Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Monday 31 October 1938, page 6


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¿FILM REVIEWS«!

"MARIE ANTOINETTE."

When Norma Shearer's husband, Irving Thalberg, died last, year, the actress announced that she would retire from the screen. But now she re-emerges, more radiant and more

magnetic than evei She is the oential figuie In a masque of kings Mctio Goldwjn Mayu has sunounded hci with the dazzling decoi of the riench couti undci Louis XV und Louis XVI It has clothed her in gowns ol ¡.nie beautj and photogiaphed her with supei

lative ait And she pio\cs hciscll woithj of the occasion No one would call Miss Shearci a great acticss in the sense that Oust1 and Bcinhatdt wete gi cat But she lins a peisonnllty like a flame she mous with such eloquent giace thal one can Identlh hei immediately Hei rcatuics nie disliil

gulshed Hei \oice hn¡> an cnliimclnt, qualltj of gentleness She makes tilt, chamctei oi the Ill-fated Austiinn Malle Antoinette n diamatio citation ol rcmaikable sißiiinpancP

and atatuic

The soleen ¡>toiv of Marie Antoinette doe not always mcquie up to the ptopoitlon<< al (he Beting It has been based on the «uthcntn htstoiical naliathe of Stetan Zweig Bul tin eilses nie undefined with led ink and to waids the end the lugubiiousniss o! the loyal family s fate ha* been ilncomfoitablv dwelt

on

These aitlllelal nuthitninys ol the emotional ooloui w11! plobably enhance the films appeal to the Reneiui public E\cn the puitst and the pedant will suicly coutuut ance them foi the sale of the gencial bill

liance of the producilon The Hist meeting between Malle Antoinette and the future Louis XVI has boon bin lcsqurd foi the sake of comedy The point Is thnt the comed», ically does come off Actually such a ¿ro tcsque scone would never ha\c been cnacUd in full \le\v of tile assembled Fiench couit Yet it does exptoss in a few fiim swift stiole* the chaiactoi of Louis and that of his bilde Sim! arly the outbieak oí \itupeiatlon be

tween Mai le Antoinette and Madame Dubai i> Is more like the speech of two fishwives thnil the guarded uttctance ol Louis XV s couit Hcie again the film blina* that slumbeliila hostility to a \igoious ellmax Diamaticallj

f not hlstoiicallj the situation is sound All that the authoi has done is to eijstalllst slow psychological piocesses into sudden otu «aid shows of phjsteal action

The chaiactci of Louis XVI has been in Lcnslfled bevond the litcial îccoid of hlstoij

Robeit Morley makes this unhappj king a nasterly psychological study The wooden ness of the man and his inability to make an\ emotional responses except those ol vague sus

picion and feai aie almost honifjlng in the earllei stages of the film As Marte Antoinette tiles to win his friendly nteicst he begins to talk But almost at once the dRik shadows of secietivcness and lntiospcction descend again His choiactcr is hievooably foimed

Yet the influence of the sweet natined gul and the pi essuie of events de\elop him He strives hard to assume the manly qualities pioper to a king The struggle between hi« own natuie and the tasks that foi tune lavs upon him foims the hagedy of the pla j in e\erj crisis Louis s nei\e rails him When he tries to address the soldleij und rally It to his side at the beginnlns of the ie\olution he speakj so weaklj and ruts such a pathetic figuie in the pouring tain that the listeners only lauL,h at him When a rlotei slilkcs Malle Antoinette Louis administra s a prim verbal admonition Yet the man has n homch dignity that glows in time of peill Maiie Antoinette wrings her hands at his ineptitude

but she loves and lespects him The degree to which Mr Moilev convevs all this to th< audience is the moasuip of his pi owens as an actoi This is o supaiblv pcnetiatlnc. and a supeibly polished poitrayal

As Louis XV John Banvmote acts wtth enoimous gusto and complete comlction Gladjs Gcoige is a scintillating \ltal Madame Dubairy and Joseph Schildkraut imparts a singulailj impiessivo wiliness to the pan of Philippe Due d Orleans Tjione Powei sum mons up all his eloquence lo deni with the flowery speeches of a Swedish stiangci who woiships Marie Antoinette fiom afar But it needed something mole romantic to make the pait seem other than an amiable shadow Beside Miss Shearer Mr Power is in paitlal eclipse Othei paits are adioitly pln\ed b*. Heniy Stephenson and Anita Louis (St James

Theatie)

