The Film Daily (1943)

nday, November 22, 1943 M DAILY r REVIEWS Of THE IIEUJ flLfllS* 'Madame Curie" ith Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon M 124 Mins. .UTIFULLY ACTED AND PRODUCED I^PHICAL PIC IS A SWELL BOX ■j. PROPERTY. story of Marie Curie of radium fame een brought to the screen in a brilproduced, richly documented and gently conceived film that possesses jse qualities that stir a lively public ise. Solid grosses should be the rule iver the production is exhibited. The is unlimited in its appeal, being led with all the human elements that lie essence of first-rate dramatic en-iment. I film, based on Eve Curie's biograf her mother, is a record of self-detenacity, courage and faith that bears ; today. Nothing less than tremendous ation will be derived by audiences as witness the work of Madame Curie and usband, Pierre, in behalf of science ■umanity. Here indeed is a moving I of the discovery of radium by MaCurie with the assistance of her hus : story of the meeting of Marie and i , their marriage, their collaboration led to the discovery of radium and leath of the partner without whose ' the woman might never have been to make her great contribution to >:e, has been told with warmth, rever a fine sense of dramatic values and without a touch of humor here and The production is rich in detail, the scientific sequences bearing an f authenticity. ;er Garson brings Madame Curie ifully to life. She makes the characlow with womanliness. Her portrayal is one of her finest achievements. ;r Pidgeon lends dignity to the role rre Curie. Except for a certain stiffthere is little fault to be found with erformance. Henry Travers and Dame Whitty play Pierre's parents superbly, former supplies many rich moments of r. Other smaller roles are vividly ed by Albert Basserman. Robert er, C. Aubrey Smith, Victor Francen, aid Owen and little Margaret O'Brien, last-named enacts Eve Curie in child Iney Franklin has discharged the duties roducer with distinction. The di in of Mervyn LeRoy is distinguished. Osborn and Paul H. Rameau have d the Eve Curie book into a screen " of high merit. The photography of Rh Ruttenberg, the musical score of ert Stothart and the art direction of jc Gibbons contribute heavily to the ess of "Madame Curie." Gibbons and issociate, Paul Groesse, deserve much e credit for the fine atmospheric treataccorded the film. »ST: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, y Travers, Albert Basserman, Robert er, C. Aubrey Smith, Dame May ity, Victor Francen, Elsa Basserman, aald Owen, Van Johnson, Margaret en. EDITS: Producer, Sidney Franklin; Dik Mervyn LeRoy; Screenplay, Paul rn, Paul H. Rameau; Based on book Eve Curie; Narrator, James Hilton; 3raman, Joseph Ruttenberg; Musical t, Herbert Stothart; Recording Direc "Jive Junction" with Dickie Moore and Tina Thayer (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) PRC 62 Mins. ARRAY OF YOUNG TALENT COMES THROUGH WITH PLEASING PIC: GERRA YOUNG CLICKS. Here is a pleasant offering produced for PRC by Leon Fromkess. It introduces 15-year-old Gerra Young, a singing discovery, who scores with her rendition of the Bell Song from "Lakme." Edgar G. Ulmer has turned in a good job of directing. Lew Porter and Leo Erdody fashioned seven songs, with "Mother Earth" and "A Little Music Shop" among the most pleasing. Malvin Wald and Walter Doniger wrote the original story and Wald, Doniger and Irving Wallace the screenplay. Dickie Moore does nice work as the leader of a high-school band, while Tina Thayer, Caral Ashley, Johnny Michaels and Frederick Feher are among the principals. Dickie and his fellow high-school students establish a junior canteen for the entertainment of servicemen. Dickie and his band participate in a national contest for high-school bands. Suspense develops, when the boys find they cannot use their regular instruments because they are locked up in a building padlocked by the sheriff. At the last moment, Dickie and the boys induce Conductor Feher to use his band's equipment, and they go on to win the contest. Ira Morgan has handled his camera well, while Don Gallaher is to be credited for guiding a jitterbug sequence. CAST: Dickie Moore, Tina Thayer, Gerra Young, Johnny Michaels, Jack Wagner, Jan Wiley, Beverly Boyd, Bill Halligan, Johnny Duncan, Johnny Clark, Frederick Feher, Caral Ashley, Odessa Laurin, Bob McKenzie. CREDITS: Producer, Leon Fromkess, Director, Edgar G. Ulmer; Authors, Malvin Wald, Walter Doniger; Screenplay, Irving Wallace, Walter Doniger, Malvin Wald; Cameraman, Ira Morgan; Art Director, Frank Sylos; Dance Director, Don Gallaher; Editor, Robert Crandall. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Dreiiuss Leaves Mono. For New Columbia Deal West Coast Bureau, of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Arthur Dreifuss will leave Monogram after one year's association as a director to join Columbia to make "Beauty For Sale," which will be a Darmour, Inc., production. Dreifuss has written the original story with McElbert Moore and the team is now writing the screenplay. Dreifuss. was with Columbia in 1938 and his new deal covers both writing and directing. His last picture for Monogram was "The Sultan's Daughter" produced by Phil Krasne and James Burkett. tor, Douglas Shearer; Art Director, Cedric Gibbons; Set Decorator, Edwin B. Willis; Special Effects, Warren Newcombe; Film Editor, Harold F. Kress. DIRECTION, Fine. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. "Son of Dracula" with Lon Chaney, Robert Paige, Louise Allbritton Universal 78 Mins. EERIE PICTURE ON VAMPIRE THEME OFFERS PLENTY OF RED MEAT FOR LOVERS OF HORROR PIX. All the ingredients on which horror gourmets sharpen their cinematic appetite are contained in "Son of Dracula." Eeriness, mystery and suspense abound in this chiller, which was produced by Ford Beebe with a keen eye to the requirements of shocker fans. The heir to the Dracula mantle is a most fearsome creation. He will give the lovers of this type of entertainment a scare such as they have not enjoyed in a long while. Only a true devotee of horror will delight in the sight of vampires doing their stuff. Others will be repulsed. Dracula s descendant (Lon Chaney) launches his reign of terror when he arrives at a Southern plantation to exercise his spell on Louise Allbritton, a fanatic on occultism. Miss Allbritton breaks her engagement to Robert Paige to become the wife of Chaney. Paige kills Miss Allbritton when in a fit of rage he shoots at Chaney only to have the bullets pass through him and hit the girl. Chaney makes the dead girl a vampire like himself. Later the girl returns in human form and pleads with Paige to share her immorality. His love for the girl makes him receptive to the idea, but when he realizes what a menace vampires like Chaney and Miss Allbritton are to humanity he changes his mind and destroys both of them. How he brings about their destruction is depicted excitingly and effectively. The acting in general befits a tale of this sort. While Paige, Chaney, Miss Allbritton and Evelyn Ankers discharge their duties well, it is Frank Craven and J. Edward Bromberg who contribute the best acting in the film. Robert Siodmak directed the picture tensely. Eric Taylor did the screenplay from a story by Curtis Siodmak. The photography of George Robinson and the art direction of John Goodman do much to establish the eerie mood of the film. CAST: Robert Paige, Louise Allbritton, Lon Chaney, Evelyn Ankers, Frank Craven, J. Edward Bromberg, Samuel S. Hinds, Adeline Reynolds. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Ford Beebe; Director, Robert Siodmak; Screenplay, Eric Taylor; Based on story by Curtis Siodmak; Cameraman, George Robinson; Art Director, John Goodman; Film Editor, Saul Goodkind; Sound, Bernard B. Brown. DIRECTION, All Right. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. RKO Radio Will Show Five Films on Dec. 6-9 RKO has scheduled five films for trade screenings Dec. 6-9, Ned E. Depinet announced Friday. Titles are "Higher and Higher," "Around the World," "The Ghost Ship," "Tarzan's Desert Mystery" and "Rookies in Burma." New York dates and times will be: "Higrher and Higrher," Dec. 8, 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; "Around the World," tomorrow, 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; "The Ghost Ship," Dec. 6, 2:30 p.m.; "Tarzan's Desert Mystery," Dec. 7, 11:00 a.m. and "Rookies in Burma," Dec. 7, 2:30 p.m. HERE S YOUR AUDIENCE ON FILM! — the War workers! — the men and women behind the men behind the gun! — their lives, their work, their days in these exciting war days! -THEIR STORY ON YOUR SCREEN! THE LABOR FRONT Latest precision -timed hit in UNITED ARTISTS remarkable series of 2-reelers KbAM'MtfJ&A y. JKORLL \ fy™