The Exhibitor (Aug-Nov 1948)

September 1, 1948 THE EXHIBITOR piece, and the whole spirit is one of gaiety and pleasantness. Songs include: “Spring Came Back To Vienna,” “Abschied,” from “Lohengrin”; “Alouette,” “Peanut Vendor,” “Come Back To Sorrento,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” excerpt from “Aida,” “Helen Gar,” “Vamo A Rumbia,” “Gavotte” from “Manon,” and “Yes, We Have No Bananas.” The screen play is by Gladys Lehman and Richard Connell. Tip On Bidding: Higher bracket. Ad Lines: “Gay . . . Romantic, Glam¬ orous . . . That’s ‘Luxury Liner’ “Sail Away On A Voyage Of Carefree Enter¬ tainment ... In ‘Luxury Liner’ “Lilting Songs . . . Romance . . . Love ... In ‘Luxury Liner’, With Your Favorite En¬ tertainers.” The Secret Land Documentary 71m. (Color by Technicolor) Estimate: Well-done documentary offers exploitation possibilities. Cast: Men and ships of the U. S. Navy. Narration by Robert Montgomery, Robert Taylor, and Van Heflin. Produced by Orville O. Dull. Story: This is the authentic picturization of “Operation Highjump,” the navy’s recent expedition to “The Secret Land” of Antarctica. It was photographed by navy, marine, coast guard, and army cameramen, and traces the project from the desk stage, through extensive preparations, and fin¬ ally shows the experiences of the three separate units making up the expedition. X-Ray: All those instrumental in as¬ sembling this documentary deserve rous¬ ing kudos, for the result is a sometimes tense, sometimes exciting, occasionally humorous, and always interesting film. Some of the photography is breathtaking, and the ability of the cameramen to record every phase of the project makes for a real cinematic experience. Rescues at sea, violent storms, blizzards, threatening ice flows, and other polar hazards are seen along with a beautiful sunset and sunrise as well as some of the lighter moments aboard the ships. Altogether, it is absorb¬ ing entertainment, enhanced by a fine commentary, effectively delivered, and a musical score that always furthers the action. While not the type of fare to appeal to a wide audience, this should receive good word-of-mouth, and offers plenty of angles for exploitation. The Taylor, Montgomery, Heflin commentary is another factor to be used in the selling, as well as the Technicolor. Tip On Bidding: Low bracket. Ad Lines: “ ‘The Secret Land’ Of Ant¬ arctica . . . Braved By Heroic Men”; “Man Against The Unknown In Admiral Byrd’s Most Perilous Expedition”; “All The Ex¬ citing And Thrilling Adventure Of The Polar Regions Captured In One Of Man’s Greatest Exploits.” A Southern Yankee (902) Estimate: Skelton starrer packs plenty of laughs. Cast: Red Skelton, Brian Donlevy, Ar¬ lene Dahl, George Coulouris, Lloyd Gough, John Ireland, Minor Watson, Charles Dingle, Art Baker, Reed Hadley, Arthur Space, Joyce Compton. Produced by Paul Jones; directed by Edward Sedg¬ wick. Story: Red Skelton, bellhop in a St. Louis hotel in 1865 before the close of the Civil War, wants to join the Union secret serv¬ ice, put is refused until he accidentally traps George Coulouris, Confederate spy known as “The Gray Spider.” Skelton is hired to pose as Coulouris to get through to the Confederate headquarters with a map which has been doctored so that the Southerners will fall into a trap. Skelton meets Arlene Dahl, a nurse who is act¬ ually a Confederate spy, and manages to get to the Confederate headquarters where also lives Brian Donlevy, who loves Dahl. Following a series of situations, mishaps, and gag sequences, Skelton is caught, but the war ends before he can be shot. Dahl takes him in tow. X-Ray: Skelton fans will love this, and for the others it should pack plenty of laughs. While it isn’t A-1 Skelton material, it does have several hilarious gag sequences, which audiences should eat up. The technique seems to follow the reliable silent comedy style, and while many of the antics might have a familiar ring, this all adds up to the type of entertainment which offers belly laughs, relaxation, etc. Skelton, as usual, is an ace comedian, and while the presence of several capable character actors seems out of place, they go through their parts with ability. This can be sold as a laugh offering, which it is. The story is by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama. Tip on Bidding: Fair program price. Ad Lines: “Red Skelton At His Best ... As ‘A Southern Yankee’ ”; “They Ended The Civil War Before Red Skelton Could Win It For The North”; “A MilUon Laughs In The Year’s Funniest Farce . . . ‘A Southern Yankee’.” MONOCRAM Western Comedy Cowboy Cavalier ^ , Drama with Music (4762) 54m. Estimate: Okeh series entry. Cast: Jimmy Wakely, ‘Cannonball’ Taylor, Jan Bryant, Douglas Evans, Claire Whitney, William H. Ruhl, Steve Clark, Milburn Morante, Bud Osborne, Carol