Canadian Film Weekly (Aug 25, 1943)

a THE PICK OF THE PICTURES REVIEWS | INFORMATION | RATINGS Vol. 8, No. 35 COAST-TO-COAST COVERAGE August 25, 1943 ‘Rising Sun’ Is Power-Packed STRONG SUCCESSOR TO ‘HITLER’S CHILDREN’ RKO ‘Bell Will Not Be Shown Here “Hor Whom the Bell Tolls,” Paramount’s super-production of Ernest Hemingway's story of the Spanish civil war, will not be seen in Canada unless the Theatre and Film section of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board is willing to make it an exception to the price-freezing rule. Paramount offices in Toronto denied the report in a USA trade paper that a Toronto run had been arranged for the Royal Alexandra " Theatre. Taking three years to produce at a cost of $3,000,000, the film is in the same class as ‘Gone With the Wind” in many ways. In the United States it is being sold on 70%-30% terms to exhibitors and the minimum admission charges are 75 cents during the day and $1.10 at night. It is doing tremendous business in New York, where it is in its sixth week. Paramount is guaranteeing the exhibitor 10% of the gross receipts as his profit. In view of the seriousness of the price control situation, as explained to the press last week by Donald Gordon, price controller, it is unlikely that any exception to the regulations will be allowed at the moment. It remains to be seen whether “For Whom the Bell Tolls” will be the same attraction to the public when the time comes later for its unreeling in Canada. It has a certain amount of political content, though most of it is timeless stuff. L-Corp'l A. Sabblut Killed in Sicily The first death among former Vitagraph Limited employees now in the Canadian armed forces, js that of Lance-Corporal Aaron Sabblut, who was reported, as of August 8th, “killed in action in the Sicilian campaign”. Sabblut, employed for several years in the Winnipeg branch as revisor and shipper, left Vitagraph to join the Canadian Army ony May 80, 1942. (Running This is a frank attempt to > follow up on the success of “‘Fritler’s Children” and it should give that film a run for its records. Though not of the same great interest here that it is in the USA, “Behind the Rising Sun” has a full-fledged Jap background, striking revelations about how the Jap lives and thinks at home and how he acts in conquered countries. It provides an almost new background, thus offering novelty, and much of it has horror appeal, Apparently big names any more than ler’s Children” did. It is, ever, excellently cast, the leading players being Margo, Tom Neal, J. Carroll Naish, Robert Ryan, Gloria Holden, Don Douglas, George Givot and Adeline DeWalt Reynolds. The film acknowledges that there are liberal-minded Japanese who disapprove of all that is going on there now. It is this conflict over loyalty to Emperor as opposed to loyalty to humanity which provides the emotional disturbances of the Japanese characters. The other differences, maintained by the Americans caught by the Japs, are purely physical. The idea of weaving two distinct story lines with each other is carried further by two different romances, one Japanese and the other American. Tom Neal is a USA-educated Jap whose high ideals are corrupted by his father, J. Carroll Naish. The father relents but the son becomes hardened by the campaign in China. Margo is a Japanese girl who wins Neal’s love and remains behind to fight for freedom when the Americans leave on passports it doesn’t need “Frit how okayed by Naish. Neal has been killed. Margo is the secretary to Don Douglas, an American engineer being chased romantically by Gloria Holden, a news Time: 8% Mins.) paper woman, an affair which is settled conclusively in a Jap jail. George Givot is the funny Russian correspondent who is also a spy. One thrilling scene shows a fight between an American boxer and a Japanese wrestler, Ryan being the boxer and Mike Mazurki the wrestler. There is a graphic treatment of the bombing of Tokio, during which the Americans escape. “Behind the Rising Sun’ is excellently played by all. It has timeliness and news value, makes plain the selling of children into immorality and reveals the feudal minds of the people. In many ways it’s a shocker and should attract unusual-sized trade. ——a a) Mono Grouping Is Approved (Continued from Page 1) rick, Tala Birrell, Maris Wrixon, Alan Baxer and directed by Anatole Litvak. The first group has ten, made up of four East Side Kids features, four musicals and four Charlie are ten in the second group, two featuring Bela Lugosi, two of the Cisco Kid series, and six other features to be announced. Bight make up third group, four of which feature Johnny Mack Brown Raymond Hatton. star Hoot Gibson nard. The exchange will release a total of 34 during the season. Westerns the will and The others will nna We and Ken May ras 4 a SEE bright things ahead for the but postwar theatre ... your present sound equipment must last for the duration. Conserve it with regular service!”’ DOMINION SOUND EQUIPMENTS LIMITED Head Office: * MALIFAX TORONTO 1620 Netre Do WINNIPEG ame Street West, Mentreal REGINA CALGARY VANCOUVER