The Exhibitor (May-Aug 1948)

June 23, 1948 THE EXHIBITOR Williams. Produced by Frank N. Seltzer; directed by Ray McCarey. Story: At the close of the theatre sea¬ son, John Emery and Tamara Geva, ro¬ mantic stage lovers scrappily married in real life, decide to go at their domestic battles hot and heavy. In desperation, Roy Roberts, their manager, suggests that they both consult psychiatrists. Unknown to each other, each tries a similar scheme, that of bringing the psychiatrists into the home posing as an old friend. Emery’s doctor is a man, and Geva’s a woman. At their first meeting, a situation develops with the result that they become aware of each other’s purpose, and decide to blend their efforts. After a series of hectic ac¬ tivities, Emery and Geva find themselves back in love again, while at the conclu¬ sion, the two psychiatrists are at each other’s throats. X-Ray: Based on an original idea by Frances Swan and Ray McCarey, this comedy has many amusing situations sup¬ ported by a bright script that should be well received by most comedy-seeking audiences. Given good production mount¬ ings and laugh-pointed direction, the tal¬ ents of Emery and Geva are well exploited. Action is rapid and interest holding, and although the marquee lustre is dim, the entertainment angles can be sold in most situations. Tip On Bedding: Lowest bracket. Ad Lines: “A Hectic Love Story That Will Keep You Roaring”; “For The Howl Of Your Life See ‘The Gay Intruders’ ”; “A Truly Hilarious Picture.” Mine Own Executioner (824) Psychological Drama 103m. (English-made) (Korda) Estimate: Absorbing import has re¬ stricted appeal. Cast: Burgess Meredith, Dulcie Gray, Michael Shepley, Christine Norden, Kieron Moore, Barbara White, Walter Fitzgerald, Edgar Norfolk, John Laurie, Martin Miller, Clive Morton, Joss Ambler, Jack Raine, Lawrence Hanray Helen Haye, John Stuart, Ronald Simpson, G wynne Whitby, Malcolm Dalmayne. Produced by Anthony Kimmins and Jack Kitchin; directed by Anthony Kimmins. Story: Burgess Meredith, practicing psychiatrist in London, devotes his time between free clinical work and his own patients. He is confronted with ex-fighter pilot Kieron Moore, once a prisoner of the Japs and ill-treated, who goes into periods that endangers the life of his wife, Barbara White. Meredith takes him on as a patient. Meanwhile Meredith keeps on drifting away from his wife, Dulcie Gray, and he finds himself becoming more and more infatuated with the wife of a friend, Christine Norden. Although Meredith sus¬ pects that Moore is dangerous, his atten¬ tion to Norden dulls some of his perception and he permits Moore to murder White. Meredith tries to find Moore. He is located atop an office building, and despite Mere¬ dith’s attempts, shoots himself, and falls to the sidewalk. At the inquest, Meredith is about to be blamed for the whole affair when a friend, a prominent physician, testifies to the coroner, another doctor, that he would have handled the case in exactly the same way. The coroner is so impressed that he exonerates Meredith. The latter, however, is determined to give up his practice until his wife helps change his mind by standing by, and it is clinched when a child patient shows for his appoint¬ ment. X-Ray: This import, based on the novel by Nigel Balchin, is an adult psychological film that tries to get across its point and its plot via conversation rather than action. Meredith’s name is of some value in vari¬ ous localities, while the cast accounts for itself well, with perhaps White shading the others in her small role, and Moore run¬ ning second. However, whatever its merits, its appeal is definitely restricted. Tip on Bidding: Lowest bracket. Ad Lines: “Burgess Meredith In An Outstanding Film From Britain”; “Is A Psychiatrist Entitled To A Life Of His Own?”; “He Loved His Wife, But His Work Demanded Contact With Other Women.” U.-INT. Bad Sister (663) Drama 90m. (English-made) Estimate: Import has femme angles. Cast: Margaret Lockwood, Joan Green¬ wood, Ian Hunter, Dennis Price, Eileen Peel, Guy Middleton, Catherine Lacey, Paul Dupuis, Bryl Wakely, Joan Rees, Elizabeth Maude, Stewart Rome, Noel Howlett, Isola Strong, Mabel Constanduros, “-Toots” Lockwood, Anna Marita, etc. Produced by Harold Huth; directed by Bernard Knowles. Story: When Joan Greenwood is re¬ manded to a home for delinquent girls for the attempted murder of her illegitimate baby and her own suicide attempt, she is determined to flaunt authority until she has a heart-to-heart talk with Margaret Lockwood, the warden. The latter asks her to tell her her story so that perhaps she might help her but Greenwood is re¬ luctant, thinking that Lockwood would never understand. However, they let their hair down. Lockwood, it seems, was in love with lawyer Ian Hunter, and married him but after their marriage found him cold and unemotional. Even the birth of a baby girl to the pair didn’t help as Hunter insisted on a nurse to care for the child’s every want. After that, Lbckwood turned to gaiety, and met Dennis Price. They found they loved one another, and Lockwood got a divorce, married Price, and was off on a honeymoon to Finland. Then Price was killed in an accident. She returned to England to her godmother Catherine Lacey, warden of the girl’s home, who persuaded her to take over before she died. Greenwood then relates how she ran away from a poverty-stricken and un¬ happy home to get a job as a salesclerk, and how she met young and handsome Paul Dupuis, and fell in love with him. After some time, she found she was to have a baby, and Dupuis wouldn’t marry her so she tried suicide. Lockwood testi¬ fies at Greenwood’s trial before Judge Hunter, and she succeeds in getting her paroled. Later, Hunter realizes he has been a cold fish, and asks Lockwood to see their child, and provide some of the needed mother love. X-Ray: Based on “The White Unicorn,” by Flora Sandstrom, this import shapes up as a tear-jerker for feminine audiences. Audiences here are familiar with the work of Lockwood and Hunter, which is competent. The pace, direction, and pro¬ duction are all in the better class. This should please where British films are played. Tip On Bidding: Low bracket. Ad Lines: “Was She A ‘Bad Sister’?”; “Two Women With Different Backgrounds Had To Fight For Life And Happiness”; “Would Society Make-Up For Its Wrongs? Could A Woman Regain Her Lost Happi¬ ness?” Feudin', Fussin', And A-Fightin' Comedy Musical 78m. Estimate: Will depend upon names. Cast: Donald O’Connor, Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, Penny Edwards, Joe Besser, Harry Shannon, Fred Kohler, Jr., Howland Chamberlain, Edmund Cobb, Joel Freidkin, I. Stanford Jolley. Pro¬ duced by Leonard Goldstein; directed by George Sherman. Story: On his way to California by stagecoach, Donald O’Connor, medicine salesman, stops at Rimrock. Lacking a fleet-footed inhabitant, the citizens are pessimistic about the forthcoming foot race with Big Bend. However, when mayoress Marjorie Main sees O’Connor display plenty of speed dashing for the departing stagecoach, she induces him to run for Rimrock. After some disappointing practice runs, Main discovers that the medicine O’Connor sells has speed, supply¬ ing powers when applied on the back. After some hectic incidents, Main manages to apply enough lotion on O’Connor to bring him victory and the love of Penny Edwards, Main’s niece. X-Ray: A thinly constructed comedy full of threadbare cliches, this leans heavily on the versatile talents of O’Connor, who arouses interest periodically with some clever dance routines and the final race. However, with Main and Percy Kilbride as added marquee value, this may attract at¬ tention in small towns, although having less appeal for the metropolitan areas. Based on a story by D. D. Beauchamp, the film includes the following songs: “S’posin’ ” “Me And My Shadow,” and “Feudin’, Fussin’, And A-Fightin’.” Tip On Bidding: Program price. Ad Lines: “You’ll Roar At The Hilarious Antics Of Donald O’Connor”; “Donald O’Connor And Marjorie Main, A SureFire Laugh Combination”; “A Picture That Will Keep You Roaring From Start To Finish.” WARNERS Romance On The High Seas (728) Romantic Comedy With Music 99m. (Color by Technicolor) Estimate: Pleasing entertainment. Cast: Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Don DeFore, Doris Day, Oscar Levant, S. Z. Sakall, Fortunio Bonanova, Eric Blore, Franklin Pangborn, Leslie Brooks, William Bakewell, Johnny Berkes, Kenneth Brit¬ ton, Avon Long, Sir Lancelot, The Samba Kings, The Page Cavanaugh Trio. Pro¬ duced by Alex Gottlieb; directed by Michael Curtiz. Story: After many postponements of their pleasure trips, Janis Paige declares to her husband, Don DeFore, that she will make the trip to South America alone, if necessary. DeFore gets suspicious about Paige’s motives, and hires private detective Jack Carson to shadow her. Meanwhile, Paige is also suspicious of her husband, and hires singer Doris Day to replace her on the boat so that Paige can stay home to watch DeFore. With this arrangement set, the boat gets underway, and it is not long before Carson is making eyes at Day, although he doesn’t carry the romance too far, realizing that she is a married woman and his client’s wife. Day falls for Carson, but fails to reveal her identity. When her boy friend, Oscar Levant, arrives, Carson reports the fact to DeFore, who im¬ mediately gets very worried, and begins the trip to South America. Day also gives Paige something to worry about, and she also begins the trek to the torrid zone. When they both arrive, confusion reigns, but the situation is straightened to every¬ one’s mutual satisfaction, and Carson and Day are united. X-Ray: Based on a story by S. Pondal Rios and Carlos A. Olivari, this is fresh, Servisection 3 2411