Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1956)

"Rebel In Town" Gutuiete IZcitiw} O O Plus Above-average period western. John Payne, Ruth Roman, J. Carrol Naish to bolster marquee. Strong dualler. An absorbing post-Civil War drama concerning a family of desperate Southerners on the run after committing a murder is offered as a United Artists release. While it shapes ud to meet the entertainment demands especially of action fans, prospects in the general market are better than average. The picture has a "think" theme dealing with the futility of vengeance, a factor that will interest discriminating audiences. Other off-beat features for what is basically a western are these: arty effect worked in by director Alfred Werker; night scenes in the woods; odd camera angles by Gordon Avil; a lonely guitar in the background — all contributing to the mood effect. Music is by Les Baxter. Danny Arnold's first-rate script crystallizes some interesting characters, well played by a good cast. J. Carrol Naish's portrayal of a religious-minded patriarch is nothing short of superb. John Payne offers a mature and convincing picture of a farmer bent on avenging the murder of his young son. His wife, played by Ruth Roman, stands firmly in her own performance to dramatically refute his passion. Naish and his four sons hide out after the murder and a bank robbery. Cooper, his youngest son, returns to town to surrender and plead innocent. Payne and the townsmen are set to lynch Cooper, but Naish and the other boys return to rescue Cooper. The guilty brother, played by John Smith, refuses to abide by law, makes a run for it, and is killed in a battle with Payne. United Artists (A Bel-Air Production). 78 minutes. John Payne, Ruth Roman, J. Carrol Naish, Ben Cooper. Producer, Howard W. Koch. Director, Alfred Werker. "Jedda the Uncivilized" Absorbing Australian entry, despite lack of technical polish. Good for art, class market. Fair dualler. The semi-documentary technique is exploited by producer-director Charles Chauvel for this unusual film set in the wilds of northern Australia. It attempts to point out that a native girl with a thousand generations of aborigines behind her cannot be Anglicized with a clean dress and a few grammar lessons. Being released by DCA, this offbeat film should appeal to those who haunt art theatres for exotic movie thrills, and others weary of films with commonplace domestic settings. The Eastman Color cameras capitalize on the rugged terrain, and the most effective parts of the film are those employing Bushmen tribesmen to fill bit roles. Momentum picks up after the British cast sets the stage and the natives take over the story line. When her mother dies in childbirth Jedda (Narla Kunogh) is adopted by an English couple who run a lonely cattle station. The wife (Betty Suttor) tries to cut off the girl's cultural heritage by bringing her up with modern standards. Jedda (meaning little wild bird) is psychologically tormented by a conflict between the veneer of white civilization imposed on her and the inherent call of her native heritage. The ranch owner (George Simpson-Little) has a mate in mind for Jedda, but she becomes fascinated with a majestic, full-blooded aborigine working on the ranch. The native kidnaps Jedda, works her over, and carries he off to his homeland in the mountains. The pair is chasec to the highest peak where the trapped native plunges ove the precipice pulling Jedda along with him. DCA I A Chauvel Production). 88 minutes. Narla Kunogh, Robert Tudewali, Be Suttor. Produced and directed by Charles Chauvel. "Invitation to the Dance" Rating is for art and selected class houses. Plot told by dancing. No dialogue. Will require strong selling. Metro has been holding back this unique production for quite a while, and it's easy to see why. For 93 minutes oil story-telling-via-dance, without dialogue, is a risky experiment, and parts of "Invitation to the Dance" fails to entertain. However, it should interest patrons of art and selected class houses, and, if properly exploited, might do very well in such situations. Prospects for a general playoff are very slim. Despite a number of outstanding virtues — chiefly a beautiful Technicolor print, fine dancing, and Gene Kelly's rich choreography — it isn't always successful on its own terms. Divided into three sequences, roughly classified as tragedy (a Circus-Pagliacci bit), comedy (social satire revolving about the vanity of cocktail parties) and fantasy (a modern "Sinbad the Sailor", including cartoon animation), the stories themselves are not especially pointed or interesting. Arthur Freed's production is a fine one, and the dancing of Kelly, Igor Youskevitch, Tommy Rail, Carol Haney, and others, is often exhilarating. Audiences may sometimes find the subject-matter a bit lightweight and not quite worthy of the fine efforts expended on it. The important soundtrack is technically superior but, again, the Ibert, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Andre Previn music selected is not particularly stimulating. MGM. 93 minutes. Gene Kelly, Igor Yousekevitch, Claire Sombert, Tommy Rail, Carol Haney. Directed by Gene Kelly. Produced by Arthur Freed. "Secret of Treasure Mountain" Scouted IRatt*? O O Routine outdoor meller about a treasure-hunt. Fair dualler. This Columbia release is a standard outdoor programmer suitable for the second-feature slot on dual bills. An adventure melodrama about a search for hidden Spanish gold, David Lang's screenplay is mildly intriguing, despite some lengthy stretches of dialogue. Seymour Friedman's direction compensates for this overabundance of talk with a number of good action sequences that should satisfy devotees of fist-and-gun play. Marquee values are minor, but the title should afford some showmanship possibilities. Adventurer William Prince meets thief Raymond Burr fleeing from a posse. They stumble on a hidden shelter where Valerie French, her father, Reginald Sheffield, and halfbreed Lance Fuller reside. Learning the story of the hidden treasure, Burr and Prince investigate separately. In a scuffle, Burr falls to his death. It is discovered that Fuller has known all along the fortune's whereabouts and has taken an oath to keep the secret. Pretending to reveal it, he tries to kill them, but is himself destroyed in the explosion he has caused. Prince and French escape, decide to leave and forget the treasure. Columbia. 68 minutes. Valerie French, Raymond Burr, William Prince, Lance Fuller. Produced by Wallace MacDonald. Directed by Seymour Friedman. Page 16 FILM Bulletin June 25 1954