Variety (Sep 1939)

14 VARIETY FILM REVIEWS We«Inc6<1a7, September 27, 1939 Chicken Wagon Family (Continued from page 12) for subject matter, a team of mules, a covered wagon, and a bunch ol Louisiana backwoQders hardly able to fit or cope with Times Square traffic, even as an exploitation Etunt It's about a foursome, of French extraction, who rove the bayou country and sharp the ebonyites and unsuspecting whites of their poultry for a few colored beads. Head of the family is Leo Carrillo, who is a good trader but a sucker at night times in the wagon yard trying to fill an inside straight. Jane Withers, his youngest daughter, votes with him on all family matters, but finally rebels when he loses $217 his wife, Spring Byington, has saved for a trip to New York. Marjorie Weaver is the eldest daughter, and like her mother chafes at the bit to jump the swamps for the main drag of Man- hattan. Family finally makes the metrop- olis—mules, wagon, and all. Jane • figures them into an abandoned flre- housc, with the help of the cop on the beat, Kane Richmond. Must have been one of the kind Grover Whaleh talked to about courtesy to yokels, because he has more patience with outlanders thr.n most of the NYC pavement-pounders. Comedy is dependent on Carrillo and his amorous war, long since past but still remembered, with his cousin, Hobart Cavanaugh, who runs a store. Romance Is a nebulous thing in the flick—there's the moth- . er's memory, and faintly hinted Mar- ' jorie Weaver-Kane Richmond affair. Latter is stalled most of the way into the pic until Marjorie gets a new dress, and she won't be seen with brass-buttons until she does. . As Jane's pic, she's had many a great deal better. She flares with animation when ducting on the ooenin^ with Carrillo in 'Daughter of Mademoiselle.' a reclaim from the Gypsy Rose Lee 'Battle of Broad- way.' Rest of the time she's haltered. It's a struggle for Soring Byington. who jumps out of the Jones brood pnd takes a lesson in pidgeon French, but she manages. Nabes nnd second runs, with oc-- casional duals, will write best ledger marks. Barn. Riders of Black River (WITk SONGS) Columbia production and release. .^larH- nmrlri Stftrr#'tt: fei>4urea Iris MPrcdIlh. Dlt-k Cnrtla. Directed by Normnn Dcmin;:. Story. Ford Dcobp; adaptation, Dennett R. <'ohen; editor. WlUl.im Lyon; 'photogmnhy. Oeoree Mcehnn. At Centml. N. Y.. dual, -neek Sept, 22, '30, Running. time, 09 ■">ms:- - ■ Wndo Patterson Chnrles Rtnrrett T.lnda Holdcn Iris .Meredlili lil.ilzo Oarewe Dick Curtis Terry Holdcn..- Stanley Ilrown no'i) nob Nolan Doc Greene Fr.lnels Snycs Colt Foster Edmund Cnbb Dave Potler.oon Forrest Taylor Sona of tho Pioneers plot to execute all those responsible for his murder conviction. As Dr. Savaard, he has invented a mechanical contrivance that sus- pends life during which an operation may be performed under more satis- factory conditions, with life restored at will. While he is experimenting and has a subject dead in his labora- tory, the police break in and refuse to permit him to try to bring his human guinea pig back to life. He is convicted of murder, and hung, but a trusted scientist-assistant gets Karloff's carcass and, after patching up the busted neck, returns him to his feet. He then lures the jury, judge, d,a, and others into his house with the intent to murder them all. Several suft'er that fate until Karlofl himself again takes the death count. Plot is inconsistent with the deep interest of Karloff in promoting life by his discovery to deliberately turn murderer in the end. The unex- pected and implausible revenge doesn't jell, but Karloff turns in his usual good performance. His daugh- ter is played moderately well by Lorna Gray, while the nurse, Ann Doran, also is satisfactory. Romantic interest, not strongly impressed, re- volves around Miss Gray and Rob- ert Wilcox, doing a reporter. Char. • TORPEDOED (english-made; Film .Mllanca rcle.i.ie of Herbert Wilcox pruductlun. Features H, n, Warner, Hub- ert Doufilns, Richard Oromwcll, Hazel 'ferry, Noah Beery, Esme l^er^'y. Directed by Norman Walker, From story. 