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A Pup Tale At The Pound
A Walt Disney PLUTO Cartoon . Pluto the CANINE CASANOVA follows his heartthrob Dinah everywhere - even into the dog pound . . . While the animation in this little film is routine , the story & characters are quite enjoyable , especially the ending with its exciting escape from the shotgun wielding dogcatcher . Pluto's perennial nemesis Butch appears as one of the incarcerated canines . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,338
306,861
22,302
10
A Musical Soupçon
A VITAPHONE Short Subject . The daughter of a French general falls in love with THE RED SHADOW , the mysterious masked man who leads his Muslim tribesmen against colonial injustice in Morocco . This two-reeler showcases the musical highlights from Hammerstein & Romberg's 1926 operetta , The Desert Song , which had already been given the full screen treatment by Warner Bros . in 1929 . The plot is tremendously truncated , but the singing by Alexander Gray & Bernice Claire - - especially of the famous tune , ? One Alone ' - - is nicely done . Operettas were ideal subject matter for early talky two-reelers . They were swiftly paced , colorful ( even in black & white ) and rather cheap to produce , utilizing as they did the sets & costumes of the feature films . Their brief length negated any need for character exposition and the stories were easy to follow , even when sung by heavily accented voices . Best of all , they were full of Sound , and that was still enough of a novelty to keep most audiences from becoming overly critical or expectant of anything smacking of real art . Often overlooked or neglected today , the one and two-reel short subjects were useful to the Studios as important training grounds for new or burgeoning talents , both in front & behind the camera . The dynamics for creating a successful short subject was completely different from that of a feature length film , something akin to writing a topnotch short story rather than a novel . Economical to produce in terms of both budget & schedule and capable of portraying a wide range of material , short subjects were the perfect complement to the Studios ' feature films .
437,712
306,861
37,572
10
A Pup Tale With Turtle
A Walt Disney PLUTO Cartoon . A friendly newborn turtle tries to cross a forbidden beach much to the annoyance of Pluto , who is on CANINE PATROL for the United States Coast Guard . The formula plot of Pluto confronting a cute little critter has certainly been used by Disney before , but that doesn't stop this film from being enjoyable . Walt Disney had these words placed just below the title : " Dedicated to the dogs of the U . S . Coast Guard . " Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,249
306,861
22,303
10
Marie Dressler & Polly Moran Team-Up For Top Comedy
A Midwestern housewife comes to New York City to help her social-climbing sister run a fancy beauty salon & REDUCING parlor . Marie Dressler shines in this movie vehicle tailored especially for her . With simple dignity & genuineness - and a crazy sense of humor - she captures the viewer's attention from her very first scene . Whether intimidating a ticket seller , attempting to climb into an upper berth , creating havoc in the salon , or prying an egg out of her little boy's mouth , she amply provides illustration why she was Hollywood's greatest & most beloved star in the early 1930's . There's never been another like her ; she was completely unique & irreplaceable . Receiving equal billing with Dressler is her frequent partner in mirth , the ubiquitous Polly Moran . This short , shrill , buxom comedienne could hold her own with the inimitable Dressler in the field of slapstick . Whether wallowing in a mud bath or trapped in a steam room , Moran is great fun as Marie's foil . Anita Page & Lucien Littlefield have some good moments as Dressler's daughter & husband ; but with Dressler & Moran on the loose , they're up against severe screen competition . Movie mavens will recognize the unbilled Roscoe Ates as the stuttering railway ticket agent who has the misfortune to find Marie in his line . It is important to note that the large glass swastika in the salon , which Marie inadvertently smashes , has nothing whatsoever to do with the Nazis . Rather it was an ancient symbol , even used by some Native American tribes , and was not infrequently seen as a trendy design or decoration .
437,373
306,861
45,222
10
Good Old Golden Rule Days
A Walt Disney GOOFY Cartoon . Goofy strives to remind the viewer that TEACHERS ARE PEOPLE just like everyone else . Although humorous , many educators may not be too amused by this little film as it hits too close to the mark . Imagine a classroom with 4 or 5 kids just like young George . The animation & storyline are enjoyable , but routine . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a storm of naysayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,991
306,861
30,068
10
Good & Evil & Mr . Duck
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon . DONALD'S BETTER SELF has quite a chore : to keep the young Duck from listening to Temptation and playing hooky . This is a very good cartoon , featuring excellent animation & acting . But why is Donald back in school ? It must be a flashback to his youth . Highlight - our hero's first encounter with a corncob pipe . Clarence " Ducky " Nash supplies Donald's voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Bambi , Peter Pan and Mr . Toad . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
438,321
306,861
30,069
10
Here We Go Gathering Nuts In May . . .
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon . DONALD'S GOLF GAME might be just about perfect - were it not for the impertinent interference of his three nephews . There are several solid laughs in this little film , although the basic premise - the Duck versus Huey , Dewey & Louie - offers nothing new . Once again , Clarence Nash does yeoman service , giving hilarious voice to the entire Duck clan . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work will always pay off .
438,331
306,861
204,043
10
For Auld Lang Syne
An MGM TRAVELTALK Short Subject . Our trip to the Scottish Highlands includes quick looks at Inverness & Loch Ness , but lingers longest at the ancient capital of Perth , the Culloden Battlefield and St . Andrews Golf Club . Sir Walter Scott , the skirl of bagpipes and a sentimental visit to a golfers ' cemetery are all part of the tour . This is one of a large series of succinct travelogues turned out by MGM , beginning in the 1930's . These films were produced & narrated by James A . FitzPatrick and featured Technicolor views of beautiful & unusual sights around the globe , as well as vivid , concise commentary .
437,029
306,861
32,247
10
Undying Friendship
Even after passing BEYOND TOMORROW , three old gentlemen continue to guard their two young friends . Unfortunately rather obscure , this charming little film , bursting with the joy of life , brings a whimsicality as unexpected as finding a ten dollar bill on a snowy sidewalk . Texas rodeo cowboy Richard Carlson and children's clinic worker Jean Parker are the two lonely people brought together on a cold New York City Christmas Eve by their new benefactors . They make a perfect couple , young & eager to embrace love - and each other - with open arms . Their enthusiasm at finding relief from their loneliness is genuine and imparts a special glow to the viewer . The generous trio , who look after their new companions like benevolent uncles , are the very heart of the film . Cheery Irishman Charles Winninger , stalwart English major Sir C . Aubrey Smith , and melancholy Oklahoman Harry Carey , although dealing with their own secret sorrows , share their largess with complete strangers ( whom they meet by a most curious stratagem ) in order to share the Christmas Spirit . Elderly Maria Ouspenskaya gives a sweetly poignant performance as their beloved housekeeper ; this tiny , wizened actress positively radiates joy as she steals her every scene . Helen Vinson , as a singing temptress trying to corrupt Carlson , is the serpent in this garden . Silent Screen star Rod La Rocque , in one of his final films , gives support as Vinson's theatrical manager . This would make wonderful Holiday viewing . In fact , one of the most delightful scenes in the film features a spirited singing of Jingle Bells in English , Russian , German & Italian .
438,117
306,861
32,251
10
The Dysfunctional Duo Strikes Again
A Walt Disney DONALD AND GOOFY Cartoon . Donald & Goofy , working as BILLPOSTERS , encounter trouble from an angry billy goat and an uncooperative windmill . This is a wonderful , hilarious little film , with excellent animation . It is a fine example of the quality of work the Studio was capable of producing on a small scale , even as it was switching gears to accommodate the simultaneous creation of feature length cartoons . Clarence " Ducky " Nash supplies Donald's unique voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,822
306,861
22,273
10
Marvelous Marie
A stubborn widow creates quite a stir when she enters local city POLITICS to run for mayor . MGM fashioned this pleasant little comedy / drama to showcase their surprisingly popular actress , Marie Dressler . She was beginning her meteoric rise to commence her reign as Hollywood's most popular star , a supremacy that was only cut short by her untimely death in 1934 . Massive & shapeless , with a face that could stop a bus , Dressler embodied pure grandmotherly affection and the country gladly took her to their heart . She was also an excellent actress , equally adept at eliciting laughter or tears from her audiences , sometimes almost simultaneously . In the end , when cancer took her , the Mighty Marie proved utterly irreplaceable - truly one of Cinema's Grandest Ladies . Receiving equal billing is Dressler's frequent comedy partner , Polly Moran . Diminutive & buxom , Polly was a fine comedienne in her own right , and MGM kept her very busy in the early 1930's . Acid-tongued & brash , Moran was adept at slapstick and in every way was an enjoyable sidekick for Marie . Here , gentle Dressler plays Moran's benevolent landlady , uninterested in Polly's political enthusiasms until sudden violence prompts Marie into galvanizing the women of the community , with Polly giving her full encouragement . Each is rewarded , as can be seen in the movie's final moments . Stuttering Roscoe Ates appears as Polly's grumpy husband . Pretty Karen Morley is Marie's slightly duplicitous daughter , while William Bakewell is her wrong-side-of-the-law boyfriend ; each are kept in the background to let the old girls shine . Also effective in very small roles are John Miljan as the local crime boss , Tom McGuire as Lake Port's corrupt mayor and lovely Joan Marsh as the tragic catalyst for the plot . Movie mavens will spot an unbilled DeWitt Jennings in the role of the Police Chief . They will also notice the movie poster Jean Marsh gazes at in her first scene . It is for THE STOLEN JOOLS ( 1931 - aka THE SLIPPERY PEARLS ) . This was a comedy charity two-reeler in which more than 50 Hollywood stars appeared , including Polly Moran . With a nod to Aristophanes ' Lysistrata , the film's undercurrent is its sly look at the battle for equality between the sexes , as it explains in its preamble : " This story is dedicated to women - who have been fighting for their rights ever since Adam and Eve started the loose-leaf system . "
437,539
306,861
20,143
10
Not The Girl From Neucháteau
French farm girl MARIANNE has constant difficulties with the American soldiers stationed in her barn after the Armistice . This film was the starring talkie debut for Marion Davies , one of the most charming and talented actresses of her day . As the mistress of William Randolph Hearst , one of America's most powerful men , Davies probably could have had her pick of roles . In some respects , MARIANNE is an odd choice . There is virtually no action , most of the scenes take place in a kitchen and a barn , and Davies speaks her entire dialogue , often in French , with a very thick accent . But she is so lively and full of joie de vivre , so infectiously good-natured even when angry , even mimicking Chevalier & Bernhardt , and impersonating a young male officer , that she becomes the main reason for watching the film today . It is indeed unfortunate that Marion Davies ' gifts have become obscured and her films nearly forgotten . Lawrence Gray , who had shown much skill as a comic actor during Silent days and had worked with Davies then , here plays the American doughboy who falls for Marion . The funny business is handled by two of MGM's newest acquisitions , Yiddish dialect comedian Benny Rubin and ukulele-playing Cliff Edwards . Marion's noble French boyfriend is enacted by George Baxter . As with many other early sound films , the movie suffers with too much talk . However , the recurring musical sequences are mostly quite welcome . The opening scene , with its idyllic look at Marion's village , shows the quality of art direction for which MGM was famous . And pity the poor pig Anatole !
437,993
306,861
24,477
10
A Romantic Ruckus
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . While Mickey & Minnie romance , Pluto finds time to engage in some PUPPY LOVE with Fifi . Fifi makes her first appearance as Pluto's paramour in this humorous black & white cartoon . The Mice nicely perform the film's title tune . Walt Disney supplies Mickey's voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Bambi , Peter Pan and Mr . Toad . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
438,121
306,861
54,815
10
Wheels For Progress
A Walt Disney CartoonThe Spirits of Progress , father & son , fill us in on some important cultural history as they reveal the story of DONALD AND THE WHEEL . This Disney educational two-reeler short is an excellent way to get a somewhat complicated ( and potentially tedious ) idea across to an audience : the overwhelming importance of the wheel and its unavoidable presence in daily life . The story is told in humorous rhyme , the animation is varied & interesting and Donald Duck is the perfect subject to be taught the valuable lessons . Look for a very brief cameo from Daisy . Donald's unique voice is supplied by Clarence " Ducky " Nash ; Thurl Ravenscroft , with his basso profundo , does the honors for the Spirit of Progress , Senior . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
438,078
306,861
24,476
10
In Search Of The Purest Anglo-Saxon
The sponsors of a rowdy radio singer find a somber PROFESSIONAL SWEETHEART to keep her satisfied and out of trouble . Ginger Rogers dominates this Pre-Code comedy with her saucy performance as the spoiled warbler . This was her first starring role and she makes the most of it , pouting and prancing across the screen ( often in her lingerie ) talking bold & brassy , but actually just longing for the right male to come along and knock her into submission . Disturbing implications aside , she is an eyeful and a great deal of fun to watch . Norman Foster deftly underplays his role as a stolid Tennessee backwoodsman whose whole life is commandeered by Ms . Rogers and the avaricious makers of the Ippsie Wippsie wash cloth . His eventual break for freedom , with Rogers in tow , will elicit deep approval from at least one gender in the viewing audience . A wonderful cast of character actors help support the stars : Gregory Ratoff as Ginger's scheming sponsor ; Frank McHugh as his eager beaver press agent ; ZaSu Pitts as a silly sob sister ; Franklin Pangborn as a nervous decorator ; Edgar Kennedy as owner of a rival wash rag company ; Allen Jenkins as his factotum ; and Sterling Holloway as a slow-talking reporter . Movie mavens will recognize an unbilled Akim Tamiroff as a hotel room service waiter .
438,179
306,861
20,112
10
Chevalier Shines In Lubitsch Teaser
Domestic difficulties between the strong-willed Queen of Sylvania and her stubborn Consort may cause them both to miss THE LOVE PARADE . Director Ernst Lubitsch spread his special brand of sophisticated naughtiness in this visually impressive & engaging early talkie musical . Depending much on the intelligence of the viewer , the film serves up unexpected bons mons of wit ( e . g . the dog barking his farewells to the pooches of Paris ) which never fail to enchant . Lubitsch would contribute a series of delightful little comedies over the next several years , making the title of this confection pertinent in more ways than one . Maurice Chevalier practically oozes Gaelic charm in a wonderfully hammy , ingratiating performance . His French charisma dominates the screen ; he embraces his songs rather than just singing them . His immense joie de vivre & exceptional talent was perfectly attuned to the sound motion picture . In her film debut , the lovely Jeanette MacDonald proves a charming partner to Chevalier . Imperious or coquettish by turns , she beguiles the viewer as well as Maurice - - her celebrated voice ( when intelligible ) put to good use in the seduction . British physical comedian Lupino Lane is a winner as Chevalier's highly energetic little valet ; lanky Lillian Roth , as a palace maid , joins him for some humorous knockabout songs . Lionel Belmore & Eugene Palette bring appropriately hefty gravitas to their roles as government ministers . Diminutive Edgar Norton appears as an unflappable majordomo . Movie mavens will recognize silent screen comic Ben Turpin as a cross-eyed lackey , Russ Powell as the Afghan Ambassador and young Jean Harlow as one of a group of women applauding Chevalier at the theatre , all uncredited .
