The Film Daily (1947)

14 '^fe Wednesday, November 13, 1946 ikf\m DfllLV RCVIEUIS Of REUJ feflTURCSi^ 'Children of Paradise" (Les Enfants du Paradis) Tricolore Films, Inc. 161 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) ADMIRABLE FRENCH STORY OF LOVE, CRIME AND AMBITION SHOULD CLICK HEAVILY WITH SELECTIVE AUDIENCES. A film definitely for the selective audience and specialty theater, but nonetheless excellent fcr ail its restricted appeal, is the French film, "Children of Paradise." The title refers to the "Children of the Gods, ' satirically speaking, those born to view both life and the theater from the cheape;t seats, the galleries, nearest the "gods." Set against the spectacular panorama of Paris and its life behind the footlights, circa 1840, it relates a story of love, crime and ambition. Jean-Louis Barrault is truly an artist as the tragi-comic pantomimist, the dreamer who is never able to grasp reality. Beautiful Arletty weaves through the story with queenly grace and a mystic Mona Lisa smile, wrecking men's lives as she goes. Pierre Brasseur, the eternal actor, Louis Salou as the dignified Count of Montray, Marcel Herrand, the ruthless crook, and even the numerous lesser characters, portray their parts with finely-etched realism. The direction by Marcel Crane is superb, and the satire on life as penned by Jacques Prevert contains the element of poetic greatness. Photography by Rcger Hubert and Marc Fossard is moving and alive particularly in the lusty mob scenes. The translation is a bit too faithful to the French to give us the English idiom. Barrault, the mime, saves Arletty from arrest by trick of his mimicry, and falls desperately in love with her. Life and love to her are simple — come what may — and be not too fastidious. Four men love her, but none ever possess her completely. After six years she returns to Barrault, but just as she once came to him out of the rabble of the Paris street, just so suddenly does the mob swallow her up again, and the film ends inconclusively. The production is an expensive one with its tremendous mob scenes and elaborate theater sets. The Paris version runs very much longer, but for American consumption, it has been cut to 161 minutes. CAST: Jean Louis Barrault, Arletty, Pierre Brassour, Pierre Renoir, Etienne Decroux, Leon Larive, Fabien Loris, Marcel Herrand, Pierre Palau, Maria Casares, Marcel Pares, Albert Remy, Jeanne Marken. Caston Modet, Louis Salou, Guy Favieres, Paul Frankeur. CREDITS: Director, Marcel Carne; Scenario and dialogue, Jacques Prevert; Producer under general supervision of Raymond Borderie; Cameraman, Roger Hubert and Marc Fossard; Music, Maurice Thiriet; Costumes, Antonie Maye; Music under direction of Charles Munch, with the Concert Society of the Conservatory. DIRECTION, Excellent. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Acquires Cartoon Rights Gilma Co. Films, headed by Marc Gilbert, has acquired exclusive distribution rights in Continental Europe on 25 Celebrity Comi-Color Cartoons. Gilbert's office is at 152 W. 42nd St. Drowns on Fishing Trip .Jacksonville, Fla. — Alfred Sonnenberg, 28, assistant manager of the St. Johns Theater, was drowned while on a fishing trip in the St. .Johns River. "Tumbleweed Trail" with Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates PRC 57 Mins. ROUTINE WESTERN FARE, THIS ONE IS ADEQUATE ON A DUAL PROGRAM. Adhering to the routine patterns of westerns, "Tumbleweed Trail" has all the required elements in its script plus a few songs sung effectively by Eddie Dean. There's a full quota of horses, hard riding, shooting and brawling to punctuate the plot. First Kermit Maynard is waylaid and seemingly done away with. The crocks in the story play their cards by confronting Shirley Patterson and Johnny McGovern with Maynard's will which gives them his ranch. She, however, refuses to be driven away and chases the executors off with gunfire. Then Dean and Ates come along. They take j;bs with Miss Patterson and help her out of a few difficulties. Later, a turn of events leads her to believe they are not all they pretend to be. The misunderstanding manages to uncover sufficient evidence to make things hot for the crooks. Jack O'Shea, a gunman, comes over to Dean's side and shortly after they round up the crooks who have the sheriff along with them to prove their point. That point, hcwever, misses out because Maynard shows up to settle their hash. The story manages to hold interest. CAST: Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, Shirley Patterson, Johnny McGovern, Kermit Maynard Bob Duncan, Ted Adams, Bill Fawcett, The Sunshine Boys. CREDITS: Producer and Director, Robert Emmett Tansey; Screenplay by Frances Kavanaugh; Cameraman, Ernest Miller; Sound, Ben Winkler; Film Editor, Hugh Winn; Music, Karl Hajos. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. SHORTS Agfacolor Cartoon Breaks Scandinavian Run Record Copenhagen (By Air Mail) — "The Tinder-Box," full-length Ag'facolor cartoon, has broken all Scandinavian run records by holding for a 16th week at the Palladium. Picture is the first full-length cartoon produced in Denmark. Because of the long run, Palladium's booking of "Lydia" has been postponed from this Pall until some time in 1947. Kanins Join to Produce Kanin Productions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, has been formed, with Garson Kanin as prexy and Michael Kanin, v-p. No other officers have been named. KP will produce movies on the West Coast. So far no definite script has been skedded, even though Garson Kanin's hit show, "Born Yesterday," is theoretically available. Grants S. F. Tele Permit Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — The FCC has granted a construction permit for a new commercial tele station in iSan Francisco, to operate on channel 5, with visual power of 2.3.6 kw., aural power 12.6 kw. The station, to be operated by the Associated Broadcasters, Inc., will have both antenna and studios outstanding work. Of interest to in the Mark Hopkins Hotel. "Unusual Occupations" Para. 10 Mins. Okay This footage brings into focus the occupations of four people in rather scattered parts of the globe. First is Brother Joseph Zoettle, in the Benedictine Abbey of St. Bernard, Cullman, Ala., who has constructed amazingly realistic miniatures of ancient and modern architecture on a hillside of the Abbey. Second is Mrs. Virginia Gardner of Jenson Beach, Fla., who makes shells into beautifully garbed ladies. NexD on the agenda is a short stop-over at a Seminole Indian village where life still retains its primitive aspect. A huge cypress is chopped down and made into a canoe, all hand hewn. Lastly, the mountains of Are, Sweden, come into view and we see Rudolph Van Bahr whose occupation is flying skiiers to the surrounding high summits in his autogyro. Nothing too sensational, this piece will nevertheless provide interest and amusement. "The Lazy Hunter" Warners 10 Mins. Interesting Howard Hill, named as the world's greatest archer, demonstrates some of the skill with which he has won his title. Southern California provides the setting for his fancy shooting which includes his dog and horse as target holders. The climax is his killing of a marauding hawk and a murdering coyote, who have been after chickens and livestock. Photographed in Technicolor, audiences will enjoy the easy grace with which he performs his task. "The Island Fling" Para. 7 Mins. Good Popeye and Olive Oyl are shipwrecked on the island where Bluto and his man Friday are holding forth. Mr. B. makes many a pass at Olive but is always interrupted by Popeye, who is rather irked by the whole situation. Bluto succeeds in trapping Popeye in an underground passage on the pretext of a buried treasure. With his trusty can of spinach, our hero finds the treasure, makes his way out of the hole, rescues Olive and makes mud-pies out of Bluto. Quite lively and amusing. "Army Football Champions" Columbia 11 Mins. Selling Asset The coaches and players of the team, known as the greatest of all time, are pictured here individually, and then as a whole. The plays and teamwork that have carried them on to success are illustrated as the commentator points out players doing almost all, this reel should be a selling asset on any bill. "Cupid Rides the Range" RKO 18 Mini Cowboy Romance Ray Whitley and his Six Bar Cowboys strum their way through this very pleasant bit of western^omance. It seems that the girl Wi^ i.V is in love with, Lolita, is also iir^.we with him, but has been promised to Banning, who threatens to ruin her father's ranch if she does not marry him. A few complications ensue, with Banning, the baddy, getting his just desserts, and Whitley getting Lolita. Good presentation of this type of western music, it should find an unusually large audience. "Popular Science" Para. 11 Mins. Swell Radio Interest Photographed in Magnacolor, this one opens with new types of equipment and gadgets useful for barbecues. Scene then shifts to Fibber McGee and Molly, top flight radio team, who supply comedy relief during the unveiling of a robot, "Sleepy Joe," used during the war for experimental pui'poses, who actually breathes. A type of short which appeals to most, this has the extra salability of two top personalities. "Hail Notre Dame" (Sportscope) RKO 8 Mins. Good With the football season well under way the audience should find this short an engrossing item and an informative essay on the what, who and how of the Notre Dame football team. The grunts, groans, tackles and other contributory elements of the sport are clearly detailed and much scholastic information serves to round out a first rate item. "Community Sing" (No. 2— Series 11) Columbia 10 '/z Mins. Pop Songs Once again Don Baker, his organ and the Song Spinners join forces to supply the orchestral and vocal arrangements behind such songs as: "It's A Pity To Say Goodnight," "I Don't Know Enough About You," 'Laguna," "Laughing On The Outside" and "Coax Me A Little Bit." Since these are all popular song hits, the audience should get a kick out of singing along with this footage. "Wacky Worm" Warners 7 Mins. Fair A worm, who resembles and has a voice like Jerry Colonna, is trying to elude an eager crow. The crow tracks him to a pile of apples but cannot decide which one he is hiding in. He finally eats the whole pile, only to have the worm escape. Rather slow, it has a few bright spots.