Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1956)

I "Anything Goes" Sututete ^<zti*$ O O O Cole Porter's music, topnotch production values, and a fine cast, with some extras, add up to lively musical with good boxoffice potential. One of the real classics of Broadway musical comedy is the source of this lively musical, chock-full of entertainment values in its lavish production numbers, color, and attractive marquee. This Robert Emmett Dolan production also is strong in commercial values. It has the benefit of an unmatchable Cole Porter score, no less than six of the maestro's classics being in evidence: "I Get a Kick Out of You," "You're the Top," "All Thru the Night," "It's De Lovely," "Blow, Gabriel, Blow," and "Anything Goes", all belted with spirit and in fine fashion and style by the Misses Gaynor and Jeanmaire and Messrs. Crosby and O'Connor. They're still songs of immense freshness and appeal which will have audiences humming along. In addition, the talented team of Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen have added three special numbers, each the basis of a topflight production number — "Ya Gotta Give the People Hoke" (Crosby and O'Connor), "A Second Hand Turbin and a Crystal Ball" (Crosby and O'Connor), and "You Can Bounce Right Back" (O'Connor). There's no dearth of attractive music in this production. Dancing is on the level of the singing, if not surpassing it. Nick Castle's choreography is bright and tasteful, and Roland Petit has arranged two dance highlights featuring Jeanmaire. The French dancer is going to win a lot of fans in these numbers. Unfortunately, Sidney Sheldon's screenplay isn't of the same calibre as the production's mountings, with a pronounced tendency toward thinness, but has a fair share of amusing lines and situations. Broadway director Robert Lewis milks the script for all it's worth. Under his hand, the musical numbers have punch, while the story is played in just the right light-hearted manner, and pace is very good. From beginning to end he has avoided the pitfall of slow spots. John F. Warren's VistaVisionTechnicolor lensing has extraordinary clarity and richness of texture, and the color is bountifully appealing. Costumer Edith Head has a field day in this one, with some scintillating wardrobes that make the colorful tableaux even more colorful. Binff Crosby is his usual casual and appealing self. Jeanmaire makes the strongest impression with a charming performance. In one of his rare film appearances, Phil Harris is amusing as Gaynor's father, on the wrong side of the law. Simple story concerns the misadventures of Broadway stars Crosby and O'Connor, who sail to Europe to seek a leading lady for a forthcoming production. Complication occurs when Crosby, in London, sees and signs Gaynor for the role, and O'Connor, in Paris, does likewise for Jeanmaire. Most of the film concerns the boat trip back to the U. S. and the humor of keeping the girls apart and resolving what looks like an insoluble problem. Further difficulty is that O'Connor falls for Gaynor (whom he wants to axe) and Crosby falls for Jeanmaire. After some farcical proceedings, solution found is for the show to be re-written, with both girls included. The show, naturally, is a smash. Paramount. 105 minutes. Bing Crosby, Donald O'Connor. Jeanmaire. Mitjl Gaynor, Phil Harrii, Kurt Kaszart. Produced by Robert Emmi't Dolan Directed by Robert Lewis. Page 18 Film BULLETIN January 23, l»54 "Schack Dut on 101" Spy meller has too much talk, but fair suspense. Will serve as dualler in naborhoods, action houses. The story idea for this William F. Broidy productior | was a good one, but something went awry and the enc i product is a curiously static and talky film. The Edwarc and Mildred Dein script starts out promisingly enough— with some fast, slick, and amusing dialogue — but becomes j wearisome in its protracted, and rather flat, verbal assault j j Coupled with the burden of the over-talky screenplay is th< fact that virtually the entire film takes place in one spot— the eating shack of the title — located near a vital electron ics plant. Edward Dein's direction fails to develop enougl movement and action for the audience this will draw. Pace I is decidedly slow with running-time seeming a food dea longer than its actual 80 minutes. Performances are satis : j factory, with Lee Marvin, as the heavy, taking honors fron j Terry Moore and Frank Lovejoy. Keenan Wynn is th< I proprietor of a diner on Highway 101, where Terry Moon I is employed as a waitress, Marvin as cook. Terry is bein^ I romanced by scientist Frank Lovejoy, but she become; j suspicious that Lovejoy and Marvin are both spys anc j traitors. She accuses Marvin and he attacks her. Marvir;j discovers Lovejoy is an FBI agent. In a showdowi j Marvin is killed. Allied Artists. 80 minutes. Terry Moore, Frank Loveioy, Lee Marvin, Keena i Wynn. Produced by Mort Millman. Directed by Edward Dein. "There's Always Tomorrow" Ratine** IZetfiKf O Q (Plus) Routine treatment of a familiar "other woman" situation Appeal for women, plus good marquee values, should carr to above-average returns in general market. The plot of this drama — in which a middle-aged husban. j turns to another woman because he feels his wife is ne1 1 glecting him — is familiar, but the situation is still the kirn j that, properly executed, provides forceful and moving fare. In this Universal production, however, and under Dougla Sirk's spiritless direction, the story lacks punch, the filr never attains emotional power, and the result is a ver routine treatment of a routine situation. The pace is slow and the climaxes just kind of drift in. The appeal c "There's Always Tomorrow" is primarily to the fern trad* and this factor, plus good marquee values, make the box office outlook a bit above average. Veterans Barbara Star wyck, Fred MacMurray and Joan Bennett provide th marquee power, but their performances are only lukewarn Ross Hunter's physical production is better than the dra matic content. MacMurray, a successful industrialist, i| upset because wife Joan Bennett pays too much attentio; to their children, and not enough to him. When an ol friend, Barbara Stanwyck, appears, he sees her readilj! When he runs into her accidentally on a business trip, th, children discover the meeting and suspect the worst. Onl Pat Crowley, fiancee of a son, believes in its innoceno MacMurray professes his love for Stanwyck, but when shj is confronted by the children, she rejects him and tell them to be more considerate of their father. Universal-International. 84 minutes Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Jo. 1 | Bennett, Pat Crowley. Produced by Ross Hunter. Directed by Douglas Sirk.