437,483
306,861
37,603
10
Donald Wraps It All Up
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon . As the unappreciated gift wrapper for a large department store , Donald can hardly wait for five o'clock to roll around so he can go home . While the animation is routine , THE CLOCK WATCHER is still an enjoyable little film , with the focus on Donald's growing frustration . His interaction with his peppy manager's speaking tube is very humorous . Clarence " Ducky " Nash supplies Donald's voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,910
306,861
27,893
10
Excellent Adaptation of Childhood Classic
The Earl of Dorincourt , lonely in his great castle , has grown old . Now , with the death of both of his sons , he sends for his only grandchild to be with him . This is an innocent boy living in New York City with his American mother . Sweet-tempered and beloved , the earnest young child knows nothing of the crusty , fierce old lord in England , or of the wonderful changes about to happen in his own life , now that he is LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY . This is David O . Selznick's wonderful & lavish retelling of the classic children's story by Frances Hodgson Burnett . Much effort was put into getting the details just right . Sentimental ? Yes , but honest sentiment , with emotions straight from the heart . Freddie Bartholomew & marvelous Sir C . Aubrey Smith are picture perfect in their roles as young Fauntleroy & his grandfather . There may never be a finer male child actor than Master Bartholomew and Sir C . was the epitome of the English aristocratic tradition . Two champion scene-stealers , they work together beautifully . The rest of the cast is both extensive & uniformly excellent : Dolores Costello Barrymore , Henry Stephenson , Guy Kibbee , Jessie Ralph , Una O'Connor , Constance Collier , E . E . Clive , Lionel Belmore , Eily Maylon & Mickey Rooney . Film mavens will spot uncredited appearances by Mary Gordon as a churchgoing villager & Leonard Kibrick as one of Fauntleroy's Brooklyn tormentors . Sir Hugh Walpole , the celebrated English novelist , wrote the screen adaptation .
438,091
306,861
53,120
10
Bits ' n ' Pieces Tell The Genesis Story
A Walt Disney Cartoon . After a musical voyage , the rather peculiar passengers on NOAH'S ARK find a safe refuge . This highly imaginative cartoon is told almost entirely using stop-motion animation . What makes it especially unusual & fun is that the characters , human and animal , are constructed out of odds ' n ' ends : corks , pipe cleaners , pencils , forks , hair pins , etc . giving the well known Biblical tale a sense of whimsy . Then , there's the female hippo that sings the blues . . . Jerome Courtland is the narrator ; among the other voices can be heard those of Paul Frees ( as Noah ) and Thurl Ravenscroft . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a storm of naysayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,495
306,861
22,325
10
Ship Of Fools
A Hal Roach CHARLEY CHASE Comedy Short . It's ROUGH SEAS ahead for Charley when he tries to sneak both his French girlfriend and pet monkey aboard the troop transport heading home . The script writers let poor Charley down in this rather unfunny and very silly little film ; his personal brand of humor has not weathered well here , but fortunately he gets to sing a few songs ( including ' Asleep In The Deep ' ) and that he does quite nicely . The lovely & vivacious Miss Thelma Todd , as Charley's sweetheart , fares even worse - she is given virtually no chance to wield her considerable talents . Movie mavens should recognize an uncredited Charlie Hall as a doughboy on ship .
437,269
306,861
37,612
10
Out On A Limb With Mister Duck
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon . Ornithologist Donald arrives in the Andes to do some egg collecting , but the giant CONTRARY CONDOR he encounters has other thoughts on her birdbrain . Produced at a time when both the U . S . Government and Walt Disney were hopeful to expand their influence south of the border , this funny little 1944 cartoon is right in line with the Duck's other Latin American films of the period : SALUDOS AMIGOS ( 1943 ) & THE THREE CABALLEROS ( 1945 ) . Clarence Nash provides Donald with his unique voice ; Florence Gill does the honors for the condor mother & child . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work will always pay off .
437,666
306,861
27,902
10
Opulent Tale Of Old London Town
A bright young lad goes to work at LLOYD'S OF London , the famous insurance house . He grows up to become a power in the institution , with much adventure & financial intrigue along the way , but love continues to elude him . . . This lavish film is great fun to watch for two primary reasons : some very good acting & the history of Lloyd's , preeminent in its field , which it details . 20th Century Fox obviously spent a pretty penny on the production values , and it shows . Freddie Bartholomew has top billing and effortlessly steals the first half hour of the film . When his character grows up , Master Bartholomew is sorely missed . He turns into Tyrone Power , who is billed fourth . This was the film that made Power a star , and he's quite effective in the role , if you overlook the American accent . An excellent supporting cast lends a hand : wonderful old Sir Guy Standing as Power's mentor at Lloyd's - this powerful actor would soon have his life cut short by a rattlesnake bite ; Una O'Connor as Bartholomew's harridan aunt ; Montagu Love as a duplicitous pirate ; obese Robert Greig as the jocular First Lord of the Admiralty ; E . E . Clive as a dyspeptic magistrate ; oily George Sanders as a noble cad ; and marvelous old Sir C . Aubrey Smith as a flirtatious peer . The romantic subplot is ludicrous : Power moons over beautiful , married Madeleine Carroll for 20 years , while pert barmaid Virginia Field pines for him ; none of them so much as gain a wrinkle or an extra ounce during this time . The film earns high marks in its generally faithful depiction of the history both of Lloyd's , and of Horatio Nelson .
438,282
306,861
33,731
10
The Outside Of This Horse Is Good For Man's Funny Bone
A Walt Disney GOOFY Cartoon . Goofy attempts to demonstrate HOW TO RIDE A HORSE - with predictable results . The first of Goofy's HOW TO . . . cartoons remains one of the best , with good gags and feature quality animation ( the short was originally a segment of 1941's THE RELUCTANT DRAGON , before being extrapolated by Walt and sent out on its own ) . The hilarious narration spoken by John McLeish perfectly complements the zany antics on the screen . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Bambi , Peter Pan and Mr . Toad . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,779
306,861
150,255
10
Pedal To The Metal
A Walt Disney Short Subject . A young man's love affair with cars is examined from infancy to marriage . Ward Kimball , Walt Disney's master animator & eccentric genius , brings his own brand of wacky humor as producer and director to DAD . . . CAN I BORROW THE CAR ? This mostly live action short is full of animated bits , crazy montages , offbeat humor & rock ? n ' roll music and contains a wonderfully weird spoof of a TV used car commercial . Everything from the DMV to drive-thru car washes are grist for the mill . The message here is not auto safety or good sense in car purchasing . The aim is simply entertainment and the acknowledgment of the automobile's domination of our culture . Kurt Russell narrates ; listen for Jesse White as the voice of his father . And that's the bottom half of Ward Kimball's face early in the film , munching on a tiny toy car .
438,016
306,861
14,611
10
Putting Down Insurrection With Mr . Lloyd
A rich , young hypochondriac figures WHY WORRY ? As long as he's got his nurse & valet to look after him absolutely nothing could happen , right ? Harold Lloyd , one of America's preeminent comedians of the Silent Era , uses his remarkable comic skills and tremendous athletic abilities to score another solid hit in this tale full of adventurous hilarity . With remarkable nonchalance , he calmly proceeds to thwart a Latin American revolution which threatens to shatter the tranquility of his restful vacation . But once his temper is aroused - - at the sight of a distraught female - - he really becomes a two-fisted hero eager to take on any number of bad guys . Special mention should be made of Minnesota-born Norwegian-American John Aasen ( 1887-1938 ) , who in his film debut plays Harold's gigantic companion . Nearly nine feet tall & rather fearsome , he nonetheless almost immediately grabs the viewer's complete sympathy while suffering mightily from a raging toothache . Gentle with Harold , he becomes an unstoppable one-man army in dealing with their enemies . This film marked a milestone of sorts for Harold . It was his last produced in collaboration with Hal Roach ; their friendly parting allowed Harold to gain virtually complete control over his films . WHY WORRY ? was also his first movie to feature his new costar , beautiful Jobyna Ralston , who delivers a feisty , compelling performance as Harold's nurse ; his previous leading lady , Mildred Davis , was now very busy in her new life as Mrs . Harold Lloyd . Robert Israel has composed an excellent film score which perfectly complements Harold's antics on the screen .
437,033
306,861
22,317
10
Decent Character Study
A beautiful young woman influences a callous lawyer into regaining THE RIGHT OF WAY to moral decency . Conrad Nagel dominates this little soap opera , based on Sir Gilbert Parker's novel , with his highly melodramatic performance as a hardhearted Quebecois lawyer who exhibits an enormous distaste for nearly every other human being . His behavior would repulse the viewer , were it not that his acting is so over the top that it becomes quite a bit of fun to watch . Beautiful Loretta Young appears rather late in the story and ushers in the best scenes of the film , when Nagel is suffering from amnesia . Their moments together , as she cares for him , are touchingly tender . A small group of character actors add much to their supporting roles : Olive Tell as Nagel's distraught wife ; William Janney as her pathetic brother ; Fred Kohler as the backwoodsman who saves Nagel's life ; Halliwell Hobbes as a benevolent seigneur who loves Miss Young ; little Snitz Edwards as a village tailor ; and George C . Pearce as a kindly priest .
437,661
306,861
43,326
10
A Stinging Rebuke For Mr . Duck
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon . The BEE ON GUARD at the entry to a castellated honey depository becomes suddenly aware of a certain Duck with a mighty big sweet tooth . This was one of a small number of films to feature the competition between Donald Duck and Buzz-Buzz the Bee and is fairly typical of the entire lot . For some reason , the Disney animators altered the Bee's persona here , making him more rotund & silly , rather like a tiny Oliver Hardy . And why does his hive have a King Bee , rather than a Queen ? As always , Clarence Nash provides Donald with his unique voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
438,225
306,861
45,209
10
Auto Soap Opera
A Walt Disney Cartoon . Sweet & stylish , SUSIE THE LITTLE BLUE COUPE lives a happy life with her owner until wear & tear makes him trade her in for a younger model . This is a very agreeable little film , with plenty of good humor & fine animation and once again illustrates Disney's adeptness at giving sympathetic life to an inanimate object . Susie's story was written by Disney animator Bill Peet and is very similar to those he would later author as a celebrated children's author . As always , Sterling Holloway makes the perfect narrator . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work will always pay off .
437,788
306,861
37,625
10
Fuss ' n ' Feathers
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK CartoonDaisy demands that Donald become a CURED DUCK - cured of his ungovernable temper if he wishes to keep seeing her . Any cartoon which has Donald's rages as its main theme has got to be funny , and this one certainly is . The Insult Machine ( from the Tootsberry Institute of Temperism ) is an inspired creation and worth of inclusion in the Duck's classic MODERN INVENTIONS ( 1937 ) . Big Roy Williams , later one of the adult members of The Mickey Mouse Club on TV , scripted this film . Clarence Nash gives Donald his unique voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a storm of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,315
306,861
22,308
10
Tale Well Told
A Russian baron evades the violent SCARLET DAWN of the Revolution by escaping Moscow with his faithful serving maid . Here is an excellent little film , from Warner Bros . and director William Dieterle , full of excitement , drama and pre-Code libidinousness . The production values - - sets , costumes , score - - are all first rate and the acting is of a high quality . The picture's only major drawback is its too-brief conclusion , perhaps necessitated by its short overall running time of under an hour , but this does not explain why the film should be so unjustly obscure today . It is a small gem awaiting discovery by viewers appreciative of quality cinema . Douglas Fairbanks Jr is properly dashing as the young nobleman whose life is suddenly tilted upside down by the political upheaval . The actor revels in giving a full-bodied portrayal , presenting a character both wantonly licentious and daringly brave . The sequence in which he dashes into the streets of Constantinople in search of Christian witnesses to his impromptu wedding is delightful in its unexpected sense of frolic & fun . Fairbanks is ably matched by Nancy Carroll , deftly underplaying her role as his adoring servant . The sweetness of her character's simple nature shines through , as well as a steely resolve , as she endures dangers and hardships to be with the man she loves . Lovely Lilyan Tashman , in one of her final roles before her early death , plays the scheming Russian courtesan who hopes to use Fairbanks as her ticket to the good life in Paris . Guy Kibbee , a very popular character actor at Warner's , appears for only a few moments at the end of the movie as a wealthy American visiting the Levant . Movie mavens will recognize Mischa Auer as a Russian cavalry officer ; beefy Dewey Robinson as a Bolshevik thug ; nervous Frank Reicher as a duplicitous pawnbroker ; as well as Mae Busch & Lee Kohlmar as the wedding witnesses - - all uncredited .
437,826
306,861
20,332
10
Wheeler & Woolsey - Together Again For The First Time
Like a river in the parched desert , so the lovely señorita known as RIO RITA brings joy to all who know her . But with her brother being chased as a bandit , unwelcome attentions from a brutal Russian general & a new lover who refuses to divulge his true identity , pretty Rita has plenty of problems to distract her . Florenz Ziegfeld's smash Broadway hit was brought to the screen in this very early movie musical . At times it wheezes quite badly and shows its age . The transitions into the songs look very stagy & artificial . Many of the lyrics , especially sung by the female cast , are completely indecipherable . But it should be remembered that movie musicals were still in their cradle and the studios only had stage traditions to draw upon at first . So the few innovations showcased here are welcome . Some of the dance numbers are pleasingly elaborate , even including a primitive overhead shot . Occasional outdoor photography helps open up the screenplay , and the early Technicolor featured in the last half hour is a big bonus . Bebe Daniels & John Boles play the romantic leads . She is saddled with a thick accent & ludicrous script . He appears somewhat awkward & ill at ease . Much better film roles would await them both in years to come . The real highlight of RIO RITA is the film debut of the wonderful comedy team of Wheeler & Woolsey , who had appeared in the Broadway version . Here , although somewhat gynandroid , they cement what will be their screen personas through 26 films together . Bert Wheeler ( 1895-1968 ) plays a young , naive romantic . Robert Woolsey ( 1888-1938 ) portrays a shiftless , cigar-puffing conniver . Together , they would make a hilarious comedy team , their partnership only being sundered by Woolsey's untimely death . Today they are all but forgotten . It is only fitting that pert little Dorothy Lee ( 1911-1999 ) , Wheeler's perennial love interest , should make the first of her 14 film appearances with the Boys here . This Kewpie-doll-cute actress would become an integral part of the Boys ' cinematic success , as well as a constant delight for viewers .
