October, 1936] THE VIRGINIA TEACHER 167

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.

Bunker Bean (Owens Davis, Jr., Louise Lati- pals on holiday in Vienna chief amusing element, mer) (RKO) Lively farce, fairly amusing for with elaborate song and dance as special feature, skilfully done hero role of timid clerk, who be- 7-14-36 comes self-confident and aggressive when told (A) Hardly (Y-C) Doubtful interest that he is reincarnation of Egyptian King. Out- Ramona (Loretta Young, Don Ameche) (Fox) wits schemers seeking to rob him of valuable Well-known melodrama of California in the '70's patent and marries boss' daughter. 7-7-36 finely done in excellent Technicolor, some scenes (A) Perhaps (Y) Amusing (C) No interest of unusual beauty and charm. Idyllic Indian ro- Charlie Chan at the Racetrack (Warner mance, until persecution by greedy whites brings Oland, Keye Luke) (Fox) Another of justly tragic suffering and grim death for hero. 9-29-36 popular series on shrewd, suave doings of unique (A) Fine of kind (Y) Very good (C)Toostrong Chinese detective. He catches well-concealed Secret Agent (Madeleine Carroll, Robt. Young, arch-crook and gang who commit murder to John Gielgud) (Brit-Gaumont) Sensational, sus- achieve betting swindles at the track. Suspense penseful spy story. Grim murders and tragic well maintained. 8-25-36 climax. Lorre repellant as ruthless killer, aide to (A-Y) Good of kind (C) Probably good British hero pursuing German spy. Unconven- Craig's Wife (Rosalind Russell, John Boles) tional situation of heroine posing as hero's wife (Columbia) Egocentric wife, seeking security, avoids real offensiveness. 8-4-36 not love, relentlessly keeps her possessions for (A) Good of kind (Y) Doubtful (C) No herself, estranges friends, kin, husband, and earns Sworn Enemy (Robt. Young, Lewis Stone, Jos. heart-breaking solitude at end. Unsympathetic Calleia) (MGM) Well-acted gangster melodrama. role finely done with elegance and restraint—save Fast, exciting action with usual grim brutalities absurd eyelashes. 10-6-36 and murders, and hectic climax. His brother (A) Very good (Y) Mature but good (C) No killed, himself victimized by racketeers, hero as Early to Bed (Mary Boland, Charles Ruggles) incognito G-man, uncovers evidence against vic- (Para.) Delightful farce-comedy with rare roles ious, secret mob leader. 9-22-36 for Mary and Charlie. She marries old love at (A) Good of kind (Y) Doubtful (C) No last, but he is a sleep-walker! Startling complica- Tempest (Emil Jannings, Ana Sten) (English tions, further complicated by Mary's well-meant titles) (Ufa) Seamy side of life ably played. help. But finally honeymoon can begin. 6-9-36 Hero, his latest jail term over, joyously rejoins (A) Amusing (Y) Very good (C) Good mistress who has been cheating merrily. Stormy General Died at Dawn, The (Gary Cooper, action follows, until hero kills his chief rival and M. Carroll) (Para.) American hero in China is returns gladly to jail leaving her to still another. betrayed by heroine into hands of the cruel bandit 10-6-36 general he opposes. Tense suspense, grim killings (A) Perhaps (Y) No (C) No and violence, as he escapes, is recaptured with They Met in a Taxi (Fay Wray, Chester repentant heroine, finally freed in harrowing, un- Morris) (Columbia) Lively, improbable fairly convincing climax. 9-8-36 amusing mystery-romance. Unconventional but (A) Good of kind (Y) Prob. too strong (C) No wholly unobjectionable situation when taxi-driver Give Me Your Heart (Kay Francis, Roland hero aids innocent heroine in trouble. Some Young) (Warner) Dignified problem play about homely, human episodes, but hard-boiled hero de- unwed mother who, to assure child's good name, cidedly overdoes gruff, caveman stuff. 9-22-36 gives him up to married father's family. Re- (A) Perhaps (Y) Good (C) Perhaps sultant heart-aches end fairly convincingly in White Angel, The (Kay Francis, Ian Hunter) three happy marriages. Roland Young's role out- (Warner) Florence Nightingale's heroic service standing comedy. 10-6-36 to nursing well filmed, but inferior to "Louis (A)Verygood (Y) Over mature (C) No Pasteur" in variety, humor, range of human in- Gypsies (Russian Soviet) (Amkino) Above terest, Kay Francis falls short of Muni's power. average Russian picture, with notable music nicely Misses high values by omitting fore-shadowing balanced with dialog, adequate English titles, scenes from her early life. 6-30-36 showing Soviet inducing Gypsies to settle on col- (A) Good (Y) Good (C) Beyond them lective farms. Usual faults of Russian technique White Fang (Michael Whalen, Jean Muir) less glaring, and human interest outweighs propa- (Fox) Alaskan thriller, with dark doings over a ganda. 9-29-36 gold mine, heavy villainy, hero narrowly escapes (A) Fairly good (Y-C) Hardly recommendable hanging, etc. Neither hero nor heroine impres- Kiss Me Goodbye (Magda Schneider) (Ger- sive, but Winninger and Summerville have really man) Continental musical film marred by in- funny roles. The dog, White Fang, does his job ferior sound and engaging heroine's faulty Eng- well. 7-14-36 lish. Friendly rivalry over heroine by two English (A) Dep. on taste (Y) Fairly good (C) Perhaps