The Film Daily (1943)

10 THE^o MP111-* DAILY Tuesday, June 1, 194 a Ik R6VICUJS Of TH€ D€UJ AMIS -V A "Carson City Cyclone" with Don "Red" Barry Republic 55 Mins. WESTERN MELODRAMA IN WHICH ACTION PREDOMINATES SHOULD GET BY IN THE SMALLER PLACES. This is a fair example of western melodrama which should provide passable entertainment for double bills in the smaller spots. Among the picture's main assets are swift direction by Howard Bretherton and a serviceable script by Norman S. Hall in which the elements of action and suspense are stressed. Don "Red" Barry plays the leading role, that of a talented young lawyer who wastes himself in the defense of criminals. His attitude toward his profession is heartily disapproved by his father (Noah Beery), a judge of the highest principles. To Beery falls the unpleasant duty of having to disbar Barry for bribing a juror. Matters take a tragic turn when Beery is murdered in an attempt to rob the safe of the bank of which he is the president. The murderers, connected with a gang of bank robbers terrorizing the community, take advantage of the strained relations between father anl son to pin the blame for the crime on the latter. Barry takes it on the lam. While he is hiding from the law he obtains information that makes it possible for him to bring about the arrest of his father's killers and to break up the gang. Barry restores himself in the good graces of the community and takes the place on the bench once held by his pop. Barry gives a vigorous performance in the star role. Lynn Merrick is decorative as his father's secretary who helps him get the villains. Beery gives his customary heavy performance as the judge. Other players in key roles are Bryant Washburn, Stuart Hamblen, Roy Barcroft, Emmett Lynn. Eddy White is listed as associate producer. CAST: Don "Red" Barry, Lynn Merrick, Noah Beery, Bryant Washburn, Emmett Lynn, Stuart Hamblen, Roy Barcroft, Bud Osborne, Jack Kirk, Bud Geary, Curley Dresden. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Eddy White; Director, Howard Bretherton; Screenplay, Norman S. Hall; Cameraman, William Bradford; Film Editor, Edward Schroeder; Art Director, Russell Kimball; Musical Score, Mort Glickman. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, Okay. Simms Joins Outcry Against WB "Moscow" William Philip Simms, Washington columnist for the Scripps-Howand papers, stepped into the "Mission to Moscow" controversy Friday when he wrote that "there can be little doubt that, if all concerned were not in the middle of a life-ordeath struggle against the same ruthless foe," the pic "would be the object of diplomatic representations" in Washington. Simms charged that "the film sits none too well with the British, French, Poles and others whose under-the-surface relations with Russia it hardly will improve. "All By Myself" with Rosemary Lane, Evelyn Ankers, Patric Knowles Universal 61 Mins. FARCE COMEDY IS ACCEPTABLE LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT FOR AUDIENCES THAT ARE NOT TOO PARTICULAR. Some half dozen night club sequences of a certain pretention have to be resorted to in "All by Myself" to bolster the entertainment value of the film, at bottom a mild affair burdened by an extremely familiar plot. The picture's best chances lie in the small neighborhood houses where tastes are less fastidious. The film has been given a good production, which helps materially to take the mind away from some of its faults. The night club scenes are a godsend in that they offer Rosemary Lane, one of the principal players, an opportunity to put over a number of songs in surprisingly good fashion. "All by Myself" is a farce comedy executed in tongue-in-cheek manner by a cast that never takes its work too seriously. Evelyn Ankers is an advertising woman in love with her boss (Neil Hamilton), who in turn is in love with Miss Lane, nightclub singer. In the hope of arousing Hamilton's jealousy and winning him away from her rival Miss Ankers induces Patric Knowles, 3 doctor, to pose as her fiance. Knowles, who is an unwilling party to the little game, plays a dirty trick on Miss Ankers by announcing they are married. This complicates a complicated situation further, as does the marriage of Hamilton and Miss Lane. The latter, suspecting Hamilton of still being nterested in Miss Ankers, seeks a divorce but is prevailed upon to change her mind. As far as Miss Ankers and Knowles are concerned, the expected happens: they discover they love each other. Miss Ankers gives the film considerable eye appeal, besides handling her role nicely. Miss Lane is at her best when she is singing. Knowles and Hamilton fill their roles adequately. The only other important olayers are Grant Mitchell and Louise Beavers. Felix Feist supplied lively direction for the screenplay of Hugh Wedlock, Jr., and Howard Snyder, which is based on a story by Dorothy Bennett and Linde Hannah. Bernard W. Burton functioned as associate producer. CAST: Rosemary Lane, Evelyn Ankers, Patric Knowles. Neil Hamilton, Grant Mitchell, Louise Beavers, Tip, Tap and Toe, Loumell Morgan Trio. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Bernard W. Burton; Director, Felix Feist: ScreenMay, Hugh Wedlock, Jr., Howard Snyder; Based on story by Dorothy Bennett. Linde Hannah: Cameraman, Paul Ivano; Art Director, John Goodman; Film Editor, Charles Mavnard. DIRECTION, All Right. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "Pledge to Bataccn" In 35 mm.? "Pledge to Bataan," 16 mm. fea+urp shot in the Philippines bv Dave Griffin, may be blown ut> to 35 mm, it wps disclosed on Friday by Adventure Films, which holds the world distribution rights. The picture had its world premiere at the Eastman Theater in Rochester on Friday. "The Ghost Rider" with Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton Monogram 58 Mins. GOINGS-ON IN THIS FILM WILL DELIGHT LOVERS OF WESTERNS; HATTON LENDS FINE SUPPORT. This newest Johnny Mack Brown western should make his followers happy. The saddle star has been provided with another bang-up yarn that permits him to play the hero to the hilt. He indulges in enough riding, shooting and fisticuffing to please the most avid western devotee. Wallace Fox's direction of the Jesse Bowers screenplay holds the story to an exciting pace. Brown is a mysterious hombre who appears in a community run by a gang of land thieves. He is determined to revenge the murder of his parents by a member of the gang many years before. Also working to break up the gang is Raymond Hatton, a United States marshal. To get his evidence Hatton joins the gang under the guise of a crooked law enforcement officer. Hatton and Brown work entirely apart from each other, although both are headed for the same goal, and neither is aware of the other's identity, at least not until toward the end of the film when the villains are on the run. Before he discovers who Brown is Hatton is forced to take him into custody for bumping off several members of the gang, but our hero is released when the truth is known. The cast gives fine account of itself. Brown is given strong support by Hatton. The latter provides comedy superior to that ordinarily met with in western films. Among the others are such western players as Tom Seidel, Beverly Boyd, Milburn Moranti, Harry Woods, Edmond Cobb, Charles King, all of whom fill their roles nicely. Scott R. Dunlap did his duty well as producer. CAST: Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton, Tom Seidel, Beverly Boyd, Milburn Moranti, Harry Woods, Edmond Cobb, Charles King, Bud Osborne, Artie Ortego, George DeNormand, Jack Daley. CREDITS: Producer, Scott R. Dunlap; Director, Wallace Fox; Screenplay, Jesse Bowers; Art Director, Ernie Hickson; Cameraman, Harry Neumann; Editor, Carl Pierson. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. * SHORTS * "Casablanca" Sets WB Record as Repeater All-time record for return engagements of Warners films has been set by "Casablanca," with more than 3,700 repeat dates already chalked up although the picture has been in release only four months, the company's statistical department discloses. Typical of the return records being made by "Casablanca" is the situation in Hartford, Conn., where the pic played an original two weeks at the Strand, then four weeks at the Regal, both first-runs, after which it made the rounds of the subsequents, and now has been brought back for a seventh week at the first-run Regal. "Shepherd of the Roundhouse" Universal 9 mins Prayer meeting at a North Carjj lina car shop provide the most in; teresting footage. Among the othe subjects in the short are an old coai mine, a tame bear which serves a a prison pet, experiments with dat fruit and an artist who works o steel. "Golf Limited" (Sportscope) RKO 8 Mins Okay How golf has been affected by th war is shown here. The scene is th links at Pinehurst. Seen in actio are such golf experts as Johnny Fai rell, Bobby Cruickshank, Les Ker i nedy, Glenna Collette Vare, Genj Sarazen and Joe Kirkwood. The pull some fancy stuff. Golf fans wi go for this in a big way. "Rover's Rangers" (Sports Parade) Warner 10 mini Fine The training of dogs for war a well as for home-front duties make an A-l Technicolor subject of wid appeal. The short is sure-fire whei dog lovers are concerned. Show are various purposes to which man canine friends lend themselves. Auc iences will be surprised at what dog can be taught to do to promot his usefulness to man. The shoi packs tremendous interest. The e> hibitoi' would be doggone smart i booking it. "Weapons for Victory" (America Speaks) 20th-Fox 9 min All Right Here is a quick review of wlu America is doing to _supply tl weapons of war. What the camei reveals is encouraging indeed. Tl spirits cannot help but be lifted t the view of American supplies beir poured out to fill lend-lease commi ments. The film leaves no doul that America is the arsenal of demo racy to which the rest of the wor is looking. Lowell Thomas does tl. spieling. Russ Shields has done good editing job. "Swing Your Partner" Universal 7 mm' So-So The characters are a homing pi eon and a nag. The pigeon dra; the horse out of bed so he may driven to a barn dance with his g friend. He treats the equine badly that the latter turns upon hii The short, which is in Technicolc winds up with the pigeon haulii the buggy home, with the horse the driver's seat.