Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 12, 1945)

THE PICK OF THE PICTURES Vol. 10, No. 50 That Night With You with Franchot Tone, Susanna Foster, David Bruce, Louise Allbritton Universal 84 Mins. SMARTLY TURNED OUT COMEDY AIMING AT SOPHISTICATION PRO VIDES ADEQUATE ENTERTAINMENT. This handsome production, striving hard for sophistication, is a diverting comedy with an air of smartness. Michael Fessier and Ernest Pagano have collaborated as producers and scripters in turning out a film that should have little trouble capturing the fancy of the ordinary film-goer. While the story does not attempt to be believable, it has been presented palatably and with a sharp eye for the boxoffice worth of the material in the Arnold Belgard yarn from which Fessier and Pagano drew their screenplay. The story, crowded with romantic implications, is the familiar one of the girl with stage aspirations who resorts to trickery to win her goal. In this instance the girl, played by Susanna Foster, passes herself off as the daughter of Franchot Tone, ducer, by an early marriage that played a short engagement. The resultant complications are innumerable. Tone unsuccessfully tries to keep Miss Foster from being married to David Bruce, diner operator. Tone finishes by being in love with his secretary, Louise Allbritton. Most of the acting is on the right side. Miss Foster, who does better with her singing than her acting, lends her voice to five musical numbers, among them modernized versions of ‘Brahms’ “Lullaby” and an aria from Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.’ CAST: Franchot Tone, Susanna Foster, David Bruce, Louise Allbritton, Jacqueline de Wit, Buster Keaton, Irene Ryan, Howard Freeman, Barbara Sears, Anthony Caruso, Julian Rivero, Belle Mitchell, Teddy Infuhr, Arthur Miles, Margaret Pert, Sandra Orans, Dulce Daye, Virginia Engels, Mary Benoit. CREDITS: Executive Producer, Howard Benedict; Producers, Michael Fessier, Ernest Pagano; Director, William A. Seiter; Screenplay, Michael Fessier, Ernest Pagano; Based on story by (Arnold Belgard; Cameraman, Charles Van Enger; Film Editor, Fred R. Feitshans, Jr.; Art Directors, John B. Goodman, Martin Obzina; Sound Director, Bernard B. Brown; Set Decorators, Russell A. Gausman, Charles Wyrick; Special Effects, John P. Fulton; Musical Director, H. J. Salter; Dance Directors, Lester Horton, George Moro, Louis DaPron, DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, a wolfish theatrical pro-. —o 3 REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK Fallen Angel with Alice Faye, Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell 26th-Fox 97 Mins. FORCEFUL AND SUPERBLY PRODUCED DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT CARRIES PROMISE OF BIG GROSSES. In “Fallen Angel” 20th-Fox has delivered another dramatic offering with the makings of a great boxoffice favorite. Carefully and most effectively produced, the picture version of the Marty Holland novel possesses a rich, down-to-earth quality that gives the film the flavor properly needed to make entertainment of this kind stick in the mind. So engrossingly has the plot been unravelled that the audience is carried along with scarcely a moment’s lapse of interest in the proceedings, while the vividness and color which have gone into the telling of the story help to create a sense of realism that contributes to the dramatic potency of the production. The film tells the story of a hard-pressed publicity agent who enters into a marriage with a sweet, retiring girl with the intention of stealing money left to her so that he may be able to pursue a romance with a temptress who is leading him on. The fly-by-night press agent falls under suspicion when the girl who has been playing him for a sucker is found murdered. Encouraged by his wife’s display of faith in him, he pulls himself out of his jam by establishing the police officer working on the case as the villain. His unfortunate experience effects a character improvement in our hero. The film is amply endowed with good portrayals. Dana Andrews as the press agent contributes another to his list of earnest performances. As the seductress Linda Darnell is_ satisfactory, with a special appeal for the boys. The wife is played quietly by Alice Faye. Charles Bickford is his usual rugged self as the villain. ° CAST: Alice Faye, Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell, Charles Bickford, Anne Revere, Bruce Cabot, John Carradine, Percy Kilbride. Olin Howlin, Hal Taliaferro, Mira McKinney, Broderick O’Farrell, Jimmy Conlin, Leila McIntyre, Garry Owen, Horace Murphy, Martha Wentworth, Paul Palmer, Paul Bums, Herb Ashley, Stymie Beard, William Haade, Chick Collins. CREDITS: Producer, Otto Preminger; Director, Otto Preminger; Screenplay, Harry Kleiner; Based on novel by Marty Holland. DIRECTION, Fine. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine, First Yank Into Tokyo with Tom Neal, Barbara Hale RKO 82 Mins. STRONG AND VIVID MELODRAMA DEALS WITH A HOT AND TIMELY SUBJECT; EXPLOITATION GEM. A few hurried changes in which the atomic bomb becomes the secret weapon around which the action revolves have made “First Yank Into Tokyo” as hot as a firecracker. It is a vivid and meaty melodrama that makes extremely strong entertainment of appeal more to men than women. J. Robert Bren has turned out an interesting production in which the element of suspense is an important consideration. Bren, who wrote the screenplay as well as produced it, has sacrificed plausibility for the sake of excitement and entertainment. Gordon Douglas lends emphasis to this purpose with direction that moves the story along with no slackening of action. The plot deals with the efforts of an AAF major to contact an Army ordnance expert who is a prisoner of the Japs and obtain from him secret information having to do with the atomic bomb. To carry out his mission the hero, chosen for the task because of his knowledge of the Japanese people and their language, has to submit to plastic surgery that gives him the appearance of a son of Nippon. A note of pathos is struck by the fact he must go through life looking like a Jap. This means finis to his aspirations of finding happiness with the girl he loves. The story ends tragically for him. Tom Neal performs acceptably as the hero. Barbara Hale is the girl; Marc Cramer, the ordnance expert. CAST: Tom Neal, Barbara Hale, Mare Cramer, Richard Loo, Keye Luke, Leonard Strong, Benson Fong, Clarence Lung, Keye Chang, Michael St, Angel. CREDITS: Executive Producer, Jack J. Gross; Producer, J. Robert Bren; Director, Gordon Douglas; Screenplay, J. Robert Bren; Based on story by J. Robert Bren; Gladys Atwater. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. ‘But Not Goodbye' Richard Quine, husband of Susan Peters, will play the romantic lead in MGM’s comedy-drama “But Not Goodbye.” Western Musical Ken Curtis will play the lead in Columbia’s Western musical “Smoky River Serenade,” REVIEWS INFORMATION RATINGS $2.00 Per Annum Dakota with John Wayne, Vera Hruba Ralston Republic & Mins. ACTION-PACKED SAGA OF RAILROAD BUILDING IN THE WEST; WALTER BRENNAN GIVES A PRICELESS PERFORMANCE. Director Joseph Kane has fortified himself as associate producer on this stock-premised Western plot with such cinema girders as Howard Estabrook for adaptation, and Walter Brennan to handle an outstanding supporting role. John Wayne turns in an impressive performance with Vera Hruba Ralston as his wife, in her best acting role to date, but it remains for Brennan to steal the show as Captain Bounce, bellowing, picturesque operator of a dilapidated river boat. Special mention is also due Ward Bond and Mike Mazurki for their portrayals. All-in-all, the production values poured into “Dakota,” with its many speaking parts for familiar feature players, and Joe Kane’s action sequences, offers an equitable bid for good screen entertainment. Vera, in a cute forgivable manner, is constantly effecting unwitting situations for Wayne to overcome. The story brings the young couple to wheat-raising Dakota where Vera’s father is planning to extend his railroad line. Wayne sees through Ward Bond’s plan to outsmart the farmers for their land and cash in on the desirable railroad property. After several killings by Bond and his henchmen to reach their goal, Wayne has Brennan round up an opposition party to ward off the treachery. Some spectacular scenes of wheat fields on fire, and gun fights, climax the story and action to favorable results for everyone, including Brennan who gets himself a new river boat. CAST: John Wayne, Vera Hruba Ralston, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, Ona Munson, Hugo Haas, Mike Mazurki, Olive Blakeney, Nicodemus Stewart, Paul Fix, Grant Withers, Robert Livingston, Olin Howlin, Pierre Watkin, Robert H. Barrat, Jonathan Hale, Bobby Blake, Paul Hurst, Eddie Waller, Sarah Padden, Jack LaRue, George Cleveland, Selmer Jackson, Claire DuBrey, Roy Barcroft. CREDITS: Associate Producer and Director, Joseph Kane; Screenplay, Lawrence Hazard, DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Very Good. One to 20th Twentieth Century Theatres has assumed operation of the Paramount, Hanover, Ontario, 347-seat, six-day house,