437,563
306,861
37,661
10
The Duck's Very Bad Night
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon . It's DUCK PIMPLES for Donald and his overactive imagination when he falls asleep while listening to a suspenseful radio program . The Duck gets swept up into the search for purloined pearls in this very funny & bizarre little film . The cartoon's backhanded salute to the power of old-time radio drama is more than justified . Clarence Nash provided Donald with his unique voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,475
306,861
22,208
10
Tough Stanwyck Drama
The young NIGHT NURSE watching two sick little girls finds herself pitted against a gang of heartless criminals . Barbara Stanwyck is a standout in this taut little film . Independent , resourceful and tough as nails , she pits herself against the bullying authority she encounters in the hospital and the absolute evil she must confront at the bizarre private home where she is sent to work . An intelligent & spirited actress , it was roles such as this which would hasten Stanwyck into becoming one of the biggest film stars of the 1930's . A fine cast gives Stanwyck ample support . Ben Lyon plays the free spirited bootlegger who takes a shine to Barbara . Brassy Joan Blondell portrays her worldly wise roommate . Charles Winninger brightens his few scenes as a cherubic doctor , as does Edward Nugent as a flirtatious intern . Vera Lewis is properly implacable as the stern head nurse and Blanche Frederici adds a note of strangeness as a distraught housekeeper . Not yet a star , Clark Gable is very effective as a menacing chauffeur . Movie mavens will recognize Willie Fung as a Chinese patient & Marcia Mae Jones as the sick child who needs the milk bath - - both uncredited . The Pre-Code status of the film is readily apparent . Stanwyck & Blondell are viewed in their lingerie as often as possible and Stanwyck must suffer some mighty rough handling from various villains in the movie . Capping it all off , Barbara exits the film with her new boyfriend , an unrepentant & unpunished crook involved in everything from thievery to murder , a situation certainly not allowed just a few years later .
437,006
306,861
31,803
10
Classic Mouse & Pup
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . Mickey goes quail hunting , using an enthusiastic Pluto as THE POINTER to find the quarry . Bad idea . . . This excellent little film , which was nominated for an Oscar , is hilarious , with first rate animation and plenty of action . Walt Disney provides Mickey with his unique voice ; this was the first Mouse cartoon in which the Disney artists drew Mickey with pupils in his eyes . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,201
306,861
239,132
10
A Peep At Old Los Angeles
An MGM TRAVELTALK Short Subject . Our whirlwind visit to LOS ANGELES , WONDER CITY OF THE WEST , begins at the Old Spanish Plaza , where the settlement was founded . A stroll down colorful Olvera Street shows us the reconstructed Mexican marketplace . After looking at some of the modern structures along Wilshire Boulevard , we are treated to a quick glimpse at examples of wacky Southern California architecture - the Chinese Theatre , the Brown Derby & the Blue Mill . The impressive backlot at MGM Studios is followed by a meeting with one of America's most famous men , Walt Disney . The dramatic Hollywood Bowl is our final destination during our day in The City of the Angels . This is one of a large series of succinct travelogues turned out by MGM , beginning in the 1930's . They featured Technicolor views of beautiful & unusual sights around the globe , as well as vivid , concise commentary . These films were produced & narrated by James A . FitzPatrick .
438,028
306,861
35,519
10
A Duck Tale With Donkey
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon . Donald , THE VILLAGE SMITHY , has enough trouble just dealing with inanimate objects without the additional difficulty of trying to shoe Jenny , a most reluctant donkey . This humorous little film is a spoof of the classic poem by Longfellow . Jenny is very reminiscent of the tragic donkeys in the Pleasure Island sequence of PINOCCHIO ( 1940 ) . Clarence " Ducky " Nash provides Donald with his unique voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work will always pay off .
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A Small Triumph For Mister Hugh Herbert
A gently eccentric fellow finds his life complicated by a bullying wife , an acidulous boss , a quickie marriage & a bank robbery . LOVE BEGINS AT TWENTY is a fine example of the comedies which Warner Brothers Studio produced almost endlessly during the 1930's - fast , frugal & fun . Throw in a little crime for dramatic effect and the services of the Studio's array of character actors - the formula rarely failed to produce some good entertainment at the bottom of a double bill . Here , an added attraction for today's audience is knowing that the script was co-written by a young Dalton Trumbo . A whimsical Hugh Herbert sparks the story as the harried hero . The comic relief in many a film , here he is hilarious as the main star . He receives solid support from another worthy character actor , vinegar visaged Clarence Wilson playing his caustic employer . Together these two - sweet & sour - keep the laughs coming . Plump Dorothy Vaughan as Herbert's Xanthippe , Mary Treen as their tart-tempered daughter , Hobart Cavanaugh as a bumbling friend and Arthur Aylesworth as a comically deaf judge all add to the merriment . Patricia Ellis & Warren Hull handle the romantic angle of the film , but wisely it is never allowed to intrude too much . Movie mavens will recognize Tommy Bupp & Dickie Jones as the youngsters Herbert regales on the train with his wrestling yarns .
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You Dirty Rat !
A Walt Disney PLUTO Cartoon . Pluto is on DOG WATCH , guarding a ship for the Navy , when he encounters a roughneck wharf rat attempting to sneak aboard . There is nothing cute or cuddly about Pluto's adversary in this humorous little film - he is pure vermin and his eventual comeuppance is just and well deserved . The two silhouetted profiles Pluto sees near his stash of bones are those of Hitler & Mussolini . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a storm of naysayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
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More Great Moments With Mr . Lloyd
Here's another chance to enjoy HAROLD LLOYD'S FUNNY SIDE OF LIFE . With the success of his first compilation film , HAROLD LLOYD'S WORLD OF COMEDY ( 1962 ) , it was only natural that a sequel would soon follow . It is important to remember that for decades these two films were the only way in which to enjoy Harold's classics , as he was adamant that they would not be butchered by television . We are shown Harold's shipboard confrontation with the villain and a romantic interlude in the woods from THE KID BROTHER ( 1927 ) . Harold's desperate dash to his own wedding while in charge of a group of drunken bums is shown from FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE ( 1926 ) and his taxi troubles in SPEEDY ( 1928 ) are included . As a grand conclusion , we are treated to Harold's THE FRESHMAN ( 1925 ) in its entirety . This wonderfully funny look at a determined young fellow's drive to succeed on his college football team is still touchingly poignant . The inclusion of the song ? There Was a Boy , There Was A Girl ' by Ned Washington & Walter Scharf lends a gentle , evocative touch to the movie .
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Helping An Old Lady With Mr . Laurel & Mr . Hardy
A LAUREL & HARDY Comedy Short . Believing ONE GOOD TURN deserves another , Stan & Ollie try to raise money for a sweet old lady who's been kind to them , in the mistaken belief she's about to be turned out of her home by a nasty creditor . A very funny little film . Highlight : Stan's attempts to put out the campfire . That's Mary Carr as the old lady , James Finlayson as the Community Player & Billy Gilbert as a drunk .
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10
The Cinematic Birth Of Donald Duck
A Walt Disney SILLY SYMPHONY Cartoon Short . Worried about having enough food to feed her family come Wintertime , THE WISE LITTLE HEN decides to plant a field of corn . Her idle friends , Peter Pig & Donald Duck , decline to help with the planting or the harvesting - leaving the little chicken to plan her sweet revenge . . . This is a very fine adaptation of the childhood story , with a strong , self-reliant title character ( voiced by Florence Gill ) . But the reason this is a landmark cartoon is because it was the debut of the irascible , anti-social , temperamental , infuriating & utterly lovable Duck , a character so strong he would soon eclipse Mickey Mouse himself . With voice courtesy of the inimitable Clarence Nash , Donald would become one of the world's most popular personalities & a source of never-ending fascination for those who study anti-social behavior and its consequences . Fate would not be so kind to Peter Pig . Although his debut was just as conspicuous as the Duck's , he lacked that certain intangible quality which would set him apart from the common swine . Hollywood can be a cruel place & Peter's attempts to build a movie career - he worked for a while as Porky Pig's stunt double - proved a failure . When last heard of , Peter Pig was living in a small apartment over a garage in Pomona , California . The SILLY SYMPHONIES , which Walt Disney produced for a ten year period beginning in 1929 , are among the most fascinating of all animated series . Unlike the Mickey Mouse cartoons in which action was paramount , with the Symphonies the action was made to fit the music . There was little plot in the early Symphonies , which featured lively inanimate objects and anthropomorphic plants & animals , all moving frantically to the soundtrack . Gradually , however , the Symphonies became the school where Walt's animators learned to work with color and began to experiment with plot , characterization & photographic special effects . The pages of Fable & Fairy Tale , Myth & Mother Goose were all mined to provide story lines and even Hollywood's musicals & celebrities were effectively spoofed . It was from this rich soil that Disney's feature-length animation was to spring . In 1939 , with SNOW WHITE successfully behind him and PINOCCHIO & FANTASIA on the near horizon , Walt phased out the SILLY SYMPHONIES ; they had run their course & served their purpose .
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The Duck Triumphant
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon . Some highly experimental invisible paint allows Donald to wreck revenge upon bullying Sergeant Pete . THE VANISHING PRIVATE is a fine example of a wartime Duck cartoon - fast and very funny . With both Donald & Pete as members of the U . S . Army it is amazing that the Allies managed to win the War . Clarence Nash provides the Duck with his unique voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
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Somnambulist Duck
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon . Daisy has a busy night trying to keep a sleepwalking Donald from imminent accident and disaster . SLEEPY TIME DONALD is a very funny little film as it keeps finding humorous ways to put Donald in danger . Daisy , who usually played second fiddle to The Duck , has an unusually good role this time around . Clarence " Ducky " Nash provides Donald with his unique voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work will always pay off .
437,358
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10
Planning An Elopement With Mr . Laurel & Mr . Hardy
A LAUREL & HARDY Comedy ShortWhen the ferocious father of Ollie's intended forbids a marriage , Hardy decides to elope . But with Stan helping out , can chaos be far behind ? A very funny little film , with lots of slapstick . Once again , marvel at the physical grace of Oliver Hardy . Highlight : the tiny getaway car . That's Babe London as Ollie's dimpled darling ; James Finlayson as her fierce father ; and silent film comic Ben Turpin as the cross-eyed justice of the peace .
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Heartwarming Mary Pickford / Frances Marion Film
With her love off to war , a young woman operates the lighthouse near her home on the coast of Italy . One day , finding an American seaman washed up on the shore , she takes him home & nurses him . Romance blossoms and they marry . But little does she know that THE LOVE LIGHT she beams to him from atop her tower every midnight will have tragic consequences she cannot begin to imagine . . . While traveling in Italy with her husband , Frances Marion met a woman whose story during The Great War was so compelling that she knew at once it would make a great movie . Marion was a screenwriter on the ascendant and her best friend was motion picture star Mary Pickford . Little Mary , who liked the idea , not only had Frances write it , but direct the film as well . It turned out beautifully , with Pickford - in a daring departure from her little girl roles - giving one of her best performances . Her emotional display at the multitude of troubles thrown her way never wallows into histrionics . One need only look at this film to be assured , if there was ever any doubt , that America's Sweetheart was an excellent artist , as well as a huge celebrity . This movie is also testament to one of the industry's supremely talented women . The Silent Era was a time when women were given enormous freedom to display their gifts in Hollywood , not just as actresses , but also as directors & writers . Frances Marion would not direct many films , but she was the consummate screenwriter . For over two decades she was the world's highest paid individual in her profession , male or female . She was also the first person to receive two Academy Awards . She would eventually write the scenarios for over 150 motion pictures , a large number of which are still considered to be classics . This was the film debut for Fred Thomson , who plays the American seaman . A decathlon champion & Presbyterian minister , he had met Marion during the War . It was love at first sight for both of them & they double honeymooned in Europe with Pickford & Douglas Fairbanks . Not wanting to act , he'd eventually been persuaded to take the part in THE LOVE LIGHT by the two ladies . He proved to be a natural . A very moral man , he would find an outlet for expressing his ethics through Hollywood Westerns . With Thomson rapidly becoming one of the most popular cinema cowboys , he & Marion built a huge mansion in the Beverly Hills and began raising a family . Tragically , Fred Thomson would die on Christmas Day , 1928 , from tetanus caused by a scratch on his ankle from a rusty nail . He was only 38 years old . THE LOVE LIGHT enjoys excellent production values , sets & photography . It has been restored to a pristine condition and will be enjoyed & appreciated for many years to come .
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Kudos For Miss Love & Miss Dressler
A troupe of musical comedy performers travel about the country , forever CHASING RAINBOWS of success & happiness . This early MGM musical , considering its age and the obvious limitations brought on by the new sound technology , does a fair job in entertaining its audience . Although the film features a song that would become a classic ( ' Happy Days Are Here Again ' by Milton Ager & Jack Yellen ) it is on the strength of a couple of its performances that its modest success is based . Pert & pretty Bessie Love is wonderful as a sweet young singer who adores her leading man . She is completely natural with the microphone and exhibits a tender talent which was never allowed to grow to its full potential in talking films . While good throughout , the scene in which she dissolves into hysterical laughter upon hearing some emotionally devastating news is absolutely frightening in its power . As her love interest , Charles King doesn't fare nearly so well . This is largely due to the fact that his romantic trials & tribulations - involving women other than Miss Love - are of no interest whatsoever and his reaction to them show his character to be both shallow & immature , critical character flaws in a film's hero . King was among MGM's very first musical stars , but his movie career would be very brief , lasting only from 1928 to 1930 , for a total of six films . Playing the stage manager , Jack Benny is the emotional calm point around which the activity swirls . He has very little to do besides move the plot along . His brotherly interest in Miss Love seems platonic and Jack is left out of the film's romantic action . While not given top billing , Canadian Marie Dressler steals the film as an aging comedienne with too much past . Using her large , homely face & shapeless body to great advantage , she grabs the viewers ' attention and never lets go . At this point in her career Dressler was right on the cusp of gaining enormous personal success and within a year she would become Hollywood's biggest star . Even in such a relatively routine role , such as she fills here , Dressler reveals the tremendous heart & common touch which would be the secret to her celebrity . ( For an extra chuckle , pay close attention during the opening long shot where the cast sings the last few bars of ' Happy Days ' - just to the right of center screen is the Marvelous Marie , swaying across the stage with elephantine grace . ) Appearing as a drunken wardrobe lady , the ubiquitous Polly Moran makes another appearance as Dressler's sidekick . Short , spunky & buxom , Polly was always fun to watch - but never more so than when teamed with Marie . In a small role , George K . Arthur plays Benny's gynandrous assistant ; an important silent comedy star for MGM , this Scottish-born actor would soon sink into talkie anonymity . It should be noted that the film's original Technicolor sequences - including several songs and the entire conclusion - are now completely missing .