"THE ROAD TO RENO*

Ihe Road to Reno is a. fiist-iato fatcc The dialogue is amusing in itself and the Univcisal Studios have propelled It at such a pace and with such wit and point that not a particle falls shoit of Its true value The cast is of tiled and ttue actors who excel Hope Hampton though not especially beaut i

ful has personality She knows how to give a situation its maximum of drollery and she sings with R degree of brilliance rheie Is a quantity of Interpolated music The plav opens with MusKtas Song from La Boheme In full stage setting and the latei melodies include a chai ming thing sung bv cow bos s along a little ihcr in Nevada Miss Hampton jogging along on horseback pours foi th steady and goldeh tone as no cquestrictittc could evei rio in real life But the scene is romantic and the music alluring

Randolph Scott was an ideal choice foi the cowboy His lugged featdics suRHcst that winds both parching and cold ha\e booh batlcilng away at them for years He Is handsome enough to há\e atti acted a rich apd famous opcia slugei as the stoiy suggests and he hBS a lively sense or humour Alan Marshall has boen cast with equal felicity as the man fiom New Yoik who pi oves that he can beat a ruial icsldent at his owh game The smooth exterioi masks a peisonality of sleel Glenda Pairell makes hci usual vivid Impicsslon lew can seem so ill Icily fascinat-ingly disillusioned as she Helen Biodcilck Is a foy as Aunt Minerva who is alwn\s tiylng to patch up a shattered iomali.ee and Willie Fung make a biief bill tilumrihantlv funny appearance as a Chinese cook (State

Theatie)

"PERSONAL SECRETARY"

Personal Scciotaiy is a paitlLulaily gay story about rhal newspaper columnists in New Yoik The activities of these writeis so \enomous and so ícckless of legal canse quences must always be a subject of astonish ment to Biitish audiences no maltei how manv times the sei pen poitn\s them But in Personal Scciotaiy the cthks of the case are so wiapped nbout with niotcsquc Inel dent that the whole thing becomes sheci

hilarious skylaiklng William GaiRan and Jiy Hodges make an extiemcly likeable pnli as the llteiaty rivals and those magnificent comedians Ruth Donncllj and And1 Dc\lnr aie at the top of theil foi m In supposing paris (State Theatre a Unhcisal film )

"TYPHOON TREASURE" |

Noel Monkman who is known foi his natm e films of the Gi eat Ban lei Reef wiote and diicctcd the Commonwealth Productions pic

turo Typhoon Ticnsuie which has been iclcased by United Aitlsts That the lattri ha\e undeitalcn the distiibutlon of the film proves that it possp'srs some mci its Mi

Monkman has franl ly concocted an oidlnaiv adventure stotv on very routine lines But this must not take from him the credits due for some good vvoik Much is superior to the usual Ameiican offering of the same tjpe The poorness of the story Is made a minoi detail by the good diiection wölk glimpsed In the film The climax might have been moie \ ii ile in its dpvolopmcnt but it manages to excite the Intel est even though It is preceded by adventuips with some vlld aboiigincs who use bows and ariows In theil attack on a paitv of whiles ciossing unexplored and dangerous

tcultory

Such episodes give the photORiaphcis (George and Hauy Malcolm) a belated oppot

tunity lo photoRiaph some fascinating scenpiof tiopical Australia rheie aie also some good undeiwater shots in the film and the incidents on the villains tiadlng veasel aie quite satisfactoiv fiom a melodiamlc and pic

toiial aspect It is the slavish imitation of Ameiican ad\entuie films that one icgicts to spc In worthwhile Austiallan pioductlons The plcttue badh needs utting to lmpio\e its continuity and the deletion of the open inc. sequences-show In what is too appin enth a toy boat caught In a typhoon and battllna aßalnst the clements in lull sall-seems nens sai y Despite its raults and Incl of oilfcinallty the film is intcipsting nlthouuh the nctin" is occasionally coloiuless Oattlpbell Copelln plays the hci o In casual style Joe Valil Is icstnlned and good as a Scot but Kennith Blampton Is loo stilted as Ihe lascally Webb Gwen Munio Is ofntlcnt but cut little ire as the romantic interest Noiman I lench h natuinl but not oxtltint, a*. the patial oflUpi

Douglas Hciald is a distinct find roi such roles a3 the bully villain Buck Thompson (Cameo and Ha\maikct Chic Theatres )

'THE GLADIATOR ' I

Columbia has made an amusing film in The Gladlatoi * though its comedy Is so hec-tic that it suffers something of a minor iclnpsc befoie the plctuie ends It gives Joe

