Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

1 SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR' GOOD WOMEN'S PICTURE Rates • • • in metropolitan areas; less in rurals Paramount 90 minutes Joan Fontaine, Ray Milland, Teresa Wright, Richard Derr, Douglas Dick, Herbert Heyes. Directed by George Stevens "Something To Live For" is an interesting woman's picture, a compelling love and problem drama projected with good taste and artistry in the production and direction of George Stevens. It is an adult film, which, if properly and strongly exploited, should enjoy substantial, if not great, boxoffice success. The story is disarmingly frank in its depiction of the love affair between an actress and a married man; their common bond of an alcoholic problem imbues it with strength and validity. The situations possess authenticity, qualities that are enhanced by Stevens' fluid direction and the superb performances of the principal players. Joan Fontaine is especially gratifying as the promising young actress whose career is threatened by her inability to cope with alcohol. She makes the character one of her most appealing performances. This Paramount offering will do best in the metropolitan first runs and upper division family situations. It may pose a problem in the rural areas, but intelligent selling should put it over. Ray Milland, as you may expect, performs his role of an advertising executive admirably. Teresa Wright is lovely and properly subdued as his wife. Richard Derr does splendidly by the part of a producer who cuts a wide swathe in social circles. Young Douglas Dick is a standout as one of the bright new boys in the advertising business. STORY: Ray Milland, answering a cat for an Alcoholics Anonymous worker frofl a hotel in the Broadway area, discovers thai the patient is Joan Fontaine, an actress. H pulls her together, gets her into condition tl make rehearsal the following morning. Shd loses the part, however. At the same tin Milland has a problem at the office that ■ about to send him off on a bender. By chanfl the two meet. In fighting their problem thej also fall in love. But Milland is married ■ Teresa Wright, the father of two youd children. On the eve of Miss Fontainej debut in New York she goes off the wago Milland rushes to her in time to help heP make the performance. The lovers realize their affection is something apart from the ordinary, that it will persist and flourish even though their lives take them down separate paths. HANNA (Hollywood) I THIS WOMAN IS DANGEROUS' TYPICAL JOAN CRAWFORD VEHICLE Rates • • • generally Warner Brothers 98 minutes Joan Crawford, Dennis Morgan, David Brian, Richard Webb, Mari Aldon, Philip Carey, Ian MacDonald, Ketharine Warren. Directed by Felix Feist. " This Woman Is Dangerous'' is a typical Crawford melodrama, slickly produced drama about a fascinating woman who leads a double life. It's really cheap melodrama of the soap opera variety, but it can be rated as first-rate commercial fare. The screenplay is all for Crawford, written so the character dominates even when the fabulous star is off screen. The complications are many and vivid; the dialogue, tersely effective. Felix Feist directs with a vigorous hand, moving the narrative along with forceful impact, It adds up to good Crawford fare — the kind of film her fans expect and generally pay to see. The star is in top form, svelte and elegant in a handsome wardrobe and playing the part of a woman determined to rise above her environs by fair means or foul with confidence and aplomb. Dennis Morgan is better than usual as the doctor, and David Brian plays the criminal in his authortative manner. THE FIRST TIME' AMUSING DOMESTIC PROGRAMMER Rates as dualler; more in small towns, family houses Columbia (Norma) 90 minutes Robert Cummings, Barbara Hale, Bill Goodwin, Jeff Donnell, Carl Benton Reid. Directed by Frank Tashlin "The First Time" is an amusing programmer for the family trade, an unpretentious comedy that records the viccisitudes of a young couple with their first born. Script is broadly exaggerated but possesses plenty of points that strike home to parents. Frank Tashlin's direction handles the narrative brightly, decking it out with as much hoke as the traffic will bear. Cute angle of the presentation is the trick of having the baby serve as narrator. Devices adds plenty of yoks to a piece that carries a fair quota. This Norma production for Columbia release should serve adequately as a dualler in most situations, while it can do above-average in small town and family houses. Robert Cummings and Barbara Hale team attractively as the couple. Bill Goodwin and Jeff Donnell are first rate as next door neighbors. Good support is offered by Carl Benton Reid, Mona Barrie, Cora Witherspoon and Kathleen Comegys. STORY: Robert Cummings and Barbara Hale arc the couple who carefully budget THE GREAT ADVENTURE' LISTLESS BRITISH MELLER Rates • + as supporting dualler Lippert (British Lion) 75 minutes Jack Hawkins, Peter Hammond, Dennis Price, Gregoire Alsam, Charles Patson, Siobhan McKenna. Bernard Lee, Ronald Adam, Martin Boddey, Phillip Ray, Walter Horsbrugh, Cyril Chamberlain. Directed by David MacDonald. Filmed against colorless South African backgrounds, "The Great Adventure" is a tedious melodrama of the diamond fields, too -lowly paced to interest American audiences. Moreover the script of this British import is a confused hodge podge about a man disappointed in love but desperate enough to join his more successful rival in a business venture. The characters lack strong definition, and it is actually impossible to determine their relationship to one another. The direction of David MacDonald is as listless as the material. The film is not likely to rate any but low grade bookings. STORY: Joan Crawford is spotted as brains behind a criminal gang, one of whe David Brian, is her lover. After pulling job in New Orleans she heads for the mid W est to have an operation that is expectec to restore her rapidly failing sight. In thi hospital she meets Dennis Morgan, tin doctor, and quickly falls in love with him Brian, insanely jealous, engages a privat detective to trail her. Complications com thick and fast in the final reel when Bria! shoots it out with the police, Morgan di; covers Crawford's real identity, and th woman herself experiences a regeneratiol JAMES their first born only to learn that babies CO) more than expected. As the bills mount u| Cummings is forced to forget his career an architect in order to take work as | travelling salesman. The in-laws descend the already harassed household, each si| loaded with conflicting advice on how rear children. Cora Witherspoon, a nuri adds to the confusion. Inevitably all tj pressure strains the relationship of the hil band and wife. But the prospect of a sej| ration is ended when Barbara discloses is about to have her second youngster. TH figure that if the first one hasn't licked tliej another just can't. ANGEL Jack Hawkins brings some convict ionj the part of the spurned lover. The ot| players, unknown in this country, strut to make sense of the vapid roles and in| dialogue and come off the losers. STORY: Jack Hawkins finds a fortl in diamonds on the body of a dead prosd tor. He buries the loot, plans to come t| at a later date. On returning home he covers that his girl friends has married) other. He asks the rival's help in finanij the expedition to the diamond fields, two journey off in the search for fori and of course murderous skulduggery br| loose. ANGEL 8 FILM BULL El