The Film Daily (1940)

Thursday, June 27, 1940 REViEUJS Of neuj fiims "Millionaires in Prison" ! with Lee Tracy, Linda Hayes, Raymond Walburn RKO Radio 63 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING ipBAMA OF LIFE BEHIND THE BARS WITH jTRACY SCORING HEAVILY. ^ 1 nis should please Lee Tracy fans. Tracy, who has been away from pictures for the past couple of years, has one of the best roles of his career in this modest-budget RKO release. The story, no doubt was taken from recent newspaper stories. The ' fertile pens of Martin Mooney, who wrote ''the original, and Lynn Root and Frank Fenton, who wrote the screenplay, have turned out an interesting and entertaining drama of life behind prison bars. Ray McCarey has done a swell job of direction. Moments of comedy, heavy drama, and suspense follow one upon the other in [smooth-flowing rhythm. The moments of , comedy in which the millionaire convicts ^try to adjust themselves to prison life are exceptionally well acted and directed. The story concerns five millionaires who are sent to prison for various crimes. They are not criminals, but citizens who have run !j afoul of the law and have been sentenced to terms with murderers and convicts of all classes. One of the wealthy prisoners is a young 'doctor who upon entering prison continues his researches under the supervision of the prison doctor. He is assisted by Lee Tracy, 5 playing the part of the prison big-shot. Truman Bradley, as the doctor, despite his ^tendency to turn soft, does such good work n incarceration that eventually he and ^ Tracy are paroled. The story also tells lof the rise in the esteem of their fellow ^convicts of the unwelcome millionaires who, 1^ despised at first, are finally taken into the ^fold and are pleased to find themselves ^treated as equals by their fellow cons. i Linda Hayes as Bradley's girl friend gives \a good performance. Virginia Vale is exjcellent as Tracy's moll. Also in the cast ;are such competent performers as Morgan Conway, Thurston Hall, Raymond Walburn and Paul Guilfoyle. The picture was ably produced by Howard Benedict, under the supervision of Executive Producer Lee Marcus. Camera work by Harry Wild, with i special effects by Vernon L. Walker, was i good. CAST: Lee Tracy, Linda Hayes, Raymond ' Walburn, Morgan Conway, Truman Bradley, Virginia Vale, Cliff Edwards, Paul GuilJfoyle, Thurston Hall, Chester Clute, Shemp Howard, Horace MacMahon, Thomas E. Jackson, Elliott Sullivan, Selmer Jackson, Jack Arnold. CREDITS: Executive Producer, Lee Marcus; Producer, Howard Benedict; Director, U Ray McCarey; Author, Martin Mooney; Screenplay, Lynn Root and Frank Fenton; ! Cameraman, Harry Wild; Special Effects, ^Vernon L. Walker; Art Director, Van Nest Polglase; Associate, Carroll Clark; Editor, Theron Warth; Musical Score, Roy Webb. DIRECTION, Swell. PHOTOGRAPHY, Very Good. H "Prairie Law" with George O'Brien, Virginia Vale, Dick Hogan RKO 59 Mins. LATEST GEORGE O'BRIEN STARRER FROM RKO HAS ABLE CAST AND GOOD ACTION. The western fans should be pleased with this new George O'Brien release. It has an able cast, a plausible story and plentiful action. O'Brien is supported by a good cast that includes Virginia Vale, Dick Hogan, J. Farrell MacDonald, Slim Whitaker, Cyrus W. Kendall and Paul Everton, latter two the villains. David Howard directs the picture with a good tempo. O'Brien, although opposed to farmers moving into the cattle country where his ranch lies because he knows they will run short on water, still assists them in any way possible. He meets Miss Vale, daughter of one of the farmers, Henry Hall. However, a land promotion scheme fostered by Kendall and Everton is bringing more farmers in all the time and they can't make a living. Hall is innocently aligned with the land gang, not knowing what they actually are promoting. O'Brien's cattle are rustled, his friend the sheriff, MacDonald, is murdered, but Kendall is acquitted of the murder by a packed jury. However, O'Brien figures out a plan to get them right, and he does, with plenty of action ensuing until everything is straightened out and law and order is restored. CAST: George O'Brien, Virginia Vale, Dick Hogan, J. Farrell MacDonald, Slim Whitaker, Cyrus W. Kendall, Paul Everton, Henry Hall, M. Montague, Q. Ramsey. CREDITS: Producer, Bert Gilroy; Director, David Howard; Screenplay, Doris Schroeder and A. V. Jones; Story, Bernard McConville; Cameraman, J. Roy Hunt; Editor, Frederic Knudtson. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. * SHORTS * I lohnson Pix on July 24 ,. , Columbia's "I Married Adventure," itffjthe life of Osa and Martin Johnson, will be nationally released on July 24. "Men and Dust" Garrison Films, Inc. 16 '/2 Mins Grim Documentary I A powerful indictment of miners' working and living conditions in the Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma junction, where, due to a lack of protective measures, large numbers of the population suffer from silicosis and tuberculosis. Based on the findings of The Tri-State Survey Committee, the film, through use of flash shots and a four-voice commentary pleads an effective argument for protective mining equipment and a better living standard for the miners and their families. Too depressing for the run of theaters, the subject will find a field in the more informed audience type, in addition to the special groups now viewing the picture. Sheldon ^ Dick did the photography and com j mentary and Lee Dick was director of commentary. ' MORE fUN . . MORE AlUSIC! The Weavers set a new high for movie frolics with the gayest, singingest, laughingest of Republic's inimitable hillbilly pictures. WeAVER BROTHSftS anv SLVIRY GRAND OLE OPRY LOIS RANSON ALLAN LANE HENRY KOLKER An<i Radio's Popular Artists UNCIE DAVE MACON AND HIS SON DORRIS ROY ACUFF and hii ROCKY MOUNTAIN BOYS with RACHEL GEORGE DEWEY HAY Ue Sokmn Ole Judge FRANK McDOHAlO— DIREaOS PICTURE