Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1941)

WHAT THE NEWSPAPER CRITICS SAY Highlights From Reviews Of New Pictures By Foremost Critics ALOMA OF THE SOUTH SEAS (Paramoimt) ". . .Pretty hard to take. . .Variety of wisecracks, some of which are funny, others dull and still others a bit suggestive. . .But where the story is concerned invention seems to have taken a holiday "— BOEHNEL, N. Y. WORLD-TELEGRAM. '•...Could pass for a burlesque if it weren't an extravaganza ... So phoney that it's a positive triumph." — WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. ". . .As authentic as a plug nickel, but it is moderately entertaining ...Striking scenic effects, engaging ensemble numbers ... The plot itself would look bad in a run-of-the-mill musical comedy. The trimmings save it from disaster."— BARNES N Y HERALD TRIBUNE. ". . .Have done a remarkably efficient job of turning back the clock, so to speak . . . Technicolor photography is often blurry, and the dialogue which assaults the ear might easily have been lifted from an album of old silent film captions." — T. M. P., N. Y. TIMES. WILD GEESE CALLING (20th CenturyFox) "...One of those tired, wornout triangle p'.ots. . .Player^' talents are wasted. So is a lot of precious t:me."— BCEHNEL N Y "WORIJD-TELEGRAM. "...Not good or vital enough to make its untimely subject worth your attention."— WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. ". . .Spirit of the narrative has been lost completely. .. Straightaway adventure tale told in a conventional manner. . .Never comes alive " — T. M. P., N. Y. TIMES. "...Rather dull and perfunctory survey of the 'grass grows greener on the other side of the fence' theory. . .Most of the story is told in cliches."— MURDOCK, PHILA. LEDGER. WHISTLING IN THE DARK (MetroGoldwyn-Mayer) "...Lively and amusing film, continuously creepy and comic and properly loaded with gags."— CROWTHER, N. Y. TIME3. "... Skelton's terrific . . . It's been a long time now since the screen provided such a fresh, unaffected, bubbling clown. . .Contains some of the funniest and most irresponsible slapstick I have seen "— BOEHNEL, N. Y. WORLDTELEGRAM. ".. .Good laughs and better suspense ... Mr. Skelton may net be all that the fine fancies of MGM's most excitable press agents have pamtad him, but he's learnmg. As long as they give him pictures as hveiy as this, it won't make too much difference."— WINSTEN N. Y. POST. ". . .Mode -ately entertaining story... Has a combination of values which should make it popular at the box office "—DANA N Y HERALD TRIBUNE. HERE COMES MR. JORDAN (Columbia) ■•...Gay, witty, tender and not a httle wise. It is also one of the choicest comedy fantasies of the year . .Rollicking entertainment" — T. S., N. Y. TIMES. ". . .Rarely has the screen turned out as eerily an amusing show. Amusing, bsmusing and altogether something not to be missed "— BARNES, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "...A delicately carved work of art with belly laughs. . .Dehghtful, ingenious comedy for young and old. . .Four stars in the modern design."— FARRELL, N. Y. WORLDTELEGRAM. "...One of the more delightful comedies packed with neat notions and rarely slowed by contemplation of its own audacity "—WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. LIFE BEGINS FOR ANDY HARDY ( Melro-Goldwyn-Mayer) "...Phnty of delightiul chuckles. . .Chief trouble with his latest exploit IS a lack of invention in situations and an equal lack of vitality in their direction."— BOEHNEL, N. Y. WORLD-TELEGRAM. "...Several choice bits of dialogue. . .For the most part, however is just another windy exposition of the lad who braves the big city ...Isn't one of the better chapters of the series "—DANA N Y HERALD TRIBUNE. ".. .Isn't quite as bright or spontaneous as several earlier others. . . Mickey, as usual, is just about the whole cheese."— THIRER N Y POST. ' . . .A considerable improvement over some of the more recent ones, but it too could have been improved .. .by trimming down an overstuffed .script."— T. M. P., N. Y. TIMES. HOLD THAT GHOST (Universal) "... In spite of a tendency to drain every situation, there is many a hearty laugh . . . The boys are immensely funny . . . While their bag ol tricks is considerable, it is by no means inexhaustible." — T. M. P., N. Y. TIMES. "...Average spook comedy which gags its footage right into the hit class... Not the plot, but the wise-cracks which rate audience interest and giggles."— THIRER, N. Y. POST. "...Some hilariously comic overtones. . .Zanies. . .aren't always able to keep 'Hold That Ghost' from becoming a bit tiresome, but these lapses are generally welcome as breathing spells before the next stomach earthquake."— DANA, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "...The pudgy plaintive comic runs riot through the spooks and slapstick ... In a manner of speaking, if you had some lima beans with 'Hold That Ghost,' you could have some succota h." — GAGHAN, PHILA. LEDGER. WORLD PREMIERE (Paramount) "...Has some good sound belly laughs.. On occasion the incidents are outrageously funny; on others they are forced and labored... However, the funny ones outnumber the dull and the reiult is an intermittently chucklesome entertainment." — BOEMNEL, N. Y. WORLD-TELEGRAM. ". . .What has started as heavy satire soon deteriorates into strained burlesque. . .Uneven directing, mixed intentions in the writing and 1 una way acting."— WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "...Entertainment is only intermittent. . .Has passages of superb screen satire, but you have to wait too long for them to pop up in a belabored script."— BARNES, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. ". . .An utterly mad buffoonery which makes wild jokes. . .Pops with impulsive fun... Some side-splitting mirth."— CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. THE LITTLE FOXES (RKO-Radio) ". . .One of the great dramas of the year. . .A really great film and Bette Davis has never done finer work. . .Pac'<ed with thrills and suspense."— BOEHNEL, N. Y WORLD-TELEGRAM. "...Has the power and terror, if not the pity, found in great tragedy . . . Will have to appeal to the public on the basis of strength, shock and unusual quality rather than enjoyment." — WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "...A fine play has become far finer as a film... A flawless and fascinating show and an artistic achievement of the first order." — BARNES, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "...The most bitingly sinister picture of the year... A taut and cumulative screen story which exhales the creepy odor of decay and freezes charitable blood... A very excting picture to watch in a comfortably objective way."— CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. CHARLEY'S AUNT (20th Century-Fox) "...It is an uneven show, but it is undeniably funny .. .Lacks the sharp edge that Ferrer devised, but it is lusty and generally captivating."—BARNES, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "...You will probably laugh pretty continuously .. .Rough-house masquerading is sure-fire stuff somewhere in the scale beneath a guffaw and above a chuckle."— WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. ■'. . .Seems as full of chuckles today as it must have been away back in 1892... It's giddy, it's slanstick, it's swell."— FARRELL, N. Y. WORLD TELEGRAM . "...We did not find it more than occasionally chucklesome. . .Although it is breezily played, it has the dubious gayety of an old gentleman cutting a caper."— T. S., N. Y. TIMES. PARACHUTE BATTALION (RKO-Radio) "...Scenes in the air are superbly dramatic and thrilling. . .The story, though reminiscent, is done with a great deal of skill. . .Thrill and amuse you."— BOEHNEL, N. Y. WORLD-TELEGRAM. "...The matter pertaining directly to actual service affairs is interesting, instructive and colorful — and visually exc ting, too — while the story is a routine rehash of bad'.y worn cliches." — CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. "...Tolerable entertainment, because despite its familiarity, it is fairly well done... Does manage to rise above its weaker elements." —WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. 26 FILM BULLETIN