Variety (Oct 1938)

K cdnestlaxt October i». THE ROAD TO RENO (Continued from page 14) <ealous over the Interest Scott shows iiicr, Farrell. An unbcUeveable series of events ■re called for under a scheme loolc- inz to reconciliation and the court tfouence in Reno, where that even- tiia^es for the fade, tops it off for inconsistency. , Picture partly satir- i2ci the Nevada system of grantmg divorces and the manner In which rourtf function there. Nevadarwill B'vb 'v-'" not like that. ^ Miss iiun.^i-ivs tiulcet and impres- five vojce is also neu- u ii. » westerr sports writer Kcliy. li „ worth is stretched to the hilt for the finale game. Penner's pop offers his alma mater an endowment if faculty can pro- duce A miracle and graduate kid as an athlete. Everybody tries, in- cluding the dean's daughter. First opposed to Penner, she wins him over and then really falls for him. Through a series of pushes from the rest of the team, tossing him bodily across the line, submarine runs be- tween rows of his own men and kindred lunacies, Penner establishes Itiimself as a mystery man of the gridiron. His bubble nearly bursts VARIETY 21 (BBITISH-M.\DE) London. Sept.^.^ I):atribijta7.'>* roloase iiumber. 'Riding Home'; in a iovc; y-''^". an opposish team starts feed- ballad as part of a dude ranch pro-1 »ng iiuii *M noodles. Always heckled gram, and at the finish (partly by means of a recotd) In 'I Gave My Heart Away.' Her technique is flaw- less. Scott is a good fit as the rancher- husband, while Miss Farrell. Helen Brod6rick, Alan Marshall and David Oliver Me satisfactory as support. Char. Vacation from Love (WITH SONG) Hollywood, Sept 30. Metro release of Orvillo O. Dull pro- duction. Features Dennis O'Keefe, Fior- ( <ce Rice; KeRlnald Owen, June Knli^ht. Directed by George Fltzmaurlce. Sicreen play by Patterson McNutt and Horlan Ware; song, Edward Ward. Bob Wripht, Chet Forreat; editor, Ben L«wls; camera. Stay June. Previewed at Alexander, Olen- dale, Sept. 2P, '38. Running time. 05 inlns. Sin Blalr Dennis O'Keefe Patricia Lnwson ....Florence. Rice John Ho'lge Lawson Reginald Owen Flo Heath June Knight Barney ICoenan Edwdrd S. Brophy' Mark Shelby Trumnn Bradley T. Amos Plermont III......Tom Rutherfurd Judge Brandon.. Andrew Tombes Oscar Wlttlesbach Herman Blng Dr. "Waxton... George Zucco French Judge Paul Porcnsl Danny D»lan .T. M. Kerrigan 21. Fumagally Armand Kallz A light marital comedy drama, •Vacation from Love' is mildly en- tertaining and destined for the lower program brackets. It's nicely pro- duced and mounted, but aside frOm lack of selling names, It has little on which to arouse interest. The writers have dressed up a familiar yarn with some amusing variations, but it emerges as the same basic story of boy marries girl; pair drift apart when he becdmes immersed in busi- ness; the separation; then happy re- conciliation before the divorce hear- ing ev 1 starts. Cast vvorks valiantly to make the most of the situation, while direction by George Fitzmaurice has been handled acceptably. Dennis O'Keefe displays a pleasing personality in his portrayal of the saxophone player who marries the wealthy Florence Rice and gradually neglects her when he is drafted into business with her father, Reginald Owen. Miss Rise Is convincing as the wife, while Owen provides many laugh situa- tions. June Knight appears briefly fend sings one torch number. 