The Exhibitor (1951)

. 4 . :;Vi — COLUMBIA Fort Savage Raiders Musical WreTERN 54m. Estimate: Above average western. Cast: Charles Starrett, Smiley Burnette, John Dehner, Trevor Bardette, Peter Thompson, Fred Sears, John Cason, Frank Griffin, Sam Flint. Produced by Colbert Clark; directed by Ray Nazarro. Story: Arrested for trying to see his dying son without permission, captain John Dehner becomes mentally unbal¬ anced, escapes, and forms a gang of des¬ perados. The army, in desperation, asks Charles Starrett to go after Dehner. Star¬ rett gets Smiley Burnette, Trevor Bardette, and young Frank Griffin, and conceited lieutenant Peter Thompson is put in charge. Thompson continually gets the group in trouble. Starrett, as “The Dur¬ ango Kid”, saves Thompson’s life twice. Starrett finally challenges Thompson to fight, and the lieutenant finally comes to his senses. Following Starrett’s advice they corner Dehner, and Starrett kills him. X-Ray: An unusually good script makes this an interesting western, and given something more to do than just ride and shoot, the cast turns in good perform¬ ances. Songs heard include: “She’s Mine All Mine” and “Full Steam Ahead.” This was written by Barry Shipman. Tip On Bidding: Usual series price. Ad Lines: “Charles Starrett Crosses Guns With A Cunning And Crazed Killer”; “Why Did An Army Uniform Invite Death?”; “His Army Training Brought Terror And Death To The Range.” (365) King of the Wild Horses Outdoor Drama 66m. (Re-release) Estimate: Reissue should appeal in action houses. Cast: Rex, Lady, Marquis, William Janney, Dorothy Appleby, Wallace MacDon¬ ald, Harry Semels, Ford West, Art Mix. Directed by Earl Haley. Story: Posing as a government inspec¬ tor, Wallace MacDonald and gang plan to steal wild horses from the Navajo Indian Reservation. The Navajos are celebrating the coming of age of William Janney, in love with Indian maid, Dorothy Appleby, and Janney’s feat of daring is to capture Rex, wildest stallion. Later, MacDonald mistreats the animal. The Navajos dis¬ cover MacDonald is an imposter. Led by Janney, and Rex, they race to where Mac¬ Donald is stampeding the wild horses. Rex kills Marquis, MacDonald’s horse, then turns on MacDonald. The wild horses saved, Janney and Appleby plan to wed. X-Ray: WTien first reviewed in Exhibi¬ tor in 1933 it was said: “This horse story will do okeh in western-audience houses but will have to be sold elsewhere. Action, horse fights are okeh.” The story is by Earl Haley. (Editor’s note: A film of the same title was made by Columbia in 1947 but should not be confused with this earlier release) . Tip On Bidding: Lowest bracket. Ad Lines: “A Great Action Picture Re¬ turns”; “The Mightiest Of Wild Stallions In A Thundering Action Drama”; “BreathTaking Stampede.” EAGLE LION CLASSICS Circle of Danger Drama (207) 90m (English-made) Estimate: Name draw will have to make the difference. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Inc., Publishing office: 246-48 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania. New York office: 1600 Broadway, New York 19. West Coast representative: Paul Manning, 9628 Cresta Drive, Beverlywood, Los Angeles, California. Jay Emanuel, publisher; P. J. Greenhalgh, general manager; Herbert M. Miller, editor; Max Cades, business manager; G. F. Nonamaker, Mel Konecoff, associate editors. SECTION TWO Vol. 45, No. 21 MARCH 28, 1951 Cast: Ray Milland, Patricia Roc, Marius Goring, Naunton Wayne, Marjorie Field¬ ing, Edward Rigby, John Bailey, Colin Gordon, Dora Bryan, Michael Brennan, Reginald Beckwith. Produced by Joan Harrison; directed by Jacques Tourneur. Story: American Ray Milland visits Europe to discover why his younger brother, who served as a Commando with the British, was the only one killed during a raid in World War II. His trail leads him to the group’s commander, Scot Hugh Sin¬ clair, from whom he gets a list of the men in the party. Only three are alive, one of them ballet master Marius Goring. Milland’s efforts are fruitless until he learns that there was also an intelligence officer, Naunton