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THE PICK OF THE PICTURES
REVIEWS INFORMATION RATINGS
a
Vol. 11, No. 1
Too Young To Know
with Joan Leslie, Robert Hutton Warner Bros. 86 Mins.
FAIR ENTERTAINMENT IS PROVIDED BY FILM OF PRIMARY INTFREST TO FEMME PATRONS.
More obvious than it need be, “Too Young to Know” relates a well-worn story that may easily redeem itself with women audiences. Beyond the physical allure exercised by such charmers as Joan Leslie and Dolores Moran, there isn’t too much to hold the interest of the men. The picture is made strictly of the stuff that strikes a response in feminine hearts, dealing as it does with the marital tribulations of a boy and girl hitched when they were
too young to know what it was:
all about.
Injected into the plot in a deliberate bid for the women’s tears is a search for the couple’s child given by the mother for adoption after the bust-up of the marriage. The father, Robert Hutton, an officer, doesn’t even know he’s a father until Miss Moran, an entertainer once a pal of his exwife, (Miss Leslie) spills the news to him in a chance meeting in India, where he is stationed with the Air Force. Immediately Hutton grabs himself a leave so he can get back to Hollywood and locate his son. In a series of sequences smacking of artificiality he comes into custody of his youngster and becomes reconciled with Miss Leslie for a happy ending. Much of the action is concerned with a succession of spats between husband and wife, the latter’s attachment for a group of scatterbrained and irresponsible pals being at the bottom of the misunderstanding between the two.
The film, produced without distinction by William Jacobs, has commonplace direction by Frederick de Cordova, who had at his disposal a script by Jo Pagano marked by little inspiration.
Miss Leslie and Hutton bring a youthful appeal to their performances. Their support is adequate for the most part.
CAST: Joan Leslie, Robert Hutton, Dolores Moran, Harry Davenport, Rosemary DeCamp, Barbara Brown, Robert Lowell, Arthur Shields, Craig Stevens, Don McGuire, Dick Erdman, Robert Arthur, Johnny Miles.
CREDITS: Producer, William Jacobs; Director, Frederick de Cordova; Screenplay, Jo Pagano; Based on story by Harlan Ware; Cameraman, Carl Guthrie; Art Director, Stanley Fleischer; Film Editor, Folmer Blangsted; Sound, Everett A. Brown; Set Decorator, Walter F. Tilford.
DIRECTION, Routine. PHY, Good.
PHOTOGRA
REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK
Mexicana
with Tito Guizar, Constance Moore Republic 83 Mins.
MUSICAL’ CONTENT OF THIS LIGHT-HEARTED SHOW WILL WIN FAVOR OF AVERAGE FAN.
A vibrant musical that finds its inspiration in Latin-American rhythms, ‘Mexicana’ is an opulent production appealing strongly to the senses. Brimming over with life and gayety, the picture has been done in a spirit of joy that will lift the average fan out of himself into a realm of pleasant make-believe.
The film will win audiences primarily on the strength of its musical attributes, being especially a treat for those who cannot resist the strains of music from our neighbors to the South. Producer Alfred Santell has been wise in giving the music first place over the story content. In truth, the story is no more than an excuse for the presentation of a long string of musical numbers staged more than well hy Nick Castle. Among the compositions delighting the ears are “De Corazon a Corabon,” ‘“Mexicana,” “Somewhere There’s a Rainbow;*—“Heartless,” “Time Out. for Dreaming,” “See Mexico,” “Lupita,’ “Besame Mucho,” “Rancho Grande,” and a ‘“Guadalajara’”’ medley.
The story, the least of the film’s assets, is far from fresh or convincing. It tells of a Mexican Frank Sinatra (Tito Guizar) who, in an effort to avoid the fanatic attentions of his worshippers, induces a singing star from the States (Constance Moore) to pose as his wife. The complications are unlimited and on the comic side. The audience knows from the start of the deception that in time love will blossom between boy and girl.
The lively direction of Santell keeps the cast very much on its toes. Guizar is best when singing. Miss Moore raises her voice in a couple of numbers. As a Mexican bombshell in the way of Guizar and Miss Moore, Estelita Rodriguez is fiery enough but hardly a sensation. Leo Carrillo stands out among the others.
CAST: Tito Guizar, Constance Moore, Leo Carrillo, Estelita Rodriguez, Howard Freeman, Steven Geray, Jean Stevens, St. Luke’s Choristers, Peter Meremblum Junior Orchestra.
