Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1941)

'LYDIA' GOOD WOMAN'S DRAMA Rates • • • generally HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW United Artists (Alexander Korda) 101 Minutes Merle Oberon, Edna May Olive ■, Alan Marshal, Joseph Cotten, Hans Yaray. George Reeves, John Halliday, Sara Algood, BiU Roy, Frank Conlan. Directed by Julien Duvivier "Lydia" is a revealing insight into a woman's past — done with tendsr warmth and compassion. It is particularly strong fare for feminin3 audiences and in the majority of locations this will account for good business. The f\]m is hampered at the outset by a slow and tedious first half due largely to use of the overworked flash-back device. Additional cutting will help, and we understand that this is being done. The production is beauti ful, most of the performances are good and there is a magnificent directorial job by Julien Duvivier. At a meeting with the three men who have loved her, "Lydia" (Merle Oberon), now a wealthy spinster noted for her philanthropic activities in behalf of blind children, tells them of her reaction to their admiration for her. She also speaks of a fourth — a man with whom she had an illicit love affair, only to learn subsequently that he was married. His promise to come back is never fulfilled and Lydia remains unmarried through the years. Merle Oberon gives an intensely moving portrayal of the title role. Edna May Oliver has never been better as her salty, old aunt. The four men — Marshal, Cotten, Yaray and Reeves — are excellent. HANNA (Hollywood) 'OUR WIFE' PERFORMANCES Rates • • generally HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW Columbia 95 Minutes Melvyn Douglas, Ruth Husrey, El'.en Drew, Charles Coburn, John Hubbard, Harvey Stephens, Theresa Harris. Produced and directed by John M. Stahl. Even the topnotch performances of Melvyn Douglas, Ruth Hussey and Ellen Drew fail to lift this slight-plotted, stilted dialogued, much-ado-about-nothing comedy out of the B class. There are moments of mild suspense sufficient to keep the feminine filmgoers interested and just enough laughs to keep the males awake. The mood of the picture is dull and dreary and the foggy Tghtlng seems inconsistent with the spirit of the piece. Returns will depend "argely on Douglas' strengtii in individual locations plus whatever interest can be stirred up in the triangular title. Gro,sses are not likely to be more than aver REDEEM FAIR COMEDY age anywhere. Scientist Ruth Hussey has fallen in love with bottle-hitting band leader Melvyn Douglas on a steamer cruise. When his new romance has inspired Douglas to pull himself together and compose a swing symphony, his not-quite-divorced wife, Ellen E>rew, whom he has been trying to forget, returns to the scene. In order to hold Douglas, Drew falls down a flight of stairs and pretends to be paralyzed. She fools the doctors, but gives herself away to Hussey. The climax develops when Ruth exposes Ellen's duplicity by dousing her with an unexpected shower of cold water. For the finale Douglas and Miss Hussey administer the chastened lady an anti-climactical and out-of-character spanking. Although the three principals dominate the film, Charles Coburn and John Hubbard lend good support when they have the opportunity. With just a bit more care in the direction and writing, the opus might have been a really first rate comedy despite the shallow plot and sad lack of production values. CRANE (Hollywood) 'BADLANDS OF DAKOTA' WESTERN HAS ACTION Rates • • + for action houses HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW Universal 74 Minutes Robert Stack, Ann Rutherford, Richard Dix, Frances Farmer, Brod Crawford, Hugh Herbert, Andy Devine, Lon Chaney, Jr., Fuzzy Knight, Addison Richards, Bradley Page, Samuel S. Hinds, Carleton Young, Glenn Strange, Don Barclay, Emmett Vogan, Willie Fung, Edward Fielding, The Jesters. Directed by Alfred E. Green Abundant action and good performances by a well balanced cast are the virtues of this Universal outdoor film. It can hardly be classed as just a "western," for it is well above that standard on the basis of cast and production, although the story is pretty much formula. Wherever action pictures click, "Badlands of Dakota" should garner well above average gro.sses. Robert Stack is a handsome, two fisted hero and his stock should rise considerably as a result of this performance. Ann Rutherford also does some of the best work of her career with a convincing, impressive portrayal. Pity of the film is that Richard Dix was wasted in a minor role, almost a bit. The story centers on the conflict between two brothers, Crawford and Stack, when the former is jilted by Ann Rutherford who marries Stack. Crawford becomes a criminal and seeks to avenge himself on his younger brother by having him made town Marshall. Stack surprises those who have made a fool of him and learns that the stage coach robberies are being perpetrated by a band of white men masquerading as Indians. One of them is his brother. When real Indians attack the village, Crawford is shot by Frances Farmer, who has always loved him. All the performances are good and it is difficult to single out anyone for special praise. Hugh Herbert and Andy Devine supply comedy. Lon Chaney, Jr. is the head of the outlaws and Fuzzy Knight is a comic stage coach driver. Alfred E. Green's direction is well paced to extract the maximum in action values from the script. HANNA (Hollywood) BOXOFFICE RATING: • Means POOR; • • AVERAGE; • • • GOOD; • • • • EXCELLENT 22 FILM BULLETIN