'Bartl- meus* (no author credit); adaptation. Ger- ald Elliott; editor, Winifred Cooper: pho- togrnptiy, Claude Friese-Grecne, At Globe. N. Y,. week Sept. 23, '3a. llunnlng time, «■« MINS. Mr. Brent H. D. Warner CHptaIn .Murkhani Robert Dougl.-is nill Armilrong Itlchard Cromwell t'nmelu Urent H.iiel Terry I'resldent .Voali lleery Rebel Com undant Esina Percy .Admlnil Frederick Culley .lonnlfer Rlnky ,Stuart Hcbel Gunnery Officer.. Henry Victor Made in the most routine manner, "Riders of Black River' is a stoclt western of familiar plot and back- ground. It's a Charles Starrett e::- hibit not quite up to standard. Some songs are included in the action but the tunes about riding the range are somewhat mal apropos in view of the mountainous' back- grounds. Cattle rustling serves as the basis for the action, with Starrett,- a former Texas ranger, returning to his home town to learn that a bad band of sagebrush babies are gettin-; the heroine in ticklish circumstances. She's Iris Meredith, Starrett's faith- ful opposite, and she's in the middle of everythin". Heavy is the familiar Dick Curtis, a very menacing type. Others in- clude Stanley Brown, a misled young man; Bob Nolan, Francis Sayes, Edmund Cobb and Forrcrt Taylor, plus the Sons of the Pi^ricers. Char. The Man They Could Not <H Hang Columbia rele.-iae of Irvlnir Rrlskln nrn- fluctlon. Stors Boris Karloff; fe-t«rei I.orna Gray, Robert Wlleox, Roser Prynr. Ton nc'ldoe. • Ann Dorah. Directed bv NIek Grinde. Riery nnd ndanlotlon. 7Carl Ilrown: editor. V.'llllnm Ijvnn; nhotocrnphv Benlamln Kline. At Criterion N Y >|'|'n!» ^' time: «i Iir. Henr.vk Savaard Boris Knrloff Janet Snv-'-nrd I^ornn Grnv 'S^nni' Foley Robert Wliro-: T)latrlet Attorney Drake Roger Pr-nr Tleiitemnt Sb-ne Don Re.ldo- "eity Crnwford Ann nor.m Iir. Stn.ldnrd Joseph D» .Stephnnl Jii(l70 Oonmnn Charl's Trowbrld-o I-anir , Byron Fnnlcer Kenrnev T>\^u Ci'rlla catkins James CrnlB Sutton... ..John Tyrrell Boris Karloff looks less menacina than he has been in the cast, but while he is a complacent, kindly type of charocter a Dart of the way in The Man They Could Not Han?,' he ends un on a ratHer sinister note. A nroerammer that should do fairly well if pot spotted too high in the dating. More than the average sup- port mny he exoected when booked as the No. 2 ff,ature on duals. As a scientist who is endeavoring to discover the secret of restoring life to tho dead, he is a highly .sym- pathetic figure for about half of the eltclonrA th^n ^npo vpnffpfnl nnrl^r o The subject matter of this British- made being timely, the title of 'Tor- pedoed' has supplanted 'Our Fighting Navy,' as originally prevailed. Her- bert Wilcox is the producer and British suppression of a rebellion in a mythical tropic country by resort to armed force is the basis for the story. In many ways, the picture is strongly propagandic but no com- plaint will be raised about that. The b.o. potentialities are fairly prom- i.sing. Wilcox had the cooperation of the British navy and appropriate credit therefor is given. The British pro- ducer, now making films for RKO release in America, employed a cast that is largely American and that should be of value. Included are H. B. Warner, Richard Cromwell and Noah Beery, all of whom turn in .good performances. I>r6ducii6n "excellence is' attained not only through the highly inter- esting views of British naval ac- tivity and a sham battle, but also as result of a good musical score and extraordinarily good photography. Claude Friese-Greene, over the cam- era crew, has obtained some excel- lent shots and his trick photography is impressive. In some respects 'Torpedoed' re- flects carelessness on the part of the producer, director or technical aides. Whenever any liquor is served, for instance, it's always too obvious that it's uncolored water. And those toy- type pistols some, of the rebels use are a little unexpected. Moreover, while in some ways the battle scene between an insurgent battleship and the British cruiser, at close range, con- stitutes effective action, it is carried a little too far with slight damage and .some of the bursting shells seem to