'Let's Pretend It's True,' in a night spot. Truman Bradley, discovered by Norma Shearer and signed by Metro after radio announcing in Chicago for several yearc, turns in neat per formance as the wife-chaser. Ed- ward Brophy, as manager of the dance band, and Herman Bing as buyer of radio time, score with com edy lines. Armand Kaliz, Tom Ruth- erfurd, Andrew Tombes and George Zucco are acceptable in minor parts. Mr. Doodle Kicks Off (WITH SONGS) RKO-RadIo release of Robert SIsk pro- duction. Stars Joe Penner. Directed by t-esUe Goodwins. Screen play, Bert Cranet; story, Mark Kelly; camera, Russell Metty; songs. Hal Raynor. At Rlalto, N. T.. week Sept. 23, '38. Running time, "7 mlns. Uoodle .Toe Penner Janice ...June Travis 9''8'<^e Blchnrd Lane Jjarry Beti' Alexander Professor Minorous Billy Cllbert Kochet Jnok Cnrson Mickey Alan Bruce • -Prsfifclcnt Martin George Irving Mr. Bugs AVUUnin B. Divldpon Mr. Wondel Pierre Watkln f|oach Hommond Frank M. T.homns First Sonhomore , We.sley Bnrr>" Bocohd Sophomore... Bob Pa rrlsh This cinematic farce has two things in its favor, timeliness of football .season and the Joe Penner name. Otherwise, it's just another familiar Penner item, with his antics a little shopworn, sp'-'nkled with giaely smart cracks. Cast is comnetent and does all it can with Individual assignments, but just cant esraine tb" absurdity of it all. If 'Doodle' collects any boodle, it can thank the two reasons already mentioned. Production and direction are there, after initial slow opening to establish Penner as the music nut ■who just won't get into the muscle end of hiifher education. Situations are sustained where the punch I'l^es sometimes .sag giving credit to the Sisk-Goor'wip.s nroduction and di- rection. Fault lie.s in the storv and treatment by Mark Kellv and Bert Granet. who have tried too hard along familiar lines. Humor is snread around between Pinner, Billy Gilbert as a Greek professor, and Riohard Lane, as assist.mt coach, all getting a share of mild lauohs. Yarn offers some screwb-^ll nis skin nlays that mav furn'.sh a i^w chuckles +o the boys who renllv know. Whi^t thev offer in v^aI • Value Is doubtful, though devised by Grnpral Piln _ Oainsljurough Picture?. Staw Will Hn> 7 features lidgar Kcnr.Dly, I»iivCtcd by Marcel Varncl. Scenario. J, o. V. Oiton, from original story by Jac!: Swain; camera. Arthur Crabtrcc. At P;;oi> is, I/jndon. Rui ning time. U2 niins. Benjamin Twist V.'ill Hay Bugs Leary Kd'.tur Kennedy Tony Ricardo Davil Barna AcD Mnrro KdJii? Ryan Cyrus Schultz Fred Dapjiez Mrs. Srhultz i'a-bly R'-ynolda Berde Schultz Tuinjijj Bupp Gloves Johnson \rthur <:oullet Ship's Steward.... "tiili Mc'^ugbtin Announcer ., Edd.o Pola c*2nd Got, are from Dixie. Dircc- ^7 Sa: ^ • nod lor being able to sus- { in r-i*^L"!? Kiult and generally < c: ..^J i—..V*-^ 4 t::e fr.: into dancing and ks'^'K^vi! fits by the time, Too Goes the W'eii.roi/ H? game-saving enters when the school band plays a tune and he kicks the ball clear across the field for a 'win. Actual game and the grid practice make for most of the fun. Batoneering of a swing band fur- nishes necessary motivation for Penner's singing of two paltry songs, 'It's a Mystery to Me' and 'All American Band.' Neither one im- portant and only make for more Penner shenanigans of face and hands. Hurl, SONS OF THE LEGION Paramount production and release. Fea- tures Lynne Overman, Evelyn Keyes, Don- ald O'Connor, EllzabeUi Patterson, Wil- liam Frawloy, Tim Holt, Billy Cook, iiiy Lee. Directed by James Hogan. Original and screenplay. Lillle Hayward, Lewis Fos- ter, Robert F. McGowan; editor, Anne Bauchens; camera, Charles Schoenbaum. At Criterion, N. Y., weak Sept. 20, '88, dual Running time, 02 mlns. Butch Baker Donald O'Connor Billy Lee ..Billy Lee David Lee Billy Cook Linda Lee Evelyn Keyes Grandmother Lee lizabeth Patterson Steven Scott. Tim Holt Charles Lee Lynne Overman Uncle Willie Lee William Frawley State Commander .-Richard Tucker Mickey Johnnie Morris Harold Wally Albright Red ©'Flaherty ....Benny Bartlett Gunman Baker Edward Pawley Margaret XjU'cille Ward Boy Ronnie Paige In a word, this one is pretty ter- rible. Obviously framed to cop the Legionnaire trade and incidentally lure the moppets, the film neglects to supply any entertainment. What's more, the unashamed flag-waving is enough to make the most rabid Le- gionnaire blush, while its juvenile slant will seem puerile even to the urchins. Story deals with the formation by a Rover Boy hero of an organization. Sons of the American Legion, to 'teach