Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1950)

'RIO GRANDE' GOOD WESTERN IN THE JOHN FORD TRADITION Rat es 13 8 in action houses; slightly | Republic 105 minutes. John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Ben John son, Claude Jarnian, Harry Carey, Jr., Miil] Wills, J. Carroll Naish, Victor McLaglen, Grant Withers, Peter Ortiz, Steve Pendleton, Karolyn Grimes, Alberto Morin, Stan Jones, Fred Kennedy, Sons of the Pioneers. Directed by John Ford. Here is a typical John Ford western, which means "Rio Grande" is topflight and destined to enjoy a healthy boxofflce career. Ford's initial effort for Republic Pictures is in his tradition, with horses, guns, dust and Apache Indians providing plenty of action and excitement on screen. Based on an incident in the Indian Wars, this offering builds suspense steadily with a wealth of dramatic moments, a well-sustained plot from an original by James Warner Bellah and some excellent performances. Quite typical of a Ford production is the superbly photo ess in class spots graphed outdoor scenes of Indian righting and a chase across the Rio Grande into Mexico. In addition to this abundance of action, this Merian C. CooperFord collaboration for Argosy Pictures is done well enough to bring to the fore more than an eyeful of tears, a strong selling point for feminine audiences. The leading roles are handled quite well by John Wayne, U. S. Army colonel, and Maureen O Hara, who is outstanding as Wayne's estranged wife. Performing ably in support are Claude Jarman, as Wayne's trooper son, and J. Carroll Naish, their commanding general. Harry Carey, Jr., Chill Wills, Victor McLaglen and Grant Withers round out the cast, with the Sons of the Pioneers popping up occasionally to render a sentimental ballad or two. STORY: John Wayne has been estranged from his wife, Maureen O'Hara, since the Civil War when, under General Sheridan, he was obliged to burn her family's plantations in the Shenandoah Valley. He is out West some 15 years later with the U. S. Army, fighting the ravaging Apache Indians, when his son, Claude Jarman Jr., who has flunked his exams at West Point, unexpectedly arrives among the recruits as an ordinary trooper. Next, the trooper's mother, Miss O Hara, arrives at the fort to secure Claude's release from the army. Father and son refuse to sign the necessary papers and Maureen continually embarrasses them both. Because the Indians are threatening an attack, the women and children are sent off by wagon, and Wayne is given orders by the General, J. Carrol Naish, to cross the Mexican border and smoke the Apaches out. However, the Indians attack the wagons and seize the children, but Wayne and Claude gallantly rescue them. Wayne, badly wounded, is "punished" by being made military attache in London, and with their marriage reconciled he and Miss O'Hara leave for England on a second honeymoon. COULTER. WEST POSNT STORY" OK MUSICAL, BUT NOT A 'YANKEE DOODLE' Rates • » » — on names Warner Bros. 107 minutes James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson, Alan Hale, Jr., Roland Winters, Raymond Roe, Wilton Graff, Jerome Cowan, Frank Ferguson. Directed by Roy Del Ruth. This is a musical that belongs to Cagney. Older and heavier since his hoofing days, his translation from tough guy roles to that of a down-at-heels Broadway musical director isn't at all hard to take, nor is it a new one for Cagney, who did these same chores most successfully in "Yankee Doodle Dandy." "West Point Story," however, is not another "Yankee Doodle" and Cagney's action fans, who may have forgiven him for stepping out of character in that prior musical, may not show such forbearance in this one. Generally, it should register satisfactory grosses on basis of cast and music. The Cagney name will make this a betterthan-average musical attraction for the action spots. West Point forms the background for the new music by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. The tunes are topnotch. catchy, and plentiful, with Doris Day and Gordon MacRae cooing the lyrics exceptionally well. The story is overlong and dated with corny situations that make the running time seem twice as long. Virginia Mayo sings and dances along with Cagney, doing a