The Film Daily (1943)

DAILY Wednesday, May 12, 1943 -\ REVIEWS Of THE REUI flLHI -V "Sarong Girl" with Ann Corio (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) Monogram 70 Mins. PIC HAS PLENTY TO RECOMMEND IT BUT THE STORY IS STRICTLY ROUTINE. There is a lot to recommend "Sarong Girl," in the way of entertainment — but some customers will find it rather weak fare for a picture star-billing bumper Ann Corio. However, Tim and Irene and Johnny "Scat" Davis and his band have been given excellent material and deliver solidly. The screenplay by Charles Marion and Arthur Hoerl, with additional dialogue by Tim Ryan is well constructed and spotted with belly laugh lines. Arthur Dreifuss does an able job of direction, and Philip Krasne and his associate producer, James S. Burkett, have given it nice production. The one thing your patrons will gab about though is the apparent discovery for pictures of a crackerjack team of comics, Tim and Irene Ryan of radio fame. It is sufficient to say that if any comics have anything this couple haven't got, they've been keeping it well hidden these many years. Irene's warbling of a sad ballad during a wedding is as funny a bit as any performer has ever done for the glass eye of a camera. The yarn is stock. A bad girl gets herself arrested for swinging on a curtain in a burleycue house and swears vengeance against the bluenose who saw that she rereived a jail term — even though the judge paroled her into the custody of a nonexistent mother. The bluenose keeps after her until he discovers the business about the phoney parent and has her arrested just as she is about to wed his son. It al! winds up with mother (Mary Gordon), confessing, the dancer (Corio), jilting the son (Bill Henry), and marrying the lawyer, (Damian O'Flynn). It's good fun with Tim and Irene at their best. The show is also embellished by the presence of Johnny "Scat" Davis and his band. CAST: Ann Corio, Tim Ryan, Irene Ryan, Mantan Moreland, Bill Henry, Johnnie "Scat" Davis, Damian O'Flynn, Owen Kenyon, Henry Kolker, Mary Gordon, Charles Williams, Betty Blythe, Charles Jordan, Lorraine Krueger, Paul Bryar. CREDITS: Producer, Philip H. Krasne; Associate producer, James S. Burkett; Director, Arthur Dreifuss; Authors, Charles R. Marion and Arthur Hoerl; Screenplay, same; Cameraman, Mack Stengler, ASC; Additional Dialogue, Tim Ryan; Art Director, Dave Milton; Editor, Carl Pierson; Musical Director, Edward Kay; Sound, Tom Lambert. DIRECTION, Fine. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Springfield's Juvenile Attendance Ban Lifted (Continued from Page 1) day to rescind its ban, placed during the height of a scarlet fever epidemic. The epidemic has not abated entirely, the council said in making the announcement, but the greatly decreased number of cases, down to 40 a week from a high of 110, showed that it was definitely on its way out. 'Stage Door Canteen' with Cheryl Walker, William Terry and These Stars at the Stage Door Canteen: Judith Anderson, Henry Armetta, Kenny Baker, Tallulah Bankhead, Ralph Bellamy, €dgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Ray 'Bolger, Ina Claire, Katharine Cornell, Jane Cowl, Virginia Field, Gracie Fields, Lynn Fontanne, Billy Gilbert, Virginia Grey, Helen Hayes, Katharine Hepburn, Hugh Herbert, Jean Hersholt, Sam Jaffe, Allen Jenkins, George Jessel, Otto Kruger, Gertrude Lawrence, Gypsy Rose Lee, Alfred lunt, Aline MacMahon, Elsa Maxwell, Harpo Marx, Yehudi Menuhin, Ethel Merman, Ralph Morgan, Alan Mowbray, Paul Muni, Merle Oberon, Brock Pemberton, George Raft, Lanny Ross, Selena Royle, Martha Scott, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Ned Sparks, 'Ethel Wafers, Johnny Weissmuller, Arleen Whelan, Ed Wynn, and these bands: Count Basie, Xavier Cugat, Benny Goodman, Kay Kyser, Guy Lombardo, Freddie Martin. UA-Lesser 132 Mins. THIS ONE GOES "ALL OUT" FOR ENTERTAINMENT WITH LAUGHS, MUSIC AND ROMANCE; BURSTS WITH TALENT. The business of showing the public a good time has been attended to with supreme competence and amazing thoroughness by Sol Lesser in his latest screen offering — verily a film gourmand's delight. In "Stage Door Canteen," a triumph of showmanship that should easily take to exploitation, the producer has compounded entertainment that possesses every ingredient that piques the popular taste. The customers' reaction is certain to be one to add to the stock of ecstatic moments in an exhibitor's life. Boxoffice is scribbled all over the production — and with unmistakable boldness. Audiences will find joy in every second of this picture, an extraordinarily lively affair in which there is constantly something going on to fix the attention. The film is vivid with a sense of life that readily communicates itself to the audience. The scenes in the New York Stage Door Canteen, that theater-endowed refuge for service men looking for a wholesome evening's fun without cost, have about them an informal candid-camera quality that makes for a feeling of spontaneity. There is a pleasantly impromptu air about the entertainment contributed by the worthies of stage, screen and radio who, playing themselves, participate in the activities of the canteen in the film. "Stage Door Canteen" puts on a terrific display of talent. The parade of notables of the amusement world seen at the canteen either as entertainers or personnel is interminable. Also on hand are six top-ranking bands — those of Count Basie, Xavier Cugat, Benny Goodman, Kay Kyser, Guy Lombardo, Freddie Martin. In contrast the performers in the story for which the canteen is the background seem inconsequential, although their work is above reproach. Some of these names should become of greater consequence as the result of their showing in "Stage Door Canteen." Particularly worthy of mention are Cheryl Walker, William Terry, Marjorie Riordan, Lon McCallister and Margaret Early. For a newcomer Miss Walker, who plays the leading