The Film Daily (1946)

10 k DAILY Monday, April 15, 19 * flLfll DBILV REVIEUJS Of HEjjj PICTURES tS She Wolf of London" "The Cat Creeps" "The Tiger Woman" "Joe Palooka, Champ with Don Porter, June Lockhart, Sara Haden Universal 61 Mins. ANOTHER WEREWOLF STORY TREATMENT FOR THE THRILL FANS; CAST AND DIRECTION INVITE INTEREST. This is another werewolf story for the thrill fans. This time the locale is London; and the ancient belief that some persons are capable of taking on a wolf's form with an appetite for human flesh is planted in the mind of young June Lockhart, who offers a commendable performance to overcome the weak screenplay. Both June and Don Porter, another screen newcomer, are worth special consideration for more important roles. Jean Yarbrough manages to stretch the film into feature footage with mild suspense and interest. Sara Haden commands the situations throughout as the scheming aunt who tries to prevent June from marrying Don in order that her own daughter, Jan Wiley, can retain the benefits of June's wealthy estate. Her plans to have June believe she has been unconsciously committing "wolfish" murders on the grounds near the estate almost gets the best of June's sanity. About to complete her fiendish plan for killing June, Haden is caught in the act by the cook and is a victim of her own hand when she accidentally falls on a huge knife in an attempt to get the cook first. CAST: Don Porter, June Lockhart, Sara Haden. Jan Wiley, Dennis Hoey, Lloyd C o r r i g a n , Sily Malyon, Martin Kosleck, Frederick Worlock. CREDITS: Producer, Ben Pivar; Director, ]ean Yarbrough; Screenplay, George Bricker; Original story, Dwight V. Babcock; Cameraman, Maury Certsman; Film Editor, Paul Landres; Musical Director, William Lava; Art Directors, |ack Otterson, Abraham Grossmarr Sound, Bernard B. Brown; Set Decorators, Russell A. Causman, Leigh Smith. DIRECTION. Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Film Classics Preparing Roach Arbitration Case Preparation of the arbitration proceedings instituted by Film Classics last June is nearing completion, Stillman & Stillman, attorneys, said Friday. In excess of $300,000 damages is to be claimed for alleged delay in delivering and for money collected by Hal Roach and said to belong to Film Classics. Attorneys also said that an appeal will be taken on John Knox's decision cancelling a distribution contract for Roach's "Topper." Met. Tele to Hirschmann Purchase of Metropolitan Television, Inc., from Bloomingdale Bros, and Abraham & Straus, is announced by Ira A. Hirschmann, former department store executive. Metropolitan operates FM station WABD and experimental television station W2XMT. Sale is subject to FCC approval. Services for Mrs. Lotto Funeral services were held yesterday in Indianapolis for Mrs. Lillie Latta, mother of C. J. Latta, zone manager for Warner Theaters in the Albany territory. Mrs. Latta died Friday morning at her home in Indianapolis. with Fred Brady, Lois Collier, Paul Kelly Universal 58 Mins. MURDER MYSTERY SPRUCED WITH GOOD CAST HANDICAPPED BY WEAK SCREENPLAY. Handicapped by a weak screenplay and Erie Kenton's direction, which deflates the thrill appeal by repetitious turning of door knobs, mysterious opening of doors, shadow effects of a figure or cat sounding the warning note for another murder on the editor's cue sheet, the film resorts to Fred Brady's affable performance and Noah Beery, Jr.'s comedy relief for interest. Built on the premise that a murdered person's spirit can be transferred to a cat who will avenge the crime by leading the authorities to the killer, this one assigns Brady, a reporter, and Beery, Jr., his photographer, to help clear a 15-year old suicide, now claimed as murder by the dead man's widow. The action takes place at an island retreat where $200,000 is supposed to have