The Film Daily (1940)

^nri Monday, June 17, 1940 W«S5 13 1^ REVIEWS OF THE REUI flLfllS ik ik (All This And Heaven Too" pth Bette Davis, Charles Boyer, Barbara /^eil, Jeffrey Lynn arners 0\/ 1^3 Mins. fDRAMATICALLY POWERFUL, BEAUTIJLLY MOUNTED AND SUPERBLY CAST; I'.M SHOULD BE ONE OF YEAR'S RRONGEST BOX-OFFICE ATTRACTIONS. Hachei Field's great novel has been lliught to the screen with fidelity and pagination by Warners. Nothing was nted in the way of production, direction, It and technical effects, with the result fit it is a truly splendid screen offering on [;ry count. The picture should be one of strongest offerings of the year, and |4uld prove a potent box-office magnet the public generally. Exhibitors have of the biggest stars in the business which to capitalize in Davis and Boyer, |tl there are numerous other angles that exploitable. Under the skilful directhand of Anatole Litvak, the lengthy unfolds in a fashion that will keep an Jlience intent on the screen from its leption to climax, with every scene deliIjely shaded and the entire cast playing |ir roles for all they are worth through ack L. Warner, Ha! B. Wallis and ciate producer David Lewis get bows the fine production value; and Casey inson deserves a big hand for his splen screenplay, a difficult job expertly done. ;s Davis adds to her list of brilliant Iformances with her characterization in HT, playing the part with a sympathe feeling that leaves nothing to be de d. Boyer is equally brilliant opposite gs Davis. An excellent contribution is ided by Barbara O'Neil in a strong porting role. Remainder of the cast is «idded with expert performers, including en Westley, Virginia Weidler, Walter npden, Henry Daniell, Harry Davenport, ntagu Love, Janet Beecher, Fritz Leiber, Keith and Victor Killian. Young Miss idler, Ann Todd, June Lockhart and lard Nichols are fine as the four chiln, with the little Nichols boy certain to tivate any audience. The many emolal scenes in the film are also certain tug on the heart strings of the audies, but they will leave theaters with feeling that they have been thoroughly srtained by a great film. Miss Davis, overness, meets Lynn en route to France, native country, after working for a ily in England. She applies for a posi with Boyer and his wife. Miss O'Neil, eurotic and jealous woman, he is accepted and the four children ar under her care, but her presence makes tinual friction, as Boyer, who cares noth for his wife, is accused by her of nuous wrongs. This situation continues 1 prevail as Miss Davis and Boyer fall in || >, and it leads to Miss Davis' dismissal f||lly to avoid a scandal. Later Boyer ^ s out that his wife has never written '>■ letter of reference promised to Miss £ is, and shortly afterward Miss O'Neil is id murdered. Boyer takes poison, and g, implies his own guilt, with Miss is, once again befriended by Lynn, find 'Girl In 313' with Florence Rice, Kent Taylor, Lionel Atwill, Katherine Aldridge 20th-Fox 56 Mins. SOLID POP MYSTERY DRAMA WHOSE SUSPENSEFUL STORY WILL PLEASE ALL TYPES OF FANS. What makes "Girl In 313" solid pop entertainment is a dual factor, — the smooth and skillful manner in which the story is hand^led, and the contributions made by the girl who has the title role, Florence Rice, and the acting in parallel good form of Kent Taylor. The story has to do with the smashing of a clever gang of jewel thieves, whose ring leader is Lionel Atwill, assisted by the adept Mr. Taylor. The latter runs amok of 'Florence Rice, detective, who ingratiates herself with the arch thieves in what can best be described as a personal "fifth column" move to bring them to justice. In the process of doing so, Taylor falls in love with her, and there is copious evidence that her struggle is 'twixt duty and her affection for her quarry. There are exciting scenes throughout, and a strong climax depicts the fatal wounding of Taylor who dies in Miss Rice's arms. While this ending may not be according to formula it is effective and realistic. Katherine Aldridge is an attractive and capable link in the jewel ring. Ricardo Cortez has done a good job of directing, and the technical ends of the photoplay are firmly fashioned. The suspense and dramatic situations are a credit to Barry Trivers and Clay Adams who wrought the screenplay. Edward Cronjager's photography is tip-top. CAST: Florence Rice, Kent Taylor, Lionel Atwill, Katherine Aldridge, Mary Treen, Jack Carson, Elyse Knox, Joan Valerie, Dorothy Dearing, Dorothy Moore, Jacqueline Wells, Charles C. Wilson, William Davidson. CREDITS: Executive Producer, Sol M. Wurtzel; Director, Ricardo Cortez; Author, Hilda Stone; Screenplay, Barry Trivers, Clay Adams; Photography, Edward Cronjager; Art Direction, Richard Day, Lewis Creber; Set Decorations, Thomas Little; Editor, Louis Loeffler; Costumes, Herschel; Sound, Eugene Grossman, William H. Anderson; Musical Direction, Emil Newman. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Tip-Top. ing a position in an American school where the story opens and closes. CAST: Bette Davis, Charles Boyer, Barbara O'Neil, Virginia Weidler, Helen Westley, Walter Hampden, Henry Daniell, Harry Davenport, George Coulouris, Montagu Love, Janet Beecher, June Lockhart, Ann Todd, Richard Nichols, Fritz Leiber, Ian Keith, Sibyl Harris, Edward Fielding, Mary Anderson, Ann Gillis, Peggy Stewart, Victor Killian, Mrs. Gardner Crane. CREDITS: In charge of production. Jack L. Warner; Executive Producer, Hal B. Wallis; Associate Producer, David Lewis; Director, Anatole Litvak; Screenplay, Casey Robinson; From a novel by Rachel Field; Cameraman, Ernie Haller; Editor, Warren Low. DIRECTION, Excellent. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. "The Doctor Takes A Wife" with Loretta Young, Ray Milland, Reginald Gardiner, Gail Patrick Columbia 89 Mins. HILARIOUS COMEDY WILL AMUSE ANY AUDIENCE; SHOULD DO VERY WELL AT THE B. 0. One of the most amusing comedies seen in a long time, this new Columbia release is a good box-office tonic for exhibitors, particularly at the present time. It is chock full of amusing situations, funny gags and dialogue, with the cast making the most of every situation and line. Alexander Hall deftly guides the players through their parts with a snappy pace, making the most at all times of the material at hand. The story itself depends upon a situation for its body, but bright dialogue and interlocking material worked into the original situation keep it from ever falling apart or slowing down. Loretta Young gives an excellent account of herself as a comedienne, and Ray Milland is certain to increase his already large following with a swell performance. Reginald Gardiner, Gail Patrick, Edmund Gwenn, Frank Sully, Gordon Jones and Chester Clute enliven the proceedings considerably. Milland, a doctor, is leaving a mountain lodge for New York. Miss Young, author of a book on how women can live alone and like it, is stranded, and promotes a ride to New York with Milland. Through some amazing coincidences a story breaks that they are married causing confusion generally and consternation to Gardiner, her publisher. Plenty of fireworks ensue, and they keep up the pretense so she can write a book on marriage, and he agrees to it because he says he thinks it the gentlemanly thing to do, not telling her that he was given a professorship because of his marriage. Milland also has trouble with an irate fiancee in the person of Gail Patrick, who doesn't know that Milland is keeping up appearances even to the extent of living with Miss Young. Milland's command of the household is rudely shattered when his father, Gwenn, spills the beans about how he got the professorship. Numerous complications ensue, with plenty of laughs, before Milland finally wakes up to the fact that he loves Miss Young and vice versa, with everything ending happily for everybody but Miss Patrick and Gardiner, who had designs on his writer. CAST: Ray Milland, Loretta Young, Reginald Gardiner, Gail Patrick, Edmund Gwenn, Frank Sully, Gordon Jones, Georges Metaxa, Charles Halton, Joseph Eggenton, Paul McAllister, Chester Clute, Hal K. Dawson, Edward Van Sloan. CREDITS: Producer, William Perlberg; Director, Alexander Hall; Screenplay by George Seaton and Ken Englund; Story, Aleen Leslie; Cameraman, Sid Hickox; Edftor, Viola Lawrence. DIRECTION, Fine. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Zala Back at Eighth St. Michael Zala, after a two years' absence, is again managing the Eighth St. Playhouse for Rugoff & Becker. * SHORTS ^ "The U. S. Navy— 1940" (The March of Time) RKO 9 Mins. Vital Issue This issue of the March of Time is, as usual, timely. But more than that, it is vital to film audiences, for it shows how the monies just appropriated for national defense will enlarge and improve the U. S. Navy. Initial sequences disclose the effects which the 1922 Washington conferences, limiting armaments, had upon our naval strength, and how, since 1931, when the invasion of China by Japan commenced, we have been rebuilding the sea arm. But what the general procedure is to be now with respect to the training of personnel and the strengthening of the fleet itself, plus land establishments including the Panam Canal defenses, is graphically shown. In addition to augmenting the Navy proper, the new appropriations provide for improvements to the Marine Corps and Coast Guard, both of which are cooperative units with the Navy in time of hostilities. Clearly stressed is the great task lying before the nation to re-arm speedily. It will take a number of years to effect this in the case of the Navy, which, although in pressing need of enlargement, is even at this monent the strongest sea force in the world. This M of T issue deserves a place on all screens of the nation. "Cradle Of Champions" Paramount 10 mins. Interesting Sport Reel Narrated by Ted Husing, this sport reel is interesting for America-at-large. It shows how youngsters get their training in many different branches of sport. Boy Scouts mounted on a troop of cavalry horses; a school where all the kids don football togs; instruction of kids by Southern California's famed track coach, Dean Cromwell; Navy kids getting instruction from Spike Webb; kids being shown how to ski by Dartmouth coaches; and other sports are presented in the reel. Slow motion makes it unusually interesting. "The Chewin Bruin" Warners 7 mins. Amusing Cartoon Porky Pig is the interested listener to an old fur trapper's recollections of his days in the woods. Porky is told the story of the Chewin Bruin, the bear that chewed tobacco. The expericences of the trapper and his dog with this unusual critter will get laughs. Short was produced by Leon Schlesinger.