Canadian Film Weekly (May 17, 1944)

Vol. 9, No. 20 Hi ‘Ya, Sailor with Donald Woods, Elyse Knox Universal 63 Mins. MODEST MUSICAL IS STRICTLY ROUTINE ENTERTAINMENT THAT WILL CLICK WITH YOUNGSTERS. This, another in the series of modest musicals turned out by Universal, has an appeal directed primarily at the extremely impressionable. At no time does the production make any pretext at maturity. Story. acting, production and direction are all in keeping with the unimportance of the enterprise. The film is virtually nothing more than a collection of musical numbers and specialties strung together with small imagination. While none of them lays any claim to distinction and only one or two has much to recommend it, all of them will provide the young people with some measure of entertainment. The two names that will mean most to the torsotwisters are Ray Eberle and Wingy Manone. For curiosity value there isMyris Chaney, Mrs. Roosevelt’s former protege whose association with the Office of Civilian Defense stirred a tempest in a teapot. Honesty compels one to report that the lady is nothing to get excited about so far as her dancing in her brief appearance in this film goes. Weaving in and out of the musical numbers is a flimsy little story that placed no mental strain on its creators. The screen-play of Stanley Roberts was “suggested” by a story by Fanya Lawrence. It is hard to understand why Roberts needed a suggestion to devise the sort of plot display in “Hi ’Ya, Sailor.” The yarn details the efforts of Donald Woods, a merchant seaman, to sell a song on the success of which he hopes to found a career as a tunesmith. After a lot of discouragement he meets up with Phyllis Brooks, a singing star, who introduces the song for Woods after the latter has had a run-in with the girl's jealous manager, Jerome Cowan. Elyse Knox, a taxi driver, is instrumental in Wood's success, Also helpful are three fellow-seamen of Woods’, Frank Jenks, Matt Willis and Eddie Quillan. CAST: Denald Woods, Elyse Knox, Jerome Cowan, Frank Jenks, Matt Willis, Eddie Quillan, Phyllis Brooks, Ray Eberle, Chaney Trio, George Beatty, Hacker Duo, Delta Rhythm Boys, Neillson Sisters, Wingy Manone and band, DIRECTION, Ordinary, PHOTOGRA.PHY, Okay, REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK None Shall Escape with Marsha Hunt, Alexander Knox Columbia 55 Mins. INITIAL PIC ON WAR-TRIALS THEME 1S HIGHLY EFFECTIVE DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT WITH B. O. POWER. “None Shall Escape” has the initial advantage of being the first motion picture to dwell on the question of post-war trials for those responsible for bringing on the present world convulsion. If the film had no more than its “firstness’ with which to claim the interest, it would merit public attention. But it offers more, far more than that. The subject has been treated in so superb a fashion, all those involved have discharged their duties so well that the picture has every right to the ultimate of boxoffice support. The story of a German gauleiter on trial for heinous crimes committed in the name of Hitler has been made into powerful dramatic entertainment under the producership of Samuel Bischoff. It is a tense, absorbing and emotionally stirring case history set forth in vivid terms. Employing flashbacks, the story traces the events in the defendant’s life that led to his indictment as a war criminal. The film opens in 1919 with his return to the German-Polish border village where he taught school before World War I. What follows is a succession of incidents showing his development into a fanatic Nazi. He stops at nothing to gain high honors in the Nazi party. He gives up his sweetheart, a Polish schoolmistress; rapes a young girl; turns his brother, a liberal, over to the Gestapo; brings up his nephew to be an image of himself; butchers the Jews of the village; finally kills the nephew when the young man, at last awakened to the true nature of Nazism, renounces the party for the slaying of a Polish girl, loved by him. The cast has responded with magnificent performances to the simple and powerful direction of Andre DeToth—a job that rates raves. Alexander Knox makes an auspicious film debut as the defendant. CAST: Marsha Hunt, Alexander Knox, Henry Travers, Erik Rolf, Richard Crane, Derethy Morris, Richard Hale, Ruth Nelson, Kurt Kreuger, Shirley