Box office digest (May-Dec 1946)

BOX OFFICE DIGEST 9 One More Tomorrow” Not Equal to Star Values (WARNERS) The Digest’s Box Office Estimate: 155% Producer Benjamin Glazer Director Peter Godfrey The Players: Ann Sheridan, Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson, Alexis Smith, Jane Wyman, Reginald Gardiner, John Coder, Marjorie Gateson, Thurston Hall, John Abbott, Marjorie Hoshelle, Sig Arno. Photography Bert Glennon Time 89 minutes The money in those strong cast names will have to do the job for “One More Tomorrow,” the picture itself lacking the substance for complete audience satisfaction. Perhaps the result was to be expected when we realize that the play is a remake of “The Animal Kingdom,” with radical changes of "The French Key" (REPUBLIC) The Digest’s Box Office Estimate: 80% Assoc, producer-director Walter Colnies The Players: Albert Dekker, Mike Mazurki, Evelyn Anders, John Eldredge, Frank FenIon, Selmer Jackson, Byron Foulger, Joe I)e Rita, Marjorie Manners, David Goreey, Michael Brandon, Sammy Stein, Alan Ward, Walter Soderling, Emmett Vogan. Frank Gruber, whose Johnny Fletcher character ranks high in popularity in the published whodunit field, has done his own screenplay for this introduction of the character and his pal, Sam Cragg, to the screen. So Gruber must take such share of the chastisement for an only passable debut as he plot and character, and that the brilliant Philip Barry stage success wras just a bit too much on the brittle side to stand much in the way of alterations. But given the altered story basis, and the fact that Warner’s imposing backlog has kept the picture from release long months after its making, producer Glazer and director Godfrey have put much of entertainment in the subject by full use of the fine cast talents. Dennis Morgan is smoothly capable in the original Leslie Howard role, while Jack Carson makes an individual hit with a performance etched along his own lines of the remembered William Gargan part. Ann Sheridan gives verve to her characterization of “the other woman” in Morgan’s life, with Alexis Smith a properly sharp wife. cannot pass on to producer-director Walter Colmes. Picture suffers two ways. Those unfamiliar with the characters of the printed page fail to get on more than bowing acquaintance terms with the Gruber creations here. Those who haven’t the benefit of pleasant friendship with the characters are still left with a raggedly told and solved mystery. Chief assets of the picture are good casting for the two amateur sleuthing leads, giving promise for improvement as the series gets into stride in later adventures. Albert Dekker and Mike Mazurki team up to good advantage as the fast-talking booksalesman and his behemoth partner. They are a slightly different set for whodunit heroes, worth watching for the future. Stripped of the implications of Barry’s original plot, this is merely the story of a playboy tied to a conniving wife, and yearning for the warmly lovable girl photographer whom he failed to marry. It takes a lot of talk, at times talk that is too stagey, to untangle the affair. Action centers pretty much on the four top players, though Jane Wyman and Reginald Gardiner make full use of their opportunities and balance of support is thoroughly capable. Exhibitor s Booking Suggestion : Will sell on the names. . . . Needs good supporting number. . . . Previewed May 8th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: “Poor.” VARIETY: “Assured heavy grosses because of big name cast.” The introductory chapter, from a Gruber novel of the same title, tells what happens after Johnny and Sam have been locked out of their hotel room — the French Key treatment— and after climbing through a window' find a corpse in their bed. It leads to a meeting with beautiful Evelyn Anders, and eventual tracking down of crook John Eldredge. There is excitement along the route, but also a bit of confusion. Exhibitor’s booking Suggestion : Just fair. . . . Previewed May 17th. W HAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: “Crack novels do not always turn out to be crack pictures.” VARIETY: “Just another program feature with little to recommend it.” Faltering Start For New Series p* rr Swamp Fire (PARAMOUNT) The Digest’s Box Office Estimate: 90% Producers William Pine & William Thomas Associate producer L. B. Merman Director William H. Pine The Players: Johnny Weissmuller, Virginia Grey, Buster Crabbe, Carol Thurston, Pedro DeCordoba, Marcelle Corday, William Edmunds, Edwin Maxwell, Pierre Watkin, Charles Gordon, Frank Fenton. Photography Fred Jackman, Jr. Time 69 minutes Neither geography nor hazardous occupations have been exhausted by the thriller team of Pine and Thomas. “Swamp Fire” finds them journeying to the lower Mississippi for their background and atmosphere, Typical and the risks of a pilot’s life in the delta swampland. There are alligators and other playful meller ingredients in the location, including fire, and the exploitation minded producers have set swiming stars Johnny Weissmuller and Buster Crabbe in to see that full use is made of the opportunities. Not one you see, but two aquatic stars. The story that forms the framework for the atmosphere and thrills is adequate, and little more. Weissmuller, one-time ace of the delta pilots, returns to his hazardous occupation broken in confidence as a result of war service. Crabbe is the Cajun heavy, after which the story goes into the formula of nasty rich man oppressing humble swamp land dwellers, and travels along to the effec tivc swamp fire climax. Pine-Thomas Meller Humble as it is, the story makes too heavy demands on Weissmuller’s acting ability, though he will satisfy his followers with some thrills in the water. Crabbe delivers a good job, Virginia Grey graces the proceedings, and there is solid trouping in the well chosen support. William Pine’s direction achieves his purpose of wrapping up the showmanship ingredients. Exhibitor’s Booking Suggestion : Standard meller filler. . . . Previewed May 2nd. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOW'S SAID: REPORTER: “Doesn’t stack up with the sort of exciting film melodramas that have made the P-T reputation.” VARIETY: “Qualifies as strong program fare.”