Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1950)

"QUOTES" What the Newspaper Critics Say About New Rims SCHARY'S 'VOICE' MISSES MARK AS DRAMA, SAY CRITICS Despite its noble purpose and unusual theme, Dore Schary's "The Next Voice You Hear . . ." falls just a bit short of its mark, according to the New York newspaper critics. Unanimous in their praise of Schary's intent and the performances of the cast headed by James Whitmore, the scribes direct their criticism primarily at the lack of dramatic qualities needed to make the film's message effective. Howard Barnes, in the Herald Tribune, laments that "there is a great lack of dramatic power in a picture with so weighty an idea." James Whitmore, he says, is "magnificent," in a "slick scenario package" that unfortunately "falls short of the mark." The objection of the Post's Archer Winsten is that it "is too prettily practical to be comforting." He points out that "hard truths are covered by slick design." and complains of the use of "hysteria, mass conversion, (and) cigarette salesmanship" in the film. The fear that it may "offend or disturb many who have their solemn feelings and beliefs as to the nature of God" is where the Times' Bosley Crowther finds fault. However, he finds it a "compound of humor, sentiment and romance" which "the average person can seldom resist." The strongest criticism is offered by Seymour Peck, in the Compass, who doubts "whether the movie itself will have universal appeal," even though it "starts out with a strong, simple and universal idea." He feels "there is hardly a semblance of real drama," just a "considerable amount of flat and didactic sermonizing." The Journal American's Rose Pelswick, as usual, is less critical. "A spiritual and thought-provoking drama," she writes, which "delivers a sermon that is sorely needed in this troubled world." 'THE SKIPPER SURPRISED HIS WIFE' MGM "Minor picture . . . has a sizable crop of familv-type laughs . . . Fairlv trifling stuff." — WINSTEN. N. Y. POST. "Strives desperately for charm and gaiety . . . (but) misses those seemingly simp'e objectives . . . Dull shore leave." — A. W., N. Y. TIMES. "Has little steam to start with and is operating on will power alone as it approaches the tape." — GUERNSEY, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. 'DESTINATION MOON' Eagle-Lion "Gets a few laughs ... In 'Destination Moon,' the moon looks like a pretty dull place." — PECK, N. Y. COMPASS. "Comical fantasy . . . Engaging and amusing . . . Improbable but utterly captivating scientific fairy tale." — BARNES. N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "A most intriguing and picturesque event . . . Profoundly impressive to observe." — CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. "Makes its primary appeal to people who devour science fiction of the interplanetary brand." WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "No wild-eyed fantastic . . . Conversational for the most pa-t . . . Interesting if something less than lively." PELSWICK, N. Y. JOURNAL AMERICAN. M 'THAT WINSLOW BOY' Eagle-Lion "Remarkable dramatic and emotional depth . . . Stirring film." — BARNES. N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "An ingratiating film ... A striking and an inspiring picture." CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. "One of those sturdy British pictures which inspire high anticipations of perfection at the very beginning . . . and never disappoint you." WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "Highly polished, glittering theater piece . . . Will delight and sometimes dazzle you." — PECK, N. Y. COMPASS. "Brilliant acting . . . overwhelms its theme." — COOK, N. Y. WORLD TELEGRAM. "Engrossing entertainment . . . One of the outstanding British imports." PELSWICK, N. Y. JOURNAL AMERICAN. 'IF THIS BE SIN' United Artists "Wavers between the incredible and the embarrassing . . . Finds the motion picture medium out of control and going nowhere in dizzy circles." — GUERNSEY, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "Ambulates slowly, talks a lot and says nothing at all . . . We have trouble seeing why a picture as flat as this one was ever produced." — CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. "Ponderous, predictable and wholly free of any saucy condiments of sin." — WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "Stormy little drama ... No doubt about 'If This Be Sin' — it is a sin." — S. P., N. Y. COMPASS. "Pedestrian conversation piece ... in heavy soap-opera fashion." — PELSWICK, N. Y. JOURNAL AMERICAN. 'THE BARON OF ARIZONA" Lippert "Twice as strange as fiction, and therefore truthful to the second degree . . . Emerges as a very small fraction of reality." — WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "Little drama or suspense in this costume number . . . Done slowly and with no great distinction . . . Something short of sensational." — A. W., N. Y. TIMES. "Overlong . . . Slow and unwieldy . . . Contains a good idea . . . But it sorely needs a stronger taste of impudence in a distillation of style." — GUERNSEY, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. 'BRIGHT LEAF' Warner Bros. "Seems rather long . . . Nothing very believable . . . Almost enough to make a fellow swear off smoking out of season." WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "Mighty saga of tobacco, a la Warner Brothers." — PECK, N. Y. COMPASS. "Grim . . . but dramatic account of the changing of the South." BARNES, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "Runs too much to the conventional and is too insufferably long." — CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. "Ponderous, long-drawn-out drama . . . Heavily conversational for the most part." — PELSWICK, N. Y. JOURNAL AMERICAN. 'THE BIG HANGOVER' MGM "Not the story of a dipsomaniac . . . Not all fluff . . . Good for some laughs and is deserving of attention." — T. M. P., N. Y. TIMES. "Curious, cloudy mixture of farce, sociology and romance . . . Part clowning and part lesson, it is a disunified and hesitant piece of work." — GUERNSEY, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "Represents an unhappy effort to make a happy movie . . . Ends up seeming superficial, diffuse and unfunny." — PECK, N. Y. COMPASS. "Bold attempt to mix slapstick with high-minded social thinking . . . Too flimsy to sustain a second thought or be highly recommended for a first look. — WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "One joke is about all there is to it." — COOK, N. Y. WORLD TELEGRAM. "An amiable piece . . . Isn't strictly a comedy . . . Attempts to mix slapstick with serious scenes." PELSWICK, N. Y. JOURNAL AMERICAN. 'THE WHITE TOWER' RKO "Far more than an average film . . . Pertinent and exciting." BARNES, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "Drama . . . crammed with action and significant incident . . . Rather silly . . . bookish stuff . . . Betrays a touch of contrivance." — CROWTHER, N. Y. TIMES. "A 'must' for the climbing fraternity 1 and a 'double-must', packed with vicarious thrills, for those others who feel slightly dizzy when they come too close to the edge of a subway platform." — WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "One pictorially beautiful shot after another . . . Filmed with realism and suspense, and the scenery is magnificent." —PELSWICK. N. Y. JOURNAL AMERICAN. 'WITHOUT HONOR' United Artists "Eminent contender for worst-pictureof-the-year obloquy." — WINSTEN, N. Y. POST. "Tries something a little out of the ordinary, and it is too bad that the at tempt fails to come off . . . Result ... is pretentiousness and exaggeration, but it is an interesting failure nevertheless." — GUERNSEY, N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE "Turgid, complex and silly marita dirge . . . Dialogue annoyingly hackney ed." — T. M. P., N. Y. TIMES. "Heavy-handed melodrama." — PELS WICK, N. Y. JOURNAL AMERICAN. 'TARZAN AND THE SLAVE GIRL' RKO "The sort of film which should do ver; well at Saturday matinees." — O. L. G. N. Y. HERALD TRIBUNE. "Much to keep the eye open . . . Fane ful nonsense." WINSTEN, N. V POST. "Obviously aimed at the small fry . • Right out of the comic books . . . Um[ teenth installment of the perennial jungl series." — PELSWICK, N. Y. JOURNAJ AMERICAN. FILM BULLETI