The Film Daily (1948)

CWSuLY Thursday, May 20, 19^> £ f ILm DAILY REVIEWS Of ItEUJ FEATURES tf "Wallflower" with Joyce Reynolds, Robert Hutton, Janis Paige Warners 77 Mins. ABLY DIRECTED, PLAYED LIGHT NUMBER THAT SHOULD FILL THE BILL. This is one of those effective romantic comedies that is just the ticket for the warm season. It has a nice, bright aspect and is easy to take. Light tones are struck and for the most part give the right note at frequent intervals. Played out by a capable cast the proceedings are backgrounded by smart production details. Taken by and large the show, which is based on a stage play by Reginald Denham and Mary Orr should fill requirements of the average diversion-seeking audience. Joyce Reynolds and Janis Paige are stepsisters who return home from college and later become involved in a romantic entanglement with Robert Hutton. Hutton, a neighbor, comes calling to take Miss Reynolds out but when Miss Paige appears in a bathing suit he switches his plans and the former girl plans to spend the evening at home with her books. Papa Edward Arnold urges her to go out. She flatly turns this proposal down. Don McGuire phones when Miss Reynolds is alone and she accepts his invitation thinking to imitate her sister's popularity. At the dance she is a sensation and she runs into Hutton who is likkering up after being turned aside by Miss Paige. He is impressed by the change in the girl and proposes to her on the spot. She tries to sober him up. They go swimming, their clothes are stolen and they are arrested. The escapade becomes a sensational news story complete with page one pictures. Their families decide the two must elope and after a bit of comic, hectic business they are off to matrimony. Frederick de Cordova directed the proceedings ably. CAST: Joyce Reynolds, Robert Hutton, Janis Paige, Edward Arnold, Barbara Brown, Jerome Cowan, Don McGuire, Ann Shoemaker, Lotte Stein. CREDITS: Producer, Alex Gottlieb; Director, Frederick de Cordova; Screenplay, Phoebe and Henry Ephron; From the stage play by Reginald Denham, Mary Orr; As produced on the stage by Meyer Davis; Photography, Carl Freund; Art, Hugh Reticker; Editor, Folmar Blangsted; Sound, Oliver S. Garretson; Sets, G. W. Berntsen. DIRECTION, Able. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Majors Reducing Debts Owed to Banking Firms 'Raw Deal" Major film companies are continuing to reduce banking obligations, Wall St sources report. Universal in April repaid $1,000,000 to the Manhattan Co. and Guaranty Trust of New York and the First National of Boston, cutting its indebtedness to $9,000,000. Paramount also reduced the sum owed Manufacturers Trust and Bankers Trust of New York and First National of Chicago by $500,000 to $6,500,000 in the same month. Twentieth-Fox has cancelled 85,000 shares of $1.50 cum. conv. pfd. held in its treasury, leaving 6,800 shares still so held. I1L UTO to Meet in LaScdle Pontiac, 111.— UTO of Illinois will meet June 3-4 in the Kaskasia Hotel, La Salle. with Dennis O'Keefe, Claire Trevor, Marsha Hunt Eagle Lion 79 Mins. ROUTINE ESCAPED CON YARN HAS GOOD PERFORMANCES, PRODUCTION TO ASSIST. A jailbreak-hunted con yarn seen from the woman's viewpoint — Claire Trevor loves Dennis O Keefe but loses him to a bullet — this one which was suggested by a story by Arnold B. Armstrong and Audrey Ashley is the familiar routine drama that touches most of the recognizable notes. There is merit in the handling. There is constant purpose in the script to keep it moving. Capably performed and with intelligent direction, the narrative is coherent and sustains attention. Taking a 10,000 to one chance, O Keefe breaks out of jail and gets off with Miss Trevor. Their car goes bad and they pop in on Marsha Hunt who knows all about O'Keefe, wants him to go back. Instead they take her and her car, swap vehicles later at a gas station and elude the police dragnet. In the meanwhile Raymond Burr, for whom O'Keefe took the rap, lays plans for O'Keefe's death at the hands of John Ireland. Burr is plenty scared. They hole up at a mountain inn, have a narrow brush with the authorities who come after another character. Miss Trevor wants to get O'Keefe and herself safely aboard a ship that will take them to Panama. But Burr, with an assist by Ireland kidnaps Miss Hunt whom O'Keefe has learned to love. As the ship is about to sail Miss Trevor, fearful for Miss Hunt, tells O'Keefe what's up. He sets out to save her and falls afoul of a Burr ambush in Corkscrew Alley and Jane St. He survives this, gets to Burr, kills him and is himself mortally wounded. He dies in the gutter, in Miss Hunt's arms. There is no dearth of action or criminal dissertation in the scenario. If that is what the audience wants they'll get it here. Anthony Mann directed. CAST: Dennis O'Keefe, Claire Trevor, Marsha Hunt, John Ireland, Raymond Burr, Curt Conway, Chili Williams. CREDITS: An Edward Small-Reliance presentation; Production supervisor, James T. Vaughn; Director, Anthony Mann; Screenplay, Leopold Atlas, John C. Higgins; Suggested by a story by Arnold B. Armstrong, Audrey Ashley; Photography, John Alton; Editor, Alfred De Gaetano; Art, Edward L. Ilou; Sets, Armor Marlowe, Clarence Steenson; Sound, Leon S. Becker, Earl Sitar; Music, Paul Sawtell. DIRECTION, Effective. