Canadian Film Weekly (Jan 20, 1943)

January 20th, 19438 Republic Seeks Worst Song Title The oddest quest of the year is the search for the worst song title, which is needed for the title of a John Carroll tune in “Hit Parade of 1943.” Already turned in are such efforts as “I Hate to Be Late at the Gate With Kate,” “When the Century Plant Blooms Again,” “My Girl Is Blue With Eyes to Match,” “I Love Daniel, the Cocker Spaniel,” and “Basil Is Nasal, But Knute Is Cute.” Director Albert S. Rogell isn’t satisfied. He thinks someone can do worse than that. In the picture Carroll plays a fast-talking, tune-thieving songwriter. The title is needed for one of his own songs. * * . Republic has assigned Judy Clark, 18-year-old starlet, a role in the Joe E. Brown-Judy Canova comedy, “Chatterbox.” Miss Clark is a singer and dancer, and was discovered on Broadway when performing with Ray Heatherton's orchestra. . > > Republic has purchased “Gone With the Draft,” hilarious novel of a rookie’s experiences. It was authored by Park Kendall. Studio officials announced that ten of Hollywood's leading comedians would be signed for roles in the comedy. * * * The King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers, drew 400,000 spectators to the Madison Square Garden Rodeo. This is a new record, Garden officials announced. Arrest of Soldier Prevents Movie Fire Pte. M. T. Maher, of Montreal, | was placed under arrest in Hali-| fax, N.S., charged with attempted arson after another soldier said he saw Maher drop a lighted cigarette butt into a mail box in the Knights of Columbus hostel here. The attempt to fire the hostel, a building similar to the one at St. John’s, Nfid., which burned last month with the loss of 99 lives, was said to have taken place on December 19, at a time when 500 people were viewing a motion picture in the K. of C. hall. The manager of the hostel and soldier told military authorities | they had seen the Montreal pri-| vate stuff the burning cigarette | into the mail box. \ Canadian FILM WEEKLY i We »COMMANDOS STRIKE AT DAWN (Columbia) Filmed on Vancouver Island with assistance of the Canadian Commandos, this film follows the course of Allied resistance by the Underground to the military attack of the Commandos on Norway. Starting off easily, it suddenly picks up and the final reel becames a real shocker, one that will make the audience sit up sharply with eyes popping. The attack of the Commandos makes all previous presentations of the same kind seem tame and provides a preview of what awaits the Nazis. The early part of the film shows Norway prior to England’s entry into the war and the growing threat of Nazi invasion. Then the invaders come and bewilderment turns to hard and clever resistance. Led by Paul Muni, the villagers carry on guerrilla warfare in the face of executions. After discovering a secret airdrome in which a mass bombing of England is being prepared, Muni gathers the fighters and they escape, reaching England in time to warn the military, which prepared a Commando raid Muni accompanies the soldiers. Muni is great in his first young role in a long time and Anna Lee, as his sweetheart, is very attractive. Lillian Gish, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Robert Foote, Rosemary DeCamp, Alexander Knox and Rod Cameron are in the strong supporting cast. “Commandos” is sure of a fine reception everywhere, particularly in Canada. EYES OF THE UNDERWORLD (Universal) A good mobster story about a police chief whose past causes him to quit the post and run down a bad gang of auto thieves. Lon Chaney plays his aide and Wendy Barrie his sweetheart-secretary. Young Billy Lee appears as the son of Richard Dix, who plays the chief, and Marc Lawrence is the gangster. Thefe’s plenty of shooting. HENRY ALDRICH GETS GLAMOR (Paramount) A funny addition to the series. This time Henry, who is now Jimmy Lydon, is a sucker for a publicity-seeking film star and complicates his father’s political chances. The same familiar faces are here—John Litel, Diana Glynn, Vaughan Glaser and Olive Blakeney. Frances Gifford plays the star. JOHNNY DOUGHBOY (Republic) This might easily roll up surprising business, since it’s full of the kids you used to love and presents them all in sympathetic roles. A group of ex-kid stars who have slipped out of the limelight try to get back in by getting up a canteen show. They want Jane Withers, who has developed into a star, to play the lead but Jane is selfish. Jane reforms and the kids are happy. The youngsters and teen-aged in the picture are Bobby Breen, Baby Sandy, Alfalfa Switzer, Spanky McFarland, Butch and Buddy, Cora Sue Collins, Robert Coogan and Grace Costello. The older section consists of Henry Wilcoxen as a playwright on whom Whithers has a crush, Patrick Brook, William Demarest, Ruth Donnelly, Etta McDaniel and Joline Westbrook. It's certainly well-staffed and highly entertaining. | PLUTO AND THE ARMADILLO (RKO—Mickey Mouse) Probably a prelude to the film results of Walt Disney's recent South American trip, this shows Mickey and Pluto in Brazil. Pluto gets tangled up with a playful armadillo, which joins them on the plane. Symbolic, no doubt, of the good neighbor policy. It yields many friendly laughs. EDUCATION FOR DEATH (RKO—Walt Disney) Considerable curiosity about this reel has been established by the earlier publication of the widely-read document of the same name, It shows the minds of German children being warped by the teaching of jungle values to replace civilized ones. Though the audience acquires a deep sense of uneasiness, the message doesn't smack as hard as it should. It’s immensely difficult to stay on the baseline when doing this sort of thing in cartoons. The Disney technique causes the kids to be cute and the adults comic, which dilutes the spirit of the picture and modifies the message. Nevertheless, the conscious absence of comedy and the obvious sincerity makes it novel and distinctly worth while, 4 Monoaram Studios Busy These Days William Beaudine has been signed to direct the East Side Kids picture, “Grand Street Boys,” at Monogram, and January 27 has been set as the starting date. Sam Katzman and Jack Dietz will produce, and the story, which will feature Leo Gorcey, Bobby Jordan, Huntz Hall and Gabriel Dell, was written by Harvey Gates. * > > Another service story has been added to Monogram’s backlog of screen originals for production during the current season with the purchase of “Girls They Left Behind,” written by Corliss Hayden. . * * Two Monogram pictures, “Continental Express” and “Shadows of the Underworld,” have been booked for Hollywood first run at the Colony theatre, to follow the current two-week run of another Monogram pair, “Rhythm Parade” and “The Living Ghost.” Barry K. Barnes and Valerie Hobson are featured in “Continental Express,” while “Shadows of the Underworld” features John Loder and Rex Harrison. Arthur Dreifuss has been signed to direct “Sarong Girl,” which will star burlesque’s Ann Corio in an original story by Charles R. Marion. Phil Krasne and Sam Burkett will produce. VOCALITE Crystal Beaded SOUND SCREEN Doubles the Brightness of the Projected Light Seld in Canada by PERICINS om COMPANY LIMITED WCTORIA STREET sory Kevay STRaET