The Film Daily (1940)

;^< lUILY Tuesday, May 21, 19 vV ^ REVIEUJS OF THE nEUJ FILfllS ti f "Sandy is a Lady" with Baby Sandy, Butch and Buddy Universal 64 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) SOLID ENTERTAINMENT DELIVERED BY SEASONED PERFORMERS AND EXPERT DIRECTOR. To Director Charles Lamont can go much credit for making this Universal release sixty-four minutes of solid entertainment. Burt, Kelly also rates bows as associate producer. ' It has just about all the stock gag and thrill situations that have ever been ' used in pictures written into the script. However, the cast is composed of such seasoned performers, and the suspense" sequences are so well directed that you'd never know you have seen them before. Baby Sandy, in her fourth appearance before the cameras, at the ripe old age of two, has Tost none of her girlish charm. Billed as the "Little Tornadoes," Butch and Buddy, who were first seen in "The Under Pup," are amazing in their musical numbers. The veterans, Billy Gilbert, Eugene Pallette, Edgar Kennedy, Fritz Feld, and Mischa Auer, give excellent performances in roles that suit thefn perfectly. Starting a day much as she would any other, Sandy suddenly finds herself seriously mixed up in the affairs of many people. She is taken on a busking tour by Butch and Buddy; gets lost, is kidnapped, used as a pawn to extract money from a wastrel's rich uncle, saves a cafe from being blown up by a bomb, is the cause of Billy Gilbert retrieving his lost job, sells an invention for Mischa Auer, gets her father a raise in salary, uncovers a ruse by a buyer which enables her dad's employer to obtain a much sought after contract, and ends the day with nothing more than a pair of soiled hands and a bewildered expression. The scenes where she is atop the steel work of a building under construction, with Gilbert, Auer and Pallette, climbing frantically over the network in an effort to save her, are the most thrilling filmed in a long time. Tom Brown, and Nan Grey as her screen parents haven't much to do, but they do it well. Miss Grey has never looked lovelier. The screen play by Charles Grayson, is excellent. Photography is good, and the sets by Jack Otterson are as usual, characteristic and excellent background. Charles Previn's music is tuneful and well scored. CAST:, Baby Sandy, Butch and Buddy, Eugene Pallette, Nan Grey, Tom Brown, Mischa Auer, Billy Gilbert, Edgar Kennedy, Fritz Feld, Anne Gwynne, Richard Lane, Charles Wilson. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Burt Kelly; Director, Charles Lamont; Author, Charles Grayson; Screenplay, Same; Cameraman, Milton Krasner; Art Director, Jack Otterson; Associate, Harold H. MacArthur; Editor, Philip Cahn; Musical Director, Charles Previn. DIRECTION, Very Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby" with Broderick Crawford, Peggy Moran, Johnny Downs Universal 61 Mins. FAIR COMEDY WITH GENERALLY AMUSING SITUATIONS BUT SHORT ON STRENGTH FOR LARGE STANDS. Hollywood scripters have devised all sorts of yarns dealing with incursions of gangsters into legitimate businesses. Just about the last bastion falls via this tall tale, which relates the invasion of the song writing field by racketeers. James Edward Grant authored the current comedy which depends for its laughs on incongruities, — chief of which is that a balmy mob leader, in love with a girl whom he hasn't seen since public school days, pens a lyric about her and then forces a youthful composer to supply the melody. The latter and his sweetheart J are held incommunicado in the gang leadI er's apartment, while the mob members sally forth to compel music shops, radio stations and dance orks to plug the song exclusively. The composition rockets in sales and public favor. Entire footage is made in a light vein, with humor supplied by silly situations, close to slapstick characterizations, and the goofy quality of the lyrical creations. Those film theater outlets which I are essentially hives for the B's will find I this picture suited to that policy. It is entertainment of a mild and innocuous sort. Cast does the best it can with material, and so does the technical staff. Direction and photography are okay. CAST: Broderick Crawford, Peggy Moran, Johnny Downs, Warren Hymer, John Sutton, Gertrude Michael, Jessie Ralph, Horace MacMahon, Dewey Robinson, Murray Alper, Sunshine Sammy, Jeni LeGon, Virginia Sale. CREDITS: Director, Albert S. Rogell; Associate Producer, Ken Goldsmith; Original Story, James Edward Grant; Screenplay, Arthur T. Horman; Adaptation, Paul Gerard Smith; Musical Director, Charles Previn; Cameraman, Elwood Bredell. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, Ditto. ATAHT in 150 Minutes West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood— Warners' ATAHT will have a running time of 150 minutes, as a result of final editing in which Rachel Field, author, assisted. Fix will be nationally released June 29. "Iceapoppin" to Start at Center Before Aug. 1 Olson and Johnson's new show, "Iceapoppin," is tentatively set to open at the Center Theater between July 15 and Aug. 1. While no contracts hav been signed, attorneys for the Rockefellers are reported to be going over the final drafts of the agreement. Production will not supplant the comedians' current hit, "Hellzapoppin," as Olsen and Johnson will not appear in the ice show. Cincy's First Drive-in Set For May 30 Debut Cincinnati — William Sobel, distribt manager for Midwest Drivein Theaters, announces the first unit in Cincinnati area will open May 30. Located on Montgomery Pike, the new theater will accommodate 500 cars. "You Can t Fool Your Wife" with Lucille Ball and James Ellison RKO Radio 65 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) HOKE COMEDY WITHOUT MUCH RHYME OR REASON PROVIDES PLEASANT ENTERTAINMENT. For lovers of hoke comedy without much rhyme or reason, this should provide a pleasant hour's entertainment. Hard-working James Ellison tried his best to draw a strong characterization of a hard-working dull office clerk suddenly transformed into a playboy by his fun-loving bosses in order to keep his job, and on the whole he does a swell job. The fact that the plot of the film develops into a slapstick routine dampens his efforts somewhat but "You Can't Fool Your Wife" drew many a belly laugh from the preview audience. Married as soon as they leave college, Andrew Hinkiin and his wife Clara (Lucille Ball) set up housekeeping under the watchful eye of her mother (Emma Dunn), and after five years of dull wedded bliss are suddenly confronted with all the problems of married life in one full swoop. A separation, and reconciliation, both engineered by Robert Coote, as a playboy Englishman, is the only theme. Miss Ball plays a double role in this one and does it well. Direction is a little slow, but scenes throughout the picture bear witness to the skill of Ray McCarey if given the proper material. Photography by J. Roy Hunt is good. CAST: Lucille Ball, James Ellison, Robert Coote, Virginia Vale, Emma Dunn, Elaine Shepard, William Halligan, Oscar O'Shea. CREDITS: Producer, Cliff Reid; Executive Producer, Lee Marcus; Director, Ray McCarey; Authors, Richard Carroll, Ray McCarey; Screenplay, Jerry Cady; Cameraman, J. Roy Hunt; Art Director, Van Nest Polglase; Associate, Carroll Clark; Editor, Theron Warth; Musical Score, Roy Webb. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "Gangs of Chicago" t Para. Enterprises Leases Moses Ginsberg Theater Miami Beach, Fla. — S. A. Lynch, president of Paramount Enterprises, Inc., announces a 25-year lease on a new theater to be included in a $750,000 structure on Lincoln Road by Moses Ginsberg, New York steamship operator. The theater will be a $250,000 de luxer, seating 1,600. Plans are being completed by Albert A. Anis and Robert L. Weed, Miami Beach architects. Commonwealth Acquires Shirley Temple Shorts Commonwealth Pictures Corp. has acquired the exclusive 16 mm. distribution rights to the following group of two-reel comedies featuring Shirley Temple: "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts," "Pardon My Pups," "Managed Money," and "Merrily Yours." Shorts were produced by Educational. with Lloyd Nolan, Barton McLane, Ray Middleton Republic 66 Mil CRIME MELLER IS ACTIONFUL Ah ABLY CAST; SHOULD FIT NICELY ANY DUAL. This release is a good gangster me The cast, headed by Lloyd Nolan, is goc The story is plausibly worked out and wi paced, and the technical aspects of the pi ture are 0. K. Exhibitors should find th the film will fit neatly on dual prograr any place. Lloyd Nolan is fine as tl son of a gangster who determines to be the law through legal knowledge. Ray Mu dieton fits in nicely as farm boy friend Nolan's. Barton McLane typifies the gai leader, and a strong supporting cast, ii eluding Lola Lane, Astrid Allwyn, Addisi Richards and Horace MacMahon assist tl principals. Arthur Lubin directed from ; original screenplay by Karl Brown. Nol, and Middleton are students together at law school. Following graduation, Middlet( practices law in his country town ai Nolan successfully organizes and direc operations of a huge crime ring. Howeve' the law always wins, and after a fast b of action Nolan gives evidence whii breaks up the whole gang, repaying Middli ton and his family for past kindnesses. CAST: Lloyd Nolan, Lola Lane, Bartc McLane, Ray Middleton, Astrid Allwy Horace MacMahon, Howard Hickman, Leo» Roberts, Addison Richards, Charles Halto; John Harmon, Dwight Frye. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Robei North; Director, Arthur Lubin; Origin Sscreenplay, Karl Brown; Cameraman. E wood Bredell; Editor, Lester Orlebeck DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPH Good. Coast $100,000 Drive-in To Accommodate 800 Carl West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAIL Hollywood — Immediate construe tion of a new 800-car Drive-In The ater, located at the junction of Ui S. Highway No. 101 and Placentiili Ave. in Orange County, is announc: ed by the recently re-organizec Drive-In Theaters Corp. The company currently operate." Drive-In Theaters in Los AngeieS Burbank and Phoenix, Arizona. PlaE' for the newest addition to the Drive^ In chain calls for an initial expen-f diture of $100,000. The opening date has been tentatively set for June 15" Heading the executive staff of thb new corporation are: Robert E Power, S. D. Perkins, Chester A' Black, N. H. Brower, E. A. Gerety; J. H. Tingle and G. E. ArbogastJ All are familiar figures in the motion picture exhibition field. Arthur Eddy Quits Warners West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAiLy Hollywood— Arthur W. Eddy hasi resigned from Warners' Publicityj department. He plans to make a tripl East before returning to the Coasti for new affiliation.