Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1945)

PARAMOUNT 4 in Fourth Block 'BRING ON THE GIRLS' LIGHT TECHNICOLOR MUSICAL HAS HIGH SPOTS Rates • • • except in action spots Paramount 92 minutes Veronica Lake, Sonny Tufts, Eddie Bracken, Marjorie Reynolds, Grant Mitchell, Alan Mowbray, Porter Hail. Johnny Coy, Peter Whitney, Thurston Hall, Andrew Tombes, Lloyd Corrigan, Sig Arno, Joan Woodbury, Directed by Sidney Lanfield. A lavish Technicolored production, some highly entertaining specialties and several catchy song numbers dress up the routine plot of "Bring On the Girls" sufficiently to make it a lively musical that should garner good returns generally. A little of everything, including a bathing beauty parade, several night club routines, a side-splitting number by Spike Jones and His City Slickers, stand-out tap dancing by Johnny Coy and two songs by Sonny Tufts, has been tossed into the picture's 92 minutes running time. Both "How Would You Like To Take My Picture?" and the title tune are likely to attain Hit Parade rating. Eddie Bracken, an expert at portraying mild-mannered, unhappy individuals, has a made-to-order role as a $200,000,000 bachelor searching for a girl who will love him for himself alone and Sonny Tufts, as his carefree lawyerguardian, Veronica Lake and Marjorie Reynolds are seen and heard to advantage during the fast and foolish proceedings. The 'teen age crowd, most of whom are Tufts' fans, should give this musical a big boost toward popularity. It will be weakest in action houses. Disheartened when he finds that his latest fiancee is interested only in his money, Eddie Bracken, heir to $200,000,000, enlists in the Navy where he hopes to find friends (particularly girls) who like him for himself alone. However, his legal advisors insist that Sonny Tufts, a young lawyer, also enlist in order to keep an eye on the shy young bachelor. In Florida, Bracken falls for Veronica Lake, a cigarette girl in a night club who, unknown to him, has learn ed his true identity. Meanwhile, Tufts, be lieving that Bracken is really interested ii Marjorie Reynolds, the club's singer, in vestigates her and finds that she is sincerel; attracted to the millionaire. Knowing thaMiss Lake is a gold-digger, Tufts tell. Bracken about her and the latter feign deafness in order to test her love. Althougl Miss Lake sees through the ruse, Miss Rey nolds unwittingly permits Bracken to heai her declaration of love for him. When Tufts attempt to win Miss Lake away fron; Bracken is successful, the millionair teams up with Miss Reynolds and everyon is happy. Eddie Bracken's engaging performanc makes many of the ridiculous situation believable and Veronica Lake is well casi as a scheming blonde. Sonny Tufts got big hand from a New York City previey audience. Such reliables as Alan Mowbraj Andrew Tombes, Lloyd Corrigan and Porte Hall are almost lost in the shuffle. DENLE' SALTY O'ROURKE1 ALAN LADD MAKES ST STRONG BOXOFFICE Rates • • • generally; more in action Paramount 9" minutes Alan Ladd, Gail Russell, William Demarest, Bruce Cabot, Stanley "Stash" Clements, Spring Byington, Rex Williams, Darryl Hickman, Marjorie Woodworth, Directed by Raoul Walsh. Alan Ladd is back in his tough guy stride in "Salty O'Rourke," a hard-hitting and melodramatic programmer which should clean up in naborhood and action spots. In contrast to his ill-suited doctor role in 'And Now Tomorrow," Ladd convincingly plays a cold, calculating race track gambler who starts out crooked but winds up on the right side of the law. Although the story occasionally slows up during the romantic scenes, it is mainly suspenseful gangster fare realistically directed by Raoul Walsh. With Stanley "Stash" Clements' hard-boiled jockey characterization getting equal footage with the star's portrayal, the picture is spots packed with those true-to-life and exciting moments that action fans demand. The turf sequences are authentically filmed. This is not a special but, by playing up Ladd, who appears to be among the top two or three male stars today, this should go very strong in all locations. Salty O'Rourke (Alan Ladd), racetrack gambler who owes Bruce Cabot twenty grand, due in 30 days — or else, goes to Bordertown with his faithful trainer, William Demarest. There he contacts Stanley Clements, an ace jockey who has been barred from racing in the U. S. but is the only one who can ride his new horse in the $50,000 