The Film Daily (1940)

Thursday, January 25, 1940 <?ity DAILY :< :< REVIEWS OF THE flEUJ flLfllS ■< "i< (Review reprinted from THE FILM DAILY of Jan. 5) The Fighting 69th' . ~*ith Pat O'Brien, James Cagney, ~f George Brent Warners 90 Mins. OUTSTANDING, DISTINCTIVE WAR PICTURE SHOULD SCORE BRILLIANTLY AT THE BOX-OFFICE. Put this down in the book: "The Fighting 69th" is an outstanding, distinctive war picture, taking rank with the best in the screen's history. Endowed with a closely knit story which hews faithfully to the regimental line, its drama cannily relieved by service comedy, and moving forward as irresistibly as the 69th on many a battlefield, the picture should score brilliantly at the box-office. And this despite the absence of boy-meets-girl and further, the complete lack of femininity in cast. As a substitute for conventional romance, the picture generously proffers three things: First, the saga of a valorous regiment. Secondly, a finely etched character study of the gallant chaplain, the well beloved Father Francis Patrick Duffy. Thirdly, the simple story of the complex Jerry Plunkett, regimental thorn-in-the-flesh. As this reviewer sees it, that is enough and more. In translating into terms'of cinematic action the World War chronicle of the 69th, Warners confronted a monumental task. Few regiments in American military history have so distinguished a service record; few regiments are so imbued with so fierce a loyalty. Add to that the fact that there are alive today not only those who figure prominently in the story but countless others whose prototypes again, by Hollywood magic, fight in the bloody Argonne; add, too, the vivid memories of Father Duffy and of Joyce Kilmer, and you have a fair concept of the challenge faced. It has been fully met, not only by Norman Reilly Raine, Fred Niblo, Jr., and Deah Franklin who fashioned the original story, but by Jack L. Warner, Hal B. Wallis and Louis F. Edelman on the production side, by Director William Keighley and his aide, Frank Heath, by Tony Gaudio, responsible for magnificent camera work, and by as perfectly tailored a cast as you'd find in all filmland. Say that Pat O'Brien was born to portray, reverently and humanly, Father Duffy and you won't be far wrong. Say that James Cagney instills the breath of life into the fictional Plunkett (fictional? wasn't there one in every regiment!) and who is there to deny? Say that George Brent is "Wild Bill" Donovan to the very life, that Jeffrey Lynn catches the essence of Joyce Kilmer, soldier-poet, that Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Dennis Morgan, Dick Foran, William Lundigan, Sammy Cohen and the many others bring back the old Fighting 69th and. again, who is there to deny? From Camp Mills, where the regiment prepared for "over there," through days and nights of battle, finding a bloody climax in the Argonne, finally to New York's Victory Parade, the saga progresses, the tempo so expertly maintained that the 90 minutes 'Life On The Hortobagy" with Janos Onega, Mrs. Janos Cinega Jewel Productions 79 Mins. PASTORAL HUNGARIAN FILM LACKING IN DRAMA FAILS TO BE ENTERTAINING. More of a travelogue in some aspects than a feature picture, this new Hungarian release may please the Magyar fans, but it fails to be very entertaining. Picture is an interesting travelogue in presenting the people and life on the Hungarian plains, but its dramatic aspects fall flat as the actors are not convincing and the general technique of the film is poor. Janos Cinega and his wife head the cast. Film uses the angle of old and new in doing business as a theme, with Cinega's son attempting to sway his father to modern methods of doing things. CAST: Janos Cinega, Mrs. Janos Cinega, Istvan Kanyasi, Margit Szincsak, Mihaly Nagy, Janos Sarkany, Imre Kovacs, Mrs. Imre Kovacs, L. Kelemen, Istvan Veres. CREDITS: Hollering Production; Director, George M. Hollering. Presented at the Cameo Theater with Hungarian dialogue and English titles. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fair. of screen time seem like 60. The personal story of Jerry Plunkett essentially is one of regeneration, spiritual no less than moral. A scoffer, a braggart, psychologically unfit for the front, Jerry heroically redeems himself, dies a hero's death instead of before a regimental firing squad. His feat: Operating a Stokes gun, he saves the 69th from decimation, enables it to achieve its Argonne objective. There are many standout scenes. Unforgettable is the scene in which Lynn reads Joyce's "Rouge Bouquet." Unforgettable, too, the scene in which O'Brien reads the Hebrew prayer to little "Mike Murphy," born Mischa Moskiewicz. And graven deeply, certainly, is the fitting finale which finds O'Brien, beside the Duffy Memorial in Times Square, uttering a prayer for peace. Truly a brilliant example of screencraft, this "The Fighting 69th." CAST: James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, George Brent, Jeffrey Lynn, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Dennis Morgan, Dick Foran, William Lundigan, "Big Boy" Williams, John Litel, Henry O'Neill, Sammy Cohen, Harvey Stephens, Charles Trowbridge, DeWolf Hopper, Tom Dugan, Frank Wilcox. CREDITS: In charge of production, Jack L. Warner; Executive Producer, Hal B. Wallis; Associate Producer, Louis F. Edelman; Original