The Film Daily (1940)

^3^ DAILY Friday, June 14, 1941 i^ tV REVIEWS OF THE REUJ fILinS ^ ^ "On Their Own" with Spring Byington, Ken Howell, George Ernest, June Carlson 20th-Fox 63 Mins. LATEST IN THE "JONES FAMILY" SERIES OKAY FOR FAMILY AND NABE TRADE. Although several regulars are missing in this release, the nabe customers will find the Jones Family carrying on. Picture will serve all right as a second attraction on nabe bills. Jed Prouty, erstwhile father of the family, is supposedly laid up and never appears except by reference. Otto Brower directed. Hard luck strikes the family from all directions. Spring Byington has to take over the family helm when pa gets sick. She sells the house and they all move to California. There, they invest in a bungalow court as a means of making a living. They discover that most of the tenants were in-laws of the former owner and they have only a few paying guests left after the sale is completed. However, after further difficulties they hit upon an idea that solves their problems. In addition to Miss Byington, the family is composed of Ken Howell, June Carlson, the late Florence Roberts, George Ernest and Billy Mahan. Supporting them are a number of seasoned performers, including Chick Chandler, Forrester Harvey and John Qualen. CAST: Spring Byington, Ken Howell, Florence Roberts, June Carlson, George Ernest, Billy Mahan, Marguerite Chapman, John Qualen, Charles Judels, Chick Chandler, Forrester Harvey, Isobel Randolph, Walter Soderling, Inez Palange, Charles Lane. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Max Golden; Director, Otto Brower; Screenplay, Harold Buchman and Val Burton; Original Story, Val Burton, Jack Jungmeyer and Edith Skouras; Cameraman, Arthur Miller; Editor, Nick de Maggio. DIRECTION, 0. K. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "Frontier Crusader" with Tim McCoy, Dorothy Short, Carl Hackett Producers Releasing Corp. 62 Mins. ACTIONFUL WESTERN HAS TIM McCOY RIDING HERD ON THE VILLAINS. Colonel Tim McCoy, candidate for Senator in the state of Wyoming, gives a convincing display of his fighting prowess in this release. Picture has plenty of action, good outdoor locations and a cast that is adequate. The western fans should be well satisfied with the result. Peter Stewart directed. McCoy is called in by his old friend. Sheriff Hal Price, to help him clean up the bad men terrorizing the town and district. McCoy arrives in time to challenge an imported gun-thrower to a duel at the same time a dancer, Dorothy Short, arrives in town for an appearance. McCoy wipes out the gunfighter and two friends at the appointed meeting, but his troubles are still just little ones. Carl Hackett, one of the best bad men in the business^ and his gang blow up a mine, steal payrolls and kidnap a few people. McCoy overcomes these little contretempts in his own flourishing style. CAST: Tim McCoy, Dorothy Short, Carl Hackett, Ted Adams, Hal Price, John Merton, Forrest Taylor, Frank LaRue, Ken Duncan, George Chesebro. CREDITS: Producer, Sigmund Neufeld; Director, Peter Stewart. DIRECTION, Able. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "Babies For Sale" with Rochelle Hudson, Glenn Ford, Miles Mander Columbia 64 Mins. EXPOSE OF "BABY FARM" RACKET IS OKAY AS PROGRAM OFFERING. As a program offering this release will serve okay. The story is fairly interesting and the cast is competent in fulfilling its assignments. Rochelle Hudson, Miles Mander and Glenn Ford head the cast, with Isabel Jewell, Selmer Jackson and John Qualen in supporting roles. Ford, a young reporter, is investigating the sale of babies by fake nursing homes. He gets a large amount of information from Joseph Stefani, a slum doctor. When his story is printed the paper is assailed by a number of women's organizations and other people, including Miles Mander, head of a "home." A retraction demand brings about Ford's resignation when he can't produce the evidence. He sets out to get this information and watches the place run by Mander. Miss Hudson shows up at the place after her husband has been killed, but she refuses to sign an adoption release for her baby, with Mander telling her later that it died at birth. Ford finally uncovers evidence that proves the baby is alive and Mander is uncovered. CAST: Rochelle Hudson, Glenn Ford, Miles Mander, Joseph Stefani, Georgia Caine, Isabel Jewell, Eva Hyde, Selmer Jackson, Mary Currier, Edwin Stanley, John Qualen, Helen Brown. CREDITS: Producer, Ralph Cohn; Director, Charles Barton; Screenplay, R. D. Andrew; Story, Robert Chapin; Cameraman, Benjamin Kline; Editor, Charles Nelson. DIRECTION, Adequate. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "Bad Man from Red Butte" with Johnny Mack Brown, Fuzzy Knight, Bob Baker Universal 58 Mins. WELL PACED WESTERN DRAMA WILL PLEASE THE COWBOY CLIENTELE. Plentiful action and a fast pace make this western entertaining screenfare for the cowboy fans. The story has nothing novel, but it provides the cast with an opportunity to keep things moving throughout the film. Johnny Mack Brown, Fuzzy Knight and Bob Baker head the cast. Several songs are introduced at opportune times. Ray Taylor directed. Brown, playing a dual role, is one of a gang of killers creating turmoil in a town. Brown as the other brother, not aware of what his twin is doing, rides toward this town. He meets his brother dying in a shack and vows to avenge his killing legally. Brown rides into town only to be accused of a murder by the gang, with the people believing him to be his outlaw brother. However, after some fast action with a good punch climax, everything is straightened out and the bad men get their just desserts. CAST: Johnny Mack Brown, Fuzzy Knight, Bob Baker, Anne Gwynne, Lloyd Ingraham, Lafe McKee, Bill Cody, Jr., Buck Moulton, Roy Barcroft, Norman Willis, Earle Hodgins, James Morton, Texas Jim Lewis and his band. CREDITS: Produced by Universal; Director, Ray Taylor; Original Screenplay, Sam Robins; Cameraman, William Sickner. DIRECTION, Fast. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "The Man from Tumbleweeds" with Bill Elliott, Iris Meredith, Dub Taylor Columbia 59 Mins. SLAMBANG WESTERN IS SURE TO PLEASE SIX-GUN FANS. Latest in the series Columbia is making with Bill Elliott, this western is as replete with hard-hitting action as the most ardent action fan could wish. Picture starts off with a killing and works up to some fine and fancy free-for-all fighting both with guns and fists. Bill Elliott looks and acts the part of a gun-fighter. Iris Meredith attractively fills the female lead. Dub Taylor will get some laughs as a stooge for Elliott, and Raphael Bennett fills the bill as a bad man. Elliott is summoned to the town of Gunsight after Miss Meredith has seen her father murdered by Bennett, head of a gang terrorizing the district. Elliott gets permission from the governor to take a gang ot gunmen out of jail to work with him, with the men to be pardoned if they faithfully perform their duties as rangers. Elliott goes to work immediately and there is continuous action until he disposes of Bennett. CAST: Bill Elliott, Dub Taylor, Iris Meredith, Raphael Bennett, Francis Walker, Ernie Adams, Al Hill, Stanley Brown, Richard Fiske, E. LeSaint, Don Beddoe. CREDITS: Produced by Columbia; Director, Joseph H. Lewis; Original Screenplay, Charles F. Royal; Cameraman, George Meehan; Editor, Charles Nelson. DIRECTION, Fast. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "The Refugee" with John Wayne, Sigrid Gurie, Charles Coburn Republic 79 Mins. INTERESTING DRAMATIC STORY IS TIMELY AND ABLY PUT OVER BY A GOOD CAST. Exhibitors will find that this picture will fit nicely on any bill as a second attraction, and by itself is strong enough as a single attraction for nabe houses that don't dual. The story is okay, it is timely, and a good cast makes the most of the parts offered. Bernard Vorhaus gets credit for the direction. John Wayne, Sigrid Gurie and Charles Coburn head the cast. Coburn is particularly good as a refugee doctor who is brought to a small North Dakota town. Miss Gurie is attractive and capable as his daughter. Wayne looks and acts the part of a farmer. Spencer Charters and Russell Simpson help out with good performances in supporting roles. Coburn and his daughter go to Ashville Forks, N. D., after they have appeared on a radio program dealing with refugee doctors. They arrive in the middle of a dust storm and are ready to leave the next day, but Coburn stays because he is peeded. The whole area becomes untenable for existence, and the farmers as a group start a migration to Oregon under Wayne's leadership. Miss Gurie's romance with Wayne is held in semi-suspension due to the arrival of a supposedly dead fiance who had helped them escape, and trouble ensues on the Oregon trek with dissenters, but everything is smoothly ironed out in time. CAST: John Wayne, Charles Coburn, Sigrid Gurie, Spencer Charters, Russell Simpson, Helen MacKellar, Sonny Bupp, * SHORTS * i "Norway" ("War Graphs") Cartoon Films, Ltd. 9 mil "War Graphs" is a decided noveltj in the cartoon field. By the use c cartoons, graphs and drawings th( invasion and destruction of Norwaj are vividly depicted. The subject is a cross between "The March ol Time" and a news weekly and gives a factual account of what occurrec in the peace-loving country of Norway when the Nazi hordes, with their modern warfare and equipment, went into action. It is an educational and instructive subject. Tht background music is effective. Lawson Haris the producer, Paul FenneL the director and Thomas FreebairnSmith the narrator. "Our Constitution" Academic Film Co. 20 mins. Excellent Two-Reeler This is the first of a series ol eight patriotic shorts being currently produced by Max and Arthur Alexander. "Our Constitution," first of the group, emerges at a time when it will carry the maximum appeal to the trade and the public alike. It is fashioned expertly, being possessed of a script charged with inspirational values, smooth acting by a well-chosen cast, and technical) merit. Its director, G. A. Durlam, penned the screenplay. The result is that the footage is close-knit and moves with rapid tempo. The photography by Elmer Dyer is topflight. How our nation's Constitution sprang into being, emerging as an immortal document from thei wisdom and ideals of its framers, isi interestingly told. That emergence, as the film shows, was not without attending vicissitudes. Daniel Curtiss interprets the role of George Washington; John Elliott that of Benjamin Franklin; Marc Loebell, James Madison; Alan Connor, Alexander Hamilton; while Alex Callan, Michael Vallon and Phil Dunham essay the parts of Governeur Morris, William Randolph, and a clerk, respectively. The picture's dialogue is made up of excerpts from authentic historical documents. Milton J. Salzburg and Harold Baumstone are the associate producers, and Charles Hendel the editor. Effects are by C. Graber. Film outlets everywhere should enthusiastically welcome this two-reeler and its seven sequels, not only from the standpoint of showmanship, but as a profound public service. Wade Boteler, Trevor Bardette, Charles Waldron, Wendell Niles. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Sol C. Siegel; Director, Bernard Vorhaus; Original Screenplay, F. H. Herbert, Joseph Moncure March and Samuel Ornitz; Cameraman, John Alton; Editor, William Morgan. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good.