Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

THE THIEF OF VENICE' PERIOD MELLER NEEDS HEAVY EXPLOITATION Rates • • as dualler; more if exploited 20th Century-Fox 91 minute9 Maria Montez, Paul Christion, Massimo Serato, Faye Marlowe, Aldo Silvano, Louis Saltaemerenda, Guido Celano. Directed by John Brahm Ranging from a woeful deficiency in technical aspects, such as photography, dubbing and editing, to some lavish scenes employing thousands of extras, "The Thief of Venice" is notable principally for its exploitation values. Made in Italy with an all-Italian supporting cast and only one principal known to Americans, this will have to lean heavily on special showmanship and the now rather doubtful marquee value of the late Maria Montez to register at the boxoffice. The photography is spotty and murky for the most part, the dubbing obviously poorly synchronized. The screenplay is a wild concoction of intrigue in 16th Century Venice, confusing in the welter of accents that plague the dialogue and helped none whatsoever by the hamminess and inept portrayals of the large cast. On the debit side, however, there is plenty of action, some striking backgrounds and hordes of ersatz Renaissance Venetians to maintain interest. And, of course, there is Miss Montez wearing off-the-shoulder blouses, revealing plenty fo cleavage and disporting in a couple of passionate romantic interludes. With the kind of exploitation 20th-Fox is furnishing, this may garner those extra dollars to make it worth playing. Without it, well, it could wall flatter than a two-day-old pancake. Since most moviegoers are familiar with the untimely demise of Maria Montez, they may not feel too comfortable watching her portrayal of a saucy, fiery hoyden. Ironically, it is probably her best role, and, with the handsome Paul Christian in the title role as her romantic partner, pulls off some hot clinches that make her former Americanmade films pall by comparison in this department. STORY: Returning from a disastrous engagement with the Turkish armada, the wounded Venetian admiral and his aide, Paul Christian, promise freedom to the galley slaves if the>r take the ship back to Venice within two days. They arrive with the deadline, but the Grand Inquisitor, Massimo Serato, has the slaves thrown into prison. When the popular admiral and Christian voice their objections, Serato sets his thugs upon them. The admiral is killed, but Christian escapes. The latter falls into the hands of the slaves, but convinces them of his good faith, and with the aid of one of their leaders, Maria Montez, takes charge of their cause. Leading forays against the Inquisitor, who aims to marry the admiral's daughter, Faye Marlowe, to ensure his domination of Venice, Christian plunders the treasury to get arms for the rebels. During a masked ball, he kidnaps Marlowe and holds her hostage in return for Montez, who had been captured and tortured by the Inquisitor. In the exchange, Serato sets a trap for Christian. He eludes the snare, but Montez, realizing Christian has fallen in love with Marlowe, leaves their ranks. During the wedding procession down the Grand Canal, Christian and his men attack the Inquisitor's barge, and with the repentant Montez diverting the head of the Royal guard, succeed in overthrowing the dictatorial reign. Christian and Marlowe clinch as the tearful Montez looks on. BARN DESPERATE SEARCH' DISAPPOINTING PROGRAMMER Rates • • as dualler 73 minutes Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Howard Keel, Jane Greer, Patricia Medina, Keenan Wynn, Robert Burton, Lee Aaker, Linda Lowell, Michael Dugan, Elaine Stewart, Jonathan Cott, Jeff Richards, Dick Simmons) Directed by Joseph Lewis "Desperate Search" is an ordinary, lowbudget suspense-drama, that produces little suspense and less drama. Involving an air search for two small children aboard a transport plane that crashes in the Canadian North woods, the Matthew Rapf production begins well. But it soon slows disappointingly to a weary display of emotion, punctuated with sporadic action that limps to an easily predicted conclusion. The film, writ ten by Walter Doniger and based on a novel by Arthur Mayse, will be best received in family houses, but then only as program and dualler fare. Nothing here for action houses. Director Joseph Lewis seems to have done little more than just let the cameras grind as most of the cast carry out their assignments in routine manner. The two children, Lee Aaker and Linda Lowell, do achieve some semblance of reality and the film is at its best when dealing with their plight. Howard Keel and Patricia Medina, parents of the children, and Jane Greer, second wife of the divorced Keel, never overcome the inadequate script. STORY: Howard Keel, divorced from the mother of his children, Lee Aaker and Linda Lowell, and remarried to Jane Greer, is a hush pilot in the Canadian Northwest. Al lowed to have the children but six weeks every year, Keel puts them on a transport plane for the flight back to their mother, Patricia Medina. The plane crashes in a mountainous region and the children are the only survivors. Medina, who is also a pilot, flys north to aid in the search. She seems to have some influence over Keel and Greer fears he still loves her. When the organized air search is started, Keel feels they are flying in the wrong area. He is over-ruled by others in the search team and the hunt is unsuccessful. Keel finally plays his hunch and decides to search another area. Medina uses her influence and has him grounded. Greer intervenes, but is powerless against Medina. Finally turning on his ex-wife, Keel ignores orders not to fly, and he and Greer take off on the flight which eventually locates the children. NEIL CATTLE TOWN' MINOR LEAGUE WESTERN Rates • • for action spots Warner Bros. 71 minutes Dennis Morgan, Philip Carey, Amanda Blake, Rita Moreno, Paul Picerni, Ray Teal, Jay Novello, George O'Hanlon, Bob Wilke, Sheb Wooley Directed by Noel Smith This Bryan Foy western for Warners has little to recommend it. Made on a minor league budget and photographed in low key, it gives little indication that it is a product of a major studio. A fair amount of action will get it by in theatres where westerns are in demand, but elsewhere "Cattle Town" rates only the lower slot on dual bills It's definitely not for better class houses. The script by Tom Blackburn is as tired and familiar as one could imagine, and Noel Smith's direction does little to help matters. Dennis Morgan struggles manfully with the role of a singing cowboy who is sent by the Governor of the new state of Texas to settle the differences between an unscrupulous rancher and the squatters on his land. The two fern leads, Amanda Blake and Rita Moreno, are treated rather sketchily in their brief romantic encounters with hero Morgan. Sheb Wooley, Morgan's sidekick, works hard for a few snickers. STORY: The scene is Texas in the 188()'s. Ray Teal, wealthy rancher, complains to the governor that squatters are occupying part of the land he had purchased from the state. The governor sends Dennis Morgan and his pal, Wooley, to prevent bloodshed and to persuade the squatters to quit the land. Morgan quickly antagonizes Teal's henchmen when he rescues Philip Carey, one of the squatters, from their pursuit. Morgan obtains arms for the squatters, but warns them not to use them. He tricks Teal's men, disarms them and sends them back to town on foot. In a showdown, Teal causes a stampede of the squatters' cattle, aimed at destroying! their wagons. When he realizes that his own daughter, Amanda Blake, is in one of the wagons, Teal rushes to her and is killed. Morgan and Amanda, who hardly knew each other, ride off together. I'll IL *aq» 20 FILM BULLETIN December I, 1 952