For those sophisticated souls who can manage to find an unoccupied hour or two in the midst of today's round of collegiate gaieties we shall herein offer a brief summary of the local cinema delights.
Commencing in the rotary-trafficked confusion of the Square we find the University presenting one of its very most delectable review day double feature bills. The starred item is Robert Hitchcock's now famous "Thirty-Nine Steps," a superbly exciting mystery film in the very best Hitchcock manner. Robert Donst and the very lovely Madeleine Carroll play the romantic leads in a story which surges through a series of thrilling escapades all kept in the lighter vein by a steady flow of genuinely amusing dialogue. Probably the last chance to see a definitely out of the ordinary picture. The companion piece is amply entitled "Biography of a Bachelor Girl," the original stage title "Biography" apparently possessing too little of that certain lift which brings the boys rushing to the box office. Ina Claire's stage role is handled by Ann Harding with comparative skill and the film manages to maintain a goodly amount of the play's diverting sophistication.
"Fury" an Excellent Film
Easily the most arresting offering of the in-town screens is to be found at the Loew's State and Orpheum Theatres in the harrowingly powerful study of lynching which Fritz Lang has created in his picture "Fury." Hailed from all sides as the most significant film of the season it narrates with breath-taking vigor and insight the story of a young man innocently involved in the mad antics of an infuriated mob. Especially noteworthy are the scenes depicting the origin and growth of mob violence and its development into the characterisically American form of the lynching. Not a pleasant experience, but one of such dramatic power and potential social importance that it cannot be missed. Accompanying this excellent picture is a stupid, slow-moving, puerile bit of Hollywood drivel which calls itself "Speed" and commands attention solely for its almost unopposed candidacy for this year's prize lemon.
The Met
The Metropolitan is offering, in addition to free dancing in the Platinum Salon, a double-edged bill consisting of a stage show starring the harmonizing Pickens Sisters of radio fame and a new Robert Taylor opus called "Private Number." It appears to be a romantic sort of parlor comedy with Loretta Young playing the seductive servant girl and getting all in love with the handsome rich boy. They go through the customary trials and after a reassuring struggle against the forces of convention and class feeling emerge safe into Curid's pure light.
"Cloistered" and "Ecstasy"
At the Fine Arts we find "Cloistered," a cinematic invasion of a convent which hails itself as offering the first "intimate scenes and unposed glimpses of life in a convent." It has a great deal of tranquillity, but not overmuch dramatic significances. At the other end of the line we find the Park Theatre, fromerly of Mineky's chain, presenting the much whispered about Czechoslovakian film "Ecstasy." The Park bills it for Adults Only, but it is nowhere near that exciting. Except for moments of genuine scenic charm it is an exceedingly pedestrian study of why girls get restless at times and will please all those who find this study sufficiently interesting to overcome the noxious results of a censor's unseeing eye.
H. G. Wells' contribution to filmlandia, "Things to Come" has passed out of the first run stage, but it is a sufficiently interesting film to justify a short excursion into the provinces. It is to be found in town at the Uptown Theatre, along with Bette Davis in "The Golden Arrow," which is old Michael Arlen stuff and not worthy of Miss Davis' manifold charms and talents.
The Paramount and Fenway Theatres are offering a double bill comprising "Early To Bed," a Charles Ruggles-Mary Boland comedy and "Fatal Lady," starring Mary Ellis and Walter Pidgeon. Not having seen either of these worthy efforts we hesitate to advance too definite an opinion of their merits. It seems fairly obvious, however, that the Ruggles-Boland affair will prove gently diverting and productive of laughs from those who find the comic strip "Mr. and Mrs." a mordant social commentary. With equal likelihood the Ellis-Pidgeon doings will add up to a well-acted romantic involvement.
Gathering together a few loose ends we arrive at mention of the Keith Memorial presentation of "Let's Sing Again," starring Bobby Breen, who is a youthful crooner, and oppressively cute--we'll take our Shirley Temple and like it if this is the alterntive. Also presented is the latest issue of the "March of Time." I guess it's really too hot to consider the Old Howard.
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