E Blown one of the best toles ol his career-I that of a sentimental hospital assistant who I letuins to college and suddenly becomes a supei athlete thiough Inoculation with a seium But Ihe sticngth that the ml|dicmpeied tinco Klpps Uoc L Biown) Üc\elops overnight lhiouc,h the expetimentation of a piofcssoi neailj becomes unconti olia ble It ci eales some ot the funniest episodes that the comedian has picscntcd Seldom has his tiotosque countenance icistoiett moie Indi

ciotisiy amusing ex|nessions The «ay he unthtcntionallj citishes his alai n clock to pieces smashes fiiinltine and ovciwhclms e\eiy thing ti u gets in his path especially on the rootbnll field makes mosl dheitlha enieitoln

mont

Had the tilín con) u tied in its initial vein li would have been a little mostctplcce of bioad comed\ Dm thp bilghthess pcrccptibh dllus tovvalds the tnd The long anticipated climax whetp tin ledoliblnble Klhps tnttils the wustllhg ling agaili3t Man Mountain Denn rails to sustain the high pair and spontaneity ol the ptctudihg scqurncrs Us Incidents also lack \ailetj and an essplulal element of unexpectedness Neuilheless the film Is gland enteitalhment excellent h dlicctcd ihe ployeis get the most out of theil liiatPlltl and Lucien Llltlclleld Is delightful as the piofcssoi who stalls nil the excite

ment (Cameo and Ilavmalkel-Chli Ihpnties)

"THE LILAC DOMINO"

Released b\ Gaumont Billlsli Dlstiibutois The Lilac Domino makes as blight enter talnment on Hie srieen as It did on the singe Although Heated in the tiadltionui Hollywood fashion which necessitates ovci-claboi"tion ol its eainival srenes and suchlil e dccoialltms this film vptslon fiom the Fox-aaumoln studios has letllined all the shaikh, and vhacltv ol tht uiiglnal opeietta and the music sounds as gay and tuneful as evei Being a British pioductlon the film occaslonallj piesents a ristiaint in the development ol Its topical muslcal-comedi stoi\ whit h idds lo Its naive appeal Bul It reveals some of that stace technique in Its acting which seems Inevitable when artist1» aie bl ought tiom Ihi London sta¡,e to tike the leading lolcs It appeal« thal English nctois aie lc*s capable ol dis caiding unsuitable technique than aie theil Ameiican cousins when tianslenlng horn *he theatie to the films In spite of all this iht pioductlon Is completely saiisfvlnc enleitun mont because of its spiightly gait and the natuia) abandon which till levellci*- In the lestlval scenes put Into theil ealetv

Michael Bartlett is a manly and likable licuie as Count Anitole de Keiaffi and ha-, n (,ood voice toi the Upe ot _>ngs he is ctiled upon to sing June Knight Is a little aitiflcial and biittle as Shall and Athene Scylor an enjoyable Madame Alaij szoke szakall t¡> icminisccnl of Cecil Kcllawav In the naivete and chai m with vvl h he Invests his îole of Sandoi Fled Dmncy so like Nigel Biucc in hppcamnce and mannei of acting is a de lightfully snave Bnion tie Gonda (Lyceum

I beatie )

ALL AMERICAN I

SWEETHEART " |

All Amu lean Swcelhuul is so closclj

iclalcd to ihe aveiage campus stoiy thal on>

Is thunktul foi the stiiiinc lowim, lace» mound which the stoij icvolvcs Heic is ali the thiill of one of oui own school icgattas Some bcautilul livct vistas aie pcifectlj photOLiaphcd and the Ulm ha* pace If little constiucttvc ingenuity lhere die attempt», to get out ol the loutlne gioovc but the lesult is negligible The Usual ?'cll-sncilticlhg hero Is again spumed by his school Inatcs and tm usual Doubting thomas of a fiancee pos

scsses the usual lottei of a biothel who Lets Into a gambling piedicahtent Bul aftel gambius have tiled to make the lrtttpi Seil his rail-which lcsults lit an exciting fight on a show-boat-lie stecis his cicw to.viqtoij

despite two blot cn libs and Uic posslbllltv of

a punctuicd lung

Thtiic aie the student Choi Uses and social galheilngS Some of the custbmalv iidthos

ts injected Into the scene Wliele the students I fmewefi the bulls lad whose btäwn boüld have] got him tv plate In the college eight had hu. I biftlh capacity balanced the sUciigth pt lils] Ililli (Inker The Min has pace and one glimpses among the cxitas the gciiclous figuie ol vctothn May Pi Ice one Of the first aÇtiessc-, In silent flints A Columbia ftrodUction (Capitol Theatre)