been buried by the dead man before he died. Jonathan Hale and Lois Collier, his daughter, engaged to Brady, as well as Paul Kelly, a private detective, Douglas Dumbrille and Rose Hobart, his secretary, are all involved. Several more murders are committed before Iris Clive, planted by Brady, makes a mysterious appearance and tells the legend of the cat. Douglas Dumbrille is snared by this fantastic device, in an attempt to kill the feline to ward off suspicion. CAST: Noah Beery, Jr., Fred Brady, Lois Collier, Paul Kelly, Douglas Dumbrille. Rose Hobart, Jonathan Hale, Vera Lewis, Iris Clive, William Davidson, Arthur Loft, Jerry Jerome. CREDITS: Producer. Howard Welsch; Associate Producer, Will Cowan; Director, Erie C. Kenton Original story, Gerald Geraghty; Screenplay, Jerry Warner and Edward Dein; Cameraman, George Robinson; Film Editor, Russell Schoengarth; Musical Director, Paul Sawtell; Art Direction, Jack Otterson, Abraham Grossman; Sound, Bernard Brown; Set Decorators, Russell A. Causman, T. F. Offenbecker. DIRECTION, Repetitious. PHOTOGRAPHY. Fair. Ottawa Issuing Licenses For Theater Construction (Continued from Page 1) council directing municipalities to withhold civic licenses for construction projects other than houses for wage earners and former soldiers. The Ottawa Board of Control took the stand that the order could not be enforced in its present form and anyway cities and towns had not been unanimous in imposing restrictions against theaters. This had meant theaters were going ahead in some places and not others with the result that building materials would be shipped elsewhere and the purpose of the Federal order was defeated. Similar non-oonpliance decision has been taken in other cities including Toronto where theater work stopped for approximately one week. 300 at Col. Hub Dinner Boston — More than 300 exhibs., circuit reps., civic officials and other notables were present at Columbia's Silver Jubilee dinner at the Statler. with Adele Mara, Kane Richmond Republic 57 Mins. MELODRAMA ABOUT A WOMAN OF EVIL PURPOSE IS STUFF FOR FANS WHO ARE READILY SATISFIED. An evil woman is on the loose in "The Tiger Woman." However, her activities are not too fearsome as they are recorded in the screenplay George Carle ton Brown whipped up from a radio play by John A. Dunkel. At least net to those who are not pushovers for this kind of thing. As the story shapes up on the screen it is entertainment f:r persons who accept melodrama with no questions asked. For such as these the production has its merits. With rudimentary suspense "The Tiger Woman" follows Adele Mara's pursuit of illicit love along a road that is tortuous and not too easy to stick to. The gal is in love with Richard Fraser, co-partner with her husband in the bistro where she entertains. When her husband kills himself she's in danger of losing $100,000 in insurance money since the guy's policy called for no pay-off in case of suicide. So she and her lover make it appear that hubby was murdered. To keep this fiction alive she is forced to do away with her lover when he's on the verge of squealing. Her downfall comes when she tries to eliminate Kane Richmond, a suspicous private dick hired to protect her mate from being harmed by a gangster. It should be added that the female fatale takes a romantic interest in the dick after the exit of the lover. The film has been produced acceptably enough by Dorrell and Stuart E. McGowan, while Philip Ford has directed it well enough. The performances don't add to the cc«viction of the story. CAST: Adele Mara, Kane Richmond, Richard Fraser, Peggy Stewart, Cy Kendall, Beverly Loyd, Gregory Cay, John Kelly, Addison Richards, Donla Bussey, Frank Reicher, Garry Owen. CREDITS: Associate Producers, Dorrell McGowan, Stuart E. McGowan; Director, Philip Ford; Screenplay, George Carleton Brown; Bated on radio play by John A. Dunkel; Cameraman, Ernest Miller; Film Editor, Fred Allen; Musical Director, Richard Cherwin; Sound, Victor Appel; Art Director, Frank Hotaling; Set Decorator, Otto Siegel; Special Effects, Howard and Theodore Lydecker. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, Okay. with Leon Errol, Joe Kirkwood and El Knox Monogram 70 Mi SMARTLY PRODUCED, WELL DIRECT AND ASTUTELY PLAYED THIS FIG! STORY BASED ON THE POPULAR CA TOON STRIP WINS THE DECISIC HANDS DOWN. With this offering, based on Ha(" er's famous comic strip, Hal E. (...*>< makes an auspicious debut as a produc He made an excellent move in casting J Kirkwood in the title role, and for expli tation purposes has used Joe Louis, Her Armstrong, Lou Nova, Jimmy McLarn Manuel Ortiz, Cefarino Garcia and othi well known to fight fans. Leon Errol is splendid as Knobby Wah Palooka's manager, while Elyse Knox su plies the romantic interest. Eddie Gribbc who has been in retirement, is brought ba to play one of the comedy roles. Sarah Pa den and Michael Mark play Mom and Pc with Sam McDaniel as Smoky. When Eduardo Ciannelli, a gangster ch'u brazenly takes his fighter, Lou Nova, En starts a search for a heavyweight who c beat Nova for the championship. He fin a likely contender in Kirkwood, a counl boy, and grooms him for the title boi Many obstacles develop, but Kirkwood fi aly meets Nova and knocks him out. Reginald LeBorg turned in a good job direction, while Hal E. Chester, the pr ducer, also wrote the original story. Geor Moskov functioned as associate producer. CAST: Leon Errol, Joe Kirkwood, Elyse Km Eduardo Ciannelli, Joe Sawyer, Elisha Cook, J Warren Hymer, Robert Kent, Sam McDani Sarah Padden, Dave "Tugwell" Willock, Li Nova, Eddie Gribbon, J. Farrell MacDonald. Ann Marlowe, John Kelly, Roger Daniel, S Hayes, Dick Fishell, Phil Van Zandt, Bel Blythe, Carol Hughes, Emmett Vogan, Can Donne, Michael Mark, Russ Vincent, Joe Lou Henry Armstrong, Ceferino Garcia, Manuel Ort |immy McLarnin, Jack Roper. CREDITS: Producer, Hal E. Chester; Associa Producer, George Moskov; Director, Reginald Borg; Based on the comic strip by Ham Fish Author, Hal E. Chester; Screenplay, Cyril En field and Albert de Pina; Cameraman Benj mine Kline; Art Director, Edward C. Jewe Editor, Bernard W. 'Burton. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Billy Rose Calls Meeting Of United Jewish Appeal Billy Rose, chairman of the amusement division of the United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York, has called a luncheon meeting of the division's executive committee to be held at the Hotel Astor today. A program will be mapped out for the intensive participation of the men and women in the amusement field as part of the Appeal's 1946 campaign for $35,000,000 from this city in support of the overseas relief for Jewish survivors. "Bedlam" Tradeshow April 18 There will be a New York tradeshowing of "Bedlam," starring Boris Karloff, at the RKO Radio projection room, 630 Ninth Ave., on Thursday, at 2:30 p.m. NEW POSTS DAVE BRADFORD, Parkway Theater staff, Miar Fla. FREDERICK J. MEYER, associate product! manager, Donohue & Coe, New York. ED LOVETT, assistant manager, United Artfc Theater, Chicago. LEONARD BREEN, Marbor Theater, Chicago. CHENEY JOHNSTON, lighting consultant 1 television American Broadcasting Co. JACK COOPER, assistant to George Glass, pu licity department, Loew-Lewin Productk Hollywood. TED KRAFT, manager, Orpheum, Terre Hair Ind. PAUL DUNLAP, manager, West End, Chicago. PAUL J. BOXELL, director of public relatioi Farnsworth Television Corp., Chicago. BOB NELSON, manager, Uptown, San Antoi Tex. CHARLES KINDLER, manager, Ridge, Chicago. AL RAYMER, IndianaIllinois circuit film buy Chicago. HAROLD C. BERC, press agent, Downt* Theater, Detroit. MAX SCHREIBER, manager, frying, Detroit.