Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 7, 1944)

a Pp). 0) SR eee : 3 REVIEWS INFORMATION RATINGS | Vol. 9, No. 23 To Film Nova Scotia Highland Games The annual Highland Games of the Antigonish Highland Society, to be held in July in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, will be filmed by Vancouver Motion Pictures Limited for distribution by Twentieth Century-Fox. Representatives of the Society conferred with Leon C. Shelly, head man of the Vancouver company, and A. J. Campbell, director of information for the provincial department. Scoop Prods. New Documentary Setup Scoop Productions, recently created by Robert Weil Velaise, former Loew’s executive in Europe, to produce and distribute documentaries is negotiating USA. and foreign distribution of its first film, “One Inch From Victory.” Noted war correspondent Quentin Reynolds did the script and narration. Thomas to Superior Maurice Thomas is now with Superior Operating, Montreal. Hal Wallis Signs With Paramount Paramount will handleworldwide distribution of productions from Hal Wallis Productions, Inc, The former Warner Brothers producer has allied himself with Joseph H. Hazen and the first film will be Lillian Hellman’s “The Searching Wind.” Capitol, St. Thomas’ Huge Paper Haul Capitol Theatre, St. Thomas, Ontario, took in 41,250 pounds of paper at a special show, the leading contributor winning a $5 prize. Afterwards Fire Chief Metrilla conducted a fire drill and emptied the theatre of 700 children in 438 seconds. This is an idea worth imitating at every such show. ‘If You Splice Film' That’s the front page line on an interesting booklet describing the Automatic Film Splicer of the Bloomfield Tool Corporation, 35 Farrand Street, Bloomfield, New Jersey. They can’t fill the present demand but you will find their improvements interesting. REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK ‘See Here, Pte. Hargrove’ with Robert Walker M-G-M 101 Mins. BEST-SELLER ABOUT ARMY LIFE REACHES SCREEN AS COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT OF GREAT POPULAR APPEAL. A bold comedy treatment makes the screen version of the Marion Hargrove best-seller entertainment of popular stripe. It will matter little to audiences that exaggeration has been employed often as a means of bolstering the fun. The warm human approach to the story of a hairbrained young private’s adventures in the service gives appeal to a lot of material that handled in any other manner would have been flat and familiar. Underlining the comedy theme is a more serious one that has to do with the transformation of Hargrove into a fighting man fully aware of his responsibilities as a defender of America’s cause in the battle against the forces of tyranny. Hargrove is a fledgling newspaper man when Uncle Sam beckons to him. Right from the start he gets acquainted with K.P. duty and doesn’t become a stranger to if until the end of the film. All the experiences that befall him in the perlod of his training as a soldier are vastly amusing, cven a bit touching at times. He reveals the stuff he is made of at the cnd when he chucks a nice soft borth as a public relations. man for overseas duty. Walker gets excellent assistance from his fellow players. Donna Reed co-operates beautifully with him in handling the romantic burden of the story. Keenan Wynn almost steals the show as a conniver who seeks to share in Hargrove's financial suc~ cess. As Wynn’s partner in playing our hero for a sucker we find George Offerman, Jr., who gives a swell performance. Robert Benchley adds to the comedy in a small bit as Miss Reed’s pop. Others worthy of mention are Ray Collins, Chill Wills, Grant Mitchell and William “Bill” Phillips. Bob Crosby makes a brief appearance as a soldier singing a tune called “Im My Arms,” Wesley Ruggles has directed satisfactorily. CAST: Rebert Walker, Donna Reed, Keensm Wynn, Rokert Benchley, Ray Collins, Chill Wills, Bob Crosby, Marta Linden, Grant Mitchell, George Offerman, Jr., Edward Fielding, Donald Curtis, Willam “Bil” Phillips, Douglas Fowley. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good, ‘The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek’ with Eddie Bracken, Betty Hutton Paramount 99 Mins. NEW STURGES COMEDY IS ACE ENTERTAINMENT; DIRECTION, WRITING TOPS; BRACKEN SURPRISES. In “The Miracle of Morgan's Creek” Preston Sturges has delivered himself of another ace comedy. The production is filled with the sort of humor that registers solidly with adults. Human nature has not been dealt with such amusing results in a long, long time. Some of the situations in this film are posi-~tively excruciating, representing comedy at its very beat. What sets the film apart from the common breed of comedy entertainment is the pathos, the sense of pity and the drama that lie beneath the surface of the humor. There is a certain depth to the comedy and a feeling for people and things that one doesn’t find in the average funny film. In times like these a comedy like “The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek” should be nothing less than a smash hit. A small town is the setting of Sturges’ story. His_ principal characters are a dull-witted bank clerk and a lively young thing whos works in a music store. Sturges ventures on mighty thin ice in telling what happens when the girl is married to a chance soldier while both are under the influence of alcohol. The marriage is never shown and the audience never sees the soldier. The whole plot hinges on the fact that the girl has no recollection of the soldier's name. Complications arise when the girl finds herself with child. Sturges has obtained topnotch performances from his cast. Eddie Bracken turns in his best film job as the bank clerk. As the girl Betty Hutton plays a straight role surprisingly well. William Demarest is immense as Miss Hutton’s pop. Fine, too, is the work of Diana Lynn. The film has a slew of minor roles played to perfection. Two of them are in the hands of Brian Donlevy (the governor) and Akim Tamiroff. CAST: Eddie Bracken, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn, William Demarest, Brian Donlevy, Akim Tamiroff, Porter Hall, Emory Parnell, Alan Bridge, Julius Tanmen, Victor Potel, Almira Sessions, Esther Howard, J, Farrell MacDonald, Frank Moran, Connie Tompkins, Georgia Caine, Torben Meyer, George Melford, Jimmy Conlin, Harry Rosenthal. DIRECTION, Aces. PHOTOGRAPHY, Geod. $2.00 Per Annum ‘Trocadero’ with Resemary Lane, Johuny Downs Republic 74 Mins. PLENTY OF MUSICAL NUMBERS MAKES THIS ONE FAIR ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE FAMILY TRADE. Thanks to an abundance of musical numbers and a story, which, while pretty commonplace, is crowded with human interest, ‘““Trocaderc” will serve its purpose very nicely on dual bills in the neighborhood houses, where the family trade will go for it without too much complaint. As a magnet for the young people the picture offers 10 popu~ Jar tunes for which the saccompaniments are provided by four name orchestras, those of Bob Chester, Matty Malneck, Gus Arnheim and Eddie LeBaron. Also very much of an attraction are Wingy Mannone, the Radio Rogues, the Stardusters, Ida James, Patricia Kay, Betty Bradley and Jane Ellison. Of secondary importance is the story and the players in it. The yarn has to do with the fortunes of a night club called the Trocadero. It traces the efforts of Ralph Morgan to keep it going after the death of its owner, 2 buddy, and its emergence, as 2 gathering place of the swankiest gadabouts. Rosemary Lane and Johnny Downs, children of the original owner, play a big part in making the joint what it is. The romantic burden is borne by Miss Lane and the late Dick Purcell, a band leader who has a lot to do with making a success of the Trocadero. Miss Lane, handicapped by some bad costuming, performs acceptably as singer and actress, Downs, Morgan and Purcell Struggle hard with the material at their disposal. Walter Colmes produced in routine manner, while William Nigh supplied fast direction. Charles F. Chaplin and Garret Holmes collaborated on the story from which Allen Gale did the screenplay. CAST: Resemary Lane, Johnny Downs, Ralph Morgan, Dick Purcell, Shekdon Leonard, Cliff Nazarro, Marjorie Manners, Erskine Johnson, Dave Fleischer, Emmett Vogen, Charlies Calvert, Dewey Robinson, Ruth Hilliard, Eddie Bartell, Bob Chester and orchestra, Matty Malneck and orchestra, Gus Anheim and orchestra, Eddie LeBaren and orchestra, Wingy Mannone, Radie Rogues, Stardusters, Ida James, Patricia Kay, Betty Bradley, Jane Ellison. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, *