The Film Daily (1945)

&% Monday, December 3, 1945 DAILY # flLfn DAILY REVIEWS Of IIEUI PICTURES & "Vacation From Marriage" with Robert Donat, Deborah Kerr M-G-M HI Mins. STRONG ROMANTIC FLAVOR OF BRITISH-MADE FILM WITH WAR BACKGROUND WILL WORK TO ITS BENEFIT. "Vacation From Marriage" associates Sir Alexander Korda's name with a film produced perhaps far better than the story deserves. However, there is a sharp "Frontier Gal" "A Letter for Evie" with Yvonne De Carlo, Rod Cameron Universal 84 Mins. ROMANTIC WESTERN WITH INCIDENTAL MUSIC SHOULD DRAW BIG; DE CARLO, CAMERON TEAMED WELL. Within a western framework, "Frontier Gal" spins a romantic tale embellished with incidental music. The picture is an ideal showcase for Yvonne De Carlo since it makes available to the new Universal star every chance to show off her talents and physical properties. Let it be said to the mantic flavor and Robert Donat and Deborah fence by Wi|||am H Wright. A story called ga|'s crec)jt that she makes the most of Kerr, two screen dependables, do wonders „The Adventure 0f a Reacjy Letter Writer," every cnance in this lusty account of love authored by Blanche Brace, has provided an(j violence in the West of the 1890's. In De Vallon Scott an Alan Friedman with j tne currenr exhibit Miss De Carlo is a far the basis for a screenplay rich in laugh more competent performer than she was in provoking incidents. I her first film for Universal, "Salome, Where The key roles are in the hands of Marsha She Danced." The picture, which never wants for ex with Marsha Hunt, John Carroll, Hume Cronyn M-G-M 89 Mins. MOST AUDIENCES WILL DERIVE PLENTY OF FUN FROM INCIDENTS IN ROMANTIC COMEDY. "A Letter for Evie" brings to the screen a romantic comedy that is certain to click with the majority cf entertainment-seekers. The show is lively fun directed sagely by Jules Dassin and produced with compe it \ with the material they have been given to work with. Their acting, not to mention that of the rest of the players, is the film's chief virtue. Donat is a mouse of a clerk; Miss Kerr, his wife, an unattractive drudge. Their's is a dull, routine existence. To them the war is a blessing in disguise. It makes possible a vacation from marriage when he is called for naval duty and she j:ins the Wrens. Their war experiences enable them to acquire a new point of view on life, each finding brief romance with someone else. There is talk of a divorce, but all that is changed when they see each other after several years' absence. They have gained new personalities and each takes a new interest in the other. After a lot of expected ccmplications they try love all over again. CAST: Robert Donat, Deborah Kerr, Clynis Johns, Ann Todd, Roland Culver, Elliot Mason, Eliot Makeham, Brefni O'Rorke, Ivor Barnard, Henry Longhurst, Billy Shine, Billy Thatcher, Brian Weske, Rosamund Taylor, Harry Ross, Edward Rigby, Muriel Ceorge, Vincent Ho'man, Allan Jeayes, Leslie Dwyer, Caven Watson, Jeanne Carre, Mol'.y Munks. CREDITS: Producer, S'r Alexander Korda; Director, Sir Alexander Korda; Screenplay, Clemence Dane, Anthony Pelissier; Cameraman, Georges Perinal ; Art Director, Vincent Korda; Special Effects, Percy Day; Film Editor, E. B. Jarvis; Sound Director, A. W. Watkins; Musical Score, Clifton Parker. DIRECTION, Cood. PHOTOCRAPHY, Cood. Newspaper Space Slashed, Theaters Turn to Radio Springfield, Mass. — With Springfield's four newspapers slashing advertising space as the result of WPB orders to make up an alleged deficit of 265 tons of newsprint, theater managers here have turned to radio for their chief medium or relaying advertising to patrons. The action against the newspapers — the Daily News, Republican, Morning Union and Evening Union, all owned by Sherman H. Bowles — came after WPB officials ruled all four newspapers were editions of the same newspaper, not four separate sheets as claimed by the publisher. Ordered to make up the heavy tonnage in excess of its normal quota, before Dec. 31, Bowles slashed the sizes of all four papers, threw out the major portion of national display ads, and cut theater