have about the same force as a July 4 firecracker. The torpedoing scene, however, is highly actionful and the explosion which follows looks like the real thing. Too much small talk and a ten- dency to loiter over details of un- importance to the action, slows up the picture. Otherwise, the interest is well held. Beery steals acting honors as pres- ident of what apparently is some South American or Central Ameri- can repiiblic, and his utter com- placency in the face of rebellion against him imparts to the role, as played by Beery, a lightness of touch that makes it stand out against the standardized performance that War- ner always gives. Warner never seems to vary, but again he is good. Robert Douelas, as captain of a British cruiser, also achieves a smooth job.. Cromwell is on the ro- mantic end with Hazel Terry op- posite. Latter is an ingratiatini; type of considerable charm and poise. A very fine character etching is that of Esme Percy, rebel leader. Obviously, the way to sell 'Tor- pedoed' is along the lines of .seeing Britain in action. Char. might net a profit over the rental nick. Recently there were two" major heavyweight contests within five days outside o£ New York. First was the upset battle between Tony Galento and Lou Nova in Philadelphia Sept 15. Films were taken of that stir- ring contest b.it not enough thea- tres cared to book the pictures which up to early this week had not been released. Some doubt, too, if the Billy Conn-Melio Bettina scrap in Pittsburgh Monday (25) will reach the New York screen either. The title event last week in De- troit between Joe Louis and Bob Pastor ranked as a better exhibition bet but, despite the fact that the contender put up a courageous battle. New York fans do not seem to be impresred. They probably remem- ber when Pastor ran bacl<wards at Madison Square Garden when first meeting Louis and put it down as one of those things regardless of fa- vorable press accounts. All rounds are shown but short- ened to highlight the portions when the bout is exciting, if not surprising for, after, the early knockdowns, Pastor looked anything but an 8-1 shot. He actually won the fifth round, also the eighth and may have a shade in the 10th. It was there that the Champion Louis said he w6uld take Pastor in the following rountj. Down went Pastor early in the 11th and he was counted out on his knees, shaking his head in an effort to clear away the dizziness. Every knockdown is shown to have resulted from a right hand wallop. Cameramen were on the job with slow motion clips, it being figured that Pastor might go out in the early rounds. He went down four times in the first round and was on the deck again in the second. After the third' the (>ontender from New York Uni- versity seemed to get better and the crowd was yelling with excitfcment when he cuffed the vaunted colored knocker-outer in the eighth. In the last five rounds Pastor continuously opened and closed his mouth like a fish gasping out of water. He danced around quite a bit and displayed bet- ter footwork, the showing being far above their previous encounter. Fight was caught at close quarters, two cameras bcin.g used, one at an angle directly from the working pres.*!. No lon.T shots, and the faces of the battlers are more clearly shown than in most fl?ht films. After the knockout. Sam Taub. the radio announcer, climbed into the ring and had Louis talk though a micronhone. the chamo's comment going on the air and being recorded on tho filtn at the same time. Sonie of what he said is not easily heard but it was a good stunt. At the Rialto it was stated that the only fight picture that f'rew real coin was -gotten with the Louis-G'lento affair early in the summer. Ibee. Soviet Russia Today ('USSR on (fac Screen') .^mklno produclbm nnd release, Soviet government ' ccmnllntlon of newsrcel nnd documentary material. At Cameo. .\'. Y., week Sept, 23, '30. Hunnlni; time, HO MINS. LOUIS-PASTOR FIGHT Joe T.ouls nnd Rob Posior for heavy- welKhl (.