The Film Daily (1940)

Thursday, December 19, 1940 :< :< R6VICIUS Of THE R€UJ flLfllS :< :< "Dr. Kildare's Crisis" with Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Laraine Day, Robert Young M-G-M 75 Mins. LATEST DR. KILDARE PICTURE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE POPULAR SERIES. Utilizing the familiar cast and hospital backgrounds of the Dr. Kildare pictures, plus a "guest" appearance by Robert Young, M-G-M has produced another enjoyable addition to the series. And the series' many fans will be well satisfied with the smoothly-directed and acted solution of the young doctor's latest problem. While the story is somewhat placid, it serves as an adequate frame-work to present the well-established characters in another adventure. Young plays the part of Mary Lamont's brother whom Dr. Kildare suspects of having epilepsy. Experiments prove he is right and his romance with the nurse is endangered due to the hereditary tendencies of the disease. The girl and her brother plan to run away but the experienced Dr. Gillespie's shrewd questioning brings out the fact that the brother suffered a recent head injury and examina tions show that his condition is not hereditary but can he cured through an operation. Ayres, Barrymore and Miss Day do their usual good playing jobs and Robert Young adds strength to the marquee possibilities. CAST: Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Laraine Day, Robert Young, Nat Pendleton, Walter Kingsford, Alma Kruger, Bobs Watson, Nell Craig, George Reed, Frank Orth, Marie Blake, Horace MacMahon. CREDITS: Director, Harold S. Bucquet; Original Story, Max Brand, Willis Goldbeck; Screenplay, Harry Ruskin, Willis Goldbeck; Cameraman, John Seitz; Musical Score, David Snell; Art Director, Cedric Gibbons; Associate, Daniel B. Cathcart; Film Editor, Gene Ruggiero. DIRECTION, First-Rate. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. SHORTS * "Johnny Messner and His Orchestra" Paramount 11 mins. Below Par Johnny Messner and his orchestra play several numbers in this short that may interest swing fans to some extent, but the short as a whole is below par as a musical number. An informal chat between an announcer, Messner, Jeanne D'Arcy, vocalist with the band, and pianist Koleslaw, falls flat. Maureen O'Sullivan Out of Cast West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Maureen O'Sullivan has withdrawn from the cast of Metro's "Billy the Kid," opposite Robert Taylor, to remain in Canada with her husband, John Farrow who is serving in the British Navy. Mary Howard replaces her in the feminine lead. "Over The Moon" with Merle Oberon, Rex Harrison, Urusla Jeans United Artists 78 Mins. BRITISH-MADE COMEDY HAS ABLE CAST AND SOME AMUSING NONSENSE, BUT STORY IS WEAK. Some amusing nonsense and a few good laughs keep this picture on its feet, but the story as a whole is on the weak side, with notning novel or new about it. Technicolor enhances the picture, particularly some very tine shots of well-remembered European playgrounds. The cast is adequate, rhe production value is lav.sh, and although the film is essentially a conversation piece, at least there is a change of scenery often enough to keep it interesting to a degree ror tne average audience. Miss Ooeron looks very lovely, Technicolor serving to accentuate her beauty, and sne performs capably. Rex Harrison, an agreeable and able British player, is an asset to the picture although it is unfortunate that he does not have more to do. Ursula Jeans, Robert Douglas, Louis Boreil and Mackenzie Ward are prominent in tne cast. Original story was contrived by Robert Sherwood and Lajos Biro, with the screenplay written by Anthony Pelissier and Alec Copel. Thornton Freeland directed ih.s Alexander Korda production. Miss Ooeron suddenly becomes an heiress to the tune of $90,000,000. Her fiance, Harrison, breaks off the engagement after they row about the way she is living. From there on Miss Oberon flits to one gay resort after another with a retinue of fortune hunters following her until she and Harrison patch up their differences and go to Italy for a honeymoon. CAST: Merle Oberon, Rex Harrison, Ursula Jeans, Robert Douglas, Louis Boreil, David Tree, Mackenzie Ward, Zena Dare, Peter Haddon, El.zabeth Welch, Carl Jaffe, Herbert Lomas, Wilfred Shine, Bruce Winston, Gerald Nodin. CREDITS: Producer, Alexander Korda; Director, Thornton Freeland; Original Story, Robert Sherwood and Lajos Biro; Screenplay, Anthony Pelissier and Alec Copel; Dialogue, Arthur Wimperis; Cameraman, H. Stradling; Editor, Pat Wooley. DIRECTION, Adequate. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Coast Changes Titles West Coast Bureau, of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Title changes: Warners' "Four Families" becomes "Four Fathers." Same studio's "Jinx Woman" becomes "Singapore," Twentieth Century's-Fox's "School for Soldiers" has become "Ten Gentlemen from West Point." Jack Oakie With Sonja Henie West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Twentieth CenturyFox has signed Jack Oakie and Glenn Miller and his band to appear with Sonja Henie in "Sun Valley." "U" Pacts Franchot Tone West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Universal has signed Franchot Tone to a five-year contract which calls for two pictures a year. "Michael Shayne, Private Detective" with Lloyd Nolan, Marjorie Weaver, Walter Abel 20rh-Fox 77 Mins. SUSPENSEFUL MURDER MYSTERY HAS PUNCH, IS WELL-ACTED AND FULL OF SURPRISES. Here is an offering that is thoroughly entertaining screenfare for any type of audience. The picture is suspenseful, wellacted by a competent cast, ably directed and well-paced. It is a strong supporting attraction for some big picture on a double bill, and it is well able to stand on its own feet as a single offering or the main attraction in nabe houses. The story is well-conceived and smartly executed, working in a considerable amount of smart stuff that is amusing, but at the same time keeping the element of danger and suspense serious business. Lloyd Nolan ably fills the bill as the fast-thinking and wise-cracking private detective. Marjorie Weaver attractively fills a supporting role. Joan Valerie is helpful, and strong support is given by such finished performers as Waller Abel, Elizabeth Patterson, Clarence Kolb, Douglas Dumbrille, Donald McBride, George Meeker and Robert Emmett Keane. Eugene Forde handled the direction with a sure touch, keeping the action moving and maintaining the suspense. Smoothly contrived screenplay was whipped up by Stanley Rauh and Manning O'Connor from a novel by Brett Halliday. Nolan gets in the good graces of Kolb when he stops his daughter, Miss Weaver, from making a bet at a race track. Kolb hires him to take care of her while he is away and a murder framed by Nolan to scare her so that she will stay out of a gambling house backfires and Meeker, the victim, is found to be really murdered. Action is fast and furious from there on until Nolan traps the real murderer after he gets himself nominated as the principal suspect through a chain of unusual circumstances. CAST: Lloyd Nolan, Marjorie Weaver, Joan Valerie, Walter Abel, Elizabeth Patterson, Donald McBride, Douglas Dumbrille, Clarence Kolb, George Meeker, Charles Coleman, Michael Morris, Robert Emmett Keane, Frank Orth, Irving Bacon. CREDITS: Executive Producer, Sol M. Wurtzel; Director, Eugene Forde; Screenplay, Stanley Rauh and Manning O'Connor; Based on a novel by Brett Halliday; Cameraman, George Schneiderman; Editor, Al De Gaetano. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Geraldine Replaces Priscilla West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Geraldine Fitzgerald will replace Priscilla Lane in Warners' "One Hour of Glory," with Thomas Mitchell. Vincent Sherman will direct. Propaganda Pix for S. A. Cleveland— H. M. Maley has taken over the distribution of two propaganda pictures, "Menace" and "Alone" for Brazil, Chile, Peru, Guatemala, Venezuela, Argentine and Panama. Fred Zeller, his rep. leaves this week to arrange bookings. "South of Suez" with George Brent, Brenda Marshall, George Tobias Warners 86 Mins. PLENTY OF ACTION, AN ABLE CAST AND MOVING STORY PUT THIS ADVENTURE YARN OVER. General audiences should give this offering a good reception. The story is adventurous, it is laid against an African and London background, the cast is able, the direction good and it moves along with a lively pace. Brent gives a good performance in the !ead role. Tobias is excellent in his characterization of the ruthless diamond miner. Miss Marshall is attractive and capable as the romantic vis-a-vis for Brent, and Lee Patrick, Eric Blore, James Stephenson, Miles Mander and Cecil Kellaway are helpful in supporting roles. Direction of Lewis Seiler is forceful and smooth, and Barry Trivers' screenplay is well-worked out. Brent, working for Tobias, is fired when Lee Patrick, Tobias' wife accuses Brent af making passes at her when he won't pay any attention to her. Brent prevents Tobias from taking over a valuable claim owned by Miles Mander and in partnership with him makes the claim pay big dividends. Tobias learns of a huge diamond they have found, and while Brent is out at night murders Mander and places the blame on Brent. Brent flees the country and five years later, using an assumed name and having been lucky in a number of investments, returns to England to find Miss Marshall, Mander's daughter. He intends to tell her the whole story, but falls for her and because of her attitude toward the murderer plants his real identification papers on a murdered man. However, the big diamond is recognized by Tobias, also in London, when Brent sends it to a jeweler's to be cut and everything explodes in his face. A dramatic climax straightens everything out and puts Tobias where he belongs. CAST: George Brent, Brenda Marshall, George Tobias, James Stephenson, Lee Patrick, Eric Blore, Miles Mander, Cecil Kellaway, Mary Forbes, Gilbert Emery, Stanley Logan, Frederick Worlock, Edward Fielding, Leonard Mudie, Crauford Kent, Holmes Herbert, Prince Modupe. CREDITS: Produced by Warners; Director, Lewis Seiler; Screenplay, Barry Trivers; Story, Sheridan Gibney; Cameraman, Arthur Todd; Editor, Clarence Kolster. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. * SHORTS * "Feminine Fitness" Paramount 10 mins. Fair Sport Reel Women athletes in various fields of competition provide subject matter for this reel that is fairly interesting, but the sight of two female wrestlers: mauling each other is not eaxctly ediJ fying. Softball, golf, football, track, water sports, skating, fishing ane* several other sports are demonstrat-j ed by the girls. Ted Husing provides] the narration.