The Exhibitor (1950)

December 20, 1950 E X H I B I T O I ing to escape so that the trustee would be pardoned, after which he volunteers for the job. Working on Sam Jafle, another convict, Conte offers to send $25,000 to hia starving family if he will make a break for it so that Conte might get pardoned. Jaffe is intimidated into agreeing, and is shot while escaping so Conte gets his pardon. Back in Miami with his henchmen, he forces Totter to continue their inter¬ rupted journey by car. Meanwhile, McIntire finds Jaffe’s diary in which Conte is implicated, and his rearrest is ordered. Conte’s car runs through a roadblock, and the chase is on until ins henchmen a:nd Conte eventually are killed and Totter rescued. X-Ray: An interest-holding story plus capable performances and adequate di¬ rection and production should put this in the pleasing program class. The pace is generally well-maintained. One song, “I Cried For You,” is heard. The screen play is by George Zuckerman based on a story by Daniel B. Ullman. Tip On Bidding: Program price. Ad Lines: “Roaring Guns And Murder”; “A Big-Time Racketeer Goes ‘Under The Grm’ ”; “A Fast-Moving Melodrama Of Racketeers At Work.” Drama 92m. Storm Warning (Warners) Estimate: Powerful dramatic offering. Cast: Ginger Rogers, Ronald Reagan, Doris Day, Steve Cochran, Hugh Sanders, Lloyd Gough, Raymond Greenleaf, Ned Glass, Paul E. Burns, Walter Baldwin, Lynn Whitney, Stuart Randall, Sean McClory. Produced by Jerry Wald; directed by Stuart Heisler. Story: Ginger Rogers, a dress model from New York, stops off to visit her sis¬ ter, Doris Day, recently married, in a southern town in time to witness a killing by the Ku Klux Klan, and sees two of its leaders unmasked. At Day’s home, Rogers tells her what she has seen, and recognizes Day’s husband, Steve Cochran, as the man who shot the mob victim, a newspaperman. Cochran confesses to Day that he was forced into it by others, and Rogers prom¬ ises not to talk. Cochran tells Klan head Hugh Sanders, and is told to get Rogers out of town. Coimty prosecutor Ronald Reagan hopes for a break so that he can see justice done. When Rogers is picked up at the bus depot, Reagan thinks he may have the break. Despite pressure, Reagan orders Rogers before the coroner’s jury. Under pressure, she reports having seen nothing, and the jury returns a noncommital verdict. Later, as Rogers packs to leave, Cochran arrives drunk, and tries to force his attentions on her. Day surprises him, and he hurls her to the floor, which prompts Rogers to say that she is going to Reagan to tell. Cochran drags Rogers to a car full of Klan mem¬ bers, and deposits her at the feet of Sand¬ ers, who orders her whipped. Reagan and police arrive, summoned by Day, and, ac¬ companied by her, rescues Rogers. Coch¬ ran is killed after he wounds Day. Sand¬ ers is arrested, and the others disperse. X-Ray: Here is dramatic dynamite packing a powerful punch with its intens¬ ity. The Ku Klux Klan is presented in a revealing and forceful manner, calculated to hold viewers in a suspenseful grip. It’s grim fare; but there is an absorbing quality about the film. Reaction to the film will vary in different parts of the country, and local operators are the best judges of what this type of dramatic entry will do. The story was written by Daniel Fuchs and Richard Brooks. Tip On Bidding. Higher bracket. . Ad Lines: “There Are No Punches Pulled In This Startling Expose Of The Ku Klux Klan”; “Terror In The Night”; “An AllStar Cast Combine Their Talents In An Outstanding Drama.” At War With The Army farce (5014) 92m. (Paramount) Estimate: Star draw will make the difference. Cast: Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Mike Kellin, Jimmy Dundee, Dick Stabile, Tommy Farrell, Frank Hyers, Dan Dayton, William Mendrek, Kenneth Forbes, Paul Livermore, Ty Perry, Jean Ruth, Angela Greene, Polly Bergen, Douglas Evans, Steven Roberts, A1 Negbo, Dewey Robinson. Produced by Fred F. Finklehoffe; directed by Hal Walker. Story: In an army training camp in World War II, sergeant Dean Martin is a first sergeant and Jerry Lewis a' private first class. The boys were a night club act in civilian life. Jean Ruth, a dumb gal employed at the post exchange, shows up looking for Martin with news that she is going to have a baby. He successfully avoids her but his captain, William Men¬ drek, learns of her condition, and assign Martin to find the responsible man. Martin tries to pass Lewis off as the boy friend of Ruth, which leads to complications, and Lewis gets a pass under false pretenses. As he is about to leave, all passes are cancelled, Ruth gets to see Martin, and her reason for seeing him is to tell him that their date for next week made several months ago is off because she is now mar¬ ried to someone else. Martin is busted to buck private, and has to bow to Lewis as the company prepares to embark for overseas duty. X-Ray: An audience before whom this was sneak previewed seemed to thor¬ oughly enjoy the screen proceedings of this