the younger generation the principles and ideals of American- ism.' But the father of two ,of the lads, hiding the fact that he was dis- honorably discharged from the army behind his refusal to join the Le- gion, won't let them become mem- bers of the, new group. The yarn lurches into melodrama, with an auto chase of an escaped convict and the reformation of a gutter-bred toughie. Of course, the dishonor ably discharged vet is vindicated and there is a flag-flying, bands-playing, men-marching finale. But not a moment is plausible. Almost the only bright spot in the entire picture is Lynne Overman's performance as the bedeviled father The part is no Hamlet, but his skil- fully reticent playing gives it con- siderable quiet conviction. Prob ably it won't occur to studio execs to give him other parts out' of his familiar groove, but it at least demonstrates that Overman isn't as limited an actor as his stereotype roles have indicated. Elizabeth Patterson's experience enables her to redeem an opaque part to some extent, and William Frawley is competent in a stock characterization, but the others are pretty dreadful. James Hogan's di- rection is heavy-handed. 'Sons of the Legion' will get skimpy recep- tion. Hobe. sore . » vengeiui of an iron . strong's dying kiu. they would hold for rant- less to say Livingston is inside lung and steals the truck from a ga- KVi^i Kcnjo.. rage under a fusillade. vom SOUTH OF ARIZONA (WitH SONGS) itl I^arknoveol C<!!umbt:» proauci'.on and release. Stai» iii l-acu-i^jt-a J Starrcu: fcjktures Irla Meredith, He scoops the pants of all his con- fsanio reres in ink by solving murder of ■• uichard lis nal. a customs insnoctor. some- • ^ Practically every review of a Bri- tish film sent to New York states that it tequircs drastic cutting. This one is cr''?ntion. There's cciiaiiiti-.-J-^c surefire ma- terial in *Hey,' whica is eurii,^'0»"n*ly acted, plus the stellar draw of V 'U^ Hay here, to warrant placing it as a plus one booking throughout pro- vincial England. Imported from Hollywood, Edgar Kennedy also helps considerably. For America, a solid hour would enable it to serve well as a second feature. Hay plays an ex-instructor in a private school in England employed as a porter carrying baggage on board a trans-Atlantic liner in Southampton. On board the liner are a couple of Chicago gangsters, intent upon kidnapping the son of an American millionaire. A rival gang from the Windy City resents the job as encroaching on agreed territorial rights, all of which is unspooled very vaguely. From then on things move more rapidly, but always with over- plus footage. Direction and assisting cast are splendid, photography mostly good and production comfortably unpre- tentious. Jolo. Le Paradis de Satan ('Sataa's Paradise') (FRENCH MADE) Paris, Sept. 24. C.F.C. release of Georges Legrand pro- duction. Stars- Jean Pierre Aumont; fea- tures -Jany Holt, Pierre Benolr. Lucas Glrandoux. Directed by Felix Gaildera. From original story of same name by Andre Armandy. Camera. Charles Suln. At. the Madeleine, Paris. Running time, S3 mlns. Cast: Jean Pierre Aumont, Jnny Holt, Pierre Renoir, Lucas Glrandoux, Jean Max, Marcel Genlat. Prison Without Bars (BRITISH-MADE) London, Sept. 22. t'niled ArtlHts' relea.se of London Films- Alexander Korda production. S'tars Cor- Inne Lurhalre; features Edna Best, Barry K. narne.s. Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst. Scenario, .\rlhur Wimperls, from a piny, by E. and O. Pis, Glna Kaus, Hnns wilheini; camera, Georges Perlnal. At tho Phoenix, London. Running time, 78 mins. ."Suzanne Corlnne Luchaire Yvonne Edna Best Doctor Barry K. Bnrnes .Madame .