Film Daily (1942)

10 DAILY Wednesday, February 11, 194; .v v Reviews of the new rums v :, 'Mister V" with Leslie Howard, Mary Morris, Francis Sullivan UA 100 Mins. ABSORBING AND TOPICAL SPY DRAMA IS ABLY PRESENTED; WILL DO ABOVE AVERAGE BUSINESS AT THE BOX-OFFICE. It can be reported favorably this morning that our British cousins can still turn out entertaining spy pictures. Strictly speaking, Leslie Howard, who produced and directed, is included in that category and he gets credit for presenting a superior type of film. As the actor who plays the leading role, Howard comes in for another round of applause. He is a modern Scarlet Pimpernel who makes forays into Nazi Germany to help men of science and letters escape their bondage. Film has a literate quality for a spy film which more than makes up for the occasional lags. Director Howard sustains suspense skillfully but in his acting style there is a tendency to underplay a certain scene. Nevertheless, picture is genuinely exciting and will meet with wide appeal. The story, which is well-written by Anatole De Grunwald, has Howard as a professor of archeology at Cambridge University with all the mannerisms of a scholar engrossed in the ancient classics. On a summer vacation before the war breaks out, he takes a small group of his students to Germany. There they discover he is the mysterious gentleman who has helped antiNazis escape. His students respond enthusiastically to the discovery and help Howard with further tasks. A daughter of a Polish political leader held prisoner is forced by the Nazis to help them discover who the mysterious man is. She tells Howard who affects the rescue of her father and four others. Howard then makes .his escape with her. Outstanding supporting performance is registered by portly Francis Sullivan as the high-ranking Gestapo chief. While maintaining the necessary sinister appearance, Sullivan portrays the Nazi with mockseriousness adding to the effectiveness of the characterization. Throughout the film, Howard is sure convincing. One of the highlights is his disguise of the representative of the GermanAmerican Bund in organizing an escape. It is a splendid performance. Mary Morris is good as the girl with fine support from the minor players. Ending is powerful indictment of the Nazi philosophy and Howard's skill is best evident in the final scene which he introduces without jarring previous contents. CAST: Leslie Howard, Francis Sullivan, Hugh McDermott, Mary Morris, Raymond Huntley, A. E. Matthews, Roland Pertwee, Manning Wiley, Philip Friend, Basil Appleby, Lawrence Kitchen, David Tomlinson, Aubrey Mallalieu, Allan Jeayes, Peter Gawthorne, Ernest Butcher, Ben Williams, Arthur Hambling, Joan Kemp-Welch, W. Phillips, Use Bard, George Street, Harris Arundel, Hector Abbas, Oriel Ross. CREDITS: Producer and Director, Leslie Howard; Screenplay, Anatole De Grunwald; Original Story, A. C. McDonnell and Wolfgang Wilhelm; Associate Producer, Harold "The Courtship of Andy Hardy" with Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Donna Reed M-G-M 93 Mins. LIKE THE OTHER ANDY HARDYS, THIS ONE IS CHOCK FULL OF WIDE AUDIENCE APPEAL. As added evidence of Andy Hardy's growth to manhood is the manner in which he comes to the aid of his father. Situation which calls for Andy to court the unhappy daughter of a squabbling couple forms the plot content for pic. As a result, all elements which have made series popular entertainment are included. Story has Judge Hardy taking an interest in the 17-year-old daughter of the quarreling Nesbits. He asks Andy to take the girl out in order to make her happier. Andy complies and the girl gets a crush on him. She also blossoms out as the prettiest girl at the school dance. Andy solves that affair by playing John Alden for a friend and turns his attention to Polly Benedict who conveniently returns to town toward end of pic. Other supplementary situations have Andy getting in a slight mess with a G-man whose car he is accused of taking; Marian Hardy, who has just returned from the big city, barely missing involving herself in a scandal with the town playboy; and Mrs. Hardy almost falling for a fake collection agency gag. George B. Seitz has directed capably and points up many a moral and platitude whereby it registers effectively, namely Judge Hardy's sermon on drinking. Agnes Christine Johnston has written with skill another milk-and-honey script. Mickey Rooney, as usual, is up to par with a splendid performance. He is particularly effective in the dance scenes where Director Seitz takes the wraps off him and lets him mugg with excellent, comic results. Donna Reed, as the girl Andy courts, proves again she is one of the more promising younger actresses on the Metro lot. Lewis Stone, Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker, Sara Haden, and Ann Rutherford are good in the customary roles. CAST: Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford, Sara Haden, Donna Reed, William Lundigan, Steve Cornell, Frieda Inescort, Harvey Stephens. CREDITS: Director, George B. Seitz; Screenplay, Agnes Christine Johnston; Cameraman, Lester White; Film Editor, Elmo Veron. