The Exhibitor (1950)

EXHIBITOR rt» July 5, 1950 Gene Tierney. Craig Stevens slaps her for breaking up the game, he and Von Zell get into a fight, and the latter gets knocked out. Stevens is told to leave. Later, the police find Von Zell dead. Merrill tries to blame Stevens but while Andrews is suspicious, he is ordered to find Stevens. At the latter’s apartment, Stevens resists arrest, and Andrews hits him in selfdefense, not knowhjg that he has a head wound from the war. Stevens is dead when he hits the floor. Andrews, scared, tries to cover up by making it seem as though Stevens ran away, and hides the body. Tierney is brought into the case, and it develops that she and Stevens were married, though separated, and her father, Tom Tully, had threatened to knock Stevens silly. Tully is placed at the scene of the crime. When the body is discov¬ ered, Tully is jailed. Andrews goes after Merrill singlehanded, but is beaten, and the hoodlums are driven into hiding, but he is still determined to clear Tully as he is falling in love with Tierney. He finds out where Merrill is hiding, leaves a note for Simon, to be opened in case he is killed confessing to the killing of Stevens, and goes after Merrill. Although he is wounded, he manages to trap the gang until the police arrive. Andrews is con¬ gratulated until he tells Simon to read the note left for him, whereupon he is placed under arrest. Tierney is deter¬ mined to stand by him until the whole mess is cleaned up. X-Ray: Some good moments of sus¬ pense, a story that holds interest from start to finish, capable performances, and suit¬ able direction and production, with some better action scenes, add up to an enter¬ taining entry. The names of Andrews and Tierney should help keep the ball rolling. The screen play by Ben Hecht is based on a novel by William L. Stuart. Tip On Bidding: Better than average program price. AlD Lines: “The Two-Fisted Cop Swings Into Action To Solve A Murder Case”; “Thrills And Adventure Follow TwoFisted Detective Dana Andrews When He Is Assigned To A Murder Case”; “He Finds His Murderer The Hard Way In This Melodramatic Thriller.” UNITED ARTISTS Johnny One-Eye Melodrama 78m. (Bogeaus) Estimate: Programmer has names to help. Cast: Pat O’Brien, Wayne Morris, Dolores Moran, Gayle Reed, Lawrence Cregar, Jack Averman, Raymond Largay, Donald Woods, Harry Bronson. Produced by Benedict Bogeaus; directed by Robert Florey. Story: As he is about to move into bigtime politics, racketeer Pat O’Brien is tipped off that the police are after him for a murder committed a number of years ago by him and Wayne Morris. O’Brien learns that Morris is about to talk to the district attorney, and tries to get him to change his mind. A gun battle ensues, and Morris’ henchman is killed while O’Brien is wounded in the shoulder. Morris takes refuge in the apartment of his girl friend, burlesque queen Dolores Moran, who has a small daughter, Gayle Reed, who has a mongrel type dog which Morris can’t stand. O’Brien manages to trail Morris to the general vicinity and eventually he hides out in an abandoned house. Reed’s dog, mistreated by Morris, joins him there. Reed shows up looking for the dog, and learns that Morris is in her house. O’Brien tries to set a trap, but Morris forces the girl to reveal O’Brien’s set-up, and then she tries to run away to warn him. In a gun battle, Morris is killed while O’Brien is mortally wounded. X-Ray: With some suspenseful moments and a story that holds interest fairly well, this emerges as a programmer that may get help from the names in the cast. Per¬ formances, direction, and production values are adequate, and the story by Damon Runyon may attract some movie¬ goers. While the subject matter is familiar, the players do their best to overcome whatever deficiency may result in this de¬ partment. Legion of Decency: “B.” Tip On Bidding: Program price. Ad Lines: “A Damon Runyon Classic Brought To The Screen With Pat O’Brien And Wayne Morris In The Leads”; “There’s Many A Laugh And A Tear In This Damon Runyon Work”; “A Thrilling Tale Of A Couple Of Broadway Char¬ acters Told Only As Damon Runyon Could Tell It.” Once A Thief Melodrama 87V2M. (Wilder) Estimate: Okeh program drama for the duallers. Cast: Cesar Romero, June Havoc, Marie McDonald, Lon Chaney, Iris Adrian, Jack Daly, Marta Mitrovich, Ann Tyrrell, Michael Mark, Kathleen Freeman, Dana Wilson, Bill Baldwin. Produced and directed by W. Lee Wilder. Story: June Havoc, unemployed, falls in with shoplifter Iris Adrian, and works with her. When Havoc is almost caught, she escapes by boarding a bus for Los Angeles, she gets a job as a waitress for Jack Daly, and manages to save some money. She even befriends Marie McDon¬ ald, and gets