\ppel Martlta Hunt Mile. Arthemlse Margaret Yarde Madame Rcmy Eisle Ftielton Ronoe Mary Morris Alice Lorr.ilne Clewes Xlnn Glynis Johns Julie Sally Wisher Mile. Rennnl Enid LIndsey Mils, Pauline Phyllis Morris Mile. Dupont Nancy Roberts 'Prison Without Bars,' remade from the French, is a strong film that should appeal to better-class audi- ences here and to those in the States. Story deals with the democratic treatment practiced in a eirls' house of detention by a super (Edna Best), who gives the girls oretty much the- run of the nlace. There's the usual romance, this time between tlie prison doctor (Barry K. Barnes) and a trusty (Morinne Luchaire). All J three portray their roles faithfully. It's in the transition from the French to the English that the film- ization falters slightly, pace being slowed. Lacking much of the punch the originrl story carried when published in the Paris Soir here, 'Le Paradis de Satan,' as a film, is second-class. Pierre Renoir, whose acting is be- yond reproach, is in a small part, while Jean Pierre Aumont lacks the experience and age to carry the major role in which he's cast. Jany Holt has been better. Leaning on the cane of an old one, story concerns a plantation in Brazil, which is near ruin because of blight. Aumont, is sent by Paris financiers to finish oft the job so the place can be bought at half it's worth. He arrives to find Jany Holt, daughter of the owner, an acquaintance of his school days. He tumbles. End is obvious, but uses a couple of interest pullers in getting there. Renoir, as the abandoned brother of the Paris financier, drunkard and recluse, pulls the needed trick at the end to show up Lucas Glran- doux, plantation doctor, as another agent of the financier after the medi- co attempts to poison Aumont for turning traitor. Renoir's drunkard does much for the picture. Glrandoux overacts. Joe Alex, in a small part as Aumont's servant.. does well. Photography is standard. Hugo. freres his pal, a customs inspector, some- : ^f,^ thing he stumbled on while lassoin:* : iianw the lunr;. Manages to break up the two* gangs, uses girl's home for a shooting gallery featuring same char- acters, discovers the whisky smug- gling ship, gets himself partly roast- ed, konked on the noggin and incurs lili ^fiitor's disfavor by letting the rival sheet ar.r.cvce his marriage to publisher's daughter. AU th!'? while kid in the air tank tclcphlvnc^i hi- brother Armstrong) and while guns are barking. Whew! A we^k-kneed song, "Never a Dream Gees By,' sneaks in via a Yellow Peril nitery scene .while hold-the-press Livingst./n queries the owner, Armstrong. Hurl. il Nolan. I):cis OurtSs. nobert FIs'ko. DI- • " ! t-v t'am Nr3;--n. f5Jory nnd adapts* r r^r- • Ti. <'chpns songs. Ba'j No'.in; ■ r>. ::t5 V p*r.rcgrap!iy. Kon- t -- /i-r <■ c^"^ J. " v.. cjuat, week "S s ft iiOl^'i.it Lafe McKca Hons of t'le T'liisjcers THE NIGHT HAWK (WITH SONG) Republic production and release. Features Robert Livingston. June Travis and Rob- ert Armstrong. Directed by. Sldnoy Sal- kow. Original psroon piny, EnrI Felton; camera, Jack Marta; song, Walter Kent, Manny Kurtz and AI ,'?hcrnian. In Projec- tion Room, X. Y., Sept. 21), '38. Running time, 05 mlns, Sllm Robcht Livingston Delia June Travis MeCormlck Robert Armstrong Otto Miller Ben Wclden Parrlsh Luolen LIttlefleld T^fty Josonh Downing Willie ..Roland L. Got C'nptain Teague Cy Kendall Spider Paul Fix Bobby McCor Ick Illy Burrud Lonlgan Charles Wilson ToUey.. Dvvlpht Frye r^nrsen ' Paul McVey Muiruney Robert Homans Another Hollvwood pipe-dream of a newspaperman who'.<; a combina- tion miracle man, acrobat, Sherlock Holmes, philanthropist and naughty boy. He's so busy motivating most of the crimes, solving them and un- doing them that he's naver seen in his office or on a telephone. He car- ries on' a romance, too, while build- ing up to flock of breath .suspenses. "ihere are a couple of exploitable points in use of an iron lung and attempted steam-roasting of hero in the hold of a ship. Playup of both highly publicized news items mi<»ht bring 'em in for this second rungeP. There are many suspenses and let- downs while Livingston entangles and unravels himself. He's ably sup- ported by June Travis, portraying ever-disappointed newshound's gal; Armstrong