Joan Crawford in “The Shining Hour”

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 96, 26 April 1939, Page 11

Joan Crawford in “The Shining Hour”

NIGHT-CLUB DANCER MARRIES MID-WESTERN FARMER (Regent: Coming Soon.) With Joan Crawford in her first dancing role since “Dancing Lady,” produced five years ago, “The Shining Hour” also presents such screen headliners as Margaret Sullavan, Robert Young, Melvyn Douglas and Fay Bainter. Based on the play by Keith Winter, the new picture relates the adventures of a Broadway night club dancer who marries a middle-western gentleman farmer. He takes her into the heart of his family and there her difficulties begin. A brother-in-law promptly falls in love with her and his wife is the one friend she lias in the household. An elder spinster sister despises her and makes no secret of it.

In this situation, tbe girl is helpless. Tragedy comes into the picture when the spinster sister sets fire to the house which the newly-weds have built. Aware that her husband is in lovo with the new-comer, the sister-in-law rushes into the flames but is rescued by the dancer. The incident restores all of them to their senses and life adjusts itself on a happier basis. The brilliaut cast leaves nothing to be desired in the way of acting portrayals and the picture is aided by the fine direction of Frank Borzage. It is said that David Niveu failed to uiu Miss Obcron’s hand in real life, but Goldwyn has cast him as her liusbaud iu the picturization of Emily Bronte’s classic novel “Wuthering Heights.” This is the film for which Goldwyn has brought from England Laurence Oliver, Flora Robson—Britain’s foremost dramatic actress, Hugh Williams, Cecil Humphreys and a number of other famous British actors.