The Exhibitor (1950)

COLUMBIA Operation X (333) Drama 78m. (English -made) Estimate: Robinson name ought to help fair drama. Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Nora Swin¬ burne, Peggy Cummins, Richard Greene, Finlay Currie, Ronald Adam, Walter Rilla, James Robertson Justice, David Hutche¬ son, Dod Nehan, Peter Illing, Ronald Ward, Roberto Villa, Harry L^ne. Pro¬ duced and directed by Gregory Ratofl. Story: Ruthless millionaire Edward G. Robinson loves power and his spoiled daughter, Peggy Cummins. Cummins un¬ knowingly meets her man in newspaper¬ man Richard Greene, who, when he dis¬ covers the nature of Robinson’s ruthless “Operation X,” writes an article which threatens to wreck it. Cummins, encour¬ aged by her mother, Nora Swinburne, fol¬ lows Greene. Unaware that Cummins has left, Robinson agrees with Sultan Peter Illing, in whose country there is a metal needed to carry out “Operation X”, to marry Cummins to Illing’s son, Roberto Villa, in return for permission to use the metal. When Swinburne hears of this, she de¬ termines to save her child’s happiness by inforifling Robinson that Cummins is not his child. This is too much for Robinson, whose mind gives way. X-Ray: This import will have to rely on the Robinson draw for its boxoffice re¬ turns. With the exception of Robinson himself, performances are below par, and the direction fails to ^ustain interest. While the science angle offers the usual exploitation possibilities, this will need heavy selling. The screen play was written by Robert ITioeren and William Rose. Tip On Bidding: Low bracket. Ad Lines: “Lust For Power Drove Him To Madness”; “He Hoped To Rule Over The Destinies Of Millions With The Help Of ‘Operation X’ “Edward G. Robin¬ son As A Power-Crazed Maniac Intent pn Conquering The World.” MGM Pagan Love Song Comedy Drama ^ WITH Music 76m. Estimate: Star draw should help pleas¬ ing entry. Cast: Esther Williams, Howard Keel, Minna Gombell, Charles Mauu, Rita Mor¬ eno, Philip Costa, Dione Leilani, Charles Fruend. Produced by Arthur Freed; di¬ rected by Robert Alton. Story: Ex-Ohio school teacher Howard Keel comes to Tahiti to take over a run¬ down plantation left him by his uncle. Thanks to the urging of Esther Williams, half-Tahitian girl, whom he first mistakes for a native. Keel decides to settle down, and grow copra. Things look fine until a storm comes up, and Keel believes that the rain has ruined his crop. After he splits with Williams and all his friends during an argument. Keel learns that some chil¬ dren he had adopted had saved the crop. He and Williams are reunited on the boat dock as each thinks the other had sailed away. X-Ray: Aided by eye-filling Techni¬ color, the Williams attraction, Keel’s voice, a few spectacular dancing numbers, and a splendid underwater ballet, this is a pleasing show that falls short of the best Williams entries but which still has enough to satisfy most audiences. The Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Inc., Publishing office: 1225 Vine Street, Philadelphia 7, Penn¬ sylvania. New York office: 1600 Broadway, New York 19. West Coast representative: Paul Manning, 9628 Cresta Drive, Beverlywood, Los Angeles, California. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhaigh, business manager; Her¬ bert M. Miller, editor;James A. Dalton, advertising manager; George F. Nonamaker, Mel KonecofF, associate editors. SECTION TWO Vol. 45, No. 9 JANUARY 3, 1951 story is practically nil, punctuated with lots of singing, but not enough to cover the tale’s deficiencies. However, the film has been produced in an engaging manner. Audiences seeking to escape foom reality should find entertainment in it. If it does not approach the top films of its type, it, at least, does have plenty to sell. The story was written by William S. Stone. Songs include: “Pagan Love Song,” “House Of Singing Bamboo,” “Why Is Love So Crazy?”, “Singing In The Sun,” “Tahiti,” and “Sea Of The Moon.” Tip On Bidding: Good program price. Ad Lines: “Tahiti . . . Land Of Allvure And Romance”; “Esther Williams . . . More Gorgeous Than Ever ... In ‘Pagan Love Song’ ”; “Thrill To A Love Story Of Glam¬ orous Tahiti.” MONOGRAM Short Grass Western (AA18) (Allied Artists) Estimate: Good western. Cast: Rod Cameron, Cathy Downs, Johnny Mack Brown, Alan Hale, Jr., Mor¬ ris Ankrum, Jeff York, Jonathan Hale, Raymond Walbum, Harry Woods, Stanley Andrews, Riley Hill, Myron Healey, Jack Ingram, Tristram Coffin, Rory Mallinson, Mario Dwyer, Felipe Turich, George Lewis. Produced by Scott R. Dunlap; di¬ rected by Lesley Selander. Story: Rod Cameron, wandering cow¬ boy, innocently involved in the robbery of a trading post, is forced to flee. One of the robbers tries to kill him, and is him¬ self killed. Cameron, wounded, is found by Cathy Downs, taken to her father’s ranch house and tended for until he falls in love with her. With money stolen from trader Jonathan Hale, Cameron becomes a partner of her father, Stanley Andrews, trying to keep Morris Ankrum and his brother, Riley Hill, from taking his ranch. When Hill riles him into drawing his gun, Cameron kills him in self-defense, and flees the vengeance of Ankrum after as¬ signing his share of the ranch to Hale. Several years later, Cameron returns to a newly formed town near the railroad to fed Hale prosperous on land Cameron had bought for him years back. Hale had repaid him by buying a ranch site for him. Downs is the wife of drunken newspaper¬ man Tristram Coffin, and Ankrum is grad¬ ually taking over. Matters come to a head with most of the town arrayed against Ankrum and his men. In a final fight, Cameron helps sheriff Johnny Mack Brown wipe out Ankrum and his gang. Coffin is also killed, leaving the way open for the Downs-Cameron clinch. X-Ray: Adequate action plus a fairly interesting story, convincing perform¬ ances, and okeh direction and production put this in the good western class. The pace is consistent, and outdoor fans should be pleased. The screen play was written by Tom Blackburn. Ad Lines: “Action And Thrills In The Short Grass Country”; “A Range War Spreads To Town, And Everybody Car¬ ries Loaded Guns”; “Roaring Guns On The Range.” Outdoor Sierra Passage (5 T 07) Melodrama 81%m. Estimate: Interesting outdoor melo¬ drama. Cast: Wayne Morris, Lola Albright, Alan Hale, Jr., Roland Winters, Lloyd Corrigan, Jim Bannon, Paul McGuire, Billy Grey, Richard Karlan, George Eldridge. Pro¬ duced by Lindsley Parsons; directed by Frank McDonald. Story: When Alan Hale, Jr., Paul McGuire, and Richard Karlan murder his father, 13year-old Billy Grey is adopted by Lloyd Corrigan, owner of a traveling minstrel show, and Roland Winters, ace sharp¬ shooter with the show. As he grows older, he becomes an expert gunman, and now played by Wayne Morris, continues to search for the killers. .When Winters is woimded in a gim fight engineered by Hale, he leaves the show to settle on Morris’ farm, left him by his father. Hop¬ ing to restrain Morris from his neverending search, Corrigan hires Lola Al¬ bright for the show, and eventually they fall in love. Even then Morris refuses to give up his hunt. Finally, Morris succeeds in catching Hale and his partners, and shoots the latter. Morris overcomes his desire for killing as a form of revenge, and instead wounds Hale in his hands so that he will never be able to use guns or cards again. He and Albright decide to get married, and start life together on their ranch with Winters and Corrigan as partners. X-Ray: An interesting plot, some name values, okeh performances, and good direction and production values combine to put this in the better program cla^. It should round out the duallers nicely. Among the music heard is “Love Is Magic” and “Let’s Break The Ice.” The screen play is by Warren D. Wandberg, Sam Roeca, and Tom W. Blackburn. Ad Lines; “He Sought A Trio Of Killers With Gun In Hand”; “A Woman Tried To Soften His Killer Hunt . . . Action And Thrills”; “Blazing Guns . . . Action And Adventme As A Son Himts The Killers Of His Father.” 3001