Canadian Film Weekly (Mar 17, 1943)

THE PICK OF THE PICTURES REVIEWS INFORMATION RATINGS Vol. 8, No. 12 COAST-TO-COAST COVERAGE March 17, 19438 ‘Immortal Sergeant’ Exciting FONDA, OPHARA, MITCHELL IN FILM OF LIBYAN WAR ‘IMMORTAL SERGEANT” 2TH CENTURY-FOX (Running Time: 90 Mins.) ‘Forever &a Day’ Strong “FOREVER AND A DAY” RKO-RADIO (Running Time: 104 Mins.) Here is another of those multiple-star shows, this time a drama, and it jells together surprisingly well, considering that it can't hide behind the revue manner of presentation. It’s the story of an American, Kent Smith, and an English girl, Ruth Warwick, who meet in an old house which belonged to their ancestors. After that it flashes back to the history of the edifice. It seems that C. Aubrey Smith, an old sailor, founded the place about Nelson's time and Ray Milland, his son, marries Anna Neagle, who runs away from her wicked guardian, Claude Rains. That founds the family whose historic happenings constitute the picture. All the stars gave their services gratis, the proceeds being slated for Anglo-American charities. The picture is interesting all the way and should snag plenty at the boxofiice. Here are the stars who contributed their services: Cast: Brian <Aherne, Ida Lupino, Merle Oberon, Robert Cummings, Roland Young, Gladys Cooper, Cedric Hardwicke, Dame Ma Whitty, Charles paste ton essie Katthews, Anna Neagle, “Her ert Marshall, C, rey Fanter Buster Keaton, Nigel Bruce, Reginal, Gardner, tthur Treacher, Edmun Gwenn, Halliwell Hobbes, Montague Love, Patric Knowles, aon Lanchester, Richard Haydn alps Cook, Kent Smith, Victor McLaglen, Ruth’ Warrick, Gene Lockhart, Reginald Owen, Edward Everett ' Horton, Donald Crisp, George Kirby, Connie Leon, Ernest Grooney, Billy Bevan, Aubrey Mather, Barbara Everest, Ben Webster, Alan Edmiston, Alec Craig, Daphne "Moore, Cecil Kellaway, stress | Barrie, Eric Blore, Walter Kingsford, Una O'Connor, Ivan SHO PO Marta Gale, Doreen Monroe, Joy Harrington, Ethel _Griffies Stuart Robertson, Charles Irwin, Doris Loe Isobel E som, Wendell Hulett, ennis Hooey, Robert Coote, Arthur Mulliner, May Veatty, Harry Allen, June Lockhart, Gerald Oliver Smith, Lumsden Hare, Claud Allister, Helena Pickard, Clifford Severn, Anna Lee, June Duprez, Odette Myrtil, Emily Fitzroy, Anita Bolster, Pax Walker, Jean Prescott. Mel Hudson to RCAF Mel Hudson, in charge of Maintenance and Engineering at Shea’s, Toronto, has been granted leave of absence to enlist in the RCAF, Though the battle of Libya has swung back and forth almost since the beginning of the war, it has been ignored by Hollywood until recently. Of late each studio has announced a picture in production dealing with that much-publicized front. First to hit the screens is 20th Century-Fox with a decidedly worthwhile offering, ‘Immortal Sergeant,” which should roll up a hefty score at the boxoffice more from picture value than from star names. Not that the star names are not on hand. There’s Henry Fonda as the public likes him, shy, honest, modest and in the end overcome with resolution. There's Maureen O’Hara keeping up the feminine romantic department in fine style. And there’s Thomas Mitchell as a wise and kind veteran. Actually the picture has a great deal to recommend it beside the privilege of watching particular favorites. Though it’s a bit unusual, the star, Fonda, doesn’t carry the title role. That belongs to Mitchell and is inherited by Fonda in spirit and enterprise, when Mitchell, leader of a desert patrol, is killed. ‘Immortal Sergeant” brings back in great style the tense flavor of a past favorite, “Lost Patrol.” In presentation it relies somewhat on the regular flashback technique brought to audience attention again by “In Which We Serve.” The studio aimed to present a tense drama, full of s_spense and thrills on the desert. For the most part it succeeded. Now and then the flashbacks, which originate in Fonda’s mind as he and his companions tramp the desert, hold back the action. Still, they qualify Fonda’s conduct and provide the romance and the contrast between London and Africa. Fonda is a bright young Canadian newspaperman who just cannot assert his love to Maureen O’Hara, who feels that way about him but is waiting to be asked. Reginald Gardner, a brash correspondent who has been successful, leaps in while Fonda only looks and becomes a rival for O’Hara’s affections. Wonda, feeling the call of duty, joins up and is sent to Libya, where he becomes a corporal under Thomas Mitchell, a peaceand war-time soldier. Mitchell takes his troop on an adventuresome patrol. Italian plames harass them until but four are left, Fonda taking over when Mitchell is wounded and despatches himself to avoid the torture of death on the desert. The survivors, Fonda, Melville Cooper, Allyn Jocelyn and Horton Lowry, come upon an oasis occupied by Nazis and capture it, blowing up a plane and a munitions supply. Fonda gets the medal and the girl. ‘Immortal Sergeant” is a top-notcher from a standpoint of thrills. They’re planned and they come off. It all makes for good audience reaction and good boxoffice. miele [ialls RED CROSS CAMPAIGN ‘Crystal Ball’ Nice Comedy “THE CRYSTAL BALL” UNITED ARTISTS (Running Time: 80 Mins.) “The Crystal Ball” is a casual comedy with a kind of happygo-lucky but unusual plot. Ray Milland and Paulette Goddard play the leads and in their expert hands it becomes a twocharacter show, though that in no way holds back the continued pleasantry and regular laughter. Goddard, broke in New York, finds refuge with a phoney fortune teller, Gladys George, and others such carnival characters. She becomes a shill for a shooting gallery, where she runs into Ray Milland and is smitten. This is what generates the plot. Goddard’s attempts to play position for Milland, which bring her eventual success, keeps The Crystal Ball rolling. At the time Goddard decides on Milland as the future other half, he is occupied with a socialite, Virginia Field. Gladys George is due to do a stint asa medium at a socialite affair and Goddard subs for her. She intrigues Milland with knowledge of himself, which the crafty Goddard has prepared in advance. By the time Milland finds out, he doesn’t care in the face of Goddard’s obvious charms. Who would? The presence of William Bendix, risen to boxoffice power of late, gives the film an added attraction, As Milland’s allround servitor he plays his usual muggish and popular role. Sig Arno, Ernest Truex and Iris Adrian all contribute individual comedy offerings, “The Crystal Ball’ is good escapist entertainment. Sir A. Korda, MGM Merge in Britain The news is that Sir Alexander Korda, producer of many fine motion pictures, has merged with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for future production. MGM has created many outstanding productions in Britain in the past and the placing of this activity under Korda's direction should mean much to the trade, eo