Canadian Film Weekly (May 10, 1944)

REVIEWS IMFORMATION RATINGS Vol. 9, No. 19 REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK $27.00 Per Annum Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout with Jimmy Lydon, John Litel Paramount 66 Mins. LATEST ALDRICH PIC CONTAINS MUCH JUVENILE ENTERTAINMENT, PLUS MORAL LESSON FOR KIDS. “Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout” is an ideal attraction for youngsters. Besides providing the type of entertainment that appeals strongly to kids, the production is morally beneficial to youth still in the formative stage. It is a sugar-coated lesson on the value of fair play and the importance of young ideals. This is a point worth stressing in selling the film to the public in view of the delinquency problem which is such a concern in the nation today. The exhibitor can further advance public interest in the film via tie-ups with Boy Scout groups. In his latest appearance Henry Aldrich (Jimmy Lydon) is a senior patrol leader in a Boy Scout troop whose ambition is to become a junior assistant scoutmaster so he'll make a hit with a certain young lady (Joan Mortimer). There’s a rival in the field (David Holt), a chap who’s not above playing dirty to gain the prize. Henry’s task is complicated by the fact he has to act as a mentor for a problem child upon whose conversion into an upstanding youth rests a good measure of the town's economic life. You see, the problem child’s father (Minor Watson) has promised to establish his new defense plant in Henry's town and make the place his home provided our hero can do something with his son. Hickman gives Lydon no end of trouble with his tricks, but in time he alters his ways and becomes the youngster his pop hoped he would be. The end finds Henry a winner aill around. Hugh Bennett directed the film at a fast clip for Associate Producer Michel Kraike, overlooking no possibility for a laugh. Muriel Roy. Bolton did the screen-play from a yarn by Agnes Christine Johnston. Lydon is the same fumbling, clumsy, doltish Henry that he has always been. His main support comes from Charles Smith, John Litel, Olive Blakeney and Hickman CAST: Jimmy Lydon, Charlies Smith, Jehn Litel, Olive Blakeney, Joan Morti mer, Miner Watson, Darryl Hickman, David Helkt, Richard Haydel DIRECTION, All Right. PHOTOGRA. PHY, Good, Jane Eyre with Orson Welles, Joan Fontaine 20th -F ox % Mins. BRONTE CLASSIC CONVERTED INTO POWERFUL AND ARTISTIC FILM THAT WILL PROVE STRONG ATTRACTION. The Charlotte Bronte classic has been converted into a highly dramatic film that resorts heavily to theatricalism for the sake of effect. The picture is sombre and brooding-——the price it pays for being so faithful to the spirit of the original. There is an inescapable air of doom about this dolorous love tale that is hardly conducive to the happiness of those who view it. Paradoxically, this very fact is evidence of the fine job 20th-Fox has done in putting the Bronte book on the screen. There is hardly a light moment to relieve the heaviness of the story and the love element is very much subdued. These, however, are not faults; rather are they of the very essence of the theme. Those who don’t mind taking a brief respite from laughter and gaiety, those who are willing to break momentarily with the modern concept of romance will be well rewarded for their sacrifice, for this is an overwhelmingly powerful film, an artistic triumph, a production of high distinction. The support of those acquainted with the novel is incontestable. The fame of the book will guarantee the boxoffice success of the film version, The William Goetz production relates the frustrated life of Jane from the time she is hustled off to the orphan asylum run by the soulless Brocklehurst (Henry Daniell) to the moment when she faces the future with a promise of happiness as the bride of Edward Rochester, into whose embittered life she brings a ray of sweetness while serving as his child’s governess. The mystery of Rochester's mad wife has been treated with strong suspense. Joan Fontaine is properly sen sitive and subdued as Jane Eyre. Orson Welles is Rochester to the life, although he is rather stagey in the part. CAST: Orsen Welles, Joan Fontaine, Margaret O'Brien, Peggy Ann Garner, John Sutton, Sara Allgood, Henry Daniell, Agnes Moorehead, Aubrey Mather, Edith Barrett, Barbara Everest, Hillary Brooke, Ethel Griffies, Mae Marsh, Eily Malyon, Mary Forbes, Themas Louden, Ivan Simpsen, John Abbott, Ronald Harris, Charles Irwin DIRECTION, Geed, PHOTOGRAPHY, F ine. Rationing with Wallace Beery, Marjorie Main M-G-M 93 Mins. TOPICAL COMEDY, TRYING HARD FOR LAUGHS, IS ACCEPTABLE ENTERTAINMENT FOR BEERY FANS. The subject of rationing serves the purpose of comedy in the latest Wallace Beery film. Generally speaking, it can’t be said that the production is any too successful in extracting laughs from its material 3eery admirers are not likely to find much to criticize. Those not especially drawn by Beery type of antics are apt to regard the humor as rather labored and obvious. The main trouble with the film is that it reaches in too many directions in its efforts to hold the interest or Jaugh. The film again unites Beery and Marjorie Main. Once more the two put on a show of amiable spatting, much of it no doubt a lot of good-natured fun for Beery’s fans. Beery is the owner of a general store bewildered by the maze of rationing rules and regulations. Miss Main is the town’s rationing board as well as postmistress. Instead of helping Beery with his rationing problems, Miss Main only adds to his woes out of feminine spite. Beery turns the tables when he succeeds her as rationing head. Melodrama enters the story when Beery goes after a black market gang from which his business partner has been buying meat. Beery busts up the gang and clears himself of complicity in its activities. At the wind-up Beery and Miss Main are on the verge of matrimony. Produced by Orville O. Dull comic produce a the film is kept moving at a lively pace by Director Willis Goldbeck. William R. Lipman Grant Garrett and Harry Ruskin who collaborated on the screen play, try at times too hard to gain laughs Beery gives his usual broad Miss Main matches Dorothy Morris, as Miss Main’s daughter, and Tom my Batten, as Beery’s son, carry the romantic without too much faltering, Some others involved are Donald Meek, Howard Connie Gilchrist Dickinson, Henry O'Neill CAST: Wallace Beery, Marjorie Main Donald Meek, Dorothy Morris, Freeman, Connie Gilchrist, Tommy Bat pe rformance him in gusto adopted burden Freeman Gloria ten, Gloria Dickson, Henry O'Neill, Rich ard Hall, Charles Halton, Morris Ank rum, Carol Ann Beery, Douglas Fowley Chester Chite DIRECTION, Se Se, PHY, Geod, PHOTOGRA Howard M't'l Overcrowding Charges Dismissed Charges against the Chateau and Electra Montreal, for overcrowding were dismissed last week in Montreal Police Court by Judge Rene Theberge. The court found that Provincial Inspection Department had not proven that the law was violated. It was the Theberge that Loew's theatres, Judge safety position of Provincial regulations differ in application between theatres presenting vaudeville, opera drama and those showing movies. The prose cution failed to prove that the standees were attending vaudeville or movies. The case had been going on for a considerable period of time. lt Must Have Been an Interesting Session Col. John A. Cooper, who recently retired as head of the Canadian distributors, was seen having lunch with John Grierson, boss of the National Film Board, in Toronto the other.day. Col. Cooper is now concerning himself with 16 mm. films and the Musical Protective Association. The two old warriors were ndulging in some vigorous noodle-nodding. Wish we could have picked up the key words.