Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1945)

What The Newspaper Critics Say HIGHLIGHTS FROM REVIEWS OF NEW PICTURES BY FOREMOST CRITICS 'WINGED VICTORY' CALLED WARM, INSPIRING. REALISTIC (TWENTIETH CENTURY-FOX) "...Gives every promise of ben;; one of the most successful films about this wa: ... Successful, that is, in its disturbance of the public's interest and pulse and a 30 in !ts encroachments upon the public's pocket-book ... Has the sweep and mounting tension of true visual narrative ... Leans qu e ob/iously on its sentimental props... Air Force soldiers perform their roles with rare competence." CROWTHER. N. Y. TIMES — "...Informative and entertaining. Although it doesn't come up to the knees of its inspiring, great subject, it is still a sizabl '. humanly sentimental organization of many of the facts. .Arrangements are a little too pat to be perfect ... Tendency to speech iaking is also marked . . .Topical interest easily surmounts any objections." WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "...Warm, believa 'le, intensely interesting and sometimes highly exciting saga of this most dramatic branch of our fighting services. . .One main dra 'back is a semblance of over-length. . .Complete naturalness and sincerity. . .All manner of fine interludes, some tender, some tra ic, some immensely funny and all human." McMANUS. PM. "...Thrilling and emotionally stirring. . .Scenes dealing with th ' training and fighting are presented in a factual manner that gives the film authority .. .So good that we forgive the authors and di'"ecto> for their occasional lapses into a highly sweetened emotionalism." CAMERON, N. Y. NEWS. 'HERE COME THE WAVES' ANOTHER CROSBY CLICK (PARAMOUNT) "...Chief ingredient is Crosby's incomparable vocal and comedy timing, and the result is a happy, tuneful new year at the Paramount. . .Snappier, funnier production numbers than are found in the average film musical. . .Crosby's picture from start to finish; and when you remember that there isn't a more reliable musical comedy star in America than Bing Crosby, you'll know what to expect from the mere fact of his presence on the Paramount screen." GUERNSEY, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "...Paramount and its favored son, Bing Crosby, are taking an agreeable turn together .. .Ambling along that vein of comedy, with vamped-in music, that Mr. Crosby used to rove. . .Humor is the b^st part of the picture." CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. ". . Will do nicely until a better or funnier Crosby picture comes along. . Beginning which shows Bing imitating Sinatra will put you in a mood -to enjoy the subsequent light comedy. The fun following is consistent but not quite up to the first sequence ... Easy-going, satisfactory musical comedy." HALE. N. Y. NEWS. "...While oodles of school-free maids giggled their merry way through 'Here Come the WAVES' at its holiday-week at the Paramour t there was no rush to sign up with the WAVES when the show broke ...One of the most contrived of plots .. .Dutiful inclusion of W ^VE footage ... .Nothing terribly inspirational ... Some interesting novelties in set design and theatricks." McMANUS, PM. •HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN" BIG, JUMBLED, ENTERTAINING— COOK (WARNER BROTHERS) "...Big, jumbled and entertaining variety show... In the dozen or so variety acts you are pretty sure to find a few very good and some others that will slip by pleasantly. . .For its entertainment value, the whole picture depends strictly on its variety acts — and those are pretty good. The rest of it is rubbish." COOK, N. Y. WORLD TELEGRAM. "...If it's quantity you want in entertainment — entertainment, that is, of the sort that is generally thrown together in an 'all-star benefit show' — then the Warners' grotesquely laden 'Hollywood Cantean' is for you... You'll probably love it if you're frankly susceptible to 'names'. . .But if it's quality you want in your entertainment beware the elaborate hocus-pocus of 'Hollywood Canteen.' There is not a fairly distinguished song or turn of dialogue in the show, and the story which binds the 'acts' together is an embarrassingly affected affair." CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. "...Sprawling star-fest which is as jerky as a roller coaster. . .Production is laudable but repetitive ... Gaudy package of variety sketches which come closer to a photograph of the canteen's activities than to a cohesive photoplay." BARNES, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. • TOMORROW