zany pair even though the story was often slow moving. There are many laughs and a number of humorous situations, the cast performs well and the direction and production are suitable. Wliile a trifle long, the film as a whole should go over well with audiences seeking light fare. The popularity of the pair will be the deciding factor. Among the tunes heard are: “You And Your Beautiful Eyes,” “Tonda Wanda Hoy,” “The Navy Gets The Gravy But The Army Gets Beans.” It was written for the screen by Fred Finklehoffe, based on a play by James B. Allardice. Tip On Bidding: Good program price. Ad Lines: “The Army Almost Sur¬ renders When Dean Martin And Jerry Lewis Enlist”; “Army Life Was Never Like This”; “The Navy Got The Gravy But ■ The Army Got Martin And Lewis, And Was Stuck With Them.” Korea Patrol Documentary-type Melodrama 57m. (Eagle Lion Classics) Estimate: Timely exploitation entry has the angles. Cast: Richard EmoTy, Benson Fong, A1 Eben, Li Sun, Teri Duna, Danny Daven¬ port, Wong Artarne, Harold Fong, John Close, Richard Barron. Executive pro¬ ducer, Jack Schwarz. Produced by Wal¬ ter Shenson, directed by Max Nosseck. Story: In Korea somewhere near the 38th parallel, lieutenant Richard Emory is on patrol with half a dozen soldiers of American and Korean ancestry when word is flashed that the North Koreans have crossed the boundary. Emory is instructed to hold an important bridge in conjunction with other patrons but learns later that Ihe others have been wiped out, and he must now destroy the bridge with what force he has left. Scout Li Sun, who brought Emory his orders, is suspected of having sympathies for the enemy, and is ordered watched. As they push forward, several men are killed, and they add a village girl, Terri Duna, to their force when she offers to guide them. Several more are killed by the Reds. Just before reaching the bridge. Sun refuses to continue, but is shamed into doing the right thing. At the last moment, he takes the dynamite as the only unwounded man in the patrol, and succeeds in planting and setting off the explosive, delaying the Red advance. X-Ray: Containing plenty of newsreel footage, this is strictly an exploitation entry made to capitalize on present-day headlines with very little story line al¬ though there is quite a bit of action. Per¬ formances, direction, and production are all routine. The story and screen play are by Kenneth G. Brown and Walter Shenson. Ad Lines: “Headlines Are Made In Korea”; “Attack At The 38th Parallel”; “Exciting Action In Korea.” Shorts JERRY GRAY AND THE BAND OF TODAY. U-International — Name Band Musical. 15m. Featuring vocalist Beryl Davis, the Nita Bieber dancers, and Frankie Yankovic and his Yanks, accom¬ panied by Jerry Gray’s music makers, this should appeal. The music includes “What Is This Ihing Called Love,” “Two Way Stretch,” “How Am I To ibiow,” “Aca¬ pulco Polka,” “Girl At The Typewriter,” and “By The Waters Of Mirmetonka.” GOOD. (6302). BROTHER JOHN. U-International — Cartoon Melodies. 9m. Against a back¬ ground of cartoons, the Kings Men sing “I Want My Mama,” “Sleepy Time Girl,” and “Brother John,” with the audience urged to participate. FAIR. (6381). THREE LAZY MICE. U-Intemational— Walter Lanz Cartune. 7m. Three lazy mice fake blindness in order to get out of work¬ ing. All goes well imtil they venture out¬ side of Mouseland, and find themselves face to face with a predatory cat. They manage to elude the cat, and beat a hasty retreat back to Mouseland, where they are sternly put to washing dishes. GOOD. (6322). THE MILLION DOLLAR CAT. MGM— Gold Medal Reprint Cartoon. 7m. When Tom inherits a million with the proviso that he has to be kind to all animals, even a mouse, Jerry has a field day, and runs Tom ragged until the million is less im¬ portant to Tom than having his fun. He decides in favor of the latter. FAIR. (W-263) . • SO YOU WANT TO BE A HANDY¬ MAN. Warners — Joe McDoakes Comedy. 10m. When Joe McDoakes finds time heavy on his hands, a helpful neighbor suggests that he become a handyman. They manage to derange the plumbing sys¬ tem, imhinge the door, and paint the lawn before Joe gets fixed for good in the new washing machine. This is a moderately amusing short. FAIR. (7403). PEGGY, PEG AND POLLY. U-Inter¬ national — Cartoon Melodies. 8m. As the King’s Men sing “Polly Wolly Doodle,” “Peg O’ My Heart,” and “Peggy O’Neil,” they urge the audience to join in the choruses. A cartoon forms the backgroimd for each song. FAIR. (6382). THE STRUGGLE FOR OIL. British In¬ formation Service. 22m. The world search for oilfields is traced from its beginnings before World War I down to the current conflict. Including some old films the cameras concentrate on current oil re¬ sources of the western world, particularly in the Middle East. Although England pro¬ duces some synthetic petrol and shale oil, it still has to rely on this natural oil, and even the United States, which produces 75 per cent of the world’s oil supply still has to import. GOOD. Servisection 7 2999