Kansas City Princess (Warner Bros.) (1934)

JOAN BL Glenda Farrell MOTION PICTURE DAILY eel “Kansas City Princess” (Warners) Ho.titywoop, Aug. 6.—This is hoke comedy, colorful and racy, stack ing up as a satisfactor rogrammer. “Oers. The story opens in a Kansas City barber shop. Blondell, at the urging of her pal, powder on Robert Armstrong, a gangster, aft ring. Chased by Armstrong, they make New boys, Hobart Cavanaugh and T. Roy Barnes. They go off to Paris as Armstrong muscles in as bodyguar playboys pay their fare. 1s fast-moving in ac 10n an lalogue, well-acted an rected, and built to click with Te ular theatreThe yarn majors in po ular entertainment, In Paris Herbert seeks to get the goods on his wife, Renee Whitney. Detective Osgood Perkins and Gigolo Ivan Lebedeff work a doublecross that costs Herbert big dough, but makes marriage for Miss Blondell and Armstrong possible and tosses Miss Farrell into Herbert’s arms. The Misses Blondell and Farrell_make ideal foils for the Armstrong: SS Herbert tomioo aa carrying the snow: erkins,. “erenda 1S SPR ess Vhitnev, and , Vince avanaugh, barnes, arnett are effective, while William Keighley’s direction takes {ull advantage SP the Manuel Sefm-Sy Bartle“ Kansas City Princess Warners production and release. _ Directed by William Keighley. Based on story by Sy Bartlett. Screen play by Sy Bartlett and Manuel Seff. Photography, George Barnes. Cast: Joan Blondell. Glenda Farrell, Huch Herbert, Rob ert Armstrong, Gordon Westcott, Osgood’ Perkins, Hobart Cavanaugh, Vince Barnett, Ivan Lebedeff, T. Roy Barnes, Arthur Hoyt. Previewed at Warners Beverly Hills, Aug. 4. Running time, 08 mins. ‘Kansas Cit Princess'_ig a, divertin mernge ST Miarious nonsense tallored = Tit the well-estabDished comed Talents of the Joan Syondell-Glenda farrell team. Tappily cast to complement the exhuberance of these two in the character of manicurists out for one thing spelled three ways — dough, jack and lucre—are Robert Armstrong and Hugh Herbert. Good direction and a capable suporting cast with a sus enseful © tie into, complete ut lh stor p the favorable box office auspices. Picture has b intelli ent Tae ing and si owmanly deftness managed to preserve ovitanty and “verve, aged t mi character and Situation, des pice new censorsnhi abOOS — a rea achievement. Omedy content is suggested by the title. Blondell and Miss Farrel] are not content with the meagre tips of the nail polishing racket, and, under urgence of Farrell, decide to step out for larger game. Through several novel laugh’ routines, they find themselves eventually on a steamer pound for Paris, and forced by phoney tears and treatment. Running time, 58 minutes. eR acute wits to accept a loan of passage money and a clothes account from a pair of fresh strangers. Robert Armstrong, 2 tough mug whom Joan Blondell has tried to ditch after she has allowed an engagement ring he’s given her to be stolen, has followed the girls aboard. He forces himself, as a body guard, upon Hugh Herbert, an unhappy millionaire who seeks reconciliation with a flighty wife. The millionaire angels the expedition. In Paris the multiple entanglement of the quartet, complicated by the machinations of Osgood Perkins as 4 conscienceless detective, come to satisfactory finish in an exciting double-cross boudoir compromise situation. Miss Blondell and Miss Farrell doa swell Joint ob of augh manuTacture. tron Batter cast than he Tas Pech 7 nT ugh beon_of Tate, delivers a pip characterizalion an u erbert s restraine?¢, iffiden u neem Tosser parts or 1S Sure ire. n lesser parts se OaETa Cavanaugh, Vince Barnett, Arthur Hoyt, Gordon Westcott, Ivan Lebedeff, T. Roy Barnes and Renee Whitney give good accounts of themselves. Osgood Perkins does a deft job as the detective. William Keighley’s direction hews smartly to the light near-farcical mood of the excellent continuity which Sy Bartlett and Manuel Seff have added to the capital entertainment idea of Bartlett's original story. George Barnes’ photography is top notch. Manicurist Joan Glenda Farrell, takes a run-out er losing his engagement York, meeting two play d to Hugh Herbert, making the Stars of “Dames. in A Big Hit All Their Own ONDELL and HUGH © Robert Armstrong ° Os HERBERT good Perkins _..The Comedy a ~et, a ¢<