role, has considerable to offer besides looks. Practically all the action takes place at the canteen. What story there is tells about two soldiers who fall in love with hostesses there in their efforts to gather a few memories before they shove off for overseas. Sudden sailing orders terminate the love-making. Although the story is along familiar lines, it serves its purpose well. It is a story with more than a few affecting moments. Some 15 tunes are scattered through the production. The song credits go to Al Dubin, Jimmy Monaco, Richard Rodgers, Lcrenz Hart, Joe Moody, Harry Miller, Bob Reed, Al Huffman, Mann Curtis, Cy Corbin, Jerry Livingston, Albert Hay Mellotte, Castro Valencia, Joe Pasumy. The screenplay of Delmer Daves overlooks no opportunity for entertainment. Frank Borzage has contributed competent direction that is swift and fluid. CAST: Cheryl Walker, William Terry, Marjorie Riordan, Lon McCallister, Margaret Early, Michael Harrison, Dorothea Kent, Fred Brady, Marion Shockley, Patrick O'Moore, Judith Anderson, Kenny Baker, Tallulah Bankhead, Ralph Bellamy, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Ray Bolger, Ina Claire, Katharine Cornell, Jane Cowl, Gracie Fields, Lynn Fontanne, Virginia Grey, Helen Hayes, Katharine Hepburn, Hugh Herbert, Jean Hersholt, Allen Jenkins, George Jessel, Otto Kruger, Gertrude Lawrence, Gypsy Rose Lee, Alfred Lunt, Aline MacMahon, Elsa Maxwell, Harpo Marx, Yehudi Menuhin, Ethel Merman, Ralph Morgan, Alan Mowbray, Paul Muni, Merle Oberon, George Raft, Lanny Ross, Martha Scott, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Ned Sparks, Ethel Waters, Brock Pemberton, Johnny Weissmuller, Arleen Whelan, Ed Wynn, Henry Armetta, Sam Jaffe, Selena Royle, Virginia Field, Billy Gilbert. CREDITS: Producer, Sol Lesser; Associate Producer, Barnett Briskin; Director, Frank Borzage; Screenplay, Delmer Daves; Cameraman, Harry Wild; Art Director, Hans Peters; Film Editor, Hal Kern; Musical Supervisor, Freddie Rich. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "Chicken Every Sunday' For N. Y. Stage First West Coast Bureau, of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Edward Gross has bought the dramatic rights to Rosemary Taylor's first novel, "Chicken Every Sunday." Gross will have the story dramatized and presented on the New York stage before picturizing it. He is now negotiating for a major release. "Duffy's Tavern" Will Start Shooting July 1 Screen version of "Duffy's Tavern" will go into production on July 1. Produced by Jack Moss under the sponsorship of Leo Spitz and Jack Skirball, "Duffy's Tavern" will be based on an original screenplay utilizing new material as well as some of the best situations out of the radio program. Ed Gardner, Shirley Booth and other members of the broadcast will be featured. WPB Lifts $5,000 Ceiling in Pic Sets (Continued from Page 1) effective July 1, is not designed to permit any greater use of materials, Chief reason for the change is to eliminate costly and lengthy appeals and applications for permissio^+o exceed the $5,000 limit on indhC^,.] productions. These requests vrert granted in most cases, but the new arrangement will mean that a studic can exceed the limit on individual pix without special authorization il sets for other pix have cost less thar $5,000. Any producer who wishes to work under th new system at once without waiting for Jul; 1, may file form PD-200 for the months o May and June. In any event, form PD-2(Ji which provides for listing of requirements fo the quarter rather than for individual pro ductions, must be filed prior to June 1. Actual effect of the order is small, sine the $5,000 ceiling has never been especiall meaningful. Frequent authorization to ex ceed it has been granted and in other case producers have been able to use material from inventory, with the $5,000 ceiling ar. plying only to material bought specificall for the individual pix. A letter sent to producers yesterday b WPB says in part "to the extent possibl applications should forecast the propose construction and should be accompanied b an estimate of the total cost of such propose construction for the calendar quarter involve containing a preliminary materials list. Thi list should set. forth the materials to Y used and should be broken down to the fu lest extent possible. Where possible, schet ules of deliveries of specific quantities of m; terials should be shown. Commitments fc, the purchase of materials may be made in mediately upon approval of applications. "The application is to cover all propose construction for the quarter. The prelimii ary materials list should cover all constru' tion as a group and should not be itemize in terms of individual pictures." SAG Holds Up Autonomy Plan for Class B Members (Continued from Page 1) an election to determine a collectrv bargaining agency for extra player the Screen Actors Guild will n( submit its autonomy plan to Clas B membership for approval. If an election is held, and a bod other than the Guild is designate as bargaining agency, the Guild wi not pursue its autonomy plan, no election is held, or if one is he" and the Guild is thereby authorize to continue as bargaining represei tative for extra players, it will pr sent to its membership a detailt plan for separation of Class B meri bership from parent group. The autonomy plan will have as i objective a maximum amount of i dependence for extra players. Th objective will be achieved through self-governing union in which extr, will elect their own officers, hi their own administrative staff, co trol their own finances, and act their own collective bargaining re resentatives." Form Producing Company West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAL Hollywood — Pat O'Brien and PI Ryan have formed an independe producing organization and expect start production about Nov. 15. major release for pictures has be assured with final details be^ worked out.