Motion picture daily (Jul-Sep 1953)

Thursday, July 2, 1953 Motion Picture Daily 5 Reviews "Gun Belf (United Artists) THE action is more than adequate in this Western. Built around a simple story line, the film holds many moments of suspense and is generally interesting throughout. The color by Technicolor is an added entertainment ingredient. The Global Productions picture opens with George Montgomery, a reformed outlaw, being framed by his own brother, played by John Dehner. The motive for the nefarious deed is to get Montgomery to join in the robbery of a stage coach. The frame-up is staged in a local bank and so incenses the citizenry that an attempt is made to lynch Montgomery. The hero escapes and in order to prove his innocence he joins the outlaw mob. Playing supporting roles are Tab Hunter, as a young nephew of Montgomery, and Helen Westcott, the girl he wants to marry. It is through these characters that Montgomery's struggle is highlighted. The girl acts as his emissary with the law, informing the sheriff of his bold plan to expose the gang. The young nephew acts as a counterpoint to Montgomery, alternatively friendly and hostile, and finally, when the chips are down, seeing the error of his ways. The gunplay and fighting will win the cheers of the Western-film set. Others in the cast are John Dehner, William Bishop, Douglas Kennedy, Jack Elam, Joe Haworth, Hugh Sanders and Willis Bouchey. Ray Nazarro directed from a screenplay by Richard Schayer and Jack Dewitt, based on a story written by Arthur Orloff. Running time, 77 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, July 24. Murray Horowitz "Safari Drums" (Allied Artists) Hollywood, July 1 AFTER THE EARLY SEQUENCES in which the human characters predominate, the action swings to jungle animals. Written, produced and directed by Ford Beebe, this Bomba feature is good entertainment in its class. Johnny Sheffield plays the Bomba role and is ably supported by Douglas Kennedy, Emory Parnell, Paul Marion, Leonard Mudie and Barbara Bestor. The high point of animal conflict is a fight between a lion and a tiger, but there are other events almost as exciting in which elephants, giraffes, crocodiles and monkeys participate. Beebe opens his picture on a novel note with an amateur movie-making safari screening footage at a government station in Africa prior to pushing inland to film additional animal scenes. The safari tries to get Bornba to act as guide, but he refuses until he learns, by drum-telegraph, that the safari includes a murderer and the government wants the safari detained until police can catch up with it. Bomba agrees to stay with the safari and give his guidance in return for a promise that his animal friends will not be killed unnecessarily. Kennedy, the murderer, violates this promise, killing a lion wantonly; another lion dispatches him a few minutes before the police arrive to arrest him. It plays better than it reads. Others in the cast are Smoki Whitfield and Russ Conway. Running time, 71 minutes. General audience classification. June release. "The Great Sioux Uprising" (Universal) A WESTERN, CUT TO ORDER for the action fan, is offered in "The Great Sioux Uprising," starring Jeff Chandler, Faith Domergue and Lyle Bettger. This production, dealing with the problem of finding horses for the Union cavalry during the Civil War, is standard outdoor makebelieve for which the script never measures up to the lovely color by Technicolor nor to the forthright playing of the cast. Chandler appears as a former Union Army surgeon who has left a battle after having been wounded, and lost his confidence as a doctor. TravelingWest, he meets up with Miss Domergue, a pretty rancher engaged in rounding up Union cavalry mounts, and Bettger, who is engaged in the same activity but not quite so ethically. When Bettger rustles some 300 head of sacred Sioux stock, the Indians threaten to go on the warpath on the side of the Confederates. Chandler, of course, is successful in preventing the great uprising, in the process regaining his medical confidence, but not before quite a bit of blood has been spilled and he and Miss Domergue have had quite a few close brushes with death, both at the hands of the Indians and the rustlers. The principals behave with proper gusto against the handsome Western scenery. Supporting them are Peter Whitney as a noble, Bible-quoting blacksmith; John War Eagle as the hard-put Sioux chief, and Stacey Harris, a dastardly villain in the pay of Bettger. Lloyd Bacon directed with emphasis on action. Albert J. Cohen produced, with Leonard Goldstein credited as associate producer. Running time, 80 minutes. General audience classification. For July release. McDonnell Resigns From MPAA Post The resignation of Col. Richard McDonnell as special representative for the Motion Picture Association of America has been submitted. An MPAA spokesman yesterday stated that no replacement has been designated as yet. McDonnell, who specialized in Far Eastern problems, was instrumental in negotiating the deal with the Japanese Government under which $6,000,000 in frozen funds was released to American film companies. 