The Film Daily (1942)

C? K DAILY Tuesday, October 13, 1942 -Cr # R6VICUIS Of THE IKUJ flLfflS > .v "Youth on Parade" with John Hubbard, Ruth Terry, Martha O'Driscoll, Tom Brown Republic 72 Mins. ENTERTAINING MUSICAL COMEDY SPIKED WITH YOUTHFUL PEP AND GOOD SONGS. CARRIES GENERAL APPEAL. Because of its swift pace and reflection of the "jive age," along with some solid swing ballads, "Youth On Parade" carries a particular appeal to the clans in their 'teens, and quite as much so to adult audiences who enjoy peppy, frothy screen entertainment. In plot, this musical comedy (for such is its classification) runs pretty true to college-yarn pattern. It relates how Ruth Terry, a Tin-Pan-Alley warbler with ambitions to star on Broadway, is impressed into the service of a coterie of students at Cotchatootamee College to get them out of a jam. The students, permitted under an experimental curriculum to send in their study papers without having to personally attend classes, create a fictitious student in order to undermine the instructor who devised the plan. In good old screenplay fashion, of course the astral student wins the designation of the institution's top scholar. Just before the hoax comes to a head, Ruth Terry is imported to save the plotters' skins. Naturally, she is a diamond in the rough who murders the English language, but ingratiates herself with the student body via her talent as a songstress. At the windup, nevertheless, the conspiracy is unmasked. There is a considerable amount of pathos and patriotism, the trend of the latter being that college students should stay in school to cultivate their minds to later on be of greater help to the war's prosecution, instead of going into service now. Needless to say, copious travesty is present throughout, accompanied by rug-cutting, double-talk, and the vulgar vocabulary which characterizes the jive generation. But it is entertaining. On the musical side is a score comprising "You're So Good To Me," "If It's Love," "I've Heard That Song Before," "Mad," "Cotcha Too Ta Me," and "You Got To Study, Buddy." Albert S. Rogell's direction is snappy and interesting, and Ernest Miller's photography first-rate. A bit more care might have been taken with dubbing, but generally the production is solid. It should do well in all but the snooty spots. CAST: John Hubbard, Ruth Terry, Martha O'Driscoll, Tom Brown, Ivan F. Simpson, Charles Smith, Lynn Merrick, Nana Bryant, Bruce Langley, Chick Chandler, Marlyn Schild. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Albert J. Cohen; Director, Albert S. Rogell; Original Screenplay, George Carleton Brown; Cameraman, Ernest Miller; Film Editor, Howard O'Neill; Art Director, Russell Kimball; Musical Director, Cy Feuer. DIRECTION, Snappy. PHOTOGRAPHY, First-Rate. Oppose Higher Admissions Chicago — Van Nomikos, Illinois Allied vice-president, Ludwig Sussman, Allied director, are opposed to advancing admissions for the dura " Texas to Bataan' with John King, Dave Sharpe, Max Terhune Monogram 56 Mins. WtALiH OF ACTION AND EXCITEMENT MAKti THIS WESTERN RED MEAT FOR THE YOUNG FANS. Apart from its value as entertainment this latest addition to the Range Busters series of westerns is of interest because of a realignment of the threesome around which all tne adventures in these films revolve. Kay Corngan has bowed out of the series, witn John King being promoted into his boots. "I he spot formerly held by King is now tilled by a chap named Dave Sharpe, who handles the assignment capably, alrhougn he doesn t match the others in physical proportions. King, Sharpe and Terhune do a lot of traveling in "Texas to Bataan," as the title ninrs. I hey find themselves in Bataan with a shipment of horses sold to the Government by their boss. The closing footage nas them back in Texas. The plot has to do with their efforts to track down a rancher working on the side of the axis. Their activity calls for violent encounters with the villain and his assistants— encounters that provide lovers of this rype of entertainment with unrelenting acnon, endless excitement, even occasional moments of suspense. The way they tackled rheir task is beyond reproach. The Arthur Hoerl script, which is full of punch, has our thres heroes constantly on the go, with enough fisticuffing alloted to them to meet the requirement of three ordinary westerns. The story also gives rhem plenty of opportunity to be humorous and to indulge in a bit of melody. Good work has been turned in by all three. Among the assisting players the best are Marjorie Manning, Budd Buster, Ken Duncan, Frank Ellis. Vigorous direction has been contributed by Robert Tansey. George W. Weeks produced the film, with Dick Ross serving as his associate. CAST: John King, Dave Sharpe, Max Terhune, Marjorie Manning, Budd Buster, Ken Duncan, Escolastico Baucin, Frank Ellis, Carl Mathews, Guy Kingsford. CREDITS: Producer, George W. Weeks; Asociate Producer, Dick Ross; Director, Robert Tansey; Screenplay, Arthur Hoerl; Cameraman, Robert Cline; Film Editor, Roy Claire; Musical Director, Frank Sanucci. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Hatofi Here to Discuss Deal for Musical Story Gregory Ratoff, producer-director is in New York to consumate a deal whereby he will acquire the screen rights to an important musical comedy story property. Ratoff wants to put the production on his schedule to follow "Leave It To Me" at Columbia. — Uncle Sam Needs Your Scrap — DeVry Expands in Chicago Chicago — DeVry Corporation is taking over a three-story building on North Walcott Avenue in an expansion move caused by the Government war work. Day and night shifts are employed. 