her a job there also as well as letting her share her apartment. Ro¬ mance is non-existent for Havoc until she meets Cesar Romero, owner of a cleaning store run by Lon Chaney, really a front for a bookie operation. Romero is a heel who augments his income by fleecing women who fall in love with him. Havoc falls before they can get married, and turns over her savings to him. In addi¬ tion, she tries to pull off a shoplifting job to get the extra cash needed. She is arrested, and jailed. At first, she thinks that Adrian gave her away. She next sus¬ pects McDonald. She sees McDonald, and learns from Chaney that Romero turned her in. Chaney fed up with his accom¬ plice, threatens him with a gun. In the scuffle, Romero is killed, and Havoc sur¬ renders to the police. X-Ray: An interesting programmer, this has the names for the selling and generally will fit into the duallers. The pace is fast at the start, but then slackens, picking up again. Production values, etc., are up to standard, Romero, Havoc, Mc¬ Donald, and Chaney lend some marquee lure, and the action fans should be satis¬ fied. The film is based on a story by Max Colpet and Hans Wilhelm. Tip On Bidding: Program price. Ad Lines: “The Tense And Terrific Story Of A Heel”; “The Story Of A Man Who Got What He Wanted From Almost Any Woman”; “A High Voltage Drama About A Heel And The Women Who Loved Him.” WARNERS _ The Flame And Melodrama The Arrow (930) (Color by Technicolor) Estimate: Good swashbuckling adven¬ ture film. Cast: Burt Lancaster, Virginia Mayo, Robert Douglas, Aline MacMahon, Frank Allenby, Nick Cravat, Lynne Baggett, Gordon Gebert, Norman Lloyd, Victor Kilian, Francis Pierlot, Robin Hughes. Produced by Harold Hecht and Frank Ross; directed by Jacques Tourneur. Story: Burt Lancaster, a mountaineer who loves his freedom in the days of the occupation of his province by Frank Allenby, and his son, Gordon Gebert, arrive in town as Allenby, niece Virginia Mayo, and Lancaster’s wife, Lynne Bag¬ gett, who has become Allenby’s consort, arrive. Lancaster provokes a fight, is wounded, but escapes. Gebert is captured. Lancaster is declared an outlaw. He or¬ ganizes a band of townspeople tired of being trod upon. They plague Allenby. Mayo learns that Allenby has plans to wed her to nobleman Robert Douglas, but as the latter refuses to pay tribute to Al¬ lenby, Douglas’ property is confiscated, and he is arrested. Lancaster and his band rescue Douglas and his companion, Norman Lloyd, from the soldiers, and the two join the band. Lancaster tries to rescue his son, but is foiled, and takes Mayo as a hostage. Allenby whips Lan¬ caster’s messenger offering to exchange her for Gebert. The ruler then intends to hang the town’s old people unless Lan¬ caster surrenders and releases Mayo. Lancaster does surrender, and is appar¬ ently hanged. Through a trick he survives, and the whole town plans to storm the castle to overthrow Allenby. Mayo learns that the plan has been betrayed by Doug¬ las, and Lancaster switches the time. The attack is successful, with Lancaster kill¬ ing both Douglas and Allenby, rescuing his son, and taking Mayo in his arms. X-Ray: Presenting Lancaster in a Robin Hood type of role for the first time, and allowing him to make use of his acrobatic prowess, this looks like a solid entry, packed with action, romance, and humor. It’s Lan¬ caster’s show all the way, but he has good assistance from Mayo, Gebert, Douglas, and others. The Technicolor is a decided asset, and the technical division con¬ tributes much to the general excellence of the show. Properly merchandised, with attention to the new Lancaster, this should account for itself well. It was written by Waldo Salt. Tip On Bidding: Higher bracket. Ad Lines: “For The Want Of A Child, A Kingdom Was Lost”; “Adventure And Thrills Galore Follow ‘The Arrow’ As He Sets Out To Battle ‘The Hawk’ To The End”; “Don’t Miss This Exciting Thriller.” 50 Years Before Your Eyes (931) Compilation 70m:. Estimate: Interesting compilation for the lower half. Credits: Commentators: Arthur God¬ frey, Quentin Reynolds, H. V. Kaltenbom, Clem McCarthy, Andre Baruch, Norman Brokenshire, Milton J. Cross, Dwight Weist, Dan Donaldson. Supervised by Walton C. Ament; produced by Alfred Butterfield; directed by Robert G. Youngson. Story; This covers the period from the turn of the century to the present, with highlights in both world wars, politics, government, science, sports, films, fash¬ ions, inventions, etc., it is comprised mainly of newsreel clips of the last 50 years. Principal narrator is Arthur God¬ frey. The National Release Date Guide, Which Is Always Found On the Inside Back Cover Of This Publication, Is the Most Authentic Service Of Its Kind. Servi$ection 3 2881