The Film Daily (1944)

12 l3i^ Wednesday, May 10, 1944 DAILY ■Cr ^ REVI6UJS OF TH€ MW flimS i^ i^ "Three Men in White" with Lionel Barrymore, Van Johnson, Marilyn Maxwell M-G-M 85 Mins. LATEST OF THE GILLESPIE PICTURES IS GOOD ENTERTAINMENT; LIGHT SIDE OF STORY STRESSED. The friendly rivalry between two young doctors for the privilege of being Dr. Gillespie's assistant is continued with such a show of amiability in the latest of the series that audiences will find it well-nigh impossible not to be favorably impressed with the doings in "Three Men in White." The film leans more heavily to the lighter side than have the others in the series, with the result that there are far more laughs than drama in the production. Lionel Barrymore, the grumpy but delightful Dr. Gillespie, is hard put to it trying to choose between his two bright young medicos, Van Johnson and Keye Luke. In the hope of solving his problem he gives each of the lads a medical nut to crack. For his test Johnson selects the mother of Ava Gardner, a baffling arthritis case, while Luke attempts to diagnose the case of a child suffering from a diet deficiency. Each of Dr. Gillespie's proteges solves his case with equal competence. However, Johnson is left with a clear field when Luke is appointed a lieutenant in the Chinese medical corps upon the recommendation of Dr. Gillespie, under whom the Chinese doctor will do research workMost of the human interest derives from the restricted life of Miss Gardner is forced to live as her ailing mother's attendant. By making it possible for her mother to walk again Johnson frees her to find happiness with the man she loves. The needs of romance are well served by Marilyn Maxwell, glamorous heiress who does everything possible to get Johnson to marry her. Considerable amusement is provided by Johnson's struggle between surrender and resistance to the girl's wiles. Martin Berkeley and Harry Ruskin did the screenplay, which was directed nicely by Willis Goldbeck. Barrymore is robust as usual in his acting of the Gillespie role. Johnson and Luke perform entertainingly as the young rivals. The Misses Maxwell and Gardner supply plenty of eye appeal. "Rags" Ragland subs for Nat Pendleton as the ambulance driver. CAST: Lionel Barrymore, Van Johnson, Marilyn Maxwell, Keye Luke, Ava Gardner, Alma Kruger, "Rags" Ragland, Nell Craig, Walter Kingsford, George H. Reed, Patricia Barker, Addison Richards, Violet Wilson. CREDITS: Director, Willis Goldbeck; Screenplay, Martin Berkeley, Harry Ruskin; Based on characters created by Max Brand; Cameraman, Ray June; Musical Score, Nathaniel Shilkret; Recording Director, Douglas Shearer; Art Directors, Cedric Gibbons, Harry McAfee; Set Decorators, Edwin B. Willis, Helen Conway; Film Editor, George Hively. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Son of Ralph Ripps Missing in Air Fight Lt. Robert Ripps, son of Ralph Ripps, booker at the M-G-M exchange in Albany, has been reported by the War Department as missing in action over Germany. "This Is the Life" with Donald O'Connor, Susanna Foster Universal 87 Mins. MUSICAL ROMANCE CONTAINING WIDE VARIETY OF ENTERTAINMENT IS TOP O'CONNOR PIC; FOSTER GAL BIG HIT. Although the young star is curbed somewhat and not allowed completely to dominate the proceedings, "This Is the Life" is easily the best of the Donald O'Connor films. Greater attention to production details, a more appealing story, finer musical content and last, but definitely not least, the presence of Susanna Foster, who is paired delightfully with O'Connor in this charming musical romance, which is warm, human entertainment of universal appeal. The music has been selected with an eye to pleasing both the jive addicts and the lovers of finer music. From "Angela Is 22," the Sinclair LewisFay Wray play, Wanda Tuchock has extracted a screenplay that presents a romantic triangle involving O'Connor, Miss Foster and Patric Knowles. O'Connor, in love with Miss Foster, finds strong competition in Knowles, a distinguished Army surgeon of middle age on whom the girl has a youthful crush. The action revolves around the boy's efforts to cure the girl of her infatuation for the older man. This he does by engineering a reconciliation between Knowles and his divorced wife, Louise Allbritton. Finally Miss Foster realizes she is in love with O'Connor, her reunion with him taking place during an Army show in which the boy, now in service, is a participant Whether clowning, singing or dancing O'Connor never ceases to be a whopping attraction. Almost as important as he to the success of this film is Miss Foster, who displays her lovely lyric soprano in a variety }f musical numbers, including "L'amour, Toujours l'amour" of Rudolf FrimI and Catherine Chisholm Cushing, the Rodgers-Hart "With a Song in My Heart," Georges Bizet's "Open Thy Heart" and the famous "Ciribiribin," all solos, and "It's the Girl," a Buddy PepperInez James tune which she sings with 0' Connor. The film contains a number of other tunes, among them Walter Donaldson's "Sundown." Knowles and Miss Allbritton are a great help to the two young stars in putting over the film. Also a definite asset is the clowning of Peggy Ryan, who makes a play for O'Connor. Bernard Burton has functioned commendably as associate producer, while Felix Feist has directed uncommonly well. CAST: Donald O'Connor, Susanna Foster, Patric Knowles, Louise Allbritton, Dorothy Peterson, Peggy Ryan, Jonathan Hale, Frank Puglia, Eddie Quillan, Maurice Marsac, Otto Hoffman, Frank Jenks, Ray Eberle, Virginia Brissac, Bobby Brooks Quartette. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Bernard Burton; Director, Felix Feist; Screenplay, Wanda Tuchock; Based on play by Sinclair Lewis, Fay Wray; Cameraman, Hal Mohr; Musical Director, Charles Previn; Supervising Art Director, John Goodman; Associate Art Director, Harold McArthur; Sound Supervisor, Bernard B. Brown; Film Editor, Ray Snyder; Songs, Rudolf FrimI, Catherine Chisholm Cushing, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Georges Bizet, A. Pestalozza, Buddy Pepper, Inez James, Walter Donaldson, "Man From Frisco" with Michael O'Shea, Anne Shirley Republic 91 Mins. STORY OF SHIPBUILDING WIZARD PROVIDES STRONG DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT FOR DUALS. In making "Man From Frisco" Republic obviously was inspired by the career of Henry J. Kaiser, shipbuilder extraordinary. The resemblance between Kaiser and the central character in the film is more than coincidental. In this perhaps lies the film's chief claim to attention and best money-making possibilities. The film sticks rather closely to formula in telling its story of a construction wizard (Michael O'Shea) who turns his genius to the building of prefabricated ships for war use. His revolutionary methods gain him the animosity of everyone, including the shipyard superintendent's daughter (Anne Shirley). The only exception is Miss Shirley's brother (Tommy Bond), who has a lot to do with turning the tide in our hero's favor. When Bond is .killed during the construction of a ship, O'Shea is unjustly held responsible, but subsequently he is absolved. He winds up fully vindicated and with Miss Shirley not only on his side but in his arms. Considerable vigor has been brought to the film's production by Associate Producer Albert J. Cohen. The story has been interestingly told with the elements of excitement generously drawn upon to enhance the box office prospects of the picture. From a story by George Worthing Yates and George Carlton Brown has been concocted a dramatic and vivid screenplay by Ethel Hill and Arnold Manoff which was directed with a good deal of. punch by Robert Florey. O'Shea plays the leading role with forcefulness, although it is sometimes hard to imagine him as the master builder of ships. Anne Shirley plays the romantic foil nicely. Others who deserve a nod are Gene Lockhart as Miss Shirley's father, Dan Duryea as the guy from whom our hero wins the girl, and young Bond. Ray Walker and Stephanie Bachelor are others in good roles. CAST: Michael O'Shea, Anne Shirley, Gene Lockhart, Dan Duryea, Stephanie Bachelor, Ray Walker, Tommy Bond, Robert Warwick, Olin Howlin, Ann Shoemaker, Russell Simpson, Stanley Andrews, Forbes Murray, Erville Alderson, Michael Barnitz. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Albert JCohen; Director, Robert Florey; Screenplay, Ethel Hill, Arnold Manoff; Based on story by George Worthing Yates, George Carlton Brown; Cameraman, Jack Marta; Musical Score, Marlin Skiles; Film Editor, Ernest Nims; Sound, Earl Crain, Sr., Howard Wilson; Art Director, Russell Kimball; Set Decorator, Otto Siegel. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Clark Back With Hiway Philadelphia — William Clark has resigned as regional director of the division of motor transportation, ODT. He returns to Hiway Express Lines as secretary-treasurer. Jack Lawrence, Arthur Altman, Sidney Miller, Grace Shannon, Bill Crago. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "One Inch From Victory" Scoop Productions 67 Mini. STIRRING DOCUMENTARY OF U.S.S.R.'S RISE AND MILITARY REBOUND FROM NAZI INVASION Super-charged with action unparalleled in history, — the Nazi campaign against Russii which the world watched with sickening dread lest freedom fall with the defeat of the Soviet arms — , this documentary, excellenttly narrated by Quentin Reynolds, famed war correspondent, is eye-opening material. It gives, as a preliminary, the emergence of the USSR as a military power, and delineates the evolution of the German war machine, particularly under Hitler and his war lords. Then follow sequences of the sudden Nazi invasion, notwithstanding the then-extant non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union, and the overrunning of the western lands of the latter as city after city falls, — among them Kharkov, Stalingrad, Sevastopol and Voronezh, at each of which enormous battles were fought. This feature-length attraction is not a compilation of footage of Russian origin. On the contrary most of the material Is culled from captured Nazi films used by them as propaganda at home, in occupied France, and even in South America. Consequently is disclosed the terrific pounding to which the Soviet armies were subjected. That they did survive is one of the impressive things to any onlooker. Before reaching the Grozny oil fields, the German hordes were turned back. At Stalingrad they met decisive defeat, held by many military experts to be the war's turning-point. Reynold's narration is authoritative and excellent. Included in the gallant Russian saga are shots of the Teheran conference; U' S. lend-lease supplies; Hull's visit to the Kremlin; Stalin reviewing the Red Army; Lenin's funeral, etc. The terrible aspect of the picture is contemplation of how close the Nazis came to victory in Russia. The thrilling thing is how the people of the USSR bounded back from apparent defeat to overwhelm their would-be conquerors. Noel Meadow was in charge of production, and Maurice Levy the supervisor. "One Inch From Victory" is presented by Robert Velaise, and footage compiled by Pathe. Gruenberg, RKO District Manager, Joining Navy Len Gruenberg, RKO's Rocky Mountain district manager, has been , commissioned a lieutenant, junior * grade, in the Navy and reports June 15 at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He is said to be the highest sales executive to be called into the service. NBC to Produce Shows For Tele on Long Island NBC was reported yesterday to have acquired a sizable structure on Long Island as a center for post war television production of stage shows and operettas. It was under stood that a formal announcement would be made shortly.