'Scattergood Survives A Murder" with Guy Kibbee, John Archer, Margaret Hayes RKO Radio 66 Mins. RUN-OF-THE-MINE MURDER YARN, BUT WITH ENOUGH CHILLS TO SATISFY (HE MYSTERY FANS. Following the apparently everlasting technique of herding a phalanx of murder suspects into a room to grill them, after they nave spent a nerve-wracking night in a musty and massive Victorian mansion, this latest of the Scattergood yarns is run-ofthe-mine stuff, although a few of the deta.ls have comparative freshness. Work of all the lead players and their supporting ones are the most impressive factor in the film. Guy Kibbee essays the role of a country merchant who paternally guides a young newspaper owner, freshly come to town, in solving the death of two elderly and wealthy maiden ladies, and the demise of an heir, plus the mansion's housekeeper. The journalist is John Archer who, in the course of his investigation of me k. Mings, meets a girl reporter, Margaret Hayes, and falls in love with her. Their romance is also forwarded by the kind Kibbee. Sequences have all the bromide situations, such as Archer, Willie Best and the girl slinking around a spooky cellar with the Negro actor frightened out of his wits; the incompetent sheriff getting no place with his stupid third degree, mysterious hands appearing through windows and firing shots; et al. Margaret Hayes does a particularly good job as the newspaper gal, and dresses up the production with her form, figure and personality. But when all the shooting is over, and the killer is dispatched, the patron has seen just another mild and measured meller. But since that is what a considerable percentage of folks want, this murder opus will score in the functional stands. Christy Cabanne's direction does a great deal to enliven the proceedings. Jack Mackenzie's photography is okay. CAST: Guy Kibbee, John Archer, Margaret Hayes, Wallace Ford, Spencer Charters, Eily Malyon, John Miljan, George Chandler, Dick Elliott, Florence Lake, Sarah Edwards, Willie Best, George Guhl, Ed Waller, Margaret Seddon, Margaret McWade, Frank Reicher, Earle Hodgins, Alfred Hall. CREDITS: Producer, Jerrold T. Brandt; Director, Christy Cabanne; Screenplay, Michael L. Simmons; Adapted from the "Scattergood Baines" stories by Clarence Budington Kelland; Associate Producer, Frank Melford; Cameraman, Jack Mackenzie; Musical Score, Paul Sawtell; Film Editor, Richard Cahoon; Art Director, Bernard Herzbrun. DIRECTION, Skilled. PHOTOGRAPHY, Okay. Howes Escapes. Son Drowns Patten, Me. — Ira Howes, 60, local motion picture theater operator, narrowly escaped drowning, and his son, Thurston B. Howes, 30, of Bangor, lost his life, in a duck hunting accident at Mud Pond, Oct. 6. A third member of the party also escaped. The trio was in a canoe when one of them stood up to fire at ducks, causing the craft capsize. War Dogs" with Billy Lee, Addison Richards, Kay Linaker, Bradley Page (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) Monogram 64 Mins. WELL HANDLED, TIMELY SUBJECT, IS WORTHY OFFERING IN MODEST BU/> GET FIELD. '' • Here is a timely subject that is a worthy offering in the modest budget field. It deals with the training of dogs for Army service, on active fronts, as well as defense of war industry plants. It has been well produced by George W. Weeks and ably directed by S. Roy Luby. Billy Lee gives an ingratiating performance as a youngster, whose father, Addison Richards, is a shell-shocked Marine veteran of the first World War and who is anxious to fight in the current war. Billy is also the owner of Ace, who is trained for Army service. Bradley Page, playing a sympathetic part, for a change, is a Juvenile Court judge, who becomes interested in Billy and his father, as does Kay Linaker, Page's sweetheart. Page gets Ri c h a r d s a job in Herbert Rawlinson's war defense plant. George Neise and Don Curtis, enemy agents, land on American shores from a submarine. In their attempt to seriously damage the Rawlinson plant, they throw a bomb into the laboratory. In saving several girl workers from the bomb, Richards is killed. Ace and Army guards capture Neise and Curtis. Page and Miss Linaker decide to marry and adopt Billy. CAST: Billy Lee, Addison Richards, Kay Linaker, Bradley Page, Herbert Rawlinson, Lee Phelps, Bryant Washburn, John Berkes, Ace I canine), George Neise, Don Curtis, Hal Price, Steve Clark. CREDITS: Producer, George W. Weeks; Director, S. Roy Luby; Author, Ande Lamb; Screenplay, John Vlahos; Cameraman, Robert Cline; Editor, Roy Claire; Sound, Glen Glenn; Musical Director, Frank Sanucci. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Will Intensify Co-op. With Treasury — Harmon Film biz will "intensify its co-operation with the Treasury until the war is won," Francis S. Harmon, WAC exec, advised theaters serving as issuing agents for sale of War Bonds in a memo sent at the weekend. Harmon's memo suggested this six-point program for exhibitor conduct for "the duration." 1. Push the sale of War Bonds at every opportunity. 2. Capitalize on local developments and events for special tieups with theater Bond sales. 3. Watch the war news for fresh angles which you can play up in connection with Bond sales. 4. Keep in touch with your local war savings officials they will have additional useful sug gestions. 5. Maintain the wondei-fu" record of our industry by reporting regularly to your Federal Reserve Bank. 6. Write the WAC for infor mation and assistance at anv tkn3.