Indianapolis Times, Volume 47, Number 253, Indianapolis, Marion County, 31 December 1935 — Page 6

PAGE 6

THEY WERE TOPS IN WORKS OF FILM PRODUCERS IN 1935

'Mutiny on the Bounty' Deserves 1935's Prizes ‘The Informer’ Ranks Second on the List of Bests Compiled by Our Mr. Thompson. BY JOHN YV. THOMPSON In the face of the usual criticism that each year is automatically hailed as the best, we can honestly say that 1934-35 marked the highest peak the motion picture industry has reached. The rise in the standards set for movie production was more than partially influenced by the fact that, the American movie public has constantly demanded better pictures.

One need only review the progress movies have marie during the last in years to see what happened in 1035. It was a big jump upwairi. There were fewer stars, but the pictures benefited because of the scarcity of "glorified'’ individuals. The "decency'’ wave had the desired effect of prying from Hollywood more acceptable films for family consumption. Looking backward, two things stand out. One is that because of a dearth of material, producers have delved into the literary classics, have found that Shakespeare ("Midsummer Night's Dream,” "Romeo and Juliet” and probably "Macbeth” or "Hamlet”). Charles Dickens ("David Coppcrfield,” "A Tale of Two Cities” and "Scrooge”), Alexander Dumas ("Count of Monte Cristo”), and Victor Hugo ("Los Miscrables”), were better movie story writers than most of the playrights in Hollywood. The Trend lo Opera The other change seen in movie tastes during the year was the .trend toward operatic stars and operatic and semi-classical music. Grace Moore's "One Night of Love” started it all. Perhaps the two outstanding opera star pictures of the season were “I Dream Too Much,” featuring Lily Pons, and "Metropolitan.” with Lawrence Tibbet. The only picture which seems to weather all seas in picking the "best” is "Mutiny on the Bounty,” which from all angles: Audience, exhibitors, actors and story, was the peak picture of 1935. "Mutiny on the Bounty” had Charles Laughton, something almost any picture needs today, to succeed in a big way. Then there were Clark Gable and Franchot Tone, two actors who pull tremendously from among the feminine populace. A giant cast and realistic settings helped the film along. It was honest, out-and-out entertainment, with drama, pathos and stars packed into a strong background. From a narrower viewpoint one might have chosen "The Informer,” the spy picture which gave Victor McLaglen a fighting chance for the best performance honors of the year. It was splendidly produced, and had an atmosphere more convincing than any other picture released. It lacked only the universal appeal of "Mutiny on the Bounty.” Dickens Takes the Prize Among the classics filmed during the season none were more faithfully and entertainingly done than the Hireo Dickens stories, "David Coppcrfield.” "A Tale of Two Cities,” which just barely slipped into the year, and "Scrooge,” an un-

#JcJa MIDNIGHT NEW YEAR'S EVE SHOW TONIGHT! i LAST COMPLETE \ PERFORMANCE AT M;3 0p. m .

m 11 l.xint Time Today ■ ITr+d Antaire, tinKr Holers -T O V II A TANARUS" TMu* "Snpprspfod" New Yrur'o K\e Midnight Show

[Jill 11 CM ,1’” EXCLUSIVE BURLESQUE THEATRE,, ,:,;. ';, ~ 1 |N,SM )°' R festivities \r oi R r mot s NEW YEAR'S EVE MIDNIGHT SHOW TONIGHT FHE LID-LIFTLRS merry makers Rare Beauty She of the Black Mask |J Famous TASSEL DANCE

obstrusive little masterpiece which captured the Dickens’ spirit even better than its predecessors. “Les Miserables,” the Victor Hugo novel, also was an important contribution of film history, mainly because of Mr. Laughton. In the comedy field, 1935 had nothing better in its high class bag of tricks than the gay, diverting and surprising "Ruggles of Red Gap” (there's Mr. Laughton again), Al- ' tlfough it was Mr. Laughton who | giggled, then whooped, then calmed down and said the Gettysburg address as no one has said it before, | there is something else about the picture we shall never forget. It is the sight of Charlie Ruggles, bemoustached, prowling about his hotel room in an antique model of long underwear. In 1935 there evolved, probably because of the tremendous success of "It Happened One Night” and "The Thin Man,” a whole series of pictures supposedly Must as good.” They weren’t, but some came close. One of these was “The Bride Comes Home,” which closed at the Indiana yesterday. “Rendezvous” the Best Another was "She Married Her Boss,” in which Miss Colbert failed to duplicate her role with Clark Gable last year. The picture which came closest to scoring was "Rendezvous,” in which William Powell played with the new' leading lady, Rosalind Russell, who did not come

-LyricTONIGHT—II ;45 I • | NEW YEAR’S EVE MIDNIGHT FROLIC I' • Buy Special Tickets Early! line and 40c

i siPjf BURLESK RING OUT THE OLD YEAR, RING IN THE NEW, with our NEW YEAR’S EVE MIDNITE SHOWS CONTINUOUS SHOWS ALL NIGHT

The 1935 movie hour-glass sifted through some interesting grains of cinema-dust. Most exciting of the season's adventure films was “Lives of a Bengal Lancer,” which starred the trio shown at the left above, Franchot Tone, Richard Cromwell and Gary Cooper. Charles Dickens blossomed out during the year as one of the screen’s most promising playwrights. A scene from the picturp made from his “A Tale of Two Cities,” which ends a run at Loews today, was equal in quality to “David

up to the standard Mvrna Loy had set in the same type role. The progress being made by Carole Lombard was evidenced in her part in “Hands Across the Table.” It was a light, bubbling piece of entertainment which gave Miss Lombard a chance to take off her shoes and rest her feet, after some of the “pinch-toed” parts she had been forced into the year before. A picture which must be put in a class by itself is the beautiful

