Taylor Goes The He-man Way

Radio Record, 9 December 1938, Page 32

Taylor Goes The He-man Way

"The Crowd Roars." M-G-M. Directed by Richard Thorpe, Star. ring Robert ‘Taylor, Maureen O’Sullivan, Edward Arnold, Frank Morgan. First release: Wellington and Auckiand, December 30.] EFORE saying anything B about this really good picture, I’d like to voice a gentle complaint about the sort of publicity Hollywood sometimes allows to ereep out. For instance, we’re told a certain star has a wooden leg, and whenever we see him we notice an imperceptible limp which wouldn’t worry us at all otherwise. Similarly with Robert Taylor. I read .somewhere, I forget where, that the hair on his chest (of which a lot is seen in "The Crowd Roars") is the result of a careful studio deception.

Now, whether Robert Taylor has or has not hair on his chest doesn’t interest me in the slightest, and I think it’s a nity that Holly. wood should allow anything like that to become ¢urrent gossip. But that didn’t interfere with the pleasure I received from waiching the good-looking Mr, Taylo: battle his way from choirboy~ to nearchampion pug. The picture is fine entertainment in the traditionally-competent M-G-M manner, and a fight fan or not, you should enjoy it. (If you are a fight fan, you'll as likely as not be sitting forward on your seat giving and taking every punch.)

Not All Fight

TTHERE’S more to it than fight, of course. Romance with (Maureen O’Sullivan, who is learning how to act, and sail-boats and moonlit drop scenes); drammer (with a kidnapping and three nifty killings); comedy (Frank Morgan tipsy and theatrical, and Lionel Spender hard-boiled and wise-crack-

ing); and a moral (that professional boxing is no sort of a career for % choir-boy). Story: Boxing champ. discovers choir-boy patks a stick of dynamite in his right hand, makes a fighter out of him. Fighter is near top when he has to fight old tutor and friend, who is trying to make a come-back. Unforeseen incident. {shame to tell what it is) makes kim decide to give the game up. Broke. Comes back, strikes bargain with big bookmaker-cum-rac-keteer. Fights his way back to fame but meeis, falls in love with bookmaker’s daughter. Big fizht is scheduled. Lot of betting. Phony set-up. Fighter’s tipsy father blows gafi, Sweetheart and tipsy father kidnapped. Fight starts; hero decides only thing to do is lay down in eighth round; taking terrific beating; dramatic escape of sweetheart just in time; amazing recovery of hero; vietory; final renunciation of fight game; hero no longer a Iug and a _ low-down palooka; wedding bells.

Realism, Thrills

THE boxing ir "The. Crowd Roars" is amazingly well done. The big fight sequence in "Kid Galahad" set a new high in fight sequences for me, but for realism and thrills, some of the scenes in "The Crowd Roars" compare very favourably with them. i was intrigued by the glimpse of Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom training (he’s no tyro in pictures remember "Nothing Sacred’’?), and the fine technique of the Madison Square announcer (f am told he’s the famous announcer in person). ‘A word of praise for Frank Morgan for a characterisation in the familiar Morgan manner, but a good one all the same. Have I or have I not seen him make that final heroic exit somewhere. before? For Edward Arnold, whose portrait, as always, Is a richly-coloured, fulllength one. And, finally, for Robert Taylor, a stronger, more purposeful Robert Taylor. "The Crowd. Roars" is a milestone for him, Lines f liked:Belligerent choir-boy: He said my father was a tomaytoe. Wise old priest: I guess, son, we're all tomaytoes in the face of Heaven. Sweet young thing (after "Killer" McCoy has dropped his opponent with a wicked right cross: h bor are they holding up his hand or? Seasoned fight fan: That's to Shake the horseshoe out of his glove.