considerable stint of pulchritude. Doris Day and Gordon MacRae register well as a singing team and help put spark into the new music. STORY: A former hoofer, James Cagney is in love with his assistant, Virginia Mayo, but can't get a break — except from Roland Winters, successful Broadway producer, whom he distrusts. Virginia persuades him to accept an offer from Winters to produce the 100th Night Show at West Point Military Aca demy. Winters' idea is that his nephew, Gordon MacRae, one of the cadets, is a potential star whom Cagney may be able to lure away from West Point. By introducing Virginia into the allmale show, and persuading film star Doris Day to make a personal appearance, he succeeds in breaking MacRae's resolve to concentrate on a military career, and to violate the discipline of the Academy. The Commandant, Frank Ferguson, discovers the infraction $f West Point rules and orders the show to be cancelled. On the strength of his own wartime record, Cagney gets the cancellation lifted, and the show is an alltime hit. Winters, who thinks he can grab the Broadway rights and launch his nephew on the big time, is chagrined when the cadets, in gratitude for Cagney's help, make him a present of the book and music. As for MacRae: he gets Doris Day, who decides to quit Hollywood forever. COULTER. KANSAS RASDERS" GIVES ACTION FANS WHAT THEY WANT Rates • • + in action houses; less elsewhere Universal £0 minutes Audie Murphy, Brian Donlevy, Marguerite Chapman, Scott Brady, Tony Curtis, John Kelloj, Dewey Martin, George Richard Arlen. Richard Long. James Best, Chandler. Charles Delaney, Richard Egan, David Wolfe. Directed by Ray Enright. A violence-filled western, featuring all of the Old West's badmen as the central characters, plus the oft-portrayed Quantrill's raiders, "Kansas Raiders" should more than satisfy the blood-thirsty hearts of action fans. Apparently the story is an attempt at justification of the lawlessness to which the James boys. Kit Dalton and the Younger brothers descended after their homes had been ravaged in the Civil War. As such, it misses the mark, but otherwise it makes for solid action fare. Story material is interesting, acting is uniformly good, production is lavish, photography first-rate, and from opening shot to closing scene, action follows action. There may be a little too much Technicolor gore for the ladies or for squeamish stomachs, and love-interest is held at a minimum, but in houses where action is demanded, boxoffice returns should be above average. Elsewhere, it is just a fair dualler. Brian Donlevy turns in the competent kind of performance which has come to be expected of him, in the role of Colonel Quantrill, leader of a guerilla band which is supposedly fighting for the Confederacy, and Audie Murphy, as Jesse James, manages to produce just the right degree of hero-worship without becoming mawkish. In the only major femme role, Marguerite Chapman makes the most of the few opportunities she has. STORY: Audie Murphy and Richard Long as Jesse James and Frank James, Anthony Curtis as Kit Dalton, and James Best and Dewey Martin, as the Younger brothers, ride into Kansas to join the Quantrill guerillas who are looting Union towns. Although Quantrill's housekeep er, Marguerite Chapman, tries to prevent them from joining, they refuse to share her disillusionment with the leader, Brian Donlevy, and after a thrilling knife fight in which he kills Donlevy's lieutenant, Murphy is named second in command. At first thrilled, but later sickened at the butchery, arson and pillaging by the raiders, Murphy protests but becomes too deeply involved with Donlevy to leave, particularly after the latter saves his life. He falls in love, too, with Chapman and when Donlevy is blinded in battle, Murphy takes command. The "butcher brigade" dwindles in numbers, and the band is finally trapped by Union troops commanded by Richard Arlen. They make a break for freedom, leaving only Murphy and Donlevy, the latter blind and helpless in the trap. Donlevy, in a final gesture, draws the pursuers' fire is killed, allowing Murphy to escape. Persuaded by Chapman that she is too old for him, Murphy and the other outlaws ride off in search of new adventures. COULTER. 8 FILM BULLETIN