Variety (Aug 1939)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

\tre«lncsday, Aiigii8l 2, 1939 PICTURES VARIETY 25 Film Reviews HIDDEN POWER (Continued from page 18) viates but little from the accepted screen formula. ' After his wife divorces him and lakes their young son away to live with her, because he persists with his endless experiments and overlooks a b « cash deal, the final episodes are broadcast far in advance. It only be- comes a matter of time when the scientist will use his antidote to save his own boy's life. Plot takes so long to unravel that by this time nobody "'jack'^HoU, accustomed to outdoor, he-man roles, is not at home in the medico character. And shows it. Besides a weak casting ]ob m spot- tine Gertrude Michael as the nag- line wife, Dickie Moore, whos grown almost to the gangling stage, strives strenuously to inject a few laughs and make something of a rather silly part as the son. . Regis Toomey is engulfed in a minor bit as the doctor's lab assist- ant Henry Kolker also is shunted olT into a stupid semi-villainous part as the laboratory chief who would u-je the medico's original formula for the manufacture of high explosives. Lewis D.- Collins directs with a heavy hand, not getting much help apparently from Gordon ,R'8by s icrccnplay. wear. MAN FROM TEXAS (WITH SONGS) (■i,it;i;ini r'*Ieii)M* of Kdwnrd Flnnoy pro- (tu' iU.ii. r.-!iiur.'s T« Hluei". Dhccied l>y >l Hi*rin:Hi. AO;iplallon niid oriKlniil by Koiipi-i Kinm<*M : ounioi-a. Mnrcel I.e 4'lt'»'"(l: (.111.11 liiiln. Al Arona. N. Y.. (lunl. jiilv 'ail. Kunnlnif lime. 60 MINS. T-^ Allen Tcic Klllfr Sh.Tlrt MlM.iMl Hnl I'rioo iSlioiiLliie Kill Clmrles B. AVooil ji.fr Mnll Vic Dpnmurellp. Jr. l),jfi,.r Uoy nnrcrofl l.iiiKlii,! II Kriink Wiiyiit Sii,><''l r)fniii:'iiii Ktfnnoth Duncnn J,,,1,11,* Ilulh RoKTs .isliiii .Tnin l.ouOon •AVlilie riii.ih JllmsFir Monogram's western star in his best elTort to date. Trim and full oC action, story of a railroad trouble shooter, outwitting, outshooting and outriding the outlaw band, is paced and cut to a nicety. It's a boxofflce attraction where Tex Hitter's name means something. Getting oft to a nice start, Tex ar- rives on the scene in time to save a hor.iie-thief from sheriffs posse. The Shooting ICid had promised Hitter to go straight but again immediately hires out as gunman to a cutthroat rancher who is playing a freeze-out game in order to get his neighbor's valuable ranch land sought by the railroad for a right of way. Hitter, hiding his identity of rail- road detective, Joins up with the per secuted cattle rancher, in an effort to nnd out who -is behind the plot After several attempts to kill the rancher, and later Hitter, the Kid goes over to law and order and aids ■fex and sheriff's pn.^se get the cat- tle acro.ss a barbed wire barricade set up to prevent cattle from reach- ing the railroad. Spectacular gun flgni at climax brings the usual re suit with wiping out of band. Well cho.sen exteriors, first-rate camera work and sound recording eieale a clear-cut and sparkling im pre.ssion. Other definite assets to the production are Hitter's riding and baritone booming of two new songs, 'Prairie Lights' and 'Men Who Wear the Stars.' Several new fac^s in the ca.st likewise stand out, and work of Charles B. Wood is especially com mendiible. Hitter carries the picture with an excellent performance, al though appearance gives a sugges tioii of maturity and his part as writ- ten lays too much emphasis on paler nal, philosophic mien. Ruth Rogers gels by with little trouble as only a few scenes are de voted to establishing her as the ro manlic interest. Cattle herd scenes as they are driven through the hills and arroyos are well-handled and as interesting as such panoramic effects usually are; COLORADO SUNSET (WITH SONGS) Romiljllr ri-lonne of Wllllom Bcike pro- duii;,)ii. .siaiH cpne Auiry: fenturei SmlU'y Eiinieii-. Dhei'lril by CicorBO blir-rninii. 3<rMii|ildy by n^lly BurbrlilKe. St:inlcy HiiI)iTlM, from nrlelniil by l.uci Ward. Jack >."