Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1956)

"Miracle in the Rain" Sutiitte &*tcK<? GOG Warm love story with strong appeal for fem trade. Will soak their handkerchiefs. Sock performances by Jane Wyman, Van Johnson. Returns will be very good in all situations. From his own novel, Ben Hecht has turned out an oldfashioned screenplay that is at once a warm love story and a dripping tear-jerker. It figures to delight and well-nigh overcome the feminine trade. The tale, with a World War II setting, is about the romance of a plain girl and a happygo-lucky soldier, his death, and the "miracle" that keeps their love alive-in-death. Frank Rosenberg has fashioned an extraordinarily good production, and some superb acting has been furnished by Jane Wyman and Van Johnson, as the lovers. While frankly sentimental, Hecht's yarn is projected with a purity and conviction that should prove winning to practically everyone. It is laden with incident, some completely extraneous. Miss Wyman turns in another simple, beautiful performance, and Johnson has never been better as the carefree, lovable soldier-boy. Eileen Heckart is fine as Wyman's office companion, and other minor roles are well acted. Director Rudolph Mate extracts the full warmth from the script, and keeps the narrative moving on an even keel. Jane, an office girl, who lives with her mother (Josephine Hutchinson) — they were abandoned by father William Gargan years before — meets soldier Johnson one day in the rain. He invites himself to her home for dinner, his easy charm scon captivates her, and they fall in love. Johnson leaves for overseas and word soon comes that he has been killed in action. Jane, inconsolable, begins frequenting New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral. Desperately ill one night, she walks in the rain to the church, imagines meeting Johnson again, and collapses. But clasped in her hand is the good-luck token she had given Johnson to take overseas, miraculously returned. Warner Bros. 107 minutes. Jane Wyman, Van Johnson, Eileen Heckart, Fred Clark. Produced by Frank P. Rosenberg. Directed by Rudolph Mate. "The Killer Is Loose" Mild suspense developed in familiar escaped convict situation. Figures to do fairly well in action spots. OK dualler. This Crown Production for United Artists is a suspense melodrama, the subject of which is accurately described by its title. The familiar plot describes how Wendell Corey escapes from prison for the purpose of killing Rhonda Fleming, and wreaking revenge on her husband, Joseph Cotten, who sent Corey up and accidentally killed his wife in apprehending him. The situation lends itself to suspenseful treatment, but director Budd Boetticher missed a lot of opportunities and the situation is developed along generally routine lines. Performances are better than the material, particularly Corey, as the psycho on the loose. When cop Cotten, in apprehending Corey for a bank robbery, accidentally kills Corey's wife, the criminal vows revenge. Corey behaves well in prison and is assigned to the honor farm, where an escape is easy. When Cotten learns that Corey is on the loose, he prepares for an assault. In slam-bang wind-up, Corey stalks Fleming through the streets but is finally shot by Cotten. United Artists (A Crown Production). 73 minutes. Joseph Cotten, Rhonda Fleming Wendell Corey. Produced by Robert L. Jacks. Directed by Budd Boetticher. "Forever Darling" SW*£44 IZatutQ G G (Plus) Popularity of TV stars Ball and Arnaz will bolster boxoffice in family houses, despite film's lack of distinction. Popular television stars are not always successful in switching mediums, and so it is with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in this second try at the movies as a husband and wife team. What emerges in the form of "Forever Darling" is a whacky comedy that should afford mild amusement for their fans. It has the earmarks of a routine TV show padded with extra gags and comic situations, but is surprisingly poorly paced. The charm that has kept Lucy and Desi in the top ten TV shows for so long does occasionally show through Helen Deutsch's plodding screenplay and Alexander Hall's uneven direction. Dialogue and plot, mainly concerned with marital problems, are all slanted to appeal to the family trade, young and old. Some definitely funny moments are supplied by Miss Ball's mugging and Louis Calhern's talent for the understatement. James Mason, as a "guardian angel", contributes his excellent British voice and manners, and the bright, lush Eastman Color photography is a definite asset. Arnaz, a chemist working on a new insecticide, and his wife, Lucy, quarrel over her snobbishness. Mason appears as Lucy's guardian fairy, induces her to go along with her husband when he goes to the mountains to test his new insecticide for the government. The usual problems of a housewife on a camping trip arise, and the final blow comes when the insecticide fails to work. Ending has Lucy reaffirming her faith in her husband. MGM (Zanra Production). 90 minutes. Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz. James Mason, Louis Calhern. Produced by Desi Arnaz. Directed by Alexander Hall. "The Bottom of the Bottle" SW#re44 IQatuty G O (Plus) Drama about brother conflict in rich ranch society has benefit of good cast and fine visual values in C'Scope, color, story is superficial, unconvincing. From a novel by Georges Simenon, 20th-Fox has fashioned a story about brother conflict against the rich background of Southwestern ranch society, that is rather a shapeless and unaffecting film. More fortunately from a boxoffice standpoint, it has been bolstered with a strong cast and good production values. Sydney Boehm's script works up fair melodramatic tension, and, Henry Hathaway's direction stresses the melodramatic action and visual effects. The CinemaScope-De Luxe color cameras capture many expensive, eye-filling vistas in the Arizona ranch country. Performances generally are good, Joseph Cotten and Van Johnson, particularly, rising above their material. Cotten, a rich attorney in Arizona, returns home one night to be confronted by Van Johnson, his brother, who has escaped from prison where he was serving a manslaughter charge. Johnson requests aid for his family, who are stranded in Mexico. Johnson is forced to remain on the ranch. Cotten is ashamed of Johnson and passes him off as an old friend to his loose living neighbors. In a drunken frenzy, Johnson runs off to hide in the hills. Cotten's wife, Ruth Roman, discovers the secret and shames Cotten for his heartlessness. Repenting, Cotten finds Johnson. 20th Century-Fox. 88 minutes. Van Johnson, Joseph Cotten, Ruth Roman, Jack Carson. Produced by Buddy Adler. Directed by Henry Hathaway. Film BULLETIN February 6, 1954 Page 13