The Exhibitor (1953)

June 3, 1953 EXHIBITOR Biographical Houdini (5223) Comedy Drama 106m. (Color by Technicolor) Estimate: Picturization of life of famed magician is replete with selling angles. Cast: Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Thorin Thatcher, Angela Clarke, Stefan Schnabel, Ian Wolfe, Sig Ruman, Michael Pate, Connie Gilchrist, Malcolm Lee Beggs, Frank Orth, Barry Bernard* Douglas Spencer. Produced by George Pal; di¬ rected by George Marshall. Story: Young Tony “Houdini” Curtis is working as a wildman and part-time magician in a dime museum when a group of school girls, Janet Leigh, among them, comes to take in the show. Curtis is fired when he pursues her during the show. Leigh sees him again, and when a proposal of marriage is put forward, it is accepted on the spot. Curtis begins his upward struggle for acceptance in his profession of magic. In their first show, he and Leigh are a failure, and Leigh bids Curtis to quit the game. Reluctantly, he agrees, and starts working in a lock factory. One night Curtis takes his wife to a magicians’ convention, where he manages to escape from a straight jacket, and wins a round trip ticket to Europe. Leigh at first refuses to let him go, but, after some squabbling, the round trip is exchanged for two one-way passages, and the two leave for Europe. Houdini is a tremendous success. In Germany, he tries to find a famous magician, but before he sees him the man dies, and his assistant, Torin Thatcher, joins Curtis. Returning to the United States, Curtis finds a lethargic reception, and, in order to gain notoriety, performs some amazing escapes, almost losing his life in an escape from a trunk below frozen Detroit river. Later, Houdini goes in for spiritualism, but he finds that they are all fakes. One night before an unsatisfied audience, he attempts a dan¬ gerous stunt in which he loses his life but before dying he swears to Leigh that he will return, if at all possible, from the spirit world. X-Ray: Providing some high spots in the life of the celebrated Houdini, this has some suspensive moments, the star draw, an attractive production, and plenty of showmanship angles. While the film fails to draw much emotional response, performances, direction, and production are in the better class, and the popularity of the stars should be an important factor. The screen play was written by Philip Yordan, based on a book by Harold Kellock. Tip On Bidding: Better price. Ad Lines: “The Life Of Houdini, The Greatest Magician And Mystifier Of The Age”; “A Million Thrills As Houdini Per¬ forms His Mystifying Magic”; “Tony Curtis As The Master Magician Of The Century, ‘Houdini’.” Sangaree (5230) Meu>i"X (3-D) (Color by Technicolor) Estimate: Well-made, interesting 3-D entry. Cast: Fernando Lamas, Arlene Dahl, Patricia Medina, Francis L. Sullivan, Charles Korvin, Tom Drake, John Sut¬ ton, Willard Parker, Charles Evans, Lester Mathews, Roy Gordon, Lewis L. Russell, Russel Gaige, William Walker, Felix Nel¬ son, Voltaire Perkins. Produced by Wil¬ liam H. Pine and William C. Thomas; directed by Edward Ludwig. Story: Shortly after the Revolution, General Lester Mathews, owner of one of the largest plantations in Georgia, asks Dr. Fernando Lamas to take over the ad¬ ministration of his estate, upon his death, for his son, Dr. Tom Drake, and daughter, Arlene Dahl. The latter fights the will in court, giving up when to break the will she must have Mathews declared insane. Patricia Medina, wife of Drake, tries to resume her old relationships with Lamas, but he treats her merely as a friend. She warns him that a Frenchman, Charles Korvin, might be a pirate terrorizing the waters around Savannah and that Dahl might be working for him. Plans for an attack by pirates is uncovered with the information seemingly coming from Dahl. Investigation reveals that Dahl’s former fiance, John Sutton, and his father, Dr. Francis Sullivan, are behind the pirates, and that Medina was supplying the in¬ formation. The source of a possible plague epidemic is traced to the warehouse, which is burned down, and Medina dies of the plague after killing Sutton. Dahl and Lamas plan a future together. X-Ray: With color by Technicolor showing the production off to advantage, this is an interesting melodrama which comes off well in 3-D with a good job evident technically. The story is based on the novel by Frank O. Slaughter, the cast is good, as are .the direction and produc¬ tion. With the proper selling, this could show better results boxoflice-wise. The screen play is by David Duncan and adaptation by Frank Moss. Tip On Bidding: Better price because of 3-D. Ad Lines: “An Adventure Thrill In 3-D And Techniocolor”; “Romance . . . Action . . . Adventure . . . All In 3-D Techni¬ color”; “ ‘Sangaree’ . . . Where A Man And Woman Fell In Love Despite Plague, Treachery, And Greed That Led To Death.” REPUBLIC Iron Mountain