Judge — April 23, 1932 — page 28: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Ae Lubitsch pictures have so many unv ng characteristics it is a habit to say “another Lubitsch picture” and let it go at that. “One Hour With You” is an- other Lubitsch picture. The music is mediocre. Mis Jeannette Mac- Donald remains an awkward and far from amusing young lady, and Che- valier continues to hammer you over the head with ‘his subtle ch, But despite the annoyances, “One Hour With You” is an entertaining, beautifully produced show. There are no awkward changes of pace, no sequences denoting hurried al conferences and last-min- ute direction. It is, in other word: another Lubitsch picture, which is tantamount to saying, the best pro- duction in town. Looking over the record, you will not find a director who maintained sane and ca ful movie ideas in every job since he first went to work in this country except Herr Lubitsch. I even feel inclined to excuse Miss MacDonald. She may seem just like a breeze from Bay: director. If so, that is suffi on for her comic prancing and primpiny because, de- spite her heavy com- “One Hour With You” is gra ful, intimate and in good taste. arm, I HAVE been going from director to director saying: “why don’t you put Roland Young in your picture?” Actu- ally [ find, he has been in a great many movies, It just seems as if he never gets a job because he never has enough to do, and because he does that bit so well his absence during the remainder of the film is noticeable. Perhaps some reck- less genius will give him the lead in a pic- ture before he gets sclerosis of the liver and movie stocks are viven free with every third beer. Mr. Young has enough to do in “One Hour With You” to furnish further reason for recommending it as a picture to see. HE has been hailed as a novelist, s a well-born young lady, and a noted beauty. I won't chal- lenge any of these claims but I would like to yet it in the books that Miss Elissa Landi is as cold and unemo- tional and unexciting on the screen Chinese property man. In “The 5 y” she has, to be fair, very little chance to unfold any great emotional ability. The story itself is supposed to be a little lesson in morals, showing that money, after all, is just one great big bother. Outside of an audience composed en- tirely of Fox stockholders, I don't see how this little moral possibly can bring the customers to their feet cheering. (I suppose because she is English the producers feel they must s have Landi set in an English following the logic of the Theater Guild, which never gives Miss Fontanne any but English parts and Mr. Kreisler, who never plays “That's funny! My company failed the same we 26 the violin except in German beer rdens). The only realistic touch in “Th Devil's Lottery” is the fact that al the sue at an English countr worried about their mone have won in the Calcutt Sweepstake Unfortunately, there i a murder and a death over the week end, thrown into the story to creat suspense. Had the author allowe his characters just to sit around and talk about money he would have hac a very good English comedy pat terned after the Lonsdale school. OTHING could be more concis: than the title opworn.” Tr fact, I suggest you walk slowly past the theatre, look at the sign, read the title to yourself and you will have, in effect, seen the show and spared yourself time and money Here we have a girl torn from her lover by a jealous mother, thrown into jail and generally punched around by society. Quickly, a pent house in Paris and from then on it is just a matter of waiting for the boys to show us their tricks again until finally the heroine drops, ex hausted, as you can well imagine, int: the arms of the hero who has been sitting home biting his fin vernails until she made the last pay ment on the Rolls Royce. Presumably, thi famous plot is su; posed to furnis! leading ladies with « yreat opportunity t clear the stage anid put on a gymnasti emotional recital Well, once it ma have been a goo. trick, but IT can't help but feel that the oldest and dumbest fan by now must know that as soon a the leading lady gets kicked into the street ten stockbrokers im mediately take her name and address (Page 29, Please) comicbooks.com