Henry. Produced by Louis Gray; directed by Derwin M. Abrahams. Story: Claire Whitney has operated a stage-line ever since her husband, Steve Clark, was put in the pen for safe-crack¬ ing. Her daughter, Jan Bryant, intro¬ duces Whitney to Douglas Evans, who re¬ veals that he was once a prison guard, and knew Clark. Wakely hires him. Wakely, who is Whitney’s foreman, has Evans guard a freight shipment. William H. Ruhl holds the wagon up, and is sur¬ prised to learn that Evans is apparently going straight. Evans confides that he is only waiting for a chance to rob Whit¬ ney of valuable shipments. The pair plot various crimes, and succeed. Whitney wants to fire Evans, but he threatens her with his knowledge of her convict husband. At last, Evans and Ruhl kill a miner, which arouses Wakely’s suspicions. He checks on Evans, finds Clark, returns to the freight office just in time to see Evans and Ruhl rob the safe, and tricks them into confessing. They escape. Wakely pursues, and he and ‘Cannonball’ dispose of the malefactors. X-Ray: With not too much action and a rather slow plot, this will satisfy the series followers even though it carves no new paths. Songs include: “Mine, All Mine,” “Old White Mule Of Mine,” and “Night After Night.” Ad Lines: “Jimmy Wakely and ‘Can¬ nonball’ Taylor Trap The Miner Murder¬ ers . . “See Jimmy Wakely and Jan Bry¬ ant In Thrill-Packed ‘Cowboy Cavalier’ ”; “What Mystery Did The Convict Know How To Solve? Jimmy Wakely Finds Out In ‘Cowboy Cavalier’.” The Service Kit Is the Season’s Hit. Jo© Palooka In Melodrama Winner Take All 64y2M. Estimate: Good “Palooka.” Cast: Joe Kirkwood, Elyse Knox, Wil¬ liam Frawley, Stanley Clements, John Shelton, Mary Beth Hughes, Sheldon Leonard, Frank Jenks, Jack Roper, Eddie Gribbon, Wally Vernon, Bill Martin, Ben Moroz, Hal Fieberling, William Ruhl, Chester Clute, Lyle Talbert, Douglas Fowley, Stanley Prager, Hugh Charles, For¬ rest Matthews, Tom Kennedy, Gertrude Astor, Hal Gerard. Produced by Hal E. Chester; directed by Reginald Le Borg. Story: Joe “Joe Palooka” Kirkwood is unexpectedly withdrawn from a charity match by his manager, William Frawley, who has received a note threatening the life of Kirkwood’s girl friend, Elyse Knox, if he goes through with the fight. The note was sent by racketeer John Shelton and his girl, Mary Beth Hughes, who hope to knock the odds on Kirkwood’s com¬ ing championship match dovmward so they can cash in on a Kirkwood victory. How¬ ever, when Frawley finds Knox safe, he sends Kirkwood on a cross-country tour to prove that his fighter is not afraid to enter the ring. This boosts the odds again. With the help of ex-convict Sheldon Leonard, Shelton and Hughes decide to fix the match, calling on Stanley Clements, Kirkwood’s trusted friend, for some much needed help. Clements thinks that Kirk¬ wood has double-crossed him, and goes along with the plans, calling for him to fake a kidnapping to force Kirkwood to throw the fight. All goes well for the racketeers until Clements has a change of heart, and arrives at ringside in time to turn the tide of battle in favor of Kirkwood. Kirkwood kayos his opponent. X-Ray: This rates with the better “Palooka” entries, and should find a fav¬ orable spot on the lower half. The film offers the usual exploitation angles, and the fight scenes make their presence felt in the footage. Excepting for the time¬ worn wind-up of events, the yarn is plaus¬ ible enough, and imwinds at a quick pace. Suspense is generated at a modest pitch, and interest is sustained. Ad Lines: “ ‘Joe Palooka’ In One Of His Greatest Prize Fight Adventures”; “ ‘Joe Palooka’ In His Greatest Fight Of All Time . . . The Fight To Live”; “Packed With Thrills And Crammed With Pulsat¬ ing Excitement . . . Don’t Miss “Winner Take All.” 1 6 Fathoms Deep adventure Drama (4801) 83m. (Lake) (Ansco-Color) Estimate: Colorful entry has plenty of selling angles. Cast: Lon Chaney, Jr., Arthur Lake, Lloyd Bridges, Eric Feldary, Tanis Chand¬ ler, John Qualen, Ian MacDonald, Dickie Moore, Harry Cheshire, John Bliefer, Grant Means, John Gonatos, Allen Mathews. Produced by James S. Burkett and Irving Allen; directed by Irving Allen. Story: In search of work, Lloyd Bridges, ex-navy diver, arrives in Tarpon Springs, Fla., home port of America’s largest sponge fishing fleet. He is amazed at the fabulous prices paid for sponges. Lon Chaney, Jr., unscrupulous czar of the sponge exchange, pursues his attractive employe, Tanis Chandler. She repulses him for Eric Feldary, expert diver, who hopes to own his own boat. When Chaney, through foreclosure, seizes the craft of John Qua¬ len, Feldary, acting against the advice of Chandler, uses a loan from Chaney to purchase the boat. Feldary gathers his crew, signing on Bridges, Qualen and his young son Dickie Moore, and Ian Mac Servisection 3 2455