COMEDY AND THRILLER

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22894, 15 December 1939, Page 16

COMEDY AND THRILLER

Ritz Brothers for Crystal Palace

The Ritz Brothers, with Edward Norris and Anita Louise, are starred in “The Gorilla ” the comedy thriller opening at the Crystal Palace to-day. Based on the famous Ralph Spence stgge play, the picture offers the Ritzes their craziest and funniest roles as Harrigan, Mulligan, and Garrity, who cannot tell a clue from a magnifying glass. The story opens with Lionel Atwill the recipient of a note from a terrible and mysterious menace, “The Gorilla,” threatening him with murder at midnight. And, as if this were not enough trouble for one man—especially a man who lives in a house full of sliding panels—he draws the Ritz. Brothers, besides.

'The boys arrive in their model T Ford in the midst of a fierce thunderstorm. Midnight—and threatened murder is approaching. To the accompaniment of their tapping knees and chattering teeth,: the boys get down to business. From then on, it’s anybody’s party—and the thrills and chills and laughs follow so fast and furiously that your sides will ache be? fore it is over. The associate feature is “Chasing Danger,” in which a revolt in the desert forms the background for the thrilling adventures of two camera daredevils on the loose. Preston Foster and Lynn Bari head the cast, which includes Wally Vernon, Henry Wilcoxon. Joan Woodbury, and Harold Huber. Ricardo i Cortez directed the film, for which Robert Ellis and Helen Logan wrote the screen play, based on an original story by Leonardo Bercovici.