Word: plotting
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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...delightful English comedy. It consists of that more mature humor of contrasting characters, not caricatures. There is a certain mellowness and sub stance in Mr. Drinkwater's handling, and of course, the sureness of an accomplished dramatist. And there is no heap of froth to hide any inadequacies of plot. The usual "Says who-whozzat" business usually associated with comedy is fortunately omitted. The situation is presented and the comedy is a matter of the effect upon the different characters, always true to their type; ever so slightly satirical but always good natured...
...plot is transparent from the beginning and quite naturally worked out; and the two minor characters do their work in a convincing manner. It is the story of a writer, a lady killer who must always be a sophisticated fop; at the same time having the sense to realize that he must marry money to have his necessary good time a light story amusingly done...
When young Master Jack Bedford lies about orders he has given Gus, Gus is discharged. As a waiter in a Louisville restaurant he overhears the plot against the Bedfords, foils the villains, returns to the Bedford stables in time to ride Big Boy to victory against a field of jockeys weighing pounds less than himself. Jolson in the plot is innocuous, often preposterous, unhampered by the story: singing, quipping, dancing, rolling his eyes and giving the Jolson public oldtime Jolson nonsense from the days before he got mixed up with Sonny Boy. That both Warner and Jolson know Jolson...
...from a "straight" situation that has been turned comic by some attitude that makes it ridiculous or by the presence of a character who does not belong in it. As a taxidriver, a ship's steward, and finally a castaway on a desert island, Oakie through the rambling plot has nothing to satirize; the only way that he can satirize the tedious job of being funny all the time is by being inadvertently dull for long stretches. People who find the picture outmoded in its song and chorus numbers may be reminded that Let's Go Native...
...piece was the first from the pen of Mary a Mannes Mielziner, niece of Walter Damrosch, wife of Jo Mielziner, famed stage-setting designer. At no time did the dialog, action or story of Cafe rise above the general quality level of the littlest little theatre. Nub of the plot: Maurice Larned (Rollo Peters) fled from a U.S. wife, met and lived with Sally Burch of Akron, was pursued by Jane Geddes, also from Akron who sought to redeem him. Maurice's wife came to get him, Jane's brother came to get Jane. She, however, had become hopelessly attached...