The Film Daily (1948)

"J$ DAILY Wednesday, April 7, 194; THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR— Z)ke 1948 YEAR BOOK of MOTION PICTURES Don't be without this veritable gold mine of information in one Handy and Beautifully Bound Volume. Why guess about facts when it has "All The Answers" to the Motion Picture Industry Always at your hand when you want them. NOW IN PREPARATION Out Soon A year's subscription to THE FILM DAILY will bring you this Encyclopedia of Motion Pictures FREE. &■ REVIEW Of THE flEW flLfTIS & 1501 Broadway New York 18, N. Y. "Winter Meeting" with Bette Davis, Janis Paige, James Davis Warners 104 Mins. DAVIS FAN LOYALTY WILL BE VITAL FACTOR IN THIS ONE: MYSTICAL DRAMA OF SUPPRESSED FEELINGS HAS GOOD PRODUCTION. Loyalty of the Bette Davis fans after an absence of almost a year on the part of the actress will be a deciding factor in the successful playing time of her latest drama. She is found here in a confusing story that lends itself more to the novel form than to a film treatment. Much of what is felt by the characters in the written form seems to have evaporated in the interpretation and translation into screen terms. Picture has a good production. Bretaigne Windust's direction is another and later example of the stage technique applied to camera terms. On the salable side, particularly for the distaff side of the audience, the film offers James Davis (no relation), who for most of the running time gives a good account of his talents and permeates the story with a male quality that should intrigue female spectators. The production details are skillfully arranged to show Miss Davis off in the right surroundings and give her opportunity to display her familiar talents. She is in there pitching the substance of the drama in the manner an accustomed audience was trained to expect. The Ethel Vance novel involves a neurotic, spinsterish poetess with a naval hero, a winner of the Congressional Medal. He sweeps her off her feet and she is helpless to stem the tide of passion that ensues. When calm consideration settles on the pair it soon becomes apparent that Miss Davis is disturbed by living in a New England country house, the home of her late father. Pater was a suicide, the result of an unfaithful wife and Miss Davis has been hating her mother ever since. Davis condemns her for her attitude towards her female oarent and some understanding is arrived at. They are blissfully happy for a few days then Davis hits the doldrums and Miss Davis gets him to tell her his secret. He wanted to be a priest. He tells her the real story of the heroic deed which got him the medal. He is disillusioned. After turning over their inner problems and thoroughly confusing the viewer, Davis and Miss Davis decide it would be better if they both broke off. He goes to join the church, according to the indications of the script, and she goes to reconcile herself with her mother for whom she had previously nurtured hatred. This is a story in which a good deal of mysticism is injected into the proceedings. What clarification was attempted never quite seems to accomplish its purpose. CAST: Bette Dovis, Janis Paige, James Davis, John Hoyt, Florence Bates, Walter Baldwin, Ransom Sherman. CREDITS: Producer, Henry Blanke; Director, Bretaigne Windust; Screenplay, Catherine Turney, from the novel by Ethel Vance; Photography, Ernest Haller; Art director, Edward Carrere; Editor, Owen Marks; Sound, Robert B. Lee; Sets, Fred M. MacLean; Music, Max Steiner; Orchestrol arrangements, Murray Cutter; Musical director, Leo F. Fcrbstein. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "Illegals" in May Sponsored by Americans for Haganah, "The Illegals," 6-reel semi-documentary, will be released 2nd week in May. "Silent Conflict" with William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Rand Brooks U.A. 61 Mins. LESSER "HOPALONG CASSIDY" NUMBER; WILL DEPEND ON AUDIENCE LOYALTY TO SERIES. This "Hopalong Cassidy" western is one long, slow boil. In all, five rounds are discharged. There is little riding. Brawls are nonexistent. Slowmoving, wordy and quite dull, it is one of the lesser numbers of the series. Audience loyalty to the series and its leads is the main hinge upon which the success of its playing swings. After running cattle to market, the trio start back to their ranch. Boyd has custody of money which must be split with neighboring ranchers. Rand Brooks has been acting strangely. He has a gambling debt and is being pressed by his creditor. Stopping off at an inn overnight, Boyd and Clyde leave Brooks with Earle Hodgins. Latter handles patent medicines and gives Brooks a cup of "herd tea." Brooks is doped. Under a hypnotic spell he follows any and all of Hodgins' suggestions. Consequently next morning Brooks and the dough is missing. Boyd and Clyde take out after Brooks. Meanwhile the other