Evening star., 1936-12-19


- lures of the year is such a set
up that We are loathe to in
dulge in a pastime so lacking
in the spirit of cricket, badminton
and ring-around- -the-rosie. Every
body knows the system used by the
more successful 10-best pickers. After
long midnight hours of meditation
and repentance. they draw up a list
of the films which gave them the most
personal satisfaction during the past
u months. This list is at once
thrown out the window.
Then, reaching into a top hat
(advt), the wizards draw out rabbit
and the names of 10 cinemas. The
rabbit is turned over to Cook The
names are printed in some publication
or other. there to astound an anxious
world, which disagrees with 9 out Of
the 10 choices and rules out the other
one as a foul ball over third base.
Therefore let us speak not of the
10 best pictures. best performances,
bets at Tropical Park, news reels,
Mickey Mice or Malapropisms from
the lips of Sam Goldwyn. 1t is more
pleasant as the cinema year draws
to close TO recall some of the moving
mimicry, intelligent drama and laughs
with or at the showmen) which the
season of 1886 has afforded us.
Without extending the catalogue
beyond them. let us first remind you
that 'Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" was
undoubtedly the finest example Of the
cinema in top form as an entertain
ment; Fury" its best effort to achieve
some distinction as a social force,
The GeorgeouS HuSSy' the worst
sample of the harm our native films
may do in miSinforming Americans
about American history. although
three of its performers-Sidney Toler.
Melvyn Douglas and Beulah Bondi-
created characterizations so superb
they must be ranked as flawleSs gems
of the theater. however false their
setting.
WITH no particular attention to
kind, size or classification, We
UdSS OIL W VI
Rosalind Russell's most capable
chore in all her cinema career, the
title role in ''Craig's Wife"
Irene Dunn'S sudden emergence as
a screen comedienne in Theodore
Goes Wild" which was one of the
best-natured bits of fooling invented
in Hollywood during the year.
Paul MUM in "The Story of Louis
Pasteur," sincere and thrilling
biography of a great man, wherein
Mr.. MUM once more reaSserted his
claim to the title of No. actor of
FINLAND.
Enrol Flynn and Olivia de Havil-
land in Captain Blood" which would
have sent half the boys of the land
swashbuckling out to sea, except that
the sea is at present on a strike.
Nova Pilbeam in Mine Days a
Queen"-a foreign film which man.
aged to be more faithful to history
than some of our own, and at the
same time furthered the career Of
young actress of limitleSs potential
tiles.
Secret Agent" with Madeleine
Carroll and Peter LORE, q major dis
appointment after all that had been
said of its brilliant technique as a
melodrama.
THE General Died at Dawn" which
had all the technique that Secret
Agent" lacked, and much more be-
sides, including dialogue by Clifford
Odets and the second best perform
ance Gary Cooper ever gave In his
life.
Fritz Langs maSter-touch OF dtrec-
ton in Fury" when a lynch-crazy
mob was about to storm a court house,
and Mr.. Lang placed his camera so
that you could not see the mob. but
had the feeling it was behind you,
showing you on, as it stalked and
danced and slithered down the street
on its errand OF murder.
"The Great Ziegfeld," incredibly
large, incredibly long and incredibly
good considering those facts. It's real
mark of distinction, however, was un-
tagging good taste, seldom q charac-
teristic of musical shows on our stage
or our screen.
san Francisco" known around
Hollywood as The Big Noise" Worth
while as a spectacular stunt and for
Spencer Tracy's acting.
Romeo and Juliet" Still classed
as road show" and not a general
release, this picture might have
warned Leslie Howard that having
been a poor Romeo, he might be q
worse Hamlet 1t also must be re-
corded as q personal triumph for
Norma Shearer. Shakespeare. M.-0.A|
NJ and the late Irving Thalberg. .
The Milky Way" converted into