The Film Daily (1940)

Tuesday, January 16, 1940 DAILY «• -< REVIEWS Of THE HEUJ flLITIS .V .V 'Raffles' with David Niven, Olivia de Havilland, Dame May Whitty, Dudley Digges Unit«e Artists 71 Mins. StSvE CROOK MELLER IS PLEASING ENTERTAINMENT; SHOULD CLICK WITH ALL AUDIENCES. The suave and pleasing David Niven brings an aura of genteel charm to the latest remake of the noted story that will prove irresistible to the ladies, and pleasantly entertaining for everybody. The picture should go over very well with all ■types of audiences. Samuel Goldwyn has left nothing to be desired in the production value of the film, and director Sam Wood deftly guides the players and story throughout. Niven is as nice a "Raffles" as the screen has ever had and certainly Miss de Havilland is a charming ornament for any film. Dudley Digges and Dame May Whitty leave nothing to be desired in their allotted roles, and a fine cast of supporting players including, Lionel Pape, Douglas Walton and E. E. Clive, fill out fthe cast. Picture opens with Niven sending a famous painting to an impoverished actress so she can claim the reward and then moves on to the noted sequence dealing with the theft of Dame May Whitty's necklace to pay a gambling debt of Olivia's brother. The game of wits between Niven and Digges, as the Scotland 'Yard detective, has just as much interest as it ever had, and Niven manages to make his escape in the end of the picture, with Olivia forgiving him for everything and promising to wait for him. CAST: David Niven, Olivia de Havilland, Dudley Digges, Dame May Whitty, Douglas Walton, Lionel Pape, E. E. Clive, Peter "Godfrey, Margaret Seddon, Gilbert Emery, Hilda Plowright, Vesey O'Davoren, George Cathrey, Keith Hitchcock. CREDITS: Producer, Samuel Goldwyn; j Director, Sam Wood; Screenplay, John Van Druten and Sidney Howard; Based upon a story by E. W. Hornung; Cameraman, Gregg Toland; Editor, Sherman Todd. DIRECTION, Able. PHOTOGRAPHY, /Fine. Whitney Among Backers of New Evening Tabloid 1 Backed by John Hay Whitney, among others, new evening tabloid, to sell at five cents, will be published here June 1 by Publications Research, Inc., headed by Ralph Mc 'Allister, former vice-prexy and general manager of Time, Inc. Paper twill be styled like a news magazine. Clemency for Rachman Lincoln, Neb. — Jules Rachman, convicted slayer of his two business I partners and relatives, Harry and |Sam Goldberg, Dec. 2, 1932, in their ■ Omaha theater office, for which he [was sentenced to 15 years in the Nebraska penitentiary, will be freed, [Nov. 17, next. "Brother Rat and a Baby" with Wayne Morris, Eddie Albert, Jane Bryan, Priscilla Lane Warners 87 Mins. HILARIOU COMEDY IS SURE-FIRE BOX OFFICE CLICK FOR ALL TYPES OF AUDIENCES. "Brother Rat" was good, and its sequel is just as good if not better, with laughs piled up at a machine gun pace throughout by a clever script and a first class cast. Any type of audience is sure to be vastly entertained by the film and it should make exhibitors happy as well as they are certain to do heavy box office business. Director Ray Enright completely recaptured the zany mood of the first film and puts his players through their paces with never a dull moment. Naturally, writers John Monk, Jr. and Fred F. Finklehoffe deserve their meed of praise for their original story, and scripters Jerry Wald and Richard Macaulay rate plaudits for their swell screenplay. The picture never makes any pretense at being serious, depending on rapid fire gags and situations which keep the characters continually in hot water. Film has serious moments admittedly, but you know that everything will be worked out before long, and it is. Priscilla Lane, Wayne Morris, the one-man cyclone, Eddie Albert, as vague and funny as ever, Jane Bryan, Jane Wyman, Ronald Reagan, Peter B. Good, the baby, Arthur Treacher, Moroni Olsen and Berton Churchill, all do their share of the work deftly. Albert, up for the job of athletic coach at the boys' old alma mater, is summoned to New York by Morris, who is going to "fix everything" for him as his father .» one of the alumni who will make the final decision. From there on the comedy is completely mad, with Morris thrown out jf his father's house, Albert loses out for the appointment and Reagan gets canned from his job, with Morris responsible for all the trouble. They are all living in the apartment of Berton Churchill, Jane's uncle, trying to solve their dilemma, but things just get worse as they spend the money to pay for a c.o.d. package, hock his Stradivarius violin and the baby, dubbed Commencement, breaks his favorite ship model. However, when Churchill's new plane takes off for South America Morris stows the baby on board as a good-will ambassador and the resulting publicity gets them all jobs with Churchill's airline. Exhibitors should have no trouble in selling this one to the public as it is a natural. CAST: Prscilla Lane, Wayne Morris, Eddie Albert, Jane Bryan, Ronald Reagan, Jane Wyman, Peter B. Good, Arthur Treacher, Moroni Olsen, Jessie Busley, Larry Williams, Berton Churchill, Nana Bryant, Paul Harvey, Mayo Methot, Ed Gargan. CREDITS: In Charge of Production, Jack L. Warner; Executive Producer, Hal B. Wallis; Associate Producer, Robert Lord; Director, Ray Enright; Screenplay, Jerry Wald and Richard Macaulay; Original Story, Fred F. Finklehoffe and John Monks, Jr.; Cameraman, Charles Rosher; Editor, Clarence Kolster. DIRECTION, Fine. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. * SHORTS * "West Wall" RKO Pathe 10 mins. Comprehensive Picture of World War II Narrated by the noted military strategist and author, Major George Fielding Elliott, "West Wall" presents an understandable and comprehensive picture of the geographical theater of war in Europe today. We sje by the use of maps just how and where the opposing nations have fortified their frontiers, and what the next moves may be. Majority of the reel's footage, however, is devoted to actual scenes taken on the war front between Germany and France. The fortresses, anti-tank defenses and multifold gun emplacements are seen. Reel should prove of interest to all types of audiences. Abrams Succeeds McRaven Indianapolis — Sam H. Abrams succeeds R. D. McRaven as manager for Big Features Rights, local office. "Sky Game" (Sportscope) RKO Pathe 9 mlna. Interesting Sport Reel Latest in the fine Pathe Sportscope series, this short is devoted to wild fowl. Filmed at Avery Island, one of the finest scenic spots in the South as well as being a sportsman's paradise, the reel has fine action shots throughout. First, we see numerous species of ducks being banded for migration recording purposes. Then Eltinge Warner, editor of Field and Stream, and E. A. Mcllhenny, owner of the island, get down to the more serious sport of shooting. Using several different types of blinds and retrievers to get the fallen birds, the two sharpshooters give a fancy exhibition of wing shooting that will interest anybody who enjoys hunting. Frederic Ullman, Jr., the producer, and Frank Donovan, supervisor, get credit for this fine short. "Green Hell" Aids Finns Pittsburgh — World premiere of Universal's "Green Hell" at the Alvin Theater Wednesday night, will be a benefit performance for the Finnish Relief Fund. THOU SHALT NOT rM KILL" A(