Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1946)

38 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 5, 1946 : W CO M nil Gentleman Joe Palooka Monogram Comedy 72 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Second in the Joe Palooka series of films this, like the first, is good entertainment. Audiences who enthused over the initial venture will not want to miss this one. BOX-OFICE SLANT: On a par with the first offering, which means that it should do just as well at the box-office. Cast: Leon Errol, Joe Kirkwood, Guy Kibbee, Elyse Knox, Lionel Stander, H. B. Warner, Stanley Prager, Warren Hymer, Richard Lane, Cliff Nazarro, Fritz Feld, Sarah Padden, Louis Jean Heydt, Freddie Steele, Tommy Harmon, Roy Atwell, Ian Wolfe, Sam McDaniel, Eddie Gribbon, Roger Daniel, Marie Blake, William Forrest, Dick Fishell, Jack Roper, John Indrisano. Credits Directed by Cyril Endfield. Screenplay by Cyril Endfield. Photography, William Sickner. Produeed by Hal E. Chester. Plot: After Kirkwood becomes Champ, his girl-friend's uncle, who is head of a chain of newspapers and practically runs the country through his crooked friends in the Senate, gets him to assist in having a choice bit of ground made jnto a national park. This turns out to be a crooked play, for there is oil in the ground, and Kirkwood gets into a nasty mess before Knobby can straighten things out. Comment: In this, the second in the Joe Palooka series from Monogram, Hal E. Chester, the producer, satisfactorily continues his efforts to turn out good, wholesome amusement that will entertain small-town and neighborhood audiences. Picture is as good as the first, with the same kind of comedy and enjoyable elements. Millions of theatregoers, especially those to whom the Joe Palooka strip is a daily "must," will get their share of enjoyment out of watching "The Champ," as played by Joe Kirkwood, get himself out of a difficult situation, which includes prize-fighting, golfing and a free-forall scrap. Leon Errol is again Knobby Walsh and Elyse Knox is Joe's sweetheart. In other important parts are such capable performers as Guy Kibbee and Lionel Stander, while in smaller roles are H. B. Warner, Warren Hymer and Tommy Harmon. Though the film is not as fast-moving as the first one, it is nevertheless a good comedy with a wellconstructed story, capable performances and a nice pace, the latter a credit to Cyril Endfield's direction. Bad Men of the Border Universal Western with Songs 60 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Fair-tomiddling outdoor film that will have no particular appeal for western audiences. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Will get by fairly well in houses playing such product, but in average situation won't mean anything extra. Cast: Kirby Grant, Fuzzy Knight, Armida, John Eldredge, Barbara Sears, Francis McDonald, Soledad Jiminez, Edward Howard, Edmund Cobb. Credits: Producer-director, Wallace Fox. Original screenplay, Adele Buflfington. Photography, Maury Gertsman. Plot: Grant masquerades as a bandit to get into the confidences of the local badmen. who are operating a border counterfeit money racket. Actually, he is a U. S. Marshal. Unwittingly, he is helped in trapping the racketeers by a Mexican dancer, who is really an operative of her country. To carry the masquerade business a little farther, a wandering minstrel turns out to be the hero's aide. All ends well, with the Mexican and American authorities capturing the desperadoes as they attempt a getaway. Comment: This offering attempts to be a little different, but it doesn't quite hit the mark. The average kid and action crowd will be let down more often than not in the 60 minutes' running time by a slackening of pace. The cast has some rather well established people, such as Armida and Fuzzy Knight and others, but the main character, Kirby Grant, just doesn't measure up to western hero standards. He still seems more at home in any other locale but the Wild West, from the standpoint of stature, actions and speech. Photography is okay and technical departments are up to par. There are several obvious deviations in the script from usual western procedure, and it is a question as to whether the fans will be pleased about them. 65 mins. Below the Deadline Monogram Drama AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Satisfactory dramatic offering that will entertain most adult audiences. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Will serve as a good supporting feature. Cast: Warren Douglas, Ramsay Ames, Jan Wiley. Paul Maxey, Philip Van Zandt, John Harmon, Bruce Edwards, George Meeker, Clancy Cooper, Cay Forrester, Alan Bridges, George Eldredge, William Ruhl. Credits: Directed by William Beaudine. Original story by Ivan Tors. Screenplay by Harvey Glass and Forrest Judd. Photography, Harry Neumann. Produced by Lindsley Parsons. Plot: A returned soldier takes over his murdered brother's rackets in order to make money quick and catch up with the people who were cleaning up while he was fighting overseas. The girl he falls in love with tries to straighten him out, but nothing happens until his colonel and buddy come back and find a way to set him straight. Comment: This is a satisfactory dramatic offering for the secondary spots, for it has the action and excitement most audiences expect to find in supporting films. Most interesting aspect about the picture is the introduction of a new player. Warren Douglas, who turns in a credible Alan Laddtype of performance as the returned soldier who takes over the running of the rackets. His work augurs well for his future in films. Playing opposite him in a role that gives her an opportunity to show what she can do is Ramsay Ames, and Jan Wiley is good as the gang-leader's fiance. Among the supporting players, Paul Maxey, Philip Van Zandt and John Harmon turn in capable performances, with Harmon a standout. A good pace is maintaine dthroughout the film because of William Beaudine's direction. Lindsley Parson.s produced. Undercurrent MGM Drama 113 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Absorbing, highly emotional drama that will entertain the most discerning patron. Strictly for grown-ups who wall understand the human emotions involved, with the love theme making it particularly attractive to women. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Name draw, plus its quality and entertainment values should be ample proof of the picture's potent boxoffice drawing power. Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor, Robert Mitchum, Edmund Gwenn, Marjorie Main, Jayne Meadows, Clinton Sundberg, Dan Tobin, Kathryn Card, Leigh Whipper, Charles Trowbridge, James Westerfield, Billy McLain. Credits: Directed by Vincente Minnelli. Screenplay by Edward Chodorov. Based on a story by Thelma Strabel. Photography, Karl Freund. Musical score by Herbert Stothart. Produced by Pandro S. Berman. Plot: The daughter of a smalltown chemistry professor meets and marries a young millionaire. Very much in love, she is a little overwhelmed by his attentions, until she begins to hear strange tales about his brother who disappeared. In t.ying to solve the mystery so that she won't doubt her own husband's guilt in the matter, she not only risks her own life but discovers strange things before the happy ending. Comment: This is a highly emotional, intensely human drama depicting with great feeling and understanding the sufferings of a wife whose love tor her husband leads her into channels that threaten her life. With a story that is exceptionally well-constructed, with excellent portrayals by Katherine 'Hepburn and Robert Taylor in co-stairing roles, and production and direction of the finest, it is th kind of suspenseful, absorbing film that comes along only once in a while; in other words, a picture with enough entertainment value to satisfy the most discerning patron. The only possible criticism is that it gets off to a slow start in order to introduce the characters, but this is quickly forgotten once the story begins to unfold. In a role that is minor in comparison with the others in the limited cast, Robert Mitchum does an unusually splendid job. He does not enter the picture until it is half over, but when he appear he dominates very scene and immediately wins the audience sympathy with the smooth, efficient way he portrays a character that they had been led to believe was villainous. Music by Herbert Stothart is done well and the sets are worthy of mention too. Direction credit goes to Vincente Minnelli, one of his best jobs to date, and Pandro S. Berman gave it lavish production values. The Welldigger's Daughter (French Dialog, English Titles) Siritsky Int'l Comedy-Drama 122 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Intriguing, vastly entertaining for discriminating adult audiences. Average audiences may find it a little stilted. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Will do weU in the so-called "arty" houses, but its success with average American audiences is problem