116 THE VIRGINIA TEACHER [Volume 18, No. 5

FILM ESTIMATES Progressive teachers will find dependable advice in these estimates on current film releases. Recognizing that one man's meat may be another man's poison, the National Committee on Current Theatrical Films gives three ratings; A, for discriminating adults; Y, for youth; and C, for children. These estimates are printed by special arrangement with The Educational Screen, Chicago.

Carnival in Flanders (La Kermesse Hero- to enrich murderous bully, their overlord in vice. ique) (French prod., English titles) Outstanding Decency thrillingly defeated throughout. Fine costume comedy brings to life imaginary episode example of expert screening of outrageous theme. in 17th Century Flanders. Wives heroically ig- (A) Dep. on taste (Y-C) Utterly unwholesome nore terror-stricken men, turn horror of Spanish Seventh Heaven (James Stewart, Simone Si- invasion into hilarity by feminine methods. Mer- mon) (Fox) Notable re-creation in sound of rily sophisticated masterpiece. famous silent of ten years ago, superior to it in (A) Excellent (Y) Doubtful (C) Beyond them dramatic vigor and pictorial technique if not in Clarence (Roscoe Karns, Eleanor Whitney, charm and sentimental appeal. More strength Eugene Pallette) (Para.) Good screening of than subtlety at times. Stewart's Chico excellent. Tarkington's whimsical story of hero, a timid (A) Excell. (Y) Mature bt. gd. (C) Beyond them and unknown genius, plopped into position with Top of the Town (Doris Nolan, Geo. Murphy) a hysterical family where he becomes invaluable. (Univ.) Frenzied noise, jazz, dance, "music" and Class B, but lively and amusing in action, dialog brainless hilarity in glorified cabaret where life is and character. „ , just one long hunt for laughs. Burlesque proof (A) Good (Y) Very good (C) Good that "swing" beats "classical." Low salaries made The Crime Nobody Saw (Lew Ayres, Eugene possible big sets. Compare such stuff with "May- Pallette) (Para.) Mediocre murder tale, poor in time!" direction, acting and dialog, incredible action and (A) Dep. on taste (Y) Doubtful (C) No artificial situation. Three would-be playwrights, Twenty-Three and a Half Hours Leave (J. hired to write, are devoid of ideas till a crime Ellison) (Grand Nat.) Breezy farce about under their very noses supplies necessary plot. doughboys in camp. Rollicking fun, slapstick, (A) Mediocre (Y) Perhaps (C) No song sequences, as cocky sergeant hero wins wager East Meets West (George Arliss and English that he will breakfast with the general, and wins cast) (GB) Costume melodrama of rum-running, his daughter also for good measure. romance, intrigue, with Arliss doing "Green God- (A) Perhaps (Y) Amusing (C) Probably good dess" role with sly gusto. Oriental sultan of small Waikiki Wedding (Bing Crosby, Shirley Ross) domain plays emissaries of rival nations against (Para.) Much photographic beauty but little else. each other to win huge loan from each. Unde- Bing, as ingenious publicity-man for Hawaiian sirable elements. ,T pineapples, starts what leads to crazy hash of (A) Good of kind (Y) Doubtful (C) No. South Sea adventure, maudlin romance, volcanic Good Old Soak (Wallace Beery, Janet Beech- eruptions, sensuous dances, clown comedy, and er) (MGM) Well-acted screening of Don Mar- much, much Bing "music." quis' glorified drunkard, "The Old Soak," retain- (A) Depends on taste (Y-C) Doubtful value ing genuine comedy and human appeal, but heavy- Wake Up and Live (Winchell, Bernie, Faye, drinking, good-hearted father is too slovenly, Jack Haley, Patsy Kelly, Ned Sparks, Catlett) boorish and crude to accord convincingly with his (Fox) Hilarious farce comedy at its best. Wm- supposed environment. chell-Bernie feud and Kelly-Sparks wisecracks (A) Good of kind (Y) Doubtful (C) No deftly woven into plot centered on hunt for Internes Can't Take Money (Stanwyck, Mc- "phantom troubadour," whose voice, accidentally Crea) (Para.) Medical ethics^ and gangsterism on air, starts frantic complications. combined in finely acted, sensational drama. Gang (A-Y) Excellent of kind (C) Probably amusing leader owes life to interne-hero and helps him The Woman I Love (Paul Muni. Miriam Hop- find heroine's daughter, hidden by ex-husband. kins) (RKO) Unsympathetic leading roles and Character values distorted, ethics scrambled, old, overdone Great War details mar this ser- racketeers glorified. ious triangle story. Muni hated as jinx by fel- (A) Good of kind (Y) Better not (C) No low-airmen. His adored wife in love with youth King and the Chorus Girl (Fernand Gravet, in same squadron. Depressing mess solved by Joan Blondell) (Warner) Clever, airy romantic youth's death! Waste of Muni-Hopkins. comedy of whimsical nonsense. Gravet notable (A) Disappointing (Y) Unwholesome (C) No as irresponsible play-boy king who never sees Women of Glamour (Virginia Bruce, Melvyn daylight. Blondell fine as little American chorus Douglas) (Columbia) Gold-diggers glorified in girl who cures him. Thin sophisticated atmos- atmosphere of luxury, sex and wisecrack. Rich phere vanishes in laughs. painter leaves wife to marry blase young heroine, (A-Y) Very good of kind (C) Little interest and just manages to save her from round-the- Marked Woman (Bette Davis, Humphrey Bo- world trip with drunken rounder. Worse because gart) (Warner) Grim, strong picture of sordid, well-acted. sexy business of night-club "hostesses" working (A) Depends on taste (Y-C) Very unwholesome

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