AT THE MET

Dolores Del Rio is definitely a beautiful lady. Pat O'Brien is said to have good points. Edward Everett Horton can be quite amusing. Busby Berkeley has been known to create clever choral monstrosities. With the above ingredients, tempered by a dash of Glenda Farrell, we have "Caliente" which aims to be a heady cinematic cocktail; it should be no shock to learn that like mice and men, movie magnates are also visited by the ganging agley of plans. In short: "Caliente" misses fire.

O'Brien is editor of "Manhattan Madness," ultra smart New York periodical. He has been snagged by the Glenda Farrell marital hooks. Horton who owns the magazine attempts to solve the problem by moving O'Brien's alcoholized carcass to Caliente. Here the boys meet Miss Del Rio who dances and has a grudge against O'Brien on account of an uncomplimentary review he once gave her. She takes her revenge by falling in love with him and he reciprocates in his sophisticated way. Amid all this there is the intermittent byplay of Berkeley creations and guitar music.

It's unnecessary to analyze the failure of the film--it's just flat. Miss Del Rio is highly decorative but will never score a success in a film which offers her no support--she can't act and she needs help from somebody who can. Pat O'Brien is not this somebody.

On the stage the feature spot is accorded Miss Ruth Sato, a Japanese dancer. We don't profess to know whose fault it is but Miss Sato insisted on tap dancing and according to our limited notions this is not the sort of thing that Japanese should do--especially when dressed like a pagoda. There is some good comedy and some clever eccentric dancing.