Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 24, 1943)

THE PICK OF THE PICTURES REVIEWS INFORMATION RATINGS February 24th, 1948 COAST-TO-COAST COVERAGE Vol. 8, No. 9 Something to Shout About-OK COLUMBIA MUSICAL HAS PLENTY SOCK APPEAL “SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT” COLUMBIA (Running Time: 89 Minutes) > Gere Girls’ Fair Film “THE POWERS GIRLS” UNITED ARTISTS (Runaing Time: 93 Minutes) Though “The Powers Girls'’ is somewhat shortweight compared with what one expects from a picture with so strong a title, it provides a large hunk of glamor in the person of plenty of beautiful femmes and can be sold to favorable results. It is unserious all the way, an intentional condition for the most part, and shows the effects of set conservation. But it is nevertheless plenty lookable and listenable and will do nicely a side dish. There’s plenty of slick chatter on hand, such as “A fox is a wolf who sends flowers.” Ann Shirley seems to have picked up facial maturity and her unsophisticated tones, while in keeping with her character in the film, offer an odd contrast. She looks every bit as hep as Carole Landis, who plays her ambitious and wisenheimer sister. Alan Mowbray as John Powers presents a more level-headed character than he usually offers and George Murphy, this time no good-natured schnook, hollers and hops about as an unscrupulous camera reporter. Dennis Day plays a dope comedy role and sings well when required. The story, which doesn't offer any of them much chance, has to do with Landis’ love for Murphy and Murphy’s love for Ann Shirley. Murphy has printed an embarrassing photo of Ann Shirley without getting a release. It costs her a job as a school-teacher. She comes to the city to get a retraction but Murphy volunteers to get sister Carole a job as a Powers model to square things. What gives the picture its pull are the real Powers girls and Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, Hands Across The Border Appeals of the March of Dimes organization to theatres for cooperation drew responses from three Canadian houses. The March of Dimes campaign is a strictly USA venture and provides financial support in the fight against Infantile Paralysis. Though its ending is telegraphed a long way back and Don Ameche offers a routine role, “Something to Shout About” in no way depends on these things. It is a superior musical, fast-paced from beginning to end, loaded with novel comedy, first-rate music and top production scenes. Yet no smash, It certainly is a picture of much variety, offering stars to those who prefer them and catering at once to specialized and general tastes. There is the music of Cole Porter, whose name means something and whose work means more. There are the David Lichine ballet dancers, that infrequent type of movie fare being presented in such 2 way as to please the initiated and gladden those to whose eyes that type of terpsichore is new and novel. The singing, done by lovely Janet Blair, who plays the love lead, is as good as anything the screen has offered in a long time. Miss Blair, though she has built up a boxoffice following, is still growing in power, her regular appearance with Bing Crosby bringing her new followers each week. Don Ameche, of course, has his own clientelle in numbers not to be sneezed at. The comedy is handled by JANET BLAIR who gives a fine all-round performance Jack Oakie, at his boisterous best as the keeper of a theatrical boarding house where everyone rehearses in the parlor and no one pays rent. And taking very little of a back seat from a standpoint of customer attraction, is the colored pianist of considerable fame, Hazel Scott. Miss Scott’s kind of music, done on a larger scale by popular bands, is causing holdovers of musicals these days. An attractive and funny novelty is the dog act known as “The Bricklayers,’ in which the pooches build a house and have a few accidents while doing it. Others who help things along are Cobina Wright, Jr., William Gaxton, Veda Ann Borg and Jaye Martin. A The story is about the press agent who discovers a small town girl and sets out to make a star of her in a show angelled by a rich ex-chorus girl who wants to star in it herself. Ameche is the press agent, Blair the heroine and Wright the heel. You know who wins out. Gregory Ratoff, who directed, did a fine job of stitching together so many varied patterns into a reasonable whole. It’s a breezy, farcical piece that will please dance lovers, dog lovers, jazz lovers and just plain lovers. They couldn’t have put more in it if they tried. * AN IMPORTANT QUESTION Have You Returned Your ‘10 Best’ Ballot? Dewey Bloom Up To His Old Tricks Dewey Bloom, Regal exploiteer, who made publicity departments sit up from coast to coast when he got department stores to see the idea of full page institutional support of “Mrs. Miniver,” is at it again. This time Dewey has started off “Journey for Margaret” in the Same way but on a smaller scale. Even then, that’s quite an accomplishment, considering the number of films current that lend themselves to that sort of boosting~—-if boosters can be found. Bolton at Warners Whitney Bolton has been appointed publicity director of Warner Brothers by Charles Hinfeld. John W. Considine, 80, Passes in Hollywood John W. Considine, 80, pioneer vaudevillian, showman and founder of the Fraternal Order of Hagles, died of pneumonia last week in Hollywood. He was the father of John W. Considine, Jr., movie director. Best known as Considine of Considine & Sullivan vaudeville fame, he also was credited with having brought actor Charlie Chaplin to this country from England. Just Off the Press! RICHARDSON’S Blue Book of Projection (ith Edition) NOW IN STOCK Get Your Copy of the New Book PERICINS COMPANY LIMITED 7 VICTORIA STREET 2097 BLNURY STREET YoRONTO MONTREAL beiNuihi29 eS “a RIT NR Ge