Lester W. Cohen Movies
- 1939
In this drama, a department store owner is deeply saddened to learn that none of his grown sons are interested in taking over the business he has worked so hard to build. To coerce them, he even tries giving them shares of company stock. In the end, only the youngest son shows any interest at all. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward Ellis, William Gargan, (more)
- 1935
Katharine Hepburn suffers nobly while her philandering conductor husband Charles Boyer dallies with the likes of Helene Millard in this overheated melodrama directed by Philip Moeller of the renowned Theater Guild. Although receiving plenty of warning, prim lady composer Constance Roberti (Hepburn) is still devastated when her new husband, Franz (Boyer), is spotted dining with glamorous Sylvia (Millard) and promptly leaves him. A dipsomaniac, Roberti finds solace in a bottle and is soon reduced to playing in a seedy dive. Constance finds him there and after playing “their song” on the honky-tonk, Roberti resolves to go straight and return to the world of classical music. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Katharine Hepburn, Charles Boyer, (more)
The first of three film versions of Somerset Maugham's Of Human Bondage stars Leslie Howard as sensitive, clubfooted artist-cum-med student Philip Carey. Despite his yearnings for the finer things in life, Carey cannot extricate himself from a mutually destructive relationship with sluttish waitress Mildred Rogers (Bette Davis). After an incredible series of emotional disasters, Carey finally finds happiness in the arms of Sally Altheny (Frances Dee). The industry buzz in 1934 indicated that Bette Davis was a shoe-in for an Academy Award for her savage portrayal of Mildred, but her home studio Warner Bros. failed to mount an adequate publicity campaign on Davis' behalf, allegedly because she'd made the film on loan-out to RKO and Warners wasn't about to heap praise upon a rival. It is now generally conceded that Davis' Oscar win for 1935's Dangerous was consolation for her losing the statuette in 1934. Long out of circulation due to the 1946 remake, the 1934 Of Human Bondage has since slipped into the public domain, and is now seen more often than either of the subsequent remakes (the last was in 1964). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, (more)
- 1933
Lionel Barrymore plays one of those selfless general practitioners that seem to exist exclusively in the movies in One Man's Journey. Though his efforts go unappreciated by his patients and even by his own family, the far-from-wealthy Dr. Eli Watt (Barrymore) continues to dedicate his life to medicine, ultimately inspiring his son Jimmy (Buster Phelps as a child, Joel McCrea as an adult) to follow in his footsteps. As a result of his tireless efforts to pull his community through a deadly epidemic, Dr. Watt is at last honored at a testimonial dinner, where his richer and more famous colleagues lift their glasses in praise of our hero. Of course, Watt also finds time to patch up the romance between his son Jimmy and Jimmy's sweetheart Joan (Frances Dee, Mrs. Joel Crea in real life). One Man's Journey was remade by director Garson Kanin as A Man to Remember (1938) -- a rare instance in which a remake was actually better than the original. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lionel Barrymore, May Robson, (more)
- 1933
A countess and a doctor embark on an adventure in Africa in order to find a cure for sleeping sickness, but superstitions and crocodiles get in their way. Of course, they end up together. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tala Birell, Miki Morita, (more)
- 1933
Lionel Barrymore plays a Marshall Field-like Chicago businessman who emerges from the wreckage of the 1871 fire to build a department-store empire. Barrymore is aided by his Jewish manager Gregory Ratoff, who despite his business acumen is never made a full partner. The store magnate's four children grow up to be disappointments, preferring to squander dad's money and refusing to enter his business. Manager Ratoff realizes that Barrymore's offspring are worthless, and quietly buys up their shares of the store in order to save the business from ruin, emerging with full charge of Barrymore's empire. Only when Barrymore is on the verge of death do his children rally around him and promise to make something of themselves. A well-made 20th century equivalent to King Lear, Sweepings was remade less effectively as Three Sons in 1939. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lionel Barrymore, Alan Dinehart, (more)
- 1929
Circus life provides the framework of this drama that chronicles the love, life, and aspiration of a young circus waif. The aspiring star is learning to walk the high-wire with the young wire-walker she adores. He loves another, his partner, but she is untrue to him. As a result he is almost on the edge of a breakdown. When she abandons him, he takes comfort in drinking too much. The plucky young girl tries to help him return to his former glory. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clara Bow, Richard Arlen, (more)