Trail Western (5231) 54m Estimate: Okeh western. Cast: Rex Allen, Koko, Slim Pickens, Grant Withers, Nan Leslie, Roy Barcroft, Forrest Taylor, Alan Bridge, John Ham¬ ilton, George H. Lloyd. Produced by Edward J. White; directed by William Witney. Story: When U. S. Postal Inspector Rex Allen and his sidekick, Slim Pickens, arrive in California to investigate the mail situation, they find a feud between stage line owners Forrest Taylor and George H. Lloyd. Allen proposes that the stage lines institute service along the Iron Mountain Trail to compete with the ship¬ ping line service of Grant Withers. With¬ ers attempts to sabotage Lloyd’s line, and let the blame fall upon Taylor. However, Lloyd is killed, and Withers sees a chance of disposing of Taylor by putting the murder rap on him. Allen suspects With¬ ers and Roy Barcroft. With the aid of Pickens and Nan Leslie, daughter of the condemned man, Rex is able to gather evidence to clear Taylor. However, he must get back to town with the pardon before Taylor’s scheduled hanging. With relay horses, Allen arrives to save Taylor’s life, and in so doing proves that the overland route is faster than the sea route. As a result, he organizes the pony express while Withers goes to jail. X-Ray: Outdoor fans will probably find this western adventure yam to their tastes for there is a wealth of gunplay, intrigue, and exciting riding present. Cast and direction are competent, with the screen play written by Gerald Geraghty. Ad Lines: “The Exciting Story Of The Birth Of The Pony Express”; “Fast Riding Rex Allen Saves An Innocent Man From The Hangman’s Noose”; “Rex Allen In Another Heroic Chapter Of The West.” Savage Frontier (5242) WeS54^ Estimate: Routine series entry. Cast: Allan “Rocky” Lane, Eddy Wal¬ ler, Bob Steele, Dorothy Patrick, Roy Bar¬ croft, Richard Avonde, Bill Phipps, Jimmy Hawkins, Lane Bradford, John Cason, Kenneth MacDonald, Bill Henry, Gerry Flash. Produced by Rudy Ralston; directed by Harry Keller. Story: U. S. Marshal Rocky Lane is tracking down Richard Avonde, Lane Bradford, and John Cason, and finds Avonde, who is locked up. Influential townsman Roy Barcroft is behind the gang, and, with his aid, Avonde escapes from the jail. The excitement brings out the long standing conflict between Bar¬ croft and reformed bandit Bob Steele, who knows of Barcroft’s role in the lawless¬ ness. Steele goes to Lane with the inten¬ tion of exposing Barcroft, but Avonde shoots him. Steele’s brother, Bill Phipps, and sister, Dorothy Patrick, believe Lane responsible for shooting their brother, but Lane suspects Barcroft, whom he follows when he rides out to contact the outlaws. Barcroft manages to escape, and heads back to town, where he tries to kill Steele. Lane races back in time to save Steele’s life and accept the apologies of Phipps and Patrick, who had suspected him. X-Ray: This routine western has all the ingredients including gunbattles, fist fights, villainy, and intrigue to please the outdoor fans and matinee trade. Dwight Babcock and Gerald Geraghty are responsible for the screen play. Ad Lines: “Another Exciting Adventure With Rocky Lane And Black Jack”; “Rocky Lane Pacifies A Savage Frontier”; “A Thrilling Adventure Of The West.” UNITED ARTISTS The Moon Is Blue CoMEDY Dr“ma (Preminger-Herbert) Estimate: Well-made picturization of adult hit play. Cast: William Holden, David Niven, Maggie McNamara, Tom Tully, Dawn Addams, Fortunio Bonanova. Produced and directed by Otto Preminger. Story: William Holden, successful archi¬ tect, spots Maggie McNamara in the lobby of the Empire State building, and follows her to the observation tower where she permits him to pick her up. She informs him that she is virtuous as she accepts an invitation to dine with him after first stopping at his apartment to sew a button on his coat. Their plans to go out arf changed by a heavy rain, and he agrees to get some food which she insists on pre¬ paring in his bachelor apartment. She learns that he and Dawn Addams, daugh¬ ter of David Niven, divorced man-abouttown, were sort of engaged, but this is now off. Niven puts in an appearance, and is intrigued by McNamara, and accepts her friendly invitation to stay for dinner, which Holden doesn’t relish. Addams phones Holden, and insists on seeing him if only to have a drink. He reluctantly agrees, thus leaving Niven and McNamara alone. Niven is so impressed with her beauty, good nature, charm, and frank¬ ness that he asks her to marry him. She turns him down in a nice way, after which he offers her his winnings in a card game to help her through the rough days that she encounters as a budding television actress with no strings attached, and she accepts. She kisses him in gratitude as Holden enters, and he thinks the worst. After a verbal battle, she goes to the bedroom to don her dress which she removed to clean, at which point her Servisectlon 3 3531