Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 6, 1944)

Vol 9, No. 36 The Falcon In Mexico with Tom Conway “RKO 70 Mins. LATEST OF THE FALCON SERIES IS ONE OF THE BEST; PICTORIAL AND MUSICAL APPEAL BIG ASSET. Two facts set the latest of the Falcon series of melodramas apart from its predecessors. The first is the film’s considerable visual appeal, full advantage having been taken of the Mexican background against which the story is unravelled. The second is the predominance of Mexican rhythms in the musical score. The sound of Mexican music conveyS a sense of gayety, which, while it may clash with the melodramatic happenings, goes a long way toward making the attraction satisfying entertainment. The story gives Tom Conway ample opportunity to parade his suave personality. The plot is not always crystal clear, but that matters little. What does matter is that Conway does his task so well and in such an ingratiating manner that one is held closely absorbed in what transpires on the screen. This time the Faleon jumps from New York to Mexico City to solve a mystery involving a painter. The artist is supposed to be dead, but the Falcon believes differently. Interesting and entertainingly Conway goes about the business of proving his theory to be correct. The painter, considering himself a failure, let the world think he was dead so that his daughter might profit from his insurance. The rise in the value of his work when he is reported dead drives a collector of his paintings to kill the artist. The Falcon has an exciting time hooking the villain. Conway has the backing of a fine group of players. Mona Maris appears as the artist's former wife, Nesto Paiva as a Mexican taxi driver, Mary Currier as & Woman who loved the painter, Martha MacVicar as the man’s daughter, and Emory Parnell as the villain. Bryant Washburn plays the painter. The role is so Small it doesn’t give him a chance to do much. CAST: Tom Conway, Mona Maris, Martha MacVicar, Nestor Paiva, Mary Currier, Cecilia Callejo, Emory Parnell, Joseph Vitale, Pedro de Cordoba, Fernande Alvarado, Bryant Washburn, George Lewis, Julian Rivero, Juanita and Ruth Alvarez, DIRECTION, Fine, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK Going My Way with Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald Paramount 130 Mins. DELIGHTFUL SENTIMENTAL COMEDY IS ONE OF YEAR’S BEST BETS; FITZGERALD GIVES SMASH PERFORMANCE. A supremely delightful sentimental comedy, “Going My Way” merits recognition as one of the top films of the year. The season has not produced to date more delicious entertainment than this. From every angle one views it, the production is an occasion for rejoicing——rejoicing that will be translated into grosses out of the ordinary. The film has everything to win popular acclaim—warmth, sweetness, humanity, heart throbs, tender love, rich humor, fetching music and a deeply affecting quality with which few films have been blessed so far this season. Although all these riches are on display for more than two hours, the end of the film finds one craving more. That is the best indication of the calibre of the entertainment that makes up “Going My Way.” Apart from its entertainment value, the film offers a spiritual uplift with which the world can well do in these days of travail. The story tells of the efforts of Bing Crosby, a young priest, to extricate the parish church of Barry Fitzgerald, a grumpy old man of God, straits. The modern ideas that Crosby brings to his priestly duties set Fitzgerald against him, but the old priest eventually comes to see eye to eye with his curate. Crosby, who has a love for music, solves the parish’s financial problems by turning over to Fitzgerald the proceeds from the sale of a song. At the same time he solves the delinquency that abounds in the poor neighborhood in which the church is located by interesting the kids in the formation of a choir. A cruel blow is struck Fitzgerald when his beloved church is destroyed by fire, but joy returns to his heart when money derived from a tour of the boy choir makes it possible to rebuild the edifice. Crosby's final good deed before he moves on to help another parish in financial trouble is to reunite Fitzgerald with the mother he has not seen since the day he left Ireland. Crosby, superlative as he is in this film, is overshadowed by from financial“ Henry Aldrich’s Little Secret with Jimmy Lydon, Charles Smith Paramount 75 Mins. THIS ONE WILL ONLY APPEAL TO THE RABID HENRY ALDRICH FANS. Complete disdain for reason makes this one of the least satisfactory of the Henry Aldrich series. The brand of comedy dished out is utterly juvenile. This time Henry gets into trouble over his attempt to help the wife of a jailbird whose baby boy the town’s welfare board headed by Aldrich senior is trying to take away from her on the grounds she isn’t a fit guardian for the child. DIRECTION Fair. Good. ae a SS Fitzgerald, who runs away with the picture, giving a richly flayored performance easily his best on the screen. The Irish trouper’s work is decidedly of Academy award stature. Crosby sings beautifully a number of first-rate Johnny Burke-James yan Heusen songs, plus a couple of old classics, The picture introduces Rise Stevens of the Metropolitan to film audiences in the part of an opera diva once enamored of Crosby. While her role is not extensive, she makes every moment count, impressing with her perSonality as well as her singing. Her chief vocal chore is a scene from “Carmen.” PHOTOGRAPHY, The romance is taken care of by James Brown and Jean Heather, both of whom are topnotch. Other outstanding portrayals are those of Gene Lockhart, Frank McHugh, Eily Maylon, Stanley Clemens. The Robert Mitchell Boychoir makes a noteworthy contribution to the musical content of the film. Leo McCarey is down as producer, director and author of the original story on which Frank Butler and Frank Cavett based their fine screenplay. In all three capacities he acquits himself with distinction. Deserving of note, too, are the camera work of Lionel Lindon, the art direction of Hans Dreier and William Flannery and the musical direction of Robert Emmett Dolan CAST: Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, James Leckhart, Jean Heather, Elly Frank McHugh, Stanley Clemens, Por ter Hall, Fortunio Bonanova, Carl “Alfalfa’’ Switzer, Robert Mitchell Boychoir. DIRECTION, PHOTOGRAPHY, Aces. Rise Stevens, Brown, Gene Maylon, Aces. INFORMATION RATINGS $2.00 Per Annum Once Upon A Time with Gary Grant, Janet Blair, James Gleason, Ted Donaldson Columbia 89 Mins, POWERFUL FANTASY, LOADED WITH COMEDY AND HUMAN INTEREST. ONE OF YEAR'S MOST UNUSUAL FILMS, Functional stature of the screen as a channel for presenting great human issues, and, at the same time, roundly entertain audiences, reaches a new high in “Once Upon a Time.” In the picture there is infinitely more than meets the eyes and ears of onlookers, for actually its story recounts through the medium of fantasy the fundamental things for which the forces of freedom are fighting the war, and deserve inalienably as their rights. As entertainment, this is a fine picture. In theme it is a very great one. One of its dialogue lines, spoken by James Gleason, holds the kernel of the theme, namely, “You can’t go around hurting people,” for personal gain or expediency. The story, ingeniously penned by Norman Corwin and Lucille Fletcher Herrmann, recounts the attempt of a Broadway producer to recoup his shattered fortunes, and retain the theatre which he owns, by capitalizing on the strange phenomenon of a caterpillar which dances, possessed and trained by a little boy. Cary Grant, in the role of the selfish and deperate impresario, takes the kid into partnership with him only toe violate the youngster’s rights of ownership to the caterpillar, and sell the amazing “worm” to a Hollywood film magnate for $100,000. Cloaked in scenes of glittering comedy, delightful touches, and romance between Grant and the youngster’s sister, Janet Blair, are stark realities in human relationships, such as the tardiness of people to recognize Truth, and the cold thesis of Science that it is the highest court for the determination of Truth and moral issues, Climaxing the swift action, and laugh-packed sequences studded with satire, is the series of heart-tugging scenes which finds Grant and the litQe boy reconciled CAST: Cary Grant, Janet Blair, James Gleason, Ted Denaldson, Howard Free man, William Demarest, Art Baker, Paul Stanton, Mickey MeGuire. DIRECTION, Superb, PHOTOGRAPHY, Top-Flight,