^ti*ri»rrt: cnmcra. ■WllllaJii Nobles: muslr. Hioul ICr;iii.sU;4:ir. Ttovlpwed In proji^rlloii liiiini. \. y., July 1;T, •3U. nunnlliB llmc. «t .»UNi(. ^ipitn Gene Auiry *'''ux Sinllev Hurnelto June Hlnrey *' l"tti;i' }\n rb;i ra repper JJ'il"'V-< 1,111 rv CUuntoi') Cr.ibbn 2'>c Kliih lloberL ll;irri-l JH'r.'Plr I'lilsy Monlniii Tli-nM.li„,..-rbe CIJS-U.MIK.' Te.in.K Uiinwr.i J I- ll.iM ^ Purncll I'rnlt ^"■^r\n ; AVIlllnnl F.irnum Kennlt Mnynnril ' Jnck Intrrnm Elmo Lincoln ^'-'''i'le Fr.mkle Mnrvln On a par with previous Autry westerns, 'Colorado Sunset' will prove pleasing fare for Autry and other sagebrush fans. This one is ba.-ied on a milk war on the range, probably suggested by recent such tilts in various parts of the country, i^ircction leaves something to be de- sired with the working in of tunes from Autry and the Texas Hanger!;. Several times they are allowed to abruptly break the continuity. In other spots, however, especially in a cowbarn scene wherein Smiley Burnette and the Hangers are at- tempting to milk their herd, tune breaks help toward a good final im- pression. Sissy aspect (so think Autry ^nd his henchmen) of a bunch of hard- riding cattlemen playing nursemaid to milk cows, by no means lessens the action content once Autry's bunch unknowingly project them- selves into the' midst of the local war in which ranchers are being harassed and intimidated into join- ing a 'protective' association. Robert Barrat turns in a good job as Dr. Blair, veterinary and leader of a Dairyman's protective bunch who are wrecking milk trains, etc., and convincing the ranchers that a trucking company, which the ranch- ers refuse. to deal with because of rate rises, is behind the sabotage. Autry and his gang (Burnette and the Texas Hangers) move into that section of country because they're tired of barnstorming and have com- missioned Burnette to buy a ranch. Burnette unknowingly purchases one with a herd of milk cows. Once they're on tap, though, things start happening and in one big coupe at the finale the ranchers, led by Autry, wipe out the 'protective' mob. It's a chase with milk wagons upsetting and spilling their loads. Autry's nomination for Sheriff in place of one killed by. Blair pro- vides more opportunity' for musical hi-jinks which winds up in a laugh- able free-for-all between women supp'orters of Autry and men behind the opposition. Larry (Buster) Crabbe is Blair's second in command, and opposition for Autry for sher- iff, who renounces allegiance to the mob when his sister (June Storey), operator of a local radio station, is in danger from Blair. He helps Autry clean up. Barbara Pepper has nothiiig much to do and at the finale is incongrously hooked with Burnette romantically while Autry and Miss Storey get together. METROPOLIS—1939 RKO releDjM* of 'Mareb of Time' projuc- tiiiti. Previewed In Pi-njeclIon Room. N. Y., July 31. -3U. Itunnlnx Uine, 18W MINS. Times Square, the Astor hotel and the finale after-dark night show, a spectacular three-alarm blaze near 40th Street on the east side. Fadcout is an aerial view of the Battery. . Fortune mag for July devoted its entire issue to N. Y. City, which un- doubtedly made possible a ready tie- in with this 'Time' reel. Both enter- prises are affiliated. Wear. THREE TEXAS STEERS Kepubllc release nnil pr.'.iluctiun. KerunrCH John W'uyne. Uuy <*urrlB:»n. .Mux Teviiune.'i IHrecteil by tIeorBC Shermnn. OrlKlnid screen jilay by Kelly Hui'brldae and .*<liinley K»,b- eiis, based i,n' olmraeler.H civule-l by Wil- liam Cull .MiuTioiial-l; eaineriii I'lino-t Mil- ler; edllor. 'J'-my Marllneill. Al Tlvoll. .\. v.. iIuhI. July -ti, "M. Kunhing lime. :,9 .tllNS. Slonv Brooke Jobn Wnync Tucson Smllli liny CorrlBAn l.illlelty Jusliii Max' Terbune Nani-y I'aritle l.nndls Ward Ualiih Craves Sberlff Koscu Ales l.llllaii Collelte Lyons H'reules nilly C'unla .xieve Ted .Vdams Itnnklii St.inley Tlly.itone "I'lmy Uiivld Sbnriie M.>r;;an Elhan Laldlaw I'osimaii Lew Kelly Oui'ilta ..N'ub.l This is the most vivid visual rec- ord of the world's largest and great- est city ever made.