Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1954)

PIN POINT REVIEWS Crisp, Business-wise Analysis of the New Films "The Long, Long. Trailer" Su^iKCM "RoUh^ O O O Millions of video followers of "1 Love Lucy" give this ready-made market. Rating in family houses might even be higher. Values lov/er for class and action spots. Contains same entertaining formula of comedy and sentiment that endeared Lucille and Desi to millions of TViewers. Comedy-romance of couple who spend their lioneymoon touring the Southwest in a luxurious trailer is loaded with laughs. Humor is built primarily on the star's hilarious misadventures which give them every opportunity to dispense their inimitable brand of slapstick comedy leavened with heartwarming situations. Because her new husband Desi Arnaz is continually travelling around the country. Lucille Hall talks him into buying a trailer so that they will still have a home of their own. When they inadvertently buy the largest home on wheels available, rib-tickling complications begin popping by the minute. Troul:)les pile up and eventually the trailer becomes a threat to their brief marriage. Spritely byplay is backgrounded with eyecatching .\nsco colored shots of rugged western scenery. Best selling angles are the Ball-Arnaz marquee and the opportunity of "Lucy" fans to see their favorites all dressed uj) in color. Aeil MGM. 103 Minutes. Lucille Ball. Deil Arnaz, Marjorie Main, Keenan Wynn. Producer, Pandro S. Berman. Director, VIncente Minnelli. "Saadia" Programmer best suited for action fans. Rating may lessen in general situations, especially subsequent runs. Interest generated by star names, exotic exploitation values, and Technicolor will be off-set by adverse word-of-mouth. .\dventure drama set in modern day Morocco is saddled with a pedestrian script. Story of doctor Mel I'errer's efforts to combat sui)crstitious native beliefs in witchcraft falls short of promising lieginning. Threesided romance between I'errer. Morrocan sheik Cornel Wilde and native girl Rita (iam is dissipated by multitude of loose ends and obscure implications. Occasional brushes with hill bandits i)r()vide spurts of exciting shooting action, but the pace is slow over most of the route. W hile administering to desert tribes. Ferrer meets (iam. a native girl supi)osedly under the spell of a witch. She helps him in his work and when hill bandits gain possession of vaccine needed for an outbreak of the plague, (lam single-handedly rides to their camp and steals the medicine after killing the chief. The clima.\ finds flam marryin.g W ilde after she is released from ti e «. vil ^pell of the witi-h. Ap/7 MGM. CO Minutes. Cornel Wilde. Mel Ferrer. Rita Gam. Michel Simon. Cyril Cjsdcli, V/anda Rothj. Producer and director Albert Lewin. "Paratrooper" ScoUhc^ 1^cUi4if O O O RaHng applies to action houses and where war films arc acceptable. Less elsewhere. Weakest in family and class market. Ladd name the major factor in film's draw. Exciting training and raid scenes good for exploitation. \\'orlcl \\'ar II Technicolor drama heavy on interesting training and exciting adventure, light on emotional and romantic impact. Best sequences are in rigors of Paratroopers' develoivment from green frightened rookies to steel-nerved air-ground soldiers, mass jumps, forays into enemy territory. Tale never quite comes off dramatically in picturing Alan Ladd as former .American paratroop officer hiding past to join British unit. Deception stems from fear of becoming officer because he had once issued order that caused buddy's death. He overcomes obsession when forced to take command in enemy territory and successfully carries out mission. Tepid romance with \\'AAF Susan Stephen inconsequential. Plenty of thrills, however, in various raids, and l)lasting way out of a minefield, using bazooka to blow up a path. Ladd and thrills should sell this strong to the action trade. Leo Genn will help for the class market. W ar theme carries stigma for family spots. Pkil Columbia. 87 Minutes. Al:;n Ladd, Leo Genn. Susan Stephen, Harry Andrews, Donald Houston, Anthony Bushell, Patric Doonan, Stanley Baker, Lana Morris. Producers, Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli. Director. Terence Young. "The Limping Man" British-made mystery melodrama OK program fare for action spoTs. Disappointing ending will hurt. Maintains interest until letdown at finish. Inevitable disappointment when tense situations are revealed as a dream is big drawback here. Good action and suspense in tale of American coming to rejoin long-lost love in Britairi. Upon disembarking in London, fellow-passenger is killed by a limping man. Dead man is found to be blackmailing girl, and American joins police in search, ending up in London music hall chase where p.iagician is learned to be culprit cornered by hero. Latter then wakes up in plane to find it all a dream. Pity is that it could have come off so much better without the 1 bony dream device. Lloyd Bridges, as the American, is sole name, but others are good, especially .Moira Lister as the girl. Alan W heatley and Leslie Phillips as thoroughgoing Scotland \'ard men. Charles de Laut;;ur's direction holds suspense until denouement. /Vi.7 Lippert. 72 Minutes. Lloyd Bridges. Moira Lister. Alan Wheatley, Lesley Ph'lli-ji, Helene Cordet. Rachel Roberts, Robert Harbin. Producer Donald Gin;burg. Director. Chirles de Lautour. Page 3 FILM BULLETIN January II. IV54