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. This Time For Keeps" "Duke of the Navy" with Ann Rutherford, Robert Sterling, Virginia Weidler M-G-M 73 Mins. DULL STORY ABOUT TWO NEWLYWEDS AND AN INTERFERING FATHERIN-LAW. Metro's attempt to apply the same formula to the Bryant family which made the Hardys so successful misses badly. It is a dull account filled with unimportant dialogue and situations. Film drags and the fact that three screen writers worked on the script makes it all the more surprising. It should be expected that at least one of the writers would be able to come through with some bright scenes and dialogue that would make the characters believable. Robert Sterling and Ann Rutherford are the young married couple who weather customary tribulations of newlyweds. Guy Kibbee, as the girl's father, tries to be helpful when he takes his son-in-law into the business. When Sterling is on the verge of closing a big deal, Kibbee interferes as usual and spoils it. Heroine of the proceedings is Virginia Weidler who manages to set everything right. Both Sterling and Miss Rutherford ably portray a young married couple and Kibbee turns in a sound performance. Young Miss Weidler again demonstrates what a keen young actress she is despite the lack of material. Irene Rich is a good choice as the mother. CAST: Ann Rutherford, Robert Sterling, Guy Kibbee, Irene Rich, Virginia Weidler, Henry O'Neill, Dorothy Morris, Richard Crane, Joseph Strauch, Jr., Connie Gilchrist. CREDITS: Producer, Samuel Marx; Director, Charles Riesner; Screenplay, Muriel Roy Bolton, Rian James and Harry Ruskin; Based on characters created by Herman J. Mankiewicz; Cameraman, Charles Lawton; Film Editor, Frederick Y. Smith. DIRECTION, Routine. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. with Ralph Byrd, Veda Ann Borg, Stubby Kruger PRC 63 Mir FAR FETCHED COMEDY ACTIO DRAMA AIDED BY SOME SUBSTANTW ACTING. rj Almost everything happens in this con edy action drama, a gob who gets mixed i with a ring of confidence men. Yarn is fa fetched but a group of performers mak the most of a spotty production. Story is about a sailor, Ralph Byrd, who mistaken as a millionaire's son by a pho adventurer who hopes to swindle him v a fake treasure hunt. Gang enlists aid Veda Ann Borg. Byrd is already in hoc to his shipmates but borrows enough mon to get in on the scheme. He inadvertently discovers a real treasu chest and that is when events start rollin Byrd and the girl escape with the treasu but lose it in a fight during a flight in seaplane, with Byrd's shipmates ready tar and feather him, they learn of the rewa and Byrd is able to pay back his debts. Byrd handles his role in a competent ma ner. Most of the comic relief is supplied I Stubby Kruger as Byrd's sidekick. Ve Ann Borg is okay as the girl. CAST: Ralph Byrd, Veda Ann Borg, Stul by Kruger, Herbert Corthell, Margaret Arn strong, Val Stanton, Paul Bryar, Samr Cohen, Red Knight, Lester Towne, Willia Beaudine, Jr., Zack Williams. CREDITS: Producer, John T. Coyle; Dire ( tor, William Beudine; Screenplay, Gerald Adams and William Beaudine; Camerama Mack Stengler; Film Editor, Guy V. Thaye J.'. DIRECTION, Standard. PHOTOGRAPH Okay. Dezel Conferring With Kendis West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Albert Dezel, of the Albert Dezel Roadshows, Chicago, is out here on a little vacation and also to talk over some plans with J. D. Kendis of Continental Pictures, Inc., for 1942 product. Dezel, who handles independent product in the Midle West, is staying at the Hollywood Plaza Hotel. Huth; Cameraman, Muntz Greenbaum; Film Editor, Douglas Myers. DIRECTION, Very Good; PHOTOGRAPHY, Top-Notch. Would Liberalize N. Y. Child Employment Bill Albany — Assemblyman Harold Ehrlich of Buffalo yesterday hoppered bill designed to liberalize stringent prohibitions in the present penal and labor laws relative to employment of children under 16v While the bill would retain prohibitions against use of children in professional exhibitions or in making motion pictures, etc., it would allow such use if the children received writter permission from school boards or other authorized educational authorities to do this work. Such authorization would come, under the bill, when educational authorities were satisfied such employment would not "be harmful or undesirable from the point of view of the welfare, development or proper education of such child." Measure along similar lines passed the 1941 legislature but was vetoed May 3 by Gov. Lehman. Apparently present bill has been so "U" to Return to Opening Selling Season June 1 Universal will return to the po icy of starting the selling season c I June 1, William A. Scully, gener \ sales manager, said prior to his d parture on a southern sales ton Last year, Universal opened i new season in February in order allay fears of a product shorta&l due to the consent decree. Scully said he intended to ho ! a sales convention this Spring d ll spite the war. He added that Un, versal would not make any mo: I long-term franchises but wou I make only season-to-season deals I Universa.Ps 1941-42 business w:| 15 per cent better than that of trl previous season, Scully said, poin'l ing out that the company had e:I ceeded 10,000 contracts for the cu'l rent year. Bigsrest current grosser I he said, are "Keeping 'Em Flying! and "Hellzapoppin." drafted as to meet last year's e: I ecutive objection. Senator Perry of Manhattan i: I troduced a bill to amend the chi rights law by broadening preseil law which prevents discriminate ll by utility companies to include bus J nesses affected with a public ill terest.