GALA MIDNITE SHOW TONITE! “COLLEGIATE” . . . and a Bis: Surrounding Program! No seats reserved .. . and no advance in prices! Come ANYTIME! TODAYatIII a7m.~

TONIGHT FOR YOUR NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY ATTEND THE CIRCLE ... at 10 P. M. and see a complete showing of Lily Pons in "I Dream Too Much"—AND THE FIRST SHOWING OF HEPBURN'S "SYLVIA SCARLET." WiVi MAMti I MA TO BFH BPRII ii f A daring girl . . . footloose on the trail of adventure! TONIGHT^ She found it safer to be a I# a&S3 <t CARY GRANT jjjj? . Last limes toaaC I -Sfi lH a lily pons W 11/ Mm Sb ■ in l lIRI AM I ■■ I 9 A so 1§ fig TOO MICH ■ gfl

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

“Sequoia,” story of a mountain lion and a deer, which presented Jean Parker as the healthy outdoor girl who loved animals, and who finally fell for a forest ranger. The photography was as well done as any on the screen this past year except "Man of Aran.” It deserves a hand for the patience it must have required. Interest in musical pictures, both light and heavy, upped radically during the year and the result, of course, was a distinct rise in the

Copperfield,” presented earlier in the year. Ronald Colman and Elizabeth Allan are shown above. Most likely candidate for the award for the year’s best solo screen performance is Charles Laughton for his work in “Mutiny on the Bounty” (above, right center), “Ruggles of Red Gap,” and “Les Miserables.” Biggest money-maker for exhibitors and most beloved of all the movie stars, is bright-eyed Shirley Temple, who is pulling John Boles’ tie (right) in a scene from “Curly Top.”

number produced. Leading the array was "Broadway Melody of 1936,” which had Eleanor Powell, Jack Benny, Frances Langford and Buddy and Velma Ebsen. It is the neatest, most amusing and most entertaining of any of the year’s song and dance pieces. Close on its heels was ‘‘Top Hat.” which gave Fred Astaire and Ginger

LAST DAY -"A TALE OF TWO CITIES LOEWS

The Wild Orchid from Shantytown and the Hardest ' , ' . ' ■Vi f ' i I l| : ' / I It was a battle, but he ~ I won her away from v , w jf the Greek, even if he \ did own the works and \ / 11 give her furs and things. • - ! Remember" Min and Bill" ] —Remember the "Big | 4$ House"—Well, here is a j warm, human story by , the same author with the W* Joseph calleia greatest characterize- "Watch this trick" The Crafty Tuna-fish King , . sa y s Micke y Rooney. tions you have seen in MEET JEAN years! It is definitely the TONIGHT! first important picJ3 | SPENCER TRACY • JOSEPH CALLEIA UNA MERKLE MICKEY ROONEY* By Frances A4ar/on • Big M-G-M Cast! R i wrwkrwM R,euiar I Tomorrow! |Kf J 1 IL SZSTum j

Rogers their best chances. It also had the adroit comedy of Eric Blore, who. with Arthur Treacher, is the screen’s best butler. Other musicals which deserve a big hand, were "Roberta.” with Irene Dunne and the AstaireRogers team; "Flirtation Walk.” with Dick Powell and Ruby Keelpr; "Thanks a Million,” with Mr.

j Powell, and introducing the comei dian Fred Allen; "Naughty Marietta.” the operetta with Nelson | Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. The best of the year's adventure pictures was "Lives of a Bengal Lancer,” bringing together Richard Cromell, Franchot Tone and Gary Cooper. It was fast, realistic, with consistent characterizations all round. Although It wasn’t strictly adventure, the talking version of "The | Dark Angel” was the year’s best | melodrama, mainly because of the New Merle Oberon, sans Oriental eyes and hair dress. Herbert Marj shall and Fredric March didn't hurt : the picture either. There occurred in 1935 a cycle of G-men pictures, the best of which i was the first, Jimmy Cagney's "GMrn.” This cycle has pretty well 1 run out with one hangover, "Show

DEC. 31, 1030

Them No Mercy." on the kidnaping racket, yet to come. All in all. it was a great year. Only about 50 per cent of the pictures turned out to be duds. That's an improvement. The box office mind has kept the movie men humping all year and it looks as if the new year might make it even harder on them. Indianapolis has been chosen for | one of the key "release” cities. We see pictures here long before New York audiences. The reason? It's because movie men say that Indianj apolis movie audiences are supercritical. and if a picture goes over here it will go over anywhere. W# hope that’s a compliment. Neighbors' Complaints Expected Charlie Ruggles’ neighbors probably will start complaining since ha I added dog kennels to his chicken I ranch.