„MorKaa..Wallace ,. .Brooks . -Denedlct Rollo Lloyd There's a decided flood of who- dunits on the market now and hi ore coming In. This one. will have no trouble standing' up: In the swe^p,- 'Red Hot Tires' consl8ts_of an In credii}le yarn Interlaced with stock shots of auto racing:. Herice, most of tfie pi'cl^ure'aibotige~deHv tile library. But It's estimated fllm should make a passable balancing item for a dual bill. Plot, aind characters are cut from a frequently used pattern, players giving little else than Up service to the script/ Lbve. interest centers around Lyle Tali)ot and Mary Astor, who serve merely as speaking inter- ludes between racing sceries. Roscoe Karns and Frankie Darro play a couple of bid faithfuls to the hero and"manage- to Inject an' occasibirai laugh.. '■ ' ■ . Talbot and Gavin' Gordon, racing drivers^, have In Mary Astor a com- mon interest. Gordon frames a spill for his rival, but is himself, killed, Talbot is charged with murder and get.s. a l^-:year,-termv;.:^he glrl,."with the aid of Darro, digs up evidence on the frame and obtains a pardon for Talbot. While she is waiting to deliver the releasing papers to the warden Talbot escapes. Next, sev- eral 'hundred ,feet. find him tearing up the tracks of several South Possibly a little more production coin and considerably more: thought would have brought thltf In as big time stuff, but with poor photog^ raphy, sometimes falterlrig direction and story inconsistencies, the yarn falls Intb the second division, though It's good fodder for the ballyhoo grinds. Story is really a serial "ctit tb 'featUrS" leri'gTth' tb "Ker a Broadway showing. This accounts for some of the uneyen spots and a general jiimplness. Probably wllf show up better in chapter form. Story Is something of the Jules Verne-Edgar Rice Burroughs school," with.^the nominal Ibad the survivor of a lost white race in In- terior Africa. He Is stark crazy and bent on- subduing .the world by. means of his electrical devices. Al ready he has caused serious trouble in various parts with his waves. A youner scientist locates his position and sets, out with an expedition to db something, about it. Zolok, the maniac, has captured Dr. Maynus,.a French scientist, and his daughtier. • By dint of torturing ,the girl he has forced, the doctor to perfect electrical devices not dreamed of by Edison, Tesla, Marconi or even the Bell Labora torles. He . can. send out waves which can divert rivers, upset tides and generally raise havoc. For his own convenience he has a one-end television which can. pick up any happening wlthiria l.OOO mile range, a device for destroying the reason ing faculties of the brain and an other to turn men into giants, not to .: me.ntlpn . scores of little labor savers about the house, He is attended by two faniiliars, Appolyn and Gorge, and has a regi- ment of natives who have been electrically stretched to' iglgantlc dimenslorts. That's the.; premise. The story proper Is th.tt the young ^^fuTfdinsnc^fforfv MICKEY MOUSE ■ The Band Concert' 9 Mins. ■ ■ Musie Hall, N. Y. Disney-U. A. Full color scartbori which suggests similar, subjects. MIckfey is leading the band, with ah ice-cream cone boy breaking In with a flfe to wean the band from 'William ten' to "Sailor's Hornpipe. TWheri- that gets old there's a bee buzzing around, and* Anally a cyclone hap- . pens along and gives the band a fnst ride for a good'climax. Showjs.good invention and is materially helped by the Technlcblor, ■■; CMci explorer gets Into the Lost Clt,v, gets the girl arid gets out again. They . take - the Doctor with them, which leaves "Zolok with a lot of perfectly useless gadgets; on- his hands unless he: can catch anotlior electrical genius. :. Story Is mlsshaperi in thsiL it' comes to Its' peak too soon, :with about 12 minutes of falling action. \^hich - permits whatever . eff. that's ; been gained to fade out. There Is too much running around and tag-playing to hold the su.sr perise ana TPeveral times what.i.^'iii- • tended to be another shocker riierely brings a. laugh. Even the stilted stride of the black zombies is amus- ing rather than awesome. ;But':ih; themselves these six foot.: is'efcroo.'s are Impressive, Tod Browning cgiuld have inutli a -ivhizzer. out of this In his heyday, but It's out of Revler's usual .stylo and he: Is liaridicapped by'a faulty script. ; •-;.' .■• ■.'.:'■'■■'. The acting Is good, but no out- standers. No ona'. srctfl a chance, to shine. t'/u'c.