ads, already chopped because of the newsprint shortage, down to 20 inches. It is expected the situation will be cleared up by Jan. 1 — sooner, if WPB should fold up. Seattle Printers Strike Sees Exhibs. Use Radio Seattle — This city's newspaper shut-down, which began when mem Hunt, Jchn Carroll and Hume Cronyn. Carroll, a brash wolf, and Cronyn, his very opposite and hardly the he-man type, are Army buddies; Miss Hunt, a New York shirt-company secretary yearning for a man what is a man. The comedy ball starts rolling when Miss Hunt encloses a mash note in a shirt army-bound. Carroll draws the shirt, but Crcnyn appropriates the letter j and starts a romance with Miss Hunt via mail. In New York on the way overseas, Cronyn advances the romance by calling on Miss Hunt and pretending he is Carroll. When Carroll discovers the truth, he immediately takes over and strives to freeze out his buddy. The rivalry between the two gets hot and furious. Finally Cronyn has no choice but to divulge the truth to Miss Hunt, who winds up realizing that it is he whom she really loves. The situation is one that leads to no end of complications, every one of them loaded with humor. The acting captures the spirit of the story, with Cronyn possibly getting the better of it. CAST: Marsha Hunt, John Carroll, Hume Cronyn, Spring Byington, Pamela Britton, Norman Lloyd, Percival Vivian, Donald Curtis, Esther Howard, Robin Raymond, Therese Lyon, Lynn Whitney. CREDITS: Producer, William H. Wright; Director, Jules Dass'n; Screenplay, De Vallon Scott, Alan Friedman; Based on story by Blanche Brace; Cameraman, Karl Freund; Film Editor, Chester W. Schaeffer; Musical Score, Ceorge Bassman; Sound, Douglas Shearer; Art Directors, Cedric Gibbons, Hubert Hobson; Set Decorator, Edwin B. W.llis. DIRECTION, Cood. PHOTOGRAPHY Cood. Close WB Chi. Parley Chicago — A series of group conferences dealing with regional matters on Friday wound up the threeday meeting of Wai-ners' district managers and home office executives conducted by Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager, at the Blackstone Hotel. Topics were chiefly routine, no serious problems being reported in the field at present. Home office executives will be back at their New York posts today. bers of the International Typographical Union, Local 202, walked out in a wage dispute with the publishers, has been felt at the box office of virutually every theater in the city. Major downtown theaters took to the air and by obtaining as much available time as possible succeeded in overcoming the sudden curtailment of publicity resulting from the strike. citement and action, has ingredients which will exercise a strong lure on men and women equally. All the tried-and-true situations cf the western school of film entertainment have been thrown into the script in an attempt appeal to as wide an audience as possible. No question that some of the tricks are woefully time-worn, but they still manage to get a rise from the customers, especially the unsophisticated. The prime come-on for the men is the presence of Miss De Carlo, who, with the help of Technicolor, shows herself to be quite a dish. By no means a negligible magnet are three gusty song numbers which draw upon the services of Miss De Carlo and Fuzzy Knight. Miss De Carlo is a fiery saloon operator who forces Rod Cameron, rancher, to make her his wife, snubbing Sheldon Leonard, whom Cameron is out to get for the murder of his partner. There's a lot of by-play, much of it amusing, before gal and man discover they're in love with each other. Michael Fessier and Ernest Pagano, who wrote the screenplay, produced the film supremely well in eye-arresting Technicolor. Charles Lamont's direction is rough-andtumble. Cameron gives a swell performance opposite Miss De Carlo. Andy Devine, Knight, Andrew Tombes and Leonard are among those who give good support. CAST: Yvonne De Carlo, Rod Cameron, Andy Devine, Fuzzy Knight, Andrew Tombes, Sheldon Leonard, Clara Blandick, Beverly Simmons, Frank Lackteen, Claire Carleton, Eddie Dunn, Harold Goodwin, Jack Overman, Jan Wiley, Rex