■bamplunshlp staged In the Stadium, Detroit. Sent, '20, MO; Banner Pictures, Inc. (.tack Dlel/). At RIal'.o, .V. Y., Sept. •2S, '39. Running time, ;!8 .MINS. (English NaTration and Titles) Soviet Russia achievement-in edu- cation, fur-trapping, fishing, meat- packing, farming and in the arts h:s been captured pictorially by gov- ernment newsreel cameramen for a lengthy documentary film. H's well photographed and deftiv narrated excepting when two unbilled femmes try their voices. Male commenta- tion is uniformly strong, even if drippingly sweet on the present-day Russian enterprise. Film is too long. It holds appeal only for tho.se interested in the Soviet cause, being suited for spots where such an audience is available. Subject deoicts 80th Congress of the Communist Party in early pas- sages, with Stalin welcoming child student on his de.sk. Narrator claims that in the Socialist system there is 'yearnin-* for education among the masses,' At another point he says that 'want is unknown to .students,' with scene showing folding money being given out to pupils. Wear. good business in this country, mostly due to the fact that Romero has as- sembled an Argentine all-star cast, including nearly every one of the younger players who has made some sort of a name in local- production. Its chances abroad are limited, be- cause there is too much dialog in it, which makes it unacceptable for for- eign audiences, even with sub-titles. It is destined for the Spanish-speak- ing countries, where it will do fairly welL Story deals wfth the life of young girl students who live together in a modern apartment. There is noth- ing shown of their actual studies, but at the commencement Pepita Serrador is shown as the leader of a movement among the group tend- ing to put women on an equal foot- ing with the strong sex, and she affirms that there can be such a thing as platonic friendship. First rift appears when one of the students, Alicia Bnrric, daughter of a rich family, decides to abandon her home and live in the apartment with her friends. At the same time, Alicia Vignoli is complaining of her- lack of means and life of drudgery, declaring that the only way to study properly, is to have wealth and ease. Conflicts between the girls and their boy friends, and jealous spasms when complicated versions of the old triangle make their appearance, help to support the plot, and in the end matters are all straightened out in a conventional manner with Romero finding a more or less adequate solu- tion to everyone's troubles. With love being triumphant everywhere. In this mixture of come.'.v, senti- ment and tragedy, bvunt of the work is divided between Pepita Serrador, Alicia Barrie and Alicia Vignoli, all of them giving worthwhile perform- ances, so far as they arc :illowed by Ihe ever-dominant dialog. Delia Garces shows up nicely, while En- rique Serrano and Sofia Boznn, who received star-billin.<r, provide the comedy end, with Miss Bozan some- times overplaying her part, Ernesto Raquen, Enrique Roldan, Ana May and Perla Mux. all seen before in similar assignments, do well. There are two newcomers. Carmen del Moral and Carlos Tajes, but only the '■ scnorita is acceptable. ' His acting is too stiff to be ac-1 cepted even by local audiences. Francisco I..omuto, known in the States for his introduction of the { modern tango some 15 years ago, contributed .several tango songs. 'College Girls' would have had a rousing reception a year ago, prov- ing that the natives are becoming more critical. Mnreu- ON HIS OWN (RUSSIAN-SlADE) Amkino release of Soyuzdeiniin produetlon. Features Alcxel I.ynrsky, Dlr.M-u-d by .Mark Donsliol, .\daptntlon by 1, Gruzdnv fnun story by Maxim GorI:y; music, 1*. S(-hvarls. At Cameo, N. V.. week Sept. 12. "M. Jlun- ning time, 80 MINS. Akullna Ivanovna V. O. Massalllinova Grandfather Kashh-ln .M. Troyanov-yVy -Mexel l*cahkov (Gorky) Alexel I..var.«l;y .'^ergeyev f, l\u»h-Iavisi-v j Sergeyeva ', nerezov,-^knja i Mntrena Ivanovna 10. J.Ulna I Vlktoruehka K. .Sclcznev Nntnlla (. Xavublna 'Queen Margot' U. Zcrl.nlovii Smurl A. Thnon1n.\ev Scrlozhka M. l*ovo1or5;kl Zhlkhnrcv N. plolnikov .SItanov r. chuveliv Ivan I.:\rlonovl4-h Chi>','Mniiv Knpendltikhin \'. Terenllev Tnkov Kashlrin V. Noviliuv .