Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, November 26, 1949 23 Pearce. Credits: Produced by Robert Arthur. Directed by Charles Lamont. Screenplay by Robert Hardy Andrews. Story by Tamara Hovey. Photography, Russell Metty. Technicolor color consultant, Robert Brewer. Miss O'Hara's songs, Frank Skinner and Jack Brooks. Musical direction, Milton Schwarzwald. Plot: When Maureen O'Hara returns to Bagdad from England, she learns that her father, an Arab potentate, 'has been murdered by the Black Robes, a band of desert marauders. Believing Paul Christian to be their leader, she seeks revenge, and is aided by Vincent Price, Bagdad military governor, and John Sutton, who is the actual leader of the Black Robes working in cahoots with Price. However, she eventually learns the truth and finds happiness with Christian, but not before she nearly loses her life at the hands of Price and Sutton. Comment: The lavish backgrounds, colorful costumes and Technicolor photography make "Bagdad" a treat for the eye, and the musical background, as well as a couple of songs sung by Maureen O'Hara, make pleasant listening. But there is little excitement or suspense in the story, which meanders along with only a bit of action now and then to relieve the tedium. Miss O'Hara is lovely to look at but she, along with Vincent Price, Paul Christian, John Sutton and Jeff Corey, is beset by stilted dialog and numerous cliches. Wherever moviegoers are not too discriminating, '"Bagdad" should get by with few complaints. It's an average-audience offering that will serve to support a stronger feature in the larger situations while topping a weekend "action" program in many of the smaller communities. The title and the O'Hara and Price names, as well as the type of picture lend themselves to exploitation that should insure better-than-average returns on initial openings. Charles Lamont directed for Producer Robert Arthur. Always Leave Them Laughing Warner Bros. Comedy 116 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Milton Berle, of television fame, gets a chance to show his bag of tricks to movie audiences throughout the country. Here is surefire entertainment for everyone, a comedy that should be of particular interest to those who have heard about him but have never had a chance to see him entertain. And, of course, the Berle fans will want to see it, too. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: The Berle name, and the quality of the production, gives this picture a selling angle that should turn it into a top box-office winner. Cast: Milton Berle, Virginia Mayo, Ruth Roman, Bert Lahr, Alan Hale, Grace Hayes, Jerome Cowan, Lloyd Gough, Ransom Sherman, Iris Adrian, Wally Vernon. Credits: Directed by Roy Del Ruth. Screenplay by Melville Shavelson and Jack Rose. From a story by Max Shulman and Richard Mealand. Musical numbers staged and directed by LeRoy Prinz. Photography, Ernest Haller. Produced by Jerry Wald. Plot: This is a fictionized conception of the tough struggle Milton Berle had to go through to get to the top. Comment: Although this is not the first time Berle has appeared in motion pictures, it does mark the first time he has been given free rein to display his own particular brand of comedy. Until production of "Alwaj's Leave Them Laughing," Berle's talents were restricted to his exceptionally popular television show, which has made his name a household word to those who own television sets. Many people have heard him on the radio (where his rating has not been too high — for he should be seen as well as heard), and he has wowed 'em in night clubs and other public 'Fame Is the Spur' This British film, drawn from the wellknown novel by Howard Spring and apparently based on the life of Ramsay MacDonald, has the quality, seriousness and controversy to be talked about. It's the story of the rise of an underprivileged boy in leftist ranks and his eventual compromise with party politics, beautifully acted by Michael Redgrave, Rosamund John and others but often crude in cinema technique. The political factor — STR's London representative (STR, Oct. 4, 1947) said it "panders to the labor government . . . making the opposition virtually villains" — may be an issue for individual showmen to consider, but art houses especially should find "Fame Is the Spur" quite a good thing. Produced by John Boulting with F. Del Giudice in charge. Released by Oxford Films and Edward L. Kingsley. 98 mins. appearances. Now, thanks to this new comedy, the antics of the comedian will be seen by movie audiences throughout the country. And they'll like 'em, too, for this picture is surefire entertainment for everyone, a very funny comedy, a perfect vehicle for Berle's varied talents. It should be a box-office winner, since it gives millions the opportunity to see "Mr. Television," who clowns, sings, dances, goes dramatic and even romantic, all effectively. Excellent, too, are the supporting players, with Virginia Mayo lending her talents and sex appeal to the role of another entertainer, and Ruth Roman doing the romancing. Bert Lahr, who also has been long absent from the screen, does very well here, and there are a number of other fine entertainers in the cast. The whole idea of this Jerry Wald production is to take advantage of Berle's popularity and to play up him and his bag of tricks, and this is done to the hilt by the wise choice of material and a most capable cast under the skillful direction of Roy Del Ruth. The Spider and the Fly (Reviewed in London) Rank Drama 95 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) This crisp, enthralling thriller about a cracksman released from prison to do a special job for the French secret service packs a terrific punch and should do equally well with art house and popular patron alike. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Light on star names, this is superbly acted and expertly directed. The technical excellence backed up by finely maintained suspense values should insure valuable word-of-mouth publicity. Cast: Eric Portman, Nadia Gray, Guy Rolfe, Edward Chapman, Maurice Denham, George Cole, John Carol, and others. Credits: Original story and screenplay by Robert Westerby, Produced by Aubrey Baring. Directed by Robert Hamer. A Setton-Baring "Mayflower" production presented by J. Arthur Rank. Canadian Distribution : Eagle Lion. UK : GFD. Plot: Eric Portman, chief of the French police, is determined to catch Guy Rolfe, expert gentleman safecracker. While he sets many traps for him, inwardly he likes him and respects his skill. In some exploits, Rolfe is aided by Nadia Gray, but when her use is finished he drops her and Portman falls in love with her. This romance is ended by Rolfe falling back on her love for him to establish an alibi. Portman later catches him and he is sent to jail for five years. World War I breaks out and in 1916, when a secret dossier of French traitors, known to be in the safe of the German legation in Berne, is desperately wanted, Portman, now in intelligence, suggests Rolfe for the job. In return, he demands his pardon and with Portman's aid he gets the information only to discover that Nadia is on the list. Completely crushed, Rolfe joins the French army as a private and gets sent to' the battlefront of Verdun. Comment: Here is an excellent thriller which should appeal to the art house and popular patron alike. This story of a gentleman cracksman who is enrolled in the secret service so that his skill can be used to the advantage of the community, for a change, is both ingenious and enthralling. Director Robert Hamer, with skillful handling, has gotten the utmost from every incident and player, and the suspense of some sequences is almost unbearable. Even when a film cliche is introduced it is only brought in to heighten the effect of a later incident. The performances are excellent. Eric Portman has rarely been better than as the detective who inwardly admires the skill and elusiveness of the cracksman, though he never wavers in his efforts to trap him. Guy Rolfe is both credible and likable as the nonchalant, smooth-working thief who will not let his feeling for a woman interfere with his attaining his objective. He has a strong personality and can act. Since practically all the leading males are English, though they portray French characters, it seems unnecessary to have brought over Nadia Gray, who is not known in Britain, when several London actresses could have played the part as well. It should be stressed that this is not a war picture in the accepted sense but a first-class suspense thriller which has every indication of being a box-office sleeper. Port of New York Eagle Lion Drama 79 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) A hardhitting and powerful story of the search for narcotics in New York harbor, with many tingling sequences and fast action that will hold the youngsters and most of their elders fast to their seats till the final fficker. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Good for firstruns in smaller towns and neighborhoods, but should be dualed with a comedy in bigtown first-runs. Word-of-mouth will draw action devotees despite lack of marquee names. Cast: Scott Brady, Richard Rober, K. T. Stevens, Yul Brynner, Arthur Blake, Lynn Carter, John Kellogg, William Challee. Credits: Produced by Aubrey Schenck. Directed by Laslo Benedek. Screenplay by Eugene Ling, suggested by a story by Arthur A. Ross and Bert Murray. Photography by George E. Diskant Plot: A large shipment of narcotics for a medical firm for legitimate use is found to be sand when the Florentine docks in New York, bringing the agents of the Customs Bureau and the Narcotics Squad into action. Head of the dope ring is finally captured after he has killed his "girl" who had aided in getting the narcotics off the ship, the discovery of the body of her accomplice, an assistant purser, and the murder of a member of the Customs Bureau. Comment: A hard-hitting and powerful story of the search for narcotics arriving in the Port of New York, with many tense and tingling sequences and fast action that will hold the youngsters and most of their elders fast to their seats until the last flicker. Production is excellent; also the photography, and Director Laslo Benedek has hewed straight to the dramatic line throughout, getting some very good performances from his players. Scott Brady as the Customs man who {Continued on Page 25)