Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 3, 1947)

THE PICK OF THE PICTURES REVIEWS INFORMATION RATINGS ‘| Vol. 12, No. 34 REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORE $2.00 Per Annum Slave Girl with Yvonne De Carlo, George Brent Emplre-Universal 80 Mins. FOR RIB-TICKLING HYSTERIA CHECK THIS ONE OFF AS A FINE BET. Without reservation “Slave Girl” is indicated as an ideal offering. It has zephyr lightness. It has a novel comic idea. And it has Technicolor. The original screenplay assembles its shafts of wit and forwith launches them at Tripoli in the beginning of the 19th Century, when the barbary pirates held sway. Not only do they hold sway, they also hold 10 US seamen for ransom. Sent with ransom gold and Broderick Crawford as _ bodyguard, George Brent hits town and begins negotiations with the local pasha, Albert Dekker. Broderick buys himself a lot of bargains, including a slave girl —Lois Collier. Enticed by Miss De Carlo, Dekker’s No. 1 dancing girl, who is first rate enticing, Brent and his gold soon part. She gets the metal to finance her boy-friend’s revolt. Delivering a chest of bricks to Dekker, Brent winds up in the clink with Andy Devine. They bust out. Suspicious of Miss De Carlo who is a Venetian, Dekker has her trailed. Both the gold and Miss De Carlo’s heart interest are discovered. Brent and his liberated gang join them. It turns out El Hamid, Miss De Carlo’s lover has little use for her. He gives her to an uncouth desert chieftain whose troops he plans to use. Incensed, Miss Carlo runs off to Brent. They are trapped between the Pasha’s and El] Hamid’s forces. Miss De Carlo pulls a trick gimmick in maneuvers and both forces kill themselves to death.. But here’s the payoff. All this is narrated part of the time by a camel named “Lumpy.” Destined for the Brooklyn zoo, he has that fair borough’s accent and Fessier and Pagano have provided him with choice morsels of gag. CAST: Yvonne De Carlo, George Brent. Broderick Crawford, Albert Dekker, Lois Collier, Andy Devine, Carl Esmond, Arthur Treacher, Philip Van Zandt, CREDITS: Written and Produced by Michael Fessier, Ernest Pagano; Director, Charles Lamont; Photography, George Robinson, W. Howard Greene. DIRECTION, Tops. PHOTOGRAPHY, Excellent, Joan Caulfield Cast Joan Caulfield has been chosen to star opposite Alan Ladd in Para’s “The Long Grey Line.” The Two Mrs. Carrolls with Humphrey Bogart, Barbara Stanwyck, Alexis Smith Warners 89 Mins. FAIRLY GOOD PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER HAS BOGART, STANWYCK IN GOOD ROLES. “An artist, with a streak of mental derangement, Humphrey Bogart builds an intense portrayal in this Mark Hellinger production of the stage play by Martin Vale. The pace is almost leisurely. High spots come off right on schedule and while the yardage might have been judiciously trimmed to speed up the story, the whole manages to be satisfactorily handled entertainment. It is all Bogart, even when he overplays climactic concluding moments. Miss Stanwyck is capable in her role as Number Two Wife who almost gets done in. The tale is an adult affair. An Amercan artist in England in the 30’s, Bogart is courting Miss Stanwyck while his wife and child, the former reportedly &n invalid, live in London. Miss Stanwyck, when she learns of his wedded state, runs off. Later, she is on the scene again as Bogart’s sécond wife. They are living in the country. He is having fair success with his painting. On to this stage comes Alexis Smith. She wants her portrait painted. Ann Carter plays Bogart’s young child. From her, Miss Stanwyck picks up a few details on the first Mrs. Carroll and first thing you know she is not up to drinking the warmed up milk Bogart brings when she is ill. Instead, she packs a gat loaned her by Pat O’Moore, an old friend. Bogart has been obtaining poison from a chemist in London. The powder and pill boy in turn has been clipping Bogart for blackmail. Bogart does him in. The youngster and maid are sent off. Bogart tries to kill Miss Stanwyck, first with poison, then via strangling. He is interrupted and taken off by police. As they exit he asks them if he could give them something — a glass of milk perhaps. CAST: Humphrey Bogart, Barbara Stanwyck, Alexis Smith, Nigel Bruce, Isobel Elson, Pat O’Moore, Ann Carter. CREDITS: Producer, Mark Hellinger; Director, Peter Godfrey; Screenplay by Thomas Job, from the stageplay by Martin Vale; Cameraman, Peverell Mariey. