Canadian Film Weekly (Jan 12, 1944)

it THE PICK OF THE PICTURES Vol. 9, No. 2 ‘What A Woman’ with Rosalind Russell, Brian Aherne Columbia 94 Mins. SMART ROMANTIC COMEDY RATED AS EXCELLENT ENTERTAINMENT; ACTING OF ENTIRE CAST IS ACES. Those who go for romantic comedy will take readily to “What A Woman!” The picture, produced handsomely by P. J. Wolfson, is delicious fun with sophisticated overtones that will draw the attention of the more literate members of the population. This brightly written and smartly turned out picture should give a fine account of itself at the box office. Under Irving Cummings’ wise and deft direction a cast headed by Rosalind Russell and Brian Aherne brings exactly the right spirit to the acting. Miss Russell gives a skillful performance as a ten-percenter who has not time to try her wings. Her work as a comedienne in this one is extremely refreshing. Aherne, playing a cynical magazine writer who prods her into finding herself romantically, is teamed happily with Miss Russell, giving an unusually smooth performance. Keeping pace with Miss Russell and Aherne is Willard Parker, who is quite impressive in completing a romantic triangle. Miss Russell meets Aherne when he is assigned to do @ profile of her for his magazine. Parker, a college professor who has written a smashing bestseller, comes into her life as result of a search by her for a man to play the leading role in the film version of the novel. ‘Miss Russell finds Parker, who is one of her clients, to be physic ‘ally ideal for the role. While Parker is being groomed for the part he falls in love with Miss Russell, who fails to respond. After a lot of hilarious complications, Miss Russell falls for Aherne. At the end Parker is conveniently on his way to Hollywood. Alan Dinehart, Edward Fielding, Anne Savage and Norma Varden are some of the lesser players who are to be congratulated for their work. The camera work of Joseph Walker, the art direction of Lionel Banks and the score of John Leipold are excelient. CAST: Rosalind Russell, Brian Aherme. Willard’ Parker, Alan Dinehart, Edward Fielding, Ann Savage, Norma Varden, Douglas Wood, Grady Sutton, Lilyan ‘Irene, Frank Dawsen. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, ~ VOICce of the CANADIAN MOTION REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORE ‘In Old Oklahoma’ with John Wayne and Martha Scott Republic 102 Mins. SPECTACULAR AND ROMANTIC OUTDOOR DRAMA WHICH PACKS THE POWER TO PACK IN THE CUSTOMERS. Using Thomson Burtis’ yarn, “War of the Wildcats,” as its basis, Republic, via associate producer Robert North, has come up with what is patently as rousing an outdoor drama as the company has yet offered to its theatre customers, and particularly is this appraisal applicable to the footage once the story has hit its stride. In the early stages there are some rather vapid sequences wherein the highly capable Martha Scott is given nosalgic lines with which to wrestle, and to which dialogue shortcoming John Wayne is likewise subjected. But this minor criticism of the picture is much like reporting that Babe Ruth, in his heyday, struck out before poling a few over the centre fleld fence. The action addicts, and all with a taste for romance, are bound to get their money’s worth from this oftenspectacular meller whose climax is big with excitement. Albert S. Rogell’s direction is firm and sweeping in understanding of showmanship values. The Wayne-Scott combination is highly successful casting, and the supporting players fit their assignments like proverbial gloves. There is nothing uncommon about the story of “In Old Oklahoma,” but the attraction derives strength in the manner in which it is brought to the screen. There is apparently no ceiling on extras, nor on the plethora of horses and wagons utilized to enact the mad dash of Wayne and his band of oil drillers to get their “black gold’ to old Tulsa and thus thwart the evil designs of Albert Dekker. The latter, Wayne, and Martha Scott form the red-blooded and romantic triangle, with the two suitors at one stage indulging in as bristling a fist-fight as Hollywood has yet devised. Happenings are buiit against a background of the early 20th century exploitation of oil lands belonging to the Indians. CAST: John Wayne, Martha Scott, Albert Dekker. George “Gabby” Hayes. Marjorie Rambeau, Dale Evans, Grant Withers, Sydney