Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1945)

20th CENTURY-FOX ... 1 December Release THE SPIDER' MINOR MURDER-MYSTERY Rates • • as dualler in action spots 20th Century-Fox 61 minutes Richard Conte, Faye Marlowe, Kurt Kreuger, Martin Kosleck, John Harvey, Mantan Moreland, Walter Sande, Cara Williams, Charles Tannen, Ann Savage, William Halligan, Jean Del Val, Odette Vigne, James Flavin, Roy Gordon, Harry Seymour. Directed by Robert Webb. A minor murder-mystery with a highly involved plot and a cast lacking in name value, "The Spider" is strictly for the action duals where it should be relegated to the supporting spot. Once a successful stage thriller and later filmed by Fox in 1931, this Charles Fulton Oursler-Lowell Brentano play is now merely a run-of-the-mill melodrama which rarely excites audience inter est and fails to offer a logical explanation for many of the murders which take place. Even the title has little connection with the present plot and, despite the brief running time, the action often is slow-paced. Martin Ko.'ileck, in one of his despicablyvillainous roles, and Kurt Kreuger, as a handsome magician, give the only outstanding portrayals, although Richard Conte shows promise as a devil-may-care private detective. Faye Marlowe makes a colorless heroine and the love interest never springs to life. In New Orleans, Faye Marlowe hires Richard Conte, a private detective, to get an envelope containing some valuable information from his partner, Ann Savage. The latter is mysteriously killed before she can give the envelope to Conte and, although he is suspected of the murder, he is released because of lack of evidence. At his office, Conte is confronted by Martin Kosleck, who demands the envelope, but he j overpowers the man and learns he is appearing at a local theatre. Going there, Conte finds that Miss Marlowe is a member of Kurt Kreuger's mind-reading act for which Kosleck is stage manager. The girl later tells Conte that Miss Savage had promised her information about her sister, once married to Kreuger, who has been missing for a long time. Conte, after learning that the woman had been murdered, investigates the hotel where she once lived and the hotel manager's murder follows. When Conte exposes Kreuger as the murderer, the latter threatens to kill both him and Miss Marlowe before the police arrive to foil his plan. DENLEY 'DON'T FENCE ME IN' ROY ROGERS' TOP MUSICAL TO DATE Rates • • • where Rogers is popular; Republic 71 minutes Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, George "Gabby" Hayes, Robert Livingston, Moroni Olsen, Marc Lawrence, Lucille Gleason, Andrew Tombes, Paul Harvey, Tom London, Douglas Fowlev, Stephen Barclay, Edgar Dearing. Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers Directed by John English. This is Roy Rogers' best vehicle to date — a musical western made-to-order for his numerous fans and the general public as well. Although it follows the familiar pattern of the star's recent musicals about the modern West, this has more action and gun-play in addition to a full quota of popular tunes. Again Dale Evans sings well and supplies the feminine interest, George "Gabby" Hayes contributes one of his irascible comedy characterizations, Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers warble some prairie tunes and the supporting cast, including Robert Livingston and such dependables as Moroni Olsen and Lucille Gleason, is far above-the-average for western fare. The story has many exciting and good dualler generally suspenseful moments, but Director John English has cleverly inserted considerable smart-aleck comedy which kids the old-style type of cowboy film. The popularity of its songs, including last season's smash title number, such standard cowboy ditties as "The Last Round-Up," "My Little Buckaroo" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" and "Along the Navajo Trail" and "A Kiss Goodnight," both of which are on the Hit Parade, is enough to make this a winner. Dale Evans, star reporter-photographer for an Eastern picture magazine, is sent out to a small western prairie town to check on a report that Wildcat Kelly, one of the West's most colorful bandits who was apparently buried there 40 years before, is actually still alive. At a nearby dude ranch she meets kindly old George "Gabby" Hayes, who claims to have been a close friend of the desperado, and Roy Rogers, who tries to prevent her from prying into a long-closed matter. When Miss Evans inadvertently learns that the mild "Gabby" is actually the bandit, she photographs all the evidence and sends it to her editor despite Rogers' protests that the old man has gone straight. When the picture story is published, both the governor of the state, who 'ADVENTURES OF RUSTY' BOY-DOG QUICKIE Rates ♦ • — as secondary dualler in n Columbia 67 minutes Ted Donaldson, Margaret Lindsay, Conrad Nagel, Gloria Holden, Robert Williams, Arnr> Frey, Addison Richards, Eddie Parker, Bobby Larson, Ruth Warren, Ace, the dog. Directed by Paul Burnford. This cheaply produced programmer will appeal mainly to family audiences where the youngsters predominate. Neither Ted Donaldson, whose recent work in "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" attracted some atten, tion, nor Conrad Nagel and Margaret Lindsay mean little at the box-office. The old reliable boy-and-his-dog theme contains a few heart-warming moments and young Donaldson makes his scenes with a psychiatrist and his efforts to tame a vicious ex-German police dog quite moving. Un aborhoods and minor fortunately, the plot was too slight for a feature-length picture so the story is padded out with the capture of two Nazi spies by the youngster and his pals — material which is definitely dated. Ace, the Wonder Dog, who has the title role, is a handsome animal, whether snarling or friendly, and he will capture the attention of most audiences. Conrad Nagel seems ill-at-ease in his first screen role in some years and Margaret Lindsay looks well, but is unable to make the syrupy part of the boy's new stepmother convincing. Only the climax, as the youngsters close in on the spies, has any excitement. Young Ted Donaldson is unhappy about his father's (Conrad Nagel) marriage to Margaret Lindsay and when his pet dog attempts to follow the honeymoon car and is killed, he is heartbroken. After the newlywods return, Miss Lindsay Is unable to widen the breach and she pocsuades Nagel believes "Gabby" faked his death to collect the reward money, and Moroni Olsen, who actually committed the only murder for which Wildcat Kelly was accused, are anxious to contact the old man. Olsen has one of his henchmen shoot at "Gabby" who plays dead while Rogers and Miss Evans join forces to clear the old man. The two get a booking at Olsen's nightclub where they learn that the owner shot at "Gabby" before the truth about his having collected the reward money after having another body buried in Wildcat Kelly's grave got out. After Olsen is captured by the sheriff, "Gabby" is able to prove that Wildcat Kelly had never committed a murder. Roy Rogers, who sings well and gives his customary easy-going performance, is content to let George "Gabby" Hayes take the acting honors in the fat role of the bewhiskered old reformed bandit. Dale Evans, except for a growing tendency to be exceedingly cute, gives a capable performance and puts over ner song numbers in spirited fashion. Moroni Olsen and Marc Lawrence are outstanding in villainous parts. YORK to have the boy visit a psychiatrist. Meanwhile, Donaldson has come across an exGerman police dog brought home from Europe by a discharged soldier and, although the animal is vicious, the boy shelters him in the cellar and asks Nagel's permission to keep him. Learning about Donaldson's problems with the unfriendly beast, the psychiatrist suggests ignoring the dog and he tells Miss Lindsay to use the same method in dealing with her step-son. Running away from Donaldson, the dog :s found by two German secret agents who train him to kill farmers' chickens. When Donaldson and his pals search for the dog, they are instrumental in capturing the spies. When Nagel and Miss Lindsay quarrel over the boy, Donaldson goes to her and pleads with her to return to his father — and to him. LEYENDECKER FILM BULLETIN