Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

CRAZY OVER HORSES' PAR FOR BOWERY BOYS Rales • • as dualler Monogram 65 minutes Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Gloria Saunders, William Benedict, Bernard Gorcey, David Gorcey, Bennie Bartlett, Tim Ryan, Allen Jenkins, Mike Ross, Ted De Corsia. Directed by William Beaudine This latest entry in the Bowery Boys series leans heavily on farce situation for its comedy. Broader than usual in its usage of slapstick, "Crazy Over Horses" is obviously destined to delight young audiences with its zany antics, which is par for these films. The boys resort to eye poking and pie throwing for laughs and throw in their familiar language mangling for good measure. Racing stables serve as the locale this time and the situation is based on a switching horses routine that is reworked so often that they should have installed a revolving door on the paddock. It moves fast enough to keep even adult audiences amused. Leo Gorcey heads up the gang, as usual, and his language fracturing is better than ever. Stooge Huntz Hall, provides the biggest laughs with his imbecilic clowning. Gloria Saunders fills the distaff side attractively and Allen Jenkins and Ted De Corsia are good in the heavy roles. William Beaudine's direction keeps the story well paced, providing good business for the boys and making the most of the screwball idea. STORY: When the owner of a candy PALS OF THE GOLDEN WEST' Rates • • • for western houses Republic 68 minutes Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Estelita Rodriguez, Pinky Lee, Edwardo Jiminez, Anthony Caruso, Roy Barcroft, Ken Terrell, Emmet Vogan, Maurice Jara, Roy Rogers Riders, Trigger. Directed by William Witney The American Patrol along the Mexican Border are the "Pals of the Golden West" and are fearlessly, romantically and hartnonously led by chief troubleshooter Roy Rogers. The picture is Rogers' last on the Republic lot and one of the best in the series. A fairly sophisticated plot line lends itself to ROGERS LAST FOR REPUBLIC good action within a modern day framework and William Witney's direction wrings some pathos and not too inappropriate songfests out of the story. Comedy touches are strained, but the slapstick will probably sit well with matinee audiences. Rogers delivers three songs, one with Dale Evans, while Pinky Lee and Estelita Rodriguez team up for another. Rogers, as the patrol leader, and Dale Evans, as a badgering reporter, handle themselves in the style their fans have long applauded. Edwardo Jiminez jerks some tears as the orphaned youngster. Comedy slapstick is mauled somewhat by Lee and Miss Rodriguez. Excellent heavy characterizations shop sends the boys to collect a debt owed him by a stable proprietor, the boys collect a horse instead. The animal was being boarded by some racketeers who were hiding it to run in a big race. When they discover their horse has been appropriated, they try to buy it from the boys but are turned down. They then switch the horse with another of identical markings. The boys get wise to the plot and plan to make a switch back, but mistakenly get the second horse again. So they switch again, but the gang switches once again and, at this point, the plot looks like a nightmare of musical chairs. The day of the big race finds each group believini; they have the right horse. WEBBER (Hollywood) A GOOD ONE by Anthony Caruso and Roy Barcroft lend interest to the mellerdramatics. STORY: Rogers is assigned the task of preventing smuggling of cattle across the border where they have been spreading hoofand-mouth disease. One of their patrol is killed when he runs across the smuggler and his young son is entrusted to Rogers care. When the patrol captures one of the gang, they kidnap the boy and offer to trad prisoners. The released gang member lead them to the hideout and the patrol discover the spot where the cattle are being brough into the U. S. A fast gunfight takes plact and Rogers pursues the leader in an actior finish. WEBBER (Hollywood) and improper usage of the film, which cut down on the rich potential of the cole medium, can be noted but is seldom dii turbing. The narration, though sometimt affected, offers excellent background m< terial on tribal customs and adds a note < suspense and drama to the activities. Although not family fare, the novelty < the film offers excellent exploitation poss bilities. The first film of its kind or authei ticity in the heart of Africa with a sour track of wild animals never before recordt and the unaffected naturalness of the tribe men should entice many adventure lovei WEBBER (Hollywood) are paired as guides who lead a wagon tra oi homesteaders into a settlement area or to discover that opposition to the newcom* is heated. The leader of the homesteaders shot and nibbed of his lease. The only d to the bandits is the gun dropped by one them. Holt and Martin set out to trace t robbers and recover the money. Their Si picions fasten on a bamhling house run Frank Wilcox. The boys get to the bott< of the matter and trick the heavies into vealing themselves. JAMES LATUKO' UNUSUAL AND EXPLOITABLE DOCUMENTARY Rates • • • for art houses and as added attraction subject is tastefully handled and on criticism Jarville Studios 50 minutes Produced by Edgar M. Queeny "Latuko" is a stark, sometimes horrifying, documentation of primitive life in an African tribe oblivious to the ways of Western cultures. The film was made as the hobby of industrialist Edgar M. Queeny, sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History, and offers a novel and quite professional bit of exhibition. Although it has been objected to by some groups, since the natives are in their natural state of nakedness, the on grounds of vulgarity, at least, should be raised. Cultural habits of the tribe will undoubtedly make some audiences shudder. In one instance, for example, we view the practice of prying out the lower teeth of young boys and, in another, the boy approaching manhood must sever the jugular vein of an ox and drink a gourd full of the blood. When the warriors hunt wild game, their felled victims are attacked by dogs and torn apart. Filmed in Technicolor, the technical credits are excellent though not quite professional. An occasional erratic handling of the camera TRAIL GUIDE' BRISK TIM HOLT WESTERN Rates • • + for western houses RKO-Radio 60 minutes Tim Holt, Richard Martin, Linda Douglas, Robert Sherwood, Frank Wilcox, John Pickard, Kenneth MacDonald, Wendy Waldron, Patricia Wright, Tom London. Directed by Lesley Selander "Trail Guide" is one of the last Tim Holt western* for RKO release It is a brisk. business-like sagebrush offering with plenty of action, gunplay, and comedy. Production is first rate, and the direction of Lesley Selander is brisk throughout. Holt plays his hero in convincing fashion, and Richard Martin is amusing with his comedy byplay. Linda Douglas pleases in the feminine lead and Robert Sherwood shows himself an excellent juvenile in the part of her brother led down crooked roads by bad company. STORY: Tim Holt and Richard Martin 10 F I L M B U L L E T