Blackmer, Paul Fix, Ceci] Cunningham. Irving Bacon. Byron Foulger, Anne O'Neil, Richard Grabam. DIRECTION, Solid. PHOTOGRAPHY, Expert. ‘Government Girl’ with Olivia de Havilland, Senny Tufts RKO $4 Mins. HERE’S SWELL COMEDY THAT WILL CLICK EVERYWHERE; DE HAVILLAND AND TUFTS MAKE FINE PAIRING. The Washington scene has served as the inspiration for this entertaining comedy, which has been treated in a manner that makes it palatable to intelligent amusement seekers as well as the run-of-the-mill fans. The picture is another dandy from the Dudley Nichols drawer. Nichols has made the production very much of a personal affair, having functioned as producer, director and author of the screenplay, in every one of which capacities he has covered himself with praise. Working from a story by Adela Rogers St. John, Wichols has woven the yarn of an industrial wonder boy thrown into the Washington whirlpool when he becomes a2 dollar-a-year man entrusted with the job of boosting the production of bombing planes. A rugged individualist, the fellow rebels at Government procedure, making himself game for critics of the administration. His secretary proves a godsend to him. She helps him over the bumps and teaches him the ropes. It is to be expected that eventually boss and secretary fall in love with each other. When the boss is made the target of a Congressional investigation of his department, the girl shows the real quality of her love by pleading in his behalf with such eloquence that the charges against him are dropped. Miss de Havilland gives a swell performance as the secretary. As her boss Sonny Tufts advances his stock immeasurably. It is to his credit that he makes believable a role that could have been easily a caricature. Anne Shirley appears as Miss de Havilland’s sister and James Dunn as her soldier husband. Both are all right. Jess Barker is subtlely villainous as Tufts’ rival. Good work is also forthcoming from Paul Stewart, Agnes Moorehead, Harry Davenport. CAST: Olivia de Havilland, Sonny Tufts, Anne Shirley, Jess Barker, James Dunn, Paul Stewart, Agnes Moorehead, Harry Davenport, Una O’Connor, Sig Ruman, Jane Darwell, George Givot. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, REVIEWS INFORMATION RATINGS January 12, 1944 ‘Young Ideas’ with Susan Peters, Herbert Marshall, Mary Astor M-G-M 77 Mins. PLENTY OF ENTERTAINMENT TO BE FOUND IN THIS COMEDY; WORK OF CAST PROVES A BIG ASSET. Audiences will find loads of fun in this comedy about two young people who plot to break up their mother’s marriage to a chemistry professor. The youngsters are played by Susan Peters and Elliott Reid, who practically steal the show with their conspiratorial antics, which at times are very hilarious indeed. Mixed in with the comedy are some good romantic moments in which the participants are Miss Peters and Richard Carlson, an instructor at the university where Marshall is employed. The romance between Miss Peters and Carlson is important to the story because it opens the girl’s eyes to the vileness of the conspiracy between her and her brother to bust up mother’s marriage and drives her to make amends by getting brother to call the whole dirty business off. It must be said for the youngsters that they are never really vicious, their plot being more the result of their youthful exuberance than anything else. The acting 1s a great help to ‘the film. Miss Peters and Reid are pretty effective as the cause of ali the trouble, while Herbert Marshall as the stepdad and Mary Astor as the mother are beyond reproacn. The mild professor’s transformation into a man of action by the necessity of keeping his marriage intact has been engineered in the most amusing manner by Marshall. Others who contribute a lot to the entertaining quality of the film are Carlson and _ Allyn Joslyn. Jules Dassin has directed skillfully, while Robert Sisk has produced smartly. Jan McLellan Hunter and Bill Noble have done a creditable screenplay. CAST: Susen Peters, Herbert Marshall, Mary Aster, Elliott Reid, Richord Carlson, Allvn Joslyn, Dorothy Morris, Frances Rafferty, George Delenz, Emory Parnell. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Cupples’ Second Boy It’s a boy at the Bill Cupples. Brian is the name and he’s the second lad. Bill manages the Granada, Dunnville, Ont. Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. (eee ~~