In the Capitol’s screen offering, Employees’ Entrance, Warren William gives quite an efficient portrait of a dictator of an important department store. Love affairs are not neglected in this chronicle, and although Mr. William as Kurt Anderson, whose intentions are always strictly dishonorable when it comes to a pretty girl, does well in these scenes, he is at his best in those wherein he reveals the department store manager’s ruthlessness in business and in dealing with the employees. It is a decidedly fictional type of story, but one which despite certain melodramatic notions succeeds in holding one’s attention. Anderson dominates the board of directors and scoffs at the president’s weakness for yachting and for welcoming celebrities, supposedly to New York. He delivers an ultimatum to the directors, demanding that his salary be doubled and that his authority be unquestioned by any other one man. Although one or two, including the president and a relative named Ross, are opposed to “knuckling down” to Anderson, the board votes to give him what he wants. Anderson is a tireless worker who expects all in his store to be on their toes. A slow brain exasperates him, and obstinacy usually ends with a dismissal. He has no use for sentiment in business, but he occasionally indulges in an affair with an attractive girl. He uses one pert blonde to keep Ross from interfering with business, doubling her salary to carry on an intrigue.

The first meeting between Madeline, acted by Loretta Young, and Anderson, may not be precisely plausible, but it serves for an easy introduction of the girl. As in many motion pictures, so it is here a case of infatuation at first flash. Anderson avails himself of his pow- ers to double salaries, to give a year’s pay to a man he discharges, to promote salesmen, and so forth. He has a sinister mind and cares not a whit about plotting to separate two young people, because it is his opinion that marriage handicaps his assistant and because he is interested in the young man’s wife, who happens to be the charming Madeline. Anderson knows no fear, and perhaps for that reason he enlists a certain sympathy in his arguments with the board of directors. On the other hand, an alert-minded wholesale clothier whose business is ruined through the adamant Anderson being unwilling to consent to a delay of a few days, eventually gives the martinet as good as he sends.

Mr. William rather overacts at times, but there is no doubt that he supplies a definite characterization and one that is on the whole interesting. Miss Young is ingratiating as Madeline, and Wallace Ford does well as her husband. The late Albert Gran gives a capital per­formance as Ross. Alice White is really amusing as a flirtatious blonde. Others who add to the value of this diversion are Ruth Donnelly, Marjorie Gateson and Hale Hamilton.

M.H., “The New York Times”, January 21, 1933