The Exhibitor (1951)

plan, and brings Guiaol and other help in time to save her. X-Ray: This saucy French import has some strong selling angles. The story has some good laughs, and there are a few scenes with sexy exploitation angles. This film also gets a good boost from the fine job done with the English titles. The songs heard are: “In Springtime Its Love”, “The Last Drink’s On Me”, and “I Have It.” The screen play is by Henri Jeanson. Ad Lines: “A Comedy That Only The French Could Make”; “A Film Full Of Song, Laughter, and Sexcitement”; “Louis Jouvet At His Best.” Weiner Blut Musical Comedy 83m. (Films International) (Austrian-made) (English titles) Estimate: Routine art house offering. Cast: Willy Fritsch, Maria Hoist, Dorit Kreysler, Theo Lingen, Hans Moser, Hedwige Bleibtreu. Produced and directed by Willy Forst. Story: Stuffy Willy Fritsch comes to Vienna to represent his tiny country at a Congress of Nations accompanied by his fun-loving wife, Maria Hoist. After a quarrel she leaves him, and goes to her aunt. Fritsch is forced to learn how to dance, and meets show girl Dorit Kreys¬ ler. Fritsch soon gets into the swing of things, and he and Kreysler go everywhere together. Meanwhile, Hoist decides to re¬ turn to her husband on the night Fritsch is supposed to attend a grand ball with Kreysler, whom he has been forced to introduce as his wife. Fritsch tells Hoist that he must attend a conference so she goes to the ball with her aunt. When Hoist sees Fritsch with Kreysler, she decides to make him jealous, and accepts the crown prince’s invitation. After confusion, Hoist forgives Fritsch, and arranges to have Fritsch remain in Vienna permanently. X-Ray: Lilting Strauss waltzes scat¬ tered throughout the film give an assist to routine acting and directing. A mediocre job with the English titles (there are frequent and long stretches where there are no titles at all) slows the acl^on, and makes it difficult for a non-German speaking audience to follow much of what is going on. The screen play is by Willy Forst, adapted from the Johann Strauss operetta. Ad Lines: “The Wonderful Strauss Oper¬ etta Now Gloriously Brought To The Screen”; “A Film That Will Have Your Heart Beating In Waltz Time”; “The Sparkle Andr’ Lilt Of Old Vienna.” MISCELLANEOUS Novelty Hollywood Peep Show Musical 7 80m. (Roadshow Attractions) Estimate: Highly exploitable burlesque film. Cast: Gay Dawn, Mary Andes, Levalon, Diana, Lenora, Alberta, Charmaine, Rochelle, Sylvia, Leon De Voe, Bobby Faye, Harry Arnie, Charlie Kraft. Staged and directed by Lillian Hunt. X-Ray: This is a complete burlesque show, as photographed before an audience in a theatre. Totally lacking in conces¬ sions to film standards of decency and propriety, this is unsuitable for general audiences but may give the seeker of risque entertainment his money’s worth in areas where it can be played. Comprising the show are the familiar chorus routines, four time -tested comedy bits, and six strippers who display a great deal of anatomy and a blissful disregard of Pro¬ duction Code restraints on costuming and body movement. An offstage tenor and a raucous pit orchestra lend authentic bur¬ lesque atmosphere, if little else. Photog¬ raphy and sound recording are adequate. Songs heard are “Let’s Fall In Love Again,” and “Walking In The Moonlight.” Ad Lines: “The Most Sensationally Naughty Show You’ve Ever Seen!”; “A Rollicking, Risque Night At The Bur¬ lesque!”; “The Naughty-But-Nice Show The Whole Town’s Talking About!” The Shorts Parade TWO REEL Color Documentary THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR. War¬ ners — Technicolor Special. 20m. After giv¬ ing quick glimpses of the major cities of Canada, this gqes into a rather detailed study of the people, geography, and in¬ dustries of our next door neighbor. The color camera shows the beauty of the land, and attempts to indicate the tre¬ mendous size of the country. Stressed is the similarity in spirit and heritage of the peoples of the United States and Canada. GOOD. (7005). Documentary FLIGHT PLAN FOR FREEDOM. 20th Century-Fox — The March of Time. Vol. 17, No. 2. lS^m. How the U. S. Air Force is preparing to defend our shores and carry the attack to the enemy, is the theme, and the camera takes one inside a huge B-36. It follows the actions of the various crew members on a 39 hour non-stop practice bombing raid. These are the first public films of the interior of the B-36, and the tremendously complex nature of this giant bomber and the quiet efficiency of the men who fly it have been well captured by the camera lens. EXCELLENT. Musical TEX WILLIAMS’ WESTERN VARIE¬ TIES. U-Intemational — Name-Band Musi¬ cal. 15m. Using an outdoor western setting, this has everything from a good old-fash¬ ioned square dance to an expert balancing act. The various numbers blend into one another and the music is of the foot-tap¬ ping variety. Featured are “Smokey” Rogers, “Deuce” Spriggend, Vic and Adio, Bucky Tibbs, the Johnny Cleater Square Dancers, and the Tex Williams Western Caravan. The songs heard include: “Tulsa Trot”, “Soldiers’ Joy”, “Arkansas Traveler”, “Mississippi Soya”, “Butterfingers”, “Tiger Rag”, “Reuben, Reuben”, “Pilgrim Jump”, “Old Gray Mare”, and “Alimony.” GOOD. (6306) . ONE REEL Color Cartoon DROOPY’S GOOD DEED. MGM— Car¬ toons. 7m. Droopy, competing for the title of best Boy Scout, has competition from an imposter, but, as usual, he is the victor through the highest of ethics. This rates with the better MGM cartoons. GOOD. (W-243) . SLEEP HAPPY. UInternational— Woody Woodpecker Technicolor Cartime. 7m. Looking for a place to bed, Woody Wood¬ pecker sees Wally Walrus’ house, and im¬ mediately falls asleep. His snoring keeps Walrus awake, and he tries every method to stop the noise, to no avail. The alarm clock goes off, and the refreshed Woody marches off, leaving Wally exhausted. FAIR. (6352) . SLEEPY-TIME TOM. MGM— Cartoons. 7m. When Tom, out all night, comes home, and tries to sleep, his slumbers are dis¬ rupted by the maid and Jerry, who helps make life miserable. His efforts to sleep going to naught, he winds up, much against his will, going out for more carous¬ ing with the cats. FAIR. Musical CHILDHOOD DAYS. Warners — Hit Parade of Gay Nineties. 10m. When re¬ viewed in THg Servisection in June, 1943, it was said: “Patsy Hale sings and dances while members of the California Junior Symphony contribute several numbers, the last with a patriotip flourish. This is a pleasant musical entrant. Numbers in¬ clude: ‘Childhood’, ‘Perpetuum Mobile’, ‘Piano Concerto In B Flat Minor’, and ‘It’s The Good Old American Way.’ GOOD.” (7804) . Novelty SPRINGBOARD TO FAME. U-International — Variety Views. 9m. After a group of future swimming stars ranging from about three to six finishes a rather interesting exhibition of water wizardry, the adults take over. Featuring pretty Vicki Draves, 1948 Olympic diving cham¬ pion, a number of expert and comic dives are presented. GOOD. (6343). Too Late To Classify Features The Scarf Psychological Drama 87m. (UA) (Goldsmith-Caspery) Estimate: Intriguing drama has plenty of angles. Cast: John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge, Emlyn Williams, James Barton, Lloyd Gough, Basil Ruysdael, David Wolfe, Harry Shannon, Celia Lorsky, Dave Mc¬ Mahon, Chubby Johnson, Frank Jenks, Emmett Lynn, Dick Wessel, Frank Jaquet. Produced by I. G. Goldsmith; directed by E. A. Dupont. Story: John Ireland escapes from a state asylum for the insane deep in the desert. He stumbles on the turkey farm owned by James Barton, who learns that he has been imprisoned for the murder of a girl. Ireland is not sure whether or not he did it, and he is anxious to learn the truth. Barton shields him from the police despite the reward. Meanwhile, Ireland’s foster father, Basil Ruysdael, fears for his own life, and puts a reward on his head. When Barton is taken ill, Ireland goes to town for feed, and picks up hitchhiker Mercedes McCambridge. She is impressed by his attitude. He comes to her aid when town toughs get fresh, and sends her on her way. Weeks later, he follows her to Los Angeles, and asks for help; but she refuses to get mixed up in the affair. Psychiatrist Emlyn Williams convinces Ireland he did commit murder, and signals for the police. The prison psyciatrist talks to Williams, and finds something wrong in his story. Barton appears, and persuades McCambridge to set a trap for Williams, who was the real killer and a mental case. When Ireland is freed, he returns to the turkey farm with Barton. X-Ray: While this has some interesting performances and some good character studies, it will need plenty of push. The atmosphere is generally dark and dreary, and there is practically no comedy relief. However, there are angles for the boxoffice, and these will have to be pushed to the hilt. The screen play was written by E. A. Dupont, based on a story by I. G. Goldsmith and E. A. Rolfe. Servisection 5 3049