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Majestic Hepburn Takes The Throne
MARY OF SCOTLAND , caught up in intrigues over which she has no control , finds herself at the mercy of powerful forces that wish her ill . John Ford crafted this meticulous , thoughtful study into the life of the Scottish Queen and the trials & tribulations which buffeted her . With a complicated plot and a very large cast , the film presupposes a certain amount of intelligence on the part of its viewers , as well as an interest in the history of Great Britain . The film is not easy to watch - this is , after all , an historical drama , not a musical comedy - but the viewer's attention should be paid off in the end . Very fine production values also help greatly in the movie's appreciation . Katharine Hepburn is luminous & regal in the title role . Continuing in the tradition of formidable actresses of the 1930's who played queens on the screen ( Colbert , Garbo , Dietrich , Shearer , Robson , Davis ) Hepburn gives a strong portrayal of the stubborn , independently minded Scottish monarch . Kate makes the viewer at once feel an engaging interest in this poor lady , so beset by ? the slings & arrows of outrageous fortune . ' Wisely not speaking in a brogue - the real Mary probably didn't either - Hepburn uses her remarkable face & voice to make this long-dead historical figure come alive . As the Earl of Bothwell , Mary's 3rd husband , Fredric March provides a sturdy hero worth cheering . Here is a man willing to confront any danger for the sake of the woman he loves . If the real Bothwell was perhaps not quite so noble , no matter . March breathes vibrant , pulsing life into the character and embodies him with real strengths & virtues . A large & exceptional cast give fine support to the principals . Some deserve special mention : John Carradine as Mary's tragic Italian secretary , Rizzio ; Douglas Walton as Lord Darnley , Mary's repugnant 2nd husband ; Ian Keith as her unscrupulous half-brother , the Lord Moray . Florence Eldridge stands out in her portrayal of the conflicted Queen Elizabeth . Moroni Olsen as a fiery John Knox ; Donald Crisp as a loyal old laird ; Ralph Forbes & Alan Mowbray as Elizabeth's ambassadors ; and dear old Mary Gordon as a baby nurse - all have their brief moments to shine . Lionel Belmore & Doris Lloyd ( with an unbilled Bobs Watson as their son ) play poor fisher folk who give Mary much needed succor . Ivan Simpson & Nigel de Brulier play two of the wicked English judges who condemn Mary to death . But it is Hepburn the viewer remembers longest . Her shining eyes & majestic mien remain in the mind for a very long timeThe circumstances surrounding the murder of David Rizzio are so well documented that it is somewhat surprising that Ford did not stick more scrupulously to the facts . Darnley and his fellow conspirators entered the Queen's apartments via a private , narrow staircase , hidden in the wall , which communicated directly with Mary's rooms . There is no indication that her bodyguard troops were slain as well , as the film depicts . The script is at pains to keep the Earl of Bothwell a noble hero and uninvolved in Darnley's murder . However , there's little doubt of Bothwell's guilt in the affair . Darnley was not killed outright by the massive explosion - rather he was found , terribly hurt but still alive , lying in a nearby field . He was quickly strangled . The movie does not make clear that it was in Denmark where Bothwell died in prison in 1578 . Mary had divorced him in 1570 . Unlike the relatively short time depicted in the film , Mary was actually a captive of Elizabeth for 19 years , outliving Bothwell by nine years . Elizabeth & Mary never met - it makes good film drama , but it didn't happen .
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Nostalgic Charmer
In a small American town , a young man from a good family faces some of the realities of maturity . Clarence Brown's fond recreation of Eugene O'Neill's popular stage play AH , WILDERNESS ! makes a wonderful celebration of basic American virtues . Attention to detail , coupled with excellent performances & MGM's best production values , results in a film full of quiet joys & sorrows . The story follows young Eric Linden ( in his best film role ) during the one month period from his 1906 high school graduation until the Fourth of July , as he deals with the pangs & confusions of puppy love . His yearnings for his pretty neighbor and his experimentation with an older , much rougher sort of female , perfectly underscore the angst so often found in young adults regardless of the era . This is brilliantly displayed in the film's most hilarious sequence , the graduation ceremony which Linden hopes to sabotage , which reveals the honest insecurities and mawkishness of the senior class . Wallace Beery , playing Linden's dyspeptic bachelor uncle receives top billing , and he is a scene stealer with much experience , but he acts alongside an equally good Lionel Barrymore , as Linden's father , who quietly underplays his role as head of the family . Each actor had a powerful screen persona , however neither attempt to dominate what is in effect a prime example of ensemble acting from the entire cast . As Barrymore's spinster sister , Aline MacMahon is especially fine , her romantic feelings for Beery barely canceled beneath her prim exterior . Spring Byington , as Barrymore's wife , shows a touching sensitivity in her sometimes flustered , nervous concern for her brood . Playing Linden's collegiate brother , Frank Albertson is good-natured and sturdy , and in a poignant moment gives a gentle parody of his own considerable musical talent by crooning ? When Other Lips ' from The Bohemian Girl . Bonita Granville & Mickey Rooney portray the youngest siblings in the family , with Rooney in particular having some very funny moments . In smaller roles , Cecilia Parker is all innocence as Linden's sweetheart , while crusty old Charley Grapewin almost spits vinegar as her cantankerous father . Helen Flint gives a forceful performance , considering Production Code restrictions , of the wanton woman who attempts seducing the much younger Linden . Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Eily Malyon as the family's Irish maid . The title is an ironic reference to a line from The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám . Will Rogers was originally pegged to play the role which ultimately went to Barrymore , but he backed out in order to make his tragic plane flight to Alaska .
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Comedy On The Lam
In & out of prison , Stan & Ollie just can't seem to stay out of trouble . " PARDON US " was the Boys ' first starring feature film . Rather disjointed and poorly edited , it plays more like a few of their short subjects strung together . However , the Boys never falter and they deliver a film whose parts are greater than its whole . The film was meant to be a spoof of MGM's popular THE BIG HOUSE ( 1930 ) and it helps to have seen that earlier movie to fully appreciate this one . Many of the standard conventions of the typical prison film are mocked here : the ? understanding ' warden , the dangerous convict cell mate , the confinement in Solitary , the escape chased by bloodhounds , the prison riot . A few comedy pieces in particular stand out : Stan's loose tooth ; Ollie in the dentist's chair ; the Boys trying to settle into the constricted confines of an upper bunk . James Finlayson , Stan & Ollie's old nemesis , makes the most of his one scene as the prison schoolteacher driven to despair by the Boys ' good-natured idiocy . Walter Long is lots of fun as the Tiger , the meanest convict in the prison ( Boris Karloff played the part for the French language version ) . Movie mavens will spot an uncredited Charlie Hall as the dental assistant . An added delight is Babe Hardy's rendition of ? Lazy Moon , ' one of the decade's finest film songs . Ollie had a warm , evocative voice , full of feeling and emotion . Here , backed by the magnificent Hall Johnson Choir , his song reaches out of the screen and down the decades to touch the hearts of the audience .
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Joséphine Baker Dazzles In French Romance
ZOUZOU , a young , vivacious Creole laundress impresses all around her with her talent & wit . Longing for the love of her handsome adopted brother , she instead finds the possibility of enormous success in the musical theater . . . The marvelous Joséphine Baker is perfectly cast in the title role in this very enjoyable French film . With her enormous eyes & infectious smile , she connects with the viewer's heartstrings immediately . Her over-sized personality & obvious joy of performing make her a pure pleasure to watch . Here , Baker makes us care about what's happening to poor Zouzou , during her trials & triumphs . Gallic star Jean Gabin is effective as Zouzou's seaman brother , but this is really Baker's time to shine , and he nicely underplays his scenes . The film is well made , looking a little reminiscent of Busby Berkeley movies being produced at the same time in America - although unlike American films of this period , ZOUZOU hasn't any racism . It should be pointed out that there was no Hays Office or Production Code in France . Some of the dialogue & action is rather provocative , but it must be admitted that seeing Baker , strategically covered with tiny white feathers , sitting on a swing singing ' Haiti , ' is one of the cinema's more memorable moments . Joséphine Baker was born in St . Louis in 1906 , into a very poor family . Her talent & driving ambition , however , soon pushed her into moving East and she was briefly a cast member of the Ziegfeld Follies . Realizing that America in the mid-1920's held great limitations for a gifted Black woman , she managed to get herself to Paris , where she eventually joined the Foliés-Bergeres & Le Negre Revue . The French adored her and she became a huge celebrity . A short return to America in 1935 showed Baker that things had not changed for African-Americans . She returned to France , became a French citizen & worked for the Resistance during the early days of the War . Baker relocated to Morocco for the duration and entertained Allied troops stationed there . After the War , Baker's fortunes began to slide and she faced many financial & personal difficulties . For a while , she was even banned from returning to the United States . Finally , Baker accepted an offer from Princess Grace of Monaco to reside in the Principality . Joséphine Baker was on the verge of a comeback when she died of a stroke in 1975 , at the age of 68 . Having appeared in only two decent films - ZOUZOU & PRINCESSE TAM TAM - Baker is in danger of becoming obscure . But she deserves her place alongside Chevalier , Dietrich & Robeson as one of her generation's truly legendary performers .
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From The Heart Of Mark Twain , Into The Hearts Of The World
THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER keep the small town of St . Petersburg , Missouri in constant turmoil , circa 1850 . . . This is a splendid family film , one of producer David O . Selznick's very best . Presented in wonderful Technicolor , it is like looking through the pages of an illustrated copy of the classic novel . All the favorite episodes are here . All of the performers are perfect in their roles . It is difficult to imagine a better transition from book to screen . Elderly May Robson has one of her finest roles as harried , temperamental , lovable Aunt Polly . She easily steals every scene she's in & provides the sentimental heart of the movie . However , breaking out a bit , her last scene at the film's conclusion is hilarious . A small cluster of veteran character actors - Walter Brennan , Victor Jory , Donald Meek & Margaret Hamilton - are also exceptional in their roles . 12-year-old Tommy Kelly IS Tom Sawyer - he will instantly gain the respect & admiration of every prepubescent male in the audience . Beguiling & mischievous , with an infectious grin & sad eyes , he admirably fills the bare feet of America's most famous literary kid . The movie's other child actors - David Holt , Marcia Mae Jones , Ann Gillis & Jackie Moran - give excellent support . ( Legend has it that Selznick found young Master Kelly in an orphanage . True or not , this was his best role . Very soon he was playing only bit parts and eventually left films around the age of 25 . ) The cave sequence is especially noteworthy , thanks to the art design of William Cameron Menzies , the flickering camera work of James Wong Howe , and the moody music of Max Steiner . Spooky & claustrophobic , these scenes are the embodiment of every viewer's nightmares , and , thus , are tremendously entertaining . It should be noted that while the character of Jim is correctly depicted as a slave , the film itself is blessedly free of the racism that blights so many Hollywood films of the 1930's .
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Grabbing The Bull By The Tail
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . A picnic with Minnie is destroyed by the arrival of MICKEY'S RIVAL , the thoroughly obnoxious Mortimer . This excellent little film features both terrific animation & lots of laughs . It is great fun to see the Mouse triumph over both his detested competition and the fierce bull which disrupts their outing . Mickey gets his squeaky voice from Walt Disney , who , it is interesting to remember , first planned on naming his wee buddy " Mortimer . " Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
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Mickey Plays The Sport Of Kings
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . MICKEY'S POLO TEAM ( Mickey , the Goof , the Big Bad Wolf & Donald Duck ) enter the field against some of Hollywood's funniest fellows - Stan Laurel , Oliver Hardy , Harpo Marx & Charlie Chaplin . This very enjoyable little film features excellent animation and lots of laughs . The Disney artists get to display their skill at caricature , with all of the movie stars being perfectly recognizable . Frenzied & flustered , Donald Duck ( voiced by Clarence Nash ) dominates the proceedings , leaving no doubt as to who was the top toon at the Disney Studio . It's humorous to watch the various Disney characters act with complete equality alongside their Hollywood counterparts - the unspoken , and very true , assertion being that their fame was as big as any flesh & blood inhabitant of Tinsel Town . Notice how all of the riders have a mount ( not always a horse ) which is a reflection of the player's personality - the Big Bad Wolf and his steed are both dastardly , Donald and his mule are both stubborn , Harpo's ostrich is as zany as his master . Babe Hardy's frustrations with his gigantic horse are very funny . The fun isn't confined to the field - there's plenty going on in the stands . Hollywood's biggest star , Shirley Temple , is there with her buddies the Three Little Pigs . Irritable W . C . Fields is seated with Greta Garbo , Harold Lloyd , Eddie Cantor & Charles Laughton - costumed , naturally , for his title role in THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII ( 1933 ) . Meanwhile , Edna May Oliver is regretting her decision to sit alongside Max Hare , and , most hilariously of all , Clarabelle Cow is taking advantage of her close proximity to do a little sweet romancing with Clark Gable . Polo was very popular among the Movie Capital's male celebrities , including Walt Disney . It not only provided great exercise & excitement , but also a kind of elitism , as only the wealthy had both the leisure & the funds necessary to devote to the sport . Jack Holt , who serves as referee in the cartoon , was an avid real life polo player . It was originally planned to depict Will Rogers as part of the Hollywood team , but after his tragic death in Alaska on August 15 , 1935 , the Disney animators replaced him with Harpo . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work will always pay off .
437,400
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10
The Greatest Swashbuckler Of Them All
This is the film that sent generations of little boys into their backyards , swishing imaginary swords & pretending to ' rob from the rich , to give to the poor . ' There has never been a better adventure film . Errol Flynn is the perfect Robin Hood - legend's greatest outlaw . He swashes his buckle in a most authentic fashion . In every way he is a fitting successor to Douglas Fairbanks , who put his imprint on the role back in silent days . The rest of the cast is equally excellent . Olivia de Havilland is a beautiful Maid Marian ; Claude Rains a wily & sly Prince John ; Basil Rathbone as Guy of Gisbourne is the flip side to Robin , a picture of athletic evil ; Alan Hale & Eugene Pallette are just right as Little John & Friar Tuck ( their American accents are , surprisingly , no problem ) ; Ian Hunter , Melville Cooper , Patric Knowles & Una O'Connor all offer colorful support . Even the horse who would be Trigger shows up as Marian's golden mount . The Korngold score is justly famous , triumphant & majestic . All the Sherwood Forest scenes were filmed in magnificent Bidwell Park , located in Chico , California . Big Chico Creek is where Robin first meets Little John & Tuck . Local University kids loiter there now ; legends walked there once . . .
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10
Busting A Marriage With Mr . Wheeler & Mr . Woolsey
A pair of shady Nevada lawyers become involved in the uproarious divorce proceedings of a strident PEACH-O-RENO . Comics Bert Wheeler & Robert Woolsey , who starred in a string of popular comedies from 1929 to 1937 , return with a funny look at the peculiar goings on - - divorces & casinos - - in the Nevada city of Reno . The Boys ( Wheeler is the little fellow with curly hair ; Woolsey is the skinny guy with cigar and glasses ) toss out one wisecrack after another in this Pre-Code concoction . The film's hilarity reaches its zenith ( or nadir , depending on the viewer's sensibilities ) during Wheeler's extended drag sequence , which includes an uproarious dance number with Woolsey . Disguised as a very merry widow , Wheeler challenges Charles Ruggles in CHARLEY'S AUNT ( 1930 ) as the best female impersonator of the early talkies . Young Dorothy Lee , Wheeler's very frequent cinematic love interest , is Kewpie Doll cute as always , but she's really given very little to do until quite late in the film when she perches on a grand piano for her requisite song with Bert . Getting better lines is Zelma O'Neal as Lee's blunt talking sister . The girls ' divorce-seeking parents are nicely played by Joseph Cawthorn & Cora Witherspoon . Other performances of note are given by Arthur Hoyt as the Boys ' nervous Nellie secretary ; Mitchell Harris as a gun-happy gambler intent on plugging Wheeler ; and Sam Hardy as the conniving judge who presides over the chaotic courtroom scene which ends the film . Movie mavens will recognize corpulent Harry Holman in an uncredited role as Witherspoon's outmaneuvered divorce lawyer .
