Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 18, 1942)

Page 6 GOT Canadian FILM WEEKLY February 18th, 1042 Esquire SHIPS WITH WINGS A sweeping and splendid presentation of parts played by aircraft carriers and the Fleet Air Arm in the present struggle. Of particular interest over here is the fact that the ill-fated Ark Royal was used as the background and the public’s sentimental affection for the ship is a sure guarantee of patronage. Though the picture has plenty of ordinary and appealing love interest, the most thrilling Sequences are those which deal with the work of the aircraft carrier. The chief dramatic line deals with an impetuous FAA pilot, kicked out of the service, who vindicates himself by giving up, his life to perform an heroic and important deed during enemy action. John Clements is the pilot. Leslie Banks, Jane Baxter, Ann Todd and Edward Chapman are just part of the splendid cast which, together with expert photography and clean-cut direction, makes “Ships With Wings” a picture for the files of the future. Paramount BAKER’S WIFE A French film with English sub-titles—the story of the baker in a village whose fickle wife becomes a local problem because the baker can’t bake while grieving. Has a Gallic tang and plenty of salt. Will tickle particular audiences immensely while seeming slow to others. Raimu, as the baker, is slightly wonderful—though one-man shows don’t have the same appeal here as thicker casts. Ginette Leclerc, as his hot-blooded wife, plays well. Empire-Universal NORTH TO THE KLONDYKE Plenty of action and a whiz of a scrap between Lon Chaney, Jr., and Broderick Crawford, two hefty lads who can give-andtake and do. Nice scenery, too. Crawford is a mining engineer who tackles Chaney, 2 toughie who wants to run the settlers out because he knows thar’s gold in them thar real estate and wants it. Live matter for outdoor custom. Evelyn Ankers, Keye Luke, Willie Fung, Andy Devine and Monte Blue on hand. Regal JOE SMITH, AMERICAN This picture is built of the stuff of war but is about the people at the back end. It is shaped around a central character and moves toward a simple point. There is no confusion in telling, heroics give way to simple individual courage and its message digs deep into the imagination of the patron. Yet, modest as is its general pattern, it is hearty, human and full of suspense. It moves forward steadily, interest mounting till it becomes anxiety and fervent hopes and gives way to thankful relief. Robert Young gives a rare performance of the average guy put in an unaverage spot of surrendering a defence secret under torture. Marsha Hunt, as his wife, and Darryl Hickman, as his son, aid the homey atmosphere that gives the picture its background. ; In Canada, the title might seem to particularize the picture. Actually there is but a modest amount of flag-waving. MAIN STREET ON THE MARCH (Short Subject) This is an impressive pictorial history of the United States before and after its entry into the war. It avoids the flourish used by some other shorts of a like nature in retailing American history and effort. That gives it much appeal to add to its already interesting record of things. FLAG OF MERCY (Short Subject) One of John Nesbitt’s ‘The Passing Parade’ series. This one is about Clara Barton and her long fight to establish the Red Cross in America. We learned that the first Red Cross units to enter the United States came in via Canada at the request of Clara Barton when help was needed at a disaster, Informative and appealing. THE LADY IS WILLING Columbia &: This looks as if the studio tried a repeat on “Penny Serenade.” The film doesn’t work out that way but is amusing all the way and interesting for most of it. Marlene Dietrich, as a bighearted but zany stage star, is somewhat different than you would expect from her. Nor does the idea get across that she’s just a girl from a small Yankee town who became a sophisticated stage queen. But she plays capably enough for all. The picture should do well. It seems that she just picks up an abandoned baby and marries Fred MacMurray, the doctor, to stave off the authorities. The baby gets sick, Fred saves it and love enters. But shucks, you knew that all the time. Aline MacMahon, as the wise secretary of the actress, and Arline Judge, as Fred’s mooching ex-frau, help things along. Price Control Made Clearer Board Not ‘Cure-All’.-Stewart (Continued from Page 1) on February 9th and 10th. The conference grew out of the need for an Official and authoritative group to assist Mr. Stewart and R. C. McMullen, director of the Theatres and Film Section, in the best possible disposition of wartime film trade matters. Falk’s organization, of which Barnett E. Laxer is president, recently opened vigorous attacks on the conduct of-arbitration boards in Canada, claiming that the Independent exhibitor was not receiving fair judgment and criticizing the distribution of product generally. The injection by him of censure of industry self-regulation caused a lack of harmony and did not help facilitate the purposes of the meeting. After two days of wrangling a National Advisory Council was chosen to act with the Board, the organization of which was held up by the opinions introduced by Mr. Falk as to the purposes of the Board. Mr. Falk also questioned the status of certain delegates as Independent exhibitors. It was his contention that an exhibitor who, though maintaining an independent situation, had a business association elsewhere with a circuit, or an individual with circuit affiliations, was not a truly Independent exhibitor. As one listener suggested humorously, Mr. Falk was referring to “Ultra-Independents.” Distributors and circuits, in order to clear the way to eventual co-operation, allowed the Independents four representatives in the Council’s personnel of nine. The distributors have three representatives and the circuits two. The Council setup is still to be approved by the government. The following are members of the Advisory Council: For the Independents: B. C. Sal amis, Allied Theatrical Industries sf Quebec; Tom Walton, Toronto, proxy for the Alberta exhibitors; Barnett E. Laxer and Henry Falk, Independent Motion Picture Exhibitors Association. For the circuits: Morris Stein, Famous Players; Tom Bragg, Odeon Circuit of Canada. For the distributors: J. O’Logh lin, 20th Century-Fox; H. L. Nat \ Louis Rosenfel , anson, Regal; Columbia. The delegates took time off for a luncheon on the second day. J. J. Fitzgibbons spoke, stating the need of co-operation in order to assist the government’s task. Other speakers, including Henry Falk, supported Mr. Fitzgibbons stand, though Falk referred to matters which had caused differences at the business sessions. Representatives came from many points in Canada to the meeting. Those present, together with the ones mentioned above, were B. Geldsaler, Famous Players, Toronto; P. W. Mahon, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan; W. Lester, Allied Theatrical Industries of Quebec; W. Fielding, Independent Exhibitors Limited, Maritimes; A. J. Mason, Allied Exhibitors of Nova Scotia; M. E. Walker, Independent Exhibitors, Limited, Nova Scotia; H. Schulman, Independent Exhibitors of Manitoba; L. E. Farrow, proxy for Independent Exhibitors of British Columbia; H. Freedman, Independent Theatres Association; and C. Robson, Ode Theatres of Canada. N. A. Taylor, of Twentieth C tury Theatres, who is chairman G™ the Film Section of the Toronto Board of Trade, presided. The sessions were held at the Toronto Board of Trade offices in the King Edward Hotel and F. D. Tolchard, secretary of that body, served the meeting in that capacity.