•■'ieward llnrlov MItropolakI U, Marutn It's a very good film recording, as fight pictures go, but draw- ing disappointingly at this populous spot at 42nd and Broadway. Pro- jection schedule calls for showings every two hours during the after- noon, night and into early morning with the idpfl that frBoiient erindines Muchachas Que Estudian ('College Girls') (ARGENTINE-MADE) (With Songs) Buenos Aires, Sept. 20. T.umllon pro<1uctlon nnd release. .Stars l?nrl(iue Serrano, Sofia Bozun; features Alicia VIgnoII. I^ella Gnrre.'<, Vcpltn Ser- rador, Alicia Bnrric. DIrceled by .M.-^nucl Romero. ScreenjOay. Romero; music, Fran- cisco I.omuto: camera, Jo'ie M, Bcltran; songs, Francisco T.omulo. At Monumental, Iluencs Aires, Running time HV .MINH. Castro , Knrhtuc .Serrano t.ulsa Solla Jlo-/,an Dora Alicia Vignoli Alclra Delia Gari-es Ana i Pepita Serrailor rsnbfl Allela liarrle [llcardo Krncslo Ratnicn Emillo '. Knrlnue Roldan Pedro Carlos Taje.i DJlorcs Ana May f.ucy l>erla Mux Magda CarineM dil Moral Mother , .Merry Dormal e'ntber Alberlo Terroncs 'roto Roberto Blanco (In Spanish) This is Manuel Romero's fourth picture this season. It shows great similarity to 'Working Women,' one of his jobs of last year, as regards his handling of the main characters. Althouffh the latter was one of the better, productions of 1938, 'College Girls' falls rather short. In spite of thi.s. there is no doubt that it will do (In Russian; xuith English, Titles) Dramatic material which Maxim Gorky put into his autobiography has been employed for this second se- quel. Original was called "Childhood of Maxim Gorky.' It undoubtedly was a better effort. Almost any- thing would be. Just what appeal such a production po.ssesses even for Ihe. arty crowd is difficult to under- stand. Stodgy recital of Gorky's quest for freer education gains nothing from Mark Donskoi's direction, which is the hammcr-and-tongs type. Donskoi apparently directed with the belief that if a scene were permitted on the screen long enough, it would double or triple the impression oik oudir ences. Instead, it is just that much more tiresome, often testing the pa- tience of average patrons who sel- dom know what he is trying to prove in the first place. Entire production smacks of the feebler Soviet cine- matic efforts of several years ago. Lone outstander in this -film is Alcxei Lyarsky, promising juvenile, enacting the same role he had in the earlier production. The youthful Gorky he portrays is a vigorous, am- bitious youn.i;ster which even sloppy direction fails to down. The film shows the lad living with a wealthy family as a sort of serf. His dash for freedom and his lowly employment as a dishwasher on a small river boat promises excitement, but this angle ,is quickly abandoned as Gorky resumes his meanderings. Doubtlessly, the idea was to show Gorky growing from boyhood into manhood, but the director and pro- ducer have done it the hard way and with the minimum of entertainment en route. Besides this. performance, that of V. O. Massalitinova, as Grandmother Akulina, and M. Troyahovsky, again cast as the grandfather, are most vivid. But neither shows up as ac- tively as might be exnected becau.sc numerous trivial characters arc dragged In. Sets usefl bv the Russian oroduccrs are more ordinary than usual. Sev- eral nlc«Iy photographed scenes are lost in the welter of msipid story de> velopment. Quaint Soviet songs are dragged in by the forelock without much ' excuse, although frequently tuneful. Wear. EN KVINNAS ANSIKTE (<A Woman's Face') (SWEDISH-MADE) Scandinavian release of A. R. Svensk pi-ujuctlon. .Stars Ingrld Ucrguinn. Di- rected by Guslaf Mulander. Scrcenplav, Cfiesta .Slovene; ndapted from Fi-eneh jiliiy liy t-rancols de Crulsset; camera, .-vkb D.ihKiulst: At tho -ISth St., N. Y.. week .Sept, H, '30. Running time, 100 .^IIN.S. Anna Holm ; Ingrld llerxmnn Dr. Wegerr .\nder.4 llenrlkson .Nyman Krlc llerglund Herman .Magnus Kessler 'llio 'I'ounf t!u»la Ccdvrlund Torslen Uarrin .'.ticorg Itydeberg Consul Barring Tore Svenneberg l;ar!>Krn; Barring Goran llernlinrd liar.tld Berg Gunniir .SJuliei-g Kmniii.., .