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, "The Spiritualist Crane Wilbur’s “The Spiritualist” has been bought by PRC. Green For Danger with Sally Gray, Trevor Howard Alastair Sim Eagle-Lion 93 Mins. SERIO-COMIC WHODUNIT SUSTALNS ATTENTION; SELLING VIA EXPLOITATION INDICATED. Scotland Yard takes opportunity here to kid itself along in the person of Alastair Sim. Pompous, bumptious and given to wry comment as he performs the role of inspector assigned to locating a murderer in a country hospital, Sim makes a general nuisance of himself, disrupts the routine and at length fails in his original mission. Punctuated frequently by V-1 bombs, the flying variety, the story lengthily details goings on between nurses, doctors and other hospital personnel. Romance and thwarted emotions are paraded. In simplest theatrical sense suspicion is diverted. In this manner the script sustains attention and all opportunity is given the spectator to arrive at the correct deduction. The way situations are handled and relationships are delineated, it is anybody’s guessing contest up until the very end. The initial manner of killing is novel. It gives reason to suspect the wrong person. He is vindicated. First half of the story reveals the nurses and surgeons problems in wards, sickrooms and in their personal lives. Local postman is brought in, a bomb victim. He is not seriously injured but dies in the operating room. It comes about that he expired because of faulty anasthesia. On the night of a party Judy Campbell is murdered and next day Sim is on the scene. Soon he is all over the place in his endeavor to sift evidence and place the blame. Sally Gray almost dies of illuminating gas poisoning due entirely to an accident. Sim uses this event to frame an operating room re-enactment of the previous performance with the postman. He locates his evidence but fails to nail the culprit. He /she breaks at this point and dies of poison before an antidote can be administered. CAST: Sally Gray, Trevor Howard, Rosamund John, Alastair Sim, Leo Genn, Megs Jenkins, Judy Campbell, Moore Marriott, GREDITS: An _ Individual Picture; Producers, Frank Launder. Sidney Gilllatt; Director, Sidney Gilllatt, Screenplay, Sidney Gilllatt, Claude Guerncy. DIRECTION, Average, PHOTOGRAPHY, Fair. ” : The Romance Of£ Rosy Ridge with Van Johnson, Thomas Mitchell, Janet Leigh MGM 105 Mins. FINELY DIRECTED AND PLAYED STORY OF POST CIVIL WAR PROBLEMS SHOULD BE GOOD FOR LONG, PROFITABLE BOXOFFICE HAUL. As worthy and sincere as they come when they concern themSelves with the American scene, this story of post Civil War problems in Missouri is simple narration of earthy folk that generates high dramatic moments. This again is the North against the South, the wearing of the blue and the gray; vengeful nightriders, barn burners. There are no fancy touches. It is an honest portrayal of a period of reconversion. After the narrative hits high drama moments it quickly simmers down to the revelation that the farmers who are hard put to get a crop in are not victims of North-South meanness. ‘Instead it is turned up that one of the respected citizens of the community is the responsible party. In straightforward sequences the story gets under way with visitation of Johnson at the Mitchell farmstead. They at first think him. to be their soldier son. Instead he appears playing a harmonica and at once sets about making himself handy. He applies himself. His assistance is readily accepted. Also, he is a school teacher anxious to set up a school. Mitchell evinces more than casual interest in the color of Johnson’s pants — whether they are blue or gray. There is an interlude devoted to a conciliatory “play-party” that begins on a somber note of threat, builds to an awkward climax between the two factions. It proves a fiasco. Johnson builds his_ school, leaves the Mitchell place. Miss Leigh leaves home to be with him. Mitchell becomes incensed, starts after the pair with his rifle. Johnson disarms him. The barn-burning night-riders come en the scene. Johnson kills four, captures the fifth and the truth comes out. CAST: Van Johnson, Thomas Mitchell, Janet Leigh, Marshall Thompson, Selena Royle, Charles Dingle, Dean Stockwell, Guy Kibbee, CREDITS: Producer, Jack Cummings; Director, Roy Rowland; Screenplay, Lester Cole; Based on a story by MadKinlay Kantor; Photography, Sidney Wagner, DIRECTION, B Fine, PHITOGRAPHY, Very Good.