Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1954)

"Top Banana" SuUhcm, ^<uu^ O O O Rating will hold in metropolitan houses, especially where stage musical hit was shown or notices made impression. Risque lines and suggestive "business" will cut into returns from family market. Scarcity of musical numbers, accent on Phil Silvers' brand of comedy, bodes mixed reaction. Harry Popkin's experiment in filming a stage musical, just as it might have been jjresented in a Broadway theatre, should appeal to the metropolites, but may puzzle the average moviegoer, especially if the Phil Silvers' burlesque-type delivery doesn't register. Camera usually works the full stage, rather than the technique normally associated with film presentation, and Silvers can be orchids or spinach, depending on individual taste. He constantly dominates the showw ithin-a-show as a TV comedian whose love-life and career is threatened when he falls for a model who becomes a star in his show, turns her affections to the tenor. When tragedy threatens, he turns to his burles(|ue format (shown in flashback), re-establishes his true love — the theatre. Original cast, featuring Rose Marie, Danny .Scholl. Judy Lynn and the others perform well, with pulchritude and production scenes caught in glowing color by Color Corp. of .America. While a lot of the off-color stuff has been cut or toned down, there's still plenty of the originalleft. Barn Unifed Artists. 100 Minutes. Phil Silvers. Rose Marie, Danny Scholl, Judy Lynn. Jack Albertssn, Johnny Coy, Joey Faye. Herbie Faye. Walter Dare Wahl, Producers Albert Zuqsmith and Ben Peskay. Director Alfred E Green. "CrimR Wave" Rating is for general dual bill market; will be higher for action houses. Good angles for upping grosses in ballyhoo spots by exploiting current news tie-ins. Violence, suspense, fast pace, and forceful characterizations hypo otherwise roMtine story. .Authentically filmed crime melodrama, done in "Dragnet" technicpie, should be good bet as top dualler. Film kicks off brutally with gas station hold-up in which l)oliceman is killed in gunfight. Killers are escaped convicts seeking place to hole U]). h'x-con Gene Nelson and wife Phyllis Kirk are involved when one of the killers seeks refuge in their apartment, dies of wounds sustained in hold-up. Strong performance is registered by Sterling Hayden in role of detective who puts pressure on Nelson because he once was killers' j)rison mate, dood suspense, smash ending when the bank robbery blows up in convicts' face through a tip given Hayden by Nelson should leave patrons hoppy. • ' .Sex and sin angles mentioned in ])ressb(M)k are secondary to \ iolence, suspense and action. Phil Warner Bros. 74 Minutes. Sterling Hayden. Gene Nelson. Phyllis Kirk, Ted de Corsia, Charles Buchinsky. Producer Bryan Foy. Director Andre de Toth. "Saskatchewan' ScidiKc^ 'RatcH^ O O O Good action, outstanding on-location (Canada) photography, and the Ladd-Winters names bodes good reception in action huoses. Will register strongly with kids and nottoo-particular clientele. Discriminating trade will be amused with fantastic story, obvious heroics. Big-scale outdoor production filmed in Canada has plenty ingredients to satisfy at don market. Beautifully filmed in Technicolor, catching Canadian terrain's awesome eyefulness, film builds under Raoul Walsh's direction to climactic Indians-vs.-Mounties battle. Alan Ladd's dead-pan accomplishments here should sit weli with his fans — rescue of Shelley W inters from Indian attack, mutiny against his commanding officer to lead stranded band of Mounties out of hostile Indian territory, destruction of countless redskin marauders, escape from guardhouse to bring arms to friendly Indians for a last ditch fight against invading Sioux who have ambushed Mounties' battalion, and a dozen more such heroics. Outdoor production, photography, hordes of extras, real class in Aaron Rosenberg's production. Gil Doud's script,, however, limits players to uni-dimensional proportions. Wide-screen projection should be used wherever possible to point up background scenes. Barn Universal-International. 86 Minutes. Alan Ladd, Shelley Winters, J. Carroll Naish, Hugh O'Brian. Robert Douglas, George Lewis. Richard Long, Jay Silverheels, Antonio Moreno. Producer Aaron Rosenberg. Director Raoul Walsh. "Ride Clear Df Diablo" ScuCkc^ ^€itut^ O O O Good for action houses. Proper exploitation plus favorable word-of-mouth could turn up surprising grosses in general runs also. Old formula packs new punch. Should boost Audie Murphy's steady, strong boxoffice draw. Special selling angle is Duryea's badman performance. Well-blended Technicolored mixture of gun-fist action, humor and sex. Uncluttered plot involves the return of Audie Murphy to avenge the murders of his father and kid brother. Cards are stacked against him l)ecause the sheriff and town lawyer supposed to be helping Murphy are really the killers. Suspenseful action begins sparking when the sheriff, hoping to get rid of Murphy sends him to capture local gunman, Dan Duryea. Murphy surprises everyone by out-drawing the killer and bringing him in alive. Duryea, a fascinating character, takes a liking to Murphy, eventually dies in his defense. Duryea's performance pulls film above routine category by providing warped characterization of a killer-comedian which is highly entertaining. Engaging romance grows out of Murphy's relationship with sheriff's daughter, Susan Cabot. Dancehall girl Abbe Lane provides break in the shooting action with a couple of torchy songs and low cut gowns that should have the gallery gang's eyes popping. Neil Universal. 80 Minutes. Audie Murphy, Dan Duryea, Susan Cabot, Abbe Lane, Russell Johnson, Paul Birch. Producer John W. Rogers. Director Jesse Hibbs. ^u4iHC44, ^oUiHf O O O O TOPS O O O GOOD O O AVERAGE O POOR FILM BULLETIN February 8, 1954 Page 7