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10
A Gentle Little Love Story
Two desperately unhappy people , both trapped in loveless marriages , meet one night by chance in Paris . . . IF I WERE FREE is a fine example of what could be done with a soap opera plot when given the advantages of excellent acting & good production values . In less expert hands the film could have easily become awkward & mawkish ; instead , the viewer is given slightly over an hour of solid entertainment . Irene Dunne & Clive Brook are first rate as the sensible lovers who enter a relationship with their eyes wide open . Some clever scenes with sophisticated dialogue - going through her childhood books , visiting his favorite old church - makes their interaction a delight . Considerable contributions are also given by the supporting performers : Henry Stephenson as Brook's jolly legal friend and Vivian Tobin as his pixilated wife are very amusing . Laura Hope Crews as Brook's free spirited mother & Tempe Pigott as Dunne's Cockney housekeeper add their own style of drollery to the proceedings . Silent film star Nils Asther scores in the small role of Dunne's caddish husband . His celebrity had considerably dimmed with the arrival of talking pictures , but given a decent role this actor could still deliver the goods . Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Halliwell Hobbes as Brook's butler .
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10
The Duck & The Cluck
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . Mme . Clara Cluck & Donald Duck are performing Rigoletto - very badly - as a part of MICKEY'S GRAND OPERA . The duet with the Duck & the Cluck in this wonderful little film is absolutely hilarious . The subplot , in which poor Pluto tries to capture a magic hat busy disgorging scores of white rabbits , doves & mice , is the perfect counterpoint . Watch the orchestra carefully to spot flautist Clarabelle Cow and violinist Goofy . Florence Gill does the clucking for Clara , Clarence Nash provides Donald with his unique voice , Walt Disney does the honors for Mickey . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a storm of naysayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,416
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31,754
10
Mr . Brink Desires A Few Moments With You
Mr . Brink ( Death ) arrives to claim the soul of infirm , elderly Gramps Northrup . A magic trick , however , traps Mr . Brink in an apple tree and he is not able to descend . With all dying ceased around the world , old Gramps truly finds himself living ON BORROWED TIME . This charming , albeit neglected , film holds many pleasures for the viewer . Aside from philosophical considerations - for instance , why is Mr . Brink intent on wiping out the Northrup clan ? - the acting is particularly enjoyable . Lionel Barrymore , cantankerous & crotchety as Gramps , is a veritable volcano of emotions , barely contained in the wheelchair made necessary by the actor's crippling arthritis . Equally excellent , in an elegantly underplayed performance , is Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Mr . Brink . Suave , sophisticated & utterly urbane , he leaves an unforgettable impression . The rest of the cast is also first rate : Una Merkel , Henry Travers , Nat Pendleton , Ian Wolfe , Grant Mitchell , little Bobs Watson , and especially wonderful Beulah Bondi as Granny & Eily Maylon , in arguably her finest role , as dreadful Aunt Demetria . Movie mavens will spot Hans Conried as the first motorist to pull over for Mr . Brink . ' Pismire , ' by the way , is an Archaic Scandinavian word which means ' ant urine . '
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10
Fictional History
THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO take him from his home in Venice , across the wide expanse of Asia , to the palace of the great Kublai Khan . Lavish and at times exciting , this adventure film never rises far above the level of a comic book and should not be relied on for much historical accuracy . Even so , it is nonetheless entertaining , with a sturdy hero and a villain worthy of scorn & hisses . To his credit , Gary Cooper plays the title role with good grace and a straight face , doubtless well aware that a fat paycheck would be his reward for spending so much time running about in 13th century garments . His Marco is a perpetual student , always excited about finding something new and interesting . His romance with princess Sigrid Gurie is refreshingly low-key and charming , even if wholly implausible . Basil Rathbone is the evil Saracen who controls the Khan's court , his lust for ultimate power having made him as rapacious as the vultures & lions he keeps in his private apartments to feed upon his enemies . Suave & sophisticated , Rathbone's soothing voice and sinister good looks made him the perfect intelligent villain . A bevy of fine character actors keeps the fast paced story moving : little Ernest Truex as Marco's bookkeeper with bad feet - he spends much of the film perched on Cooper's back ; H . B . Warner as the soft-spoken Chinese inventor who befriends Marco ; chubby , dithering George Barbier as a less-than-awesome Khan ; rotund Robert Greig , sporting enormous fingernails , as the Khan's majordomo , and diminutive Ferdinand Gottschalk as a most unfortunate emissary from the Khan of Persia . Jolly Alan Hale appears as a rebel leader who blithely sends his prisoners off to be boiled in oil , but secretly lives in fear of his termagant wife , Binnie Barnes , while he secretly ogles slave girl Lana Turner . Some of the true facts concerning Marco Polo ( 1254-1324 ) and omitted by the film should perhaps be relayed . Marco's father Niccolò and uncle Maffeo had already made the long trip to China and met the great Kublai Khan . They left Venice in 1260 and returned in 1269 with the Khan's request that they come back with Christian missionaries and teachers . The Polo brothers took 21-year old Marco when they began their return trip in 1271 , with the blessings of the Doge , who secretly hoped for Venice's power to expand , and the new Pope , who assigned two priests to travel with them . Afraid of what might lie ahead , the priests abandoned the Polos in Muslim territory . The Polos would not reach the Khan's court until 1275 . Marco immediately became a tremendous favorite of the monarch , who used and trusted him during his entire stay in China . Marco was able to travel and record many strange & wonderful sights , and for awhile was even made governor of the important city of Yangchow . Finally , in 1292 , Marco was able to get the Khan's permission to return his elderly relatives to Venice , after escorting a Chinese princess and her immense entourage to the Persian Khan . ( There was no romance between Marco and the princess ; to attempt one would have been more than his life was worth . ) Eventually , after seemingly endless travel , the three Polos arrived home in Venice , having been gone for 24 years . In 1298 , while captaining a Venetian ship , Marco was captured and placed for a short time in a Genoese prison . While there , he dictated the story of his marvelous travels to a fellow inmate . When eventually published , it became one of the most famous books of the millennium .
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Another Triumph For W . C .
An eccentric family man is beset by seemingly insurmountable personal problems until he has a fortuitous encounter with a royal lady aboard a train . YOU'RE TELLING ME ! features the inimitable W . C . Fields in a hilarious fairy tale disguised as a domestic comedy . While there is neither magic or fantasy , there is a beautiful princess who arrives on the scene in good time to solve all of the poor hero's problems . Never mind the outlandishness of the plot , this unjustifiably obscure film gives Fields an excellent opportunity to show off some of his best routines . Whether shooting the tires on a police car , trying to control an obstreperous ostrich , or getting conked on the skull by his own wacky invention , he is never anything less than brilliant . During his initial conversation with the princess Fields portrays a surprisingly tender side to his nature completely at variance with his usual misogynistic self . These moments with a kinder , gentler W . C . are rare & very special . The romance between Joan Marsh & Buster Crabbe is mercifully brief and does not intrude too much on the story . Adrienne Ames makes a lovely princess and plays her scenes with Fields quite nicely . Fields ' films were often populated with she-dragons , formidable females against whom he could bounce off his humor . Here he has a small gaggle to contend with : Louise Carter as his domineering wife , Kathleen Howard as an insufferably snooty society doyen and Nora Cecil & Elise Cavanna as the town gossips . The film climaxes with Fields ' wonderful golf routine , in which he must deal with manmade hazards of all sorts . Tammany Young plays his infuriatingly inept caddie .
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10
Under Mickey's Big Top
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . Multitudes of naughty orphan mice nearly demolish poor MICKEY'S CIRCUS during a very chaotic performance . There are lots of laughs in this very well-animated little film . Temperamental Donald Duck is the center of attention as he attempts to control his ill-trained sea lions . Walt Disney & Clarence Nash supplied the unique voices for the Mouse & the Duck , respectively . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,798
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10
A Decent John Gilbert Talkie
Cheri-Bibi is the most celebrated magician & escape artist in France . Young & debonair , he enjoys the attentions of society & the love of one young woman in particular . But when her wealthy father is found murdered & all evidence points to Bibi , he must put all his considerable talents into evading the law long enough to clear his name - while being forced into living a life in the twilight & shadows as THE PHANTOM OF Paris . According to cinematic legend , all the talkie MGM films starring John Gilbert were dreadful - the result of a bitter hatred between Gilbert ( the highest paid star in Hollywood , with a $1 . 5 million contract ) & studio boss Louis B . Mayer . A determination on Gilbert's part to fulfill the contract , and a campaign instituted by Mayer to destroy Gilbert's career - including spreading the rumor that Gilbert's voice was ' high & feminine ' , culminated in several unwatchable movies . Not entirely true . The Studio had a huge financial investment in Jack Gilbert and was not going to completely cut its own throat by showcasing him in nothing but dreck . Of the 8 talkies in which he appeared as solo star ( 1929 - HIS GLORIOUS NIGHT ; 1930 - REDEMPTION ; WAY FOR A SAILOR ; 1931 - GENTLEMAN'S FATE ; THE PHANTOM OF Paris ; WEST OF Broadway ; 1932 - DOWNSTAIRS ; 1933 - FAST WORKERS ) most were certainly rather ghastly . THE PHANTOM OF Paris , however , was quite decent , and , indeed , fully representative of the material the studio was producing in 1931 . Gilbert does a fine job through much of the film and has one standout scene - hiding in a cellar - which is excellent and shows what he was really capable of . MGM gives him 3 top drawer co-stars ( Lewis Stone , Jean Hersholt & marvelous old Sir C . Aubrey Smith ) with which to work . The other featured players ( Leila Hyams , Ian Keith & Natalie Moorhead ) do creditable work . Movie mavens will spot Fletcher Norton in an unbilled role as a society twit . Ian Keith was undoubtedly cast as the villain due to his slight resemblance to Gilbert , which is important to the plot , although he is noticeably taller . However , having Gilbert impersonate Keith and fool Hyams , Moorhead or Stone for even a moment is ludicrous and the weakest point in the story . Finally , about The Voice . There was nothing at all strange or unnaturally high about Gilbert's voice . As a matter of fact , it was of medium range & rather cultured & refined . Which was the crux of the problem , of course . While it is possible that no voice could have ever matched the perfect one viewers heard in their minds while watching his strong , virile silent roles , the reality was very different from what they wanted to hear ( imagine Robert Montgomery's voice coming out of Clark Gable's mouth . ) Gilbert was doomed from his first scene in his debut talkie ; his war with Mayer only intensified the agony . He would die in 1936 , forgotten by most of his former fans , at the age of only 36 .
437,477
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10
An Arresting Performance From Mr . Duck
A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon . OFFICER DUCK must disguise himself as a baby in order to capture the notorious criminal , Tiny Tom . This is a wonderful little film , hilarious & with excellent animation . Released in 1939 , it more than compensated for Disney's not having a feature length animated picture during Hollywood's Golden Year . Clarence " Ducky " Nash , supplying Donald's voice , once again demonstrates his valuable contribution to The Duck's success . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,606
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10
Off On A Picnic With Mr . Laurel & Mr . Hardy
A LAUREL & HARDY Comedy Short . It is a PERFECT DAY for the Laurels & the Hardys to go on a picnic , taking gouty old Uncle Ed with them . In typical fashion , the Boys proceed to demolish first the sandwiches & then the car , with Uncle's foot coming in for several good whacks along the way . Pure slapstick from start to finish . Those who like painful physical humor will get lots of laughs here . Stan & Ollie seem much more violent towards each other than usual . Edgar Kennedy plays the much-battered Uncle Ed .
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Cutting Capers
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . MICKEY CUTS UP while mowing the lawn , playing with Miss Minnie and enjoying the day until a black cat upsets Pluto . . . This humorous little black & white film has its minimal plot pushed largely by the musical score , which includes ' Shine ' and ' Ain't We Got Fun . ' Mickey may be the only one in the world who can flirt with his girl while riding on top of a lawnmower pulled by a dog . Walt Disney gives the Mouse his squeaky voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a storm of naysayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
438,345
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10
A Mouse Tale
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . MICKEY STEPS OUT to spend the evening with Minnie , heedless of the havoc possible if Pluto follows him . . . There's not much plot in this black & white film , which doesn't detract from the enjoyment of watching it . That's ' Sweet Georgia Brown ' Mickey hoofs it to while Minnie tickles the ivories . Walt Disney supplies Mickey's voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Bambi , Peter Pan and Mr . Toad . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,064
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Mister Laurel & Mister Hardy Arrive In A State Of Confusion
Two War buddies - BLOCK-HEADS both - create complete chaos in & around a fancy apartment building . Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy are once again up to their usual high jinks , dealing with frightful wives , dangerous neighbors and the homicidal tendencies of nearly every inanimate object with which they come into contact . At this point in their partnership the Boys ' were firmly established as screen legends ; they worked together like well-oiled machinery , producing one laugh after another . Billy Gilbert & James Finlayson - the Boys ' greatest nemesis - are on hand and in very fine form as Ollie's highly belligerent neighbors . Gilbert's Great White Hunter ( ' I don't bring ? em back alive . I bring ? em back dead . I come back alive . ' ) is especially funny . Patricia Ellis as Mrs . Gilbert & Minna Gombell as Mrs . Hardy add to the merriment . Movie mavens will recognize OUR GANGer Tommy Bond as the mean kid with the football . The film's opening sequence , with newsreel footage of World War One battles , is unexpectedly grim for a comedy . Fortunately , the laughs start quickly . Best bit - Ollie , thinking Stan has lost his right leg , insists on carrying him everywhere . Stan lets him .
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Disney's Christmas Mice
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . Minnie & MICKEY'S ORPHANS are a vast number of unwanted , mischievous kittens left on their doorstep one stormy Christmas Eve . Nominated for an Academy Award , this lively little black & white film derives much of its enjoyment from watching the tiny felines torment poor Pluto and nearly demolish the Mouse House . The performance of ' Silent Night ' by the Mice is charming . One of the kittens does a quick spoof of Charlie Chaplin . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,834
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Misses Blondell & Farrell Go Cuban For Comedy
Two hard-luck but crafty ladies decide to act like HAVANA WIDOWS by sailing to Cuba to meet & blackmail rich gentlemen . . . This was the sort of ephemeral comic frippery which the studios produced quite effortlessly during the 1930's . Well made & highly enjoyable , Depression audiences couldn't seem to get enough of these popular , funny photo dramas . Joan Blondell & Glenda Farrell are perfectly cast as the frantic , fast-talking females who will go to great lengths to make a little dishonest dough . Although Joan gets both top billing and the romantic scenes , both gals are as talented & watchable as they are gorgeous . Handsome Lyle Talbot plays Joan's persistent suitor , but he's given relatively little to do . Chubby , cherubic Guy Kibbee appears as the girls ' intended target . Whether awakening to find himself in the wrong bed or being chased across the roof of a Cuban hacienda in his long johns , he is equally hilarious . Behind him comes a rank of character actors - Allen Jenkins , Frank McHugh , Ruth Donnelly , Hobart Cavanaugh , Maude Eburne , Dewey Robinson - all equally adept at pleasing the toughest crowd . Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited James Murray as the suspicious bank teller with the forged check . This very talented actor was pulled out of complete obscurity to star in King Vidor's THE CROWD ( 1928 ) , one of the silent era's most prestigious films . Hopes were high for a great career , but his celebrity faded quickly with sound pictures . After a long string of tiny roles & bit parts , broke & destitute , his life ended in the waters of a New York river in 1936 . He was only 35 years old . While never stars of the first rank , Joan Blondell ( 1906-1979 ) & Glenda Farrell ( 1904-1971 ) enlivened scores of films at Warner Bros . throughout the 1930's , especially the eight in which they appeared together . Whether playing gold diggers or working girls , reporters or secretaries , these blonde & brassy ladies were very nearly always a match for whatever leading man was lucky enough to share equal billing alongside them . With a wisecrack or a glance , their characters showed they were ready to take on the world - and any man in it . Never as wickedly brazen as Paramount's Mae West , you always had the feeling that , tough as they were , Blondell & Farrell used their toughness to defend vulnerable hearts ready to break over the right guy . While many performances from seven decades ago can look campy or contrived today , these two lovely ladies are still spirited & sassy .