'Prince' Plans Set; Broidy to Coast Steve Broidy, president of Allied Artists, returned to the Coast from here last night after finalizing production details on "Black Prince" with Robert Clark, managing director of Associated British, London. "Black Prince" will be filmed in England jointly by Allied Artists and Associated British, starting in September. The budget, script and other details were approved. Broidy would not reveal the amount of the budget but declared that it would be in a high bracket. $1,225,000 Goal for Charity Unit Hollywood, July 1.— The Permanent Charities Committee's 1954 campaign will have a $1,225,000 goal, according to the budget set up by a committee under the "chairmanship of Carl Cooper which included representatives of PCC's 12 constituent industry groups. The budget report proposed the inclusion of 17 major charitable organizations among PCC beneficiaries. Mage Will Retain Rialto Operation The operation of the Rialto Theatre at Times Square will be retained by James J. Mage, president of Rialto Films, Inc., a spokesman for Mage stated yesterday. The disclosure came following a series of conferences between Mage and Arthur Mayer, former owner who subleased the house, on the question of contractual commitments. The sublease, it was stated, has another two years and four months to run. RKO Bldg. Is Now The Americas Bldg. New York's RKO Building will be known hereafter as the Americas Building. Marble slabs with the building's new name chiseled into the stones have been placed on each side of the remodeled entrance. The lobby has been completely modernized. 36 'Second Chance* Dates Are Listed The first 36 playdates on RKO Radio's first 3-D film, "Second Chance," have been set to begin July 15, Charles Boasberg, general sales manager, disclosed yesterday. A heavy cooperative advertising schedule will back each opening, he said. Playdates include July 15, Philadelphia, Baltimore, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Des Moines, New Orleans, Sioux City, Cedar Rapids, Omaha, Washington, Boston and Providence. July 16, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Buffalo and Pittsburgh. July 17, Dallas. July 22, Los Angeles, Rochester, San Francisco, Syracuse, Lowell, Denver, Davenport, Marshalltown, Trenton and Richmond. July 23, Cleveland. July 24, Lawton, Okla. July 27, Hollywood and Atlantic City. July 29, Dubuque and Waterloo. August 6, Grand Rapids. Short Subject 'Prowlers of the Everglades' (Walt Disney— RKO Radio) AVAILABLE in wide-screen or standard size, this time Walt Disney's incredibly capable camera men have explored with infinite patience and in the utmost intimacy the wild life of the Florida Everglades, described in the narrative as "the spot that time forgot" and seeming very much like just that as caught for the screen. This is as faithful and precise as any of the Disney subjects in kind have been, but it is not so light in tone or charming as to theme. Although the camera covers the habits and deportment of many of the colorful birds that have their existence in the Everglades, the central character is the deadly alligator rulingover the area and devouring all varieties of birds, animals and fish with total impartiality. The alligator is an ugly critter, even in Technicolor and under a clever lens, and the narrator wisely refrains from trying to make him seem otherwise. The theme, of course, is the ceaseless search of the wild things for sustenance and safety, the cycle of attack and defense, and there is no way to make this a pretty thing either. The subject is excellently made and vastly informative, but there is no use in any exhibitor's telling his people it's pleasant. Running time, 32 minutes. Columbia's 9th 3-D To Be 'Main Event' Hollywood, July 1. — Columbia has scheduled as its ninth 3-D picture "The Main Event," from an original by Roy Huggins. Columbia's first three-dimensional release was "Man in the Dark," followed by the current "Fort Ti," and the forthcoming Randolph Scott starrer, "The Stranger Wore A Gun." Currently in production are "Miss Sadie Thompson" and "Gun Fury," to be followed by "The Nebraskan," "Drums of Tahiti," "50 Fathoms Deep" and "The Main Event." Three Added, Two Shifted by Altec Three technicians have been added to the staff of Altec Service Corp. by E. O. Wilschke, operating manager. R. H. Pfotenhauer will serve the Southwest division, from Dallas ; D. L. Merrill, the Eastern division, at Newark, and R. Favor has been added to the Chicago staff. Shifts in the Altec engineering personnel include the moving of J. H. Clark from Salt Lake City to Denver, and R. K. Reagan, from Columbus, Ohio, to the West Coast division. Rogers Honolulu Date Hollywood, July 1. — Roy Rogers and Dale Evans will fly to Honolulu on July 21 preparatory to opening Aug. 4 at the Civic Auditorium for Fred Matsuo Productions. Pat Brady, comedian, and four novelty acts, together with the regular Rogers staff, will accompany them.