The Film Daily (1947)

k'riday, November 22, 1946 ^s^ DAILY ' Iwank Audience Sees 3 ioldwyn 'Best Years' pfli: (Continued from Page 1) J^es and creeds. Mrs. George F. jaker, Mrs. Vincent Astor, Mrs. toward Cullman and Mrs. Marshall |ield were active in the arrangetient, which netted the institution 1 exec 3 of $11,000. Tickets were hio, J"=^ving applause after the unplci.Mg of the three-hour screen Irama were many of its stars — ilyrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Virginia ilayo, Cathy O'Donnell, who makes i.er debut; the director, William Vyler; the scenarist, Robert E. Jhei-wood, and the author, MacKinay Kantor. Among Goldwyn's guests were Hayor O'Dwyer of New York, William Paley, president of CBS; Ned i. Depinet, executive vice-president •>f RKO Radio, which releases the picture; Robert Lehman, Herbert 3ayard Swope, Judge Sam Rosenman and Norman Armour. The arrival of celebrities was telei/ised by NBC, with Ben Grauer actng as narrator. WOR and Mutual gave the event a 30-minute airing, ,vith John Wingate serving as comTientator. For the first time, the State DeJDartment, acting through facilities ijf CBS, recorded the proceedings with special description interludes in English, Spaniih, Portuguese and French. Hal Janis represented the State Department. lAscap Suits to Trial In Minneapolis Dec. 2 (Continued from Page 1) ^ey for the defendants, has moved ;for a summary decision, equivalent to a dismissal. j' Cases include those of M. Wit|;>mark & Sons vs. the Berger Amuse': ment Co., Santly-Joy, Inc. vs. Hast■; ings Theater Corp., M. Witmark & ' Sons vs. Mrs. Jessie L. Jensen, and Harms vs. Grand Theater Corp. J Ascap charges that their music ^ihas been played in theaters which fido not have Ascap licenses. Louis ' Frohlich of New York will come here j to represent Ascap at the hearing. 1^ HOUSE DEALS Vet Buys the Ciamingham Cunningham, Kan. — Glen Faurot of Winfieid, war vet., has purchased the Cunningham Theater from Wilbur A. Lueke, who is going to California. Club Takes Over the Colo Colo, la. — The Community Club has taken over operation of the Colo Theater here. Breckenridge House Sold Breckenridge, Mo. — Dean Pond is the owner of a new theater here, managed by C. A. Jones. BEviEuis Of neui fiims "THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES" witli Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright ^^^ 172 Mins. SUPERBLY PRODUCED AND DIRECTED HUMAN STORY OF RETURNED EX-G I.'S BRILLIANTLY PLAYED RATES WITH SCREEN'S BEST AND IS TOP BOX OFFICE. Producer Samuel Goldwyn has made a most important picture in "The Best Years of Our Lives," and its importance is driven home in striking measures in the direction of William Wyler. Together, director and producer, have tackled a prcblem that has been growing in importance ever since the first service man with enough points has come home from the wars. They applied taste, understanding, delicacy and outright realism to the production. The result is a profound impressive example of their endeavor. Academy-Award caliber performances have been turned in by the cast. Fredric March surpasses himself. Miss Loy contributes warmth, sincerity and maturity in her interpretati-n. Miss Wright is always a fine actress, and here again she realistically and with pointed conviction acquits herself. Dana Andrews with his role here gains in histrionic stature. The screenplay, based on MacKinlay Kantor's novel, "Glory For Me," was constructed by Robert E. Sherwood. It is one of the finest exhibits of screen writing and has the Sherwood touches of sensitivity, realism and theatrical skill. He applied himself simply and profoundly to the task. The result is a surpassing job. The camera concerns itself with the problems of the soldier's and sailor's rehabilitation, re-adaptation to civilian life. There is resumption of family life, fatherhood, a marriage 20 days old when it was shelved by the call to arms. And then there is the sailor who left for the wars with hands and returns to his family and sweetheart with hooks where he once had fingers. His is the mcst poignant problem. The trio fly home to Boone City. March is an infantry sergeant; in civilian life a banker. Miss Loy is his wife. They have two grown' children, Miss Wright and Michael Hall. Andrews is a captain — a bombardier. Virginia Mayo is his young, beautiful and brief wife. Formerly a soda dispenser, Andrews comes home to crnfront ensuing marital, economic dissatisfaction. Harold Russell is the disabled sailor. He comes home to the shocked stares cf his family, their embarrassing pity. His childhood sweetheart is lost in the swirl of her emotional shock reaction. The three veterans become allies. They align themselves for assault on their problems. For the able two there are first old jobs to return to. March takes up his domestic ties. Andrews picks up with Miss Mayo but the outlook is uncertain. Russell is confused, hesitant and his chief concern is with Cathy O'D'nnell, his girl. He does not want her to marry him out of loyalty or pity. He would have understanding and love. But not sacrifice provoked by a sense of duty. These are the profoundest