- 'Metropolis— 1939' is New York City brought up to date as seen by the summer N. Y. exposition visitor influx. It's a scenic panorama of Mahhattan and all its boroughs, from Park Avenue to Harlem and The Bronx, and back through Times Square to the Bow ery and Chinatown. If folks in other sectors of the country never had a yen to visit New York they will after glimpsing this swift travelog ol a vast metropolis. As a short 'it rates featutetle billing. Fact that many N. Y. Fair visitors, who planned to stay only two days and spend them at the exposition, have stayed over to marvel at the daily performance put on by New York City, obviously prompted this subject at the present time. Every person who's been to N. Y. this year will have a definite urge to see the film. In addition, the production has a ready-built audience of more than 7,000,000 New Yorkers. The story of present-day New York is done in accustomed M. of T. man- ner, but there were so numerous pungent facts to be packed into less than 20 minutes' screen time that mere recital of factual material in following the hundreds of scenes was all that was needed without any punch lines. March of Time offers New York City as the most spectacular show in the world, opening with a sweeping view from an airplane flying over the city, with the World's Fair theme center visible in the distance. Logic- ally then it shows how visitors get into town, with comment that the rail terminals annually handle pas- sengers equal to the population of whole European countries, and that planes land at city airports every seven minutes. , There also is passing flash of the new passenger plane ser- vice to Europe, making the Conti- nent only 24 hours distant. Aside from pointing up New York as the greatest show on earth, the film depicts dilTerenl walks of lite, the smart shops, cafes (the 21 Club is shown), jewelry stores and then the cramped, dismal quarters of the Bowery. Various areas dominated by difi'crent racial groups, such as Little Italy. Yorkville, Harlem, etc., are pointed out. Last portion of subject is a neat builder-upper for the New York City cop and the efticient organization developed by Commissioner Valen- tine under La(3uardia's administra- tion. While giving familiar statistics about the organization, it never is dull or appears overly laudatory. Operation of police cruising cars and emergency squad cars also carries a wallop. ". . ... Climax Is a series of rapid-fire night life .scenes from the Savoy ballroom to ■4Cth and Broadway, possession of the stones. After this j come ncwsreel clips, staged jungle, scenes, long-distance lens shots and some plane views that look familiar. These aerial shots over mountains and ravines are stressed, and are neat examples of trim photography. Quaintly, the guiding aviator finds i the right spot in Africa, although' he'.s never been there before by i plane. I This conglomeration of dizzy' scenes plus the studio produqtion work make the film an admixture of educational, scenic travelog and straight adventure melodrama. It is weakest when the cast is called on to emote. Of the unknown British players, Joan Gardner, who's been seen in London Film productions, shows up best. Given any sort of a break, she sparkles; trouble is these opportuni- ties are few and far between. Ian Colin is passable while James Har- court does fairly well with the stilted yarn. Dialog is dull, with English witticism at a low ebb. Wear. volved in the robbery of his employ- er's shop, he finally accepts Renca, realizing that he really loves.her. Fernandel, Simon and Arletty are very amusing although . stellar honors go to Simon, who, v/ith Ar- letty, were in the stage version. Minor roles are handled well along with camera. Rn.uo. Paralysis 'Emergency,' Detroit Fears Closings Though not in a class with high- bracket westerns, the Three Mes- quiteers series is showing marked improvement in recent releases. Cur- rent eftort leans heavily on novel story angles which set the picture oft the beaten track. Has enough entertainment value