The Exhibitor (1952)

EXHIBITOR May 7, 1952 Story: Orphan Orley Lindgren is taken in hand by Edgar Buchanan, hunter of wild horses for sale to the cavalry, and Lindgren’s grief is partially eased by his belief that his pet colt escaped the Indian raid in which his parents were killed. Buchanan takes Lindgren to the cavalry post where major Hayden Rorke welcomes the boy. Years later, the boy, now por¬ trayed by Ben Johnson, is in love with Rorke’s daughter, Martha Hyde, and has joined Buchanan in the wild horse trade. He becomes obsessed with one idea, get¬ ting back his stallion. This leads to con¬ siderable misunderstanding about his join¬ ing the cavalry. He finally catches the horse, and trains him. Indians attack the cavalry, and Johnson and his horse save them, but Johnson is wounded. The horse stays by his side all night, and fights off wolves. Then the horse carries Johnson to the post, where, after recovering John¬ son joins up. X-Ray: Another in the series of wild horse films, this is always plausible, and has okeh performances by Buchanan and Johnson. The Cinecolor is a help, and there is plenty of action of a western nature. The story by Dan Ullman is told in flashback fashion. Horse lovers and the younger folk should go for this in a big way, and there are several suspenseful sequences and lovely outdoor scenery. This is okeh for the duallers. Ad Lines: “Sed The Wolf Killer!”; “Un¬ tamed King Of The Wild Outlaw Herds”; “Savage, Primitive Spectacle Of Nature In The Raw.” REPUBLIC Border Saddlemates Western (5143) 67m. Estimate: Okeh Allen. Cast: Rex Allen, Koko, Mary Ellen Kay, Slim Pickens, Roy Barcroft, Forrest Taylor, Jimmie Moss, Zon Murray, Keith McConnell, Mark Hanna. Produced by Edward J. White; directed by William Witney. Story: Government veterinarian Rex Allen, rides into a town near the Canadian border in the heart of the silver-fox farm country to take over for the vacationing regular vet, soon meets the bumbling dog catcher, Slim Pickens. At Forrest Taylor’s fox farm, Allen gets acquainted with the owner’s niece and nephew, Mary Ellen Kay and Jimmie Moss. One of Allen’s first jobs is to go across the border to certify the foxes that trader Roy Barcroft is shipping to Taylor. Mountie Keith Mc¬ Connell tells Allen that money is being smuggled across the border. Actually, Barcroft is sending the counterfeit money in crates carrying the foxes. At Taylor’s ranch the money is then taken out, and put into fox pelts bought by a fake fur buyer. When Moss’ pet fox gets ill, Allen quarantines the entire place. Anxious to have the ban lifted, Barcroft has his men steal the fox. While searching for his pet, Moss sees some of the gang taking out the fake money. Moss is captured. When Taylor learns the gang means to kill Moss, he attempts to prevent it, and Barcroft kills him. Meanwhile, Allen gets to the trading post in time to capture the gang and save Moss. X-Ray: With the fox farm supplying a different background, in addition to slices of routine western excitement, this is a satisfying offering. Songs include: “The Old Ark’s A’Moverin”, “Wait For The Wagon”, and “Roll On Texas Moon.” An Lines: “Rex Allen Helps A Fox To Capture The Hunter”; “Blazing Western Adventure”; “Rex Allen And The Can¬ adian Mounties Team Up To Bring A Deadly Gang To Justice.” Gobs And Gals (5128) Co™J Estimate: Navy comedy will fit into the duallers. Cast: George and Bert Bernard, Rob¬ ert Hutton, Cathy Downs, Gordon Jones, Florence Marly, Leon Belasco, Emory Parnell, Leonid Kinskey, Tommy Rettig, Minerva Urecal, Olin Howlin, Donald MacBride, Henry Kulky. Associate pro¬ ducer, Sidney Picker; directed by R. G. Springsteen. Story: Navy yeomen George and Bert Bernard, with a navy unit stationed on an atoll in the South Pacific, attach Lieu¬ tenant Robert Hutton’s picture to weather balloons, requesting letters from the find¬ ers. As a result, they get food and cloth¬ ing, selling these to other sailors, without Hutton’s knowledge. When the men are transferred back to the United States, girls descend on Hutton, thus affecting the esteem in which his sweetheart, Cathy Downs, holds him, and angering her Sen¬ ator father, Emory Parnell. To complicate matters, a locker in which evidence of the Bernards’ racket is hidden is mixed up with Hutton’s belongings, and spies Leonid Kinskey, Florence Marly and Leon Belasco are out for any informa¬ tion they can pick up. On a train, plenty happens. By the proper time, Hutton is reunited with Downs, the spies are arrested, and everyone is happy. X-Ray: Introducing the Bernard broth¬ ers, comedians, this is a melange of tried and true comedy routines, with the pic¬ ture fitting into