"Already well in the forefront of contemporary photoplay producers, Charles J. Carbonaro has taken a marked step onward in his current comedy, Little Sherlock. Simply planned yet smoothly integrated, this new production tells a delightful tale of the precocious daughter of a photographer, who was always "helping" father. How, during a surprise robbery of their home, she records the crux of the event with Daddy's amateur movie camera provides a denouement which is both satisfying and successful. In Little Sherlock, Mr. Carbonaro has more than maintained the suave lighting and impeccable technical standards for which his work is known; he now wins new honors with a display of genuine talent for light comedy direction. To both of these credits must be added praise for his own acting of the busy cameraman and for the portrayal of the eager apprentice by his own daughter, Alice." Movie Makers, Dec. 1937, 603.
Based on PG Wodehouse novel Something Fresh.
"In Love Apples, Henry Hoke presented what is, so far as Movie Makers records show, the first approach to filming the hobby and preoccupation of an entire family. Unquestionably the Hoke family likes tomatoes and, something less commonly encountered, it is willing to work to produce them. Mr. Hoke's Kodachrome film lets us see the entire family group at work planting, weeding, watering and picking — especially picking, because Mr. Hoke makes quite a cinematic point of eager hands reaching for tomatoes in and out of season. The continuity is active and full of humorous touches, with a shade too great an emphasis on camera tricks for their own sake; the photography is adequate and often provides much screen beauty. Above all, this film has a unity which, added to its unusual motive, brings it into the Honorable Mention class." Movie Makers, Dec. 1936, 549-550.
"The Toronto Movie club has cast several of its members in a comedy involving the boss, his daughter, and two bond sales-men. The usual conflicts-the daughter's choice finds some difficulty with her father. And there are two gunmen looking for easy money. A different touch of the old story, well paced, with a fine cast who move about with comic realism" PSA Journal, Nov. 1958, 46.
"Love in String is a most ambitious animated attempt to tell a yarn with yarn. Boy yarn meets girl yarn and together they spin a yarn of love on a tropical isle. Some coconuts later the story comes to a close with a thunderous climax. A sound track synchronized with the animated twine contributes a great deal to the effectiveness of the production. This picture also won the MPD Humorous Film Award" PSA Journal, Sept. 1965, 50.
A man is late for his anniversary dinner after getting drunk at an "amateur magician's club." He attempts to make up for it by surprising his wife with gifts, but the gifts turn out to be magic tricks which further infuriate her. The man's magic tricks are accomplished via trick photography.
"Amateur filmmaker, cinema historian and railway engineer H.A.V. Bulleid presents this comedy of two bumbling sleuths bickering their way through an investigation. When the venerable, one-armed Dr Claudius Bombarnoc drops an important document, it is seized upon by the villainous Michel Despard. Giving chase, the doctor literally trips over the hapless duo from the Messrs Make and Break Detective Agency. Employed by the doctor, they trace the villain to the local hospital where they finally have him cornered. But can they work together long enough to capture him, or will their constant bickering hinder the investigation?" (EAFA Database).
"George A. Valentine long has been one of the nation's leading 8mm movie makers, because of his knack for consistently turning out capsule movies with a punch, which have won numerous awards. In 'Make Mine Magic' Valentine has scored again with an appealing story of a lad who comes into possession of a magic wand, and thereafter brings to reality numerous wishes of his and those of his brother and sister. Valentine has a slick way of injecting humor and also a surprise last-minute gag into his movies. His 8mm color photography is consistently good and his editing and titling, as always, is skillfully done." American Cinematographer, May 1952, 222
Total Pages: 23
Amateur Cinema