Lease, Jack Ingram, George Eldredge, Joseph Haworth, Lloyd Ingraham, Joseph E. Bernard, Douglas Carter, Paul Bratti, Edward M. Howard, Joan Fulton, Jean Trent, Kerry Vaughn, Karen Randle. CREDITS: Executive Producer, Howard Benedict; Producers, Michael Fessier, Ernest Pagano; .Director, Charles Lamont; Screenplay, Michael Fessier, Ernest Pagano; Cameramen, George Robinson, Charles P. Boyle; Special Photography, John P. Fulton; Film Editor, Ray Snyder; Musical Director, Frank Skinner; Musical Score, Frank Skinner; Art Directors, John B. Goodman, Richard H. Riedel; Sound Director, Bernard B. Brown; Set Decorators, Russell A. Gausman, Oliver Emert; Songs, Jack Brooks, Edgar Fairchild. DIRECTION, Cood. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. "House of Dracula" with Lon Chaney, John Carradine, Martha O'Driscoll Universal 67 Mins WITH ITS GALAXY OF MONSTERS THIS ONE PROMISES A FEAST LOVERS OF HORROR FILMS. "House of Dracula" is a horror picture tc end horror pictures. The film brings together all the top characters in Universal'* prize horror exhibits — Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, the chap with the curse ol the werewolf, the scientist who tamper! with the laws of nature. All the prize stock situations so dear tc the creators cf shockers have been dumped into the footage to make a Roman holida. for those who have a taste for this sort ol entertainment. The scientist in this case (Onslov, Stevens) tries to use his powers to fix il so that Dracula (John Carradine) will nc longer be a vampire and Talbot ( Lon Chaney) will cease to turn into a werewoll when the moon is full. As a sideline he works at the job of bringing Frankenstein') monster back to life. He fails with Dracul; but succeeds with Talbot and the monster Success is imperative ip Talbot's case because the unhappy fellow is having a romance with the doctor's assistant (Marths O'Driscoll). The doc's triumph in the case of the monster is short-lived as the Frankenstein creation goes on a rampage in whicf his reviver meets his death. Erie C. Kenton's direction is ordinary while Paul Malvern, working under Executive Producer Joe Gershenson, has produced the film in a haphazard manner. CAST: Lon Chaney, John Carradine, Marthi O'Driscoll, Lionel Atwill, Jane Adams, Onslow Stevens, Ludwig Stossel, Clenn Strange, Skeltoi Knaggs, Joseph E. Bernard, Dick Dickson, Fret Cordova, Carey Harrison, Harry Lamont, Gregor) Muradian, Beatrice Cray. CREDITS: Executive Producer, Joe Gershenson Producer, Paul Malvern; Director, Erie C. Kenton; Screenplay, Edward T. Lowe; Cameraman. George Robinson; Film Editor, Russell Schoengarth; Musical Director, Edgar Fairchild; An Directors, John B. Goodman, Martin Obzina Sound Director, Bernard B. Brown; Set Decorators, Russell A. Gausman, Arthur D. Leddy Special Photography, John P. Fulton. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOCRAPHY, Okay. Goldrick Named to Head British Western Electric RCA Store Tele Program RCA Victor will present in the local Hotel McAlpin tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. a television program themed to the important intra-store role which tele will have in the advertising and merchandising activities of retail stores. Officials of the company will discuss "Status of Television Today" and other topics inherent to the audio-visual field. T. K. Stevenson, president of Western Electric Export Corp., over the week-end announced the appointment of Com. M. A. Goldrick, USNR, formerly regional manager for Northern Continental Europe, as mrnaging director of Western Electric Co., Ltd., London. H. L. Marsterson, director and comptroller, who has been deputizing for the managing director during the past five years will report to Goldrick. Goldrick entered the Navy in December 1941, and served in the early days on Guadalcanal and participated in the assaults on Kwajalein and Eniwetok Atolls with the first of, the now well-known Underwater Demolition Teams which cleared the beaches ahead of invading troops. He has been engaged in Western Elec-! trie's sound equipment business since 1927.