as a soft-hearted torpedo, and a cast of more recent celluloid cop-haters, including Joe Downing. Acting is comparatively better than regular run, but lines, particularly supposed comedy touchCi^ of Chinese, Le Train Pour Venise ('The Train for Venice') (FRENCH-MADE) Paris, Sept. 25. Paramount release of Eugene Tuscherer production, Directed by Andre Berthomleu. Adapted by Louis Vemoull from play of same name by Georges Berr and Vemeuil. Camera, Langenfeld. At the Paramount, Paris. Running time, 80 mlns. Edouard Chardonne..., Max Dearly Etlenne de Bolsrobcrt Victor Boucher Caroline Ancelot... .Huguette DuHos Michel Ancelot: ^ Louia Verneull Amedee '. Robert VleuUle Berthe v.Madeleine Suffel Chef de Cabinet Florcncy M. d'Aublgny '. Etchepare Louis Verneuil's film adaptation of his d'Sii George Berr's play, 'Train for Venice,' has lost much of the punch that it possessed in legit. One fault is that dialog becomes tediiius in spots. But, generally, it's good, amusing French farce, dealing with a too- busy husband and a lonely wife, who's on the point of deserting him at the instigation of her father. How that desertion nearly takes place with another man is what makes the ycrn. Certainly nothing extraordi- nary,, but it is' due for medium re- turns here, with possibilities abroad. Vemeuil, making his film demit, does remarkably well with the char- acterization of the publisher-hus- band. Max Dearly, thoroughly and amusingly carries the father-in-law, more interested in his system at the. casino green tables and his drink than in his daughter's happiness. Victor Boucher, as the rich suitor, whose hobby is sculpturing, success- fully divides emotions between man- ly duty to a .husband, who is a for- mer schoolmate, and his love for the same man's wife. Dialog, on the whole, is light, and there are plenty of amusing scenes. Huguette Duflos does not al- ways make the best of situations offered her. Hugo. PAPAUCSHOS ('Hen-Pecked Husband) (HUNGARIAN-MADE) (WITH SONGS) Budapest, Sept. 22. Photophon production and rolease. Di- rected by Janos Vaesary. Screenplay, Vaa- zary. Kosacs < Julius Kabos Nelly MizzI Erdelyl Kubala Tlvadar BIllcHy Mrs. -Racz , PIrosUa Vapzary The Ottier Man Dezso Kertesz New indie company has made a hit out of a very unexpensively pro- duced picture due to an amusingly written scenario. Pity that it drifts entirely into burlesque instead of. keeping to the tragi-comic trend v/hich is Julius Kabo's strong side. Most -Janos Vaszary pictures are based on the comic aspect of . some- body getting slapped several times. After a time it palls. However, 'Henpecked Husband' is good fun all the same. Production, though, is weak. Story starts in pre-war days, when Kabos, awkward and modest youth, is in love with a young lady who prefers the other fellow, Kabos is determined to commit suicide, and is busy drinking himself into the nec- essary courage, when Nelly comes to tell him that she's going to marry him after all. Sequel is 20 years later. Kabos is a miserably hen-pecked husband and father, H' - only happy moments are when he sneaks oft to play cards at the cafe with his friend, Kubala, a janitor. But he daren't tell his wife, and pretends that Kubala is an aris- tocratic millionaire. Nelly, whom 20 years of marriage, have turned into a termagant, insists on his bringing the 'aristocratic' Kubala to the house. Result is that the janitor behaves there scandalously. That's the high- light. It falls flat when Kabos wakes up to find it was all a dream, and in- stead of shooting himself, is glad that Nelly has jilted him, since he ha*; had a glimpse into the future. Kabos' performance is good, as usual, but the real surprise is Theo- dore Bilicsy, as the pseudo-aristo- cratic janitor. He's a first-rate comedian. Jacobi.