Screenplay by Norman Reilly Raine, Fred Niblo, Jr., and Deah Franklin; Director, William Keighley; Assistant, Frank Heath; Cameraman, Tony Gaudio; Technical Advisors, Capt. John T. Prout and Mark White; Special Effects, Byron Haskin and Rex Wimpy; Editor, Owen Marks. DIRECTION, Aces. PHOTOGRAPHY, The Best. "Uz Bence" with Paul Javor, Bella Bordy Hungaria Pictures 85 Mins. COMBINATION COMEDY DRAMA PLEADS CASE OF HUNGARIANS NOW IN ROUMANIA. Although this new Hungarian film does not loudly claim that all Magyars living in territory ceded to Roumania after the war should be immediately returned, it pleads the case in effective fashion. Situations are created to show the superiority of the Hungarians over the Roumanians. Film has amusing comedy and many pictorially lovely scenes that will give Magyars here a nostalgic feeling for their native land. Paul Javor is fine in his role and Bella Bordy is attractive and capable. Remainder of the cast comprises a number of Magyar favorites, all of whom are fine players. CAST: Paul Javor, Bella Bordy, Laszlo Szilassy, Gero Maly, Zsoka Olvedy, Zoltan Gregus, Tivadar Bilincsy, Sandor Tompa. CREDITS: Produced by Hunnia Master Films; Director, Jeno Csepreghy. Presented at the Modern Playhouse with Hungarian dialogue and no English titles. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "La Ley Que Olvidaron" (Forgotten Law) with Libertad Lamarque, Santiago Arrieta M. Kunszler 79 Mins. SINCERE PERFORMANCES BY ABLE CAST OVERCOME WEAK STORY MATERIAL. Although the story material used in this film is old, sincere performances by an able cast make it entertaining screenfare for the Spanish fans. Picture does not have any English titles, necessarily limiting its exhibition scope. Libertad Lamarque, well known for her charming singing voice, displays dramatic ability in addition to her voice in this release. Santiago Arrieta is able opposite Miss Lamarque. Story concerns Miss Lamarque's enforced motherhood when she is forced to appear as the mother of an illegitimate baby born to the daughter of the proprietress in the boarding house where she works. Picture has a neat solution for all the difficulties involved. CAST: Libertad Lamarque, Santiago Arrieta, Herminia Franco, Pepita Munoz, Jose Maz.lli, Oscar Soldati, Carmen Mendez, Maria Vitaliani, Juan Carrara, Z. Cariroli. CREDITS: Side Production; Director, Jose A. Ferreyra. Presented at the 48th St. Theater with Spanish dialogue and no English titles. DIRECTION, O.K. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Solether Gets Hudson House Hudson, 0.— C. H. Giles, owner of the Buss Block, has awarded contracts in the amount of $25,000 to remodel his building into a 450-foot film theater. The theater, to be completed in May, has been leased by Loren B. Solether, owner of the Falls Theater, Chagrin Falls. * COmflKRCIAL ft "The Green Hand" (ATLANTA PREVIEW) with All-Georgia Amateur Cast Future Farmers of America 90 Mins. OUTSTANDING VISUAL EDUCATION FEATURE PIONEERS IN THE COMMERCIAL FIELD. Mark this one down as a pioneer effort that will have marked effect upon both the visual education and commercial film fields. Sponsored by the Future Farmers of America, it is designed for theatrical distribution as well as for exhibition by the F F of A's chapters throughout the United States. Film was produced in eight weeks by the C. L. Venord Co. of Peoria, III., with a cast of 259 Georgians, including members of Georgia chapters of the Future Farmers, educators and students of the University of Georgia's College of Agriculture. "Angel" is understood to have been the Chicago mail order house of Sears, Roebuck. Unlike most films with claims to visual education value and a commercial slant, "The Green Hand" is an adaptation of Dean Paul Chapman's book by the same title, and its plug for scientific farming methods and a better type of American agriculture is romance-coated. Story deals with a wayward farm boy (Alpha Fowler, Jr.) who, after accidentally shooting his school principal and standing trial, is persuaded by his teacher to join the Future Farmers of America. In that organization, he gains glory by winning the national Future Farmers of America oratorical contest and paying off the mortgage on his home. There's a boy-meets-girl twist, the heroine being played by Betty Johnson. Treatment and production values may not be exactly Hollywoodian, but for farming communities, the pix has possibilities. More importantly still, it points the way to commercial producers. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. To Fete Mary Howard at Ball Middlesboro, Ky. — Gov. Keen Johnson will play host to Mary Howard, one of the featured players in RKO Radio's "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" at a ball at the Hotel Cumberland tomorrow. Event will inaugurate the festivities in connection with the fiftieth anniversary of Lincoln Memorial University and that of Middlesboro. Southern States premiere of "Abe Lincoln" takes place Saturday at Harrogate, Tenn. Schneider Will Triple Ben Schneider, of the New York World-Telegram, has been appointed drama-movie-amusement editor of Seward Brisbane's Civil Service Leader. He retains his connection with the World-Telegram and continues as Broadway columnist (Brodway Hi-Lites) for Caravan, the magazine distributed by the Hitz Hotel chain.