Tarzan and His Mate Directed by Cedric Gibbons
1934/USA
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Second viewing
Tarzan: Good morning, I love you. Jane Parker: Good morning, I love you. You never forget, do you, Tarzan? Tarzan: Never forget… I love you.
Jane’s (Maureen O’Sullivan) ex-fiancee Harry Holt returns to Africa in search of a treasure in ivory in the elephant’s graveyard and in hopes of luring her back to England. She belongs heart and soul to Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller), however. Tarzan agrees to lead Harry and his no-good partner to the elephant’s graveyard but balks at letting them take any ivory out.
I found this sequel far less offensive than the original Tarzan the Ape Man (1932), although it still suffers from some bwana-itis. The relationship between Tarzan and Jane, and theirs with Cheeta, is quite charming. However, the action palls too soon. It is basically Tarzan wrestling a wild animal into submission over and over again.
This film came out in April 1934 before the Production Code began to be enforced. Clearly, we would not have been treated to a fairly lengthy scene of Jane’s nude underwater bathing otherwise! Interestingly, Tarzan does not feel called upon to skinny dip when he is swimming with her.
The Gay Divorcee Directed by Mark Sandrich
1934/USA
RKO Radio Pictures
Umpteenth viewing
Aunt Hortense: Be feminine and sweet. If you can blend the two.
Fred Astaire plays Guy Holden, an American dancer returning to London. He meets Mimi (Ginger Rogers) when she suffers a wardrobe malfunction at London customs. He isn’t too helpful and she gives him the brushoff. She meets him again at an English seaside resort where she has gone to sham an adulterous affair so that her husband will discover it and divorcer her. A misunderstanding leads her to believe that Guy is the hired correspondent.
“The Continental”
All this is just a good excuse for the dance numbers which are the whole point. The “Night and Day” ballroom dance is so elegant and sublime that this movie would rank high with me even if that was all it contained. However, we have the almost equally delightful “The Continental” number and a nice tap solo for Fred to “A Needle in a Haystack”.
I find Alice Brady annoying but the always reliable Edward Everett Horton is along as Mimi’s lawyer; Eric Blore shows why he was the most popular comic butler in Hollywood; and Eric Rhodes is hilarious as the egotistical family-man correspondent. I am crazy for Fred and Ginger. Lately, I have taken to watching Ginger’s face while they dance. She was quite an actress and puts her whole self into it.
The Adventures of Robin Hood Directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley
1938/USA
Warner Bros. Pictures
#114 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Second Viewing
IMDb users say 8.0/10; I say 9.0/10
Lady Marian Fitzswalter: Why, you speak treason!
Robin Hood: Fluently.
There are times that call for uncomplicated entertainment where virtue triumphs and true love prospers. The Great Depression was such a time. I would submit that the 2010’s are another, which may account for the current popularity of Superhero comic book fare. Since I prefer my films without explosions, graphic violence or CGI, The Adventures of Robin Hood is where I want to turn when I’m looking for an action pick-me-up.
True Love
Whatever his personal life, in 1938 Errol Flynn was the embodiment of swashbuckling, wise-cracking virtue and perfect for playing Robin Hood as the merriest of the Merry Men. We meet him as he is rescuing poacher Much from summary execution by the coldly cruel Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone). However, his grand entrance is shortly afterward when he arrives at a banquet hosted by Prince John (Claude Raines) and deposits the poached deer before the prince. This is followed by a classic fight scene in which Robin fights off at least 20 Norman foes single handed with sword, arrows, and sheer derring-do.
Robin first sets eyes on the beautiful Lady Marian, intelligently played by the lovely Olivia de Havilland, at the banquet. As a Norman, she at first despises this Saxon upstart but learns to respect and then love him for his loyalty to her guardian King Richard and his goodness to the downtrodden. Robin is appropriately chivalric throughout. In fact, a tenant of the oath taken by the Merry Men is to protect all women whether Norman or Saxon.
Three villains – Melville Cooper, Basil Rathbone, and Claude Raines
The supporting cast is a roster of some of the most familiar faces in ’30’s Hollywood. Each villain has his own consistent attributes from Claude Raines’s cynical, snide Prince John, to Melville Cooper’s cowardly Sheriff of Nottingham. Basil Rathbone contributes his expert swordsmanship to the fabulous sword duel with Robin that closes the film. Then we have the good guys. It is hard to imagine a more perfect crew than Alan Hale as Little John, Eugene Pallette as Friar Tuck, Patric Knowles as Will Scarlet, and Herbert Mundin as Much. Una O’Conner hams it up as Marian’s loyal lady’s maid Bess.
