Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 4, 1948)

THE PICK OF THE PICTURES REVIEWS INFORMATION RATINGS Vol. 18, Na. 5 REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK $2.00 Per Annum Mary Sceptical Re Dom n Production Mary Pickford who owns half of United Artists and has returned to the film-making field, provided some interesting news of her plans and opinions about production in Canada during her visit. Meanwhile, Samuel Goldwyn. entered suit against her and Lady Sylvia Ashley, widow of Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. Goldwyn wants the old United Artists studio, in which he is a partner, divided or sold. Asked about the chances for production of films in Canada, she was not optimistic. “I suppose I should do the diplomatic thing and say yes, Canada should have movie studios,” said Miss Pickford. “But my Canadian conscience will not let me do that. “No, I think you can produce a good many pictures, on loca : tion, in Canada, and you can use a great many Canadian actors, but in my opinion, you would have to have the studios in Hollywood. After all, there has grown up a second generation in Hollywood, who seem to have the movies in their system and who know how things there should be done. “It is not only the actors, but all the other people, and it does not seem feasible that we could produce pictures on a large scale in Canada, much though I should like to see it done.” Asked about making ‘educational pictures,’ Miss Pickford came right to the point. “Stop at any magazine stand,” she said. “See what they read. A producer when he is spending as much as four million dollars, cannot risk something that is educational. “I do not think it is our duty to attempt to educate movie goers; it would take the money of the Rockefellers to be able to afford that. True, pictures could be more adult, but you cannot educate people if they don’t want hes” She noted the failure of wonderful English pictures like “Brief Encounter” and ‘Colonel Blimp,” felt sure that you could not give people pictures they did not want to see. . Outlining her future plans, she said she was going to do a picture called “Venus,” a funny picture with the Marx Brothers, and one tentatively labelled ‘See What I Mean.” Also the life of Hoagy Carmichael, tn be called “Star Dust Trail.” The Exile with Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Maria Montez, Paule Croset Empire-Universal HISTORICAL YARN HAS MANY POTENT POSSIBILITIES: PRODUCED WITH CARE, KNOW-HOW. Here we have detailed in the sepia process the life and times of Charles II, King of England, in exile from the Cromwell government in Holland. The period embraced is considerably before he met up with “Amber.” Instead, in this version of Cosmo Hamilton’s story, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., who plays the rakish monarch, meets up with Paule Croset. The Fairbanks Co., Inc. produced this story and it has many potent values which the exhibitor will recognize. If he is guided by past performances of historicai, costumed offerings, he will know what he is about when he books this one. Production details are put forth with care. Fairbanks is just the player for the part. It starts in Holland where Fairbanks is living with his retainers, hiding out from Cromwell’s henchmen who would do him in on sight. They live poorly. Charles If is biding his time until England gets fed up with Cromwell’s rule. With the probIem of eluding death becoming pressing, Fairbanks skips out and goes into hiding at Miss Croset’s inn and farm, hiring himself out as a hand. An actor, posing as Charles II reaches the place. Fairbanks kids him along, figuring on a future use for the deception. Next comes Maria Montez, an old flame. She stays the night, enables Fairbanks to settle Miss Croset’s indebtedness. They also have a very “continental” conversation while she is bathing in an interesting contraption. Later a Cromwell agent comes with a gang of assistants who chase Fairbanks all over the place and corner him in a windmill. This gives Fairbanks an opportunity for swordplay, fisticuffs, acrobatics and the colorful like. In tima Fairbanks’ boys come up with news he can return to England. He makes his farewell with Miss Croset and takes off. CAST: Maria Montez, Paule Croset, Henry Daniell, Nigel Bruce, Robert Coote, Otto Waldis, Eldon Gorst, Colin Keith-Johnson, CREDITS: Written and produced by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.; Director, Max Opuls; Photography, Frank Planer. DIRECTION, Capable. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine, 95 Mins. Intrigue with George Raft, June Havoc, | Helena Carter VA 90 Mins. ROUTINE RAFT NUMBER: RETARDED BY LONG-SPACING OF ACTION SEQUENCES. Weakness in this one lies in concentrating a great deal of space, time and footage to dull dialogue moments when the accent should have been on action of a violent nature and such trivia as builds for the promise in the film’s title. The over all story concerns the breakup of a black market in Shanghai. The other story is the vindication of George Raft, one-time Army pilot, of a court martial conviction that caused his dismissal from the service when contraband goods was found in kis plane. Three fellow officers, also convicted, are dead. He is rather thoroughly shunned by Americans in the Chinese City until Helena Carter and Tom Tully come along. In the beginning the plot is airborne. This is exciting. At the end Raft breaks up the black meriet garg in a brawl. That toc, is seticn, In between he gces ¥Yrom Miss Carter to Miss Havoc and tack. The former is @ iovely innocent girl, sister of a crew-memser, 2is0 a social worker. Miss Havoc is a beauteous, sinuous, devastatingly dressed “Madame Baranoff,’ sort of Dragon Lady operator. In black market circles she’s ebon. Tully figures as a ‘newspaperman come to China to expose the illegal activity and of course he eventually finds ‘out about Raft’s participation. -But Raft pulls a switch when he sees orphaned children faced with hunger. Tully is murdered. His dander up, Raft visits Miss Havoc, makes her write a confession, throws open a _ warehouse full of food to the starving citizenry and after beating up Marvin Miller, walks off with Miss Carter. Yarn as displayed here is pretty feeble stuff most of the way. It has visual appeal—Miss Havoc. A good deal of unconvincing hokum lards the proceedings. CAST: George Raft, June Havoc Helena Carter, Tom Tully, Marvin Miller, Dan Seymour, Phillip Ahn. CREDITS: A Star Films Production; Producer, Sam Bischoff; Director, Edwin L. Martin, Screenplay, Barry Trivers, George Slavin; Original story, George Slavin; Photography, Lucien jAndriot. DIRECTION, Average. PHOTOGRAPHY, Very Good, Miami Preps For Variety Meeting “Real suthin’ hospitality,” with something doing every minute and a warm hand of welcome extended to every delegate, barker and his family — that’s what’s promised by Edward C. May, entertainment chairman for Variety Clubs International’s 12th Annual Convention in Miami Beach, Florida, from April 12th to 19th. “Convention entertainment will really start at the railroad stations and airline terminals,” May said, “with music, pretty girls and anything else that the host tent, No. 33, can think of to make the visiting barkers know that we’re glad to have them.” “After that,” he added, “we will offer a lineup of amusements embracing everything the winter amusement capitol of the world has to offer — horse racing, dog racing, jai alai, dancing under the stars, bathing in the gloriously warm tropical waters, sight-seeing trips by land and sea, fashion shows, cocktail parties, national radio broadcasts and all climaxed by an out of this world South Seas Party involving a barbecue, circus, dancing and what not — all staged in a setting prettier than any movie set.” May’s schedule calls for a Get-Acquainted Party for Barkers and Wives on the evening of April 12th, at the Roney Plaza Hotel, Miami Beach, the headquarters for the convention. The party will be held in the Surf Room of the hotel, which has been designated Variety Annex for the period of the convention. Big feature for April 13th will be a Jai Alai night at Biscayne Fronton, arranged through the courtesy of barker Dick Berenson of the Miami Tent and the Florida Racing Commission, which lengthened the season to accommodate the convention. The colorful Latin sport, which is played in all America only in Miami, is faster than tennis, more dangerous than ice hockey. Wednesday afternoon and evening will find barkers and their wives enjoying the fabulous South Seas Party on Key Biscayne, the setting which MGM used for “They Were Expendable” and “On An Island With You.” The party is planned as the four-star entertainment feature of the convention.