CREDITS: Producer, Alfred Santell; Director, Alfred Santell; Screenplay, Frank Gill, Jr.; Cameraman, Jack Marta; Musical Director, Walter Scharf; Music, Gabriel Ruiz; Lyrics, Ned Washington; Film Editor, Arthur Roberts; Sound, Ed Bor
schell, Howard Wilson; Art Directors, Russell Kimball, James Sullivan,
DIRECTION, Routine. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good.
The Stork Club
with Betty Hutton, Barry Fitzgerald, Don DeFore Paramount 98 Mins.
MUSIC, COMEDY AND ROMANCE COMBINED MOST SUCCESSFULLY IN SWELL BOXOFFICE PIC.
B. G. DeSylva’s latest production is entertainment that will make film audiences supremely happy. The production, sparklingly produced by DeSylva with the assistance of Harold Wilson, leaves out nothing calculated to give the film boxoffice standing. Those three elements so essential to the success of a film of this sort—comedy, music and romance —have been combined in a manner that will draw praise.
With those splendid troupers, Betty Hutton and Barry Fitzgerald, heading the cast, “The Stork Club” cannot fail to prove anything less than grand fun, staged with unusual competence by Director Hal Walker and decked out in all the finery at Paramount’s command.
DeSylva and John McGowan have knocked together a screenplay that enables Miss Hutton, Fitzgerald and their fellow players to display their talents to the full. The two have guaged the popular taste to perfection, making the Stork Club the peg for a story rich in human values as well as in the more obvious trappings of musical entertainment.
The highly amusing story tells of what happens when Fitzgerald, a rich old Irishman, instructs his lawyer, Robert Benchley, to make some of his resources anonymously available to Miss Hutton, Stork Club hat-check gal, as a reward for her having saved him from drowning. Most of the fun results from Miss Hutton’s efforts to find out who her fairy godfather is. Her sudden rise in the world arouses the suspicion of her boy friend, Don DeFore, and for a while the romance is on the verge of going on the rocks.
The acting is to be commended highly. Miss Hutton sings and acts explosively. Fitzgerald steals the show time and again. DeFore plays the boy friend earnestly. Robert Benchley, Bill Goodwin (as Sherman Billingsley, Stork Club host) and Iris Adrian contribute good support. The picture introduces Crooner Andy Russell.
CAST: Betty Hutton, Barry Fitzgerald,
Don DeFore, Andy Russell, Robert Bench
ley, Bill Goodwin, Iris Adrian. CREDITS: Producer, B. G. DeSylva;
Associate Producer, Harold Wilson; Di
rector, Hal Walker.
Pi eae ne Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, ne.
$2.00 Per Annum
Confidential Agent
with Charles Boyer, Lauren Bacall Warner Bros. 118 Mins.
BACALL-BOYER TEAMED EFFECTIVELY IN SUSPENSEFUL DRAMA WHICH HAS ROBUST ACTION.
This melodrama, stemming from the novei of Graham Greene, will derive its drawing power primarily from the interest created by the teaming of Charles Boyer and Lauren Bacall. The linking of Boyer, darling of the ladies, and Miss Bacall, a lure for the men, was a smart move —one that provides the exhibitor witn his chief justification for booking the production.
The film, to which the direction of Herman Shumlin has brought considerable suspense, has some robust action and a lot of devious turns and twists that keep the audience in a guessing mood.
The intelligent filmgoer, however, cannot escape the feeling that the film, which is much too long for what it is, makes a big to-do over a matter of none too great an interest. Bearing on the Spanish Civil war, the film deals with events that carry little weight at the boxoffice today. Yet, for all this, it is doubtful that the melodrama addict will be much influenced adversely.
Boyer has the role of an agent for the Spanish Republican forces who slips into England, entrusted with the mission of acquiring coal from Miss Bacall’s father to permit his side to keep pressing its fight against the fascists. Miss Bacall’s pop, a British coal baron, signs a deal with Boyer’s enemies but cancels it at the last moment. The Spanish agent patiently takes a cuffing from the Villains, but at the end he stands triumphant. At the finale we see him headed for home with Miss Bacall, convert to his cause, who has taken the place in his heart once held by his wife, cruelly killed by his enemies. '
Boyer brings deep sincerity to his acting. Miss Bacall fails to repeat the sensation she created in “To Have and Have Not.” Katina Paxinou as a villainess, Peter Lorre and Wanda Hendrix as a young drudge who assists Boyer must be credited with some of the best acting in the film.
CAST: Charles Boyer, Lauren Bacall, Victor Francen, Wanda Hendrix, George Coulouris, Peter Lorre, Katina Paxinou, John Warburton, Holmes Herbert.
CREDITS: Producer, Robert Buckner; Director, Herman Shumlin; Screenplay, Robert Buckner; Based on novel by Graham Greene; Cameraman, James Wong
Howe. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY,