The Exhibitor (1950)

EXHIBITOR July 5, 1950 Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Wendell Corey, Walter Huston, Judith Anderson, Gilbert Roland, Thomas Gomez, Beulah Bondi, Albert Dekker, John Bromfield, Wallace Ford, Blanche Yurka, Louis Jean Heydt, Frank Ferguson, Charles Evans, Movita Castenada, Craig Kelly, Myrna Dell. Produced by Hal B. Wallis; directed by Anthony Mann. Story: In the territory of New Mexico in 1889, Walter Huston runs the vast ranch known as The Furies. The ranch and his daughter, Barbara Stanwyck, are his two interests. Stanwyck has grown up just like her father, spirited, arrogant, and ruthless, while son John Bromfield is the opposite of his father. Huston negotiates for a $100,000 loan but a condition is that all squatters be run off the place. Stan¬ wyck, a friend of Gilbert Roland, who loves her, and family since childhood, asks that Roland be allowed to stay. Huston has distributed TC’s, his own personal IOU’s, around the area, which represent a heavy debt. Stanwyck falls in love with Wendell Corey, whose father had been killed by Huston, and Huston, to show up Corey, offers him $50,000 if he will give up Stanwyck. Corey takes money, and leaves. Huston brings in Judith Anderson, whom he intends to marry, and she starts taking over the reins. In a showdown, Stanwyck throws scissors at Anderson, disfigures her, and flees. Huston, enraged, starts to evict the Roland clan, where Stanwyck had gone. Roland surrenders, and is hanged. Stanwyck vows vengeance and, teamed with Corey, begins a cam¬ paign against her father, winding up with the cattle and ranch. Huston, seeing she is a chip off the old block, gives up, and makes up with her and Corey. However, he is killed by Roland’s mother. X-Ray: Based on a novel by Niven Busch, this is a sprawling, lengthy melo¬ drama, long on talk but short on action, and highlighted by the performance of Huston, now dead, with the star quota enhanced by Stanwyck, Corey, Anderson, and Roland. The conflict between father and daughter as well as between the two lovers makes for good merchandising, but for an outdoor show this doesn’t have enough action, a cattle drive plus the evic¬ tion episode being the highlights. Stan¬ wyck turns in a typical performance, while Corey, with not too much to do, is okeh as the male romantic lead. There is enough here for the selling, which calls for the utmost in showmanship. There is some wonderful western music. Tip On Bidding: Good program price. Ad Lines: “Father Against Daughter . . . That’s ‘The Furies’ “She Was Her Fath¬ er’s Daughter . . . And Hated Him”; “Bar¬ bara Stanwyck, Walter Huston, Wendell Corey ... In The Year’s Dramatic Tri¬ umph . . . ‘The Furies’.” RKO Where Danger Lives Melodrama (008) 83M>m. Estimate: Names should help. Cast: Robert Mitchum, Faith Domergue, Claude Rains, Maureen O’Sullivan, Charles Kemper, Ralph Dumke, Billy House, Harry Shannon, Philip Van Zandt, Jack Kelly, Lillian West. Produced by Irving Cummings, Jr.; directed by John Farrow. Story: San Francisco hospital doctor Robert Mitchum, his romance with nurse Maureen O’Sullivan cooling, falls for wealthy Faith Domergue, and then learns that older Claude Rains is not her father but her husband. In a violent scene, Mitchum hits Rains when the latter at¬ tacks him, and Rains falls. Mitchum, groggy, finds Rains dead when he regains his senses. Mitchum and Domergue flee, heading for the Mexican border, and Mitchum, with a concussion, almost in a state of collapse. At the border they make a deal to be smuggled across, and Mitchum realizes that Rains’ death was all part of a plan Domergue, who, it develops, has been a case for psychiatrists, had to get rid of her husband. Mitchum refuses to go with Domergue, who then tries to smother him just as she smothered Rains after Mitchum had knocked him uncon¬ scious. Mitchum comes to, and reaches the truck on which Domergue is hidden before it goes through the border gates. Domergue tries to kill Mitchum but is shot down by police. As she dies, she clears Mitchum, who winds up in a clinch later with O’Sullivan as he is recovering. X-Ray: With the Mitchum name, plus the first appearance of Domergue as the marquee draws, this misses top grade be¬ cause it gets going much too late. Rains makes a brief appearance as a husband, and O’Sullivan has practically nothing to do. The weakness of the film seems to be that too much time is devoted to early development of the story, with the result that when the action and exciting phases are reached, the film is practically over, Domergue isn’t too impressive in a role which seems confused in the writing, while Mitchum, who has to play most of the picture in a partial state of concussion, doesn’t have much of the usual hard-hit¬ ting activity usually given to him. The title should be attractive in some areas. The story was written by Leo Rosten. Tip On Bidding: Program price. Ad Lines: “Was She Killer