"THE PRESIDENT'S

MYSTERY "

Based on a Liberty Magazine stoiy which was sULpcstcd to Its editor by rirthkllll p Roosevelt-who failed io sot hqvv a wealthy man could lltluiditc his debts dtspbsp di h> foitune of five million dolíais and then toihpletcly dlsnppcai without lfeaWhg, k Utico of his vUiereabouts- this Republic plctuie lile PicsidChls Mystcty is obviously political ptobligorida

The hcib is Ure attorney ot a national ci\nneiy Unhappily niall led ahd disgusted with the ethics pi his big buslhcas assorlabes he takes a fishing tilp after helping to kill a bill befoie the Senate which would have biought relief lo small Industilcs In a village he sees Ihe disastiotis lesulls of his Iobbjlng fails to obtain a divoice from his wife and detldco to disappeai and help levivc a cannciy which the dcpicsslon and his woil in Washington have put out or business All is well until Hie supposed minder or his wife complicates matters and Ullin the film Into melodrama Despite its loft\ oiigin it ncvei lises Milich above loutlne standaid It Is raiilv well developed although oiiginalitj ocnislonalh stialns the Imagination The pioductlon ha.-, a sticak of dullness which even Hcniy W11

coxon (rcatrolnod as the lltwyei) Betty Turness (as a small cannciy owher) Sidney Blickiiei (ni ii rast illy business magnate), and Evelyn Bictit (les the lawyci s wife) fall to disguise Barnett Pal kel Is a Joy as till tavvycis valet (Cnpltol Iheatie )

"SING, YOU SINNERS"

Hollywoods recent inteicst in stoilcs ol oullnaiy subuiban family life tieated humoiou Iv and a little sentimentally, but without bi Hile cxtiRgc!allon is fuithei shown in Bing Ciosbv s latesl Bin« you Slnneis To thp most pint thl« is veiy dellphlftil cnleilalhiiunt It lev cals the lclntlonshlps belvben lillie biotlieis with something like Insight llipie aie passages which aie hulnon comedv

it its best

Ihe small town fiimllv consists of rrrd MicMuiiny the eldest on who deslips t-o many Hip rhaimliiL Ellen Diew Bing Omsbv

a vlslonaiy with no talent foi keeping an oidinaiy Job and Donald O Connor a pathe-tic and lil cable small boj who models him-self on his cltlei »tothels I hell wldowniothoi (Lllznbelh Pattuson) has an aiixlou* tlmr keeping the house golui' while Fled MacMuliaj ptctctts that lie will nevei b< able to many until Bing gets a Job All Ihicc biotheis can cloon and do so in tilo at a local dtlncchall btit It nevci occtus to aiv of them that big money is in singing ln*tead Bing takes up minting and then owns i "hoi«cr with the small biothci lopni

in HS Jockey

This lolly film has a topical i ace-week lnieicst foi Austihllnn audlbnrcs II i von Inn orillees a new and amazing way of picking the winnot« descilbed as the Austiallan

ystcm and consisting or plumping roi the horse who'e name contains the mosl is

and as' Bing Ciosbv at any late finds it plofitable Theie Ls only one good song

A Pocketful of Di cams but Sing You Sinner-- despite its title is not piimailly a musical plctuie It succeeds by the wai m naturalness of II Intimate rnmlly scenes (A Paramount picture Pilnep iriwaid Theatie)

"BULLDOG DRUMMOND IN

ArRICA "

lins film is anothct adv entine rathri heavy and stiained of the rariious ft célame drtic-dcvil Bulldog Diuminohd The film suireis badly Horn its foiced humom teaull

lue riom a dolic to guy english stock types as the butlei Ihe policeman and so on It builds to an exciting U unlikely climax In Moiocco H B Wai net as n Scotland Yaid

official is spuitcd away to an outpost In Afilen by a smooth villain who alms to socuip an linpoitant *ckntlfir secict He Is (ol

lowed bv John Hmvniri and Hcathei An"'cl In an leioplanc whit h Is blown lo sinllhetcens i moment nfici Hiev have ipft it Theie ai*4 some dangcious passage* with hungiy pet lions but all ends as li should J Can oil Nal*h Reginald Dennv and E D Clive aie it ht i = In the cast iPilnre Erivvaid Theatie I