437,702
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35,572
10
Rooney Rampant
The old prep school is set on its ear when A YANK AT ETON tries to defy the established rules & regulations . Mickey Rooney , MGM's human dynamo , is in all his glory in this pleasant film obviously fashioned to his particular talents . Although a mite old to be playing a high school boy ( he turned 22 in 1942 ) , Rooney pulls out all the stops , and shows considerable athletic ability , as an American kid who's angry about having to attend Eton , rather than his beloved Notre Dame . It's hard to fault all of his behavior today , as some of the conventions he rebels against , especially the physical brutality inflicted upon the lower boys at Eton , needed to be changed . However , the film's purpose is not to deliver a social message . It's aim was to provide a money maker for MGM , as well as a salute to our British allies . The Second World War and our common enemies are never mentioned , but the affectionate comradeship between our two nations is certainly underlined . Mickey is given excellent support from a fine cast of costars . Puckish Edmund Gwenn plays Rooney's house master , his whimsicality marred somewhat by his casual allowance of the older boys beating of the younger . Earnest Ian Hunter gives a thoughtful performance as Mickey's new English stepfather . Gangling Freddie Bartholomew plays Hunter's well-bred son ; this tall , skinny youth bares scant resemblance to the small boy who charmed audiences in David COPPERFIELD and CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS back in the 1930's . Marta Linden & Juanita Quigley appear as Mickey's supportive Mom and badly behaved younger sister . Little Raymond Severn plays a tiny earl who becomes Rooney's best pal at school . Peter Lawford is convincingly nasty as a bullying upper boy . Genial Alan Mowbray enlivens his brief appearance as a befuddled old Etonian trying to remember a particular steeplechase race from decades past . Movie mavens will recognize several uncredited performers : Minna Phillips as a slightly silly Eton school matron ; Billy Bevan as a tour guide ; former child star Terry Kilburn as one of Bartholomew's student friends ; cheery Aubrey Mather as a butler who learns an important bit of American vernacular ; and Alan Napier as a restaurant club owner with a profound dislike for Eton boys in his establishment . The song sung over the opening credits is the first verse of the famous Eton Boating Song ( 1863 , William Johnson & Capt . Algernon Drummond ) ; the second verse is heard later on in the film . The words are as follows : Jolly boating weather , And a hay harvest breeze , Blade on the feather , Shade off the trees , Let us swing , swing together , With your bodies between your knees , Swing , swing together , With your bodies between your knees . Skirting past the rushes , Ruffling o'er the weeds , Where the lock stream gushes , Where the cygnet feeds , Let us see how the wine-glass flushes At Supper on Boveney meads , Let us see how the wine-glass flushes At Supper on Boveney meads . Interestingly , those are American , not British , voices singing . And the film never shows Rooney or the other boys doing any boating whatsoever . Eton College , the largest of England's great public ( independent secondary ) schools , was founded by Henry VI in 1440-1441 , and is located across the River Thames from Windsor Castle . Its student body is made up of over a thousand Oppidans , generally drawn from Britain's wealthiest or aristocratic families and who live in boardinghouses under the care of house masters ; and the King's Scholars , of which 70 are named each year by means of a special examination , who dwell in elite quarters . Generally , lads attend Eton from age 13 until they are ready to enter university .
438,156
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10
Disney Returns With Popular Cartoon Cats
A Walt Disney SILLY SYMPHONY Cartoon Short . Mammy Twoshoes has MORE KITTENS underfoot than she can tolerate . She drives the three diminutive felines out into the yard where many adventures finally reveal an unlikely protector . . . A sequel to 1935's Oscar winning THREE ORPHAN KITTENS , this is a cute , enjoyable film but breaks no new ground technically . The perception of dimensional depth , so apparent in some of the previous film's backgrounds , are noticeably lacking here . The SILLY SYMPHONIES , which Walt Disney produced for a ten year period beginning in 1929 , are among the most interesting of series in the field of animation . Unlike the Mickey Mouse cartoons in which action was paramount , with the Symphonies the action was made to fit the music . There was little plot in the early Symphonies , which featured lively inanimate objects and anthropomorphic plants & animals , all moving frantically to the soundtrack . Gradually , however , the Symphonies became the school where Walt's animators learned to work with color and began to experiment with plot , characterization & photographic special effects . The pages of Fable & Fairy Tale , Myth & Mother Goose were all mined to provide story lines and even Hollywood's musicals & celebrities were effectively spoofed . It was from this rich soil that Disney's feature-length animation was to spring . In 1939 , with SNOW WHITE successfully behind him and PINOCCHIO & FANTASIA on the near horizon , Walt phased out the SILLY SYMPHONIES ; they had run their course & served their purpose .
437,953
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22,151
10
Mr . George Arliss Will Personally Check The Air In Your Tires
Health problems force an elderly auto tycoon into retirement . Refusing to stay idle , he buys half ownership into a service station & gleefully begins to work there , incognito . The old man is now able to help his young partner in matters of business & romance . But what will happen if he's discovered to be , in reality , THE MILLIONAIRE ? George Arliss was a wonderful actor , now sadly neglected . The merest glance , the smallest movement of his hands , the raised eyebrow or vocal inflection , these all spoke volumes . Here , he has a fine outlet for his artistry . The film moves right along , without any dull moments , fueled by the fun of watching Arliss act . He is given good support by David Manners ( a fine leading man of the 1930's ) as his partner ; Noah Beery as a beefy business rival ; and real-life wife Florence Arliss . James Cagney , not quite yet a star , breezes in for a few moments as an insurance agent who gives Arliss some good advice . Effortlessly , he steals the scene from Arliss ( the old man seems amused ) , a very rare event , indeed .
438,256
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10
Barbara Stanwyck Scores In Fascinating Film
A blind man hopes , in all humility , to serve a famous female evangelist in her ministry , but soon he finds himself falling in love with THE MIRACLE WOMAN . Columbia Pictures , and young director Frank Capra , had to walk a fine line between the sacred and the profane in this topical feature , and ended up with a solid piece of entertainment . Good production values only serve to underscore the excellent acting in the two leading roles . A balance is maintained between sanctity , sanctimoniousness & sentiment . Contemporary viewers , whether churched or not , should find material here to interest them . It is a shame this fine film has become so obscure . Barbara Stanwyck dominates & fascinates in the title role , never slipping into caricature or allowing her character to become cardboard . She presents a well rounded portrait of a complicated , lonely female who experiences the pangs & joys of unexpected love . She is careful , though , to keep her portrayal sympathetic - realizing that her character was not entirely fictional - but she is never dull . In fact , watching Stanwyck give an impassioned exhortation from inside a lions ' cage has got to be one of the more unique scenes from any film of the 1930's . As the blind former aviator , David Manners gives one of the finest performances of his career , deftly underplaying his role , while letting just enough of the character's angst show through . He gives us the portrait of a man who doesn't need his eyesight to be a moral hero . Plump little Beryl Mercer scores as Manners ' cheery landlady . Sam Hardy is most convincing as Stanwyck's crooked manager . Charles Middleton portrays a hardhearted Deacon early in the film . Stanwyck's character in THE MIRACLE WOMAN is heavily based on the most famous & beloved female evangelist of all time , Aimee Semple McPherson . At the height of her popularity , there was not a movie star in Hollywood who could rival her celebrity . Born Aimee Elizabeth Kennedy on October 9 , 1890 in Ontario , Canada , Sister Aimee was the daughter of a Methodist farmer & a Salvation Army worker mother . Completely uninterested in spiritual things as a girl , this changed when she met & romanced dynamic young Pentecostal missionary Robert Semple . In 1908 she gave her life to both God & Robert and married and moved with him to the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong . They both became very ill in China and upon his death from malaria in 1910 , his widow relocated to New York City with their infant daughter , Roberta . In 1912 Sister Aimee married Rhode Island grocery salesman Harold McPherson , but she warned him that the call of God was on her life and if she felt the need to preach , she would have to leave him . Harold agreed , but the marriage didn't last her entry into the revival circuit ( a future third marriage also ended in divorce ) . News of her preaching spread from town to town , and soon Sister Aimee was in demand as an evangelistic speaker . With Roberta & baby son Rolf , she toured in her Gospel Car and became perhaps the first woman to solo drive from coast to coast . In 1918 Sister Aimee settled in Los Angeles , California , and it remained her headquarters city for the rest of her life . Physically striking as well as intelligent , Sister Aimee was a forceful , charismatic speaker and it did not take her long to gather a large & loyal body of adherents . She built the magnificent Angelus Temple in 1923 , and there in its 5 , 300 seat auditorium she would present her lavish illustrated sermons before the spellbound eyes of her congregation . In 1924 Sister Aimee became the first female to operate her own radio station , which she bought for $25 , 000 . Speaking or broadcasting 22 times a week , and never charging admission , Sister Aimee beat the movies at their own game with her highly entertaining & theatrical services . Stars such as Douglas Fairbanks & Charlie Chaplin regularly attended to marvel at her stage presence . It is hardly surprising that controversy and even scandal followed such a notable individual . Indeed , at one time she was the subject of 45 separate legal suits . But it is the mystery surrounding her disappearance in 1926 that continues to encourage speculation : while swimming in the Pacific Ocean on May 18 , Sister Aimee vanished . The nation mourned her apparent drowning . Thousands converged on the beach at Santa Monica ; one diver died & a female follower committed suicide , claiming she wanted to accompany Sister Aimee to Heaven . But then mysterious ransom notes began appearing at Angelus Temple and the complexion of the story began to change . Finally , on June 23 , Sister Aimee suddenly reappeared in Douglas , Arizona , telling a tale of kidnapping & miraculous escape . She said she had been approached on the beach by a distraught couple , desperately wanting her to come pray for their dying child . She was whisked away in a waiting car , but ended up across the border in Mexico , where she was kept tied in a shack and tortured with burning cigarettes . Biding her time , she waited until she was alone , rolled off her cot and cut her bonds on the edge of a metal can lid . Then she stumbled into the Mexican village of Agua Prieta , where she was able to get a taxi to Douglas . This was her story . 50 , 000 people met her train when it arrived from Arizona . The faithful adored her all the more , but her enemies whispered about a possible love tryst . The Los Angeles District Attorney charged her before the Grand Jury for corruption of morals by staging a hoax . However , her story could never be proven or disproved , and the perjury case was dismissed for lack of evidence . But who would want her kidnapped ? A possible solution is this : Born again bootleggers would broadcast their testimonies at Sister Aimee's radio station , naming the corrupt officials who helped them . This could prove disastrous to any number of men in high positions of authority , and giving Sister Aimee a solid scare might remedy their problem . What is known for sure is that the District Attorney who persecuted her was later imprisoned himself at San Quentin for bribery . Sister Aimee came and prayed for him . Rebounding stronger than ever , Sister Aimee incorporated the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1927 , based on the tenets of belief of Jesus Christ as Savior , Baptizer , Healer , and Soon-Coming King . During the 1930's , Sister Aimee was at the height of her influence and fame . In addition to her church services , touring revival crusades and radio station , she operated a Bible school , edited a magazine , wrote books , composed stirring songs and oversaw her denomination of 200 churches . Her healing ministry came in for much scrutiny , but no one has ever proven that it was faked or phony . Sister Aimee , who spent as long as eight hours after services praying for the sick , was quick to give all the glory to God . And there were undeniable positive results : folks who arrived in ambulances returned home on streetcars . Sister Aimee's death in Oakland , California , on September 27 , 1944 , was the tragic result of an accidental overdose of sleeping pills . After the funeral in the Angelus Temple , 35 , 000 mourners passed by her grave in Forest Lawn Cemetery . Her son , Rolf McPherson , assumed leadership of The Foursquare Denomination , which is still strong & vibrant today . While her lavish lifestyle and oversized personality made Sister Aimee an easy mark for ridicule and even spoofery , it should not be forgotten that she provided hope & comfort to millions of desperate Americans during the darkest days of the Great Depression . That's not a bad legacy .
437,843
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27,969
10
Enter The Ring With Mr . Lloyd
A mild-mannered milkman finds himself swept into the world of dishonest professional boxing . Although forever famous for his silent classics , THE MILKY WAY once again illustrated Harold Lloyd's complete ease with the sound medium . Indeed , Paramount Studios and director Leo McCarey gave him the opportunity to entertain his fans with some very enjoyable gags & comedy routines . Whether frantically trying to find help for his sick horse , teaching stuffy society matron Marjorie Gateson how to duck punches , or sneaking a colt into the back of a taxi , Harold provides ample evidence that he hasn't lost the talent to amuse . A very talented cast of costars lend able support . Gum-chewing Adolphe Menjou scores as an unscrupulous fight promoter . As his long-suffering girlfriend , beautiful Verree Teasdale gets the film's best dialogue with her sarcastic one-liners . Hot-tempered William Gargan as the erstwhile middleweight champ & gravely-voiced Lionel Stander as a fight trainer complete the disreputable quartet . Helen Mack as Harold's sister , and Dorothy Wilson as his sweetheart , both offer perky performances ; indeed , they are so much alike that some viewers may have a little difficulty in telling the two ladies apart . Dyspeptic George Barbier plays the blustery owner of Sunflower Dairies . Charles Lane once again reprises his role as a nosy reporter .
438,046
306,861
26,074
10
Money Mess With The Little Rascals
An OUR GANG Comedy Short . Spanky's Pop has ANNIVERSARY TROUBLE . Having first forgotten that important date , he now thinks Spanky has taken the money left for his wife . Spanky has problems of his own : the Gang wants the money back he was to guard as treasurer of their Ancient and Honery Order of Wood Chucks Club , Inc . Only Spanky's quick thinking is going to solve these problems . . . Some funny moments in this little film . Highlight : Spanky disguised as Buckwheat . That's marvelous Hattie McDaniel as Mandy the Maid ; Johnny Arthur appears as Spanky's Dad .