ranchers, perplexed at delay in delivering their money, come a-calling. They get tough. Boyd and Clyde stall them off and soon find the BrooksHodgins trail. It leads to a deserted mountain shack. Hodgins induces Brooks to go gunning for Boyd and Clyde. They elude the doped man. Boyd catches up with Hodgins and settles his hash. CAST: William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Rand Brooks, Virginia Belmont, Earle Hodgins, James Hatrison, Forbes Murray, John Butler, Herbert Rawlinson, Richard Alexander, Don Haggerty. CREDITS: Producer, Lewis J. Rachmil; Director, George Archainbaud; Original screenplay, Charles Belden; Based on characters created by Clarence E. Mulford; Photography, Mack Stengler; Music, Rolph Stanley; Editor, Fred W. Berger; Art director, Jerome Pycha, Jr.; Sound, Frank McWhorter; Sets, George Mitchell. DIRECTION, Feeble. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. Prosperous Venezuela Has Lively Film Scene Caracas, Venezuela (Via Air Mail) — Three new theaters, one with a capacity of 1,300, will be constructed here soon. Wave of prosperity currently enjoyed in this country is being reflected in box office receipts, it was pointed out. Amongf the trio of new houses will be a newsreel spot, first of its type. Influx of Americans into the country has resulted in showing of newsreels in English without subtitles or Spanish comment. Delinquency is rampant and the Caracas Journal, only U. S. paper hereabouts, has called attention to the problem, and suggested hiring of bouncers, engaging special police and stopping the film when things get out of hand. Circuit operators have also complained to civic authorities about the police who are admitted free. The force turns out in such strength, it was reported, that often paying customers have to be turned away. Press comment recently had a field day enlightening the public about the action of a doorman who refused admittance to a patron because he did not wear a tie. Also, La Religion, Catholic newspaper, blasted "Arthur Takes Over" with Lois Collier, Skip Homeier, Ann E. Tod 20th-Fox 63 Mini SUBSTANTIAL COMEDY OFFERINt SHOULD DO ESPECIALLY WELL If NABES. Producer Sol Wurtzel has ti> -d in I pretty sound job of regulation en/ in men here. Taking the script in trieir stride the players, with little evidence of restraint get this one out of the way in short order Net result is a session of good, clean do mestic fun which should be an especial! good bet in the neighborhood house. Here again an adolescent, played b; Skip Homeier, sallies into his family's im mediate problems whether they be busines or romantic, and achieves some sort of solution. But not before a good deal of hectic conversation and awkward situations come to pass. Lois Collier returns home secretly wed to Richard Crane. Her mother, Barbara Brown,has other plans — to marry her off to William I Bakewell, a local boy of stuffed shirt tendencies. Homeier and Ann E. Todd, latter t the daughter of Jerome Cowan, are that way about each other in the bobby sox manner. Homeier has little use for Bakewell, likes Crane. Gimmick is to keep Miss Brown in ignorance of the upset until the time is ripe But it does not quite work out that way f and the story erupts frequently before d<HjL mestic bliss again descends on the "Bixby" ' home. CAST: Lois Collier, Richard Crane, Skip •'■iHomeier, Ann E. Todd, Jerome Cowan, Barbara ': Brown, William Bakewell, Howard Freeman, Joan Blair, Almira Sessions, Jeanne Gail. CREDITS: Producer, Sol M. Wurtzel; Director, Mai St. Clair; Story and screenplay, Mauri Gra it shin; Photography, Benjamin Kline; Editor, Wil la Mam F. Claxton; Art director, George Van Marter; Sets, Al Greenwood; Sound, Max M. Hutchinson; Musical supervision, David Chudnow; : Musical score, Darrell Calker. DIRECTION, Adequate. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "Security Bond" Show To be WABD Telecast DuMont video station WABD will televise the all-star stage show preceding the "Security Bond" premiere of "Are You With It?" at the Winter Garden a week from tonight. James C. Petrillo has granted the necessary okay. Premiere will launch the Treasury's Security Loan Drive in the state. Donald O'Connor will head the stage show. Eight "Cisco Kid" Pix To UA Over Three Years West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Phil Krasne's InterAmerican Prods, will deliver its series of eight "Cisco Kid" pix to UA : over a three-year period. Brandon Acquires NFB Rights Brandon Films has acquired ' exclusive 16 mm. rights to "Careers and Cradles," "Challenge of Hous {\ ing," and "The People Dance" from I the National Film Board of Canada. * the local censor body for okaying "Lucrezia Borgia." La Religion stated pic had been banned in England, France and the U. S. (Editor's [ note: "Borgia" was made in France. It has played this country and been revived numerous times.)