"Joy Of Living" Is Almost Joyless

Radio Record, 8 July 1938, Page 27

"Joy Of Living" Is Almost Joyless

{"The Joy of Living." RKO Radio. Directed by Tay Garnett. Starring Irene Dunne, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Already released.]

ARLIER than anticipated, it becomes necessary to gird up .our metaphorical loins and apply the harsher side of our new grading system. Perhaps it’s hecause one expects something rather special from any Irene Dunne film that

‘The Joy. of Living" rates no higher than "Also Ran." And I’m not so sure it doesn’t deserve a "Dead Horse" grading when you consider that, in addition to Irene as its star, it began with the advantage of a supporting cast containing Douglas Fairbanks, jun., Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, J ean Dixon and Erie Blore. © © For, in spite of its advantages, the picture emerges a's just another mach-ine-made crazy comedy. Away From It All How tired one becomes of irresponsible heroes and heroines" who Tefuse to behave like normal human beings, and who | burble.so knowingly

about the delights of an expansive, untrammelled existence, Really, these ~ bright "young . things can. Be terribly dull on: occasions! In this particular piece of wunintentionally heavy farce, the hero is’ 2 fellow whoée recipe for the ‘wider, happier life is that you should always do what you want to do, whenever you want to do it. I’d like to see. -attyone try it-but, then, I’m forgetting © the censor. With this insidiously subversive doc: trine, he pursues Irene Dunne, whois -a worthy subject because, asa stage ‘star with a sponging family,’ she, is "so "pusy earhing millioas of. dollars to keep the. home, fires...burming....0d. ., /papa’s ’S

whisky-flask . replenished, . that. she never has to enjoy herself. It should be mentioned--that the hero himself is liberally supplied with -wealth, and owns a South Sea island ‘ and a boat to take him there whenever he feels the need "to get away from-it ‘all." "These possessions, of course, give him 4 much stronger claim to be an expert in the art of self-expression than the ordinary person who has to work for-a living. .. Not. Spontaneous O late in the cycle, a crazy comedy these days has. to be something B -more. than. merely crazy if it-is to be notable. Sometimes you get it, Last week I saw another farce, "Romance . for Three," in which the story was almost as trivial, the situations just as absurd, but which -was completely redeemed by its zest and spontaneity. Admittedly "The Joy of Living" occasionally comes to light with a sequence that is joyful; but on the whole it has nothing-not even any really catchy .music-to make it stand out from the ruck, F "The Mikado" HE first Gilbert and Sullivan operafilm, ‘The Mikado," began production on July 1 under the direction. of Victor Schertzinger. "The: Mikado" is being produced in colour by Geoffrey Toye, who is prepared to spend £200,000 on it. It will be the first colour film ever made at Pinewood. According to Toye, there will he no big stars in his picture. "Most of the cast," he says, "will be recruited from the ranks of the D’oyley Carte: Company. After all, they are soaked in the tradition of the Savoy operas and we have no intention of breaking with that tradition under any circumstances." "The Mikado" is to be followed by a colour ‘version of: "The Yeomen of the Guard."