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Tivoli Seeks Default Judgment in Trust Suit Wilmington, Del. — Maintaining that the filing by defendants of a motion to strike certain allegations from the complaint in the anti-trust suit filed by Tivoli Realty did not relieve the defendants from the duty of answering the unchallenged allegations, plaintiff filed a motion in District Court seeking entry of defaults and entry of default judgments against Interstate, Texas Consolidated, Paramount, Loew's, RKO, Warners, 20th-Fox, Columbia, United Artists and Universal. Clair J. Killoran, attorney for Tivoli, asked for hearing tomorrow morning before District Judge Richard S. Rodney. Tivoli operates the Dolman Theater, Dallas. "Whispering City" with Helmut Dantine, Mary Anderson, Paul Lukas Eagle Lion 89 Mins. CANADIAN OFFERING IS ROUTINE, DULL AFFAIR WHICH MIGHT RATE AS A DUALLER. The smart young reporter (female), pokes her pretty nose into an old crime, finds a diary that might provide a couple of clues and forthwith is marked for extinction. However, she and the unwilling tool of the mastermind frame a deal and in good time justice triumphs. That about sums up this Canadian produced number which also offers some glimpses of the city of Quebec and Montmorency Falls. For about an hour the telling is in low gear. The last reels seem to have been shifted into a resemblance of a snappier pace. Climax is strictly from Iowa. Plot is larded with much inconsequential dialogue that pads the proceedings. Distaff side of the cast is capable. Miss Anderson could stand an improvement in her diction. There is music, something repetitive called "Quebec Concerto" that monopolizes the soundtrack frequently. As a timekiiler to pad out a double bill "Whispering City" might do the trick but otherwise it is just a whodunit loaded with trivia that has long gathered dust on the playwright's shelf. Generally it's a long, dull, plodding affair. Fedor Ozep is listed as director. Dantine, Lukas names might be a factor. CAST: Helmut Dantine, Paul Lukas, Mary Anderson, Mimi D'Estee, John Pratt, Lucie Poitras, Joy LaFleur, George Alexander, Henri Poitras. CREDITS: A Quebec Productions film; Producer, George Marton; Director, Fedor Ozep; Screenplay, Rian James, Leonard Lee; Original story, George Zuckerman, Michael Lennox; Additional dialogue, Gina Kaus, Hugh Kemp, Sydney Banks; Music, Morris C. Davis; Music supervisor, Jack Schaindlin; Direction, arrangements, Jean Des Lauriers; Photography, Guy Roe. DIRECTION, Mediocre. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Rapid Developing System Processes in 4 Seconds Chicago — A new process capable of completely developing moving film or paper four seconds after exposure was demonstrated by the Beck-Lee Corp. Said to be the fastest complete process yet achieved in photography, device is seen as having applications in the entire field of photography, including motion pictures and television. In the latter field, use would trim by several seconds the time lapse of so-called secondary processes, under which television images are photographed on motion picture film and fed through regular theater projectors. S. Jay Levey, president of BeckLee, said that his company, which manufactures medical instruments, would confine its interest to that field, indicating that the process would be licensed to camera manufacturers for adaptation to various photographic fields. Charles Glasser, Beck-Lee research engineer, invented the apparatus. Retires as Paramount Counsel Chicago — Adcock, Fink and Day announced that it has retired as attorney for Paramount and B & K in recent anti-trust actions. "First Opera Film Festival" (Italian) Classic Pictures 95 Mir FOUR-PART PACKAGE SHOW.^ac' ITEDLY DONE, SHOULD ATTRACT \-,\ MUSIC LOVING TRADE. Condensed versions of four operas — hig lights — performed and filmed on the sta; of the Rome Opera House are offered he for the delectation and approval of tl audience that likes its music on film. It generally good stuff, well handled and r corded. Olin Downes of the New Yo Times is on the soundtrack from time time to give a brief outline of the pi and explain away the contribution of H vocals to the pictorial interpretation, r does this well. Each opera runs in tl neighborhood of 20 minutes. Cast recruited from both the Italian ope stage and film act out their various rol spiritedly and with full fidelity to the ope medium. There is some overemphasis b since the camera never once departs fro the stage this is rather to be expected. R cording and synchronization is excellen Such famed opera names as Tito Gobbi ar Cloe Elmo are both seen and heard. Quartette consists of "William Tell "The Marriage of Figaro," "Don PasquaU and "Carmen." Overtures and importai arias receive most attention. "Carmen which concludes, is a sort of chef d'oeuvr It is likely that where the crop of operat films of the past season has clicked, th Festival should also do as well. CREDITS: Producer, George Richfield; Orche; tra conductor, Angelo Questa; Orchestra an chorus from the Rome Opera House; Music supervision and script, Raffaele Gervasio; Dire< tor, E. Cancellieri; Stage director, Enrico Fu chignoni. DIRECTION, Able. PHOTOGRAPHY, Very Goo< Clark to Hollywood For NBC Television Robert W. Clark, NBC New Yor television operations supervisor, ha been transferred to the same posi tion for the network's Hollywoo' division, it was announced yester day by Robert E. Shelby, director o television engineering operations Reid R. Davis, NBC Television vide< control supervisor has been name< to replace Clark as New York tele vision operations supervisor. Pending the start of NBC's Holly wood television operations, Clark wil be temporarily assigned to supervise the training of television engineering personnel here. Dezel Realigns Chicago, Kansas City Distribution Detroit — Albert Dezel Prods, wil henceforth serve Omaha and De; Moines territories from its Chicagc and Kansas City offices, Dezel an nounced. New office in Kansas Citj will serve Omaha and part of low* territories, under Walter Lambader manager, and Nina Bridges, booker Dezel also announced that he ha; acquired the Favorite Films fran chise for St. Louis territory, undei a pact consummated with Moe Ker man, Favorite president, and that hit Kansas City branch has acquired the Masterpiece lineup.