The bright glittering costumes and sets may not present an accurate picture of the Middle Ages but they do contribute to the storybook feeling of the piece. Those who are looking for a gritty, nuanced portrayal of the Robin Hood legend would do better elsewhere. Those viewers who are out for a good time can stop right here for 102 minutes of unadulterated fun.
Twentieth Century Directed by Howard Hawks
1934/USA
Columbia Pictures Corporation
Second Viewing
Oscar Jaffe worms his way into Lily Garland’s Heart
Theater empresario and master manipulator Oscar Jaffe (John Barrymore) discovers lingerie model Mildred Plotka (Carole Lombard), changes her name to Lily Garland, and bullies her into stardom. They become lovers but his posturing and possessiveness finally drive her away to Hollywood. They meet again on the Twentieth Century Limited, which is taking Oscar from Chicago to New York after a flop and Lily from Hollywood to New York where she has signed to work with another director. The fireworks continue on the train as Oscar seizes on Lily as his last chance to get the financing he needs to save his theater.
Oscar Jaffe: I’m offering you a last chance to become immortal. Lily Garland, aka Mildred Plotka: Then I’ve decided to stay mortal with responsible management.
This early screwball comedy, written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, is a lot of fun. Barrymore is especially good as the totally phony and ultra-flamboyant producer. Carole Lombard starts out sane and builds to a fever pitch of diva-itis after her character becomes a Hollywood star. Roscoe Karns and Walter Connelly are excellent as Oscar’s assistants.
When we get the two characters emoting at full blast on the train, the histrionics can go straight over the top but, even in those scenes, there is the wry humor of the assistants to enjoy. Separately both Barrymore and Lombard are hilarious. I can imagine that John Barrymore had a grand time sending up theatrical producers. I loved those crazy chalk marks on the floor and the whole concept of putting on the Passion Play on Broadway complete with camels and an ibis.
3. The Mysterious Mr. Wong Directed by William Nigh
USA, 1934
Monogram Pictures
First Viewing
Mr. Wong: “A few hours with the rats will loosen his tongue to tell the truth!”
Mr. Wong with minion
Mr. Wong (Bela Lugosi) will stop at nothing to obtain the 12 golden coins of Confucius, which will allow him to rule the province of Keylat. A wisecracking reporter (Wallace Ford) blithely suffers one near-death experience after another to solve a series of murders in Chinatown in pursuit of him. Lugosi makes perhaps the most unconvincing Chinese person on record, but he does exude a certain campy menace. This was a Monogram Pictures B-picture and perfectly serviceable for the bottom of a double bill.
It Happened One Night Directed by Frank Capra USA, 1934 Columbia Pictures Corporation
Umpteenth viewing
1001 Movies – #86
Peter Warne: “I want to see what love looks like when it’s triumphant. I haven’t had a good laugh in a week.”
This is my idea of cinematic perfection as produced by Hollywood in 1934. There is not one single thing I would change. Of course, the leads are fabulous but every character actor was the best possible that could have been found. Once seen, Roscoe Karns’ annoying Shapley, Alan Hale’s larcenous flivver driver Danker, and Walter Connelly’s autocratic but loving father will become old friends. Capra, too, had a light touch which he was never again to entirely replicate. My favorite part is “The Man on the Flying Trapeze” scene on the bus.
I’ve been a classic movie fan for many years. My original mission was to see as many movies as I could get my hands on for every year from 1929 to 1970. I have completed that mission.
I then carried on with my chronological journey and and stopped midway through 1978. You can find my reviews of 1934-1978 films and “Top 10” lists for the 1929-1936 and 1944-77 films I saw here. For the past several months I have circled back to view the pre-Code films that were never reviewed here.
I’m a retired Foreign Service Officer living in Indio, California. When I’m not watching movies, I’m probably traveling, watching birds, knitting, or reading.
Photographs and videos found in this blog, unless indicated, are not owned by me and are here only for the purpose of education and discussion. Media found here are not intended for any commercial purpose. Copyright infringement is not intended.
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Directed by Howard Hawks