to fill boxoftice requirements on action fillers. Director George Sherman expertly mixes a circus background with a western locale; cOmedy, drama and county fair trotting races being nicely balanced together which oil- set departure from customary straight blood-and-thunder, bad- man sagas. He even succeeds in im- parting a poetry-in-motion effect in his handling of the Three Mesqui- teers. achieving this with unified timing of the cowboys' mounting, riding, wheeling, galloping and dis- mounting of teeds. Considerably more footage than heretofore has been devoted to Max 'Terhune's routines with his dummy, Elmer, but effectiveness of voice- tossing is handicapped by dialog and material used. .Girl owner of circus inherits val- uable ranch which, unknown to her, is being sought by the Government as a site of waterpower improve- ment. Ralph Graves, her press agent-manager, secretly plots to get property away from her to cash in on the offer. WHen she fails to sell out to him, he drives circus out of business and later hires band of, desperadoes to run her oft the ranch. Mesquiteers champion her cause; successfully expose and capture the crooks and help pay ofl the mort- gage by turning her trick circus horse into a trotting champion, win- ning the prize race at the fair. Action highlights include dra- matic stopping of runaway circus wagon team by Wayne; triple-action fisticuffs by the Mesquiteers; race against time in getting the horse out of jail to the racetrack, in a covered- wagon pulled by a farm tractor, and stirring trotting-race scenes. letter sequence is a laugh-getter, with Rajah, the horse, slowing down when the race is nearly won, when he hears bugle music. Thinking he is back in his circus days, horse breaks Into a waltz canter In time with the music. Ralph Graves and Hosco Ates, familiar marquee names, embellish the film. Craves, as the heavy, han- dles nis role in a perfunctory man- ner and lacks pep. Ates snares a few laughs as the sheriff. Carole Landis docs acceptable work as the circus owner. Racetrack announcer (not listed in credits) scores in a biief bit with incisive megaphoning, and Billy Curtis, midget, also grabs some of the comedy honors. Wayne as usual hits the top with first-rate -riding and carries his teammates along at a fast clip throughout. WINGS OVER AFRICA Mi-ril relea'.e of Premier SlnfforJ pro.lue- llon. K.'iilur..s Joan CJarilncr. liin Colin, .laoiei Haic.iurl. Ulrerle.I by l.ndljlius Viijda. Slory by A1;ob Tolnay; music. Jack Heav.'r: camera. Jiimes Wilson. Al Cenlral. N V won July 2!). '311. dual. ItuiinlnK lime. «•; JIINS. c«rol Hepde .' Joan Gardner Tony Cooper Ian Colin Wilklns Jdm.-s Karcouil ■Norlon l.ime< Carew Jobn Tri-viir Jam":i Ciavi n Itedfern Alan .Nnider FRIC FRAC (FRENCH-MADE) Paris, July 20. DI^Irlbuloui-s l-'.-ancals release uC Maurice l.<*tnnaaii pruJucllon. Slar.i Fernandel. Micbet yiniitn. Allelly. Hclcne Roberl. Dl- rcrle,! by J.jnmabn. Adaptation by MIrbel Duran fiom I'klouard Ilourdet's .slaBe play. Conieia. Thirard nnd Nee. Muulc. Ober- fcld. .M tbo MariBoan. l\lri<. Kunnlnir time. 9i MINS. Marcel Fernandel •To Michel Simon Loiilou Arlelly Ki'nte llelene Uobcrl Highly amusing comedy of the Paris underworld in which all the dialog is in slang. With scenes and language familiar to the true-bred Parisian only, it's destined for home consumption exclusively. 'Fric-Frac' which in underworld argot means burglary or house breaking, brings together three local names, Arletty, Michel Simon and Fernandel, which alone should as- sure its success. Young, naive, pro- vincial Marcel (Fernandel), a jewel- er's assistant, falls in with Loulou (Arletty) and Jo (Simon), friendly underworld characters. Marcel, who is convinced that he does not love his employer's daughter, Renee (Helene Robert), falls plenty hard for Loulou, whose boy friend is do- ing a six-month stretch for burglary. Marcel enjoys his contact with the underworld although he does not suspect his friend's true identity. He falls more and more under Loulou's spell and makes a determined effort to pick up the picturesque language of his new milieu. 