* Routine western with all the usual trimmings and Charles Starrett bu^ as these boilerplstes go, suitable for the lower half of dual bills, where wanted. A few song numbers by Bob Nolan, who's in the cast, are thrown in with t^e hard riding, the gunplay and the naive romancing. Jt!r='c:3«>o; by the lot of riding called for by the cerspiL ct Xhis 0!?e, with no stops anywhere t"* water ihv htwses, there should be an HAG (Horses Ac- tors Guild). Al''^ with the large amount of shoot^'ng indulged, the ammunition industry should tie up with films in line with the Greater Movie Season, Starrett plays a dust-proof rancher with a silk kerchief around his neck who, against the greatest odds, suc- ceeds in tracking down a band of badmen who get away with murder in open daylight because everybody goes airound blindfolded in. the guise of not wanting to see—or smell— anything. The romantic interest, as usual ,is sophomoric. Starrett has Iris Meredith opoosite him again as the little flower who's in places she doesn't belong. She's the sister of the brother who has been ruthlessly slain by the sagebrush plotters, an obvious lot of Central Casting hood- lums. Dick Curtis and Robert Fiske are standardized menace. While Edward Cobb, Art Mix, -Richard Bottelier, Lafe McKee, Ed Coxen and Hank Bell are lessers, all familiar types. The horseS' are all good and work much the hardest, but try to tell any cowboy, rancher or westerner that anyone with any brains ever runs the animals the way' they do i^. most of these westerns. They'd spit ■ tobacco juice in your eye. Char. Crashin' Thru Danger Excelalor release of Slg. Neufeld and Les- lie SImmonds production. Features Ray Walker, Sally Blane, Guinn V.'llllams. James Bush. Directed, by .'Sam -iewfleld. Story and screenplay l^y Norman Houston. At Central, N. T., duaU week Sept. 24, '38. Running time, 61 mins. Torchy Ray Walker Ann Sally Blane Slim Gulnii -WIlllaHis Eddie James Bush Superintendent ^ Guy Usher Pop Robert Homan* Tom Syd Saylor Foreman Dick Curtis The Nurse...'. .'..: arga'ret O'Connell Dr. Michaels Alexander Schoenbers Minor entry about three tough but merry linemen, who adopt their dead supervisor's daughter as a house- keeper and then proceedj to make a play for her, each indivicmally. The elements, fire, flood and ihurricanes, eliminate a' couple of the ■candidates, killing one and incapacitf^ting a sec- ond, so that the hero can clinch with Sally Blane. ; Miss Blane is a placid heroine. On the acting side, it's all pretty stereo, but the .three featured lads in the roles of linemen are n.s.b. Shan. RENEGADE RANGER RKQ.-Rodlo release of Bert Gllroy pro. ductlon. Stars George O'Brien; feature* Rita Hayworth, Tim Holt, Ray Whitley. Directed by David Howjird. Story, Bennett Cohen; screenplay, Oliver Drake; camera, Harry Wild; editor, Frederic Knudston. At Liberty, Lincoln, dual. Running time, CO mlns, Capt. Steele George O'Brien Happy Ray "Whitley Judith..; Ita Hayworth Larry ' Tim Holt Juan Lucio VlUegas Sanderson William Royle .Sonia Cecilia Callcjo Sheriff : Neal Hart Monte Monty Montagus Idaho Bob Kortman Manuel ; Charles Stevena Hank Jim Mason Bed..'. Tom London Major Guy Usher Reading between the lines of the law as administered by crooked poli- ticians, George O'Brien becomes a 'renegade ranger' in the pic bearing that title and makes the Rio Grande country safe for the holders of land grants. This is the ilick listed in the Quiz Book as 'Ranger Code,' although no reference is made in the screen credits. Load of informing is left the theatre playing. 'Renegade' is a very good western, filled with brawling, gunning and outlawry. Good touch 16 given by having the leader of the so-called outlaws a girl, Rita Hayworth, who is suspected by O'Brien to be within her rights and driven to her battle with the carpetbaggers. Hayworth girl is a charmer, wearing the bath- tub halrdress even in that early day. She's a vet of Columbia's action pic school. O'Brien is sent on assignment t* bring the girl in for murder, \>\it finds, when arriving at the st^ne of her operations, that the townspeople are all for her and against the wil- (Continued on page 59)