Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1947)

Opinions on Current Productions; Exploitips for Selling to the Public [ FEATURE REVIEWS Perils of Pauline F Comedy Paramount (4615) 93 Minutes Rel. In the quantity and quality of nostalgia and comedy content the picture delivers, it appraises as excellent entertainment. Alone, those two ingredients are sufficient to guarantee great popularity and paralleling profits in all showings. As a second line of assurance, however, there are brilliant Technicolor photography, handsome production values and a characteristically vital and ingratiating performance by Betty Hutton. Slightly discounting those aforementioned assets, however, is the weak support given La Hutton and the fact that the story goes serious — and in the end a bit maudlin — through the introduction of an inevitable backstage boymeets-girl twist. The screenplay is based on and roughly adheres to the life and career of Pearl White and that affords hilarious glances into picture-making methods of three decades ago. Ably directed by George Marshall. Betty Hutton, John Lund, Constance Collier, Billy De Wolfe, William Demarest, Frank Faylen. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir F 20th-Fox (715) 104 Minutes Rel. May '47 Fantasy with a delightfully human approach, this unusual picture is noteworthy for its sly, satiric touches and expert characterizations. Rex Harrison, who contributes another splendid portrayal which should increase his popularity in this country. Gene Tierney and George Sanders will insure strong grosses generally. As directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, the story has great charm and an imaginative quality throughout. Only the action-minded fans may find it occasionally slow moving and overburdened with dialog. Laid in London, around the turn of the century, the story deals with a defiant young widow who moves into a mansion by the sea determined to meet the ghost who has long haunted the place. The ghost collaborates with the widow on a swashbuckling autobiography which rescues her from financial difficulties. Only death finally reunites them. Rex Harrison, Gene Tierney, George Sanders, Edna Best, Vanessa Brown, Natalie Wood, Robert Coote, Anna Lee. Dick Tracy's Dilemma ' F RKO Radio (729) GO Minutes Rel. May 26. '47 Those who are ardent followers of the exploits of Chester Gould's indomitable pen-and-ink hero will love this episode, which rates high among the best of the series. Furthermore, it has plenty of action, suspense and excitement for average seekers of cops-and-robbers films even though they may not be regular readers of the newspaper career of Tracy and his entourage of fantastically named playmates. Ralph Byrd again demonstrates that he was a happy choice for the title role and delivers a characteristic, square-jawed, rugged performance. This time the super sleuth goes out to outwit and capture a dastard called "The Claw'' among whose many accomplishments are murder — four, no less — robbery, bilking insurance companies and other assorted nefarious pursuits. Does Tracy miss? Certainly notl He gets his man in a whirlwind climax. Directed by John Rawlins. Ralph Byrd, Lyle Latell, Kay Christopher, Jack Lambert, Ian Keith, Bernadene Hayes, Jimmy Conlin, William Davidson. Moss Rose F 20th-Fox (717) 82 Minutes Rel. June '47 On this rose grows several velvety luxurious petals which will make its beauty and fragrance a joy for those who like to talk about and, in some cases, appreciate good cinema. Foremost among them are a pair of sterling performances by Peggy Cummins and Ethel Barrymore and meticulous attention to atmosphere and period. But like all its species, the lush bloom from the 20th-Fox gardens is not without its thorns and they are very apt to lodge themselves firmly and unpleasantly in the sides of confirmed mystery fans. Not the least of these are the many loose ends that the screenplay fails to gather up, comes the denouement. So eager was the script to project a surprise finish that whodunit devotees will leave the theatre asking themselves plenty of questions. Probably best for first runs with subsequent showings, depending on the cast magnetism. Gregory Ratoff directed. Peggy Cummins, Victor Mature, Ethel Barrymore, Vincent Price, Margo Woode, Patric O'Moore, Rhys Williams. Thunder Mountain F Westcrn RKO Radio (730) 60 Minutes Rel. May 28, '47 There's a Martin-Coyish family feud to add a fillip to sagebrush saga formula No. 4-B, that one in which the ruthless saloon keepers, aided and abetted by a crooked sheriff, are trying to gobble up the ranch which is soon to become valuable because of an impending irrigation project. Need it be recorded that right prevails? And in bringing the villains to their well-earned violent end, Tim Holt will greatly please the juveniles and the action lovers as a hard-hitting, fast-riding, straight-shooting, strong, silent "our hero." Other assets which accent the standard boots-and-spurs ingredients (all of which are present in satisfactory quantities) include i unusually breathtaking natural backgrounds, an above-average supporting cast and the fact that the picture stems from a Zane Grey novel. Where such westerns hit pay dirt, this won't miss. Directed by Lew Landers. Tim Holt, Martha Hyer, Richard Martin, Steve Brodie, Virginia Owen, Harry Woods, Jason Robards, Robert Clarke. Hoppy's Holiday F Weste n United Artists (562) 60 Minutes Rel. As its title implies, the latest Hopalong Cassidy western is less concerned with riding, shooting and fisticuffs than it is with the lighter side of cowboy life. While not up to the high action standard set by William Boyd's recent films, his name and that of the series will guarantee good business wherever westerns are favored. Although Andy Clyde's irascible old codger gets much of the footage in the introductory scenes, Boyd takes over later with some detecting work which reveals the identity of the bank robbers. A novel touch in the climactic chase has the robbers using a horseless carriage (early-day auto) to effect their escape. Hoppy's planned holiday in a frontier town is interrupted when he finds that the natives are victims of a swindling racket. Mary Ware's minor feminine role is devoid of romantic interest. George Archainbaud directed. William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Rand Brooks, Andrew Tombes, Mary Ware, Leonard Penn, Jeff Corey, Donald Kirke. Border Feud F Western PRC Pictures (752) 55 Minutes Rel. May 10, '47 Here is a fast moving film with enough action to please avid western fans. It tells the story of a gold town feud between mine owners, the Condens and Harts, who are egged on by an outlaw, plotting to take over their mine after the partners kill each other off. Just when it seems the outlaw will succeed, along comes "Lash" La Rue to expose the plot and capture the outlaw. He is aided by A1 "Fuzzy" St. John, the sheriff of the town. La Rue plays the role of a marshal in a tough, tight-lipped fashion. His acting and mannerisms remind one of Humphrey Bogart. The outlaw chief, Ian Keith, would be more at home in a British film than he is here. His henchman, Bob Duncan, is in the real western tradition as a slick, gun-slinging saloon operator. Ray Taylor directed. "Lash" La Rue, A1 "Fuzzy" St. John, Bob Duncan, Brad Slavin, , Kenneth Farrell, Gloria Marlen, Casey MacGregor, Ian Keith. 822 BOXOFFICE Oregon Trail Scouts F Republic (665) 58 Minutes Rel. May 15, '47 No matter what line of endeavor Red Ryder engages in, he's a leadpipe cinch to be top dog and to eventually outsmart, outride, outfight and outshoot those rapscallions who are trying to turn his business into a racket. This time he's a fur trapper and his fight is to outwit the heavies in trading with the Indians for trapping rights. And, oh, boy, those Indians. Their presence gives the adventure an added luster which will make it rate high in the estimation of oater fans. There is a standard quota of gunplay, chases, fisticuffs and what do you want from a western? One slant to the story will plant a question mark in the minds of Ryder followers. It tells of how he first meets Little Beaver which seems a bit inconsistent since that moppet redskin appeared as his saddle pal in several preceding chapters. Directed by R. G. Springsteen. Allan Lane, Bobby Blake, Martha Wentworth, Roy Barcroft, Emmett Lynn, Edmund Cobb, Earle Hodgins. May 24, 1947 > 821