Mills, Elvin Field, Trevor Bardette, Frank Jaquet, Ray Teal, Art Smith, George Lessey. DIRECTION, Superb. PHOTOGRA.PHY, Superb. The Heavenly Body with William Powell, Hedy Lamarr M-G-M % Mins. MARITAL FARCE 1S FIRST-RATE FUN FOR GROWN-UPS; POWELL BIG DRAW AFTER LONG SCREEN ABSENCE. A titillating marital farce, “The Heavenly Body” is firstrate fun that will draw handsomely, thanks no little to the pairing of William Powell and Hedy Lamarr in the top roles. The film tells a diverting story smartly and with considerable bounce. Of primary interest is the presence of William Powell in the cast. This is the actor’s first starring film since he made “Crossroads” for Metro in early 1942. His only other film appearance since then has been in “The Youngest Profession,” in which he was seen for a flash as a “puest star.”” The desire of his army of fans to welcome him back as a full-time performer will assure the boxoffice success of the production. Powell is very much his old self in the role of an astronomer, who, at just about the time he has discovered a new comet, starts having trouble with his wife, Hedy Lamarr. Kesponsible is a visit by Miss Lamarr toe an astrologer (Fay Bainter), who tells her another man is destined to come inte her life. A chance meeting with James Craig, an air-raid warden, convinces her that this is the man Miss Bainter discovered in her horoscope. Forthwith Miss Lamarr goes after Craig, who isn't teo happy about it all. From there on Powell is kept busy trying to keep his wife’s silly notion from taking a serious turn. Of course, all ends well after a gay and lively time has been had by all. Se terminates a fluffy story that wil appeal te soephisticated people. Produced brightly by Arthur Hornblow, Jr., the picture has the benefit of deft direction by Alexander Hall. Powell is the main show in “The Heavenly Body.” Miss Lamarr is chiefly ornamental. James Craig, Miss Bainter, Henry O'Neill, Spring Byington deliver the best performances in the supporting cast. CAST: William Powell, Hedy Lamarr, James Craig, Fay Bainter, Henry O'Neill, Spring Byington, Rebert Sully, Morris Askrum, Franco Corsaro, Connie Gilchrist. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good, —_ ~ POW 6 ame egw REVIEWS IMFORMATION RATINGS $2.00 Per Annum My Best Gal with Jane Withers, Jimmy Lydon Republic 67 Mins. STRICTLY JUVENILE IN TREATMENT AND APPEAL, SHOULD CLICK WITH HEPCAT AUDIENCES. Another of Republic’s modestbudget musicals, “My Best Gal’ is strictly juvenile in treatment and in appeal. The production is full of the sort of stuff that catches the fancy of the bobbysock patronage. Musically, romantically and comedically the production offers the youngsters something to smile about. The picture is crowded with young people afflicted with the jives who keep themselves in a constant state of agitation—-to the delight of the kids, no doubt. The story is an implausible, infantile affair about the efforts of a couple of striplings (Jane Withers and Jimmy Lydon) to sell to a big Broadway producer a musical show written by one of them. When a sale seems imminent, the author insists that the cast be made up of an army of young friends, for whom the musical was written. No go, says the producer. The author reconsiders when money is needed to bring Miss Wither’s ailing granddad (Frank Craven) back to health. The insistence of Lydon that his generosity be kept a secret causes Miss Withers and his friends to misunderstand his motive. He is cut cold, but at the finale all’s rosy again, with Lydon in the Army and the show a big hit. The players give no more of themselves than the material requires. Miss Withers and Lydon Stage a demonstration of calf love that should please the young folk. The former handles the singing chores fairly well. Frank Craven seems lost among all the silly goings-on. CAST: Jane Withers, Jimmy Lydon, Frank Craven, Fortunio Bonanova; George Cleveland, Franklin Pangborn,) Mary Newton, Jack Boyle DIRECTION, Far. PHOTOGRAPHY, Geed. Same Officers for United Amusements United Amusements of Montreal elected the same officers at their annual meeting last week. Officers are Ernest A, Cousins, president; D, A. Murray, vicepresident and comptroller: George Ganetakos, managing W. H. Mannard, secretarytreasurer; and W. Deveault. assistant secretary-treasurer, director; ————————EE——e—eeee —-