437,306
306,861
29,930
10
Down To The Sea With Mickey & Friends
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . Folding-kit BOAT BUILDERS Mickey , Goofy & Donald attempt to put together their small ship with predictably disastrous results . Featuring first rate animation & a very funny plot , this classic little film reunites the three buddies in another cartoon not dissimilar to CLOCK CLEANERS ( 1937 ) , their hit of the year before . Goofy & the Duck carry most of the show , with their voice artists - Pinto Colvig & Clarence Nash - giving topnotch performances . Voiced by Walt Disney , Mickey easily steps into the position of good guy & regular fellow . Miss Minnie has a quick cameo and sharp-eyed movie mavens will spot Horace Horsecollar & Clarabelle Cow among the crowd at the launching . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work will always pay off .
437,776
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22,160
10
Beware What You Seek
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . THE MOOSE HUNT upon which Mickey & Pluto have embarked just might get them more than they bargained for . . . The Mouse & the Pup were still in the early days of their association in this jaunty , slightly bizarre little film . Pluto actually speaks a few human words and talks to his master - an experiment the folks at Disney were quick to discontinue . Walt Disney provides Mickey with his squeaky voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a storm of naysayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,832
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24,075
10
Miss Blondell & Mister William Invite You To Join Them In A Bit Of Comic Relief
It's GOODBYE AGAIN as a loyal secretary tries to help her weak-willed , philandering boss out of the romantic complications caused by an old girlfriend , now married . This was the sort of ephemeral comic frippery which the studios produced almost effortlessly during the 1930's . Well made & highly enjoyable , Depression audiences couldn't seem to get enough of these popular , funny photo dramas . Joan Blondell & Warren William are perfectly matched as a memorable comedy team . She was the great Hard Times sassy , brassy blonde who always got her man , no matter what travail or comic bumps she encountered along the way . Nearly forgotten now , William is best remembered for the hard-boiled , cynical tycoons & shysters he played to perfection . It is great fun to see him essay light comedy . Wacky , whimsical Hugh Herbert appears as a blithely unconcerned cuckold . Whether stalking his faithless spouse through trains & hotels or gleefully pushing for a divorce , he is equally hilarious . Behind him comes a rank of character actors - Genevieve Tobin , Wallace Ford , Helen Chandler , Hobart Cavanaugh , Ruth Donnelly - all equally adept at catching the comedy in the story line . Much of the dialogue & plot is vintage pre-Production Code material .
437,789
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10
Sneaking About With Mickey Mouse
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . With their rent six months overdue , it's a hasty MOVING DAY for Mickey and Donald before Sheriff Pete can sell their furniture . Donald & friendly iceman Goofy handle most of the action in this very funny little Depression-era film , with the Goof dealing with a distressingly anthropomorphic piano and the Duck harassed by a plumber's helper and fishbowl which are determined to stick to his anatomy . Pete once again makes the perfect villain , literally spitting out nails and hammering them in with his fist . Walt Disney gives Mickey his squeaky voice ; Clarence Nash does the honors for Donald . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a storm of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
438,212
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219,222
10
Splendid Disney Documentary
A Walt Disney TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURE . In this film we study the life of the OLYMPIC ELK , of Washington State's spectacular Olympic Peninsula . We see their remarkable trek from the winter lowlands , up to the high lush meadows for their summer feeding & breeding . The gathering & defending of harems by the bull elk is also portrayed . ' This is one of a series of TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURES presenting strange facts about the world we live in . These films are photographed in their natural settings and are completely authentic , unstaged and unrehearsed . ' Winston Hibler is the narrator .
438,064
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22,164
10
Disney's Excursion To Nursery Rhyme Land
A Walt Disney SILLY SYMPHONY Cartoon Short . Old King Cole has arrived for an outdoor entertainment . The MOTHER GOOSE MELODIES begin when the old dame opens her book of Nursery Rhymes and several characters appear to perform for the King . An interesting little film , with much action for eye appeal . It is fun to spot & identify the various characters . Clarabelle Cow has a couple of cameo appearances , first bestrewing the King's path with petals ; later she plays the part of the Cow That Jumped Over The Moon . Disney would remake this cartoon in color - as OLD KING COLE - three years later . The SILLY SYMPHONIES , which Walt Disney produced for a ten year period beginning in 1929 , are among the most interesting of series in the field of animation . Unlike the Mickey Mouse cartoons in which action was paramount , with the Symphonies the action was made to fit the music . There was little plot in the early Symphonies , which featured lively inanimate objects and anthropomorphic plants & animals , all moving frantically to the soundtrack . Gradually , however , the Symphonies became the school where Walt's animators learned to work with color and began to experiment with plot , characterization & photographic special effects . The pages of Fable & Fairy Tale , Myth & Mother Goose were all mined to provide story lines and even Hollywood's musicals & celebrities were effectively spoofed . It was from this rich soil that Disney's feature-length animation was to spring . In 1939 , with SNOW WHITE successfully behind him and PINOCCHIO & FANTASIA on the near horizon , Walt phased out the SILLY SYMPHONIES ; they had run their course & served their purpose .
438,076
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26,055
10
Up On The Mound With Mr . Brown
Known as ALIBI IKE for his never-ending excuses , the brash new pitcher for the Chicago Cubs becomes involved with nasty crooks and a very pretty young lady . Comic Joe E . Brown has a grand time clowning about in this sporting comedy based on a Ring Lardner story . Although many of the jokes & situations are very similar to his previous films , Brown is always worth watching , his huge mouth & rubbery face perfectly fashioned for eliciting laughs . Whether careening about the infield in a runaway jalopy , attempting an escape from kidnappers or commandeering a huge truck to get to the ball field , Brown consistently delivers the comedic goods . Lovely Olivia de Havilland scores a home run , playing Joe's girlfriend in one of her earliest film roles . Gruff William Frawley does a fine job as the Cub's stern coach . Ruth Donnelly plays Olivia's older sister , but unfortunately this wonderfully talented comedienne is given little to do . Roscoe Karns is fun as the team's sarcastic catcher . This was the last of Joe E . Brown's Baseball Trilogy , following FIREMAN , SAVE MY CHILD ( 1932 ) & ELMER , THE GREAT ( 1933 ) .
437,600
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29,943
10
The Mouse Achieves Greatness
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . A BRAVE LITTLE TAILOR , mistakenly acclaimed as a great champion , is sent to stop the depredations of a fearsome giant who is terrifying a tiny kingdom . This is one of the truly classic color Mouse films , featuring excellent animation , sly humor & some genuine thrills . This vivid , fast-moving reinterpretation of the Brothers Grimm tale gave Mickey one of his grandest adventures and he obviously relishes his return , albeit briefly , to the top of the Disney heap . Without Donald , Goofy or Pluto to steal the limelight , Mickey proves to be a most dashing hero . Miss Minnie's involvement in the cartoon is mainly to add encouragement to Mickey's resolve and provide a reward for his heroics . Walt Disney supplies Mickey's squeaky voice . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work will always pay off .
437,781
306,861
24,078
10
Hearts Are Trumps
A brilliant Russian émigré devises the ? Stanislavsky ' system for winning at contract bridge - which makes him and his beautiful wife the GRAND SLAM Sweethearts of America . What could have been just another silly soap opera is elevated by fine production values & excellent acting to the status of a very enjoyable little comedy . A few unexpected touches are thrown in to keep the viewer's attention engaged - the way in which the principle cast is introduced as faces on a deck of cards ; the introduction of a zany acrobat into the plot for no other reason than to enjoy a bit of lunacy ; and the way in which a wide variety of different kinds of Americans are shown to be transfixed by listening to the broadcast of the concluding game . Paul Lukas & Loretta Young do very well as the Bridge Sweethearts - Lukas suave & sophisticated and Miss Young passionately loving and beautiful ( even if the script keeps her puffing on a cigarette a bit too much ) . They are fun to watch , even when their behavior is not always the most believable or compelling . Frank McHugh gives another good performance as a relentlessly cheerful ghost writer who adores Miss Young . The delightful Glenda Farrell eschews her customary wisecracking persona in a small role as McHugh's ditsy gal pal . Roscoe Karns handles the fast-talking dialogue as a brash radio announcer . Diminutive Ferdinand Gottschalk is wonderful as a snobbish bridge expert . Movie mavens will recognize Dewey Robinson as a belligerent nightclub patron ; Emma Dunn as a sob sister reporter ; Paul Porcasi as the owner of the Russian nightclub ; Charles Lane as a Russian waiter ; and Jimmy Conlin as a kibitzer at the final bridge game - all uncredited . The film takes advantage of the fad for contract bridge which had swept across the country since its development in the 1920's . It expects the viewer to have a basic knowledge of the intricacies of the game and makes no attempt to explain anything to the uninformed .
437,065
306,861
29,942
10
Tribute To A Remarkable Man & Place
Father Flanagan courageously fights against all odds to see his dream of BOYS TOWN become a reality . Pulsing with real life , here is a family film which not only entertains but informs - bringing back to our attention one of the most vibrant personalities of the 20th Century , Father Edward Flanagan . Excellent production values - with outdoor filming that actually appears to have taken place on location at the authentic Boys Town - help tremendously with the viewer's enjoyment . Earning his second Oscar in two years , Spencer Tracy is magnificent as the good Father . He gives us a hero of patience & grace , one who values prayer & faith , but one who is also quite ready to land a few powerful punches for a good cause . Tracy's own private life was anything but tranquil , which only makes his performance here all the more impressive . Admirably cast as a nasty little punk , young Mickey Rooney breezes through an important role which would help propel him into becoming Hollywood's top star within a couple of years . Like a junior version of Tracy himself , the two are wonderful together , striking several dramatic sparks off their characters ' personalities . While Tracy plays his role with quiet humor & dignity , Rooney hams it up magnificently . Henry Hull offers good support as Tracy's pawnbroker friend who nervously gets to worry about all of Boys Town's financial woes . Little Bobs Watson as Pee Wee , the Town's youngest resident , is cute without being too cloying . After an education in Rome , Irish-born Edward Joseph Flanagan ( 1886-1948 ) came to America in 1904 . Ordained a priest in 1912 , Father Flanagan was sent to Omaha , Nebraska , where he established the Workingmen's Hotel for derelict men in 1914 . Soon , however , his great calling and the purpose for his life's ministry became clear - the work with abandoned & abused boys . In 1917 Father Flanagan opened the Home for Homeless Boys in a large old house . Outgrowing their facilities , in 1921 Father Flanagan moved his young charges to a farm site 10 miles from Omaha , capable of housing hundreds of youths . Quickly becoming more of a living community than just a school , the boys voted in 1926 to rename the place Boys Town . Eventually covering some 1300 acres of farmland , dormitories , workshops , classrooms & playing fields , Boys Town incorporated itself as a sovereign township in 1936 . Largely governed by the young men themselves , the institution is open to boys of all religions , colors & creeds and strives to provide healing for all manner of emotional & physical abuses . Girls were first brought into the program in 1979 .
437,621
306,861
26,056
10
A Triumph For Kate & Company
Vibrant , young ALICE ADAMS keeps looking for love & happiness , no matter what tough knocks the world throws at her . Booth Tarkington's novel comes alive in this splendid film from RKO , which , aside from its first rate production values , features a luminescent Kate Hepburn in the title role . Brave & spunky , yet tenderhearted & true , she immediately engages the viewer's interest & compassion . Belittled by her local high society's casual cruelty , her shining eyes & courageous little smile ( nearly ) always come through . It is wonderful to watch Hepburn work through the film's emotional centerpiece , a disastrous dinner served for the rich young man who's taken a shine to her , inadvertently given on the hottest evening in a decade . ( Deftly playing her suitor , Fred MacMurray deserves his share of the applause . ) The intrinsic honesty of the actress makes her performance a triumph . Hepburn is abetted by a very fine supporting cast . Fred Stone as her invalid father , and Ann Shoemaker as her fretful mother are almost uncomfortably realistic - one naturally feels sorry for their trials & tribulations . Frank Albertson plays her loudmouthed brother ; a few short years before this actor showed tremendous promise as a musical comedy star , but the breaks didn't come and he was to play mostly supporting roles . Hedda Hopper irritates nicely as a snobbish society matron . Charley Grapewin gives a good handful of scenes as Stone's gruff , kind-hearted employer . Grady Sutton deserves special mention , playing a lonely young man whose plain face & chubby body have distanced him from the vast majority of society girls . Usually relegated to playing simpering sissies , Sutton's wistful sadness here in his few short scenes makes one instantly sympathetic for the poor fellowHattie MacDaniel is hilarious as the clumsy job cook who arrives to prepare and serve Hepburn's dinner party . Movie mavens will recognize Zeffie Tilbury as an elderly lady at the society party . But it is Hepburn who stays in the mind long after the movie ends . . .
438,101
306,861
43,145
10
Pluto Shows Off
A Walt Disney PLUTO Cartoon . Jealous of Dinah the dachshund's adoration of Prince the WONDER DOG , Pluto tries to impress her with his own pathetic skills - which in turn attracts the unwanted attentions of Butch the bully bulldog . This humorous little film marked the final appearances by both Dinah & Butch . While Pluto always was the romantic winner in his cartoons , it is just possible that his two canine costars discovered puppy love with each other and took a joint early retirement . The celebrated Bill Peet was one of the writers of this cartoon . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,041
306,861
24,067
10
Mr . Crosby Steals Film From Miss Davies
When she discovers that the crooner she adores is GOING HOLLYWOOD , a liberated school teacher dogs his steps all the way to the Studio sound stages . Marion Davies tries her hardest to entertain in this tinsel town spoof , but neither the script ( based on a story by the celebrated Frances Marion ) nor the direction give her much leeway . Raoul Walsh seems a curious choice to direct this kind of film , but he must have had William Randolph Hearst's approval or he never would have been given the assignment . The trouble is that Marion has little chance to be anything other than sweet & pleasant - when finally given the opportunity to do a wicked spoof of co-star Fifi D'Orsay , she's terrific . Unfortunately , moments like that come all too rarely . Leading man Bing Crosby comes off rather better , showing the casual charm that would make him a huge star . And he gets to sing some fine tunes by Nacio Herb Brown & Arthur Freed , including the classic ? Temptation ' and the fun ? We'll Make Hay While The Sun Shines . ' Although his character is a bit of a cad , Bing never fails to deliver the goods to the audience . A troika of character performers add sparkle to the proceedings : earnest Stuart Erwin as a film producer ; caustic Ned Sparks as a dictatorial director ; and tomboy Patsy Kelly as a plain-talking gal trying to break into the movies . Movie mavens will spot Clara Blandick & Nora Cecil as two of the ossified instructors at the girls ' school , and Sterling Holloway as a recording mike technician - all uncredited . Oddly , this film about the Hollywood movie business takes time out to poke fun at contemporary radio stars . Mimic singers & impressionists , The Radio Rogues will provide a smile to viewers with very long memories . Time has not dealt kindly with Marion Davies . Almost forgotten today , when remembered at all it is usually as a sort of footnote to history or object of scandal . Her life certainly was colorful , and as chatelaine of America's most amazing private estate she did circulate amidst powerful circles . But to remember her as only the bimbo blonde mistress of the country's mightiest media baron is patently unfair . While much of the blame can go to Orson Welles ' spoof of Davies in CITIZEN KANE ( which he was to admit he regretted towards the end of his life ) it must be stated emphatically that Marion was not a no-talent actress with few friends & even fewer brains , whose career was destroyed by her stammer , leaving her to spend lonely years in great , hulking empty castles . In reality , Davies was a bright , vivacious lady who charmed & captivated such diverse guests as George Bernard Shaw & Winston Churchill throughout her 33-year liaison with Hearst . Adored by her friends and a fierce cadre of fans , Davies was renowned for her tireless generosity and charitable good works . Her speech impediment never affected her screen acting and her undeniable talent was evident to any who were willing to assess her performances honesty and look past the scandal . Davies had to have been embarrassed by the Hearst empire's relentless pushing of her career . She knew this left her open to ridicule & mockery , doubtless contributing to her scarcely concealed alcoholism . But she eventually relinquished her film pursuits in order to care for the aging Hearst , and after his death in 1951 she showed herself to be an astute businesswoman during the remaining ten years of her life . It is only now , with the passage of much time & the restoration of her old movies , that it is becoming easier to acknowledge the contributions & cinematic expertise of Miss Marion Davies .