-., Hilda Itorgsirom Wlv'kman John Erle.nm Mi-K. Wegert Karln t°arls4gn-Kavli Miller Sigurd Wallen Gcorg Mark l;rur Bugler (In . Swedish; with English Tides) 'En Kvinnas Anslkte' is one of those pleasant surprises that oc- casionally finds its way into one of the Broadway sidestreet theatres catering to foreign films. Starring Ingrid Bergman, whom Hollywood recently discovered, 'Ansiktc' is a study of psycho-physics, emotional, studied and poignant. Its current release is timely, preceding as it does David O. Selznick's soon due 'Intermezzo,' a remake from Miss Bergman's Swedish original. This one bespeaks U. S. remake possibili- ties also. She is superb in the general dis- play of thespian pyrotechnics. In the lead role, she magnificently por- trays the soul-scared girl whom fate, through an accident, decreed to .suffer the ignominy of scarred tissue and bitterness. The latter leads her into a life of crime and .she joins some blackmailers. When the husband of one of her victims, a surgeon. Is moved by the ethics ot his profession to try and restore her to . physical normalcy, Mi.>-s Bergman blossoms forth into a dandy ad for plastic surgery. Then there follows the natural restoration of her faculties and the difficulties that accompany physi- cal and mental health. She falls in love. And vihen her past crops up in the form of her associates in crime, she prefers to pick up the trail elsewhere. Giistnf Molander. Sweden's ace di- rector, who worked with Miss Berg- man in 'Intermezzo' two years ago, with the late Gosta Ekman as co- star, has done an exceptionally good job. pacing the film well. Of the rest of the cast. Gunnar Sjoberg, as Miss Bergman's suitor; Anders Henrickson, as the doctor; moppet Goran Bcrnhard, to Whorn _ Miss Bergman is a governess, are outstanding. Camera is consistently good: there's a sleiehing scene at pight, set off by blazinf» torche.<:, that suBgests more mipht have been made of it. English titles are literal. Madamoiselle Ma Mere (•Mv Mother Is a Miss') (FRENCH-MADE) .T. H TToffberg release of Reglna produe- lion. .''larn Hanlelle Darrleux, DIreclHt by Jleiii-1 Deenln. Adapted from play by T.ouls Verneull; camera, f*. H. Rurel; Eng- lish titles by Charles Jahrblum. At n.'ilh St.. N. y.. week !>.ept, 13, '.sn. Itunnliiff lime, to .MINH. .laeiioellne Danielle Darrleni Her Father .Marcel Simon Albert I.etournel Alermo fleorgcs, his fon IMerro Ura.«eur Jiillen .Morrull Robert Arnom ■rhe nele'llve Pnsriill •Jhc Inn Keeper I-arquey (In French; tuilh English Titles) This French bedroom farce is done with the maximum of dialog and gyrations by Danielle Darrieux. It obviously is one of the French ac- tress' earlier cinematic efforts- be- cause she's clone lots better. How- ever, a good supporting cast and evenly gaited direction help over- come what the superimposed Eng- li.sh titles lo.st in interpreting the piquant dialog. If taken as a frothy comedy, it may get by in some nrly theatre, especially where they savvy French. Chief weakness 5s that the pr(3- diicers attempted to transfer a typi- cal stage farce to the screen. Where . such high-jinks and* madcap ven- tures as Jacqueline goes in for might be acceptable in the legit theatre, they don't quite Jell in films. And inability to grasp some innuendos of the French language mar numer- ous scenes. Also it looks as if the shears had been generously applied on spicy episodes. Plot is simply that a spoiled rich man's daughter decides finally to marry the seventh man who seems to her liking. He is an elderly duffer, and they are married in name only. She meets his grownup son, a doc- tor, and winds up falling in love with him. There are the usual mis- taken identity and episodes, with a couple of bedroom sequences that appear smoothed out for American consumption. Miss Darrieux, as the spoiled daughter, does not look as fetching as in subsequent films. She is in- clined to overact znd even if in- tended to be a screwball character, she overdoes it. Marcel Simon, Alerme, Pierre Brasseur and Robert Arnoux constitute a balanced sup- port. Brasseur youth has potcn- tlaltlcs. Wear.