Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1941)

'TOM, DICK AND HARRY' GINGER ROGERS AS ADOLESCENT KITTY FOYLE Rates • • • except for action houses HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW RKO-Radio. 86 Minutes. Ginger Rogers, George Murphy, Alan Marshal, Burgess Meredith, Joe Cunningham, Jans Seymour, Lenore Lonergan, Phil Silvers, Betty Breckenbridge. Directed by Garson Kanin. In this, Ginger Rogers plays a sort of adolescent "Kitty Foyle" and the multitude of folks who took to the young lady in her previous hit will likely find "Tom, Dick and Harry" amusing enough. This is by no means a hit of the same proportions, for it lacks the story substance of "Kitty." However, director Kanin's touch is evident, the style is charming, whimsical and intimate. There is a paucity of action and sometimes the film moves too slowly for comfort. But, there are a few genuine belly laughs and it has a "different" quality. Ginger Rogers fans will enjoy it; others will be tolerably amused. It's weak for action houses. Rogers is a telephone girl who accepts the marriage proposal of George Murphy, ag gressive, young, ambitious auto salesman. She dreams of their lives together — a harum, scarum, hurry-up affair in which George sells a million cars, finally becoming president of the United States. Then she accepts Burgess Meredith, ne'er-do-well, who doesn't believe in working and promises to take her fishing. That night she dreams of their life together. Finally, she fulfills her life-long ambition and meets Alan Marshal, young, handsome millionaire. They fiy to Chicago for a festive evening together and back home her subconscious involves a conception of the result of their marriage. She meets her three suitors next morning to select one. She chooses Marshal, but as they are leaving kisses Meredith goodbye — bells ring overhead just as they did the first night they kissed. He's the guy. Miss Rogers' performance, for the most part, is obviously stylized — full of affectations and mannerisms. She does a magnificent drunk sequence in which one feels for the first time that she is human, not just a coy actress. Alan Marshal is surprisingly good, a charming, delightful person with little of the stuffiness that seems to have hampered his past performances. Murphy and Meredith give accurate portrayals of pretty dull people. Phil Silvers scores in the comedy division as a bothersome ice cream peddler and Betty Breckenbridge is well nigh perfect as Ginger's pal. The film could have used more of her. HANNA (Hollywood) 'ARIZONA BOUND' JONES AND McCOY GET GRAND START IN NEW SERIES Rates • • • in western houses HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW Monogram. 57 Minutes. Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, Raymond Hatton, Luana WaKers, Dennis Moore, Kathryn Sheldon, Tris Coffin, Horace Murphy, Slim Whitaker, Gene Alsace, Ben Corbert, Jack Daley, Hal Price, I. Stanford JoUey. Directed by Spencer Bennet. Teaming Buck Jones and Tim McCoy was a stroke of bright showmanship by Monogram, and their first co-starring vehicle has emerged on the screen as completely satisfying as it looks on paper. Their younger confreres are put to shame as Jones and McCoy walk through the action with the ease that only experience brings. It's stimulating to watch them work — their tricks are surefire — their timing perfect and to a well written western screenplay, their performances bring added suspense, interest and excitement. McCoy's characterization is more interesting and spectacular, but Jones carries the bulk of the action. Joining the duo in a comedy capacity is another veteran, Raymond Hatton, who milks laughs from a skimpy part and acquits himself admirably throughout. Only shortcoming of this Scott Dunlap production is the final gun-fight sequence, which falls far below the rest of the action. Jones and McCoy are great western names. Despite comparative inactivity in the last few years, both have been in the limelight sufficiently to he remembered by western fans. Action and western houses have a real money offering in "Arizona Bound" and, if the same high production and story standards are maintained throughout future films Monogram and its customers will have a profitable series on their hands. Buck Jones has retired to a ranch in Texas when he learns that there is trouble about shipping gold through a certain section of Arizona. He goes there and immediately suspects Tris Coffin as being the source of the trouble. Luana Walters has the Wells Fargo contract since her father died and there .seems to be a concerted effort to force her to abandon the business. Other characters are Tim McCoy, two-gun preachert and Raymond Hatton, mild-mannered cattle trader. Through a trick, the criminals are revealed and the disclosure is made that Jones, McCoy and Hatton are "The Rough Riders" reunited once again. Luana Walters manages some dramatic moments nicely and Dennis Moore is good as the juvenile. Others in the cast are satisfactory. HANNA (Hollywood) 24 FILM BULLETIN