Or Lover?”; “ ‘Where Danger Lives’ . . . She Is In His Arms”; “Meet The Cinematic Discovery Of The Year . . . Faith Domergue . . . As A Woman Who Loved Not Too Wisely.” • REPUBLIC The Savage Horde (491 7) Wes™' Estimate: Good open-airer packs plenty of punch. Cast: William Elliott, Adrian Booth, James Davis, Noah Beery, Jr., Grant Withers, Douglas Dumbrille, Barbra Ful¬ ler, Bob Steele, Will Wright, Roy Barcroft, Earle Hodgins, Stuart Hamblin, Hal Taliaferro, Lloyd Ingraham, Marshall Reed, Crane Whitley, Charles Stevens, James Flavin. Produced and directed by Joseph Kane. Story: In the ’70’s, in the Utah terri¬ tory, famed outlaw William “Ringo” Elliott is hunted by the cavalry because he shot an officer, although in self defense. His brother, James Davis, an officer, almost captures him. Elliott escapes to an area where cattlemen headed by Grant With¬ ers are fighting a group led by Noah Beery, Jr. Elliott, unknown there as “Ringo,” throws in with the Beery group, but Withers is almost too much for them. The cavalry comes, and Elliott is captured by Withers’ men, who know him as the outlaw. The cavalry takes Elliott, but he returns in time to aid the Beery con¬ tingent to outfight the Withers’ crew. Withers is killed, and Elliott gives him¬ self up, and promises to come back when he is cleared. X-Ray: Made in the usual western style, punctuated by plenty of chases, shoot¬ ing, fighting, and riding, this should do okeh where they go for open-airers. It offers little that hasn’t been seen before, and the story follows the usual pattern. The character of “Ringo” is also por¬ trayed by Gregory Peck in 20th-Fox’s “The Gunfighter,” so exhibitors should watch their bookings. Romance is held to a minimum, with Adrian Booth as a former sweetheart of Elliott and Barbra Fuller as Beery’s girl friend. Production, direction, etc., are up to the usual stand¬ ard. Songs heard are: “Ride An Old Paint— Lead An Old Bald”, “Sheepskin Corn,” and “Ten Thousand Cattle.” The film is based on a story by Thomas Wil¬ liamson and Gerald Geraghty. Ad Lines: “Get ‘Ringo’ . . . He’s GunMad”; “The Wildest Manhunt In Utah Territory”; “Lightning Fast Guns . . . Trigger-Quick Temper.” 20TH-FOX The Cariboo Trail (020) (Cinecolor) Western 82m. Estimate: Fair western. Cast: Randolph Scott, George “Gabby” Hayes, Bill Williams, Karin Booth, Victor Jory, Douglas Kennedy, Jim Davis, Dale Robertson, Mary Stuart, Lee Tung Foo, Mary Kent. Produced by Nat Holt; di¬ rected by Edwin L. Marin. Story: On the Cariboo Trail in western Canada in the 1890’s, Randolph Scott, with his partner, Bill Williams, and cook, Lee Tung Foo, is bringing in cattle. While the country has been the scene of a gold strike, Scott sees a future in cattle. Hire¬ lings of Victor Jory, who runs the area, stampede the cattle, and Williams loses his arm, blaming Scott for his trouble. George “Gabby” Hayes, old time pros¬ pector, joins the entourage. Scott falls for Karin Booth, who runs a saloon, and hates Jory. Scott, Foo, and Hayes find the Chilcotin Valley, a cattleman’s paradise, and are captured by Indians. They escape, and Scott finds gold. Hayes returns to the States to bring in a herd of cattle be¬ longing to his sister-in-law, and Scott begins all over again. Williams, who has thrown in with Jory, sees the light, learns Jory has arranged for Indians to massacre the Scott group, and leads the miners, etc., to save Scott and the others. Williams is killed, as are Jory and henchmen. Finally, Scott, Hayes, and the others reach the cattlemen’s land. X-Ray: In the usual western groove, enhanced by the color, this is in the ac¬ cepted pattern. The Scott, Hayes, and Williams names may be assets, while Booth heightens the romantic interest. Where Indian-western films pull, this should hold its own, but otherwise, it has little new to offer except the locale. The film is based on a story by John Rhodes Sturdy. Tip On Bidding: Program price. Ad Lines: “One Man’s Dream Led Him There”; “Gateway To Gold, Greed, And Glory”; “ ‘The Cariboo Trail’ Burned Its Brand On Those Who Dared Its Dangers.” Where The Melodrama Sidewalk Ends (01 7) 94V2m. Estimate: Good meller. Cast: Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney, Gary Merrill, Bert Freed, Tom Tully, Karl Malden, Ruth Donnelly, Craig Stevens, Robert Simon, Harry Von Zell, Don Appell, Neville Brand, Grace Mills. Produced and directed by Otto Preminger. Story: Dana Andrews is a detective on the New York police force, who uses his fists first, and asks questions afterwards. Inspector Robert Simon is forced to pass him over at promotion time because of numerous complaints. Andrews and his partner, Bert Freed, spot parolee Don Appell, and warn him to stay off the street. Andrews goes to a hotel suite occupied by notorious gangster-gambler Gary Merrill, where a crap game is in progress. Outof-town visitor Harry Von Zell has won much money, and is about to follow model 2880 Servisection 2