THE WORLD' SERIOUS ATTEMPT AT NAZI PROBLEM (UNITED ARTISTS) "...Savagely angry indictment of what the Nazis have done to German youth and the German people. The movie version has a much greater fury of indignation than the good play on which it is based. . .Skippy Homeier has brought the screen one of its most understanding and damning figures of Nazidom .. .Thoughtful presentation of the problem." COOK, N. Y. WORLD TELEGRAM. "...Will have to make its bid fo~ popularity on the grounds that it tells you something you ought to know. It certainly cannot be regarded as a film for treasure Seems more flagrant than on the stage. . .Probably has a story worth broadcasting. . .But it is doubtful that this picture can provide reliable guidance in any of the situations that may come up in the future." WTNSTEN, N. Y. POST. "...Timely and serious subject ... Sincere, if not completely satisfying, attempt in the right direction. . .Often more theatrical than realistic ... General'" well acted and directed. . .Direction is generally excellent. . .'Tomorrow the World' can be a very real screen contribution toward the attainment of an enduring peace." T. M. P., N. Y. TIMES. "...Nerve-tingling and explosive. . .Superbly produced, acted and well-thought out dramatization .. .Provides the most mature handling of Nazi racist theories that the Hollywood screen has yet advanced ... Offers more opportunity for soul-searching in America than any film of its sort yet set before us." J. T. McMANUS, PM. 'MUSIC FOR MILLIONS' MUSICAL HEARTHROB FILM GETS NODS (M-G-M) "...Much of the same tender feeling and melodic felicity which Producer Joe Pasternak and Director Henry Koster got into their early Deanna Durbin films... Only some of the old zin-? is missing, and some new things have been added too. . .Gentle, youthful story dinped in tears. . .Chief fault is that its makers were never quite sure whether they were giving the show to Miss Allyson. Miss O'Brien, Mr. Iturbi or to our boy James. . .Makes up for shortcomings with its gorgeous music and individual scenes." CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. "...Merry and delightful musical melange. . .Combines classical compositions and swing nonsense ...Tuneful and engaging. . .As engaging a photoplay as it is a photo-musical. . .Little Margaret O'Brien is as cute a trick as she has ever been." BARNES, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. ". Pasternak, with a script both resourceful and heartwarming, reiter ates clearly and cleverly his everlasting point — that music is a universal medium under whose pleasant auspices all peoples and sorts can meet and have a whale of a time together." McMANUS, PM. "...Abounding with whimsy, melody and mirth... Out-and-out tear-jerker but, because director Henry Koster has wielded a light and engaging hand... The audience is apt to follow each throat lump with a guffaw. It's that neatly timed for sobs and giggles. . .Although the outcome of the plot becomes obvious nevertheless does present something novel in the manner of movi 3 musical .. .Gratifying escapist entertainment." THIRER, N. Y. POST. 'CAN'T HELP SINGING' DURBIN MUSICAL OPERETTA OK'D (UNIVERSAL) "...Aside from Deanna Durbin's still-fresh voica and a half dozen variously tender and rousing Kern-Harburg songs spaced throughout it there is not much new or startling about 'Can't Help Singing' ... Deanna is dimplier than she has been in ever so long and very fetching in Technicolor singing to glorious red-rock mesas and mountain landscape-." McMANUS, PM. "...Songs in abundance and par excellence are the best things in this gaudy color film. . .Except for a few comic moments, is pretty much run of the operetta mine... You may count on an hour and a half of diversion." CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. "...Deanna Durbin shares top honors with the scenery .. .With a creditible Jerome Kern score added to this expensive Technicolor, 'Can't Help Singing' has everything it takes to make a gay screen musical except that eternal Hollywood lack, a sparkling story." GUERNSEY. JR., N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "...Gay, colorful, tuneful. . .Best Durbin picture since Joe Pasternak ceased producing her vehicles. . .Deanna's costumes are gorgeous enough to give the feminine contingent of the audience a thrill, but each and every patron of the Criterion Theatre will respond heartily to the rhythms of the Kern tunes." CAMERON, N. Y. NEWS. DECEMBER 25. 1944 29