Canadian Film Weekly (May 18, 1949)

THE PICK OF THE PICTURES | Vol. 14, No. 20 Cover Up with William Bendix, Dennis O'Keefe, Barbara Britton. United Artists 83 Mins. SMARTLY HANDLED NUMBER _ IS SOUND DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT. CREDITABLY PLAYED BY ABLE CAST. GOOD STORY. Smartly handled in its various production departments, this one, produced by Ted Nasser, is sound dramatic entertainment receiving interesting emphasis by the creditable playing of the cast. They do turn in workmanlike roles played with convincing flavor. The story is in the nature of an investigation. Director Alfred E. Green kept interest in the foreground. In developing the narrative he sustains his first aim. Original screenplay by Jerome Odlkum and Jonathan Rix has to do with the researches of an insurance investigator who comes to a small town to look into a suicide case. The events surrounding the suicide make it look like murder. Murder means double indemnity and the insurance company wants the real lowdown. O’Keefe makes his first contacts with William Bendix, the local sheriff, who knows more than he Iets on. He has evidence, clues and other pertinent information which he withholds from O’Keefe. Latter must do his own digging to come up with the right dope. Barbara Britton figures as daughter to Art Baker, the local banker. O’Keefe and the girl play at romantics. It being the Christmas season, there is much congeniality about to deluge the small town but the constant probing of O’Keefe threatens to kill the spirit. As the story shapes up it seems possible three people could have done in the dead man who was disliked considerably. As the script develops, however, he was killed by a man who died shortly after the crime and the local townspeople in the know do just what the title means. O’Keefe decides to get himself transferred to Junction City. CAST: William Bendix, Dennis O’Keefe, Barbara Britton, Art Baker, Helen Spring, Ann E. Todd, Doro Merande. CREDITS: Producer, Ted Nasser; Director, Alfred E. Green; Original screenplay, Jerome Odlum, Jonathan Rix: Photography, Ernest Lasz!o. DIRECTION: Able. PHOTOGRAPHY: Good. Peggy Knudsen Cast Peggy Knudsen has been cast in Paramount’s Copper Canyon. 7% a ee VOICE ef the CANADIAN MOTION PICTUSE tEn~OuULTer REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORE Bride of Vengeance with John Lund, Paulette Goddard, Macdonald Carey. Paramount 91 Mins. HANDSOMELY PRODUCED BUT CONSIDERABLY WATERED STORY OF THE BORGIA FAMILY IN RENAISSANCE ITALY. The general audience conversant with the activities of the Borgia family in Renaissance Italy logically would expect a highly flavored drama well laced with delineation of the iniquities of the people concerned, their political depredations and the more mentionable aspects of their for the most part unsavory pursuits. Instead, here is offered a considerably watered story that soon slips into a pattern. That pattern is the recognizable one wherein the husband is kept at a distance from his delectable wife. She is laboring under a misapprehension. Her brother, Caesar, the master behind the intrigue, has been at his sly deviltry. Alfonso D’Este, the Duke of Ferrara, is the man for whom the poisoned wine is intended, once Lucretia makes up her mind that his death will not only avenge the murder of her husband, but also save the family honor and expand its rule. But the good Duke rallies from the poison, discovers the value of plunging red hot iron er and thus make a big cannon to shoot down the Borgia horde outside the gates. He even forgives Lucretia when he learns she has been duped by Caesar who had her husband strangled so he could juggle the fate of a disunified Italy. Paulette Goddard, John Lund, Macdonald Carey manage to be costumed counterparts of the figures they attempt to portray. The story meanders along until the final battle scene wherein the attackers are routed with one discharge from the cannon. It was loaded with chain and assorted scrap. There is much additional dialogue furnished by Clemence Dane. Mitchell Leisen directed. CAST: John Lund, Paulette Goddard, Macdonald Carey, Raymond Burr, Donald Randolph, Albert Dekker, Charles Dayton, CREDITS: Producer, Richard Maibaum; Director, Mitchell Lelsen; Screenplay, Cyril Hume, Michael Hogan; Story, Michael Hogan. DIRECTION: Sultable, Good, PHOTOGRAPHY: The Barkleys of Broadway with Ginger Resers, Fred Astcire, Oseer Levert. MGM {(Technicsler)) 109 Mins. REUNION OF ASTAIRE AND ROGERS 1S A WELCOME EVENT. SPRIGHTLY MUSIC, LIGHT STORY MAKE AN ALL ‘ROUND DIVERSION. FREED DELIVERS AGAIN. From any point of view the bringing together again of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire in a musical is an event. Their resounding click of a few years ago stands to be repeated in The Barkleys of Broadway for they are again given full rein to turn in finely rounded of performances in this latest achievement by producer Arthur Freed. It is as lavish as the MGM studio can make them. The music is bright and sprightly, new and nostalgically old. Plot has a neatly developed twist to maintain a standard of constant diversion. Add to this sound basis the talent of Oscar Levant playing the girl-chasing fall guy, also the piano. It’s a story about show business and show people who are very much in love with each other although they have for themselves a hectic, albeit funny time, proving it. Miss Rogers and Astaire are big time in the musical comedy stage world but a bee flies into Ginger’s bonnet and first thing you know she wants to become a dramatic actress. Jacques Francois, a playwright, also thinks so and he convinces her she should play in his opus about the youthful Sarah Bernhardt. This annoys Astaire considerably and they have a beautiful Class A domestic brawl. She rehearses in Francois’ play but the going is tough. Familiar with his wife’s theatre faults, Astaire phones her, speaking with a French accent imitating Francois. He sets her right. She goes on to a rewarding first night. Astaire makes a last pitch in French accent while Francois happens in. When he gets home Miss Rogers is there ready to beg forgiveness and rejoin him. CAST: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Oscar Levant, Billie Burke, Gale Robbins, Jacques Francois, George Zucco. CREDITS: Producer, Arthur Freed; Director, Charles Walters; Original screenplay, Betty Comden, Adolph Green; Photography, Harry Stradling. DIRECTION: Smart, PHOTOGRAPHY: Very Good, Ma and Pa Kettle with Merjerie Mein, Percy Kilbride, Richerd Lens, Meg Kendell Em pire-Usiverss! 73%, Mins. PROBABLE FORERUNNER OF A NEW SERIES CF FAMILY COMEDIES, THE “KETTLES” IS EASY-TO-TAKE FARE FOR THE GENERAL AUDIENCE SPONTANECUSLY FUNNY. KILSRIDE, MAIN ARE IDEAL. There should be more of this sort of film entertainment. No doubt there will be more. The antics of the “Kettle” family as they are doled out here are contageous and spontaneously funny. It is down to earth, honest humor that is purveyed. Since this one is no doubt the forerunner of a series, the “Kettles” should manage to royally entertain the family audience. To really rate this one it must be seen With an audience. The hardshelled viewer must take into consideration comic tastes of the general audience. The laff business as it is concocted in the screenplay by Herbert Margolis, Louis Morheim and Al Lewis is provocatively funny. The situations come easily for the wry talents of Miss Main and Kilbride. You can count audience response to the gags every few minutes. The disorderly ‘‘Kettle’’ household is lifted from its squalor when Kilbride wins a contest which he entered merely because all entrants received a free new tobacco pouch. His slogan won. The “Kettles” get a brand new home with every electronic improvement plus television. They move in, hold a housewarming, try all the gadgets and are honored members of the community. But a couple of frustrated spinsters make trouble, accusing Kilbride of having filched his slogan from a calendar advertising a spittoon. A little research by Meg Randall proves Kilbride’s innocence and his blurb is revealed to be an original creation. Meg Randall and Richard Long are the boy-girl factors in the story. At the fadeout Kilbride is informed he won another contest—a trip to New York. He sent for a free bottle stopper. CAST: Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, Richard Long, Meg Randall, Patricia Alphin, Esther Dale, Barry Kelley, Harry Antrim, CREDITS: Producer, Leonard Goldstein; Director, Charles Lamont; Screenplay, Herbert Margolis, Louis Morheim, Al Lewis; Based on characters from The Egg and 1 by Betty MacDonald; Photography, Maury Gertsman, DIRECTION: Smart. PHOTOGRAPHY: Goed,