the duallers. It lacks any particular spark, although the low comedy of the Bernards may have appeal in some quarters. Everything is standard, but the navy background is always an asset, which may help in this case. The story was writ¬ ten by Arthur T. Horman. Ad Lines: “Loads Of Fun . . . When ‘Gobs And Gals’ Get Together”; “Meet The Bernards . . . The Comedy Hit Of 1952”; “The Navy Was Never Like This.” Wild Horse Ambush Western (5069) 54m. Estimate: Okeh for the youngsters. Cast: Michael Chapin, Eilene Janssen, James Bell, Richard Avonde, Roy Bar¬ croft, Julian Rivero, Movita, Drake Smith, Scott Lee, Alex Montoya, John Daheim, Ted Cooper, Wayne Burson. Produced by Rudy Ralston; directed by Fred C. Brannon. Story: The Mexican police, trying to track down the source of counterfeit money, suspect that the bills are being made on the American side of the border and smuggled across. Richard Avonde, assigned to the case, poses as a bandit, and contacts sheriff James Bell, who is helping him. Bell’s young grandson, Michael Chapin and his playmate, Eilene Janssen, try to get Avonde to investigate a ranch run by Roy Barcroft. Not taking the youngsters too seriously. Avonde tells them to watch the ranch. Chapin soon learns that Barcroft sends the money across the border by hiding it under the manes of wild horses, and sending them over the line. Chanin tells Avonde, and they cap¬ ture the Mexican gang. Meanwhile, Jans¬ sen goes to Barcroft’s house, discovers the printing set-up, and learns that the gang is keeping Julian Rivero, a gov¬ ernment engraver, prisoner in order to make plates for them. The gang captures both Janssen and Chapin, and decide to kill them by leaving them in the path of stampeding horses. However, Chapin’s horse fights the leader of the herd until Avonde and Bell arrive. They save the youngsters, and Barcroft is killed. X-Ray: The tender age of the stars coupled with lots of action makes this entry a natural for the Saturday sage¬ brush set. A good job of directing keeps the pace moving at a fast clip, and the horse fighting scene should really stir up the kids. The screen play is by William Lively. Ad Lines: “They Found Real Danger When They Tried To Track Down Fake Money”; “The Screen’s Youngest Cowboy Stars In A Big New Excitement-Packed Action Adventure”; “See Two Mighty Stallions Battle For Leadership.” 20TH-FOX The Outcasts Of Poker Flats (216) Melodrama 81m. Estimate: Name draw should help wellmade melodrama. Cast: Anne Baxter, Dale Robertson, Miriam Hopkins, Cameron Mitchell, Craig Hill, Barbara Bates, Billy Lynn, Dick Rich, Tom Greenway, Russ Conway, John Ridgely, Harry T. Shannon, Harry Har¬ vey, Sr. Produced by Julian Blaustein; directed by Joseph Newman. Story: Law abiding citizens of the min¬ ing town of Poker Flats are enraged when Cameron Mitchell robs the town bank, and kills two people. They clean up the town, evicting gambler Dale Robertson, Miriam Hopkins, Anne Baxter, and drunk pick¬ pocket Billy Lynn. The evictees are given a few days’ food, horses, and told to ride. Robertson wants to go it alone, but Bax¬ ter asks him to let the others come, too. A snowstorm forces them to find shelter. Before reaching a deserted cabin, they meet Craig Hill and Barbara Bates, who are on their way to Poker Flats so that Bates can have her baby, and they can get married. They are all stranded when Lynn stampedes the horses in the blizzard. Baxter and Robertson become interested in one another, and it turns out that she married Mitchell, but is afraid of him. Hill decides to go to town for help, and Baxter gives him some of the stolen bank money to arouse the townspeople. Mitchell shows up, and forces his attentions on Baxter. Things come to a head between Robertson and Mitchell and Robertson kills him. The rescue party comes too late to save Hopkins or Lynn, who are shot by Mitchell. Baxter and Robertson ride off. X-Ray: This has an interesting story, good pace, better characterizations, and good direction and production. Although it’s not a pleasant picture, it’s certainly interesting, and adult audiences should like it best. The screen play is by Edmund H. North, based on the story by Bret Harte. Tip On Bidding: Fair program price. Ad Lines: “Bret Harte’s Famous Dra¬ matic Yam Brought To The Screen In Adult Fashion”; “They Are Rough, Tough, And Ready For Anything — These ‘Out¬ casts Of Poker Flats”; “They Had No Right To Romance Until She Was Able To Get Her Life Straightened Out.” UNITED ARTISTS The Fighter (Gottlieb) Estimate: Interesting fight meller. Cast: Richard Conte, Vanessa Brown, Lee J. Cobb, Frank Silvera, Roberta Haynes, Hugh Sanders, Claire Carleton, 3290 Servisection 2