437,917
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24,069
10
Classic Depression Era Musical
New York City - the height of the Great Depression . Four showgirls , starving , scheming for that next role in a Broadway musical comedy . Looking for the Big Break . Auditioning for every part . Often down , but never downhearted . Using men , loving men , cheating men . These are the GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 . This is a wonderful comedy - funny , tuneful & easy on the intellect . Plus , the magic of Busby Berkeley's musical numbers . It's the kind of entertainment that kept audiences happy for a few hours during the dark days of economic despair in the early 1930's . The cast is first-rate : brassy Joan Blondell ; cynical Aline MacMahon ; innocent Ruby Keeler & on-the-make Ginger Rogers . Keeler lands handsome & mysterious Dick Powell , ( who gets to croon some attractive Harry Warren tunes ) ; and acerbic but loyal producer Ned Sparks . Warren William & Guy Kibbee turn up late in the proceedings , playing priggish bluenoses who are nonetheless highly susceptible to alcohol & feminine wiles . Movie mavens will recognize Charles Lane as a society reporter ; Ferdinand Gottschalk as a disgruntled club member ; and Sterling Holloway as a messenger boy . Some years back , in an introduction to a book about THE WIZARD OF OZ's Munchkins , dwarf Billy Barty stated that he was ' too young ' to appear in that 1939 movie . This , of course , is nonsense , and he can easily be spotted in the ' Pettin ' In The Park ' number here . As he would in FOOTLIGHT PARADE , he rather disturbingly portrays a lecherous tot , a sure indication , if nothing else , that this is a pre-Production Code film . Mr . Berkeley does get to have some fun . The film starts with ' We're In The Money ' featuring Ginger Rogers & girls clad in coins large & small ; Rogers even gets to sing one chorus in pig Latin . ' Pettin ' In The Dark ' extols the joys of bucolic lovemaking , segues to simulated , silhouetted female nudity and rather bizarrely ends with the chorus all metal-corseted ( Powell is given a can opener to use on Keeler ) . ' The Shadow Waltz ' is Berkeley at his most romantic , with its helix-skirted ladies pretending to play fluorescent , fake violins , all moving in a multitude of weaving patterns staged for the famous overhead camera shots . The film's emotional punch comes at the end , with Blondell's tempestuous rendition of ' Remember My Forgotten Man ' - with its endless marching men , a blues wail for the doughboys of the Great War , ruined by the Depression . The movie ends on this somber note . ( Powell also gets to warble ' I've Got To Sing A Torch Song ' ) . And just who are those hilarious , Yiddish Kentucky Hillbillies , anyway ?
437,566
306,861
20,276
10
Down On The Farm With Mr . Mouse
A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon . THE PLOWBOY who should be attending more to his chores and less to trying to lip lock with his girlfriend is none other than Mickey Mouse . This very early black & white Mouse cartoon has virtually no plot , but is driven almost entirely by the soundtrack . In his first screen appearance , Horace Horsecollar pulls the plow , but also displays a rather unhealthy interest in Miss Minnie . Artist Ub Iwerks makes poor Clarabelle Cow and her vast udder the subject of more of his favorite appendage jokes . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work will always pay off .
437,485
306,861
27,990
10
Pluto's Fowl Problem
A Walt Disney SILLY SYMPHONY Cartoon Short . Mickey's pal finds himself becoming MOTHER PLUTO when he attracts the affections of a brood of neglected chicks . Pluto is in very sophisticated surroundings indeed with his starring role in a SILLY SYMPHONY short , an accomplishment even The Mouse never achieved . The film is fun to watch and the animation is excellent . No dialogue is needed , as the plot is driven along by the visuals & the soundtrack ( music mavens will recognize ' Oh Where , Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone ? ' and ' John Brown's Body ' ) . Florence Gill , hilarious as always , vocalizes the hen's clucks . The SILLY SYMPHONIES , which Walt Disney produced for a ten year period beginning in 1929 , are among the most fascinating of all animated series . Unlike the Mickey Mouse cartoons in which action was paramount , with the Symphonies the action was made to fit the music . There was little plot in the early Symphonies , which featured lively inanimate objects and anthropomorphic plants & animals , all moving frantically to the soundtrack . Gradually , however , the Symphonies became the school where Walt's animators learned to work with color and began to experiment with plot , characterization & photographic special effects . The pages of Fable & Fairy Tale , Myth & Mother Goose were all mined to provide story lines and even Hollywood's musicals & celebrities were effectively spoofed . It was from this rich soil that Disney's feature-length animation was to spring . In 1939 , with SNOW WHITE successfully behind him and PINOCCHIO & FANTASIA on the near horizon , Walt phased out the SILLY SYMPHONIES ; they had run their course & served their purpose .
438,311
306,861
31,834
10
Mayday !
An MGM PETE SMITH SPECIALITY Short Subject . RADIO HAMS do more than play with their machines - - they are also invaluable in relaying vital information during times of tragedy & disaster . This little film , rather more serious than many of Pete Smith's presentations , takes a look at how ham radios can become priceless aids during emergencies . The two stories shown , one dealing with sickness - - the other with a missing plane , are bookended by a humorous look at a typical three-generation family's fascination with their ham radio . Clayton Moore , later famous as the Lone Ranger , appears uncredited as a ship radio operator . Often overlooked or neglected today , the one and two-reel short subjects were useful to the Studios as important training grounds for new or burgeoning talents , both in front & behind the camera . The dynamics for creating a successful short subject was completely different from that of a feature length film , something akin to writing a topnotch short story rather than a novel . Economical to produce in terms of both budget & schedule and capable of portraying a wide range of material , short subjects were the perfect complement to the Studios ' feature films .
438,296
306,861
31,835
10
Powerful Special Effects & Good Acting Give Film A Lift
Imperial India , 1938 . The beautiful , bored wife of a bullying English lord arrives in the princely state of Ranchipur , during the Heat . There she is surprised to find a former lover living as an expatriate , but it is his friend , a handsome , high caste Hindu doctor , that catches her eye . Her plans for seduction begin to proceed , when , suddenly , THE RAINS CAME . . . Myrna Loy , Tyrone Power & George Brent star in this slick soap opera , which boasts a fine supporting cast & spectacular special effects . They all do a superior job with sometimes sudsy material and are never less than intriguing . Standing out in smaller roles are : Jane Darwell & Henry Travers as loving missionary teachers ; Nigel Bruce as the foul-tempered lord ; H . B . Warner as the noble , aged Maharajah ; Marjorie Rambeau as the petty , social climbing missionary wife ; Harry Hayden as her ineffectual husband ; Joseph Schildkraut as an Anglo Indian ; Mary Nash as a suspicious head nurse ; and Laura Hope Crews as a silly Englishwoman . Kudos should go to ancient , wizened Maria Ouspenskaya , nothing less than magnificent as the Maharani . Every inch a queen , she effortlessly steals her every scene & provides the calm center around which the film revolves . The subplot with amorous young Brenda Joyce is ludicrous & utterly negligible . The special effects are , indeed , wonderful - well worthy of the Oscar they earned . Monsoon , followed by earthquake , followed by flood explode across the screen , showing that 20th Century Fox spent its pennies well . Queries : Why does Tyrone Power neither look , sound or act Indian ? And how does Myrna Loy come through the worst extremes of weather always looking like she just stepped out of a Hollywood make-up artist's chair ? In films like this you aren't supposed to ask questions like that . . .
437,482
306,861
33,355
10
No Golden Gloves For Goofy
A Walt Disney GOOFY Cartoon . Goofy aptly demonstrates THE ART OF SELF DEFENSE throughout the Ages . Pugilism comes in for a gentle ribbing in this amusing little film . Goofy proves to be as adept at fisticuffs as he is at most everything else in his befuddled life . John McLeish narrates in his best documentarian manner . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,299
306,861
33,356
10
Hitting The Slopes With The Goof
A Walt Disney GOOFY Cartoon . The viewer is instructed in THE ART OF SKIING on snow - with the Goof giving the perfect examples of what not to do . This humorous little film was one of several made by Disney between 1940 & 1956 in which Goofy receives instruction in some task or pastime - with inevitably chaotic results . If one ventures beyond the chuckles there is plenty of pertinent information to be gleaned concerning ski clothing & equipment ; we even get the terms schuss & slalom explained to us . John McLeish provides the narration in his best documentarian manner . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work will always pay off .
437,558
306,861
20,238
10
Antiquated Musical
Desperate for Broadway , the traveling troupe of The Phantom Sweetheart must always go ON WITH THE SHOW ! Here is another very early talkie musical , full of excitement for the new medium , but bloated by too much talk , unexciting songs sung by the chorus with mostly unintelligible lyrics and an overlong running time . The plot deals with the usual frustrations & jealousies that most backstage musicals seem to find requisite . The cast includes William Bakewell as the head usher eager to get his sweetheart , box-office girl Sally O'Neill , her chance at the Great White Way . Betty Compson plays the temperamental star and Arthur Lake the whiny young male lead . Louise Fazenda is the company's eccentric comedienne , who is given little to do but laugh at inappropriate moments . The film does have some compensations . Rubber faced Joe E . Brown is cast as the company's brash comic and , as always , he is funny simply to look at . Best of all , the incomparable Ethel Waters is brought in to sing a couple of songs , including ' Am I Blue ? ' Miss Waters has no connection with the rest of the story whatsoever , but just enjoying her for a few minutes is pure pleasure .
438,092
306,861
26,104
10
Color Classic
Pretty BECKY SHARP , orphaned & penniless , knows exactly what she wants out of life and how to get it . William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair is brought to vivid , if drastically reduced , life and provides a wonderful showcase for star Miriam Hopkins , who gets the most out of her selfish , petulant , scheming , desperate character . Her Becky is fascinating to watch and dominates nearly every scene in the film , making us forget that the actress is not English and forgive that the character is rather less than virtuous . Miss Hopkins is aided by a sizable cast of seasoned veterans , mostly British , several of whom only appear in a single scene . Frances Dee has very little to do except look lovely as Becky's school chum . Nigel Bruce comes off rather better as Miss Dee's obese brother who adores Becky . The incomparable Alison Skipworth plays their quarrelsome old aunt who hires Becky for a short while . Alan Mowbray has a fine romantic role as the husband who worships Becky , to his pain . Marvelous Sir Cedric Hardwicke successfully underplays his role as a powerful nobleman who takes Becky as his mistress . Wonderful Billie Burke appears for a few moments in a serious role as a society lady attending a soirée in Brussels . Doris Lloyd is the hostess . Three short , sharp portrayals worth watching for are provided by Elspeth Dudgeon as an acidic girls ' school proprietress ; George Hassell as a rascally old baronet ; and Tempe Pigott as a plain-talking charwoman . BECKY SHARP is important historically in that it was the first film produced in full 3-strip Technicolor . Director Rouben Mamoulian's opulent production was a worthy choice for such a distinguished accolade . Restored in the 1990's , the color is once again most pleasing to the eye .
438,199
306,861
227,851
10
Just The Facts From Disney
A Walt Disney THE HUMAN ANIMAL Cartoon . Jiminy Cricket gives us just the facts concerning YOU AND YOUR FIVE SENSES : hearing , smelling , taste , sight & touch . This is one of a short series of little films in which Disney educated his young viewers about the workings of their remarkable bodies , with comparisons & examples drawn from the world of nature . Did you know that only man has a nose that projects out of the face ? Jiminy , as voiced by the inimitable Cliff Edwards , is the perfect pedagogue . Walt Disney ( 1901-1966 ) was always intrigued by drawings . As a lad in Marceline , Missouri , he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper ; later , as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War , he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle . Back in Kansas City , along with artist Ub Iwerks , Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters . Always the innovator , his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe . Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923 , where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor . When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor , the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination , ensuring Disney's immortality . The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut , STEAMBOAT WILLIE ( 1928 ) , a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music . The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared , and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color , illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development , an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable . Mickey's feisty , naughty behavior had captured millions of fans , but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions : temperamental Donald Duck , intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto . All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films . Against a blizzard of doomsayers , Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White , Pinocchio , Dumbo , Bambi & Peter Pan . Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse , or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off .
437,334
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10
Talent Contest Troubles With The Little Rascals
An OUR GANG Comedy Short . To his embarrassment , Spanky's mom enters him in a talent contest . He immediately gets the Gang's help in a plan to lose . Once on stage , however , Spanky meets a sweet little girl & his plans change . Now he'll need real BEGINNER'S LUCK to have a chance of winning . . . A very funny little film , with Spanky in rare form . Highlight : Spanky's performance on stage . This was the film debut for Alfalfa ( he sings ' She'll Be Comin ' ' Round The Mountain ' ) .
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10
Domestic Difficulties With Mr . Lloyd
A Hal Roach HAROLD LLOYD film . When he says ' I DO ' at his nuptials , a young man has no idea the travail his wife's family will put him through . Harold Lloyd had another winner with this domestic comedy in which he must deal with his wife's nephews , the elder a dreadful little brat and the younger a crying baby , during a long & frightful night . As so often happened , Harold's superb athletic abilities enhance his role , even with half of his mutilated right hand hidden by a special glove . Lloyd's hilarious HOT WATER , which came three years later , doubtless drew some of its inspiration from this film . I DO originally ran longer , but when the preview audience didn't respond with enough laughs to the opening scenes Harold removed the entire first reel , tightening the picture down to a tad under 25 minutes . The animated sequence depicting the wedding is a nice touch . Mildred Davis appropriately plays Harold's wife - they would soon be married in real life . Noah Young , who acted many a tough guy in Lloyd's films , lends his menacing presence to the end of the movie . Robert Israel has composed an excellent film score which perfectly complements Harold's antics on the screen .