scenes and they are handled with realistic tact. Miss O'Donnell and Russell eventually find each other and the depth and power of their love overcomes his misfortune. Theirs is a happy future. March returns to the bank. Andrews to the drug store. Their problem is the love of Miss Wright for Andrews. He being married gives it an awkward, unmoral aspect. Miss Wright knows it is the real thing. Miss Mayo is about to divorce Andrews. For her the high, luxurious life. Andrews cannot furnish it. And he is a mental case. This is a lengthy picture. The three main characters have their problems and the serirus nature of each of them requires prolonged and thorough attention. At length each reaches a sensible solution, and the spectator leaves the theater not too dry-eyed. But if he or she has n't been emotionally stirred, the warmth of humankind is absent from their physical makeup. In the supporting cast Miss Mayo, Miss O'Donnell, Harold Russell, Hoagy Carmichael, Gladys George and Roman Bohnen render brilliantly. The story has beautifully-done sequences in the lighter side and some ribald, and uproariously humorous panels that give bright relief to the somber sides. "The Best Years of Our Lives" comes close to being the perfect film — as close indeed 35 you've ever seen. CAST: Fredric March. Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Dana Andrews, Virginia Mgvo, Cathv O'Donnell, Hcagy Carmichael. Harold Russell, Gladys George, Roman Bohnen, Ray Collins, Steve Cochran, Minna Combell, Walter Baldwin, Dorothy Adams, Don Beddoe, Victor Cutler, Erskine Sanford, Marlene Ames. Michael Hall, Charles Halton. Howland Chamberlain. Credits: Producer, Samuel G"idw"n; Director, William Wyler; Screeno'av by Robert E. ^"lerwocd from the novel by MarKinlav Kantor; Cameraman, Gregg Toland; Art Directors, GeToe lonHns Perry Fercit""! ^=t n»"-r3tnr. Inlia Heron; Film Editor, Daniel Mandell. DIRECTION, Superb. PHOTOGRAPHY, First Rank. NCA Theaters to Collect For V. C. Hospital Fund Minneapolis — North Central Allied voted at its mid-vear convention to show the Abbott and Costello short and make audience collections to raise anproximately $100,000 needed for the Variety Club Heart Hospital Fund. The trailer will be ran for 10 days in 150 houses beginning Thanksgivins: Day and then withdrawn until Christmas, when it will play the rest of the territory. The heart hospital will be constructed on the campus of the University of Minnesota here. ^even Regional Units For North Central Allied Minneapolis — Regional units of North Central Allied have been or are being set up in Fargo, N. D.: Orand Forks, N. D.; Roche.=;ter Minn.; Duluth, Minot, N. D.; Siouy Falls, S. D., and Western Minnesota. NCA now has over 300 members. Train Kills Allen's Son Atlanta, Ga. — Morris Allen, fouryear-old son of Leonard Allen. Paramount's area publicist, was killed by a train while playing near his home. Para/s 16 to 18 To Cost $35^00,000 (Continued from Page 1) gram for next year will be the same as that of this year, Ginsberg said. Paramount, itself, will produce between 16 and 18 "A" pictures. There will be three from Hal Wallis and six from Pine-Thomas between January, 1947, and January, 1948. Enough Fix For 1947 Ginsberg said that Paramount had a sufficient backlog of pictures to take care of the release schedule to January, 1948, and that its inventory, compared with last year, had increased. The Hollywood strike, he said, had not held up Para, production materially, that five pictures had been completed during the controversy and two were before the cameras. Production, he added, was on schedule. A new releasing contract with Hal Wallis is under discussion, Ginsberg revealed. Wallis will go to England in May to make one picture for Paramount, titled "For Her to See," based on a best-selling British novel. There are no immediate plans for a Paramount studio in England, Ginsberg said, although the matter is under advisement. Russell Holman, head of Paramount's Eastern production activities, summarized his recent trip to England and France. Holman said that France was developing as a good source of talent, both in writing and acting. He said the principal purpose of his trip was to look over talent sources and to size up production in general. "Story of the Pope" Into Republic Dec. 20 Chapel Film's "Story of the Pope," which opens at the Republic Theater on Dec. 20, features Cardinal Spellman in the prologue. Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen did the narration. Charley Blake Dead Chicago — Charley Blake, 46, formerly Chicago Herald American Amusement Editor, and retired Navy officer, died at his home, St. Petersburg, Florida, from a heart attack. His wife and brother, Donald, survive. He was author of several films, also advisor on "Country Doctor," story of Dionne quints. FEMME TOUCH LENORE THRIFT, office staff, at RKO's Washington, D. C. exchange. HOPE PHILLIPS, secretary to office manager at RKO's Washington, D. C, exchange. RUTH MORGAN, clerk, RKO exchange, Washington, D. C. MRS. ANN O'DONNELL, cashier, Palace Theater, San Antonio, Tex. m'aRION ANDERSON, typist, National Screen Service, Minneapolis.