Wayne, along. Milland finds him, and discovers that Sinclair is the clue to the mystery. Meanwhile, Milland has fallen in love with Patricia Roc, the sweet¬ heart of Sinclair. In the showdown, Milland learns from Goring that the brother was shot because his escapades were en¬ dangering the whole mission. Sinclair had then been sworn to secrecy. Convinced of the truth, Milland leaves with Roc. X-Ray: Although this has the benefit of an American star, an American pro¬ ducer, and an American director, it falls considerably short of what must have been intended primarily because it lacks sus¬ pense, for the most part. While the English and Scottish backgrounds are pleasant, the film is essentially foreign, which will restrict it definitely on this side. Milland can’t create much suspense by himself, and although Roc is as pretty as ever and the supporting cast adequate, the film fails to maintain interest as it should, getting bogged down in dialogue and trivialities. Class spots might find some appeal in it. The screen play was written by Philip MacDonald. Ad Lines: “What Was The Mystery Of The White Heather?” “He Sought To Avenge His Brother’s Death”; “A Mystery Of World War II . . . Revealed For The First Time.” LIPPERT Mask Of The Dragon (5013) Mystery Drama 54m. Estimate: For the lower half. Cast: Richard Travis Sheila Ryan, Sid Melton, Michael Whalen, Lyle Talbot, Richard Emory, Dee Tatum, Jack Reitzen, Mr. Moto, Karl Davis, John Grant, Eddie Lee, Ray Singer, Carla Martin, Curt Barrett’s Trailsmen. Produced by Sigmund Neufeld; directed by Samuel Newfield. Story: Private detective Richard Travis and girl, Sheila Ryan, receive a letter from Travis’ partner, Richard Emory, on active duty with the army in Korea, stating that he is sending home a valuable package prior to his return. Emory arrives, and phones Travis. He and Ryan find Emory dead. A clue then leads Travis to a China¬ town curio shop. Police chief Lyle Talbot introduces him to Michael Whalen, whom Talbot says represents the army. Travis’ friend, Dee Tatum, TV entertainer, asks him if Emory left anything in the way of souvenirs and Travis later finds her mur¬ dered. Finally, th,e package arrives, and Travis takes it to the Chinese curio shop where gangster Sid Melton and henchmen surprise him. The ringleader proves to be Whalen. Ryan, Talbot, and a police squad arrive, and the curio is found to contain a rare mineral. X-Ray: This routine meller is strictly dual bill fare. The screen play is by Orville Hampton. Ad Lines: “Crime Wore The ‘Mask Of The Dragon’ ”; “A Manhunt That Began In Korea, And Ended In Crime”; “What Was The Secret Of The Porcelain Dragon?” MGM Th© Metro-Goldwyn Compilation Mayer Story (145) 56m Estimate: Free MGM feature trailer should hold interest. Cast: Clark Gable, Esther Williams, Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Ricardo Montalban, Louis Calhern, Paula Raymond, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Vera-Ellen, Vic Damone, Dawn Addams, Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr, Robert Walker, George Murphy, John Hodiak, Nancy Davis, Arlene Dahl, Keenan Wynn, Ethel Barry¬ more, Lionel Barrymore, Marjorie Main, Lewis Stone, James Whitmore, Keefe Brasselle, Debbie Reynolds, Carleton Car¬ penter, Jean Hagen, Sally Forrest, Richard Anderson, Mickey Rooney, Peter Lawford, Georges Guetary, Leslie Caron, Burt Lan¬ caster, Janet Leigh, Mario Lanza, Jimmy Durante, Walter Pidgeon, Greer Garson, Ezio Pinza, Ann Miller, Barry Sullivan, Marshall Thompson, Fernando Lamas, Phyllis Kirk, Monica Lewis, Bruce Cow¬ ling, Kathryn Grayson, Red Skelton, June Allyson, Van Johnson, Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Robert Taylor. Produced by Her¬ man Hoffman; edited by Laurie Vejar and Ira Heymann. Story: This includes scenes from 25 MGM pictures: “Across The Wide Mis¬ souri”, “An American In Paris”, “Calling Bulldog Drummond”, “Excuse My Dust”, “Father’s Little Dividend”, “Go For Broke”, “The Great Caruso”, “Inside Straight”, “It’s A Big Country”, “Kind Lady”, “King Solomon’s Mines”, ‘"Hie Magnificent 3045