'This enrages Renee, who wants Marcel to marry her and inherit her father's business After a series of complications dur- ing which he becomes innocently in- Detroit, Aug. 4. Added to bevy of woes already existing hereabouts, film palaces en- countered an infantile paralysis epidemic late last week in Detroit and- nearby communities. Health department has declared state of emergency and is importing special- ists to combat disease. With cases in the past week more than double the number in all of 1938, Dr. Donn W. Gudakunst, state health commissioner, has called on Detroit parents to cooperate by keeping kids at home and avoiding crowds. Hasn't called on theatres and other amusement spots to close as yet, but intimated he'd do so it epidemic isn't soon squelched. Meanwhile, the epidemic ha.s caused shuttering of all public gatherings in Sarnia, Ont., about 50 miles up the Detroit River. The Sarnia theatre was permitted to re- main open, but patronage was at minimum, while parents were threatened with legal action if they failed to follow precautions laid down by health authorities. Similar action . is . being contemplated in Windsor, across the river from Detroit, with number of paralysis cases spreading. 'Destry' Re-ride On . Hollywood, Aug. 1. 'Destry Hides Again,' postponed several times by casting hurdles, definitely gallops Aug. 28, take it from Joe Pasternak, Universal pro- ducer. James Stewart is in the saddle, with Mischa Auer riding at his stir- rup and George Marshall directing. Art Silverstone in U. S. Arthur Silverstone, brother of Murray and Emanuel Silverstone, and assistant managing director of United Artists Pictures, Ltd., in Eng. land, arrived in the U. S. on Mon- day (31). Trip is his first in four years. THERE'S A BETTER SHOW AT THE K.ADIO CITX MUSIC HALL "IN -NAME ONLY" Spectacular Stag* Production* Gary Cooper III Paramount'* New 'BEAU CESTE" IN PERSON Phil Spitalny and Hlf ALT. <iIVT. OIU'llKSTKA I Today on Screen ■ IKK.NK l>t°.S'NJ<; ■ fKKI> .Miir.UI'HU.W M "IXVITATIO.V ^ TO IIAPri.NKS!*" This is a typical British 'B' pro- I duction. below par even for this classification. Safaris into jungle- ■ lands are no longer novel film fare and with the handicap of unfamiliar British actors and thick accents, the meandering story is lo.st before it gets started. A weakie even for dualing. It requires 20 minutes or more to get off on the airplane expedition to Africa to locate diamond treasure. It takes another eight or 10 minutes for the trip. After that, nothing much matters because the opposing group in' the search for the diamonds is spotted as soon as the two planes land. Production opens with Joan Gard- ner pawning or selling a valuable diamond collection, indicating ob- vious possibilities. Then there is a flashback as to how vhe came. into PARAMOUNT TIMF.S S<)I''.\KK Held Over! 3rd Wsek! C.iCNEY aj^aiiisl RAFT "E.\CH DAWN I DIE" I A Va rnIM* Untn. Hit STRAND In IVrMin FI>I>Y urciiiN Anil His Ori'h. I Il'wny li 47tli Alr-Condlllonod k LOEWS . >0 „ On Slnt-o FoU" .Mailer « Ore Tliumdio' "(wrr.ws FUKV" Hrliin Alleriie yta .Mel.nMlrn Oil Slagt Ij:»h 8t«»en« and HI* Orcli Other* Alr-CondUloncd Br9i4«ir W (Ut Slr» .<4A.HrKI. <;OI.I>WV.\ iirinrntii Jascha Heifetz in "They Shall Have Music" Willi Andre* I.eedn—.loel MtCm— <fen« Reynold!!—Wuller Brenn** r.NiTKI> . pTVOTT ARTI.ST.1 XUVUU Oisrl Opto tM A.M. MIDNITE SHOWS IKmiidWfiy nt 40«h .SI. Now Playlnit MUM-a J.arc Hit: 'Andy Hardy Get* Spring Faver Lenit Slu iie > Mlrk ry Booae.t ,Sl,irlH Thur.nday ".MIHAfl.K.S FOR H.M.V." lliilK.rl VoiioK - Kl'jrciirc lll'-r A ^IclrO'Uoldvyn-Miycr I'lnur* Alr-Condltloned Cenllnuous from 10 t.m (- -w—' Pop. »rlc<j. iie tb I p.m. •'•iwui«*lniM (.,„ shovt II :3I) pm Nlphi: Robert Donat in M-G-M's| GOODBYE MR. CHfPS with <irrer (InrHOn • 3rd MONTH I Sed;wick's 'Spook ^lome' Hollywood, Aug. 1. Edward Sedgwick gets the direc- torial chore on 'Spook House,' next Joe E. Brown starrer at Columbia. Picture rolls next Tuesday (8).