handicap race. Clements, who is 22, registers under his 17-year-old brother's name and is forced to enroll in the school for under-age riders, taught by Gail Russell. When the unscrupulous Clements develops a crush on Miss Russell and insults her, Ladd calls on her to ask her to forgive his jockey and show him some special consideration. Clements believes Miss Rus THE UNSEEN' FAR BELOW 'THE UNINVITED' Rates • • 4 or better for action spots; l< Paramount 81 minutes Joel McCrea, Gail Russell, Herbert Marshall, Phyllis Brooks, Norman Lloyd, Isobel Elsom, Richard Lyon, Nona Griffith, Tom Tully, Elisabeth Risdon, Mikhail Rasumny, Victoria Home, Mary Field, Sarah Padden. Directed by Lewis Allen. "The Unseen" will prove disappointing to everyone anticipating another mystery dealing with the supernatural of the calibre of "The Uninvited." Although many of the ingredients for another thriller like that previous Paramount picture — a ghostly old house setting, shadowy photography and a general aura of mystery — were contained in Ethel Lina White's novel, the scriptists failed to develop an equally effective plot. "The Unseen" is a commonplace murder melodrama that fails to offer plausible explanations for its eerie happenings. It is fairly suspenseful and contains enough of the popular mystery elements to satisfy the avid whodunit fans. Well directed by Lewis ss generally Allen, the picture boasts standout performances by two young newcomers, Richard Lyon, as a spoiled, sullen boy who aids the murderer, and Nona Griffith, a completely natural youngster who is appealing without ever resorting to cute mannerisms. Where the exhibitor's exploitation associates this with "The Uninvited," grosses might be surprisingly good, but word-of-mouth will reflect the public's disappointment and adversely affect business in subsequent runs. Best for action spots. The day following the murder of an old woman who peered into the boarded-up house adjoining Joel Medea's city home, a new governess (Gail Russell) arrives to care for his motherless children, Richard Lyon and Nona Griffith. The little girl is friendly to Miss Russell but Lyon resents her especiallv when she learns that he knows something about the murder and is giving signals to someone in the closed-up house. Confiding in Herbert Marshall, the family doctor. Miss Russell learns that McCrea is suspected of the murder because his wife had died in an accident, without witnesses. Shortly after the children's former gover sell reciprocates his romantic feeling unt he learns that she has actually fallen i ! love with Ladd. The enraged jockey the conspires with Cabot to throw the race bi, a talk with Miss Russell makes him chang his mind and ride Ladd's horse to victory Cabot's trigger man kills Clements am] when Ladd and Cabot arrive on the seen', he accidentally shoots his boss. After Lad is cleared, he and Miss Russell are reunite! Between them, Ladd, who is excellent i. the tight-lipped young gambler, and Clen ents (remembered from "Going My Way" who does a superb acting job as the ur scrupulous jockey, wrap up the picture ar.; carry it away. However, William Demares. as Ladd's loyal trainer; Bruce Cabot, as tl crooked bookie, and Spring Byington, as | flighty matron, are perfectly cast in ir portant roles and Marjorie Woodworlj registers in a loose lady bit. While Ga Russell is too youthful for the part of teac I er of a school for under-age jockeys, sli makes an appealing heroine. DENLE ness, Phyllis Brooks, applies for a maicj job in the house, she is found murdered an later, Isobel Elsom, owner of the house ne, door, is stabbed to death following a chai through the cellars. When Marshall is i, vealed as the killer. McCrea learns that had enlisted young Lyon's innocent aid trying to dispose of the body of Miss 1. som's husband in the boarded-up hou1 when the old woman saw him. After kil ing her, he was later forced to kill Ml Brooks when she tried to blackmail nil When the children's secrets are exposij they act like normal youngsters and M Crea decides to let Miss Russell stay on j as his wife. Except for her too-youthful appearanl Gail Russell does a splendid acting job the frightened governess. Joel McCrea I properly gruff and unfriendly and Herb* Marshall makes a seemingly sympathol doctor — both characterizations designed 1 fool mystery addicts. Isobel Elsom al Elisabeth Risdon also contribute strol portrayals. YOl FILM BULLET II